Rental Charger
03-08-2008, 07:58 AM
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Rental Charger
I had to go up to Des Moines this week, and since I was flying, I rented a car while up there. I hadn't driven any Dodge products since the demise of my '70 Challenger and wanted to get a rental just to see what a modern Dodge is like before I buy an '09 Challenger. I got a Charger.
I gotta admit, I was QUITE impressed with the car. So much so that now I'm considering getting a used Charger for a daily driver in the event I can't pick up a spare used Challenger for a reasonable price in the next couple of years. Normally, I'm not into four-door cars, mainly because the B pillar usually is so far forward that whenever I look to my left, I'm staring right into it. On the Charger, though, the doors are big enough that it was far enough back to be out of my line of sight.
I would assume it had the smaller V-6 (I never got around to popping the hood or reading the owner's manual -- I had a lot of stuff to do). However, the engine was more than adequate for what I was using the car for -- in short, it would be a perfect daily driver.
Also, it snowed (naturally) four inches the first night I was there. I hadn't really driven in snow since I left Iowa in 1982 (in the days when you could still use studded snow tires -- God's greatest gift to mankind). Fortunately, between the modern version of a Positrac rear end and anti-lock brakes, the Charger did just fine in the snow. I, however, froze my posterior off and was more than glad to get back to the (relatively) warm climate of South Texas.
I gotta admit, I was QUITE impressed with the car. So much so that now I'm considering getting a used Charger for a daily driver in the event I can't pick up a spare used Challenger for a reasonable price in the next couple of years. Normally, I'm not into four-door cars, mainly because the B pillar usually is so far forward that whenever I look to my left, I'm staring right into it. On the Charger, though, the doors are big enough that it was far enough back to be out of my line of sight.
I would assume it had the smaller V-6 (I never got around to popping the hood or reading the owner's manual -- I had a lot of stuff to do). However, the engine was more than adequate for what I was using the car for -- in short, it would be a perfect daily driver.
Also, it snowed (naturally) four inches the first night I was there. I hadn't really driven in snow since I left Iowa in 1982 (in the days when you could still use studded snow tires -- God's greatest gift to mankind). Fortunately, between the modern version of a Positrac rear end and anti-lock brakes, the Charger did just fine in the snow. I, however, froze my posterior off and was more than glad to get back to the (relatively) warm climate of South Texas.
03-08-2008, 08:52 AM
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RE: Rental Charger
I like the Chargers I have driven as well. That was why I planned on getting one until I heard about the Challenger. About how much snow did they have up there that you drove in. I know they put in a lot of effort to keep the Charger and other LX car's weight distribution as close to 50/50 as possible. If you would get a V6 Charger, get the 3.5L. It has a much better reputation for reliability, and gets about the same mileage in real world driving as the buzzy 2.7L. I doubt you had the 2.7L if it felt more than adequate, that engine felt underpowered in the lighter Intrepids I have driven before.
So what do you drive these days as your own daily driver?
So what do you drive these days as your own daily driver?
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03-08-2008, 02:04 PM
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RE: Rental Charger
The snow was about 4 inches on top of a layer of ice.
Currently, we're down to two cars: A 1989 Tempo with 36,000 original miles I inherited from my father (despite the low mileage, it's a piece of junk -- totally unreliable) and a 2000 Mustang, with about the same mileage. Needless to say, I use the Mustang.
Currently, we're down to two cars: A 1989 Tempo with 36,000 original miles I inherited from my father (despite the low mileage, it's a piece of junk -- totally unreliable) and a 2000 Mustang, with about the same mileage. Needless to say, I use the Mustang.
03-08-2008, 02:15 PM
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RE: Rental Charger
Which engines do the Tempo and Mustang have out of curiosity. Most of the people I knew who had Tempoes actually had good luck with them and were able to put over 200K on them.
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03-08-2008, 06:52 PM
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RE: Rental Charger
The Mustang has the 3.8 V-6. The Tempo is the 4-cylinder that started life as a Ford inline 6-cylinder.
No, the Tempo has been unreliable from nearly Day 1. Numerous times, my old man would be someplace (generally the mall) and it just wouldn't start when he went to go home. Didn't matter what the temperature was or how long it sat, it just wouldn't start. He'd have someone come and tow it to a garage and, naturally, it then would start right up. Nobody from Ford mechanics to neighborhood mechanics could figure out what was wrong. I've had the same thing happen several times. Hence, since I work nights, I never take it to work. Believe me, when I get my Challenger, the Tempo is gone!
No, the Tempo has been unreliable from nearly Day 1. Numerous times, my old man would be someplace (generally the mall) and it just wouldn't start when he went to go home. Didn't matter what the temperature was or how long it sat, it just wouldn't start. He'd have someone come and tow it to a garage and, naturally, it then would start right up. Nobody from Ford mechanics to neighborhood mechanics could figure out what was wrong. I've had the same thing happen several times. Hence, since I work nights, I never take it to work. Believe me, when I get my Challenger, the Tempo is gone!
03-09-2008, 11:22 AM
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RE: Rental Charger
ORIGINAL: RoswellGrey
The Mustang has the 3.8 V-6. The Tempo is the 4-cylinder that started life as a Ford inline 6-cylinder.
No, the Tempo has been unreliable from nearly Day 1. Numerous times, my old man would be someplace (generally the mall) and it just wouldn't start when he went to go home. Didn't matter what the temperature was or how long it sat, it just wouldn't start. He'd have someone come and tow it to a garage and, naturally, it then would start right up. Nobody from Ford mechanics to neighborhood mechanics could figure out what was wrong. I've had the same thing happen several times. Hence, since I work nights, I never take it to work. Believe me, when I get my Challenger, the Tempo is gone!
The Mustang has the 3.8 V-6. The Tempo is the 4-cylinder that started life as a Ford inline 6-cylinder.
No, the Tempo has been unreliable from nearly Day 1. Numerous times, my old man would be someplace (generally the mall) and it just wouldn't start when he went to go home. Didn't matter what the temperature was or how long it sat, it just wouldn't start. He'd have someone come and tow it to a garage and, naturally, it then would start right up. Nobody from Ford mechanics to neighborhood mechanics could figure out what was wrong. I've had the same thing happen several times. Hence, since I work nights, I never take it to work. Believe me, when I get my Challenger, the Tempo is gone!
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03-09-2008, 11:58 PM
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RE: Rental Charger
The Mustang has just over 38,000 miles on it. Never had any problems with it at all -- aside from the usual glitches with the power windows.
03-10-2008, 03:53 AM
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RE: Rental Charger
I got a Charger SXT rental car when I was in Florida 2 years ago, it had the 3.5 - I remember being quite impressed with it. It wasn't a tire squealer, but it was pretty adequate nonetheless. I remember I had a choice between a Nissan Maxima or the Charger, and I was like "gee, let me think..." LOL.
And speaking of Ford Tempos... I had a Tempo as my driver's ed car back in 1984 right when they first came out (kinda dates me a little, huh?). I was actually all excited at first because it was an all-new car, but then I got it on the road and tried to accelerate... talk about something that couldn't get out of its own way! My 70 Slant-6 Dart that I had at the time could have eaten that car's lunch. Guess there's a good reason you rarely see any of those on the road anymore.
And speaking of Ford Tempos... I had a Tempo as my driver's ed car back in 1984 right when they first came out (kinda dates me a little, huh?). I was actually all excited at first because it was an all-new car, but then I got it on the road and tried to accelerate... talk about something that couldn't get out of its own way! My 70 Slant-6 Dart that I had at the time could have eaten that car's lunch. Guess there's a good reason you rarely see any of those on the road anymore.
03-10-2008, 04:24 AM
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RE: Rental Charger
amanda and i have spent substantial time behind the wheel of a rental charger. we have had 4 or 5 different chargers from enterprise, and all of them were 2.7L models. i felt that the 2.7 was very underpowered, and the mileage wasnt great either. i happen to know for a fact that a 2.7 rental charger will run the quarter mile in the 17.2 range. 
however, we have also had several chrysler 300 rental models, which come with the 3.5, and thats a whole different ballgame. that motor is impressive for what it is. its stronger and got better mileage than the 2.7 did. it also did smokey burnouts, which the 2.7 wouldnt do, and from both a roll and a dig, it beat my stratus...[&o]
weve also had magnums, jeep GCs, pt cruisers, neons, calibers, and pacificas..the 300 was our favorite.
my one complaint with the lower line LX sedan interior, is that on long trips (400ish miles) my back got a bit sore, and there was no comfortable place to rest my left arm. the arm rest was too low, the door sill (which is where i put my elbow when driving the stratus) was too high. that seems like an odd complaint, but on a 400 mile trip, it becomes an issue.
however, we have also had several chrysler 300 rental models, which come with the 3.5, and thats a whole different ballgame. that motor is impressive for what it is. its stronger and got better mileage than the 2.7 did. it also did smokey burnouts, which the 2.7 wouldnt do, and from both a roll and a dig, it beat my stratus...[&o]
weve also had magnums, jeep GCs, pt cruisers, neons, calibers, and pacificas..the 300 was our favorite.
my one complaint with the lower line LX sedan interior, is that on long trips (400ish miles) my back got a bit sore, and there was no comfortable place to rest my left arm. the arm rest was too low, the door sill (which is where i put my elbow when driving the stratus) was too high. that seems like an odd complaint, but on a 400 mile trip, it becomes an issue.
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