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Newbie Q: charger vs 300C

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Old 07-20-2006, 01:03 PM
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Default Newbie Q: charger vs 300C

Hi to you all. I'm new here and I'm from a small island behind the big pond - England (originaly from Czech)
I need your view and advice. You can now buy charger here too, but nobody has it here for a test drive
as all has to be pre-ordered
So I've been told to have a test drive in the 300C 5.7 Hemi as it is the same inside and chassis.
So I had a test-drive in the 300C and now I need to find out, whether some of you had a experience of driving
the 300C too and how does it compare to the charger in the real life.
I mean to compare it to the R/T or Daytona as those are the ones available here (also srt 8 - but too expensive).
I have read a lot here and on other sites and love the car and would like to get the ball rolling, but need to do more
finding b4 as once imported, there's no way back

I appreciate any comments, thanks...
 
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Old 07-20-2006, 01:21 PM
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Default RE: Newbie Q: charger vs 300C

Hello, welcome.
I drove the 300C before buying my Daytona. In fact, driving the 300C, a more luxurious version of the LX chassis, made me look for a Daytona with more options than the one I was looking at. I started looking for a Daytona with a sunroof and steering wheel radio controls, but since I live and work in a small town, I didn't need things like navigation. Anyway, to me, the ride was identical (my 300C didn't have the all wheel drive), cornering, braking, and acceleration seemed similar. But the ride was my main factor. You will definately love the ride and the quietness of the car. Sure it takes hits for maybe not the most luxurious (Daytona), but it fit me better than the Ford Mustang I was looking at (I'm 6-4) and my wife enjoys the separate climate controls and the heated seats. Also, the seats are very comfortable -- firm, good support, even on long trips, and have several adjustments including lumbar support. In fact, this is the first car I have owned that you can actually use the head rests for a head rest while driving! The back seat is roomy and sleeps 1 on a long trip -- LOL. The trunk is roomy, and importantly, the rear seats fold down for added space. Anyway, you can see I love the car, Dodge did a good job on this one.

For fuel economy, I was abit surprised that I am getting 25 MPG on the road loaded down (three 200 pounders and a trunk of luggage). Yet, I can do a quarter mile in around 14.07 (of course, I've played and added a Jet 2 chip and a K&N 63 series cold air intake). But, what's not to love about this car?

I hope this helps.

However, I have a question for you. Just how expensive is gasoline there? I know it's per liter but I've read that England is very expensive for gas.
 
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Old 07-20-2006, 01:54 PM
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Default RE: Newbie Q: charger vs 300C

Great, that is the answer I was looking for
I've read other posts where I saw your name so I can see you know "a bit" about cars, so
if I tell you that my last car was 1998 Subaru Impreza 2.5Sti imported from Japan with
endless list of upgrades, then you can imagine how hard it is to find a car, which I would be happy
with (and my lovely wife too ).
When I tested the 300C, there were a few things standing out:
- the size of the car, huuuuuge! I know that on your side of the world it's quite standard
- the acceleration down to the weight of the car
Now I know I can't compare with the Impreza as that car was a pure adrenalin rush (0-60 under 5sec,
350HP, 320 torque, 4 wheel drive (nostalgy is coming back) etc.)
But after the test drive I was somewhat "down". Not much of a V8 sound, 18.2 MPG on the tacho.
Then found this forum and started to read.... and read..... and read.....
Now if you are saying that as combined it really does around 25MPG, there is some weight on the other side
of the scale, as the petrol here is just under a pound here (96pence average - 95RON unleaded)(about $1.76
per litter)

I love the look of the charger, I love muscle cars and I like to be different. All boxes ticked (so far)
 
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Old 07-20-2006, 02:20 PM
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Default RE: Newbie Q: charger vs 300C

Ouch! That's about $7 per gallon. I had read that England was very expensive. Imagine if that was here in the states -- we're complaining at $3 per gallon! Sure $3 isn't cheap, but it isn't horrible.

My son has the 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX Sti. He'll run door-handle to door-handle with a good Corvette. His 60 foot times are 1.7 and he runs a tick off high 12s (13.01). And it's not much more than stock, except, for those four massive race rally tires. The launch is the key here. Looks like Japan has the edge for HP on their engines, since his is "only" 300 HP. Of course he has a race mapped fuel system, and better exhaust.

I was able to buy the GoMango Daytona color that has since been discontinued. It is a rare color indeed. On my 4,000 mile trip from Minnesota to California and back, I did not see another one. I did see two Top Banana colored ones however. Even the guys in the expensive cars were looking. It was a good rush!

Good luck on your quest. It's always fun looking... and fun when you get what you want!
 
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Old 07-20-2006, 03:08 PM
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Default RE: Newbie Q: charger vs 300C

that's the thing, THE SOUND
I had straight through exhaust system on and I'm sure that flat four engine is the best sounding after the V8 (as nothing beats the V8)

In cople of weeks I'm going to TOTB (Ten Of The Best) where we'll see some good times and last year in a Scooby Shoutout (subaru)

Yes the quest is funtastic fun and exitment.

LOL don't even mention your prices or I'll go and buy a skoda...
 
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Old 07-20-2006, 03:53 PM
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Default RE: Newbie Q: charger vs 300C

My boy's STi is too loud for me. It's 4" straight pipe is LOUD and LOUDER when he's "on it". But the launch on that car is nothing short of amazing.

Yeah, nothing beats a V8. However, my new Hemi V8 doesn't nearly have the sound my 71 Plymouth GTX 440 car had -- it sounded mean. A real ground pounder. People would turn their head a block away. Of course, my wife "hated" it, and we couldn't hold a conversation... but at 7.2 liters it was a beast. But to me, NOTHING sounded better than my buddy's Chevy. (I know I started something now). Race preped, what made it sound great was the cam -- it had a great lope with it's mechanical tappets and high lift cam, with huge pistons and lots of compression, and, well you get it... the throttle responce was like a small block. It is really something.

But I miss the 440 sound too, and certainly don't have it with my mild HEMI. But the funny thing about it is the chassis is better with traction control and I can actually run faster in my new car because of traction. My GTX would just go up in smoke and now I just GO. (That's the secret on those Subaru's, as you know).

That Scooby Shootout sounds wild. Do they have a website?

Yeah, I'll leave the prices out. I can't imagine the shipping costs...

 
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Old 07-20-2006, 04:49 PM
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Default RE: Newbie Q: charger vs 300C

You would be driving one of the largest cars in your area. You will need two parking spaces and barely fit through many of the narrow roads. Do they make a right hand drive model, because it is hard to drive from the passenger seat...

Trust me, it will seem cavernous after driving the Subby. You will have one of the nicest examples of Daimler Chrylser technology.

Good luck with your decision.
 
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Old 07-21-2006, 09:00 AM
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Default RE: Newbie Q: charger vs 300C

You see, that why I was disappointed with the test drive of the 300C.
I must admit that my expectations were very high for the written figure - 5.7 V8 Hemi bla bla bla. And compare to the "old" classic hard core muscle power, the drive was quite settle and QUIET .
But I also can see the potentials.

The official web site of the Scooby shootout is on TOTB (click able link) or you can find some info on RMS (click able link).

Well, in regards of prices. The Daytona you can get here for about £30k, which is 55,386.0 US Dollar (USD) - incl. delivery and registration, basically on the road.
 
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Old 07-21-2006, 09:07 AM
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Default RE: Newbie Q: charger vs 300C

Driving on the "wrong" side is actually good at such a hot weather as you have a closer view on those beautiful ladies as you are sitting closer to the pavement [8D].
On the other, as I'm from the mainland (Czech) I don't mind either side, to sit or to drive.

Cavernous? You need a map not to get lost inside once you sit in it .

 
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Old 07-21-2006, 12:32 PM
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Default RE: Newbie Q: charger vs 300C

Vel, it's guys like you that ground the rest of us. I mean, a reality check. If I had to pay $55,000 for my Hemi Charger then have to pay $7 for gas, I couldn't do it. Yet, here in the states, we complain and complain and don't realize just how damn good it is here.

Thanks for the link to the Scooby site. There is an Auto Cross (Auto-X) race here (30 miles away in Grand Forks) Saturday that my son enters his STi. He usually does pretty well. Last year, in a different class the fastest car at the track wasn't the STi, or a BMW, or a rice burner. It was a new Ford Mustang from Canada. Yep. The driver is sharp and the new Mustang was thrown around and nose diving at the cones, but was the fastest car there. And he drove it down to compete.

Here is a shot of mine during my trip out to California, and parked next to a new Tor-Red colored Charger. The new color is a bit red for me. My original 1971 GTX was Tor-Red and much more of a blend of red/orange and not sooooo red.




[IMG]local://upfiles/28588/A2B59D60CA3C45A3B49C0CD9182043A2.jpg[/IMG]
 


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