Now that it’s for real (the 2008 Challenger). I have to plan a way to get one. It looks like only a limited number per year will be made? Will all of them be high-end models? What options? And the big one, how much will it cost us? We will get those answers soon. I really just want one (a purple one)!

I’m no longer just hoping the new Challenger will be built. It is confirmed by Dodge, it will be built in 2008. Now I’m really thinking about a plan. And I need a good one if the answer to my big question is to be yes.

Will I ever be able to get a (NEW) Challenger? That is now my biggest question.

Let me explain a little bit more. I am just a guy that happens to love the E-body Dodge Challengers (and the new one too). I don’t make a lot of money and I have a home and family to support. Most of my earnings go to that end. To get our purple 71 Challenger in 2002 I had to scrape spare change and borrow just to get it. And it has taken almost all my spare change to keep it (the purple car) going and try to improve it along the way.

I also have an orange 71 Challenger project car. I have had this one for some time. I stopped working on it when we moved in 2000. I have finally started to get back to this car a little. Some parts have been used on the purple car they need replaced. I got a 440 for it and a 727. Both in good shape, but it will take money and time to get it all together. And I do want to get this car going someday too.

Then I got the house and family. I want and really do need a carport. We need a new shed. We seem to always have problems with needing some home repairs. I save by doing the work myself, but repairs and home improvements are still costly. Our oldest child is going to college. The list of money worries goes on and on. So you can tell there is always something we need and never enough left for much else. How do I justify a brand new muscle car?

Now soon along will come the chance for me to own a new Challenger. I am 42 years old now, 43 next month. I was too young to have owned a new one back in the day. So now in about two years they will be back in showrooms! And my chance to own a brand new Challenger is going to come! Will I be ready for it?

Maybe I will be. Maybe I wont be! That’s the problem. It seems like there is no way I can pull off buying one. My wife already says we can’t afford it (she is right). She says I already had my midlife crises (when I got the purple car) and can’t have another. If the Challenger is limited in production will it be price too high for me? Probably.

So hopefully you get the idea of what my question really means. Even with everything else the money gets spent on, I guess I must do whatever I can to somehow get one of the new ones when they come out. It may be I have to wait for prices to come down some. It may be time to sell one of the 71’s (I sure hope it doesn’t come down to that) to get the new one. I’m sure going to need a good plan if I’m going to get one when they do come out.

These are just some of my thoughts about this great new car and my mixed feelings about it now. How about you? If you are you like me, thinking how in the world am I going to pull this off? Will you be able to get your new Challenger when the time comes?

 

Before I answer you question, let me say good luck bro and I hope that you get what you seek! You may want to think about selling your older challenger to make your wife feel better and try to save over the next two years or pay off other car loans, stuff like that can help.

I am hoping to get accepted into the USAF Officer program in the coming months. I plan to save over the next two years for a down payment. I also heard that you can buy cars through the bx at a lower cost and less taxes. I would like to do that for my Challenger. Plus, most manufacturers have Armed Forces incentive plans. GM has $500 right now. That is the plan for me. I just bought my wife a 2005 Mazda Tribute that she drives daily. She has already agreed to let me purchase the Challenger when it comes out, so that hurdle is cleared, lol. She has her car, now I get mine!

 

I have a suggestion (might be painful) but a part time job to fund the Challenger for the next 24 months might help. Or maybe you delay gratification for anther year after that and save money for 36 months. If you could put away $800-1000 / month you could pay cash for the car (or pretty close to it).

Personally I have been pretty lucky and do OK financially. I am also a cheap SOB and have not had a car payment for over five years. I don't carry credit cards, have no 2nd mortgages or home equity loans leaching my Challenger fund. My plan is to pay cash for this & (of course) I am competing with the home projects like you are. New bathroom, carpet, tile, etc...

I am one jealous mother #$%&*! to think you'll have three beauties in your yard...maybe you should part with one (sorry I suggested that as you probably want to toss a brick at my head) [8D]

The good news is we have some time to plan. Good luck!

 

Yes, the reality is if you are not wealthy selling off one or both E-bodies is probably the only plan. Buying a “new” Challenger used is another.

The BX plan is through AAFES the catch is you must be serving over seas at least 90 days when you purchase it. If the dealers around town do the crazy mark up thing that is my plan, volunteer for an over seas TDY and order my brand new Challenger.

 

purple1, lot of us are in the same boat. Recently sold my house in which I thought I was going to come out good-challenger down payment and future house down payment, right? WRONG! Got screwed in the end. Oh well, since I want a new Challenger, and a Megacab Cummins, and a 71 Cuda, and etc, and everything I have can't remain stock including my diesel vw beetle which is undergoing some mods-and don't make enough money to support my expensive addictions-I came up with a solution for myself. I'm finishing some schooling online to get my bachelors, then I'm going to change jobs and complete my masters. Hopefully I can get a better job and satisfy some of my mopar urges-even though I have to give up all my desires for a while. I'm 29 years old and missed the musclecar era but still dream of finding that hemi car in a barn for $100-I can dream! I'm still hoping of getting a new challenger though, my girlfriend has a new charger r/t so I can drive something mopar-I sold every mopar I had! Right now my vw is all I own and that sucks, for God's sake I have mopar TATTOOS!!! Well I get 52 miles per gallon-that's the only bright spot. Needless to say alot of us out there put our loved ones first and make alot of sacrifices. Hopefully we all get some redemption and someday have all the things we want. Good luck on your challenger purchase, and to everyone else. I hope the deserving mopar nuts all get new challengers! After all most of us can't get our dream cars like 71 CUDA'S cause all the damn millionaires are buying'em for investments and robbing the true gearheads of affording our dream cars that WE actually appreciate! Later MoparMen!

 

The good news, they'll be a lot less people to pay crazy prices after real estate values sink! The roaring 20s are about to turn to the losing 30s once again. Can you say FALSE ECONOMY?

 

I know that if I want something bad enough, I will somehow get it. I will make whatever sacrifice is needed. If that means that one of my treasured E-bodies needs to be sold it will be sold. I will not sell both. I just hope I don’t have to sell one to get the new one.

Awsure, the part time job thing is out. I have tried that. Eats up any free time I had to work on the cars and didn’t pay enough to make a big difference. And It’s fine that you are a little jealous. Many people are also. What they don’t see is how hard I have worked just to get these cars. And how much time and money it has taken. They also don’t see the many sacrifices that have already been made.

It is only because my true passion is these cars and the fact I have made the tough choices and sacrifices that I have them today. I still have time to make a plan to get a new Challenger. And I am willing to make the plan work.

Now I just need that plan! [sm=shades.gif]