Best (and Worst) Dodge Challenger Years

Discussion in 'Dodge Challenger General Discussions' started by SRT-Tom, Dec 22, 2021.

  1. SRT-Tom

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

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    Here are some excerpts from Vehicle History concerning the best and worst years for the Challenger.

    "Consumer Reports awarded the 2021 Dodge Challenger an incredible 91% predicted reliability rating. The organization’s experts analyze member feedback on recent cars to arrive at a predicted rating for brand new models. After three years of real-world use, the 2018 Challenger has maintained a perfect Consumer Reports reliability score: five out of five stars.

    Over 13 years of improvement, Dodge engineers have redesigned, sorted, and fine-tuned every aspect of the Challenger. Experts and owners agree that recent models are the best Challengers to-date.

    If you are in the market for a more modern car then looking at a 2018 Challenger is your best bet. This is old enough to have taken the initial depreciation hit, but new enough to still have the latest technology in it. All of the trim models from this year are reported to hold up very well and it makes it a great year for a Challenger.

    For their Vehicle Dependability Study, J.D. Power and Associates compiled 72 reliability reviews from the first third-generation Challenger (2008) through the most recent model. When considering thirteen years of Challengers, they gave the vehicle just three out of five stars for reliability—according to Motor Biscuit.

    Car Complaints records site visitors’ complaints about their cars and compiles owner complaints from other sources, such as the NHTSA. The organization sorts all these complaints by year, vehicle system, and specific issue. The Dodge Challenger has received comparatively few complaints, but complaints spiked during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 model years—with the most in 2012.

    The most common issue during all three of these years was the car’s alternator failing and needing to be replaced. This is a relatively simple issue, costing $700 to fix on average. Twenty-four Challenger owners reported their alternators failing; during the same years, 32 additional owners reported other electrical issues.

    For the 2014 model year Dodge Challenger, the most commonly reported issue is the engine making a ticking noise: eight owners complained. The complaint filed most often for the 2015 and 2016 model years is the new 8-speed automatic transmission malfunctioning, with thirteen total owners reporting a problem. Though real issues, these are all relatively rare occurrences.

    A Dodge Challenger can last over 150,000 miles as long as you take care of it, and there are some examples of Challengers that have over 300,000 miles on them. One of the biggest factors in determining the lifespan of a Challenger is the engine that you go for. The higher-performance engines will tend to wear out faster than the lower performance ones. This is because there is a lot more stress exerted on the larger engines to produce the power."

    Best (and Worst) Dodge Challenger Years - VehicleHistory
     
  2. NC20RT

    NC20RT Full Access Member

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    After spending serious $$$ for my R/T plus the extended warranty, taxes, etc... this is encouraging news to hear. My car costs thousands over my first home purchase back in '79. It's hard to wrap your thoughts around this stuff but you either adjust or keep your old cars forever.
     
  3. stingray

    stingray Full Access Member

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    Simply amazing now that Consumer Reports gives a thumbs up on these cars now.:banana-mario:
     
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