Challenger Test Drive Experience

[kevin2323]

Originally Posted by CamaroCowboy

I just wanted to add that it is funny that the chevy dealership and the dodge dealerships are right next to each other where I live. I went to my dealership im my camaro and then stopped at a small resturant next to the dodge dealership. Not one, not two but three different people took challengers for test drives and stopped, parked the challenger next to my car and got out and checked both cars out. It is funny how the sexy look of the camaro can turn peoples heads....I never see anyone straining their necks to get a better look at a challenger....

i have no idea where you live then lol....challenger turns heads, many many heads

[2010ABM]

Maybe they weren't trying to give me a hard time, but that's surely the way it came across to me. I know there are a lot of kids in this world that may act out on a daily basis, but the fact that my generation is frowned upon by a car dealer really upsetting to me. I would much rather take my business to a dealership that takes me seriously. Who knows...had I not been interegated like a convicted felon by multiple sales people, I may have enjoyed the car more. All I know is that my Chevy dealer knows me, trusts me, is kind to me, and understands that I'm not looking to put miles on a future owners car. When you're married, the person who's opinion matters most to you--usually anyway--is your wife, being the reason you would take her to test drive s car with you. In my position, my best friends' opinions, along with my fathers, matters most to me...so that's who I take when I go looking at cars. Simple as that.

[Matrix]

I love Dodge, I love HEMI, but I hate to say it I dont like the Challenger that much. I think the body is hideous and out of shape. It also looks like they had no imagination, they just found the blue prints of the vintage and just replicated it.

The interior is the same as my Magnum, nice but samey, but come on guys the exterior is so boring. Its just flat witha few curves. Thats why I bought teh Camaro.

[Big Brunsy]

I think the Challenger looks great......on the outside. I hope for the next MY they decide to upgrade the interior and make it unique.

[2010 SSRS]

you should have took that salesman for a hell ride.

[Legend]

I wasn't jumping on you at all...only sharing my experience, same as you.

I don't know why they wouldn't let you drive the car if you are ready to buy either...just a bad dealer, policy, maybe something else. There are dozens of Dodge dealers in San Antonio though...try another delaership maybe.

Also...buying a car is the second largest purchase in a persons life (behind a house)...if you've found a Chevy dealer you trust and they trust you...I'd say you are pretty lucky! I don't even go back to the dealership I bought my Camaro from...they are A-holes!

[Jay_LHD3]

I think Challengers look boring in photos but, going down the road they look beautiful!





But, when I see a new Camaro coming towards me in the other lane I start to drool.

[1bad65]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Whether this is true or not, who knows... maybe the whole dealership is manned by a-holes.

I was also treated like crap at a Dodge dealer.

However, in this dealer's defense, some meathead killed two people last year test driving a Challenger. He was doing over 100mph in a residential area. So this dealer may have been being very careful about test drives in the Challengers.

Link about the crash:
http://www.courier-journal.com/artic...uto-dealership

[Igottahaveone]

Originally Posted by Matrix

I love Dodge, I love HEMI, but I hate to say it I dont like the Challenger that much. I think the body is hideous and out of shape. It also looks like they had no imagination, they just found the blue prints of the vintage and just replicated it.

The interior is the same as my Magnum, nice but samey, but come on guys the exterior is so boring. Its just flat witha few curves. Thats why I bought teh Camaro.

Isn't that the point of it being a throw back to the challengers of yester-year. For the same reason you listed about the Challenger exterior being boring is what I thought of the camaro, hence why i bought a challenger. ,(I still think the camaro is a beautiful looking car), It doesn't really matter though, since we both got the car we liked best and either way its still an American made car and thats more important in the end.
Maybe my tastes are biased, since i was driving lincoln continentals (66-67's), in my teenage years. There is just something about a boxey vehicle that i like more, like the stangs from the the mid 80's?(thinking 5.0's) and the camaros back then were awesome!(thinking irocs and such)

PS-love those magnums, one bad ass looking wagon!

[ViperTomcat]

Originally Posted by Igottahaveone

Isn't that the point of it being a throw back to the challengers of yester-year. For the same reason you listed about the Challenger exterior being boring is what I thought of the camaro, hence why i bought a challenger. ,(I still think the camaro is a beautiful looking car), It doesn't really matter though, since we both got the car we liked best and either way its still an American made car and thats more important in the end.
Maybe my tastes are biased, since i was driving lincoln continentals (66-67's), in my teenage years. There is just something about a boxey vehicle that i like more, like the stangs from the the mid 80's?(thinking 5.0's) and the camaros back then were awesome!(thinking irocs and such)

PS-love those magnums, one bad ass looking wagon!

Thats the point alot of Challenger owners try to get across. Dodge had two options, design a car that paid direct homage to the classic Challenger..or design an entirely new car with extremely subtle hints to the past (like the Camaro).

You're going to piss off someone, no matter what direction you go. I think Dodge made the right choice.

[Angrybird 12]

Sounds like you got hold of a typical Chrysler dealership. I have visited two over the last couple years, first to check out the Challenger, and then to see if we could get a Jeep Liberty.. Different dealerships, same attitude... They had to be the most obnoxious people I have ever talked to..
Both acted as though I knew nothing about the cars they were selling, (I always do research before looking) and every time I asked a question or compared it to another vehicle I had thought about I was told the other vehicle was junk and shouldn't even think it was in the same class...
Well the test drive was an experience I won't forget.... For one I was refused to even set foot int he Challenger unless I was going to put a deposit down on one, and on the Liberty, the Salesman made so many stupid jokes I was sick before we got out of it, I couldn't even enjoy the test drive or get to experience the vehicle like I want to.. We did decide to try to make a deal, he said they had a sale going on and it would be 4K less than MSRP... Well by the time him and the finance guy were through with all their Must have addons, the price was right back to MSRP... I said no thanks and walked out.
I will NEVER set foot on any Chrysler dealership lot again...

[Brokinarrow]

Regardless of a person's intent to buy, a sales rep needs to be polite and courteous to ALL customers. Quite a few dealerships I scouted out while looking at the Camaro didn't take me seriously. They didn't get my money. I realize that it might seem like a 'waste of time' to some of these guys, but if they really want to impress me and go the extra mile (instead of just doing the minimum required of them), they need to be able to provide realistic answers. And a test drive should be expected, they have demo cars for a reason.

[novicius]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

You (Legend) walked in to the dealer and I'm guessing the following things happened in the dealers mind...

Dealer thinks to himself. Here comes someone carrying themselves well. With their wife not friends. Not looking to waste my time which is based on commission to joyride one of my most popular cars with their friends.

My dealer tossed me the keys and the Miss and I took her out for a spin. No questions asked. And then I came back and bought it and didnt say "see you later".

I'm thinking something about the OP tipped off the dealer that this was going to be the result before you ever asked to drive the challenger. It's why they didnt want to risk it out on the street, putting miles on it, to someone they had a strong feeling was not a serious buyer.

Whether this is true or not, who knows... maybe the whole dealership is manned by a-holes.

Definitely this.

Originally Posted by 2010ABM

But, when you tell them, "I am buying in the next two months, it's either this car or a Camaro" you would think that might spike attention, not bring out the worst in the dealer.

If you're not ready to buy today, then you're not a serious buyer. Nothing against you or your friends.

Do you have money down? Are you going to pull the trigger on a car in the next three days? Do you give them contact info? If you can answer "Yes" to these questions (or act accordingly), then they know you're serious and that's when it's a good time to go test driving.

Just sayin'.