Charger.....but make mine a SRT8

 

The reason I posted these, is because I'll be looking for a new 5 passenger car soon.

I'd love to get a CTS, great chassis and available M6. But the 3.6 with the sport package and a couple of other options brings it's MSRP dangerously close 37K. I believe, next year, to get the new for '06, 18" wheels on the sport pkg, requires bundling some additional options. So figure well over 37K. If I'm spending that kind of money, I'd rather get a Charger SRT-8. But, I'm not looking to spend that kind of money, anyway.

The only reason I'd consider the MC/Impala is the LS4, but I'm not willing to spend too freely on these cars. I think I'd really need a phenominal deal on one of these to bring one home.

Which brings us to the Charger. The Charger R/T I drove was pretty cool....and fun. I'd expect with the Road/Track Performance Group option...it would be even cooler....and funner.

We'll see..............

 

CTS

THe Charger is growing on my (I like the SRT-8) but I still can't get over the looks. CTS is georgous and the 3.6L while not as fast as the Hemi, is a very strong engine.

 

Yeah, easy to say.....but would you actually spend the extra cash and give up a V8 to get a CTS.

 

The Charger is doing very well in this thread. The looks are growing on me.

 

Kind of tells you all you need to know about FWD performance cars.

 

Regardless of what car I own, I will always try for it to be RWD and stick shift. So from the above choices, it would be CTS, all the way. The Charger is one amazing deal of an automobile, however, I'm not all about stoplight races, and frankly don't give two rat's asses about the bearded beer-belly yokem in the next car who is revving his Hemi. I don't care. Bring on the 3.6 with its mighty torque curve and beautiful fluid handling of the Sigma chassis, and despite its age, the CTS's looks have never grown stale on me, put on a nice set of wheels and that car is still beautiful. Now if only the interior could match the quality of a Toyota Camry, then I'd be a fully satisfied customer.

 

Honestly? I would have to test drive a CTS and Charger R/T first before I could make up my mind... and the other competitors. So for me, they are all just considerations.

 

Honestly, if I were in that market I'd just buy a Magnum and enjoy the extra room.

 

I'd take the FWD V8 over that ugly Dodge.

But I picked the CTS--rear drive, 6 speed manual (does Dodge even know what a manual trans is??)

 

I like the CTS, but there's no way in h*ll I'm going to pay over $30K for a V6 powered car... period! Let alone over $37,000!!!



It's not all about stoplight races, turbo 200. It's about value for the money. The CTS's advantages over the Chrysler 300 is pretty much zip....unless you ARE into races, where the CTS's suspension comes into play. Ditto the Charger.

For the entry fee for a V6 CTS, you can get a top model 300C. For the price of a V6 CTS sport package, you have a loaded to the gills Chrysler or the top performance SRT-8.

In 5 years, when that base CTS is selling for less than half of what you originally paid, the Charger R/T (especially the SRT-8) will likely be worth a whole lot more. So far, the 300C's resale value looks almost identical to it's purchase price.

Throw on top of that, the fact the CTS hasn't changed it's appearence in 5 years, and is due to be replaced within the next 2, and unless you buy a CTSv, you'll be virturally giving your car away at trade in.

I like the CTS, but as far as value & resale, let alone performance, it just simply isn't where I would spend MY OWN money, or finance MY OWN next 5 years for car payments!

No way!

 

Some things to keep in mind on the CTS vs 300 thing, though:

CTS does have a very good residual value.

300 does right now, as a new and relatively rare model (in terms of used availablility)... we'll see how much that sticks around after the 300 has been out a few years, and the market gets more flooded with units.

CTS has avoided a dramatic drop in resale value, even though it has been out for 3 model years (2003, 2004, 2005).

If you throw the SRT-8 in, it definately has the potential to change the "winner"... however, I can't remember a whole lot of Chrysler products.... performance varients or not, that have held a good portion of their value over the long haul.

 

Yeah, that's kind of where my head is at also.

 

well, looking at it from a non-performance website, i can see why the cts sells despite it not having the power and price of the 300