[Charlieagr]

Most of you guys probably experienced this, for me this was a first. I used to drive a wrangler so there is a lot of power difference between vehicles. This morning for some reason everyone on the ramp to merge on the interstate were going very slow. It was time to merge and we were doing 35-40 not 70 like we are suppose to. Checked my mirror and all lanes to the left were clear. So from 40 mph I hit it while getting over two lanes and did not realize that I could fish tail from a rolling 40mph, roads were damp... I was just really impressed with the power of the car. Am I just a newbie or can I be proud and say this car is no joke?

 

[MOPARMOM]

No doubt there is a LOT of power under your seat! I drive a Wrangler too, in the Winter and for business and when I hop in my Challenger I do a quick mental check and tell myself...."respect the power!" And I only drive an R/T!

 

[TikiMan]

These cars are no joke.

 

[MidLifeXs]

I 'only' have a 5.7 & it produces an adrenaline rush & momentary scare for me everytime I WOT in a lower gear

 

[shadowrider]

I 'only' have a 5.7 & it produces an adrenaline rush & momentary scare for me everytime I WOT in a lower gear

I share that MidLife! When I first got my 5.7, I thought, "What's the big deal?"

That changed when I dropped a gear and hit the gas! Scared the s*&# out of me!

I really respect my 6.4!

 

[JBssssRT]

with a few changes,, a 5.7 can be a real beast. I love it every time I jump on it now. The difference is amazing and what I did to it, I would never be able to do to a newer one for a variety of reasons.

 

[dodge boy]

These cars are definitely to be respected, I had a similar experience a few years back getting on a freeway, I leaned into it in second gear to pick up speed when I hit third i nearly lost it and the pavement was completely dry
but on the cold side, it scared the hell out of me.

 

[phillyjeff]

So True. I let my boss drive my RT. He mashed the gas and as we hit 3rd gear the back side let go. Scared the crap out of me but he about had a heart attack. Needless to say he is now shopping for a challenger.

 

[MommaBetty]

Many of you know that Dan's Scat Pak came in today. That is so exciting, but I think that new extra power would be something to respect. I am sure Dan will be careful, especially on the first drive home. If Alan admits to having a scare, with his track experience, then it follows that I should be extra careful with my driving experience compared to his. These cars really are "scary fast"!

 

[Charlieagr]

yeah scary fast best describes it. I had a 5.7 Daytona Charger years ago but this 6.4 is always ready to just take off. Mine is automatic and I was in drive not using paddle shifters this morning. Completely caught me off guard. I just hit the gas the same way I would have any other car I had. Very happy with the 6.4

 

[Bubba J]

I have owned some fast cars in the past from mid 70's v8's to early 90's turbo AWD tuners, and a German 6cyl AWD that held it's own pretty well. Even a V8 truck or two. But, I have to say, I am VERY happy with my Scat Pack. the first time I got sideways shifting into 3rd gear, up a steep grade on a dry road, it caught me a little off guard. it is kind of funny, the other day I thought I had a problem, I noticed it didn't seem to have the punch it normally does. after paying attention for a few miles I realized the problem was me. I had "gotten used to" the power, and around town was habitually only using 1/4 of the pedal travel. once I realized that and actually put my foot down, problem solved. It is almost amazing for a pushrod v8 how quickly this thing will bury a tach in the red zone. Really have to be careful not to push it to the rev limiter sometimes.

 

[cdahl383]

They're a low/mid 12 second car, that's pretty fast for a street car. It's fast enough that when you floor it you better have some room in front of you. It's not like a normal car where you can floor it to merge on the highway and wait around for a while and change stations, you need to be full attention, and you need to pay attention to stuff like are the roads dry or wet, etc.

The 5.7L has a lot of power so I'm sure the 6.4L is even more insane. If you drive it only in nice weather and not as a daily driver it probably wouldn't hurt to put some stickier tires on the back. That will reduce the getting sideways stuff from a roll, make it a little safer to drive, etc.

 

[Scat Pack]

I'm impressed with the power generated by my 5.7 but having driven a 6.4 powered Challenger (a '12 SRT Yellow Jacket to be exact) there is a big difference!

In short: 5.7 = great power; 6.4 = awesome power

 

[ScatPackMan]

I have had fast cars but the SP is the fastest I have had. I respect it and use the power sparingly. Even with traction control on it will get sideways. When tire time comes I will check on something stickier. Last night on a freeway on ramp there was a car well ahead of me I accelerated hard for like 2 seconds and got back flashed by the car in front of me, NV HP. I let him stay well ahead of me after that.

With respect to power of course the Hayabusa comes to mind. (Ridiculous)

 

[cdahl383]

Yeah when you get to a certain power level the need for stickier tires becomes apparent. Getting sideways is fun at first until you almost lose it or almost clip the curb or car next to you just trying to accelerate, then it's no longer fun. Sticky tires keep the car straight and hooked up which is even more fun!

 

[MIDNITE RT]

In addition to the power, these cars are RWD which does take some getting used to as well.

 

[MommaBetty]

Art, that is well worth noting about the RWD. I believe that is what makes the car ride so smooth. However, you better be prepared in the winter. It won't climb those icy hills without a good run at it. Gee, remember when ALL cars were RWD???

 

[cdahl383]

All I've ever owned was RWD vehicles so far. 3 trucks, my Nova, and the Challenger. It's the way God intended vehicles to be. Engine facing forward, transmission, driveshaft, rear end, RWD. Haha!

 

[Guest]

Something that really adds to the overall sensations of this awesome car is the exhaust. It's actually pretty loud, not sure how they get by noise standards but roll down the windows sometime and enjoy the sounds. The down side is it can get rather boomy inside, but when your on it, sooweeet!!!

 

[Ole Buck]

I am really considering buying a Scat Pack 6-speed come springtime, but the way you guys are talking, you make it sound as though the car is almost not suitable for the street. I don't want to drive around barely touching the gas all the time. I can understand getting in trouble if you were to stab the throttle in certain places, but what about a smooth roll on the throttle? Thanks guys!!