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Over and Done

Blake Noble

By Blake Noble
in The Lounge

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Blake Noble Newbie

Blake Noble

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As of February 12th, 2013 I'm now back behind the wheel of a Mopar product, a 2011 Tungsten Metallic Dodge Charger SE. It was suprisingly very much within my reach after I paid my downpayment and very clean, so I couldn't refuse it. Sure, it isn't the V8 two-door barn burner I originally set out to find, but oddly enough, I'm okay with that. The 3.6 liter Pentastar V6 still produces 292 horsepower, gets better fuel economy, and will easily produce in excess of 300 horses with simple bolt-on exhaust and air intake modifications. Sure, it doesn't have a manual transmission, but the AutoStick feature works suprisingly better in the Charger than it did in my old Challenger. I'll also say this with complete honesty: aside from the Nissan 350 I owned for all of a weekend, this is probably the best handling car I've owned, especially considering its size and weight.

More importantly, the qualties I really enjoyed in my 2010 Challenger are also here. The feel, the look, and the attitude are all still as all-American as it possibly gets in today's modern era of largely forgettable cars. When you sit behind the wheel, you're washed in this unmistakable feeling that the soul that's within the machine is still the same as it was during Chrysler's glory days in the late '60s and '70s. While is true that the current-generation Charger is a much more refined car than my old Challenger, you still get that feeling that this car, like the Challenger, would really rather not be bothered with silly driver assist features like anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, traction control, and other similar nanny systems (in fact, almost all of them can be disabled without issue) and would really rather connect with the driver mano a mano.

All of those qualities are largely lost on newer cars, and was certainly lost on my previous car. While it wasn't a bad car and had slightly better than average handling for a front-drive compact, it still wasn't enough car to fill the void left behind by my Challenger and certainly didn't give you the sense that it really wanted to make a loving connection with its owner. Simply put, it wasn't a car for an enthusiast. The Charger is.

With any hope, this should be the last car I'll own for a while. No more trading around, no more drama; as far as I'm concerned it's over and done.

Photos will be here over the weekend.

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Blake Noble Newbie

Blake Noble

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So, how can you type when you're flappin' your arms?

With mah toes, dude.

Congrats! Great choice in a car, IMO...hope it serves you well for many years.

Thanks, Moltar. 8)

I'm with this one for the long haul. Considering folks aren't having major issues with second-gen LX Chargers, I think I'm in the clear.

If I do have a major drivetrain issue, the dealer I purchased the car from also threw in some sort of Lifetime Powertrain Warranty at no charge, which sounds gimmicky to me, but I should know the full details tomorrow when I drop off the Astra's title. Regardless, it still has a good remainder of the factory powertrain warranty left.

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