Wintertime Blues? Not With the New Challenger, My Friends
Nov 11, 2008 at 7:27PMBy Mike Accavitti
Director, Dodge Marketing
I have lived in Michigan on and off my entire life. For those unfamiliar
with the climate here, winters in the northern United States can be very
brutal…especially on pre-galvanized steel cars, like the muscle cars of
the 60’s and 70’s.
Sub zero temperatures, snow and ice storms, the dumping
of heavy rock salt on the streets… not a good combination for a classic
cruiser. Therefore its been a ritual since I began driving one, that I
stored my hot rods in the winter.
In my youth, when I had more time, less
expenses and fewer family members expecting garage shelter, I kept my car
home and used the hibernation time for maintenance work…rebuild the
engine or trans, get the carbs tuned, some interior or electrical work,
whatever needed to be done for the next spring’s roll out.
But for the last several years, I have taken my 1970 Challenger to Sun Valley Storage,
north of Detroit, where I leave my baby in the caring hands of my friend
Dick B, proprietor of the establishment. I generally see Dick twice a year;
in November/ December to drop my car off, then again in March or April to
pick it up. This past Saturday was drop off day… when we carefully
tucked my T/A in its place for its long winters nap within the heated
garage, the car cover acting as a snug blanket.
Typically this is a pretty sad day for me. Primarily ’cause it
means the fun driving is docked for months, and it also means summer is
over and that depressing winter is ever nearer. But this year was very
different…Why? Well because as I exited the Sun Valley warehouse, my
lovely wife was waiting there in my Hemi Orange SRT8 Challenger! That’s
right, with today’s driving technology, comfort and safety features summer
never has to end. So while the old classic is parked, I look forward to
driving this new Challenger all winter long.
As the saying goes…neither snow nor rain… what a wonderful time to be a driver! See for yourself,
take a spin in a new Challenger at your friendly neighborhood Dodge
Dealer. Anytime. Any weather condition. Who says the fun has to stop? Not
the Dodge boys!
Okay, so Southeast Michigan
is a far cry from Southern California, but the Challenger is great car to
take to your local ice cream shop on any nice day…in November, February
or July.
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15 Comments
I live in Manhattan and just outside in New Jersey there are many Challengers for sale. I just picked up an R/T with the Track Pak for $1000.00 over list! They had another 6 speed R/T and a 6 speed srt8 along with several different flavors of SE models too. Drives like a DREAM! (a loud dream.)
Venthos,
Spot on, and good on you - I believe the car should be driven and enjoyed daily.
Were you offered, and/or did you go for the Mopar approved dealer applied MasterShield undercoating?
Hey prowler, just go to the Dodge web site and look at the Dealers in my area section and on the bottom, type in a zip code from the Detroit area or any other depressed area and you will see a lot of Challengers for sale. If you can’t wait, spend $500 on a one way trip to Detroit and drive your Challenger back. Bob Frederick in Ohio will set you up as well.
I will also be cruising in my 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 6-Speed 365 days a year here in Michigan (metro detroit area). I’ve already ordered my snow tires and dedicated winter-only wheels. They arrived on Tuesday and I will be making the swap this Friday or Saturday.
Personally, I don’t have the option since this is my *only* car. But I have to agree, I doubt I could get a smile on my face for the entire winter-span driving some beater, or ANY other car for that matter. So if you see a Hemi Oange ‘09 SRT8 this winter in the metro-detroit area on I-275 / I-94, it may just be me!
Well, there not piling up here in the west coast. They hardly have any. I just sat in about the only manual trans SRT in the area.
The dealer had a TWENTY THOUSAND mark up on the sticker. Told him I wanted to order and he said probably take a year. I said I’d wait.
The problem was with an amateur paving company that repaved the only road to the Windsor plant where the decals and badges are put on. There was a dip in the road now that is being fixed by the city so trucks will no longer ‘bottom out’ on the newly paved surface.
It’s sucks, it’s true but when you get yours on the road this year or next year, it will always be worth the wait. What’s another year, it’s only been 38 years.
P.S. Anyone know more about the 6.3L ‘Screaming Eagle’ Engine with 500bhp that’s supposed to appear on the B5 Blue later this year?
Speaking of T/A’s, when is the new Challenger T/A version coming out with the T/A hood that you can order from Mopar? By the way, when are they going to put a price on the hood on the Mopar website? Further, when are they going to show some pictures of the stripes that you can buy on the Mopar website? Thanks!
All you guys do is complain about ordering your vehicles. Just get a refund and buy one at the dealer. The Challengers are starting to pile up so you can get a good deal on them now and pick up some option packages for free. Half of the fun for me is dickering over the price so I can feel like I got a good deal. By the time you get your Challenger, the next year’s model will be out and yours just depreciated by $5,000.
I Scream…………..I’D Like My Car
You Scream…………You’ll Have To Wait
We All Scream………Whats Taking So Long..
For Our Challengers?
See You In Spring @ The Ice Cream Stand
LR
Must be nice to know friends in high places.
Too bad that there will be no top down fun in the Summer with this car. Unless you have a spare 16-20 gran for a chop-shop convertible conversion.
Have a nice winter.
Hey Mike,
good luck with that…I tried to drive a 300SRT8 last winter and had very little luck in the snow… I’m better prepared with a Durango this year!!!
Hey Mike, I am happily envious of you, if thats possible, lol.. Its good to see an enthusiast such as yourself working for Chrysler/Dodge. As I wait patiently for my SRT8 21x here in Vancouver,BC, I keep telling myself I probably won’t drive it until spring anyways but I know once I get it I may change my mind. Hope that ESP works good in Vancouver rain, lol.
No snow here but we will enjoy the winter driving. I might even have to test those heated seats. LOL
Gee Mike I live in northern Wisconsin and would like to enjoy my Challenger rust or even not rust… Still waiting now going on 9 months… They say maybe 10-12 weeks of course been hearing that for 9 months…
Must be a ID 10 T problem at the plant?
Mike, How about building my ‘09 R/T (ordered 5/17/08) so I can watch it not rust?