We're getting ready to sell our 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T so I gave it a bath and rubbed it down to keep off the drying marks. It reminded me of a piece of advice I once heard. Before you buy any used car you should wash it because it makes you touch all the body panels and you will notice any dents, dings and the quality of the paint.
What I noticed is that the paint on this car is gorgeous. It lives up to its name on the sticker: Brilliant Black. The only drawback is you have to keep it clean.
We're going to price the Challenger and post a for sale ad soon. It'll be interesting to see how much interest there is in this car. We'll keep you posted.
Philip Reed, Edmunds.com Senior Consumer Advice Editor @ 26,100 miles
revmarc says:
10:54 AM, 05/26/10
I'm going to miss seeing this car on here, since it is so much like my own. I've had a fasntastic 23,000 miles with my 6-speed R/T so far. Good luck on the sale!
skyggge says:
10:55 AM, 05/26/10
Philip, did you go on a 11,000 mile roadtrip in a week? ;) I believe you mean 26,100 miles.
wrinklebump says:
11:01 AM, 05/26/10
I'm going to be so depressed when this car is gone
carguy622 says:
11:06 AM, 05/26/10
Buy a Mr. Clean car wash system, that thing is awesome. No more light swirl marks from drying the car.
Time to replace the Challenger with a Mustang 5.0.
sk8nsanta says:
11:10 AM, 05/26/10
I'll be sad to see this one go as well. It's been fascinating to learn how the staff felt about it over the past year (and a bit.) It's also been great to see that it's been consistently one of the more sought after cars to take home as well, not a 'drive it once and I'm good' kinda deal. The emotion this car brings out of everyone will be dearly missed.
ed124c says:
11:12 AM, 05/26/10
Are you selling the Challenger because you are afraid of matching it up against the 2011 V6 Mustang?
I don't think 26000 miles is a fair test of longevity. All your LTRT cars should be held for 50K, unless they are real dogs. How much would that cost Edmunds per year? It should be worth it. Yes, it would mean much slower turnover, unless you got a bigger parking lot (or garage)
Right now, the LTRT cars are basically tested for their performance and their built-in qualities and quirks-- not their reliability over the long haul.
mcgs999 says:
11:17 AM, 05/26/10
@ed - not really practical from my point of view.
By the time they would finish testing it (if they did more miles) the vehicle would be undergoing a refresh and then those interested in buying it used would want an even LONGER test drive.
philip17 says:
11:20 AM, 05/26/10
Skyggge: I must have been dreaming about an 11,000-mile road trip and that slipped into the mileage figure. Thanks for catching that. It's been corrected.
kingkhalas says:
11:41 AM, 05/26/10
I vote for Mustang 5.0!
chuckg says:
11:47 AM, 05/26/10
Maybe you should replace it with the 2011 SRT-8 Challenger with the 6.4 HEMI? Or, if we're lucky how about the SRT-10 Challenger with a Viper engine. Now that would be fun, if Dodge makes it happen.
I'll certainly miss reading about the Challenger. IMO, the IL editors did a fair and honest job evaluating this very fine machine.
slickersdrip says:
11:48 AM, 05/26/10
Sad to see the Challenger going.
I just bought a used car last Thursday to replace my totaled (other driver at fault) SRT-4... the guy from who I bought it from washed it for me before I test drove it. He would have probably thought I was strange if I then decided to give it a hand wash... haven't found any dings on it since washing it this morning, though.
sodaguy says:
12:22 PM, 05/26/10
May I ask why the Challenger is being sold before the Audi?
inlinesix says:
01:03 PM, 05/26/10
I also vote for the 'stang 5-oh
stress83 says:
01:30 PM, 05/26/10
@carguy622:
The Mr. Clean car wash system is no longer made. One can usually find them at trade shows (such as Carlisle) and flea markets, but they are no longer available in stores. Once all these type vendors sell out them, that will be it.
john405 says:
02:21 PM, 05/26/10
Well, darn it. It was this blog that eventually led me to test driving the challenger and buying a R/T after realizing how much I missed a performance car. Yes it is big, not the fastest or best handling but I think it is easliy the smoothest of the three and my family can sit in it with out complaints. You can drive for 400 miles take a 15 minute break and drive another 400.
jederino says:
04:04 PM, 05/26/10
^^That's pretty good praise for the big beast. I hope to catch a ride soon, and the looks are top shelf.
carguy622 says:
06:46 AM, 05/27/10
@stress83: Say it ain't so, say it ain't so.
mboily says:
07:09 AM, 05/27/10
Now, That's A Commercial!!
plumcrazy2 says:
08:22 AM, 05/27/10
I'll miss reading about the Challenger too. Its funny in the beginning it seemed like none of the writers thought the car stacked up to the competition, which by the numbers it didn't. Still there is just something about this car that grows on you. Its just a great car. It is what it is and there's nothing else quite like it out there.
I did just pick up a Plum Crazy R/T Classic last weekend and I haven't stopped smiling yet. Good luck with the sale and thanks for helping to get to know the car before I bought it.
heartland says:
08:57 AM, 05/27/10
You know you're going to miss that car the second it drives away.
Keep it.
ed124c says:
11:50 AM, 05/27/10
@mcgs999: Good point, but since most cars are pretty reliable these days, that means the LTRT cars are being tested only for built-in quirks. Which I guess is OK, but the staff could determine those quirks in a lot less time than a year-- which would mean they could purchase more cars by buying and selling every 6 months or 9,873 miles (potential used car buyers love those "teen" miles.)
cr_driver says:
01:56 PM, 05/29/10
Get the 5.0!