Car-respondence - Dodge Challenger SRT8

Accident Waiting to Happen

I happen to have bought the first 2009 Dodge Challenger that was the first delivered into middle Georgia. It happens to be the 6 cylinder engine. While people do love the HEMI, I must say that I love my little V-6. I have been getting 20 MPG around town and over 28 MPG on the highway. Even with that, I have beaten the V-8 stock Ford Mustangs and stayed up to the Ford GT Mustang. And by the way, my car sometimes does keep me in the store parking lot for 10 to 15 minutes talking how great it looks. I have had many of Mustang owners stop and take pictures. I even had a Corvette owner trading in his 2008 for a new Dodge Challenger. I have also almost caused many accidents from people rubber necking at intersections.

Michael C. Monteau

Memory Lane

There are not words to describe what this car does for me and othersfrom my generation. I am 59 years of age, and used to own a '70 Challenger R/T 383 convertible. It was one awesome car. I sold it during the gas crisis in 1974, when I went overseas and needed cash. I knew I'd regret it, as soon as I returned. This car is a spitting image of that model. Of course there are some changes, and some of them are great improvements, while keeping the overall appearance the same! KUDOS Chrysler!!!!!Jay in Minnesota

Skid Mark

Don’t know about the SRT-8, but I would park a more pedestrian 5.7 Hemi Challenger in the driveway in 2 seconds if I could get capital approval from the wife. Yes, I did have a Challenger through high school and college – I paid $500 for it and that was probably a few hundred too much. And, yes, I did do a big burn-out in front of my girlfriend’s parents’ house after she dumped me.

Mark Galbagh

Bad Investment

So now the same guys who gave the go-ahead to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to put this throwback into production are begging the taxpayers for hundreds of millions of dollars to retool for more fuel efficient cars. As a guy who grew up working on and owning muscle cars this seemed like a car that would only be a financial drain on Chrysler when it hit the press over a year ago. Cool to look at, a blast to drive, but a stupid idea in this era of oil uncertainties, high performance and fuel efficient imports, and environmental concerns.

Bob Vayo

Good Investment

Buy cars like these while you can. Obama CAFE standards will banish them from the new vehicle market, just like emissions and CAFE did the first-generation muscle cars. In fact, if you have a lot of cash, buy up a bunch of these toys and build a large heated garage. In 20 years when we are reduced to hybrid Smart cars, the national speed limit is 45 and gas is $20, these relics may get seven figures at Barrett-Jackson. Pretty good return given the present alternatives, don't you think?

Philip Abromats

Distributor Cap

Please, have Obama redistribute the wealth and put one on my driveway.

Paul R. Ezop

Middle East Challenges

I had one with the 318 back in the day. I liked it a lot. I bought the (6-cylinder) SE version the other day. Why SE? I don’t think the Middle East is done with us yet mainly, but the V-6 is all kinds of peppy, the handling is everything you say it is, and yes, I get gawked. I had a truck follow me into Burger King the other day asking questions about it.

Chris Branson

Turning Coat

From a Dyed in the Wool Corvette guy the new Dodge is AWESOME !!!!

John Snell

Inconvenient Option

Me want! Does it come with an inflatable Al Gore doll so that one can use the carpool lane?

P.B. Barr

FCR: Considering you’d have to inflate it with carbon dioxide, that would be wrong in so many ways.