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I didn't crash
Jan. 23rd, 2008 10:20 pmBut I did test the anti-lock brakes of the rental 2008 Dodge Charger. They work very well. I was traveling East on 27/18 at a leisurely 70 mph and I saw the signs to watch for cross-traffic. I was watching for cross-traffic. I saw the fuel truck slowing down in front of me and turned off the cruise control and braked lightly. Then I realized the truck was stopping to make a left into the service station. I don't fucking care how fast the Charger goes 0 to 60. What I care about is that it goes from 60 to 0 very fast without skidding or losing control.
Dodge/Chrysler cannot build a decent commuter car, but let them build a heavy, powerful, cruising car, and they do a pretty good job. A couple weeks ago it was a rental 2008 Volvo S40. This is the one that Ford is building on the same frame as the Ford Focus? and Mazda 6. It looks like the other "S" models, but compared to a friends slightly older S60, the S40 is crap. Lots of road noise and nothing very impressive. The dash is not presented well, and the combo heat/AC/fan/stereo controls are on a fake-wood front panel that has wasted space behind it. Also, when you put on the defroster (windshield), it kicks the fan to full. And you cannot put heat on both the floor and the defrost Crazy.
The Charger does not get great mileage. 21 mph City, 28 mph Highway. But it has low road noise, and very smooth to drive. And as I mentioned, good brakes. It has a comfortable cockpit and mostly easy to access controls. Except the wiper blade controls are on the left side of the steering wheel instead of the right.
Compare either of those to the Mazda 3. Now that is crap. Cramped cockpit, knees jammed against the console and window-roller. And for a car 10-years newer than mine, had just as much road noise.
Dodge/Chrysler cannot build a decent commuter car, but let them build a heavy, powerful, cruising car, and they do a pretty good job. A couple weeks ago it was a rental 2008 Volvo S40. This is the one that Ford is building on the same frame as the Ford Focus? and Mazda 6. It looks like the other "S" models, but compared to a friends slightly older S60, the S40 is crap. Lots of road noise and nothing very impressive. The dash is not presented well, and the combo heat/AC/fan/stereo controls are on a fake-wood front panel that has wasted space behind it. Also, when you put on the defroster (windshield), it kicks the fan to full. And you cannot put heat on both the floor and the defrost Crazy.
The Charger does not get great mileage. 21 mph City, 28 mph Highway. But it has low road noise, and very smooth to drive. And as I mentioned, good brakes. It has a comfortable cockpit and mostly easy to access controls. Except the wiper blade controls are on the left side of the steering wheel instead of the right.
Compare either of those to the Mazda 3. Now that is crap. Cramped cockpit, knees jammed against the console and window-roller. And for a car 10-years newer than mine, had just as much road noise.
