How I came to own a Challenger

Discussion in 'Dodge Challenger General Discussions' started by KEVIN DONOVAN, Nov 10, 2019.

  1. KEVIN DONOVAN

    KEVIN DONOVAN Full Access Member

    Posts:
    135
    Likes Received:
    28
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2019
    Location:
    USA
    Wow! What a story! So sorry to hear about your medical issues. Sincerely hope you're feeling better. Glad to hear your crazy experience at the dealership ended well for you, if not your Tundra. It's great hearing how you went from a truck to a muscle car! I did the same. Traded a '15 Durango for my Challenger. We're bucking the trend!
    Your R/T looks great! Good luck with it! Thanks for sharing your story!
     
    DVDale likes this.
  2. B5blueRT

    B5blueRT Full Access Member

    Posts:
    1,129
    Likes Received:
    540
    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2018
    Location:
    Broadview Hts., Ohio
    Great story. I smiled when I read your last sentence about winter tires. I have a set of Cooper winter tires mounted on factory wheels for my R/T. Getting mounted this Wednesday. DOn't wait too long, we already had a 7" snowfall last week.
     
  3. KEVIN DONOVAN

    KEVIN DONOVAN Full Access Member

    Posts:
    135
    Likes Received:
    28
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2019
    Location:
    USA
    You guys are getting me worried. My car came with the summer tire option and I figured it would be fine since we're moving to Florida in the next few months.
     
  4. Wizard of Iz

    Wizard of Iz Full Access Member

    Posts:
    657
    Likes Received:
    393
    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2015
    Location:
    Jacksonville, Florida
    One of my many favorite things about living in Jacksonville, FL is no need for snow tires. And therefore, no need to put my Challenger away for the Winter.


    Speaking of Challenger stories ... I grew up in a Mopar family but switched to Pontiac when I was a teenager in 1975 -- '73 Formula 350 followed by a '77 Trans Am. There just wasn't much in the Mopar lineup that appealed to a teenager in the late '70's & early '80's. My last Pontiac was an '05 Pontiac GTO. I would have gotten an '11 Pontiac G8 GXP ... if Pontiac had survived that long.

    SO ... after a couple of years of looking around ... in 2013 I bought a low-mileage 2011 Challenger R/T Classic. Like you, the feel of the Challenger took me right back to my '68 Charger R/T. I tried a trip back to GM with a '16 Chevy SS, but while there were many things I liked about the car, there wasn't the same "love" for the SS. And the electronics were wonky as hell.

    I traded the SS after 6 months for a '17 Durango R/T for my wife and I drove her '13 Charger R/T for a year while I looked for another Challenger. In December of '17, I found my '15 Challenger SRT - 6-speed - with only 1,367 miles. I plan to hold on to this one for a good long time. At least that's the plan. :)
     
    B5blueRT likes this.
  5. KEVIN DONOVAN

    KEVIN DONOVAN Full Access Member

    Posts:
    135
    Likes Received:
    28
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2019
    Location:
    USA
    It's great to hear guys talk about their story from first car to most recent. You kind of get to know the person a little better by the cars they've had.
    For me? I grew up in a Chevy family for sure. That's all my parents ever had. You'll feel sorry for me when I tell you that at one particularly low point, my Dad had a Citation and my Mom had a Chevette!.
    My first car was a '70 'Cuda, followed by a '69 Mustang fastback. After that, I went many years with GM. Mostly Pontiacs (Firebirds and Grand Prix's) with a couple Oldsmobiles (Cutlasses) mixed in. In '99 I finally gave up on GM even though I was doing some engineering work with Cadillac in the 80's and 90's. I was all Ford for several years (Expeditions, Explorers and Mustangs) then added Dodge (Durango) and Jeep (Wrangler) to the mix. My current stable includes my Challenger, a Jeep Wrangler, a lexus RX350 and an '03 Terminator Cobra convertible.
    Love to hear from others here. What do you have? What have you had?
     
  6. Wizard of Iz

    Wizard of Iz Full Access Member

    Posts:
    657
    Likes Received:
    393
    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2015
    Location:
    Jacksonville, Florida

    You mentioned Chevette .... the '77 Trans Am that I bought used in September of '78 was traded in on a '78 Chevette. The previous owner's son was turning 16 and dad didn't want the boy sporting around town in a Trans AM. Salesman said the dad even taunted the boy ... "hey, come out here. I traded the Trans Am for a Vette." :0
     
  7. KEVIN DONOVAN

    KEVIN DONOVAN Full Access Member

    Posts:
    135
    Likes Received:
    28
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2019
    Location:
    USA
    WOW! Wonder if that kid ever talked to his Dad again.
     
  8. DVDale

    DVDale Member

    Posts:
    20
    Likes Received:
    21
    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2018
    Location:
    Kansas
    Kevin. Feeling much, much better. Thanks. My med thing was as the doc said 'one in a million' find. I had a stone like a gall stone but in my pancreas. They went mining and found a tumor behind it. On my pancreas. It hadn't spread. I had to give up half of my innards and do 6 months of nasty. But I'm C Free. Pretty rare for that variety of cancer.

    My younger years were a variety of cars. The first (in 1968) was a '58 Ford Fairlane, ex Ks HyPo car with a 390 Police Interceptor. I lasted 6 months and then smoke and fire... Later, while I was in Navy boot camp, my mom (with the assistance of my gear head buddies) found a '68 Charger R/T (440/727) repo'd at the local base credit union. Loved it. Then it was a series of motorcycles, cars, trucks, vans before settling into a Jeep life (several Cherokee Sports). Even had a 66 2Dr Lincoln Continental 'stylin' for a while. One of my daughters is living the Jeep life now. And I'm looking seriously at a Gladiator. But I gotta tell ya none of them hold can a candle to the Challenger. It's powerful, comfortable, rides good, looks good and is fun to drive. When we drove it home Jamie said "Wow, it purrs" I looked over and said "No, it growls!" LOL
     
    Wizard of Iz likes this.
  9. SRT-Tom

    SRT-Tom Well-Known Member Staff Member Super Moderator Article Writer

    Posts:
    7,061
    Likes Received:
    2,174
    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2011
    Location:
    southern New Jersey
    Way to hold that dealer accountable. I wonder if the salesman got fired?
     
  10. KEVIN DONOVAN

    KEVIN DONOVAN Full Access Member

    Posts:
    135
    Likes Received:
    28
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2019
    Location:
    USA
    Interesting. Glad you're feeling better. I too spent time in the Navy (was an ADJ), and I also had a ton of bikes over the years.