A Peek at the Plum Crazy Challenger, Inside and Out |
 
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Posted on January 13, 2010
One big highlight of the Dodge display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit is seeing the Challenger dressed up in Plum Crazy. “The Plum Crazy paint looks so gorgeous on the Challenger sheet metal that we couldn’t help ourselves,” says Challenger brand manager Mark Mallie. “We added the white dual wide side stripes and a white interior to finish in style. Thanks to Mopar and our partners at Katzkin we have one outstanding Challenger to display!” Can’t get to Detroit? A month after production began, the first five Plum Crazy Challengers have now arrived at dealers, so you can check with your local dealer to see when his will arrive. Never got around to ordering your own? Dealers are still taking orders —but only through the end of January, so act fast. Get a shot of the white seats after the jump.
Jan 13, 2010 @ 13:24:43
Check it out!! Plum Crazy Challenger! ~kam
Jan 13, 2010 @ 13:26:16
Ordering mine tomorrow morning. Appointment @ 9am, YAAAAAA!!!!!
Jan 13, 2010 @ 16:54:14
so nice! i love the challenger, i want the white R/T with the black stripes, but alas, im waiting for the 6.4L SRT 300!!!
Jan 13, 2010 @ 18:04:34
It is awesome to finally see the actual thing, tempted to drive to Detroit !, but mine is D1 and estimated ship date is 01/27….so Ill just sit and stew until it actually arrives…..like a kid waiting for christmas, Ive got a severe case of ants in the pants….hurry Dodge, my wife says Im driving her insane !!!! cant wait !!!!!!!!!
Jan 13, 2010 @ 19:42:48
Love the white interior, awesome.
Jan 13, 2010 @ 23:06:14
Mark, keep up the good work. That PC Challenger is awesome! My DY Challenger, purchased through Bob Frederick, is projected to be delieverd on 1/15/10. After over two years of waiting for a custom ordered Challenger, I can’t wait. I hope the DY looks as good in person as the PC does in pictures.
Looking forward to trading my DY for a Sublime Challenger with a shakerhood; hint!
Jan 13, 2010 @ 23:11:27
WOW that looks great and with the white seats it adds the old school look of the Challenger of the 70′s just the way it should be done. Great job Dodge you hit a home run with the one for sure. Mark I hope you will bring this car to the Spring Festival in March it will be the hit of the show my friend.
Jan 14, 2010 @ 12:26:52
Too bad these were SO hard to order in Canada. A lot of dealer games, only 25 allocated for all of Western Canada, so few dealers with any allocation at all, very short order window, insulting dealer gouging, etc. In the end, I had to pass on my dream car of a lifetime. Dodge, please bring back Plum Crazy with the 6.4 Hemi, and make it easier for us Canadians to get one in the future. Canada is where they’re built after all!
Jan 14, 2010 @ 17:17:06
I hear a lot of trash talk about dealers on this blog. I think you guys need to find a different dealer, we have sold quite a few Challengers, ALL below MSRP…allocation can sometimes be a challenge but a good dealer will try to work with you…look around , there are a lot of dealers that dont play the games you speak of…..
Jan 14, 2010 @ 18:54:12
Flames T.
You must live up north because they get all of the new cars first and more people are getting laid off so there are rows and rows of Challengers up there. They are just now starting to pile up at the dealers in the South. The law of supply and demand, no cars so jack up the price because there is always someone out there with a lot of money burning a hole in their pocket willing to waste it just to have the first new car on the block. It is sad that the Dodge Boy dealers will take advantage of you. I think it hurts the greedy dealers in the long term because now I vowed never to buy a car from their dealership and will go out of town to purchase one. One day, just maybe, they will learn a lesson.
Jan 15, 2010 @ 10:41:35
Everyone always thinks their car’s color choice is the best, but IMHO, this PCP with the white leather is by far one of the nicest cars Dodge has ever produced! If/when you come out with a 6.4 in Sublime Green with a 6 spd, I doubt I’ll be able to trade my PCP Classic in so I just may have to buy another one. I know you guys hate to hear that LOL. Nice job!
Jan 15, 2010 @ 16:24:11
Great, another flop from Dodge. Just a two door Charger. Is that the best that you can do for $40k+++??? Please show us the cars that will actually save the company like a real CTS type sedan or a groundbreaking family car like the 2010 Taurus. All Mother Mopar can do is rebadge a bloated 5 year old sedan and paint it in hideous colors from 40 years ago that only .000005% of car buyers would really consider. Chrysler is toast.
Jan 15, 2010 @ 16:49:18
I guess it is all a matter of opinion and if I loved Fords (God help me) then I would post a blog on the ford website. Yes, I would have enough class not to go to the Ford website and inform them of how hideous their cars and trucks look. You really need to drive a Challenger before you talk all this smack. It may not be perfect and it may be a little big and heavy, but it sure handles and has a real smooth ride. By the way, the high impact colors sell really well.
Jan 15, 2010 @ 17:34:01
mopar man 1 …..Real mopar men asked for this car, Real mopar men asked for these colors, Real mopar men are paying less than 40k+++……where does that leave you ? 0 …… If you want a caddy, go buy one……
Jan 15, 2010 @ 20:51:55
Yep; tough to buy in Western Canada; bought mine from Josh West at Peel Chrysler in Toronto and having it shipped to Vancouver. Chrysler couldn’t guarantee my local dealer a car to sell to me; so I had to go East. The prices back East are more realistic also.
Jan 16, 2010 @ 06:19:37
sparka320 wrote:
Yep; tough to buy in Western Canada; bought mine from Josh West at Peel Chrysler in Toronto and having it shipped to Vancouver. Chrysler couldn’t guarantee my local dealer a car to sell to me; so I had to go East. The prices back East are more realistic also.
Peel Chrysler wanted to charge $250 in Admin. fees, $350 for a registration fee, which really turned out to be the Globali scam, and a whopping $950+ in some Dealer fee! That’s over $1,500 in tacked on fees. They may have allocation but they don’t have ethics. Is this what we have to put up with, Chrysler? Talk about killing the joy of buying a nice car.
Jan 16, 2010 @ 12:16:23
Moparman1, go back to your gm site. Who’d want that yuppie CTS anyway. We’re on here because we love Mopar, all things Mopar, and could care less what GM or Ford are doing.
Change your name to goodwrench1 or motorcraft1 and find your website.
Jan 16, 2010 @ 23:38:38
haha nice hemihead! thumbs up man.
Jan 17, 2010 @ 02:42:27
Hey RLD, is it just the lighting in the picture or are the plastic pieces in the interior black or a much darker gray than what they have been using on the Challenger. If it is indeed, thanks for listening to us. The black looks much better than the gray interior. By the way, are we ever going to see any literature on the 2010 cars (i.e., downloadable brochures off the Dodge website, etc.)?
Jan 22, 2010 @ 23:13:52
I wouldn’t hold your breath on a 6.4 liter in fact I wouldn’t hold your breath on any more SRT8 products at all. The fact that Chrysler has so many SRT products at the Auto Show , just shows how hard they are trying to convince Fiat that these products have a huge following.
Which they do but most of them won’t man up and pay for them or if they can’t afford it they put the blame on colors, options and Deaelerships like Norm up there. If you aren’t willing to pay another $1500 on a a $54,000 car plus tax that only has $3750 in mark up then you probably couldn’t afford your dream car to begin with. You don’t think Ferrari , Porche, BMW Buggati… buyers pay a premium for thier dream cars. Come on. If you do your research and find a Dealer and salesman that will give the best service around it is worth the premium.
Thats how I got mine.
These cars are amazing, Dodge did everything right including the limited producton cars, these are a gift to the true Mopar Guy who wants something special. Get them while the getting is good, because like all the top manufactures out there Fiat will be looking towards market share vehicles and 2 doors sports cars aren’t even a fraction of that market.
Jan 23, 2010 @ 07:52:04
If anybody has to nickel and dime over an SRT8, than they probably can’t afford that car.
If you are paying 50K + for a vehicle and are bothered about $250 for this and $350 for that,
then get the next model down. I can’t even dream of owning a SRT8, so I got an R/T.
As for dealer gouging, sorry to tell you it does happen, and $5000 – $10,000 over sticker is not uncommon. So choose your dealer wisely and remember them when service time comes.
Don’t support somebody who is going to rip you off!
Jan 23, 2010 @ 19:23:47
HEMIhead,
We are talking Dodge, not Ferrari, Porche, BMW, Lamo, etc. I am sorry to day, but Dodge will never be Cadilliac, Lexas, Mercedes or any other high dollar upscale car. To charge over 40 grand is just insane for a Dodge. Mopars are for the everyday common man. Yes, it is good to look upscale to improve the resale value of Dodge vehicles, however, to gouge the customer over sticker price is a little too much to stomach. There is a sucker born everyday, so if people are willing to pay over sticker price, then let them waste their money. In the end, maybe it makes it look like their is a demand for these high powered gas hogs and if the dealers make a profit and stay in business then so be it. It is a free country and I guess anybody can do whatever they want, to some extent. Bottom line, it just makes the majority of people think that the dealership is unethical and they go elsewhere to shop and that may be the competition. Most of the Dodge dealers, however, will let you order the car and they usually give you a grand or two off the full retail price of a Challenger if you order it. I guess the trick for Dodge would be to offer limited edition specialty cars all of the time so you have to pay full price if you want it.
Jan 23, 2010 @ 20:33:11
T/A, I don’t know how any average joe can afford any srt8 or viper. I see $30k being sane, but that’s it.
Jan 23, 2010 @ 21:43:37
HEMIhead,
Heck, loaded R/Ts are selling for over 40 grand now which is just plain crazy. I saw a loaded SE for over 30 and that is just a 250hp six cylinder. SEs need to stay under 30 and R/Ts need to stay under 40. I guess the cushion is built in so when they start piling up at the dealers they will have room to give rebates.
Jan 24, 2010 @ 01:18:19
Guys, there ARE plenty of ethical dealers out there, you just need to look a little. We have a 2010 B5 blue R/T classic 6 spd with everything but a sunroof with a msrp 39665 that we are asking 37500. You cant hardly get anything decent new for under 30 these days anyways….my 08 Avenger R/T AWD w/o a sunroof had a msrp of 28…..and that has a V6. Look at what they want for a Camaro or a performance Mustang , now theres a real tragedy!!!! You can bet there are some dealers asking over sticker for those crates….(I wouldnt even bother to check though !)
Jan 24, 2010 @ 03:05:59
I will be honest with you, now that everyone has one and that Dodge refuses to make it in sublime, I have lost interest in the Challenger. It is just a lot less expensive to purchase an old one and fix it up. Heck, you can’t even download a brochure on their 2010 cars that have been out since October. I have never been so disgusted before in my life and seen so little coming out the door from a manufacturer. They must have just a handful of people working for them anymore. This is my last post.
Jan 24, 2010 @ 12:30:48
Sorry to hear that T/A. I’ve blown my top more than once in the past, and my wife keeps asking why I bother so much with a company I don’t even work for. But its a car guy thing.
I too have been waiting all my life for the perfect Mopar, and when I saw the new Challenger R/T at $40K + I was sadly dissapointed. I have a wife and kids, and I can’t afford that.
I wanted an older Mopar (they are tops in my book), but I have a buddy who’s been rebuilding a ’69 camaro for the last 18 years, and still isn’t even close to finishing. So I wanted something I could drive before I was dead. So I ended up buying a used Charger R/T Daytona. I can give it a little TLC, and drive it today. Its not my dream scenario, but it’s all I’ll get in my lifetime, and all I can afford right now. Its the, “I’d rather have that than nothing” mentality at work. So, if you can afford a Challenger, than by all means, wait it out. You’ll be that much more ahead of me! As for dealerships, Flames T. certainly there are dealers out there with ethics, but sometimes you have to look for them. All I know is I ain’t going back to a dealer who treats me like crud, or is trying to rip me off. I’d rather give my money to a dealership like you work at.
Don’t stop posting T/A, I like reading your comments. Also, where’s coolmancool?
I think you’ll see Chrysler come into is own this year. Don’t read all the negative press or blogs
that make money by so called, “Future Predicting” like some blogs do. You know as well as I do that they are never right. I don’t know why RLD even lists some of those blogs because they are pure BS. Always somebody there biased towards another company, who’s always (the winner) in their minds. I love Mopar because they are the underdogs. Its when you’re the underdog that pure genius rears its head. (by underdog I mean as related to public perception, not by performance).
As for Nascar effort, lets look at that. Dodge has three cars this year in cup. You know Kurt Busch is not going to lie down this year. If Dodge even gets a win this year, out of 43 cars, than man thats what I call the underdog messing them up.
Keep the “MOPAR” faith guys.
Jan 25, 2010 @ 00:33:49
Wow, issues.
What car can you get that compares to a Challenger for less than $40,000?
Mustang, Tiburon, Civic, Forte, Altima, Genesis, BMW 1 series……….. I think I have made my point.
I guess if Mopar guys are really that disappointed in pricing they should ask Dodge to mass produce these cars in China….
Jan 25, 2010 @ 12:14:48
@challenger101
Yeah, issues.
Your argument is specious. You say that if we’re not willing to pay whatever some scamming dealer charges, then we can’t afford the car. What a crock! You sound like every scamming dealer I’ve turned and walked away on. Have some respect for the people on this blog. Do you think we’re all bums and fools? For most of us, money is not the issue, it’s trust. We have absolutely no problem paying the MSRP that Dodge set. But we will not give a CENT to a liar. Do you think we live in the Stone Age? That enthusiasts don’t talk? In the end, we all know who’s who and that if a dealer is adding on fake ‘fees’ and playing games, we can’t trust them to order and DELIVER our Challenger the way we want it. It’s about trust, not money. When dealers understand that, they thrive.
Jan 26, 2010 @ 11:43:10
Hey, guys, thanks for leaving so many comments. We can’t respond to every point here, but we are reading everything and taking it all into consideration…
Jan 26, 2010 @ 12:02:14
I was wondering if anybody has heard if the challenger is going to come as convertible in 2012. I think that would be so awesome and sort of waiting to get one if there’s that possibility.
JP
Jan 26, 2010 @ 16:14:37
Norm/RLD Norm, you are absolutely right , it is a trust issue. Its unfortunate that some dealers feel the need to treat people in that fashion, it gives a black eye, and negative perception to the entire dealer body, especially those that play the game straight up and honest. This is not a quick buck game, we are here to build relationships. A good dealer wants not only to sell you a car once , but wants you to be happy long term so you see us for your next vehicle, and your sons and daughters come see our sons and daughters for their vehicles….RLD, glad to know that you are out there, taking it all in……Remember guys you cant paint all dealers with the same brush…there are plenty of us out there that are honest and care, and work hard every day to EARN your trust.
Jan 26, 2010 @ 16:57:58
I wanted to buy a new car for a while. When the Challengers came out, I was tempted, but my old car (PT cruiser) still had some life in her. I decided if the PCP was ever available, I would get one. I contacted a few dealerships when the PCP was announced. One guy called me back. When the cars were available for pre-order, I went and talked with this guy. He was very upfront, and honest. Of course he offered to sell me the car for MSRP, and I initially told him I was going to do a little shopping around, but in the end, he came down $1000 and I figured why bother trying to squeeze a few $100 more out of another dealership. I ordered the RT classic with the white stripes in November, and was contacted a few weeks ago with an expected completion date 1/27, and then they would let me know when the car was delivered. I can’t WAIT to drive this car. If people are unhappy with it, no one is forcing people to buy it, you don’t have to drive one.
Jan 26, 2010 @ 18:19:47
@norm
Well there is 450 Dealerships in Canada and alot of them sell 150 plus new cars a month. So i guess everyone of them is ripping everybody off. The deals are there and the saleman are there.
From working in sales myself : Rule number one Buyers are liars, we all lie to get better deal.
80% of buyers lie and only 20% of salesman lie.
Rule number two: the Happiest customers pay the most
beause they were given good service.
If price isn’t an issue find a saleman that will take care of you, keep you informed through the whole process and and does his best to get the best price out of his Manager.
Give them a chance. There are lots of good ones out there, look for recomendations.
As for living in the Stone Age most guys still are when it comes to buying cars. Its called Inflation.
You really want to bash someone bash the salesman that didn’t do his job, you might want to go back to Peel and talk to Josh he is highly reccomended.
And by the way you were one who started being a Negative Nelly on this Blog.
Jan 26, 2010 @ 20:51:32
I have a Plum Crazy Classic ordered and, thanks to Mark Mallie and RLD, I was able to get the Super Track Pak added. I love the car except for the fact it will still has the Ram emblem on the front, wheel covers and steering wheel. One need only look at the signs present at the Detroit Auto Show or at the top of this website to see the new DODGE logo. IT NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO THE CHALLENGER IMMEDIATELY!
When any other large company changes their name or logo, they make sure the changeover is immediate and completed in a timely manner. Take WalMart for example. They recently changed their logo to the current flower like design and they did it so quickly nobody can even remember the old logo and easily recognizes the new one. This is ultra important to establish “branding” and effective advertising.
Chrysler has supposedly separated Jeep, Dodge and RAM into different divisions. With this said, why is the Ram logo, which should ONLY represent the truck division, still doing on the DODGE Challenger? It doesn’t belong there. Challenger owners want their cars to look retro and the RAM just doesn’t cut it IMO.
The new logo needs to be established and incorporated so what are you waiting for?
Jan 26, 2010 @ 21:50:45
challenger101,
God help the poor soul who purchases a car from you. You are such a crook you believe your own lies.
Jan 27, 2010 @ 10:35:56
T/A: The interior color has not changed — it must just look darker in the picture because of the lighting. Brochures should be avail mid-February. And we have never said no to sublime — Dodge is hoping to make it available later this year. Thanks for your patience.
Jan 27, 2010 @ 15:09:38
sublime,
Sorry, I don’t sell cars. I’m sure glad I don’t because sure wouldnt want to deal with all these people have nothing better to do than make these excusses why not to buy a car.
I love my Challenger and I can’t wait to get my new 1500 Sport in the fall when my Lease is up.
Jan 27, 2010 @ 15:33:34
challenger 101,
Make sure you pay full price plus the market adjustment additional surcharge for your new 1500.
Jan 27, 2010 @ 17:15:46
Hey guys, if you’re looking for dealers, go to Dodge.com and search for five-star dealers in your area.
Jan 27, 2010 @ 21:04:34
Allen Samuels is a five star dealership and they are placing a $1,500 market adjustment surcharge on their Mopar Challengers as well. Five star used to mean something, however, it doesn’t anymore. Five times more crooked?
Jan 27, 2010 @ 23:55:55
When the 08 challengers came out, my mom was buying a new Caravan. While I was at the dealer, I asked about the challengers, a guy looked at me and said “$20,000 over invoice” , I pretty much gave up on getting a challenger that year.
When I ordered my PT in 2000, the delership tried to screw me. They advertised if you pre-ordered a PT they would sell it for $500 over invoice. I put down my $500, and when the car came in, they tried to charge me MSRP. I still had all the ads, plus the guy’s business card with the total for the car written on the back. They finally agreed to the original offer, but the kicker was, they never gave me credit for my $500 I put down to order the car, so they had to refund it to me. The best part was when my mom asked if they would take a personal check. The sales man said I would have to ask the finance guy. My mom told him I was paying cash for the car. I still remember the look on the guy’s face. That dealership is now a mini mall…..
Jan 28, 2010 @ 10:04:37
Guys, Shawano Auto Sales , a 5-Star dealer, where I ordered my PCP R/T, is selling any/all Challengers below MSRP.
Feb 01, 2010 @ 15:14:26
My Plum Crazy RT is in D1 status as we speak. Has everything on it, should be on the rail by Feb 9th 2010 on its way to Missouri. The dealership is as excited as I am. Way to go Dodge, wish I had the option for white interior.
Feb 10, 2010 @ 21:51:43
One ugly gray interior is not enough. People should be able to choose a black or white interior. Gray is an old school 1980s interior color. You need some contrast as well, like wood grain in the dash and console or at least some other type of material. A monotone hard plastic interior just looks cheap!
Feb 13, 2010 @ 04:26:07
In mt PT, they matched the color of the dash with the exterior, I thought that was cool. I looked for some pics of the original Challengers, and also noticed the wood grain around the gauges, shifter, and inside door handles. I think it would be cool to add wood grain accents to the same areas in my car… when I get it. I would probably get a color that went well with the exterior color as well.
Mar 05, 2010 @ 10:07:22
Looks like a 69 Chevy Camaro
Mar 20, 2010 @ 21:40:02
hmmmmm, its funny to see all of the comments that people leave on these things…….the ones who said they dont mind paying for service that is woth the money are on to something. i agree 100% you are looking for trust in a salesperson! i have sold challengers for as much as 20,000 over sticker and as much as 3500 off msrp. it is typical supply and demand you walk in for a black challenger you can most likely negotiate a great deal, come in looking for the PCP and because there are so few of them dealers may ask for more than msrp! no to be rude but that is the right of a dealer to “ask” more for something as the “MSRP” is only the suggested retail price. We had an addendum of 3,000 above MSRP and a customer said to me and i quote “that all you want over sticker, everyone else is trying to get 10,000″ needless to say he was happily spotted at 3k above MSRP and as he left he told me he couldnt be happier! not to say i wouldnt have sold him the car for less but you cant get what you dont ask for>>>>>>i work for a dealer who guarantees a better price than any of my competitors!
Mar 20, 2010 @ 22:27:55
Anyone who would pay 20 grand over sticker for a challenger offered via dodge is a fool. Period, end of story. After market challengers don’t count, since they are way over sticker due to mods….
Key point here is want versus need. Few people need an SRT8 model, which I assume is the model in question.
Regardless of color, the SRT8 from Dodge is not worth 20 grand over invoice. Sorry, not buying it. PCPs are showing up on the lots, so they are not exclusive.
Even the FF SRT8 is not worth 20 grand over invoice with a limited production run. In this price range you might as well get a used viper. I love the car, but you won’t see me loving it for 60 grand.
Mar 25, 2010 @ 21:46:00
yes it was a 2008 srt8 its badge was #27, and i agree i wouldnt pay sticjer price for a car let alone 3000 or 20000 over msrp, i agree only a fool whos wants are stronger than their needs would do such a thing. not only that you can pick up a used one now for about half the price with a few miles on it!