It has a mouthful of a name, but you may never drive a car as muscular as it is desperately fun. It’s the 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, baby!
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I’m in the middle of a full week with this magical machine, and even though the weather hasn’t been ideal for my first outing in a rear wheel drive performance car that boasts almost 800 horsepower, I’ve been having one hell of a time. Not only is the most satisfying gas-guzzler I’ve ever driven, but everyone in my entire family has been fielding questions about it wherever we go. I dropped my younger sister off at her math class, and all the preteens were ogling at the window. I dropped my mom off at the Nissan dealership to pick up her Armada, and she had to let people know that, no, this isn’t actually her daughter’s car. My neighbors hear the doors unlock and wait outside to ask if that’s what they think it is. My grandpa won’t stop asking for photos. My brother asked if he can have the engine to put in his Scamp. I think this is the first time my mom has been legitimately impressed by the fact that I write about cars, whereas most of the time she’s just glad I’ve found something to do that makes me happy.
Photo: Elizabeth Blackstock
It’s definitely a vehicle that demands attention, which has taken more adjustment from me than dealing with mad wheel spin on damp roads (although I’ve quite enjoyed scaring the shit out of my sister with that whole situation). No one has ever paid attention to my Mazda 2 aside from once when it was parked at COTA and someone drew a penis on the window in dust.
And I figured that, if I’m going to be writing about this fella, I should know what you want to know before I take this sweet fella out for a long weekend drive.
Wanderlust may not be a clinically defined ailment, but if it were, today’s Nice Price or No Dice Dodge minivan might just prove an effective therapeutic. That is, of course, only if its price makes it an affordable prescription.
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Based on the comments for last Friday’s 2003 Porsche 911 Carrera cabriolet, the ugly specter of Porsche’s infamous intermediate shaft bearing failures continues to plague the cars of the early 21st century. (I required an updated IMS as a condition of purchase when buying a 986 Boxster for myself.) The absence of a confirmation that the IMS bearing, clutch or rear main seal had been replaced on Friday’s 110,000-mile 996 model caused many of you to pause. Even more of you noted that it could make for a bargaining point over the car’s $21,500 asking price. Still, the voting didn’t reflect that line of thinking, as it came in at a conclusive 57 percent Nice Price win.
The synopsis for the Oscar-nominated film, Nomadland, is incredibly simple: Frances McDormand plays a widow who traverses the American Southwest in her camper-converted van while occasionally working at an Amazon distribution center. Obviously, there’s more to the film than that simple description, but that gets you the basics without requiring a “spoilers ahead” warning at the outset.
I found Nomadland to be engaging and, as you might expect given the subject matter, heartbreaking at times. One takeaway that escaped me after watching the film, however, was any sense that I wanted to experience the van-living lifestyle firsthand. If the movie had moved me to such lengths, I’d say that today’s 2013 Dodge Caravan camper conversion could conceivably be a means to that end that I might just consider.
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At the heart of this 195,000-mile mini motor home is a fifth-generation Dodge Caravan. This model is the last of the line — so far at least — for a Dodge-branded people carrier. Power comes from a transversely mounted Pentastar 3.6-liter DOHC V6 engine. That makes a healthy 283 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, making this one of the more powerful minivans you could buy. Bolted to the engine and sending all those horses to the front wheels is a six-speed 62TE automatic with Dodge’s funky dash-mounted shift lever. The ad says that the van has seen regular maintenance at a Dodge dealer and is in “great condition all the way around.” An accident-free history is another plus.
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The entire camper conversion appears to have been added to the van with limited encroachment on the passenger space. Those passengers better travel light, however, since the luggage space in the back and any thought of loading stuff on the roof has been eliminated by the addition of, respectively, a full kitchenette and roof-top bunk. With the pop-top and the center seats folded out, this van could conceivably sleep four.
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The whole camper conversion is claimed to have been professionally installed, and it does look to provide most of the comforts of home save for a private place to do your business. But hey, that’s what Starbucks are for, right?
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Both the exterior and interior look to be in terrific shape, save for an odd crease on the bottom of the curb-side sliding door. The only complaint that could possibly be leveled at the interior surrounds the fixed center console between the front seats. That impedes pass-through to the back. That’s Dodge’s fault, not that of the camper conversion, and is a frustration on all up-spec’d Caravans, converted or not.
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This camper comes with a clean title and the assertion by the seller that it will get around any sort of RV parking restrictions your city or HOA might impose. The question, of course, is what could all of this possibly be worth? The seller asks $13,500 for the van, and it’s now time for you to weigh in on how good a deal that may be.
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What do you think, is $13,500 a fair price to join the camper crowd? Or, does that price have you thinking you’d rather just stay home?
You decide!
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San Francisco Bay Area, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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50th Anniversary Edition Challenger celebrates golden anniversary with new exterior paint color, body-color Shaker hood on HEMI® V-8 models, unique badging and heritage style available on four Challenger models.
Dodge tied with Huyndai Motor Group’s KIA for the top spot among 31 competitors, becoming the first US domestic brand ever to achieve a No. 1 ranking in the study’s 34-year run. Dodge, Fiat Chrysler’s (FCA) performance brand, jumped forward seven places from last year’s IQS results.
Ram Trucks followed closely, rising to a third-place tie from its 21st position last year, doing so by the creation of fresh product – the redesigned 1500 half-ton pickup and a significantly upgraded lineup of heavy-duty trucks.
Ram introduces new ‘Built to Serve’ edition trucks
Of 75 plants in the Americas, Toluca Assembly Plant in Mexico won the Gold Award for manufacturing quality, while Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois claimed the Bronze Award.
FCA’s overall performance surged five spots to a fourth-place finish among the 15 companies assessed by J.D. Power.
The Dodge Charger Scat Pack Widebody is powered by the 392-cubic-inch HEMI® V-8 engine with the best-in-class naturally aspirated 485 horsepower mated to the TorqueFlite 8HP70 eight-speed transmission
This marks the first time in the study’s history that FCA outperformed the industry average. J.D. Power uses reported problems per 100 vehicles as its measure. FCA’s total of 153 was 13 less than the industry average and 10 less than its nearest competitor.
“These results reflect the relentless, whatever-it-takes attitude of our team,” said Mark Champine, head of quality, FCA – North America. “Our complete focus is the customer and these outcomes reinforce that we are on-target. The team is going to be inspired and motivated and will continue to push forward.”
RELATED:9 companies, 8 states will be first for U.S. DoT automated vehicle testing
2020 Jeep Wrangler High Altitude in Black
Toluca and Belvidere are home to Jeep SUVs, producing the Compass and Cherokee, respectively. Jeep jumped six spots to 11th place – its best-ever ranking in the annual study, which analyzes vehicle quality and performance during the first three months of ownership.
