[MotykaD]

Hi all,
Firstly want to say that I am very happy to see how big this forum is and how many people write in it constantly. It brings me joy to know theres a good community in place for the Challenger.

I’ve been looking for the past few months at the Challengers and have found an interesting deal. Almost brand new 2019 Challenger R/T with about 6k miles on it. I live in Montreal, Canada and would be trading in my AWD vehicle for this car.
I have basically three questions:
Firstly, Is it reasonable to drive this car year round? Even in the winter time where there is sometimes 25-30 cm of snow?
Second, how are the maintenance cost long term if I plan to drive it 12k-14k miles per year?
Third, has there been any reports of any major issues with the 2019 R/T line? I did check any recalls (I guess it’s a bit too early) and did google everything I could think about, but was wondering?
Thanks for anyone who helps.
Looking forward to joining the community !

 

[vpzyck]

Welcome from New Jersey!

 

[SmakAttak]

I have a 2012 R/T Classic 6-speed STP that is my daily driver here in Denver, CO. I’ve put about 97k miles on it, which amounts to 15k per year. I drive it hard, and the traffic and stop and go is usually quite bad, so I’m on and off the clutch hundreds of times each way. The key to driving this car year-round is getting a designated set of winter tires—ideally with a second set of wheels to make it easier. My second set are 18”s, my summers are the 20”s. You’ll get lots of rock chips (especially on the windshield) so I suggest a clear bra and mud flaps. Follow the routine maintenance and it’ll be solid. Only issue I had was the radiator went out at 30k, and so did it’s replacement 20k later (poor parts supply). Fortunately I fix it all myself so no biggie.
I personally WAY prefer driving rear-wheel drive vs. front-wheel in the snow + ice, and spending as much time as I do in my car I wouldn’t change it for the world (except to get a 392). Good luck!
J

 

[jaglowskip]

it has been proven time and time again that a good set of winter tires matter more than whether you have FWD/RWD/AWD.

you should be fine. i've driven two challengers through horrific winter conditions - a 15 sxt (which i drove through a blizzard) and a 16 r/t. both were on all seasons. no issues, but up in your neck of the woods i would obviously recommend dedicated winter tires.

as far as maintenance is concerned, the 5.7L is the workhorse of the FCA fleet. its been around for well over a decade - the kinks have been ironed out and when things do break replacement parts are relatively cheap and easy to come by. i've heard some members have issues with the MDS system on some of the 15-17s, but apart from that many members around here have cracked 200k miles without issue.

 

[KamalMSalem]

Welcome from Saudi Arabia, can’t speak for the snow but if you have questions about driving in extreme sandy heat lemme know ?

 

[hemi4us]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the great introduction!
You should be just fine with an R/T year round. Although obviously not the best of winter vehicle choices, plenty of buyers drive them year round. A good all season tire will work in all but the heaviest of snow/ice conditions, the rest is more or less, right foot dependant..lol
As for maintanience, proper & timely oil changes are critical and by and large most buyers will tell you these cars are mostly trouble free. Cost on such, for an R/T isnt going to be any higher than any other car in its class and if you can turn your own wrenches, there are tons of aftermarket support to keep you going at less than dealer prices. The existing warranty (assuming no one has dicked it up) will cover you on the big stuff and many dealers will toss in incentives like a few free oil changes, etc if you hammer them a bit during the sale. Good deal or not, Id walk away (fast) from any 6k mile 2019 that has been flagged as having its factory warranty voided or has bad history/title.
Finally, Challengers are not without thier minor problems. Monday cars vs friday cars kinda thing, no different than any other make & model. There are a few minor issues that seem to pop up more often than others, especially battery drain issues. Not to get too long winded, but simply buy yourself a quality battery tender on day 1, and use it as often as possible ( I use mine any time mine are not being actually driven) these cars are packed full of electronics, even a very small drop in voltage can send the car into fits and the car is never truly "off" (it talks to your proximity key fobs, its own security system, it talks to dodge, it even talks to NORAD..just kidding on the last part...) so battery drain seems to be natural occurrence, especially in colder climates &/or cars that are not driven every day.
best of luck, hope this helps some, be sure to post pics when you bring her home!

 

[A Guy]

Welcome to Challengertalk Too bad Dodge never offered the Power Dollars there

A Guy