I just picked up my 08 Caliber SRT4 in Brilliant silver. So far i love it. The seats are supportive but not restrictive like the neon srt4's. Then there is twice the room compared to the neon based srt4's. But i do have some grips about it but so far i don't know if it was my dealer or dodge that screwed some of the options i ordered up. I ordered the kicker srt4 livin loud speakers with the dvd navigation radio. I got the radio and four suck azz speakers, on the plus the delaer gave me the cost of the option back and said they would install them for free when they showed up, so i guess that one was on Dodge. The SRT site lists it as Brilliant silver paint, the sticker list the paint as Bright Silver Metallic clear coat, Dodge's fault there, i got the SRT Option Group II, which i did not order, but has some way cool features i can't think of all of them, especially the performance display, more on that later. I ordered the performance tires but got the all season performance tires, but at least there on the polished rims i ordered. The other thing i thought was funny is that some how when i ordered the sunroof option i got side curtain air bags, which my salesman said he had my safety in mind so i will let that one ride. Well i was there today when they unloaded it off the truck, it had 2.5 miles on the odometer. And i showed up to make sure that it wasn't "Test Driven" by everyone that worked there, not to watch it being unloaded off the truck. I have been waiting almost 3 and a half months for this car. I was told production was on then it was off then on more times than i can think about. My dealer emailed me the VIN number last week so i knew Dodge was bringing it to life, just didn't know when i was going to get it. After all day of driving it i have 102 miles on it now. I will say it is way quite compared to the sxt/rt calibers, and the neon based srt4. The ride is softer but harsh when you expect it to be. And the brakes on this thing would stop my ram. There off the Charger/Magnum/300 from what i have read on them.You hit the brakes hard without your seatbelt on your hitting the steering wheel, it hauls you down that fast. The performance gauge showed 1.25 of gees doing this. If it lies i don't know but that is what it said. Also the performance gauge shows 1/8 an 1/4 mile times, 0 to 60 times, 60 to 0 times and front,rear,left,right g-meter loads, way cool option like i said. Despite my best effort i could not get below 6.3 for my 0 to 60 trials, still fast anyway you look at it. The getrag transmission is nothing like the neon based srt4 transmission, that i thought was being used for this one till i noticed the chrome shifter **** showed a 6th gear, which is a super overdrive. At 60 in 6th the engine turns around 2k rpms, and the mpg shows 27.4 so guess thats ok. And to make a fast lane change or to pass someone driving like that i had to downshift to fourth to get the peep i wanted. Boost i think is preset to i think it showed 8 or 9 psi there. I think that is low. However i did notice that there is no spike and fall back like the neon srt4. The boost is way better controlled on this engine. And i'm guessing Mopar had stage kits coming out for this car. On the downside, the torque steer is unbelivable at times, far more than the neon srt4 i owned ever experienced. The cruise control **** is in a useless position, think they could have mounted it anywhere but on the steering wheel, its the same one on all new chrysler/dodge cars. The truck set up is way better. The performance gauge should have used the covering for the add on nav and mounted right above the speedo on top of the dash in an easy to see position, you litterly have to look around, and between the steering wheel to see it, its below the gas/water temp needles. I think the exhaust is to quit it does not have the rumble of the neon srt4 2.4 engine, nor does it have the backfires and blips the neon srt4 exhaust had factory. Other than that it is a far more rounded and civalized car than the neon srt4 could ever be. So yes in a way the srt4 lost some of the in your face attitude the neon srt4 enjoyed. Another thing lost is the price...23k to 29k with all the options. One thing the Caliber SRT4 will never advertise is "fastest car under twenty grand" But it is cvilenough to take your grandmother riding in without her asking whats wrong with the muffler in this damn thing. And it can turn into a beast with a down shift and jab of the gas, i have to give it 4 stars.

 

lol I thought that only happened to me!! omg was it funny!
thats one really messed upoptions order. Glad you like it,nice write up!

 

I like the interior of the Caliber.

 

ill keep the skittle thanks. i guess it will take time for the new caliber to be accepted to me. hey, i hated the 2gn neons the first year they were out. but ended up driving one and buying an 01.

dont know if ill end up liking the caliber or not

and alas, the SRT4 has joined the ranks of most other new cars... the entire engine is covered in pretty looking plastic. god forbid you actually see the engine.

 

i like how they look, but i want something much faster...

 

^agreed. i want faster than what i have now... not slower

 

how is the gas mileage on it? you running nothing but premium?

 

if you want something much faster your going to end up paying at least 10 grand more. bang for buck. thats what the srt4 is about. you get a much improved interior over the neon, much better looking on the outside imo.

but lets match it up.
nsrt= no torque management, no muffler in the exhaust
crst= limited boost in first 2 gears, full exhaust.

take away the muffler and the boost management on the csrt and i guarentee it will destroy a nsrt. the nsrt was good stock, but the csrt has a lot of unlocked potential.

 

around town i see around 22 - 24 with alot of spirited driving. ive seen as high as 32 on the highway.

 

These are by no means slower than an Neon SRT4...
I do agree though, the Tq steering is Horrible, especially in third gear....
but overall, i enjoyed the car... if I didn't already have my dakota, I would look into one of these.