2016 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack
Discussion
Always been a fan of American cars and loved the look of the Challenger ever since they were reintroduced. I was fortunate enough to be sent out to our Florida office at the end of January 2020 and also had permission for a hire car...work didn't mind me paying the difference between a Focus and Hertz's muscle car group, so I made the booking and asked if they could hold a Challenger for me. Sure enough, there was one (the only one in the car park!) waiting for me on arrival. I really enjoyed driving it around for the 10 days I was there and I'd flown out early to have a weekend in which I could visit family a little further south so got a proper feel of the car. Needless to say that car has a lot to answer for!
So having had a tentative look into import costs and some browsing of cars online I put it on the backburner. After all, I had the Monaro VXR which was a dream car for me growing up! Also it had the extra draw of being the rare 5.7 VXR variant, of which only 62 I believe were sold before being replaced by the 6.0 model with some styling and other changes. However, I kept going back to look at adverts online and eventually decided around August/September last year that I was going to replace the Monaro.
So after a bit more searching and a few enquiries at various dealers, I found a car in the right spec: Scat Pack, B5 Blue, manual, convenience group. The dealer was excellent from start to finish and in early October I put a deposit down on the car. A couple of weeks later everything was sorted for transport and payment, with the car heading out to New Jersey for shipment.
Of course not everything went smoothly. Being an off-lease car, US customs required a document to confirm they no longer had any interest in the car. Unfortunately said lease company would not send it directly to the shipping agent and took the best part of 3 weeks to get this document out to the dealer (the first 2 occasions it went to the wrong place, could even see this on the fedex tracker they shared the 2nd time around!). A bit of a nightmare but again the dealer were really helpful in getting it resolved!
Finally the car was on the move in early December, only to be met with Brexit stockpiling and covid delays at UK ports. Overall it took about a week longer to get here than expected, going to Bremen and then Antwerp before arriving at Felixstowe on Boxing Day. By New Year's Eve it was safely in the hands of shipmycar who dealt with the import process and light conversion/IVA work for me. Once the IVA and MOT tests had been completed, we had one final minor delay owing to DVLA having a covid outbreak! Fortunately registration took less time than expected and I had a nice surprise just under 2 weeks ago when the V5 arrived in the post. Transport was then sorted with SMC, with the Monaro going on the empty single transporter to its new owner. Fast forward a few days and the car is now here
So having had a tentative look into import costs and some browsing of cars online I put it on the backburner. After all, I had the Monaro VXR which was a dream car for me growing up! Also it had the extra draw of being the rare 5.7 VXR variant, of which only 62 I believe were sold before being replaced by the 6.0 model with some styling and other changes. However, I kept going back to look at adverts online and eventually decided around August/September last year that I was going to replace the Monaro.
So after a bit more searching and a few enquiries at various dealers, I found a car in the right spec: Scat Pack, B5 Blue, manual, convenience group. The dealer was excellent from start to finish and in early October I put a deposit down on the car. A couple of weeks later everything was sorted for transport and payment, with the car heading out to New Jersey for shipment.
Of course not everything went smoothly. Being an off-lease car, US customs required a document to confirm they no longer had any interest in the car. Unfortunately said lease company would not send it directly to the shipping agent and took the best part of 3 weeks to get this document out to the dealer (the first 2 occasions it went to the wrong place, could even see this on the fedex tracker they shared the 2nd time around!). A bit of a nightmare but again the dealer were really helpful in getting it resolved!
Finally the car was on the move in early December, only to be met with Brexit stockpiling and covid delays at UK ports. Overall it took about a week longer to get here than expected, going to Bremen and then Antwerp before arriving at Felixstowe on Boxing Day. By New Year's Eve it was safely in the hands of shipmycar who dealt with the import process and light conversion/IVA work for me. Once the IVA and MOT tests had been completed, we had one final minor delay owing to DVLA having a covid outbreak! Fortunately registration took less time than expected and I had a nice surprise just under 2 weeks ago when the V5 arrived in the post. Transport was then sorted with SMC, with the Monaro going on the empty single transporter to its new owner. Fast forward a few days and the car is now here
Ahhhh OK, you're forgiven for selling the Monaro though 
Funny that's two Monaro owners that have stepped over to more authentic American muscle cars after many years with the Aussie, look forward to hearing about the Challenger, an orange one is my girlfriend's dream car so will probably be going the Ship My Car route one day
Funny that's two Monaro owners that have stepped over to more authentic American muscle cars after many years with the Aussie, look forward to hearing about the Challenger, an orange one is my girlfriend's dream car so will probably be going the Ship My Car route one day
Thanks for the positive comments all, really pleased with it!
Roboticarm - the hire car had the 5.7, whereas the Scat is a 6.4. The bonnets tend to get changed each model year so I think the 5.7 of 2016 had the same bonnet.
Sturdy - it was a tough decision to let go of the Monaro, ended up passing 9 years of ownership before the handover. They really do get under your skin and I never thought I would sell it but things change. I think it has gone to a good home which is the main thing. I look forward to seeing an orange Challenger on your thread soon
Roboticarm - the hire car had the 5.7, whereas the Scat is a 6.4. The bonnets tend to get changed each model year so I think the 5.7 of 2016 had the same bonnet.
Sturdy - it was a tough decision to let go of the Monaro, ended up passing 9 years of ownership before the handover. They really do get under your skin and I never thought I would sell it but things change. I think it has gone to a good home which is the main thing. I look forward to seeing an orange Challenger on your thread soon
monarodom said:
Sturdy - it was a tough decision to let go of the Monaro, ended up passing 9 years of ownership before the handover. They really do get under your skin and I never thought I would sell it but things change. I think it has gone to a good home which is the main thing. I look forward to seeing an orange Challenger on your thread soon
I've just passed 10 years with my Monaro and am far too deep in to it now to ever part with it, could certainly say it's under my skin A Challenger appearing certainly won't be soon, but one day hopefully
Not Ideal - not sure really, I reckon it may have been slightly cheaper doing it myself but no comparable vehicles were advertised to determine the cost of one in the UK already. Clive Sutton always have some lovely hellcats in! I had seen a few Challengers advertised through other dealers/private individuals online but a lot seem to have been wrecked in the USA, plus I managed to go for specific colour and trim when options are a bit more limited over here
supacool1 - I am considering it, I fitted a 'sto n sho' bracket as it can be removed easily to keep the US look for photos etc and saves drilling in to the bumper. It does catch on the drive entrance so having to take it on/off each time. Been fine on all speedbumps bar those single ones in the lane rather than across the road...so alternative thinking required!
CaptainSensib1e - thanks, first noticeable thing is the size of it really, can't push quite as much through the bends as in the Monaro although I expect once I get used to it that might change! Has around 100bhp more too so the extra grunt is definitely felt and the gear changes feel a bit more positive.
supacool1 - I am considering it, I fitted a 'sto n sho' bracket as it can be removed easily to keep the US look for photos etc and saves drilling in to the bumper. It does catch on the drive entrance so having to take it on/off each time. Been fine on all speedbumps bar those single ones in the lane rather than across the road...so alternative thinking required!
CaptainSensib1e - thanks, first noticeable thing is the size of it really, can't push quite as much through the bends as in the Monaro although I expect once I get used to it that might change! Has around 100bhp more too so the extra grunt is definitely felt and the gear changes feel a bit more positive.
I hired a Red Scat Pack in Dubai early last year for 2 weeks.
It was an auto version and absolutely loved it. That was my first time driving a proper muscle car as well.
The hire company had tweeked it a bit with different wheels, exhaust and air filter.
Love them, that's a cracking colour aswell.
It was an auto version and absolutely loved it. That was my first time driving a proper muscle car as well.
The hire company had tweeked it a bit with different wheels, exhaust and air filter.
Love them, that's a cracking colour aswell.
Can I ask you what the rough import costs were? I, too, am besotted with this shape Challenger and would love to import one. Any V8 in this country seems to go for £20k plus so is there a noticeable saving in importing one yourself? I don't have any problem with the paperwork and patience of it all, just curious as to what the costs are and if it would be more beneficial to buy one in the states and import it or just buy a UK registered one.
RazerSauber said:
Can I ask you what the rough import costs were? I, too, am besotted with this shape Challenger and would love to import one. Any V8 in this country seems to go for £20k plus so is there a noticeable saving in importing one yourself? I don't have any problem with the paperwork and patience of it all, just curious as to what the costs are and if it would be more beneficial to buy one in the states and import it or just buy a UK registered one.
The ShipMyCar website I believe will give you a ballpark figure for costs, find one on a US website in a city near one of the ports and go from there 
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff