[DankBurnout]

.So I found a brand new Challenger with almost everything I could ask for, and it is discounted over $9,000 off MSRP. The only option it does not have is the Drivers Convenience Group. I plan on driving this car on a busy freeway 3 to 4 days a week, and I know there is a large blindspot on the passenger side.

Will I be able to live without it? You would assume if it was an absolute necessity, Dodge would have that standard on all Challengers. But what do I know? All the research I have done seems to indicate it is absolutely necessary, as those who have it say they cannot live without it.

Thank you.

 

[PurpleHaze]

I never had it before on any of my Challengers, but my new SRT came with it and I have been getting used to it over the past couple of weeks. Definitely not needed (I lived without it for eight years) but it is nice to have. I no longer have to lean forward into ****pit and look in the mirror to see the blind spots. In my opinion the back-up camera is probably of greater value than the blind spot monitor.

 

[RedNBlack]

I don't have it and have no issues. I have a decent amount of traffic on my commute as well.

As Purplehaze said, I'd also rather have the back-up camera.

 

[landoawd]

I commute 30 miles each way in "freeway" traffic each day without that package. Properly adjusted mirrors will compensate for the lack of the electronic aides.

 

[K-Dawg]

Been interstate highway commuting without it for 5 years. Never changed lanes into someone I didn't see. It's one of those things that's nice to have, but not necessary. Back-up camera is much more useful. I don't have one, and routinely open my door and look along the side to position my rear tires near the curb when backing into a parking spot.

 

[Beachlovers2]

I also do not have that option. What I did was adjusted my mirrors out so you do not see the
body of your car . It takes getting us to but then there is no issue.

 

[fyrdude]

Sure you can live without it. But it is a nice safety feature. I don’t rely on it as a primary source vs. the mirrors but it is a nice to have back up system.

 

[praiseV8]

I have it. I don't NEED it, but I sure appreciate having it, along with remote start and Homelink.

It comes in useful for those lunatics that will switch lanes, then switch back two seconds later.

 

[Rockster]

My Hellcat is the first car I've owned with this feature -- ignoring my 2 months with a R/T Scat Pack -- and I am liking the blind spot warning feature more and more.

I have my outside mirrors adjusted out of course as others have suggested but in traffic vehicles come up along side my car so quick I often seen the warning light light up on the mirror before I can even check the mirror and don't bother to check the mirror. I know something is along side my car and no need to waste any time, keep my eyes off the road any longer, to then go ahead and check the mirror.

Now my JCW doesn't have this blind spot warning system but the car has rear windows which I can quickly turn around and look through over my shoulder to check for any vehicles.

Now that I've had a chance to experience this feature, if I buy another Dodge it will be a must have option.

And I am a fan of the back up camera too. I'm slowly adapting to this and welcome it. The Hellcat especially is so hard to position because it is so big my usual technique developed from driving smaller cars doesn't work for my Hellcat when I pull into a parking space and generally pull through to the other side so I can leave by just pulling out I use the backup camera to back up the car to have the rear of the car right at the back of the parking space to minimize the amount the nose of the car sticks out.

Or at work if I park in a parallel parking space -- with enough room -- empty spaces -- on either end I don't have to do the old parallel parking thing -- I use it to backup and position the as close to the center of the parking space as possible.

 

[BlackHemi41]

The blind spot sensors are in a bad spot, behind the rear wheels. So they get exposed to a lot of snow, mud, rain, salt and all that slop. They corrode and they fail. When you're out of warranty, they can cost upwards of $700 EACH, at least the last time I checked. That is something to consider. To justify the initial cost, and the potential repair costs later on, you'd have to be really lazy and never turn your head when you back up.

 

[aldo90731]

Sure you can live without it. But it is a nice safety feature. I don’t rely on it as a primary source vs. the mirrors but it is a nice to have back up system.

^^^ this!

My 2012 SRT didn’t have the blind spot monitor. I had a couple of close encounters trying to merge right. The car in the right lane didn’t show up on my mirror: the mirrors are on the small side, and the C-pillars are huge, creating a big blind spot.

I made sure to get the blind spot monitor this time around. It can be annoying at times, like when you are on the right lane of two left turning lanes: when you set your left blinker, the thing will beep stupidly to warn you that there’s a car on your left...well duh!

But overall, I appreciate having the extra safety feature.

 

[K-Dawg]

The blind spot sensors are in a bad spot, behind the rear wheels. So they get exposed to a lot of snow, mud, rain, salt and all that slop. They corrode and they fail. When you're out of warranty, they can cost upwards of $700 EACH, at least the last time I checked. That is something to consider. To justify the initial cost, and the potential repair costs later on, you'd have to be really lazy and never turn your head when you back up.

Are the blind spot monitors really BEHIND the rear wheels? Isn't that behind the spot you already can't see because of the wide rear post? Seems to be ill-conceived and poorly executed location.

The blind-spot monitor in my '17 Pilot is in the passenger side-view mirror, so it give a huge panoramic view of the entire right side of the vehicle. No road grime here and it seems to function quite well. It works so well, I find my self playing with it (it's activated both by the right turn signal and by a button on the end of the turn-signal wand) that it sometimes creates a distraction (as does the lane departure and collision avoidance systems). I end up turning all this crap off so I can focus on driving.

 

[Hal H]

Are the blind spot monitors really BEHIND the rear wheels? Isn't that behind the spot you already can't see because of the wide rear post? Seems to be ill-conceived and poorly executed location.

The blind-spot monitor in my '17 Pilot is in the passenger side-view mirror, so it give a huge panoramic view of the entire right side of the vehicle. No road grime here and it seems to function quite well. It works so well, I find my self playing with it (it's activated both by the right turn signal and by a button on the end of the turn-signal wand) that it sometimes creates a distraction (as does the lane departure and collision avoidance systems). I end up turning all this crap off so I can focus on driving.

They're in the rear quarters - but they BSM works with the car alongside the car, until it passes the mirror...so it does a good job.

I have the audible warning off, so I just have the lights.

My first Challenger ('09) didn't have this feature - I've always run the side mirrors in "wide" setting so I can see the next lane and don't have blind spots.

With the '16, I like this feature - and it alerts me to cars that might have changed lanes closer to me or slip in...its a great feature to have, especially driving at night.

By far, my favorite features are the backup camera and the Rear Park Assist - it take out the guessing.

PS: the Convenience Group also has the Cross-Path warning that's part of BSM. When backing out of a parking space - its alerts way sooner and if you have pedestrians, cars coming it sounds off. That's a very handy feature.

So in summary - I'd get one that has this feature; it comes in handy. It also gains you HIDs if you don't have another option (SP Appearance Grp - if getting a SP model).

It might seem expensive but HIDs when they were a stand alone option were ~ $700 in the early years. This also adds remote start for the A8 equipped models (price is little higher w/ A8 + DCG option)

 

[BlackHemi41]

Are the blind spot monitors really BEHIND the rear wheels? Isn't that behind the spot you already can't see because of the wide rear post? Seems to be ill-conceived and poorly executed location.

The blind-spot monitor in my '17 Pilot is in the passenger side-view mirror, so it give a huge panoramic view of the entire right side of the vehicle. No road grime here and it seems to function quite well. It works so well, I find my self playing with it (it's activated both by the right turn signal and by a button on the end of the turn-signal wand) that it sometimes creates a distraction (as does the lane departure and collision avoidance systems). I end up turning all this crap off so I can focus on driving.

Yeah, they are. The reason I bring this up is because my father's Chrysler 300 has this issue, and I've seen it on a few other cars at work (Challengers are the same way). The sensors get that gross gangrene on them, and they are covered with road slop. His car is off warranty, and it needs both sensors. He just hasn't bothered and chooses to live with the "Service blind spot system" warning. I agree that seems like a bad spot to put them, or at least give it more protection.

 

[leadwiper]

We’ve had three challengers, two without Blindspot monitoring. Last one had the convenience group. If I ever buy another challenger again it will have blind spot monitoring, because to me, it is that good, and the blind spot is that bad. Yes, you can do without it, but you really have to be much more careful Good luck with whatever you do.

 

[171sf]

You should know a car is going to be in your blind spot before it gets there.

 

[praiseV8]

You should know a car is going to be in your blind spot before it gets there.

...aaaaand we're back to earth, where everyone isn't omniscient.

 

[16srtpcp]

The older you get, the more necessary it becomes. At my age it's getting very difficult to crank my neck around beyond 90 degrees checking blind spots.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Yellow Jacket 2012]

Yes you can live without it and no you don’t need it. It’s a BS nanny tool and go on vacation, rent a car which won’t have it and when you’re complacently driving down the road and drive you won’t get a warning you’ll get get another vehicle in your side instead. All these GARBAGE things make you a worse and in attentive driver.
Same as crash avoidance sensor up front, what’s the matter are those people blind? Can’t they pay attention to what they are doing? Look at the jack home who just died in a Tesla on auto pilot, really worked great for him didn’t it.
Everyone better PRAY that driverless vehicles never make it onto the streets, Uber wants it so they share money with nobody and keep it all. Then the crashes will continue.

 

[praiseV8]

You should know a car is going to be in your blind spot before it gets there.

Yes you can live without it and no you don’t need it. It’s a BS nanny tool and go on vacation, rent a car which won’t have it and when you’re complacently driving down the road and drive you won’t get a warning you’ll get get another vehicle in your side instead. All these GARBAGE things make you a worse and in attentive driver.
Same as crash avoidance sensor up front, what’s the matter are those people blind? Can’t they pay attention to what they are doing? Look at the jack home who just died in a Tesla on auto pilot, really worked great for him didn’t it.
Everyone better PRAY that driverless vehicles never make it onto the streets, Uber wants it so they share money with nobody and keep it all. Then the crashes will continue.

Okay, I feel I need to step in and reel in this non-sense.

The blind spot monitor isn't a nanny system, it won't take over your car and it doesn't replace shoulder checks.