Opportunity to buy a Hellcat today..help

[xenodragon]

Long story short, dealer called me said someone backed out of their Hellcat order, they have the car on site and looking to sell it at MSRP asap. This car would essentially be replacing my BMW z4 as my non-winter Daily Driver. The current hang ups I have with it are that:

1) it is a manual. I have read some negatives about the manual in this car, the auto is where it shines. Clutch is heavy and people have been reporting have clutch issues already and dodge replacing the clutches.
2) its a big car (I am use to smaller cars) especially since I drive in a lot of traffic
3) Would have to keep it a long time (see below for reasons) and 1st year model has me a bit worried.

Other cars I would want over this for my DD would be the M3/M4 or hold off for a GT350.

Went to look at it, and its the granite gray color, looks BADASS in person. On the website the gray was my last choice in color option, but now its definitely rocketed to 1st place.

Payments are not a concern, but whatever I get I want to love and not regret or have 2nd thoughts about. This happened when I bought my CTS-V, and sold it 3-4 months later. Wife/family thinks I go through cars too quickly and whatever I get next I promised I would keep for a long time (5 years +)

Thoughts?

 

[black99lightnin]

Drive it. I don't think I'd want it in a manual.

 

[xenodragon]

Drive it. I don't think I'd want it in a manual.

Tend to agree. Couldnt drive it, they wouldnt allow it until agreement signed. Also lots of snow/salt/MN winter out

 

[2KBlackGT]

Drive it. I don't think I'd want it in a manual.

This, if they'll even allow it to be test driven.

 

[FIVEHOE]

Drive it. I don't think I'd want it in a manual.

this.

Plus I'm not sure how big you are on racing, but the auto in the hellcat is where the car really shines. You are really gonna want to thoroughly drive the car if you haven't driven a car that big before. The blind spots / backing up can be hard to get used to in that big of a car.

edit: tell them to pound sand if they won't even let you drive it. Honestly though, go test drive a challenger in manual. Pretty much same car and at least you'll be able to get a feel for it.

 

[oldmodman]

Buy it.

Then sell it immediately for just a little less than the typical 5K dealer markup.

This will only work if you are in a no sales tax state and you can get the dealer to give it to you without registering it first.

 

[xenodragon]

this.

Plus I'm not sure how big you are on racing, but the auto in the hellcat is where the car really shines. You are really gonna want to thoroughly drive the car if you haven't driven a car that big before. The blind spots / backing up can be hard to get used to in that big of a car.

edit: tell them to pound sand if they won't even let you drive it. Honestly though, go test drive a challenger in manual. Pretty much same car and at least you'll be able to get a feel for it.

I did drive one of their R/T challengers, and it did have bad blind spots (not as bad as the camaro, but still pretty bad). I sat in the Hellcat and it still felt bigger than the R/T. The hood seemed higher up. But I agree with everyone saying manual probably is not the right choice for this car. The Charger is probably a better option for what I am looking for.

 

[black99lightnin]

Can't drive it, lol. That's like the dealers with GT500's that wouldn't let people drive them. It's a mass produced car, it's not a Bentley.

 

[xenodragon]

Well that was fast, car sold already....geez. Probably for the best, I wasn't sure about the manual anyway. Thanks for easing my mind guys.

 

[spitin venom]

Can't drive it, lol. That's like the dealers with GT500's that wouldn't let people drive them. It's a mass produced car, it's not a Bentley.

If you had 20 kids a day come to your house to just beat the shit of your car you are trying to sell would you let people joyride it? It is the dealers way of weaving through the jack offs and the real buyers.

 

[spitin venom]

Well that was fast, car sold already....geez. Probably for the best, I wasn't sure about the manual anyway. Thanks for easing my mind guys.

I figured it would sell instantly for MSRP. They are selling way over sticker without a problem.

 

[scott_0]

I wouldnt man, seems to me the way you admittedly go through cars, youll regret the purchase and end up trying to get out of it

 

[Serpent]

I wouldnt man, seems to me the way you admittedly go through cars, youll regret the purchase and end up trying to get out of it

+1
Op is also used to small cars and isnt a fan of the manual. I'd pass and wait for an auto cat.

 

[Gary Macomber]

I wouldn't...it is a dodge. Look at their history, police departments that will normally stick with a single type car for years on end are dumping them. Sure it isn't the same as a hellcat but they have so many problems usually electrical that are difficult to solve. My friend has a 13' charger R/T, has around 20k miles and the A/C intermittently works and the traction control decided it didn't want to work anymore either. Their cars have been plagued with problems for years and not worth the headache. While the hellcat is a bad ass car and would be fun to drive occasionally I wouldn't want to own one ever.

 

[2KBlackGT]

I wouldn't...it is a dodge. Look at their history, police departments that will normally stick with a single type car for years on end are dumping them. Sure it isn't the same as a hellcat but they have so many problems usually electrical that are difficult to solve. My friend has a 13' charger R/T, has around 20k miles and the A/C intermittently works and the traction control decided it didn't want to work anymore either. Their cars have been plagued with problems for years and not worth the headache. While the hellcat is a bad ass car and would be fun to drive occasionally I wouldn't want to own one ever.

These are the type of post I come to SVTP for, thanks for the laugh.

 

[VRYALT3R3D]

You should test drive it with the manual transmission to see if you like it. I drive my 2015 GT 6M in dense traffic everyday and it isn't a problem for me. Makes the commute more fun

 

[FIVEHOE]

These are the type of post I come to SVTP for, thanks for the laugh.

lol only 6 posts in too...

I can tell he'll be dishing out some quality posts in his (more than likely) short stay at svtp

You should test drive it with the manual transmission to see if you like it. I drive my 2015 GT 6M in dense traffic everyday and it isn't a problem for me. Makes the commute more fun

I'm the opposite. Driving manual in stop and go traffic makes me want to kill myself.

 

[Gary Macomber]

lol only 6 posts in too...

I can tell he'll be dishing out some quality posts in his (more than likely) short stay at svtp

I was a member when I bought my 01 lightning new but no longer use the email nor remember the login, I am just posting what I have experienced. Police departments are dropping the charger because of electrical problems and my friends has been nothing but a problem. The hellcat is an awesome car but with the problems dodge has, just look at their recalls for electrical and transmission(this is dodge as a whole not specifically hellcat). If you do any search about police departments and the charger it is riddled with nothing but problems from build quality to electrical they are not built to last especially to their standards of being on the road nearly at all times. If you have something to dispute it then please post up.

 

[xenodragon]

You should test drive it with the manual transmission to see if you like it. I drive my 2015 GT 6M in dense traffic everyday and it isn't a problem for me. Makes the commute more fun

My z4 is currently a manual, but its a very light clutch and pretty easy to drive in traffic. My cobra on the other hand was a pita to drive in traffic due to the stock clutch. I read the hellcat's clutch is similar.

As far as the posts about Dodge's, I do drive an 03 Durango R/T at the moment for winter duty, and while it has had problems, its been pretty reliable with ~120k miles on it.

 

[FIVEHOE]

I was a member when I bought my 01 lightning new but no longer use the email nor remember the login, I am just posting what I have experienced. Police departments are dropping the charger because of electrical problems and my friends has been nothing but a problem. The hellcat is an awesome car but with the problems dodge has, just look at their recalls for electrical and transmission(this is dodge as a whole not specifically hellcat). If you do any search about police departments and the charger it is riddled with nothing but problems from build quality to electrical they are not built to last especially to their standards of being on the road nearly at all times. If you have something to dispute it then please post up.

Dodge isn't the only one having recalls and quality control issues... but look at how you started that rant "I wouldn't...it is a dodge."...