What is up with the Dodge Dealers???

[Slick]

Okay I know this is the A body forum but I do own a 71 Valiant and I'm just venting.


I've been considering buying a new car lately. The new Challenger was at the top of my list. I've spoken with or visited 3 dealerships in the area and I am less than impressed all of them. THEY HAVE DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO CONVINCE ME THAT DODGE IS THE WAY TO GO.

1. All three dealers have the price of the Challenger hiked up SO high above the MSRP that it is ridiculous.

2. Checked out the Chev and Ford dealership websites and both places are offering cash incentives on the Camaro and Mustang.

3. Also the Chev and Ford dealers are offering 0% financing. Dodge dealer has 8%!! I can't be 100% sure but I believe I haven't seen a single other car dealer in town offering financing above 3.9%.

4. Sales people I've talked to at Dodge are arrogant. One guy was eating chips while I was talking to him. They act like I should be lucky just to look at the Challenger. Apparently they are just "flying off the lots" and I better buy one right now! So far I've only seen two in town.

5. After researching the hell out of the Challenger, Camaro, and Mustang it is safe to say that the majority of reviews rank the Challenger 3rd. I know that can just be media hype but still. I've never been a huge fan of newer Dodge products because the ones I've seen have been falling apart. Will the Challenger be any different in 5 or 10 years?

6. Out of the 3 cars the Challenger gets the worst gas mileage. Not that I'm concerned with mileage with these three cars but still it is a minor plus for the Camaro and Mustang.

I just do not understand what Chrysler is doing. Apparently the new boss from Fiat is announcing the "new plan" on Nov 4th. Something about blending Euro-Fiat technology with Chrysler bodies. Gee I can't wait for that! :wack:

I hear that there is a GM plant in Canada working overtime pumping out Camaros as fast as they can. The Dodge dealer tells me they haven't even been making more Challengers! Where is the parts supply going to be for these cars?

For a company that is in trouble I would expect them to be wanting to sell as many cars as possible right now. As far as I can tell they are the least competitive dealers around. I have a funny feeling that the Challenger line will be ending soon.

I love this car and it would be a dream come true. However, I'm pissed off that the company/car that I want to support is apparently the worst deal in town!

 

[djwhog]

OK this statement and maby others

6. Out of the 3 cars the Challenger gets the worst gas mileage. Not that I'm concerned with mileage with these three cars but still it is a minor plus for the Camaro and Mustang.

THIS PURE BS and the reviews are all scewed!

My SRT 6 spd gets 26-27.8 on the hwy, and has averaged 19.8 town and hwy since Nov last year and I drive her hard many times.

Also not true, the cars have not been built as fast as demand either, but they could run a 3rd shift, they were done during the restructure for a time as was GM.

Next the car will out handle and out run either of the other 2 in a 1/4 and on the top end, does not rattle looks nicer the works.

it is more of a luxury hothord than the other 2.

Many reviews compare an SS to an R/T that is a top car to the mddle car.

Well I dont feel like typing on and on, I do agree some of the dealers suck! But the main issue is lack of marketing from Dodge and main stream magazines as it has always been a Ford & Chevy world for as long as I can recall


PS I agree FIAT SUX the big one too! I am so done with them, it is back to another restore, I am going to get a 68 fish or a 70-71 E body.

The best mopars were i nthe past, and I think that hold true for even Ford & Chevy too.

If you want one, talk to Bob Fredricks in Ohio, he is a GOD of the Mopar modern world, and a big time Red Letter Dodge guy to boot.

 

[rumblefish360]

No way does it get that kind of mileage, NO way, come on, no way...

 

[xring]

My 07 Charger R/T got 24 mpg on a round-trip to TN last week...with me, wife and two kids, driving the speed limit. It will easily get high 20's with highway-only driving.

The local Dodge dealer has 4 Challengers, 2 Black R/T's, 1 White R/T and one Black SRT. No bump stickers. They used to deal off of invoice (I bought my truck there) but don't know if they do that with the Chally's.

It aggravates me to see the R/T Challenger in comparisons when they should be looking at the SRT. The magazine articles I've read usually indicate that they do that because of price.

 

[res1vw21]

my dad's RT classic 6 spd gets 26 hwy and 20-22 mixed. Thats not to bad for a car that has 385 hp.

Talk to Bob or Dave Smith Both are competent and my dads classic was sold at dealer cost which is 2500 under msrp. (at dave smith)

From the 4 months we have had the car I can say I am really impressed with the build quality.

The reviews are chevy based just like they ALWAYS have been.

I like the new mustang but the chebby sucks, try sitting in the back seat, not gonna happen. In the challenger you can.

The attention it gets is truly amazing, I highly doubt the chebby or Mustang will receive the star treatment.

 

[WildCat]

Not all dealers are the same, sorry the ones in your area are.

I got an email from the Communications director of the Indy Mopar club, we have a salesman at a local Chrysler dealer in the club. He has a B5 Blue Classic Challenger RT with 6 speed that was ordered and delivered. The buyer decided they wanted a SRT instead of RT. The car has 600 miles, green slip price was over $35,000 and the owner is planing on selling to out of state wholesaler unless it gets sold by tomorrow evening.

I wish i could buy it. I seen it before delivery and at a little over 32K I think a good buy.

The classic package is the best looking new challenger except for the Hurst cars and a whole lot more affordable.

 

[abodyjoe]

same old story with the dodge dealers... they are greedy assholes.

you have to really look and maybe take a long drive to get a good deal on a new challenger. there are dealers out there that will sell it for sticker and maybe less from what i hear at moparts but they are few and far between. if it were me i would go mustang. tons of aftermarket support. there will never be that much aftermarket support for the challenger.

 

[nemesis]

1st of all slick...
Which challenger are you looking at to buy?
We have to compare apples to apples here...

Theres at 3 dif engines they come with, an of course theyd all get different
mpg... An if it does get worse gas mileage than the others,
i think it comes down to the weight of the car. Last time i checked the
challenger was the heaviest car out of the 3.

An djwhog, i wouldnt say the srt8 is faster than the others...
Because it isnt.
Well not the camaro ss it seems.

 

[cudavert]

Even @ sticker price, it's way outta my price range. I'm not buyin' sh** right now. You'll probably see a bunch o' old dudes driving them around!!......that's all who can afford 'em!!

 

[Jim Lusk]

There are lots of dealers and if one has a car equipped like you want you can probably get it without the markup. There are also services from Credit Unions and others that will make a deal, not that I've ever used them. Find what you wnat and then shop for a deal.

 

[autoxcuda]

Here's an R/T Classic auto? that was at Fall Fling being sold by Dependable Dodge in the San Fernando Valley.

This is the owner of the dealership's pink Challenger that was on the cover or Mopar Action twice, once for the Rich Nebal EFI Hemi and once for the car. It is an owner operated dealer. The pink Challenger is in the showroom and you can ask for the owner, Eddie, direct. He's there all the time...

Is $38,325 fair for this ???

 

[res1vw21]

Here's an R/T Classic auto? that was at Fall Fling being sold by Dependable Dodge in the San Fernando Valley.

Is $38,825 fair for this ???

After all taxes and what not, maybe, but not sticker. Don't pay over 32ish and if it's an auto then 31 ish

 

[autoxcuda]

After all taxes and what not, maybe, but not sticker. Don't pay over 32ish and if it's an auto then 31 ish

Is that over or under sticker on a loaded one?? IIRC, they said it was pretty packed up, including sunroof.

I don't follow them very close though.

 

[res1vw21]

Is that over or under sticker on a loaded one?? IIRC, they said it was pretty packed up, including sunroof.

I don't follow them very close though.

Thats a good question and I don't know. I had forgotten about that.
Pop's doesent have sunroof or the electronics package and sticker was $35ish. He got it for 32ish.

 

[autoxcuda]

Thats a good question and I don't know. I had forgotten about that.
Pop's doesent have sunroof or the electronics package and sticker was $35ish. He got it for 32ish.

Sounds like what you are saying is that you can buy them for $3K under sticker. But are they being advertised for $3K under sticker?

Just cause this said $38K, doesn't mean there was not wiggle room.

Sounds like the silver car I posted was sticker at most, since I assume the electronic and sunroof would be $3K over the one your dad got. I'm just guessing though.

 

[res1vw21]

Sounds like what you are saying is that you can buy them for $3K under sticker. But are they being advertised for $3K under sticker?

Just cause this said $38K, doesn't mean there was not wiggle room.

Sounds like the silver car I posted was sticker at most, since I assume the electronic and sunroof would be $3K over the one your dad got. I'm just guessing though.

I believe you are correct. There is no reason not to call Bob Friedrick or Dave Smith motors, Both of them will work with you and sell it for dealer cost, which is 2500-3 less then sticker. I highly doubt anyone is advertising at under sticker and the dealerships around Seattle want 2500-5000 over sticker.

Most likely I bet you will find one local for sticker.

 

[daredevil]

Thats a good question and I don't know. I had forgotten about that.
Pop's doesent have sunroof or the electronics package and sticker was $35ish. He got it for 32ish.

those prices make me kind of sick ish

 

[res1vw21]

those prices make me kind of sick ish

I like his car but for the money I would rather buy a '70 and do a xv motor-sports stage 2 suspension with a fuel injected 6spd 6.1. O well he wanted something he could drive not a project.

 

[Slick]

Well up here in Canada the 2010 R/T Classic MSRP is $38,000.

There is a 2009 R/T auto on the local lot which has a sticker of $43,000.

There is another nearby with 20" wheels and a sunroof for $46,000! I'm sure there is "some" haggle room but with taxes etc it's getting close to $50,000 I bet.

 

[avarageerod]

Before our dealer closed (imagine that) I went to talk to a sales man about a new Challenger. Everything on the lot was on "sale" except the Challenger. Okay, I understand its new to the market. I talked with him a little about the car and he was very arrogant. I opened the door and he walked up behind me like I was going to steal the radio or something. I closed the door, asked him to get the key and he laughed. He then told me that the only way I could even hear the car run was to fill out all of the paper work. I then laughed and got back in my truck. I wish I'd told him I was glad they were shuting down, but I'm not that mean.

 

[carcrazyguy]

Long story made short....I had been trying to buy a Challenger R/T for over 8 months. No dealer that I contacted in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Port Lavaca, Dallas, Austin, Houston, and pretty much any place in between would sell one for sticker. I wanted a base 6 speed R/T with NO OPTIONS. They would not order one or try to locate one. So I finally decided to do something. I bought an 09 Mustang GT 5 speed manual trans and NO OPTIONS. The car was over $10k cheaper so I am using that extra money to redo my 70 Duster!! I like my new Mustang, and I love having the extra money to fix up the Duster, so it was a win/win as far as I could see!!!

 

[djwhog]

No way does it get that kind of mileage, NO way, come on, no way...

5th and 6th are both overdrive rumble, I was shocked as hell too, I did not get it for MPG, but many on the Challenger site claim even 28+ on the hwy in these 6 speed cars at 75-80 mph.

 

[Slick]

avarageerod wrote:

Before our dealer closed (imagine that) I went to talk to a sales man about a new Challenger. Everything on the lot was on "sale" except the Challenger. Okay, I understand its new to the market. I talked with him a little about the car and he was very arrogant. I opened the door and he walked up behind me like I was going to steal the radio or something. I closed the door, asked him to get the key and he laughed. He then told me that the only way I could even hear the car run was to fill out all of the paper work. I then laughed and got back in my truck. I wish I'd told him I was glad they were shuting down, but I'm not that mean.

That is pretty much the experience I'm getting too at the Dodge dealer. Except while the guy is talking to me he is eating potato chips with his mouth open.

I go to the GM dealer and the sales people are bending over backwards to put me in a new Camaro today!

I've never liked Camaros but as Carcrazyguy mentioned it might be better to buy the cheaper car and put the savings into my 71 Valiant.

 

[nemesis]

Man yous guys would spin out how much one will sell for in australia after
the right hand drive conversion an compliance....

When i find one,il show yous.

I would sell my LIVER to buy one of those for the prices there asking.
Trust me when i tell yous, yous have it good there!

I remember when the new mustang gt 500's came out recently,
they wanted 150,000 for one that was converted an complied.
Thats right,no mistype there.
You read it right.

150 K.
Il send yous a link when i get back later to prove it.

 

[djwhog]

1st of all slick...
Which challenger are you looking at to buy?
We have to compare apples to apples here...

Theres at 3 dif engines they come with, an of course theyd all get different
mpg... An if it does get worse gas mileage than the others,
i think it comes down to the weight of the car. Last time i checked the
challenger was the heaviest car out of the 3.

An djwhog, i wouldnt say the srt8 is faster than the others...
Because it isnt.
Well not the camaro ss it seems.

Well there are 3 guys that got new SSs on the Chalenger talk forum, went to the track and none of them ran as fast as the mags say.

Yes it all comes down to theriver somewhat.

But these cars do 170+ top end and high 12s stock with F1 tires and a good driver stock if it is a SRT. We also have many documented cases of 0-60 times from 4.48 to 4.7. My best has been 4.62 and I have run a 13.35 in the 1/4 at elevation in Bil MT. That was before I did a few misc mods to the car.