I dropped by a local Dodge dealer this afternoon to see about (maybe) ordering a new Challenger R/T. I've always liked the purple "Plum Crazy" color
that Plymouth/Dodge used in my high school days (I graduated in 1970, at the height of the Chrysler muscle-car scene). The retro Challenger R/T was introduced earlier this year, but, at first they held off some of the retro 1970 colors that made the car popular. Now, they are going to do a limited model run of the classic Plum Crazy ones....both R/T and SRT-8.

Ordinarily, I'd have jumped at the chance to get one (I couldn't afford one of the originals when they were built). But, the Plymouth Road Runner, back then, was my real love, more so than the Barracuda/Challenger, even though I briefly owned an older Barracuda with the big glass rear window. I couldn't afford a new Road Runner back then either. To be honest, the Road Runner, except for a durable engine/automatic transmission like most Chrysler products had back then, was not an impressively-built car, with poor fit/finish, a very cheap interior, and sloppy assembly quality.....but I liked the bird cartoon graphics and the "Beep-Beep" horn.

I do like the Challenger body style, though I prefered the Barracuda version (the Barracuda was dropped in 1974) with two headlights instead of four. Outside, the new retro Challenger does a fairly good job of imitating the original one, but lacks the chrome bumpers, red-stripe tires, and Shaker-Hood cutout of the original. But though the paint quality is better than the 1970 version, it has the same cheap plastic interior parts and tinny sheet metal of the original. The trunk is very poorly finished, and the underhood has a cheap prop-rod.....even in a 35K car (the original car at least had hood springs to hold it up).

As I talked to the salesman and fingered my checkbook (if I was going to leave a deposit) I was in some turmoil and had really mixed feelings about the whole thing. It seemed like I would be blowing 35-40K for little more than image, a bright purple paint job that would turn some heads, and an attempt to re-live my teenage years. But I thought of all the times I had recommended that people stay away from recent Chrysler products, the low ratings I've given them in my own reviews, and the fact that I wasn't really sure about what I myself was doing here.....if it was a CAR I wanted, or simply an image. I am a firm believer in buying a car on common sense and need, not impulse or trying to show off (you guys know that from my posts and reviews). So I got up, took a key, and went out again and sat inside a black Challenger R/T on the lot, and once again looked over all the interior/exterior parts, doing essentially another static review. The car, yes, looks nice, but, like many recent Chrysler products, it just doesn't impress me...too many things are flimsy, shoddy, poorly-made, or poorly-fit. In the end, I'll confess.....for many reasons, I just couldn't bring myself to sign on the dotted line, at least not today. The money itself was not necessarily an issue (I could write a check for the entire amount right now, with no financing, if I wanted). But, even so, 35-40K is still a lot to plunk down just for an impractical, image car just to try and bring back your high-school days.....and I may need to spend some of that soon on my house instead.
And, even over and above the car, I live in a condo townhouse development with limited parking and without a garage...so storing/parking it would not be particularly easy. The high power, RWD, and performance tires would, of course, make it weather-limited (of course, I have an Outback for snow). Last, for what this car costs, I could have a new top-of-the-line Subaru Outback 3.6L Limited (one of the most expensive vehicles Subaru makes), with one of the best AWD systems in the world.......and Subarus, on the average, are far more reliable than Dodges. And, to top it off, the new Challenger's interior, unlike the Mustang's, is not as retro as the exterior.......the steering wheel, dash/gauges, console, and trim are all notably different from the original, so it's not really re-living the car that much inside, either.

So, guys, in the end (at least for now) common sense and hesitation won out over impulse-buying and flash......I stayed true to my own principles.

However, if a new Road Runner ever comes out.............................I don''t think I could resist, even with my common-sense principles.

 

DO IT DO IT! you only live once!

 

Exactly, get what you want! (Although I understand if you want to make a more controlled decision/purchase).

When was the last time you owned a sports car and/or a pony car?

 

Why not invest in a real Roadrunner keep it 5-10 years & make money? Check E-bay. I was always a Firebird guy until Pontiac stopped making their own engine, but I have always loved Mopars graphics.

 

If you have to do it, get a different color. Not sure if it's my monitor but that neon purple does not look good. A "mature" male in a purple car.... not a good combination.

 

I owned a Barracuda in high school...but it was several years old; one of the original ones with the BIG glass back-window (I'm sure you remember them).

The problem is that right now, my mind is still attached to these cars more than my heart, brain, or real feelings. And, trust me, the new Challenger may be a looker but it is unimpressive in the build-quality department. I think I'm going through the same thing Russ (rdgdawg) did when he looked at several different sports/muscle cars....then decided they weren't for him.

 

Get the SRT-8.

 

Almost is not good enough. Get the car!

 

It rides too stiff....and costs even more. If I got one at all, I'd prefer the R/T's chassis.

 

What I really wanted them to do was to come out with a new retro Road Runner......but that is not likely to happen. The original car, neat as it was, did not have clearcoat paint, rack-and-pinion steering, 4-wheel disc brakes, electronic ignition, or electronic fuel injection...features I would want.

 

In person, it is not quite as bright as the "neon" effect in the picture.....that is a Google image.

But, as far as a "mature" color......or car.......you are correct. Something like this is simply trying to live your youth all over again. I'm not sure that this car is worth the money.....for a number of reasons.

Still, I always liked that color, young or old.

 

You bet I remember the Barracuda fastback.

I too like modern V8 pony cars, my favorites being Camaro and Mustang (and I like flat 6 Porsches too).

But my point in asking you when the last time you owned a sports car or pony car is that it's best to do it while you can still enjoy it.

For the last 15 years I've typically had a sports car/pony car/sports sedan and a SUV/truck/wagon. That's how I stay satisfied from a auto enthusiast standpoint. But I realized everybody has different situations with garages/parking/climates,etc.

But you might figure a way to make that dream car work for you.

 

Maybe. We'll see. There's only a limited number of purple ones going to be made.....so there won't be much time to decide. In the meantime, though, I've become as much (if not more) of a fan of Subaru engineering than I was even of the cars I grew up with 40 years ago. The Subaru flat-boxer-engine/symmetrical AWD combination and overall high quality really impresses me.

 

how about camero??? i know u like challenger but i saw camero on the road today and boy it looks good...just my two cents..

 

Words to live by, and the world right now is in a uncertain state.