Z28Wilson

Because uh, once again you have spent considerable amounts of time with both cars to make such a judgement, correct?

If the Charger SRT-8 is such an unbelievable bargain, I'm sure you're lining up at the Dodge dealer tomorrow to buy one, right? I'll be waiting on your full report about your great new ride.

Evilfrog

Ill forgive the 25hp difference and take the two door GTO.

redzed

I might have room in my garage for yet another new vehicle, but it's getting to where I'd have to make a judgement about keeping my Z28. For the time being, the Camaro stays put.

Would the Charger SRT-8 be on Redzed's list of potential Camaro replacements? The Charger SRT-8 would be on the top of my list. Sadly, there isn't a single GM product at the moment that I would consider purchasing for any purpose.

Will I testdrive the Charger SRT-8 (or any SRT-8 model!) as soon as one of my local DCX dealers has one in stock. You bet!

I should finally point out that just because someone can buy a Cadillac CTS-V(or even a STS-V.....maybe)doesn't mean that I would seriously owning one. I keep my cars for a long time, and I would want to be seen driving a Cadillac that I'd owned for more than a couple of years.

graham

Im sure when compared to everything in the price range and HP range its an okay buy but..
A 4100 lb Dodge car with 425 hp scares me in 2 ways.
One being that historically anything DCX doesnt get any noticably good fuel mileage.

The other being that heavy cars with big power break things. Like the historically durable Dodge transmissions. (im joking)

Standing alone and against itself its a cool car. But that's a lot of money for a 4 door Dodge car.

96_Camaro_B4C

Redzed, if you think the 300 has an "Audi-quality interior", then you clearly have never been within 20 feet of one, let alone been inside or driven one.

Not even close.

This is a little OT; it has nothing to do with the price of the Charger SRT-8 (that is a pretty good price, for sure, if you can get over its ugliness). But you mentioned it in a post above, saying you'd prefer the 300C even with the higher price, because of the "Audi-quality interior...", so I had to reply.

guionM

Fantastic price!!!

It's a shame it's going to be limited production like the SRT Magnums and 300s (to keep values up). These SRTs are going to be more like Fords SVT (which tends to limit production) than Chevy's SS (which tries to make as many as they can).

The Chrysler LXs have exceptional interiors, but Audi-level???
Also, why are we comparing a car to a Cadillac that in lower models competes with the Impala and Grand Prix??

Your anti-Chrysler bias is showing.

Sure I do. But top level Camaros?
4th gen Camaro SS was running at 30 large with a 20 year old chassis and budget level interior. Why would any sane person thing one with IRS and far more quality would sell for less (especially factoring in inflation!) than the one sold nearly 4 years ago?

*No stick because 99.99% of the buyers of family sedans and luxury cars don't like sticks, and Chrysler didn't want to spring the money to certify it. CTSv sells for over a $10,000 premium over a well equpted CTS for a very good reason.

*It weighs 2 tons because of IRS. Even though some people swear (wrongly) that IRS can be done on the cheap AND without a weight penalty AND be strong enough to withstand enough torque to rip down a power station. Quite bluntly, that ain't gonna happen.

Alumunum is roughly half the weight and twice the price of steel. It costs more to assemble an IRS assembly than a live axle. The 1st IRS Cobras added well over 150# to the Mustang, the GTO weighs well over 200# more than a Camaro SS, and even the CTSv with it's expensive alumunum suspension parts weighs in at 3700+ pounds.

Chrysler used alot of steel to counter the added inherent costs of IRS. I'm sure the ability to withstand alot of power also added weight.

Anyone still think you're getting a 3200 pound, $25,000, 400HP Z28 Camaro..... AND independent rear suspension??

Z284ever

Ummm....

Don't tell anyone, but IRS stole the Lindberg baby.......and.....is also a communist.

Those cars weigh alot because they're large cars, with rigid structures and lots of content. To say they're heavy strictly because of IRS is...well....silly.

You know, the Charger SXT has IRS and weighs under 2 tons, (3,800 lbs). The R/T weighs 4,100 lbs. If it had a solid axle would it weigh under two tons? I don't know...but I'd doubt it. We'd still need a fully developed live axle. One with various control arms attatched to it and probably also a heavy panhard arm (in addition to diff, cast iron rear end housing, two axles, springs, shocks, etc., etc.). We wouldn't be talking about an austere leaf spring truck rear end here.

I'd actually be curious to see what the weight difference would be. The SN95 IRS is often brought up as being heavier...but is that fair? It was reverse engineered to fit where the live axle fit....and had to use it's pick up point. It also had to use those notoriously heavy MN12 IRS control arms.

Before the '05 Mustang went to a lively axle, it was going to get the excellent and light weight Control Blade IRS from the Aussie Falcon. I'm pretty sure CB IRS had little or no weight penalty compared to the fully developed live axle, Mustang currently has..

IRS does cost more though. Ford has publicly admitted that they save $300 per car on Mustang. GM's savings on the now dead proposal to give the 5th gen one, would have been even less.

redzed

I've got no complaints about the interior of any 300C. The cheaper versions of the LX cars are downgraded, though.

Either way, the LX cars represent a tremedous improvement over the LHs. A Chrysler 300M felt like it used pretty much the same interior materials as 2nd generation Neon. A Chrysler 300C feels more like a simplified Mercedes - fewer buttons and less glitz.

Even a blind man could feel the quality of a Mercedes sourced steering column........ or Mercedes sourced switches..... or comfortable and sure-to-last-forever Mercedes sourced seats.

redzed

The limited volume aspect of the SRT-8 nameplate bothers me too.

What bothers me more is the cylinder deactivation feature on the non-SRT-8 Hemi-engined LXs and the sloppy suspensions.


I'm not really sure that the Cadillac name carries enough clout to avoid this sort of comparison. Keep in mind that plenty of new Cadillacs have been sold over the years to senior citizens who live in trailer parks.

It's time to face reality. A Cadillac CTS buyer is very likely to cross-shop non-luxury nameplate vehicles such as the Toyota Avalon and Nissan Maxima. Similarly, a STS buyer is very likely to cross-shop the 300C.

I don't see where it's much of stretch to compare the Cadillac CTS-V against the Charger SRT-8. If anything, it isn't a fair comparison because the CTS-V's drivetrain is so very crude. Charger SRT-8 also owner won't have to worry about the "axle hop" and fuel starvation on high speed corners that plagued the CTS-V.

NikiVee

And the 400HP 05 GTO at 33K is expensive for some. Oh please give me a break.

30thZ286speed

I believe that the Charger SRT-8 will be what the Impala SS was in the 90s. These cars including the R/T will be popular and will have a following, and soon a performance aftermarket. Then in a few years people will start shopping police auctions again to get dirt cheap 4-door performance.

Its a shame that its been nearly 10 YEARS since Chevrolet has had a RWD 4-door anything. Why is GM so freaking slow?

Tackleberry

so, what caddy's do you have parked outside your double wide?

mgreen

While I like the performance of the SRT-8 (charger & 300c), and would probably purchase one before a GTO (and CTS-V cuz of cost), this thread is kinda scary.

http://www.300cforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9474
(btw, i only read a *few* of the posts)

I've never seen these kinda failures for the 5.7L hemi or the LSX engines.

Mike

346CItofreedom

when chrysler starts putting a six speed behind that hemi, ill buy one. until then, no autos for me. even 5 speed autos.

mastrdrver

Sounds like some people are jealous........