Purchasing 09 SRT8 Need Recommendations

[joe308]

I am in the process of purchasing a 2009 Challenger SRT8 Auto with 18k miles and wanted to get some recommendations on what to look out for. I inspected the car on a lift and did a quick test drive but could not find any obvious problems aside from missing front and rear floor mats and the tire kit for the trunk which I assume are easy to get. The 3/36 warranty runs out in less that 2 weeks so I will be bringing it to a Chrysler dealer for a diagnostic before finalizing the deal. The car didn't throw me back in my seat as much as I expected. My 06 300C 5.7 AWD seemed to have almost as much pep when it was new, but perhaps the adaptive computer settings have muted this 6.1 now that it has 18k on it like my 300C did after a while. Since the 392's are a bit quicker, I'd also like to hear about any performance mods that provide a good bang for the buck without sacrificing mechanical reliability. The cold air kits and tuners seem to be the most popular, not sure if I am missing anything else. Thanks for any info!

[adamkSRT8]

there is no spare tire for srt's just that mopar air pump.

[jdub]

Just throwing this out there but for like 1900 dollar you can get a full warranty

my warranty ran out and I have 4500 miles, I then called dodge a few days before it ended and I was told it would cover me for an additional 45k and is transferable

good mods for the money appear to be
gears
intake
throttle body
tuner
smaller wheels
headers(long tubes expensive but show good gains)

you can get a cam kit and installation for under 2500 for 100 hp

have you tried the srt8 in autostick? thats a life changer compared to just D

[joe308]

Thanks for the tip. As for the tire kit - I know that it's just a pump and sealer. Anyone know how much that kit costs to replace and what the SRT8 mats go for? Thanks.

[jdub]

aftermarket srt mats are like 100 bucks I believe and they look better

my mats look like normal ...all black with not letters numbers or other colors

[rayzazoo]

-Check for rocker panel cracking. If so get them replaced.

A Diablosport Predator, Intune or Trinity Tuner is a good start.


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app

[jdub]

huh wasn't aware that rocker panel cracking occured good thing mine are pristine lol

[yladrd61]

Originally Posted by joe308

Thanks for the tip. As for the tire kit - I know that it's just a pump and sealer. Anyone know how much that kit costs to replace and what the SRT8 mats go for? Thanks.

The Tire Kit is around $130.00

[370hemi]

Check the rear wheel wells for rubber, if you find rubber melted to the wheel wells the car may have been raced or abused (think smokey burn outs). Also you should pull the #2 fuse and leave it out for a few minutes so the adaptives are reset back to stock so they can learn your driving habbits that should make the car feel more power full too

[joe308]

Thanks! I was going to have the dealer reset the adaptives with their scan tool. Where is the #2 fuse?