Challenger or S650

[Lastoutlaw_21]

The only issue with getting a challenger is the attention that comes with it. Getting attention from police and thieves. That's why I just can't get one not in my state. And you have to be mindful of where you drive and park. Just don't like that it's an attention magnet for the wrong reasons and people don't respect other people's belongings. But I love drag racing them and the amount of room in them. They are comfortable for tall people.

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[unfairslide]

Hey UnfairSlide !!! Thanks for the advice!! As for driving a stick, I tried that with my wife back in 1984 or so with my GTI.... Let's just say I almost flew out the sunroof !!! Hahaha!! She has her own family hauler a Chrysler T&C, don't ask as it's a POS, so she only drives my car in an emergency... So my local dealer who is also a Roush dealer says X-Plan is no problem so I'm going to spec one out and present to them.... Any other options worth getting? I'm not a drag/racing person. I just like to drive... TIA !!

Haha understandable. Make no mistake the 10speed is a great gearbox so either way you go you'll be having fun.

As far as packages it all depends on your budget. Since you're not as big into racing I'd look at spending that money on a premium version with the 401a package. You'll get the heated and cooled leather seats and nicer materials as well as the sleeker single screen setup. 401a will give you additional higher end materials as well as the 12speaker sounds system and additional safety features. There's plenty other options in there I'm just naming a few. You'll have to check out the website to go into more detail.

A must have for me would be the active exhaust if you're getting the GT. Let's you do quiet starts or open it up and make that v8 scream. It also gives you quad tips vs the normal dual which just doesn't seem right in a GT.

The magneride suspension is also a great feature but it's unfortunately locked behind the performance package so you'll have to decide how much you are willing to spend.

With the aftermarket on these cars you won't really regret not getting some options the first time around as you'll be able to find just about anything you like as these cars age. No matter how you spec it, completely base or fully loaded, you are bound to have a great time with it!

 

[wilkinda65]

Short answer, Challengers cost more.

........The Mustang is faster (than the Scat) but Challenger is probably a little nicer looking to us older guys who have fond memories of the original. They're also roomier and ride nicer.

Without the widebody option the Challenger looks like a fat chick with skinny legs from behind.

I prefer my Charger all day long to a Challenger. For a big car this Charger widebody handles pretty damn good

 

[Dena]

It seems to be a company design approach. I have a Road Runner and Super Bee early 70s vintage in parts that I can look at. They appear to be a regular passenger car with a really big engine. If you look at the early Vet, T bird and Mustang, they are a small car with a good sized but not huge engine. The Retro approach approach is to build a car similar to what the car looked like when it was first introduced. They can produce far more horse power with modern engine design and they do but keeping with the design of years ago, the Vet and Mustang are similar in size to when they were first introduced. Even the late model T birds went back to a two seater before they were discontinued but for a while, T birds where huge.

 

[Rio Lobo]

The only issue with getting a challenger is the attention that comes with it. Getting attention from police and thieves. That's why I just can't get one not in my state. And you have to be mindful of where you drive and park. Just don't like that it's an attention magnet for the wrong reasons and people don't respect other people's belongings. But I love drag racing them and the amount of room in them. They are comfortable for tall people.

After my 2020 HC, this is exactly the reason I backed out of my order on a '23 HC. I traded in my 20 for my 2 current cars and got caught up in the hype for the '23 Last Call. Had been waiting for plum crazy to come back too. But sometime between ordering and the car arriving at the dealership, I realized how much more peace of mind I had driving around in a car that is less likely to get stolen or jacked. This would have been a daily driver too, so that didn't help.

Can't speak to the sense of security of driving around in a DH. But at least there are fewer stories of GT350 and GT500 having keys reprogrammed in under a minute.

 

[Interstellar]

2 reasons to never own a charger/challenger.

1. The demographic that owns them have absolutely ruined the brand. They’re legit the ricers of the 2010’s
2. Stolen like crazy

 

[Lastoutlaw_21]

After my 2020 HC, this is exactly the reason I backed out of my order on a '23 HC. I traded in my 20 for my 2 current cars and got caught up in the hype for the '23 Last Call. Had been waiting for plum crazy to come back too. But sometime between ordering and the car arriving at the dealership, I realized how much more peace of mind I had driving around in a car that is less likely to get stolen or jacked. This would have been a daily driver too, so that didn't help.

Can't speak to the sense of security of driving around in a DH. But at least there are fewer stories of GT350 and GT500 having keys reprogrammed in under a minute.

I feel that. My friend was team Dodge. We are in a car club and the police targeted him all the time, people broke his window, he had all these security features and stuff after that. But he was in a rental RS5 for a business trip for a week. And he literally sold his car when he got back. He told us he realized how stressful it was to own that car and not enjoy it fully. And driving rs5 was was so much more peaceful and he was happy to drive a car again.

 

[steveo1960]

Interesting ! I never considered that angle but it makes sense.

 

[Interstellar]

I feel that. My friend was team Dodge. We are in a car club and the police targeted him all the time, people broke his window, he had all these security features and stuff after that. But he was in a rental RS5 for a business trip for a week. And he literally sold his car when he got back. He told us he realized how stressful it was to own that car and not enjoy it fully. And driving rs5 was was so much more peaceful and he was happy to drive a car again.

RS5 would also dust just about any car under $150k. Quite a change lmao

 

[wilkinda65]

I'm 57 and I have owned nothing but Mustangs until 2021 When I traded my 2021 Mustang Mach1 for a 2020 Charger Scatpack Widebody. It's a great car. I then traded that for my new 2023 Charger Scatpack Widebody as well as ordered a new 2024 mustang GT Premium.

I do know what you mean about the demographic that drives the Dodge product. I've had had people do a double take when they see me get out of my Charger...usually I get something like "oh shit, an old white dude drives that"

Here was the 2020

New 2023 Charger and my sons 2017 Daytona

New 2024 Mustang GT
...........

 

[5.ooooooo]

2 reasons to never own a charger/challenger.

1. The demographic that owns them have absolutely ruined the brand. They’re legit the ricers of the 2010’s
2. Stolen like crazy

THIS and they are a dime a dozen where I’m from. You would see one literally every minute or so, I’m not joking. I know it’s a full production car and all. But when you see that same car over and over again it becomes a turnoff. Shame I’m mainly a mustang enthusiast (also Pontiac) but I still like American performance in general. But seeing challenger and chargers all the time just annoy the senses. Also it’s proven that the NA and supercharged mustangs/camaros beat dodge all the time.

 

[Dxm]

Which do you choose and why?

Challengers are great and spacious, except they are way too large in terms of their wheelbase and in terms of length for the city. Even a Mustang is actually longer than any SUV like a Toyota Highlander. Parking in a garage is extra painful. On my mustang, I remember having to do broken u-turns to get to my level of a garage, while an SUV drove by and didn’t have to do anything like that! Also good luck with street parking, especially at night a car that is longer than most. Sometimes in the city there are simply no parking spots--PERIOD! I have had enough trouble parking my Mustang.
That’s really the only drawback. If you live in the suburbs, have your own driveway—disregard.

 

[horned-toad]

Without the widebody option the Challenger looks like a fat chick with skinny legs from behind.

I prefer my Charger all day long to a Challenger. For a big car this Charger widebody handles pretty damn good

at the risk of necro-thread...

The default wheel/tire choice Dodge uses is as bad or worse than Ford and the Mustang. 10.5et22 fit just fine in the recent (2018+) NarrowBody cars so I run 305 tires in mine.

I'll give you the Charger looks "better" but it only comes with an auto so is immediately rejected as a choice. The Widebody's 3-way Bilsteins definitely help, but both sisters require pinning the IRS and various bushing replacements and arms to allow even a modicum of camber and toe adjustment to achieve something resembling correct - which factory is very much NOT.

 

[AlloyPony]

I’ve had 2 Challengers and several Mustangs. I don’t understand where the misconceptions about the Challengers come from. Mine was like 4100 lbs. The new Mustang GT Premium is what, 3950? That’s pretty damned close. I also had no problems with the handling. My Challengers handled amazing, steering feel is actually better than Mustang. The trunk is actually usable. The rear seat is actually usable. The front seats actually have leg room. They are much more comfortable and practical cars. Build quality… I’d put my Challengers above anything. When I’d drive gravel roads there’d be no rattles or creaks or moans. Just a very solid and well built car.

Unfortunately the prices reflect that. V8 Challengers are very expensive even on the used market, whereas Mustangs are a dime a dozen. So that’s why Mustang became the official car of the tight budget guy. Nothing at all wrong with that. I enjoy my Mustang. It’s a fun car too.

 

[Vapor Blue GT]

Challenger is more aggressive and mean looking whereas the Mustang is more sexy and sleek. I’ve driven both and the trq down low is unreal in the 392 and the weight isn’t that much different from the s650. Top end is edged out by the Mustang I’d say going off dyno graphs as I haven’t had ours up over 100. The dodge definitely has more space interior but the interior itself is subpar compared to the s650. The 392 is also prone to the lifter failure especially high if you do a lot of city driving in traffic with higher idle times.

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