From a Challenger SRT to a Z
 

Hey fellas. 1st post. Last year in February I bought a dodge challenger srt and I'm only a few days shy of owning it for a year. Anyway, I gotta say I'm not in love with my car. I love to look at it and sit in it, but the drive is less than spectacular. I've done some upgrades to it and have bumped up the HP to 400RWHP. Carbon fiber here and there, catback, carbon intake and what not. I like the fact that its a modern muscle car but the size of it makes it hard to take it out in town and park anywhere.

At the time I bought the challenger the only other I was interested in was the Z, but when Dodge announced 0%financing plus employee pricing I was sold. Paid 42k out the door for the car while others had paid close to 50k for the same car months before.

Anyway, can anyone help me out on the pros and cons of the Z? I woud like to get the Nismo version, but is it worth it? How does it compare to a lesser model and to the 40th ann version.

I like the Z for its looks, but would love for it to handle like its on rails. something the challenger doesn't do but I knew that going into the purchase. I've thought about upgrading my suspension with KWV2 and some beefier sway bars front and rear and strut brace, but something is holding me back from keeping the car.

Also the Z is something i could park on the street without too much attention being drawn to itself while on the other hand I feel the challenger would get swiped the minute I close my eyes. too much invested in the car

SELL ME ON THE Z. I would be trading the challenger in

ahhhh frack, mods pls move to the General forum

Have you test driven a Z yet?? If not, start there!! The test drive itself may sell you; the Challenger is just too big and bulky. The Z gives you the feel of driving a beefy car that is small and compact. The first corner you carve in the Z will have you sold.

Then, think about what the Z will feel like after a few upgrades.....

I hate the challenger. In fact, I hate every dodge. I drive 2006-2010 dodge 2500 6.7 turbo diesels at work quite a lot. I wrecked a 2008 Dodge Charger R/T with the interceptor package chasing an alien smuggler. I HATE DODGE. I hate how over priced they are.

I used to SMOKE the charger r/t's in my RSX at qualcomm all the time and on hwy 94 I could take turns faster as well and I loved how angry theyd get because of it. Dodge cars are too expensive for what you get.

At the academy we drove both the Charger R/T and Ford Crown Vic with the interceptor package and many of us posted faster times with the crown vics because the chargers were horrible in the turns. Of course with a better driver the charger would win. I can give great reviews on how Dodge trucks compare to other American truck among the same class since we beat the crap out of them every day.

I think the challenger is ugly, and way too heavy for its own good. The Z definetely gets more attention. I have come out of the mall in downtown san diego and found douchers touching my car, and getting close to it, attempting to mount it or something. Even at work I have to lock the doors because my co-workers are douchers and open the doors and sit in it.

We should really all hail the Z for being the best bang for the buck car out there. :worship:

I recommend test driving first, then in choosing which model is all up to you, here is SOME pros and cons of each.

If your looking to build a race car out of it (gutting out the entire thing, roll cages, bbk, etc) then I suggest going with the cheapest model, the BASE MODEL

If your looking for a nice set up stock, or maybe doin some after market stuff down the road, go with the base+ sports, or touring +sports. SPorts rims are beautiful, but If your looking to upgrade rims, you will get twice as much money selling the sports rims over base rims (ie more money towards aftermarket rims). Next, the syncro rev match is the nicest touch to a sports car ive ever seen, so simple, and if you dont get it right away with the sports package you will NEVER get it. Next, the sports breaks are really nice and finish the feel and look that the car is a true sports car (unlike base brakes that look off of a mustang) Then you also get front and rear spoiler, which I think finish the look of the car.
With the touring, the leather seats are nice, and will also sell for over a grand if your looking to buy aftermarket seats(where cloth ones only 3-400 IF you can find someone that even wants them) Also the touring alluminum pedals are nice, but will cost you almost a grand to get for a base model (if your thinking, "oh ill just replace them later") Touring also has suede door inserts, but if you buy just base+sports its only a couple hundred dollars to get those reupholstered.
Stand alone option, but the Navi, especially in the 2010 is amazing and way better quality and function then any aftermarker in dash navi/dvd you can get (you would have to spend $1500 to get the best double din unit out there and it STILL wont be as nice as the stock navi. Oh and FORGET the bose system, it sucks.

Now with the 40th annv, thats pretty much if you REALLY like the paint color, or if you plan on keeping this car under 1k miles a year (museum car) and have a passion for Zs, other wise you could paint calipers, rims, and reupholster seats in red leather for a few hundred dollars without paying the "limited edition" price any other z made in 2010 is still a 40th annv Z in my book.

Lastely the nismo, I personally dont like the front end, but love the rear end and spoiler. so for 4k more money, you get a body kit, suspension upgrades (but you can buy hotchkins sway bars for $350 and have nearly as good suspension as the nismo) a better exhaust and red stiching in your car. IMO, you can get MUCH better exhaust for 1k from fast intentions, $350 suspension upgrade, and $500 cai and be faster than a stock nismo. So again thats pretty much prefference. Im planning on buying a replica of the spoiler once someone makes it.

Hope his helps a little :)

Then again if you plan on doing bolt ons for your Z I believe the Nismo doesnt fit the long tube designs like Stillens so take that into consideration also.

in the Z you can take curves fast and feel the blood go to one side of your head :tup: :worship:

Test drive the Nismo 6MT, I probably would have went that route, but they didn't have those the first week the Z came out. I bought my touring the weekend they hit the dealers, was waiting for 3 months :-)
You probably will feel a little cramped in the cabin coming from a big car like the Challenger, but you will get over that soon enough. I came from a Mustang, and I'm really happy with the way my Z handles and drives with just a few basic mods. springs, sways, spacers, exhaust :tup:

And there you have it. test drive it and you'll see he's correct! :icon18:

I predict you will trade that Dodge on the spot. :tup:

Lets just put it this way we can beat a challenger SRT in the corners AND the straights but hey thats what happens when your car doesn't weigh over 5000 lbs. My opinion is base +sports and take the money you save from the touring and nismo and get exhaust intake, a nice double din touchscreen nav + dvd bluetooth hd radio (you get the idea) head unit maybe new component front speakers and a 2 channel amp, and you will still have almost 5,000 left under a nismo that you can use to get REAL track suspension not just the "it's stiffer so it must handle better" crap that you get with the nismo.

That is pretty good advice. I just bought a base with the sports package and couldn't be happier. I had a Roush stage 3 427R Mustang with lots of mods like you and had the same fears as you. Afraid it would get stolen, keyed up out of jealousy, etc... so happy and so much less stress with the Z and driving it is a blast!!!! Not as fast straight line as my stang was but every bit as exciting. Of course the stang was putting out over 500hp.

I would test drive a base with sports and the nismo if so inclined, but be forwarned... if you drive it you will want it!!!! Good luck

Well the NISMO doesnt come with the items from touring and it or of a base with sports package right? Isnt really a big deal but the seats and sound system was really what sold me on a touring even though I know I could have reokaced the stock speakers with some really nice ones for less money. I test drove the NISMO and the Touring and I liked the touring. I would test drive them and ask for a long back road test drive if possible or freeway.

wow. i am surprised that you would consider getting a new car after having had the challenger for less than a year :)

I could not have said it better myself.

now if you were talking about trading for a new camaro id say keep the charger. out of the new era muscle cars i like the charger more than the mustang or camaro. but for the performance, styling, and cost of the Z arguably the best bang for the buck. Z FTW!