2012 Challenger R/T claims top spot in Autoguide's Top 10 V-8's

[MizzouRT]

Modern hemi grabs 3 spots in the the top 10, with the Challenger R/T nabbing the top spot:

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/05/top-10-cheapest-cars-available-with-a-v8-engine.html

[hpe600rt]

cool

[msbaugh]

I hate to say it, but that list doesn't quite work. You'll never find a brand new charger/challenger RT for under 30k. Dealer mark ups make it impossible. The cheapest v8 sticker price I saw out of 3 local dealerships was 34k. You'd be lucky to get much knocked off of that

[hpe600rt]

ipaid 42 in 09 oh and then it was stock

[MizzouRT]

I hate to say it, but that list doesn't quite work. You'll never find a brand new charger/challenger RT for under 30k. Dealer mark ups make it impossible. The cheapest v8 sticker price I saw out of 3 local dealerships was 34k. You'd be lucky to get much knocked off of that

The dealers love to load cars up with options, so finding a base R/T is not easy.  However, the bad old days of dealer mark up are in the rearview mirror.  Here is 5/20/2012 market price on Edmunds.  I couldn't resist adding the track pack option as the improved handling is well worth the low price.  Market value is right at $30K flat BEFORE $1,500 incentive.  So market price to consumer is $28,578, see pic:

[tommyg29]

Its there "best value" for a V-8, which is a lot different from best V-8.
Anyways, from what I can see there are some decent incentives out there right now. Unless youre looking at a super bee, you should easily be able to buy for 15% off msrp. Maybe more. That means a $35k RT can be had for $29-$30k, plus tax & tag.
Me, I told myself last year I would wait for the new 8 speed in the Charger, and Im seriously considering the Charger blacktop package with the V-6 for the wife. That is easily available for less than $30k.
Only concerns are the fact the engine and tranny are basically brand new (2nd year items) and not time tested yet. But at least they are not in their first year of production. Theyve already produced more than one million pentastars, but it, and the zf tranny have had their "teething" issues.

[MizzouRT]

Yes, totally agree that best value does not necessarily mean best V-8.

Here is come on deal showing new Challenger R/T automatic for $26K (the automatic is extra cost over the 6-speed manual).  They are adding $500 recent college grad, $1K current Dodge lessee and $1K military discounts to get the come on price.  But add back the $2.5K that most buyers would not qualify for, and you are still sitting at $28.5K for a new R/T.

http://www.hbchryslerdodgejeepram.com/new/Dodge/2012-Dodge-Challenger-orange-county-a91a8d260a0d048e016cb515c7adc7ec.htm

[ViperMan]

That Edmunds report is pretty interesting, but there's a really big problem with it: try walking into a dealership and saying, "I want to pay you LESS than your invoice cost because Edmunds.com said that's all it's worth..."

I've never seen a report that has the market value at LOWER than the invoice cost.  Good luck with that one...

[MizzouRT]

I agree, have never seen the market price below invoice before.  Then again, I have never seen deals like I am seeing now.  Here is a brand new 2012 SRT Challenger with a Buy-It-Now price of $41,994.  That is thousands below invoice.  I'm not really in the market, but that has me tempted.  Appears to validate what Edmunds is reporting as the market price.  Also helps explain why Challenger sales are exceeding 4,000 a month, shocking everyone including Dodge...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/?cmd=ViewItem&_trksid=p5197.c0.m619&item=330733628228#ht_22676wt_1165

[mschipa]

Paid $28.7K out the door. 2010 R/T, 6 speed, sat radio, roof, nothing else.

[mschipa]

Sorry, trac pac too.

[Jesus H Chrysler]

Consumers got wise, and dealerships got wise as well.  Everyone knows you go online and get your best price first.  But there are still many that don't.  I know a couple of people who paid sticker price for cars with no haggling.  They are the ones that make profit for the company.  And the special editions with premium markup make some cake too.

But there are all those back room deals and incentives that can lower the cost of a car easily.  My car was stickered at over $38 grand.  It has every option on the R/T except Kicker and sunroof.  Without any kind of wheeling and dealing they dropped it to 35,500.  After a couple months of back and forth (I wasn't super interested in the car) I got it for $31.  I've met people who paid more for basic R/T's with cloth seats etc.  I don't know many people who would sell a car like this at a loss, so they must have made SOME money on it.

[pyrojim]

Dealer invoice is obviously what the dealership pays the manufacturer for that vehicle. The manufacturer is making a profit off the dealer and the dealership gets a rebate at the end of the year based on units sold. So, the dealership could sell cars for invoice all day long and still make a profit. Smoke and mirrors!!