Can a Dodge Charger last up to 300,000 miles? Can it go 20 years? We've decided to consider whether Dodge actually makes good cars. We'll tell you about some cases when your Dodge Charger will only be able to live a couple of years and we'll also show some cases when a Dodge Charger could go over 400,000 miles. Interesting? Show The longevity of a car is not that simple to estimate. Especially if we are talking about a fresh vehicle that hasn't been yet 20 years on the roads. We'll try to talk about the Charger as a model and also about two recent generations. Because usually, people ask us about the potential longevity of the new Chargers, not the old ones. Here's what we are going to talk about:
Let's get started! Dodge Charger longevity - will it last long?We would say that a Dodge Charger has average longevity of 250,000 miles. It's not bad at all, and it's better than, let's say, Ford Mustang which is known to go up to 200,000 miles. Please bear in mind that we are talking about the average longevity. If you stick to service intervals and buy only good parts and liquids, your Charger may easily go over 350,000 miles with no big repairs. The Chargers are equipped with good engines and transmissions. You shouldn't tune them or install any aftermarket turbo kits to get more power because Dodge already did the job for you and took the maximum possible power from these engine blocks. Don't risk the engine longevity and forget about tuning. The Charger's longevity has some important factors:
Chargers are not complete sports cars. They are made for active driving, but they can still be a family vehicle or a car for all kinds of purposes. Chargers are pretty comfortable, especially if we are talking about simple versions, not SRT8. But the longevity still depends much on how you use your car. Are you going to press that gas pedal to the metal all the time? Are you going to go to racing tracks to check what your Dodge has to offer? This will define whether you can drive your Charger for 300,000 miles or not. Dodge Charger LX (2006) - longevity and problemsWe would say that all 6-gen Chargers are good in terms of longevity. They can go about 250,000 miles even if you buy a vehicle with a 2.7-liter base engine. There is an option of a 5.7 Hemi V8 which is much better and even more durable, but the base engine is not as bad as many buyers think about it. The automatic transmissions are very durable and problem-free. The 6.1-liter version Hemi for the SRT8 is too powerful for this car and it doesn't live that long. We would say that the average lifespan of the Dodge Charger 2006 SRT is about 180,000 miles. This is just because many buyers will want a lot of sport from this vehicle. Torturing this engine will not add longevity, so you should keep it in mind. Dodge Charger LD (2011) - longevity and problemsUnfortunately, when cars go through generation change or through restyling, they usually lose some quality. And this happened to the Dodge Charger. In 2011, a new generation appeared and now we know a lot about it. And its longevity should be considered at about 220,000 miles. Yes, we know some people who have already driven their Chargers for more than 400,000 miles and they actively share their experience on forums. But this is an exception rather than a rule. Dodge Charger LD has a wonderful base engine - Pentastar 3.6. Also, there are numerous other engines, mainly naturally aspirated ones. There are also turbocharged units for more capable versions like SRT8. But all these engines are not as good in terms of longevity as the 3.6 Pentastar. The base engines have proved to be more durable. All other units are pretty good, but the body got worse rust protection. And still, it doesn't spoil the average longevity of the vehicle. What are the main problems of the Dodge Charger?We aren't going to get extremely deep into the problems of this model. You may know that Dodge is known for being not very reliable and it often sends you some minor problems that are hard to locate and expensive to deal with. But still, the Charger is not a bad car. The main problems with this vehicle are minor and they don't influence the longevity much. Dodge offers a great driving experience and you'll need to pay for this. But if we take engines and transmissions, we can't find many problems. Here are some popular issues you will get with your Charger:
You can see that all of the common problems are pretty bad. But none of them actually has something to do with longevity. We know that the longevity of this vehicle is just wonderful, but we also know that you will have to spend some time and money to maintain this car and keep it going. How to make your Charger go more?We've seen Chargers with over 500,000 miles on the clock. We've also seen salvage Chargers with 60,000 miles on their odometers and engine damage or transmission damage. Why? Because all people use their Chargers differently. You should stick to these rules:
The rules are simple, but they can save your vehicle and let you drive it for years and for more than 300,000 miles which is much more than average. Final wordsYou may see that Chargers are not that popular now. They look old and not many people want to buy them new. But these cars have two wonderful advantages: they are cheap used and they are pretty durable. You can drive a Charger for more than 300,000 miles if you maintain your vehicle properly. The average longevity of a Dodge Charger is 220,000-250,000 miles. Do you feel like buying a Charger? Then look through this article once again and find out which problems you may get. We can recommend this car to people who will maintain and service this vehicle properly. |