Is the SRT8 worth it?

[chrisblaze]

I have a tough decsion to make. I have to decide bewtween an RT Classic or an SRT8. Ive never own a muscle car but in the wake of this economic downfall, Im going to buy American. I love the way both cars look. But is it worth getting the SRT8 or the R/T? If this question has been asked before, sorry, I tried to search it before I posted.
On a second note, has anyone use the push button start on the SRT8?

[SMS 570]

Push button is great.

Bottom line as far as I'm concerned (having owned Six Pack and a Hemi car) if there's enough money....get the SRT-8

[J_P]

I haven't driven the R/T, but I can tell you the SRT8 is fantastic. I've always owned american cars with big V8s and none of them compare to this. Keep in mind, you can't feed it cheap gas though, it wants as least 91 octane and gets mid teens for mileage, so it will not be cheap to drive! Mine is the 2008 limited edition, so its not a daily driver for me and I don't care about the mileage. Another thing to consider is the warranty on the SRT is shorter (3y/36k)

And yes, first thing I did was install the push button that comes with it so I could start it without putting a key anywhere but in my pocket. That's a pretty cool feature in my book.

[chrisblaze]

Has it been compared to the shelby yet? This is a once in a lifetime purchase.

[recruitingsux]

I see guys in the SE and RT threads spending tons of cash to get 10 more horses or add features that come standard on the SRT8. The push button is cool but I have to pull the key out to set the alarm...

[hdcruzer2008]

I had the same decision and went with the R/T - at the time I couldn't justify the extra cost.

However, after having the R/T now for 8 months I sometimes think I should have went with the SRT with a six speed instead. The R/T is a pleasure to drive and has more power than I would typically ever need but sometimes I feel like I'm missing something.

Win-win choice whatever you decide though.

[ASEPAT]

I started with the 08 R/T Daytona Charger (Hemi Orange).I was pretty happy with it since I own a small business and it has 4 doors so I can take clients to lunch etc. then I made the mistake of letting my wife drive it, (I had it parked behind her Van) The next Day I traded the van in on a 09 Challenger R/T, with every option possible on an R/T. The SRT in California is going for 10 Grand more than the sticker which is already 10 grand more than an R/T, so 20 grand for 52 Horses. Not in today's economy. I already have added 22" wheels and Tires, CAI and more to come. And still getting 19 mpg on the street and 25+ on the open road. I am really happy with the R/T.

[J_P]

Originally Posted by chrisblaze

Has it been compared to the shelby yet? This is a once in a lifetime purchase.

Well its been compared to the Mustang Bullitt

2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 vs. 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt Comparison Test

And came out on top. At the end of the article they also discuss how it would match up to the shelby. Bottom line was the shelby is quicker than the bullitt and srt8 but suffers from the same drawbacks as the bullitt. So they kind of imply that they would still choose the SRT8. I certainly would since the mustangs all have a cheap look/feel to me.

[ROCKY494]

I just recently purchased the R/T model with the 6 speed and i love it, i have driven both the SRT8 and the R/T , the first thing i noticed was the sound that the R/T generated compaired to the SRT8. My car has the track pak and i believe that this makes a big difference with the 3.92 gears and the 0 to 60 time is very close.

Either way you will love either one

[jewelthief]

u get what u pay for

The The 6.1 Hemi produces more power per liter than any past Chrysler V8, including the 1966 Street Hemi, though with the technology available today, that's not surprising. Changes vs. the 5.7 include:
<The basic, deep-skirted engine block structure was redesigned with reinforced bulkheads to handle higher loads.
To get more air in and out of the cylinders, SRT engineers bored out the diameter of each cylinder by approximately 3.5 millimeters in order to increase the total displacement from 5.7 liters to 6.1 liters. Cylinders are honed with torque plates to ensure a truer bore, to reduce friction and increase power.
Oil squirters, aimed at the underside of each piston, are added to aid piston cooling for engine durability. A special oil pump pressure relief valve is added to accommodate the squirter oil flow.
The oil pan and windage tray are modified to manage oil return to the pan sump at high engine speeds and improve power.
Larger-diameter, flat-top pistons with high-load capability are specified to handle the SRT 6.1-liter HEMI’s compression ratio, which was increased to 10.3:1 from 9.6:1. Connecting rods are redesigned and make use of higher-strength powder metal material. New floating piston pins are introduced to handle higher loads.
The SRT 6.1-liter HEMI’s crankshaft is forged from micro-alloy steel and rotates in tri-metal main bearings for high-load capability. The crankshaft damper is retuned for higher engine speeds.
SRT 6.1-liter HEMI features cylinder head ports designed with larger cross-sectional area. This allows 11 percent higher flow in the intake ports, and 13 percent higher flow in the exhaust ports.
A billet steel, high-strength camshaft features more overlap and lift for better performance.
Intake valves feature hollow stems and 2 mm larger heads compared to the 5.7L engine, allowing more air flow. The hollow exhaust valve stems are filled with sodium to dissipate heat efficiently. Premium valve springs with external dampers enhance the SRT 6.1-liter HEMI’s valvetrain and enable higher engine speed operation to 6,400 rpm. The valvetrain system enhancements allow the peak output engine speed to increase to 6,000 rpm from 5,000 rpm — a 20 percent increase.
Exhaust headers on the SRT 6.1-liter HEMI are individual tubes encased in a stainless steel shell. Exhaust runners allow increased gas flow while maintaining fast catalyst light-off, while adding 12 horsepower over the 5.7-liter engine’s cast manifolds.
To control the combustion process, SRT engineers fine-tuned the engine management system using dual knock sensors with premium fuel.

[Hemi Rocket]

Hey Blaze... Depends on what you want the car for... if it's going to be a daily driver I'd go with the RT... better on fuel and can use 87 octane. But if it's your play toy... then SRT all the way... limited to 91 Octane fuel only... I have a SRT on order... due in any day!

[Hemi Rocket]

It's here... my 2009 6spd SRT8 Challenger... I picked it up tonight. Those of you that don't have one... need one. What a great car to drive and it turns heads... Had a cop pull right up beside me, on the right, during the trip home... in a Charger and was checking the car out. I didn't put the front plate on as I don't have the heart to mount the frame to the front bumper... had me a little nervous the way he was looking at the car in the mirror as he passed... but no problems