17-Year Anniversary

Incredibly, today, December 13 marks the 17-year anniversary of the delivery of my 2009 Hemi-Orange SRT.

Time has really flown by but, I can honestly say that I enjoy driving it just as much as I did on day one!

For those of you who do not know the story behind my painful 7-month purchase, here it is.

In 1980, my wife convinced me to sell my beloved 1971 'Cuda 340 because we needed a practical car for my newborn daughter (i.e., a car with A/C and a big trunk). Over the years, I regretted selling the car and, when I discovered that Dodge was building a Challenger concept car, in 2006, I started reading everything about it, both online and in car magazines. I even joined a Charger forum to learn about the 6.1 HEMI engine.

Because it was next to impossible to order a 2008 Challenger, I decided to order a 2009 model after seeing it at the Philadelphia Auto Show. I put my order in, on May 16, 2008, with Champion Dodge, in Barrington, IL. At the time, they were only one offering a modest discount- others were charging MSRP or MSRP plus a “market adjustment.” I patiently waited several months and eagerly watched the status of my order change from BX to BG to D! Was I ever excited!!

However, in late October, Brampton Builder, a factory worker, alerted me that my order was canceled. I couldn’t believe it! Who cancelled it? It must be a mistake!! I quickly called my dealer and heard the following telephone voice message, “We regret to inform you that Champion Dodge has filed for bankruptcy and is no longer in business. If you have a car in our garage, please call the following number to make arrangements to have it removed. Thank you for your past patronage.” Is this a bad dream? This can’t be happening- not after 5 long months! I also thought that I lost my $500 deposit. Luckily, I had charged it and disputed the payment with VISA and they agreed to credit my account. With this problem solved, I was now back to square one. (P.S. My wife was the only one happy because she was not on board with buying such “an expensive toy” and wanted a new kitchen instead).

However, a member of another Challenger forum came to my rescue. He advised me that Frederick Dodge had two 2009 Hemi-orange SRTs (automatics) on order. I called Bob Frederick and bought one for MSRP. Since he is a car guy, he actually cancelled one of his dealership orders and re-ordered it so that my name would appear on the window invoice sticker (i.e., “This vehicle was built especially for…”). How cool! After this was done, Bob had to call in some favors because my car, after being built, was sitting in a holding yard in Detroit, for almost two weeks, awaiting shipment to his dealership in Boardman, Ohio. What torture! When my car finally arrived, Bob took photos of it being off-loaded onto his lot. After a quick prep, my car was loaded onto his enclosed trailer ($600 charge) and delivered to my home, in NJ, on December 13, 2008- 6 days after my birthday and 12 days before Christmas. What a present! The long wait was finally over!!!

Since then, I have thoroughly enjoyed driving, modding and showing the car.

It has been a blast to own and I will never sell it!

Attached, are the following photos:

*2008 Challenger at the Philadelphia Auto Show
*Brampton Assembly Line
*Delivery to Frederick Dodge
*Trailer delivery to my home by Bob Frederick
*Early Christmas present

 

The 2008s were in high demand. At the time, I was trying to scrape up the money for a new Challenger. By the time, I got my funds together, it was too late to order a 2008.