RE: Dodge Challenger

RE: Dodge Challenger

Author
Discussion

LuS1fer

41,133 posts

245 months

Saturday 26th July 2008
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Bigtony said:
woof said:
I like my yanks cars - but I've seen it in the flesh
It's just dreadful - it's nothing like the original - it's bulky and looks more like the Chrysler 300c

It was such a disappointment for me frown
I have to agree. In my eyes Chrysler didn't re-invent the Challenger...they just rebuilt it. It's absolutely hideous to be honest, entirely bulky and bloated. It doesn't look muscular to me, looks like a bloated piece of American crap trying to capitalize on a fad. I have similar feelings about the new Camaro. Ford got the new Mustang right. Updated styling for the 21st century INSPIRED by our favorites from the past, not carbon copies. Actually one of my favorite "muscle" cars is the new Holden/Vauxhall Monaro (called a Pontiac GTO here in the States). It's a sad day when our mates down under best all the design power Detroit can muster.
Hardly call the Camaro anything but inspired by the past. As for the blando Monaro, good though it is, it's nothing to look at, nor the new VX8R. I think being used to the design, you may be a little more jaded but then most Americans buy Toyotas don't they.wink

Bigtony

11 posts

229 months

Saturday 26th July 2008
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Well, I said similar feelings : p. I think the Camaro is a bit more of an update than just a total copy job, I think it just looks a little bit too obnoxious and just "fat." It's subtlety is one of the reasons I like the "blandaro."

FPC

7,737 posts

222 months

Thursday 31st July 2008
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I drove a couple of these in the States (as well as Charger special edition thingy). Big cars but love the SRT engine. Plenty of power and straight line acceleration. I took it up to 130mph and it was rock solid. Personally I love the styling, although a tad bland from the rear view. Not sure how such an enormous car can have so little space in the back!

Mick Amcar

6 posts

188 months

Friday 8th August 2008
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NATM5 said:
Interesting Article, especially as i have been trying to get one.

The part i like is the price quoted by specialist importers. More like specialist rip off merchants. I think £ 50,000 is a tad rich , although the 2 importers i asked for prices both quoted me £ 45,000.

Now call me old fashioned but i dont like being ripped off.

If i may.

Cost of Dodge Challenger SRT8 in orange.......$ 41,000 ( you may get a local discount as its being exported.
Shipping to UK $ 2000.00

Total cost $ 42000 which = £ 22,000.00
IMPORT TAX @ 10 % = £ 2,200.00
VAT @ 17.5 % = £ 4,235.00

TOTAL = £ 28,435.00

Now let me see, you have your car at the dock what else do u need.........?

registration and SVA test.

SVA test is £240.00.......and there may be the odd modification here and there and lets be generous and add £ 1000.00

so the total cost comes to £ 29,675.00

Lets be generous again , ill call it a round £ 30,000.

My question is this.................where is the other £15-20,000 gone..............?

Straight in to the robbing specialists importers pocket.

So there you have it, if you want one, bring it over yourself and in fact go there and fetch yourself, and have yourself a holiday there too.


Regards

N.
Oh dear!

If only things were that simple. I agree that the cost at a US dealer would be around £22,000. You would probably end up paying more like £25,000 to get into the country once you've allowed for things like a PDI, trucking to the port of exit and marine insurance (just in case it's damaged or lost whilst at sea). Once here, you'll have to get it to somewhere to be modified, as you can't drive it on the road so it'll have to be trucked. Then there is the modification that has to be done. A £1000.00 light conversion will only get you a whole lot of trouble. A realistic trouble free warranted modification will be more like £1600.00. As for the SVA, what about a tank full of gas (you can't SVA it without.) Also the first registration, first year RFL and number plates. Now were up to £27000 and we've got ourselves a brand new unwarranted car....(once exported out of the USA the manufacturers warranty is unsupported) So an underwritten warranty similar to a manufacturers will cost you in the region of £2000 (if as an individual you could purchase one). Now the totals up to £29,000 and we've still owe the treasury 17.5% VAT which make the realistic cost more like £34-35000 rather than an hopeful £30,000.

So a price of about £38,000 only shows a profit for the dealer of about 10% which is not much he has all the headaches and worries.

PS If you want to know where to get hold of a 2009 Challenger SRT8 for about £38,000 OTR with a 3 Year Warranty email me and I'll let you know.


Mick

NAS

2,543 posts

231 months

Monday 11th August 2008
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Saw it live this weekend in Stockholm.

I really really liked it. An US buddy who had an '07 Charger saw it then for the first time too. Loved it, and is trading in his current motor asap. The car got a ridiculous amount of attention.


51state

226 posts

196 months

Friday 15th August 2008
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Well, luckily enough we have just collected one that the client does not want until 1st September so if anyone wants a close up view (but not drive) please let me know. pics later following a good old wash!!

51state

226 posts

196 months

Friday 15th August 2008
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just arrived!!!





Twin Turbo

5,544 posts

266 months

Friday 15th August 2008
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Gorgeous cloud9

So, c'mon then. Tell us how those rear lights are going to get through the SVA!

51state

226 posts

196 months

Saturday 16th August 2008
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Now that would be telling- just think how valuable that information would be to our competitors!! Actually we are 99pc certain we can resolve the issue without too much difficulty and maintaining the integrity of the rear of the car. I m being told a few of the other importers plan on cutting the lenses and replacing with amber glass - horrible and unnecesssary!!!

Twin Turbo

5,544 posts

266 months

Saturday 16th August 2008
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Fair enough, Guv smile

Can't wait to see my first one in the metal.

51state

226 posts

196 months

Saturday 16th August 2008
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Newbury to Waltham Abbey- 60 mins, time spent drooling over Challenger - priceless bounce

Twin Turbo

5,544 posts

266 months

Saturday 16th August 2008
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Might just have to do that biggrin

V1PER

6,629 posts

260 months

Saturday 16th August 2008
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MMMM
And your only 30 mins away as well...... You open Sundays......

51state

226 posts

196 months

Sunday 17th August 2008
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Sundays are fine - give me a call!

JenkinsComp

918 posts

247 months

Tuesday 19th August 2008
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Marquis_Rex said:
Valentin said:
MrTappets said:
Doesn't sound at all like a muscle car. Should be getting no more than 200bhp from a 6.1l engine, should roar instead of purr, should spin its wheels endlessly instead of launch properly and should crash into a 'gasoliiine' station with a massive explosion at the first corner. Bah
exactly.
And I always liked that both the challenger and the charger had the grace to die young. It's ok if Ford produces a new (great) mustang, because they have done this for the last 40 years. But why wake up the dead??
Ironically, a racing version made on the same new Daimler Chrysler LX platform (ex- Mercedes E class)Challenger-designed especially for the drag strip- did away with the independent multi link rear end and went for a solid rear axle and leaf springs (Dana 60 rear end) like my 1970 model has.
I also talked to a guy with a Pontiac GTO/Holden Monaro and he was fed up of the BMW-esque/Vauxhall Omega semi trailing arm rear end and was switching over to a solid rear axle: In take offs and drag races the solid axle -especially the Dana 60 rear end is tougher and allows the rear wheels to sit square on take off- for better grip!
All the mainstream car magazines just don't get why Ford fitted a solid axle to the Mustang. Before thy signed off the final Mustang design, Ford ran a survey of enthusiasts and they all said they wanted a solid axle for drag racing. The handling compared to independant in road car spec wasn't really much different, so Ford went with it as it saved money too. Chevy went with independant rear suspension for the Camaro as they want to compare it favourably against the likes of the BMW M3, and for that it will need to handle. Chevy can get the Z06 and ZR1 down the drag strip in the low 11s / high 10s so it's not as if you can't make an independant rear set up work. Chevy have learned so much about independant rears from developing recent cars such as the C6 Corvette, CTSv and Camaro at the Nurburgring that they have patented various aspects of their rear suspension design for the '09 Camaro.

Here is a pic of the Drag Spec Challenger.


Ireland59

5 posts

188 months

Tuesday 19th August 2008
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Have a look at my SVA topic - might be of interest to someone

51state

226 posts

196 months

Monday 25th August 2008
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Rear lights resolved without any change to the appearance of the rear of the car- hallelujah!!
I pity the customers of some other importers. I have seen how a couple of guys are doing and it really is not pretty!!

Mick Amcar

6 posts

188 months

Thursday 28th August 2008
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Got any photos of the car post light conversion?

AndyBe

6,637 posts

207 months

Thursday 28th August 2008
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NAS said:
Saw it live this weekend in Stockholm.

I really really liked it. An US buddy who had an '07 Charger saw it then for the first time too. Loved it, and is trading in his current motor asap. The car got a ridiculous amount of attention.

Saw one live last night in Borlänge.
Looks great in the flesh.

51state

226 posts

196 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2008
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SVA passed yesterday- I believe this is the first one to pass in the UK. I will take some pics when possible but to be honest it looks just like factory, no change whatsoever. We have put temporary side repeaters on as we expect to have in mirror indicators available within a month or so. The client did not want any holes drilled so he will run on temporaries until out mirrors one have been made.