My doc suggested I get a more sensible car that I actually fit in to help my surgically repaired back stay healthy so I went to look at the new Chargers today and took one for a spin. I actually don't mind the looks much in person......they had a dark gray one that was nice looking. If you lower one and put some nice wheels on it and get the factory spoiler IMHO it's much better looking than the new Rustang.

Anyways, the interior is HUGE....it's a really big car and has tons of room everywhere....definitely nice for pimpin' with your boys (or gals). The hemi has really nice and smooth power too. No matter what gear you're in you can just hit the gas and it really moves. It only comes in auto though with the thingie where you can change gears yourself by moving the shifter back and forth and I was pleasantly surprised that the gear changes are really quick.....hardly any of the slop that usually makes me hate auto trannies.

The car handled well for it's size too. It has much better steering feel than my SRT-4 did so you can tell where you're at on the road and what the car is doing. The suspension soaks up all the bumps and makes it a really quiet ride but also isn't too bad when you wanna take a corner......body roll is much less than I expected for a car this big and heavy. It's definitely never gonna be something I'll take to a track day but would be awesome to deck out for some 1/4 mile action I'm sure.

The interior is pretty average. It's got the typically cheap feeling domestic plastic interior but it's not so bad that it would turn me off. It comes with a really nice stereo system too that plays mp3 CD's and gauges are done nicely with brushed aluminum trim and white faces. The steering wheel has up and down as well as telescoping adjustment which is nice. The pedals are adjustable too. The power seats (with a lumbar adjustment which ROCKED!) are nice and comfy and are definitely just for cruising because they have no side bolsters or anything.

Overall I actually liked the car. I tried to pick out every little thing that I didn't like about it and honestly there wasn't much. Bottom line is that if I wanted a V8 this is my car. I'd like to get the Daytona or the SRT-8 version though because they come with the spoiler and cool hood with a scoop that I like plus the SRT-8 comes with the 6.1 liter Hemi that puts down 425 hp. The only thing that I came away not liking were the stock wheels (easily fixed though) and the HUGE wheel gap. The thing definitely needs to be lowered about 2 inches just to make it tolerable for me. And the engine was really quiet....I'd definitely go for the dual flowmasters that they will put on at the dealer and make that baby howl.

If I got one of these I'd definitely have to change my style....no more hugging corners and doing track days at VIR....it would be strictly pimpin' and 1/4 miles. I dunno if I can make that change though cuz after I left the dealer and got back in my Z I kept thinking that I'd kick myself if I got rid of that car.....I love it more than it's probably right to love a car.

 

If you like that car.. check out the new Toyota Avalon. That car is like 100x better. If you want a little bigger comfortable for pimpin, the avalon is sweet. It has no keys (wireless, push button start), automatic braking during cruise control (laser sensor so you don't hit the car in front of you), automatic windshield wipers, power everything, adjustable back seats, gps navigation, loud JBL stereo (sounds very very nice), etc... Everyone who drives the car and has ever driven a maybach, says it feels like it. It has 280hp out of a 3.5 litre v6.. trust me, it moves. It still gets 31mpg highway too. The car is truly amazing.. just go give it a test drive and see how it compares. At least you know you are getting quality and not a fake american muscle car.

 

sorry, not a chance in hell.......for one thing I'll never own a FWD car ever again and secondly Toyota has by far the most bland styling there is....that Avalon looks like an old Ford LTD. The Charger is faster, cheaper, better looking, and has RWD. No contest, sorry.

 

the charger (lls) looks like s***. It looks like some ugly a**.

 

Better looking than the new Mustang? You gotta be kidding. The new Charger resembles the 300 too much. It looks nothing like the Chargers of old. They should've kept it like the concept they had a few years back, with the supercharged engine.

 

I Agree... But the car does have a nice powerplant! 400+HP works for me!

 

yeah 400+hp if you get the srt-8 charger

 

Yeah, just like the old Hemi. It was 426 cubes about 6 liters and made 425hp.

 

Now Chevy needs to get in on this. I have seen plans of their new retro styled Camaro. Looks promising!

 

I agree with you that the Avalon is definitely a no no, although reliability wouldn't come in to question with Toyota, where it does with American cars.

The new Mustang is a beautiful car, but it needs the bigger wheels and the V8. I actually saw a Saleen version of the new Mustang when I was on vacation in Oregon, all I have to say is sexy.

I actually like the new look of the Charger, and of course it will look like the 300 because it's the same car. The only thing I HATE about it is it doesn't come in a manual.

 

Actually, the Charger does resemble the original Charger. The problem is that when people think of the Dodge Charger they think of Dukes of Hazzard or Bullit. That was not the original Charger. If I hadn't bought my Forester XT I probably would have bought one of these. Yeah, it's ugly, and thats how I like my cars. Don't forget that Dodge has also announced that plans for a two door hemi powered Challenger are on the table.

http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/13/Auto...nger/index.htm

 

A Challenger? Uh oh. Maybe a good "challenger" for the Cobra.

 

Here in vegas I saw someone with a 300. It was black with blacked out windows and 20"black rims with chrome lips. The car looked sweet. The charger does look like a more agressive 300 for sure.

I know all about that bad back thing. I'm havin a problem with my LS spine right now and my evo hammers it. But I love drivin it.

 

I have heard that the srt-8 may even be underrated at 425hp, but this is based on a few dyno pulls from only one car. I wouldn't be surprised if it were true though.

 

Have you checked out the GTO? You can at least get a 6-spd with it.