Thanks to some great people at Jim Browne's Citrus Dodge in Dade City, Florida, we now have a 2009 Challenger R/T in the house.

Most of us agree that the Challenger R/T is a great looking, and great performing automobile, and I've wanted one since I saw the first drawings of the concept car. While the SRT-8 version is very nice, it's pretty pricey as well, so I decided to wait for an R/T version.

Searching the internet, I found that most dealers are charging a premium, a higher price than MSRP, for the R/T versions, but I still wanted a Challenger for several reasons. First, it's simply a cool car. Chrysler really captured the styling of the '70 Challenger when they designed this one. Second, the new Challenger is a great combination of power and luxury, and will be fun to drive. Third, I want to explore the potential of the 5.7 Hemi by adding performance parts, all of which will be covered in Mopar Muscle.    

Reluctant to pay a premium for the car, however, I phoned my friend Scott Pitts who works at Citrus Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, in Dade City, Florida. Scott directed me to sales manager Sam Rhineberger, who was very accomodating and invited me to look at a silver R/T on the lot (my color of choice, coincidentally). When my family and I arrived at Citrus Dodge we were treated like family. There's something to be said for a dealership in a smaller town, as the entire crew at Citrus was friendly and helpful.

Owner Jim Browne greeted me as soon as I arrived and although busy, made time to discuss the economy and how it's affecting the automobile industry (the subject of a future blog). Sales Manager Sam Rhineberger then showed me the car, and sent me on a test drive with my family.

Once we returned, a fair price was quickly negotiated. I didn't pay a premium, in fact the crew at Citrus openly showed me the invoice, and freely discussed financing terms. Overall it was a great buying experience and I would recommend this dealership to anyone who wants to be treated fairly and with respect.

Of course once the car is broken in, look for some dragstrip and dyno testing, followed up with great tech articles in the magazine as we upgrade this R/T for maximum performance. 

Thanks again to Jim Browne, Sam Rhineberger, and Geoff Flournory at Citrus Dodge for making it happen!