IF YOU HAD 5 MINUTES TO MAKE A CHOICE ORIGINAL OR NEW CHALLENGER

[MEK-Dangerfield]

This is a great and tough question!  I think it ultimately depends upon the type of car you are looking for.  I now own both an old school Challenger and a new one.

They are both great, but in their own way.  The new ones are super comfortable, very smooth/quiet, very responsive, sytlish, and loaded with lots of creature comforts even in the base model I have.  It's very fun to drive.

My old school 440 Challenger is also fun to drive, but in a very different way.  It's more like a loud, flashy car with the graphics on the hood and side that scream 70s muscle car.  This makes it fun in its own right.  It's also very rare, as I don't see vintage Challengers on the road in my area.

In short, I recommend both... 

 

I love my new one, and even though it's an S/E, it feels good to me in the power department. I also appreciate getting more than 10 MPG like my old one.   

My 70? Well, there is no feeling in the world like nailing the gas and letting that 440 sing.     Wow, what a feeling. 

[TOC UnClub]

New one, cause it looks more Cuda to me from the side, but also for the reasons that they are MAKE to rip, snort and cruise! Straight line they don't hold a candle to the Gen 1s but on the twisties they will leave all the classic behind. Add a 6-speed with a 1:54 OD and these cars love to run, and cheaper on fuel. But the main reason is it has brought together such an eclectic group of owners! Now most us old guys know how the classic clubs shunned the kids with the new Chargers and LX platforms that they created clubs distinct from the classics, and when I got my 09 they wanted us to hang with them. But we formed a Challenger UnClub that gets folks together at shows and cruises. And at the LA 21st Nationals last month, it was almost half Challengers, and our smiling faces and cars, are really seem to make the old classic clubs grin, explaining UnClub was a blast also, LOL! Tomorrow we are driving from DFW,San Antonio, Austin, and Houston up to a town called Hearne that is far enough from the interstates and centered between them just to BS and have fun for a few hours! I make excuses to drive this car I always will love driving it, just stresses me to park it, lol!

[ragtopdodge]

Old one.

New one is too fat and cartoonish looking.

Now of course, I would want the old one to be modernized like the new one.  E.g. Rack/pinion steering, 18" wheels, big brakes, perfect stance, etc.

this looks better:



Than this:

[Tonefiend]

Wow!  A T/A in B5 blue for a new Challenger. 

1970 Challenger Trade

[brads70]

Wow!  A T/A in B5 blue for a new Challenger.  1970 Challenger Trade

WOW I just couldn't do that.    They are both great cars but....

[Tonefiend]

WOW I just couldn't do that.    They are both great cars but....

No doubt! Not to mention the fact in 5 or 6 years you are going to have something worth about $5-10k -vs- $$$K for the real T/A

[Bills70]

You didn't state your budget, so figuring in that....

In the long run, a new Challenger will be cheaper. By the time you find a restored 70 and spend the money on upgrades to it, your cost will be far beyond what a new one would cost. Plus the new one will get better gas mileage.

Gas mileage?  we all own muscle cars and you are worried about gas mileage??? Ok if you are worried about gas mileage than you should put a slant 6 in the car those engines get great mileage!!  I would go old school !! it is Detroit Iron and you can't beat that!!  I got into an accident years ago and it is that Detroit Iron that saved my butt!! the new ones are all plastic!!  if you want handling put polyurthane bushings in the suspension and that improves that handling on any oldschool chally!! you can take curvy turns and not even use the brakes!!
I vote oldschool all the way! as it was said the new ones are a dime a dozen but a 70 is a rareity!!

[MizzouRT]

There are many reasons to prefer the old Challenger over the new, but surviving a crash isn't one of them.  The new cars are far safer, and it isn't just the airbags.  Note how the entire front of the car is pushed back, but the passenger compartment is intact with minimal instrusion.  The driver walked away from this crash in a modern Challenger.  In the old cars, objects from the engine compartment would've intruded into the passenger compartment - probably a fatal crash in an original car...

[hpe600rt]

new one all day long

[MTS-Challenger]

5,4,3,2,1,

70 Challenger R/T everytime.

We'll always compare the new ones with the original. 

[Twisted73]

I have a new Challenger and a 73 Cuda(not that it compares to a fully restored 70 challenger) and I say both, GET BOTH! The Challenger is awesome with its modern touches and is a blast to drive(manual 6 speed ) I would take it any day of the week. On the other hand, my Cuda is a totally different monster! The hard rumble under you butt when you step on the gas is unbeatable and feeling every turn of the tires, the smell of burning rubber as the car shakes all around you....... sorry got off track there! I guess it would come down to....wait for it......sensibility in your case. Do you have the means to maintain a classic? If something goes wrong with the old one can you fix it yourself, have friends that could fix it at a reasonable cost? Will you actually drive it like it is meant to be driven and not make a show piece out of it? Things of that nature. The new one has a warranty, probably in the end more reliable, definitely more comfortable and has all of the the modern conveniences.  Also, you wouldn't be AS paranoid to drive it. I guess it all comes down to what are you going to use the car for when it is all said and done. Daily driver get the new one, car shows and weekend warrior, get the old one.

[TinCuda]

All answers of "both" will be thrown out when the final numbers are tallied.


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[Twisted73]

TinCuda - The answer of both applies if it is attainable, however in my post I clearly state that if you want something to use as a daily driver, get the new. Something to take to shows, drive on the weekends,....etc. to get the old one so the answer is completely relevant to the question. It all comes down to what you are going to use the car for in the end but we ALL know what it takes.... 

[72challenged]

original looks best!

[TinCuda]

TinCuda - The answer of both applies if it is attainable, however in my post I clearly state that if you want something to use as a daily driver, get the new. Something to take to shows, drive on the weekends,....etc. to get the old one so the answer is completely relevant to the question. It all comes down to what you are going to use the car for in the end but we ALL know what it takes.... 

My last post was not directed at you specifically.  What's funny is that I did not even start this thread.  I started a thread like this one on a new Challenger site to see what they had to say about it.  I somehow got mixed up on what site I was on, so post anything you like.  Sorry.



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