2009 SRT8 Challenger Vs. 2009 370Z Sport
 

Odd comparison I know but I love both of these cars!

425HP/4100lbs (1HP to every 9.64lbs)
336HP/3100lbs (1HP to every 9.22lbs)

Both have almost identicle power to weight ratio's with the 370Z being the winner by a nose.

Invoice on an SRT8 is $37,270.

Invoice on a 370Z Sport is $30,645. Both with 6-spd.

I'm only interested in each for power/performance and of course looks, personal preference. I could give a crap about options of anykind. I just want the best engine/suspension/6-spd.

I'm looking at blue for each.

What are you guys pros/cons for these cars? I'm also posting this on the Challenger forum.

My wife and I were out for spin the other evening with a brand-new one zips past us at about 90-mph on 40-mph street. We followed it, and it is located close to where we live. The biggest difference is that you will be able to service and purchase parts for the 370Z; I seriously question whether you will be able to that with the new Challenger here in the near future. Dodge did a great job with this Challenger, but it is a bit too retro for me. I haven't driven the new Challenger, but the Z is a taut new car, and I like that a great deal.

These cars don't really share much in common.

One is big and has a lot of HP, will be fun in straight lines.
The other is smaller and more fun around corners.

My only advice would be to evaluate what kind of car you want before you decide what model car you want.

torquey v8 muscle or high revving japanese 2 seater.

Lol, that's my problem. I already own a Z and a Trans Am. I LOVE to drive BOTH! I was just posting to get opinions from actual owners before I pull the trigger you know...

You are the only one that can decide what you really want...some of the fun cars I've owned (all new) are a '73 and '76 and a '79 Trans Ams; an Audi GT (Quattro), Dodge Omni GLH, '00 Z/28 and Iv'e now had four "Zs" (an '04 an '07 an '08 and now my '09 370).

I've loved and enjoyed every single one of them but for different reasons.

At the moment, there are very, very few performance/sports cars I'd consider other than the 370 especiall if you want to stay in the $40K or less range.

wait i thought SRT8 doesnt come in manual? or you are saying it's 6-speed regardless of the type?

what's the torque on the SRT8? i bet u anything it's much more than the Z's, it's a huge engine

i agree that the 2 cars shouldnt be compared even if the output is the same. for instance the M3 produces 414 hp and 295 of torque, Ferrari 360 produces 420 hp with 275 of torque can the 2 be compared? HELL NO!!!

6-spd manual is an option for 2009...

Power: 318 kW , 425 HP SAE @ 6,200 rpm; 420 ft lb , 569 Nm @ 4,800 rpm

WOW im impressed.. i've always been so pissed that american cars seemed to have dropped manuals. awesome!!!
and yah i expected hella torque thanks for looking that up for me. googling is hard these days lol

Here is what I'm looking at the way I'd want them:

370Z
$31,594
Sport Package
Painted Splash Guards
Carpeted Floor Mats

Challenger
$39,646
B5 Pearlcoat Paint
Daytime Running Lights
CMA Chrysler Marketing Charge for CA
Gas Guzzler Tax
(I subtracted the "Destination Charge" whatever kind of B.S. that is lol)

you could prolly get a nice chunk of change off the SRT8.
i just wish they had nicer interiors...

I thought about getting a Challenger. Ever since I saw the first concept pics, I've been salivating for a chance to have one of these cars. But a funny thing happened on the way to owning a Dodge: I changed my mind!

The biggest reason is because, from reading the reviews, the Challenger is not gonna be much different from my current ride, a Mustang GT. Big, powerful engine, but not much handling to speak of and plenty of weight dragging it down. Why would I want more of that? :) I'm sick of that!

Then I see the 370Z. The clouds part, the sun shines and I know that *this* is the car that I need, not the Challenger. I've owned a Z in the past (well, two of them, but one I only had for a week before some idiot destroyed it when he failed to do what the sign told him to!), so I'm not such a stranger to the line.

But this one... this Z... mama mia, it's a-perfecto!

I still think the SRT8 is sex on wheels. I about go crazy when I see one. But the interior is what kills it for me. It's SO ugly. Liveable, but not what you'd expect. Hell they fixed the Mustang's for 2009-2010. The Camaro SS's interior is better looking too.

The Z is the overall package. And you dont have a gas guzzler tax of like a $1300 if you get the manual. $1000 if you keep the auto. LAME!!!

$1700 here in CA for it actually. I still think it's worth it, I wonder if my 300ZX will forgive me lol.

RE: Gas guzzler tax
 

Wow, no way I'd pay that! Stupid California! (this from a guy who was born and raised there)

I think that's another reason I'd rather have a Z: I think it'll be cheaper overall.

Buy the Z and turbocharge/uprate it. Then, for the same money as a Challenger you have a turbocharged Z - you said it was power you wanted...

wow i just checked the interior for the srt8.... it looks VERY VERY dated.

I drove both the R/T and SRT8 before I bought the Z. I really love the looks of the car, and it gets attention. The rumble of the V8 is fantastic and the acceleration was good too. But the car is horrible on the inside, dated and the same as most other Dodge cars. It's also much bigger in person and it's well over the 2 ton mark so it's not a canyon carver like the Z.

Right now they have some really good deals on them though, much better than you'll get on the Z for quite some time.

the Challenger is nice car from outside but from inside it is the same like other dodge cars .it is like my friend charger no difference

Cuz the Big 3 are doing so poorly. And it's still hard to move a 14/20 mpg 6.1L V8 beast of a car...even if gas is around 2 bux a gal.

That's another thing that turned me off...this thing is heavy and will not handle well. Sad.

That about sums it up. If you love both, well, unlike with women there are no laws against tying the knot with more than one car at a time. Money might of course be an issue...

Ok, here is where I stand now:

I for sure want an SRT8 IF I can afford it. The SRT8 comes in at exactly $40,567 invoice, including Gas Guzzler/Detination/& options I want. I've decided I don't want the B5 blue, I want black.

If I can't afford and SRT8, my fallback will be an R/T. The R/T comes in at exactly $31,352 invoice, including Detination & options I want.

Also, if I do have to compramise and get an R/T, I wil also reconsider the 370Z at that point. The 370Z Sport comes in at exactly $31,594 invoice, including Detination & options I want.

Thanks for all of the responses so far!

Alex

EDIT: I am also aware that I can get a 2010 Camaro RS/SS for $31,126 invoice, including Detination & options I want. I've looked into that as well just to keep my options open to competition in that same price bracket. I will NOT however consider a Mustang, ever.

Two thoughts...

First...Chrysler is in real danger of not existing in the near future...that would give me pause about buying anything from them or at the very least, I'd want to go into such a purchase with my eyes wide open about what Chrysler "going away" could mean.

Second...due to Chrysler's financial health, they are almost giving cars away right now. Now, maybe no dealers are dealing on the Challenger but I suspect that for every dealer that won't budge, you can find one that will.

Just like with the Gt-R; some dealers were charging 5 or 10 grand over sticker but there were other dealers charging sticker or less and that tens to be true of most "collectible" cars be they Corvettes or BMWs or whatever.

The Challenger isn't my type of car but to each his own...I hope you get what you want and are happy with it!

I have a co-worker who is interested in the Challenger and he told me that one of the dealers he visited quoted him a price of $19,900 for a manual R/T. Sticker price was close to $29K, he said.

That's crazy.

Daddy, what's negative equity? :icon17:

No...it doesn't work that way for me.

Maybe someone already covered this, but just in case...

There's no way around the destination charge--the dealer has absolutely no piece of it, so there's never a discount off of destination.

I maintain a pricing database, and it's been amazing how quickly destination charges have increased in recent years. The reason for this--see above. The manufacturer gets 100%.

Damn, that's smokin' hot, nearly bankrupt or not. It's not even my kind of car, and I'm tempted. Then again, base MSRP is $31,540, so it sounds like your friend might not be a numbers guy.

Just playing man, but damn, you have had a lot of cars! :tiphat:

I don't have any problems with the challenger's performance, interior, looks and so forth, but talk about overpriced. That alone would settle it for me.

I thought the Z was closer to 3300#, rather than 3100.

Ugh...post is messed up.

Manual transmission
Base:3,232 Touring: 3,278
Automatic transmission
Base: 3,269 Touring: 3,314

I have owned a lot of cars in my life but don't be overly impressed. :)

Dude...
The 370z is the sports car that's bang for the buck.
Has an unlimited amount of potential for modding.
I seriously think it beats everything in its price range.
Just my 2!

Yeah. When he told me that, I was pretty sure he was full of it, or had mistook an SE for an RT.

I dunno... it doesn't really matter to me. I want the Z, no matter how much they discount the Challenger!

The weight of the 370 is 3400

My fault then for listening to the sale manager at my Nissan stealership :icon18:

He's the ones who told me exactly 3100.

the problem I have people saying these cars are good in the twisties is how often are regular people going to drive and race the camaro's and stangs on the twisties??? "Hey i want to race you but my car can't beat you in a strait line but I know a good place where they are twisty streets and I may have a chance there"?? I know we can't compare the two but most people are just going to race in a strait line.
That's why even though I like the 370z a lot, I wished it had more HP?

LOL well that's what you get. :icon23:. Well its a tad bit lighter than 3400, but still pretty heavy for a 2 seater. It's also a smaller car than the previous version in case you didn't know=).