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Looking to buy an Challenger/Charger as a first car.

2K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  Rockster 
#1 ·
Hello! I was just wondering if I should buy a Challenger/Charger as my first car and for some listings online. I don't care where they are as long as they're in the United States. I also was wondering whether an R/T, SRT, Scat, or an SXT would be the best first car.
 
#2 ·
Welcome to the Forum from Alabama. What is you budget and skill level? First car? You mean ever? So I am assuming you are very young. Do you need a usable back seat (with doors?). What do you plan to do with it?
 
#3 · (Edited)
I would not recommend a Challenger (or Charger) as a first car. It isn't a hard car to drive, but it isn't a car to learn on. Maybe if you were well into your twenties and have developed restraint, and the maturity to not feel like pushing the limits and getting into trouble. And I mean that for the base V6 too, the V8 models are not for new drivers.

Edit: A used V6 car might not be bad, one of the first couple years, say 2010 or earlier 4 speed or maybe (maybe) the 5 speed and pentastar combo.
 
#4 ·
Without knowing much about you and what you’re looking for, I’d say GreenGo is right about a gently used SXT. Great head turning quotient, more than enough power to keep up with the crowd.


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#5 ·
Where do you live? If you plan to drive it in the winter, stick with a V6 with AWD and it will serve you well. It's a strong V6 and a good balance of sporty and fuel economy A V8 can be a lot to control for a new driver, but as long as you respect it there's no reason to wait for one.

The Charger is more practical and has a nice big trunk and back seat. The Challenger has a respectable back seat but the back seat is always a bit of a pain in a coupe. Both cars are common, so you shouldn't have any problem finding used local listings as long as you're not in the middle of nowhere.

I was building and driving muscle cars at 18, don't let anyone tell you you're too young or not ready for one, but you have to respect the power.
 
#7 ·
If it's anything like the UK, any one on a normal wage would then go and buy a tiny car, with a tiny engine, with the best insurance rating, simply to be able to be able to nearly afford the insurance as a young or inexperienced driver.

And I guess for me - if I arrived in the USA, with a pretty good record on not damaging too many cars, property or people over the last 34 yrs of driving, including a number of years in the USA on company and rental insurance, but with no private insurance history - wave bye bye to the high performance cars I've driven for the last 30yrs and into something sensible.
 
#8 ·
No one here can really answer that question. No one here knows you and could make an honest assessment of what kind of driver you'd be regardless of which car you chose to drive.

I have seen plenty of YT vids of car drivers driving a number of cars badly. From Polos to Porsches. From Fords to Ferraris.

I dare say a pedestrian hit by an out of control Polo is going to be just as injured or dead as hit by an out of control Dodge Challenger regardless if it is a SXT, R/T, Scat Pack, Hellcat, or RE.

The car only does what the driver wants it to do. The driver controls the throttle, steering wheel, brakes, and makes all the decisions regarding what he does and when with this controls. And regardless of which car one might be in he still has to deal with everything that happens outside of the car. Drivers of lesser cars do not get a break when it comes to stupid other drivers.

Hopefully you have taken or will have taken a good driving class to learn good driving habits. Then which car you buy is pretty much up to you and your car budget -- including registration, taxes, insurance -- and other concerns like how much room you have at home, the roads you will be driving on, weather, whether you will need to carry passengers and how many.
 
#9 ·
Welcome to the Forum from Alabama. What is you budget and skill level? First car? You mean ever? So I am assuming you are very young. Do you need a usable back seat (with doors?). What do you plan to do with it?
I Just want something relatively cheap, i don't care how many miles it has, it can be a rusty shitbox for all I care as long as it has a Dodge badge, 4 wheels, and an engine. I don't care where it is for sale, I"m from Ohio and it could be in Florida. I'm 15 and turning 16 in a few months and wanted to get a car lined up for me to have ready for basic and cheap mods like intakes and things like that.

It's a dream of mine to someday take a V6 Challenger and do a Hellcat / Demon swap. SO people think its just another V6 and then BOOM! Hellcat!

I Was also wondering if a Crown Victoria would be good since they are reliable. (I also
want to scare the **** out of people thinking I'm a cop.)

I would not recommend a Challenger (or Charger) as a first car. It isn't a hard car to drive, but it isn't a car to learn on. Maybe if you were well into your twenties and have developed restraint, and the maturity to not feel like pushing the limits and getting into trouble. And I mean that for the base V6 too, the V8 models are not for new drivers.

Edit: A used V6 car might not be bad, one of the first couple years, say 2010 or earlier 4 speed or maybe (maybe) the 5 speed and pentastar combo.
I don't plan on owning an SRT / RT as a first car. Although, it would be nice.
Either an SXT, Crown Vic, or a base model 1500 / 2500
Some buy a Challenger for the looks, some the speed, but I want one because I've loved 'em since I was a kid and owning one was always a dream of mine (and potentially a Boss 302 or a C7 Z06)
 
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