What Got You Into An SRT8? - What's YOUR Story?

[Rambit]

I'm sitting here, not much going on today, so I was reminising about how I came to buy my 300C SRT8. Being one of the very first to own one, this is going back 3 years. In a couple of weeks I'll have had my car for 30 months. Here's my story, or more accurately my short novel...

So, I'm at my dealer's making the deal for my new truck. In the showroom there was a 300C, black of course. I glanced at it superficially and and casually looked in the open window and commented to my salesman if I was a car guy, I'd be buying that. It was beautiful to me, simply perfect. I'll never forget his remark; he said it was a rocket! All I really new about it was that it had a 5.7L Hemi and that's it. I didn't give it a thought after that however.

When I got home I called my son to tell him about my truck. All he said was, "damn you", being the jealous SOB he is...haha. He mentioned he'd heard of a new motor coming out and that it was a 6.1L Hemi. He said I should have held out, thinking it would be available for the 2005 Rams.

Of course he was wrong about that, but it peeked my curosity, so much so that I immediatly started searching for everything I could find about this new engine, and if in fact the Rams would be getting it. Searching for terms like "6.1L Hemi" eventually led me to an article about the 300C SRT8 reveal at Leguna Secca (hope I spelled that right). This was in August 2004, almost three years to the day!

Right away I KNEW I HAD HAVE THIS CAR, come hell or high water. The article said the car could be ordered January 3rd, 2005. I'll NEVER forget that date, ever. Flash forward to December 21st when I picked my truck up. I told my salesman I absolutely NEEDED that car and put $1,000 on it. No one there even heard of the SRT8! I told him to put my order in January 3rd EXACTLY. Turns out I was the first one in Canada to order one, sight unseen and not even caring to test drive a 300C. As a matter of fact I never even bothered sitting in one.

My searching eventually led me to this site; BEST lousy car forum on the net! I joined in Feb 2005 and my member number was 1493, so there wasn't a whole lot of members at that time, just a close knit bunch of automobile affectionados (car crazy nuts...haha). That didn't last very long however. Membership exploded shortly afterwards. Seems like I wasn't alone in the excitment here. That's an understatement and anyone who goes back that far here will attest to that fact. We couldn't get enough of it and spent countless hours, days and months searching for anything we could find on this amazing car. So many rumours, so few facts, so many excited members and so much frustration and if you will, ANXIETY by not knowing if you would be lucky enough to get one. This really was a crap shoot too. There was not much to do but feed each other with internet finds and pics along with WAITING to see if you would be a lottery winner and win the oh so hard to come by and coveted VIN. As it turns out only 252, plus 11 pilots were made. Imagine that low number and imagine while you're at it there were 98,000 orders in North America. This is a fact BTW. Read some old theads here to get a flavour of how it was. I've been intentionally dragging some of these up just for the memories.

After getting my VIN I knew I could relax a little, or so I thought. Then came the horrible experience of waiting for your status to change from BX to D1. This was the worst time for me, knowing yet not knowing. So back to searching for more information, posting and getting more and more stressed out. We all belonged to the Brampton Assembly Plant forum and Speckler (Ralph Martens) became our hero, along with grunt, markyneutron and a few select others. They provided us with the true facts and were much more helpful than DCX Customer Service or the dealer for that matter. What they said was gospel here. Ralph spent most of his off time searching for our cars and kept us updated as to its progress. This all ended suddenly, but that's another story to put it mildly. Then there was grunt who personally autographed select areas of our cars. I still proudly show my ABS pump whenever I have the occasion.

Moving right along to March 17, 2005! Yes after a cold worrysome winter "Bruce" came to Daddy and even Emma flipped out. I named it Bruce cuz it was a man beast to me. At this point there were only two other members with one and we were all within days of each other. Christ, they were only giving birth to these 2, 3, 4 and 5 at a time in those days. I think I'm the second entry in the SRT8 Registry thread. We were like expectant parents and we couldn't stop showing our new babies off to anyone whether they wanted it or not. Of course they wanted it...haha!

I immediately started proudly posting pics and they were all the rage, even the filthy ones when it came off the truck. I convinced the driver to wait till I got to the dealer's. People couldn't get enough of them. Even shots of tinting was a big deal. You have to remember very few people in the world had even seen one up close and personal. There were countless questions on anything under the sun and requests for pics of EVERYTHING you could imagine. I remember a request from goddardzilla (Zilla) to find out what the rear shocks were, so I crawled under my car and tore the label off one, scanned it and posted the pic. Pics of the wheels, tires, engine, interior, Nav system were all the rage. We were like ravinous fish who hadn't eaten in a long time and needed our bellies filled.

I got this idea to post this while driving around today, still as excited as the first day I drove it home 30 months ago. To me this is much more than a car. It's a statement about who I am; a person who will never grow tired of this icon of Modern Mopar Muscle that set the standard for all others car makers for years to come IMO.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'm sure I've left out how I really feel, but I'm also sure you'll get the point. NOW, I'd like to hear some other stories from YOU and how you came across your car. I think it'd be interesting to see how many owners never even took a test drive, just bought it on impulse or for whatever reason.

If you took the time to read this, my guess is you feel just like me. Hey, I told ya this would be a novel, so don't blame me for being too long winded...haha. I just got myself excited ALL OVER AGAIN!!!

Bernie

[GoofyTimL]

For me, the only SRT8 I considered was the Magnum because I was NOT going to pay gas guzzle tax! In addition I already had a great 300C (first the used Midnight Blue one, and then the incredible, almost edible Inferno Red Heritage Edition). So when I heard through LXF that some members had obtained $10k off MSRP on '06 models at the beginning of '07, I set out to find me a similar deal.

I had an '05 300C (the Midnight Blue one) which was worth $22k at dealer auction (according to my local Chrysler guy who happens to attend the same church as me so there's a bit of trust there). An MSRT8 optioned like I wanted would MSRP at about $42k, so I figured I needed to find a dealer willing to trade me for my car +$10k. The search was on.

I put the car up for private sale at $24k and got no bites locally, here or on LXF. I got my local Dodge dealer on the scent also, but the closest we could find was my car plus $12.5k before all the title stuff, etc. I told everyone if it came to my car +$11k out the door, that was a deal breaker... had to be car + $10k done.

Then the first weekend in Feb., Husker over at LXF (but now also a member here), who had a Magnum R/T, but traded it for a 300C SRT8, saw a full page ad in the Omaha, NE paper that Woodhouse Dodge had 11 MSRT8s, all with Option Grp 1, all Bright Silver, all with MSRP at $39,080... and they were advertising them for $28,840! Ok... what was the catch?!

I sent them an internet request from their website to call me Monday morning. They did. They explained there was no catch and that was the price. I told them I had a car in trade and had to have $22k for it. They agreed, even BEFORE I sent them detailed pictures. The salesman said that he could tell I knew something about the car and was a fellow enthusiast in the way I described the vehicle and it's condition, etc.

So instead of finding an MSRT8 for my car +$10k, it became my car + $7k! Even with title, tax, license, etc., and the addition of parking sensors and auto-dim mirror with U-Connect, I was well ahead of my original price/trade goal. So I could also add things like pin stripes, mud flaps, console cover and arm rests, Air Hammer, etc.

I asked them how we would do the deal since I was in WV and they were in NE. After outlining several options, we settled on them putting the car on a trailer and bringing it to my door... in February! It only cost an additional $900. A 1-way air fare would have been at least $700 on short notice and cost me three days of vacation!

It was like the Schwan Man bringing frozen MoPar for dinner... actually breakfast three days later. AND... the trailer was enclosed! So it rolled off the trailer and onto our local 3" of snow just as clean as if it were in the showroom. Drove my car into the trailer, and within two hours the driver was gone and on the return.

I looked forward to driving the Heritage Edition every day before the MSRT8 came, but now I'm kind of disappointed my commute is only 3 miles... so sometimes I take the long way home!

[Hardder Performance]

Well short and sweet!!! I wanted a z06 vette but i just had my baby girl -Mya- and i came to the decision that if i want to take mommy and my baby girl somwhere in the fun car we couldnt in the vette,,, so i started looking for allternative fun cars,,went to a chrysler dealer to look at a 300c and there she was my black srt8!!! It was one of those instant moments when you know thats the one anyway i test dove the 300c and promptl said no way i'm driving home the srt8 on the showroom floor or nothing!! they laughed at me since i was only 27 at the time and dressed in my work clothes long story short i have been burnin the tires ever since,, been 1.5 yrs and got about 7k miles on here!!!

[300C_Chris]

Short story, I wanted an SRT and the dealer wanted my money and we lived happily ever after. LOL

But for real i bought a 300C in magnesium pearl everything except rear dvd and had SC tuner and loved driving it for one year, then i couldn't stop thinking why didn't i buy the 300C SRT, I was even dreaming about it LOL. Then 2007 went to chicago auto show and finaly saw an SRT and went that day to the nearest dealer to my home and bought a 2006 300C SRT in BB everything except rear dvd.

The funny part is guys i work with thought i had my first car painted black, but the young kids where i work just want me to throw on an exaust and go racing.

[billiardbrawler]

I saw a 300 for the first time online about 3-4 years ago and fell in love. My problem was, I just got done spending stupid money on building my Miata. My wifey and I were sitting in the garage looking at her Mustang GT and my miata...she made the comment how well she likes and how fast her Mustang is. So knowing how fast my Miata is I stupidly made the comment that I'd smoke her stang....Needless to say, she was not a believer...Being the bullheaded sob I am, I took her for a little ride.....

This was my mistake that I turned into pure genius....stay with me on this... After we got on Arlington ave (small 2 laner in the sticks) I baby first gear, hit second, where I get traction... boost comes on at 2,500 rpm and slams you to your seat, bark 3rd, hit 4th at about 100mph...and coast down to normal speed.

Now at this point, I'm a smilin' away...What a demonstration of speed and horsepower.....wheeeeewwwwwwwYeahhhhhhhhhhh......S mokin'!!!!!!!!!....YOu guys know the feeling....blood apumpin'..............well......I look over and she is so not impressed....with the meanest eyes I have seen her posess, tight lipped, brow furrowed, in the most pronouned pissed off tone she says............" SELL IT "..........

So, the ride home is quite....she's pissed. Not that it's faster then her car mind you. But this car does the quarter in mid 12's.....in a 2,300 lbs car, it is scary....

Well, we settle back to our chairs in the garage, put back a vodca and orange and start to discuss the Miata's demise.....this is where salesmanship comes in........look to her, with deepest sincerety and say " well, I'll sell her but I have to have a toy....I'll sell her and get something slower....I really like those 300's........She says...those grandpa cars?????....yes dear......but can I pls get the v8???????......oh, I suppose so....just get rid of the death trap

I pop on ebay the next day...find this srt8 56 miles, snap it off for $36,400....fly to Indianapolis, drive her home.....next day.......she gets in...takes it to the store....comes home.....throws the keys at me......." YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!"

Ain't it great?????........oh ................and once a week, she takes my balls down off the fire mantle and lets me hold them for a 'couple minutes............

_

[PKinDC]

A Stripper named Candy and a bad trip on Acid! When I came to, the car was in my driveway! My wallet was empty and I was hungry as hell!

Anyway....It would have been a good story if I could come up with the rest of it. As for most men with a family and enough toys in the garage, I need a practical Pseudo toy that I could have daily fun and still pick up the wife and children! The car looks agressive and is fun to drive!

[bugszsrt]

Well Rambit, as you can see I have been lurking here even longer than you. Always liked the 300C, but they are kind of dime a dozen to me. When I started to hear about the SRT I did my homework including hanging out here. So I put my deposit down at the local dealership without ever actually ever having seeing one and waited. Meanwhile some lucky folks actually were able to find and purchase one, usually for sticker+. I had my deal for MSRP so I was patient. I was lucky enough to get a ride in one(thanks Motohead) and I was very pleasantly surprised that it certainly didnt ride or sound like a regular 300C not to mention performance! Defintely not your run of the mill automobile. So I sold my beloved Marauder and took the plunge. The car is everything I had hoped and a LOT more. No regrets. There were about 1200 on the planet at that time and thought I was stealing it at MSRP. Could have waited a year and saved 10k, but what the hell, Ive been enjoying it longer, right?

[Chrispy]

Mine was pretty simple actually

I owned and raced V8 cars for years (fourth gen Camaros, Firebirds, C5 Corvettes. Ran blowers, strokers)

With the arrival of our baby, another one now on the way and my wife staying home to raise the kids we decided owning three relatively expensive cars was no longer practical.

So...I sold my performance cars and bought a car that had the comfort/room I required but still fulfilled my need for performance.

The 300C SRT8 fit the bill perfectly...I was originally looking for a Silver Charger SRT8 but the dealer near me had a SuperBee and a silver 300c SRT8. The 300C was marked down over 9500 and had zero percent financing/lease so I jumped on it. It also had a bit more headroom in the backseat (roofline gives more headroom)

I've had a grin on my face ever since!

Bought snow tires and wheels from tire rack (19s) and drove it last winter without a hitch.

Car's gone a best of 13.1 @ 108.7 mph with in K&N filter in the stock airbox and a 185 stat.

AFE S2 is on the way and also looking at HF magnaflow cats. Should be easy 12s in the fall.

Can't complain about the car at all, really looking forward to the predator coming out in the next couple of months...

Cheers,
Chris

[topfuel67]

A few years back my friend bought a blue 300c and was one of the first to buy a 300. It had some bug in it that when ever he would signal for a lane change (which was almost never) the wiper would go on. If you're at all picky about your car, you know that will scratch the crap out of your windshield. After several attempts at the dealer to have it repaired they switched everything out including the pcm. Finally the tech told him to call DCX and request a buy back.

He had the 300c already over a year, and I was impressed with it. I started reading up on them and found an article about the first test drive of the SRT8. Being a car nut, I fell in love with the SRT8. When he called me up and told me about this I told him he had to get the SRT8. He was already thinking the same. So he called me back and said they'd give him an SRT8 Magnum for a lower payment than his 300c. I went to the dealer and test drove the 300 and the magnum. Sorry magnum owners, but I called him back and said wtf? The seat quality, the dash and everything about the 300 was just...well you know. He got a black SRT8 300C May 06.

So here I am driving my 04 Avalanche that I loved. All of a sudden, I hated it. October 06 I bought a Silver 300 SRT8. Never been this happy with a modern car. I still love the 60's muscle, but they're just about impossible to run low 13s and be able to drive them daily. I drove a 65 GTO daily and I put 20,000 miles on it in 6 months, and the engine gave out. Plus it used a tank of gas every day with 92 octane plus boost.

[OnESiCkSRT8]

My friend's dad came to pick him and me up to go to the go-kart track in Miami. We did 150mph on I-75 in his 300C SRT8. I WAS SOLD TO SAY THE LEAST. IT'S BEEN HEAVEN SINCE THEN.