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The story of when you bought your car...

10K views 56 replies 49 participants last post by  TJR1952 
#1 · (Edited)
I actually saw this on another site and thought it was interesting, just explain how and what happened when you bought your current car; (If there is a thread already like this just delete this, lol) Anyways here is my story...

I actually had a 2010 Mustang GT and my dad had just pre ordered a 2013 1LE SS Camaro, So I ended up with a new car kick lol. I started looking at Challengers cuz I was always a fan of them, but the money situation wasn't where I could afford to get one. Anyways I kinda let go of the idea but a few months later I wasn't paying attention and ended up totaling my mustang like an idiot, so at that point I thought a new car was out of the question because I thought my insurance would sky-rocket. So I started looking at Trans Ams (because I love them, lol), but with them being so old getting a loan wasn't looking to good, so my dad actually found a 2013 Challenger R/T Blacktop edition 6 speed that was in transit to the dealer on the internet which was what I was looking at before and the money wasn't right. I called the insurance company and they quoted me lower than what I was paying for the mustang so instantly I went to the dealership. After talking with them they ended up saying they could get me to the payments I wanted so I put down 2,000 to hold it, and had to wait a week and a half before the car was even there. Going through the week was a cross between excited and wishing I was going to get the car, so anyways I got a text saying "your car is here". I went to the dealership the next day and after seeing it I was siked but tried to hide it during the test drive, lol. After sitting there for like 4 hours waiting to go into the finance office I was getting irritated, finally get in there and they tried to swindle me and act like the payments where completely different then what we agreed upon the week before. Needless to say after getting pissed off and snapping on them demanding my check (rest of down payment) back and making them put the 2,000 back on my card the General Manager shows up and says I'll get you where you want. He ended up getting the payments lower than what I was willing to pay as I was walking out in a Huff', so I ended up getting the car. I had like 10 mins to get to work cuz I was there for so long (I work nights), so at that point I wasnt even excited I got the car. Woke up the next morning and walked outside; saw my car and was ecstatic, didn't know how to deal with the excitement I had, lol... Anyways that's my story :D
 
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#2 ·
Once Upon a Time, Not Too Long Ago, in a town Near By...
I had been wanting a V8-powered rear-wheel drive American-made CAR for a few years. My bank had let me know that my truck loan was about to be paid off and a car dealer had sent me a piece of junk mail that said my truck was worth a lot of cash in trade.
So on a whim I went to USAA and did the carbuying thing they offer, which gave me a great price and a dealer name. So I took the cert to the dealer in question ( Classic in Denton TX ) and told them my requirements for a loan, how much I needed in trade, etc. They hit every point.
While the finance guys are hashing things out I drive a couple cars. I ended up in the most tricked-out R/T Classic on the lot for less than the USAA certificate said I was to pay. My only complaint now is the sunroof is messing with my headroom. I'll get over it.
And They Lived Happily Ever After. ( as soon as I get video signal from my cameras ).
 
#3 · (Edited)
2 yrs ago i had a major weight issue. i was 410 lbs.. going to work with a walker, just a mess. take in mind i am 33 at the time. my back was a mess. i was literally on the surgery table and opted out of it as i felt it wasn't right. i got home layed downed and cried.. alot.. tired of the way i felt.. frustrated. miserable. I drank 24 + cans of pop a day. i chewed a can a day. eat for 10 people ect. For most people that arn't overweight this story means little.. for the ones that are and want to lose weight you get where i was and am now.

So i decided it was time. I had to change my life, that next day i gave up pop cold turkey, and chew. ( I WAS A BEAR FOR A WHILE ) . I started out at the gym. went to ride the bikes.. what a mess.. 10 mins i was toast.. but i pushed and pushed. about 6months in i lost 60 lbs. clothes were changing felt different ect. SO i decide. if i lose 150 lbs i am buying a challenger.. didn't care if it was a brand new one or used.. i am buying one. So i pushed.. i go to the gym 7 days a week.hr to hr and a half a day.. i loose more weight. after just over a yr. in jan i lost 151lbs.. IT IS GO TIME. i am on the hunt. i was going to buy a brand new 2012 at the time. red srt ect.. dealer wouldn't budge 500bucks.. thats it 500 bucks lol.. So i bailed they called and called again 500 bucks well we can't. OK.

I look on line, find a 09 srt red with every option you could get in kansas city with 1000 miles on it. DONE. get in the rental car, drive down. drove it home.

WHILE THIS IS NOT A coveted 392 car like most seam to think you need, this works for me. I have sweated screamed and kicked over this car. and 2yrs later lost 160lbs because of it.
oh and on a side note for I went on my bike ride and there is this bridge i have always wanted to ride to. never did it till yesterday. 48miles round trip. 4hrs
may not be a big deal to most but it is a HUGE DEAL to me.

and that's my story
chris
 
#8 ·
it is a HUGE DEAL to me.

and that's my story
chris
Way to go there Chris. Finding what motivates you and following through on it.

BTW I'm not a professed Dodge man. I have owned way too many GM products... My wife wanted/bought a Magnum R/T back in 08 and that is the first Dodge I have owned in probably 20 years.

My obsession started back when Hot Rod started following the Challenger birth. The interview with the winning concept showing all the pictures of the drafting models, interview with the designer and the clay model grabbed me. I just could not shake it. I had two car payments at that time and knew I could not get one for some time. I made a couple trips to the dealer over 2 years and test drove a couple different R/T cars but always in 6 speed form.

The bug really hit back in 2010 when the Plum Crazy came out. We take a trip in May every year for our anniversary. I went to Dodge's website and searched the whole route of our trip to see if one in purple was sitting on the lot. Lenoir Tn had one and it was on the ride up. We stopped by on the Sunday trip up and it was just outstanding. I could not get it off my mind. Wednesday the same week, my wife and I were sitting at breakfast in Pigeon Forge and she says, do you want to ride over and drive it? Uhm yeah.... So we rode over and drove the car. I loved it. Stripped down model with no sunroof... Purple with white graphics. It is what I really wanted, well at the time anyway. We drive the car around for a little while. It is just beyond what I could have imagined. We get a number back from the salesman and I could not do it. I could not pay that much at that particular time. We had 2 kids going into daycare for the next 2 months over summer and I knew the payments would be too much so I walked away very sad.

Fast forward my obsession to both vehicles in my yard paid off with many craigslist ads, dealer searches and Carmax views for the next 2.5 years. My daily has become a mess from dealing with a trans shop that I should never have let touch my car. I was still looking for the Plum with White but the search was too far away to find one and they seemed to all be up north. So I dropped back to looking at a B5 R/T on Carmax website with 5K miles on the clock. I would have to pay to have it transferred. Would it be worth it? Would it smell like a cigarette? Would the clear be scratched from the wrong care and be a lot of work to get clean again? I checked the price and thought, wait for $29K I can probably kick in a few grand and get a new one that no one else had driven.

I was right, a friend helped me out with a Friends and Family Plan form and I was on my way to the dealer local to get me a new Challenger. I waited to the last week of Sept to see if any 2012s were being discounted before presenting my FFP.. No R/T Classics on the lot and none that could be transferred with the options I wanted. So on to the 2013s. I test drove a R/T plus on the lot but it wasn't for me. I wanted the graphic on the side. I wanted the 20 inch wheels. I didn't want the 970Watt stereo in the trunk. So I decided to ask if they would search for one and transfer. They found one in Tn and said it was in transit to distribution. Monday it was still on the distribution lot in Nashville. Tuesday same thing. Wednesday, you get the picture. Thursday it has left the hub and was in transit to the dealer in Tn (still unnamed). It will be at my local dealer Friday for sure. I get a call late Thursday night from my sales guy. Sorry car sold out from under us. Bummer, I had the VIN.. I had checked the insurance. I knew what the payment would be and then there was no car.... So I asked the sales guy what next. On identical car was already in Mi, I would have to pay a transfer fee on, for someone else to break in my car on a heck of a long road trip. A second car was south of Atlanta but had STP on it. No to both those ideas. I drove one STP down the street I work on and that would get old too quick. So I ask about ordering. Sales manager says he will waive the deposit since we lost the one up in Tn. Sales guy gives me some run around and becomes IMA for a couple days. We are now at Thursday Oct 11th a.m. I get up that morning with the day off for repairs around my house. Waiting on contractors to show up, I get on Dodge's site again and start the search for a car I want. Strangely, the exact VIN I was given still shows up for sale in Bristol Tn. So, what the heck, I give them a call. Is the car still there? YES..... I'm looking right at it. What do you need to hold it until I can get there? $500..... Here is my CC number and I will get financing through my local bank and bring you a check.

Thursday evening at dinner. I ask my wife if our 16 year old son can drive me to Bristol, 360ish miles one way and drive the chase car back home. He is overly excited at the thought, she is hesitant. I finish all the work at the bank on Friday evening. My son and I get up at 5:30 and head out with him at the wheel. This is his first time on the interstate at all.... He drove for 12.5 hours round trip and did a fantastic job. Anyway I get to Friendship Dodge dealership and have the easiest paper signing I have ever had. Out of the dealer 45 minutes after arriving and back on the road home. Loving this new Challenger all the way and watching my son like a hawk until we get home. When I pull up in the driveway, my wife comes outside and says well? My only comment was I got what I wanted and it drives great on the interstate.

The local dealer sales manager called back to see why I went cold on the sale. I told him the car that was going to be transferred was in my driveway. A couple days later the salesman called back, and I told him the same thing. Both seemed disappointed. Imagine that. Power of the internet got me the car I wanted without waiting for them to order it.

Sorry guys this got long but I felt it was worth telling.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Chris, great story, congrats, you won man.


My brother had a 74' challenger back in the early 80's. I would drive it from time to time. It was the dark green metalic color with green interior. I really liked that car. I got a 74' charger in 87', the same green color. We had matching mopars. The charger was a boat, but had a lot of fun in that car. So, fast forward to 2011... I was reliving some memories and decided.. I'm gonna get a vintage challenger... started looking for some... then came to a conclusion that I'd like to have something that I could feel safer taking my family in...and for longer trips... and new just seemed more practical. They didn't have the dark green that I wanted, so the GWE would do. Found one with the options I wanted about 300 miles away. Had them take pics of it, all over to make sure it was good, then sent a check for it. It arrived at my doorstep 2 days later. Now, I'm looking to get the 6.2 hellcat if it ever comes around.
 
#5 ·
Some good stories, Way to go Chris... keep up the good work loosing weight.

Here is my story:

Back in Feb 2008, at age 42, I had robotic prostate cancer surgery. It was a long recovery back from that. Anyway, I had been following the Challenger saga and in July as I was driving a HO SRT8 pulls into the Kohls parking lot... I pull in and drive around where the guy parked it and then just sat and stared at the car in utter amazement. I could not believe how awesome it looked in person. I knew then I had to have a Challenger. In the fall as the '09s started to appear in dealerships I went to one of the Dodge dealerships and test drove an SE as that is what I could afford. Wife desperately tried to talk me into buying but I wanted to wait till Spring to have more of a downpayment so I waited. Then in February they announced the Employee Plus Plus pricing so I went for it. I got a TorRed SE just how I wanted it optioned and took delivery 51 weeks to the day of my surgery. As I drove the car back home it made it really seem like the last year was behind me.
It started out as a daily driver but now is garaged in winter. In June of 2009 I started a Modern Mopar car club here as none existed. I still get a smile everytime I start the car 4 years after I bought it. I never thought I'd get back into cars like this and now I have a TorRed RT Classic on order. This car brought me back into 'cars can be cool' mode.
 
#6 · (Edited)
i ordered my White IE the first week they were able to be ordered...it was a stripped Manual....only option was f1's

i ordered it before i even saw a picture

mine was one of first 50 made and i kept watch on where it was in the manufacturing process....i was hoping for a # under 50....then it sat an extra week in striping for some reason and ended up being #126....no biggie

then it sat for 4-5 weeks in a parking lot while everyone else was getting there's...i watched as cars for dealers would ship in 1 week while mine sat....finally it got on a train....then the train stalled for 3 weeks...finally arrived in early Feb....but the seats were all loose and sloppy looking (this was a major issue on early IE's).....i asked them to fix the seats...the dealer offered to redo the deal and give me $1000+ off....i finally told him yes, but then he refused to trailer it to my home (part of the original deal)....so i told him to keep it

found a DWB IE locally..manual loaded $-2k off sticker...looked great...until i walked around it and found a nice dent....so i walked away

next day i decided im buying a IE today ..so, i took the day off of work, drove the kids to school and then went from WI to IL to where i had made a deal on the internet...this time is was for a loaded Automatic (100% different than the car i ordered)....on the way i found another white IE that was also Automatic/loaded and got an extra $200 off, so i bought that one....they preped it right away and 2 hours later i drove it home #605....most of the IE's under #500 have loose fitting seats.....i was purposely looking for a high #...seats arent perfect, but much better than the early ones....
 
#7 · (Edited)
Back in the day, (and I'm giving away my age here) in 1976... I bought a '74 Challenger Rallye, 360 4bbl, 4 speed for $900.00. Man, did we have fun with that car! Bright Red with a black interior and of course, a Hurst pistol Grip shifter

Fast forward to 2011, put kids through college, etc., etc. So on my birthday, I went to the local Dodge dealer and ordered a 2012 R/T. They had no idea about Header Orange, nor could they show me any kind of color sample. So, I ordered it sight unseen.. If Chrysler's figures are correct, it turns out it is only 1 of 304 non-classic R/T's ordered in Header Orange, very similar to my '74 of which about only 100 were built....My 2012 is also a dead ringer (color-wise) for the 1970 Vitamin C Road Runner that I also had at one time (and only paid $1000 for)
 
#9 ·
thanks guys.

at the end of the day you just have to want something and mind over matter.. NOW back to the stories.. good reads for sure.

chris
 
#11 · (Edited)
Great job Chris, keep on the path.

My story is short and sweet. I wasn't needing, looking, or wanting a new car of any type. Not even on my mind. This was in Sept '10.

I was done making sales calls for the day, and took a different way home. I passed the little Dodge dealer, and on the corner of the lot was a new R/TC in "DY".

Snapped my neck, made a late turn, and checked it out. Talked with the saleslady for a bit, sat in it, and liked how it "fit" me.

Left the dealership, went home, and the wife wanted to know "what's the matter". She can read me, and knew that I had something on my mind.

Told her what I looked at and she said, "You better not be f'ing with me" LOL

Went to the dealer the next day, checked it out again, Chrysler just put on a 5k rebate, and well, the car came home.

This one was "meant to be" as they say. Killer car, killer deal, no shopping/looking/wondering/choosing/joining a forum and posting "help me" for a year/should I, shouldn't I.............you get the point.

Bing, bang, BOOM. It was mine, and I'm just as happy today as I was the day it came home.

Like I said, short story, not very interesting, but that's how it happened.
 
#12 ·
My Cars story

After college I have been working for the government in DC for a while and my commute from So. MD is about an hour and a half 1 way. So i would be teased as i passed the Dodge, Ford, Bmw Dealerships on my way to and from work. It never failed that every 2 or 3 weeks there would be a car ive had my eye on just sitting on the lot. (Lancer Evo 8, 335i, and oh the challengers). Driving by the dodge dealerhsip with all the challengers on display was torture. At this point i couldnt bring myself to drive any car other than my honda accord 114miles per day, let alone the tiny parking spots in dc build for turd smart cars and oh yeah, the gas for anything else.

Finally the phone rings and there is a poisition at the Naval Base 15 minutes from my house "am i interested?" 2 words "SCHITTT YEAH".

Not 5 Minutes after that the phone rings again and its one of my best friends who is a mechanic at the ford dealership "Some dude just dropped off a 2010 R/T with 13k miles for a Boss 302" "The dealership is probably just going to send it to auction so i talked to the owner for you and he has a number on a piece of paper that youll like" gotta love the "family" discount.

Transfered that Monday and drove off the lot on thursday and I got a little in between. im only 26 so im sure there will be better weeks ahead of me but its going to be pretty difficult to beat that one :)
 
#13 · (Edited)
1. showed the wife the car (white with blue stripes)
2. said that if i could find her one she'd buy it
3. looked and looked and looked for an IE with no leads
4. after 3 days, i finally found one
5. called dealership and worked the deal over the phone
6. drove my SRT8300 5.5 hours and dropped it off with the keys in the ignition a day later
7. tossed some cash on the table, signed some papers and rolled out in our new IE 392
 
#14 · (Edited)
Originally posted May 2011

How I finally got my car.

To all of you out there who have been waiting for your cars to be built, I have a story on how I got my car built.

I ordered my car in January. My dealer who is one of the largest Challenger dealers in the country told me it would be 6-8 weeks.

A week after ordering the car, I received the VIN and I went on insight and it said my car was D1 and scheduled to be built on 2/14.

Well, as many of you know 2/14 came and went. I called my salesman who told me he couldn't tell anything else than my car was D1.

I called Chrysler customer care on a daily basis and they told me to talk to the dealer.

This went on for a few weeks. My salesman got pissed at me for calling him and telling him that insight says this or that and he finally told me that I wasn't supposed to have insight and he wasn't going to follow up on any info that I received from it.

After weeks and weeks of going back and forth with Chrysler customer care and my dealer, I spoke to some guy at Chrysler customer care who told me that a car should only be in D1 for 10-14 days and that there is something wrong if my car is beyond that. He elevated my case to the next level.

I thought I was making progress. The next day someone from customer care called me and told me that my car was on the appropriate track and the story of 10-14 days was BS.

I started to believe that my car would never be built. There was another car about 50 miles away that was what I wanted but I wasn't fond of the color black (sorry to those who love black). I had told myself not to go there since I would end up buying that car and I would then have regrets when my car showed up or I saw another car in the same paint scheme.

One Sunday, I decided to check it out and low and behold I made a deal for the car. The car had a scratch on it that needed to be repaired before I took delivery. By the next day I was already having buyers remorse. I found out the 2nd dealer had the same owner as the 1st dealer and they let me out of the deal as long as I purchased the first car. Whew!

By this time it was 8 weeks since I ordered the car. Even if it was built right away it wouldn't arrive for 4 more weeks making it 12 weeks.

I decided I needed to shake things up. I went on Linkedin and looked for high ranking Chrysler people and I found one who had his personal email posted (for those who haven't used Linkedin, you can only contact people you know directly). I assume he had this posted incase a headhunter wanted to contact him. Anyway, I emailed at around 2pm and told him my story and asked if he could help me or put me in touch with someone who can.

At about 8pm he emailed me and said he could help me and he asked me to send him my information. I was surprised that he replied. I didn't get my hopes up because I figured he would pass me over to one of his minions.

I went to work the next day and at around noon, I received a phone call and it was him. He then went on to tell me that my car was being built at that moment. I was stunned. I had to ask him if he was serious. He said it was being built and I got lucky because my color blackberry pearl was going to be restricted the next day.

Over the next few weeks I watched insight as my car moved through the system. At one point it stalled at shipping for ground effects. I emailed him again and he told me that he talked to the logistics guys and they would get it moving. He emailed once a week to give me a status update and quoted the date of arrival as 4/20. The car arrived at the dealer on 4/19.

I would love to give all the guys waiting for your cars this guys name and email address but I do not want him to regret helping me. I wanted to pass along this story so it may inspire you to try making some contacts yourself.

Every time I tell this story I preface it with, "If someone was to tell me this story I would call bullsh*t on them

Good luck on getting your car built.





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#16 ·
Great stories so far. I love how some of them come across as important life events that are told almost as if it were the first time you saw your child/took them home. That really says something about these cars. Here's mine:

I had been driving a 2000 Dodge Startus that I bought from my grandmother while I was in high school after it became apparent that her Parkinson’s was going to make it impossible for her to drive safely. It was a piece of crap but I loved that car (in part due to the connection to my grandmother who had since passed away and also because it was my first car).

Anyway, in November 2011, I parked in a train station parking lot like I do every day, took the train into Center City Philadelphia for work and returned at night to a completely empty parking lot – including the absence of my Stratus! I filed a police report and was told that it likely wouldn't turn up. Losing that car killed me inside.

I waited it out for a month hoping they’d find it before I even started thinking about a new car. Even then I was looking mostly at used cars because I was taught to live below my means and save for the future. But the cars I was looking at just didn’t compare to my Stratus, and I eventually convinced myself to shell out for a brand new Challenger SXT. The reasoning was that it would take something as special as a Challenger for me to get over the Stratus.

The night I was going to take delivery on the Challenger a friend offered to drive me to the dealership from the train station (the same station the car was stolen from). She took a shortcut through an apartment complex directly behind the train station and immediately after the turn I saw my Startus parked on the side of the road! Problem was, I had already accepted an insurance payment so the car technically was not mine at that point, and I had already made a deposit on the Challenger. After a quick visit from a patrol officer to fill out a recovery report, I was told that it would be alright to drive it to a safer location for the insurance company to pick up the next day. My last drive in my first car was to the dealership to pick up the new Challenger. It was a nice passing of the torch moment that allowed me to enjoy the Challenger as much as it deserved to be enjoyed.
 
#17 · (Edited)
My story begins in high school in 1975 when a friend of mine pulled into the driveway in a nice blue 1971 Barracuda. I instantly thought that the Barracuda was the perfectly styled car. By the time I could afford a car, they weren't made anymore and most of the existing ones were fairly worn out. Oh well.

Seven years ago I was in the need for a car and I decided I wanted a V8 and good size at a reasonable price. The winner was a 2006 Charger R/T. It was a terrific car with just one drawback--I had really wanted a 2-door.

In 2008 the Challenger was launched and my thought was, "Crap!! I wish that was around when I needed a car!"

Then in fall of 2008 I went to the dealership to get a little warranty work done, and while I was waiting I picked up a 2009 sales brochure for the Challenger. Pictured prominently was the B5 blue Classic and I started thinking up ways to justify trading the Charger in. Along comes February 2009 and the order window for the B5 blue Classic opens. At the same time Chrysler is running an Employee Pricing promotion. My dealer found a way to make sure I could get the good pricing on the Classic, and on May 1 I was the proud owner of Bettie.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I also saw the 2006 Challenger Concept at the Philly Auto Show and promised myself if they build it with the "small" HEMI, a manual transmission, and keep the price around $30,000 I would order one ASAP. As it turned out, the stars aligned, and I ordered mine in early Sept. 2008, just as I made my final payment on my daily-driver. Six weeks to the day I ordered it arrived at the dealer's lot. In fact, I went to the dealer on 10/17/08 just to see if the Challenger Registry really was accurate because it said my car would be delivered 10/20/08, but it just had been pulled off the truck 15 minutes before I arrived! The car still had the protective plastic wrap on the hood and foam blocks taped to the doors. I was there for the PDI and drove it for the first time with 1 mile on the odometer.

I got my car without ever test-driving one (or a Charger/Magnum/300 for that matter) or even seeing my color choice in person. Happily, it exceeded my expectations, and 4 1/2 years later I'm just as excited to drive it as that first day. In fact with the mild mods I made to mine it's even more fun to drive (with more subtle mods to come).

Now I'm getting close to needing to replace my daily-driver and have been considering a manual Mustang GT, but my Challenger is not going anywhere...ever!
 
#19 ·
hmm well 2009, retired from USAF after returning from my last deployment. Served 26 years and was not really ready to go. Really enjoyed helping sick and injured as an IDMT. However, a 100% disabled adult daughter at home and high ops tempo deployment for going on 10 years was getting too much to continue asking my wife to shoulder alone. So in the end I guess my challenger ending up being my military retirement/mid life crisis purchase.
 
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#20 · (Edited)
Mine was an impulse buy.
Long story short. Went shopping for a jeep for my wife.
Ended up with a yellow jacket for ME. Go figure. Then realized not only was i going through my first mid life crises, but manapause as well. I just turned 40. I guess that's when it kicks in for men.
I think im gonna go through another one in a couple of years when the hellcat comes out.
I love going through mid life crises. So much fun and costly.


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#21 ·
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I went to one of my local dealers for a test drive of a 2010 SRT8. The salesman didn't seem to be taking me seriously. In fact, he actually asked me if I was there for the free Sixers basketball tickets promotion. Well that offended me but I stayed cool. We started our drive in a neighborhood but I stopped first and he asked why. I told him I needed to do a burnout for the tires as if it were obvious. We drove around the neighborhood and then he told me to take it back to the dealership. I said what kind of a test drive is that? I wanted to go onto the interstate. So we did. I asked him if the car had any balls. He said yes and told me to go ahead. There wasn't much traffic out that day so I punched it and it took off like a rocket. I got up to about 165 mph and then cut it back but it still had a little left. We returned to the dealership and I pretended to negotiate with him for about an hour. We got to the point where he had to get the manager's approval for the sale and that's when I told him to forget the deal, I changed my mind. He flipped out on me, he was pissed. I told him the reason - the free Sixers tickets. He had offended me from the start. I told him to use the last two hours as a learning experience. He went and cried "no fair" to his manager. But by that time I was out of there and I laughed and I laughed.

Two years later, I bought my SRT8 from another dealer who as usual tried all the sales tricks but to no avail. I've been happy with it ever since. If I were to offer one piece of advice: Don't buy from South Jersey CJD dealers.
 
#22 ·
I told him I needed to do a burnout for the tires as if it were obvious. We drove around the neighborhood and then he told me to take it back to the dealership. I said what kind of a test drive is that? I wanted to go onto the interstate. So we did. I asked him if the car had any balls. He said yes and told me to go ahead. There wasn't much traffic out that day so I punched it and it took off like a rocket. I got up to about 165 mph and then cut it back but it still had a little left. We returned to the dealership and I pretended to negotiate with him for about an hour.
Wow! Your test drive seems very familiar to this commercial.

 
#23 ·
Cancer and a Challenger

In 2008, I saw the Michael C. Hall narrated TV commercial below. Every time it would come on TV I'd smile and tell the wife "Theres my car!". She says "Yeah right" and that went on for awhile. That summer I deployed for the 2nd time as a civilian defense contractor (I'm retired from the Army after 22 years) to Iraq. I never made it out of Kuwait due to intestinal cancer (Gastro Intestinal Stromal Tumor = GIST) that decided to suddenly give me fits. Medevaced to Germany, 8 pints of blood go through me, I have surgery 4th of July 2008 and they get all the cancer out at one time. Medevaced to Walter Reed Army Hospital in States, then finally home to recover. Independence Day now has a new meaning for me.
Fast Forward 1 year. Now its 2009 and I decide I needed to finish what I started... so I deploy again to Iraq and finished my tour. I get back in 2010 and see the TV commercial again... and blow it off... and try to convince myself I dont need it.
Now its Feb 2011 and I cant stand it anymore... down to the dealership with the title to my 2005 Ram Pickup to trade towards a Challenger. All I knew was I was going to have one and it was going to be BLACK like the commercial that taunted me for 3 years. Drove an R/T manual... was ok, Drove the SRT8 auto... and I was hooked. My wife tried her best to scowl at me and talk me out of it. Maybe I was an a**hole but there was no denying me what I wanted. I knew I'd never be content unless I got what I wanted. Settling for 2nd best was not a choice. I didnt expect the modding madness though lol.

 
#24 ·
06-03-2010, 12:55 PM
deranged

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memories A car love novella.
No Barbara Streisand isn't going to appear here. But I have a story to tell you guys that may bring a tear to your eyes.

When I was 16 years old in 1976, I purchased my first Challenger. It was love at first sight. A 340 car with the Rallye Pack and power bulge hood. A Triple black beauty that was gently used in showroom condition with 34,000 miles. I worked full time at a fast food restaraunt through highschool and though $3200 was alot of money back then I knew this was my car.

I drove the Challenger like any 16 year old would. She would take a beating and be ready for more. I cannot describe the fun and the connection I had with this car other than to say I felt we were a part of each other.

Through the years there were personal touches that I added. Stereos of course. Duck bill spoiler on the rear deck and front chin spoilers like the '70 T/A Challenger, which became permanent. The bigs and skinnies phase with mandatory air shocks. Several sets of mag wheels of various sorts, eventually to go back to the elegant Magnum factory wheels, which also became permanent. Even a (only in the 70's) side pipes phase..........looked kinda cool actually, but dragged on everything.

As my mechanical ability progressed I began actually taking care of some of the greasy parts, added a set of Doug Thorley headers and header mufflers, Holley carb to replace the Carter Thermoquad, a cam of undisclosed specs (from a friend), big valve heads and B&M shift kit in the 727 Torquflite. This car would scream and there were several "hot car" drivers over the years who caught a fleeting glimpse of my tail lights disappearing.

My lovely wife and I met in highschool after her sister told her I had a cool car and at 18 years old I was married even after telling her she would always be my second love. Talk about an understanding woman! She knew I had a rather strong relationship with the Challenger and endured through all of our phases. Helping me keep a Black car clean, wrenching some with me, knowing that if challenged the car and I weren't likely to back down and eventually growing fond of the car as well. At one point even sewing up a nice carpet for the trunk! What a sight seeing my wife in the trunk sewing in a carpet seam around the fuel filler tube. A good woman to say the least. At 21 years old our first son was born and of course was taught everything Mopar as he grew. General Lee pedal car, Hot Wheels, Dukes of Hazzard on Friday nights, car nuts in general, but Mopars ruled and "the Dodge" he called it, was the ultimate.

A few more years and the paint got freshened up with a nice coat of Imron by a buddy and me. As more years passed the Challenger's body began suffering from cancer induced by midwest salt trucks. Time for a professional or somewhat as I learned after a year or so when the cancer came back.

My wife and I decided to buy a house in 1989 to make room for our second son. The Challenger came with us but she was getting tired. I still drove her on occasion but knew I could no longer give her the attention she desperately needed with a house payment, a "regular" car payment and 4 mouths to feed. In 1993 after 17 years and 107,000 memorable miles of burnouts, donuts, racing and other high speed entertainment, making changes, make out sessions, taking my wife on joy rides, taking my first son on thrill rides and hearing him scream with joy "do it again Daddy do it again!", daily driving and grocery getting, family trips, speeding slips, and a big chunk of our lives in general I could no longer bear to see her suffer any more. I let her go.

I knew the next 2 owners and neither ended up with the money to treat her right either. The second put a rod through her heart. Several more years went by and my wife and I were going through a small town not far from here and as usual I was checking out the car lots along the side of the road when I saw something very familiar. Chin spoilers peeking out from under the front end of a black car tucked in behind a row of "other" cars. Immediately I did a U E and pulled in. There she was just like I had left her. Rough but all there. A salesman was right on me.

"She's a hot one!" he exclaims.

"I'll bet." I tell him, "These black cars get really get hot in the summer."

"NO, she's fast!" he says.

"What's it got in it?" I reply.

"340 and it's had some work." he boasts.

"How much you asking? I'm curious." me

"$4800" he says proudly.

"Runs real good huh?" I reply.

"Well not right now." he says.

"$4800 and it doesn't run right now? What's wrong with it?" me

"Blown up." sheepishly.

"$4800 and it's blown up!"

I laugh and at this point tell him about the Challenger's and my time together, it's history including the extensive cancer still quite evident on and under the car and about the 17 years I owned the car. I also inform him that at one point it WAS a hot car but those years were long gone.

"Would you give $2500 for it?"

"Are you out of your mind?"

I know I left him feeling like a damned fool but he deserved it. Damned snake in the grass used car salesman.

That's the last I saw of my first love. Hopefully someone else gave her new life and is sharing a big chunk of theirs with her. The good times I had with that car I will never forget.

There is a happy ending to my story though.

On Friday, May 5th a new love story started, but much reads the same as the old one. The understanding wife I told you about allowed me to buy a 2010 Challenger R/T, VVT HEMI w/six speed and Track Pack. You remember the good woman part. Well she's the best! 32 years of putting up with me proves it beyond a doubt! We sat in it for the test drive and as I started her up and clasped the steering wheel and the pistol grip I nearly lost it.......I knew again that this was my car reincarnate. Somehow The Challenger, "The Dodge", had made it back to me.

This life will be much different though. I know what she's got and no longer have to prove it at every opportunity. She will get a nice rust treatment to protect her from the elements. I'll be the owner for the rest of my days and I'll treat her well.

This morning I met my oldest son to go for a ride in it for the first time. He owns a 1970 Duster that he bought when he was 16 years old with his own money so his journey with car love is underway. My youngest son was too young to have memories of the old Challenger but loves Dad's new one. Anyway I pick up my eldest (soon to be 30) and he sits in the passenger seat,

"Wow, that's weird!" he says.

"What's weird?" I ask.

"I was expecting something different." he says.

"What do you mean different?"

"I knew it was the same on the outside but when I sat down I didn't realize it would be the same on the inside as THE DODGE. It's cool!."

Memories...........
Last edited by deranged; 06-03-2010 at 01:05 PM.
 
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#25 ·
In 2006 I took a position within my company which was a large step up in both finances and responsibilities. I was 27 and was putting my irresponsible years behind me. I started getting my finances in the best order they had been, and goals that had been years off were achieved much quicker than I had ever expected. I also happened to see the Challenger concept and thought "That is one awesome car. If they build it, I will own one someday!"

Soon I was completely debt free and shopping for my first home, which was the last of my goals. I purchased my home and thought to myself "If I am doing well with my mortgage in a year and still have the cash flow to afford a challenger, I'm doing it."

A year later came and went. I had the money but was not actively shopping for a challenger. I had very specific wants - Gray, 6speed, SRT8, etc and I never saw one on a lot anywhere. Then one day my girlfriend and I go to Disney to meet with her family who is visiting. On the way home I pass a dealership and there was my car sitting there. I didn't think much of it other than making a mental note and thinking to myself "It's probably an automatic." I got up the next morning, went to the dealership, and it was a manual. It also had less options (which was fine with me) and the cost was lower than I had been seeing the 2011's going for. I knew I was in trouble.

Negotiations took a few hours because I stuck to my guns about the price I was willing to pay and how much I felt my trade was worth. At the end, they met my terms and I drove it home that night. In about 6 weeks that will have been 2 years since buying the car and 7 years since the job change. Life is good.
 
#26 · (Edited)
On June 5 2012 I ordered a Granite Crystal Metallic R/T fully loaded, Radar Red interior, Mopar Exterior pkg, Interior pkg, Harmon Kardon, Super Track Pack, everything....

Come October, it still wasn't in, so I went to the dealer to see whats going on, and saw a just unloaded 2013 black R/T, red stripe, radar red interior, BOUGHT IT.

Saved about $6k over the one I ordered plus this one has a sunroof!

Granite car came in about 6 weeks later!!!!!! :spineyes:!!

Ordered car:


Car I bought:
 
#27 ·
My car story is when I was 15 I bought my first car a 1996 eagle talon in 2006 it was 10 years old but in amazing shape. My uncle helped me pick it out (I live in the sticks not many nice cars around and he lived in the city). It was labour day weekend and when we picked it up my uncle Vic was coming home that weekend. So he took her for a drive when we got her home and it was two months till my birthday he said the next time I sit it this car you will be driving me around.
My birthday comes and Vic calls me to wish me a happy birthday and ask if I got my license which of course I did. He then said at Christmas you owe me a dive.
Thirteen days later I get pulled out of class and mom is in the office in tears uncle Vic passed away at 42.
Vic was a huge car guy he had a beautiful z28 which I wanted to buy but mom wouldn't let me the. His widow who nobody neglected the car and sold it for little to nothing.
Vic's dream car was a challenger but he never could find one in good enough shape for the right money that's why he got the z28.
In 2009 my graduating year I seen my first of the new challengers and knew I had to have one not only for my self but uncle Vic.
Fast forward to 2012 I now have enough to put a good down payment on one and now Sally is sitting in my drive way freshoff the truck feb 1. And every time I go any were Vic's riding shotgun


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#30 ·
Went to the dealership the day after I got married, (note: to self, don't do this) looking for a used Ram 1500 as I had traded my 2007 Ram 1500 4x4 on a new Hemi orange Challenger. No truck but on the showroom floor was a new 2010 Furious Fuchsia 6 speed. Now my wife's a Mopar girl, "can you drive a 6 speed"? "hell yes!" So, I traded a pristine, (4,000 miles, red) paid for, 2007 Corvette C6 and her $2,500 car straight across for it. Here's the video of it been driven off the show room floor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3uoAX_85Kk
I did find a truck 2005 Ram 1500 a few months later and it has since been traded for a 2011 Ram 1500.
Don't go the dealership the day after you get married, actually I don't miss the vette and love having two high impact colored Challengers.
 
#31 ·
What a great topic! Love reading everyone's stories :)

October 2012.....
I was looking at a 2012 Stinger Yellow Challenger at a dealership & almost bought it, but I kept getting 'signs' telling me not to.....first, when they got it from another dealership for me because they didn't have one that I wanted, it had a chip in the front fender, so they had to fix that. Then, I had problems with my insurance not wanting to insure it because it had a cold-air intake put on it & lastly, when I took it for another test drive the day I was supposed to purchase it, I ran out of gas on a very busy road & almost got rear-ended several times until someone from the dealership finally came & helped me! Needless to say, that was the last straw & I walked away from the deal & I'm SO glad I did!

I had a 2006 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T (TorRed...# 20 of 2,000 made in that color). I was the original owner & swore I'd never get rid of it. But my dream was to always own another Challenger (had one when I was 18 & wish I still had that one now!). My husband even told me that they were bringing the Challenger back before I bought the Charger, but I was impatient & didn't wanna wait, lol. I had listed my Charger on Craigslist just to see if I'd get any interest in it....2-3 months went by & with the exception of a few lowball offers, nothing....until right after Christmas when a guy emailed & texted me several times about the Charger. He finally came to look at it & fell in love. That Friday, I was looking online for Challengers & found my dream car.....a 2010 PCP R/T Challenger with only 13,600 miles on her :) We went to the dealership that night to look at it & it was love at first sight :) On Saturday, the guy wanted to get my Charger checked out at a dealership & the service person there told him he'd be nuts if he didn't buy it because it was in excellent shape. So on Monday, the 7th, I met him at his bank & then sadly said goodbye to my Daytona :( And yes, I did cry, but right after we left the bank, we drove to the other dealership & picked up my PCP & the crying stopped :icon_aetsch: There are still some days when I missed my Daytona.....afterall, I had her for almost 7 years. But when I sit in my PCP, I just know I made the right decision :rocker:
 
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