One Mile. That’s the number showing on the odometer of this 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8, which the seller says was unloaded from the delivery truck onto a flatbed, then placed into a climate-controlled storage environment, never to be driven again. While I have to agree with the seller’s philosophy that this one’s a piece of MOPAR history, I can’t help but think that once that digit flips to 2, there’s the possibility the next owner may not be able to sleep at night. However, perhaps the future holder will take a different approach and just enjoy driving it instead. Rocco B., thanks for the great tip here!
The original buyer certainly made a wise choice 15 years ago regarding the pedigree, as the SRT8 was the top performer for the 2009 lineup, featuring a 6.1-liter V8 under the hood packing a mighty 425 horsepower. Buyers also had the choice to mate the Hemi to either a 5-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission, with the latter found here, which also seems to have been a good decision. I am curious though, if after 15 years of sitting, whether or not this will have nearly the same amount of overall durability as it would have when brand new, should the next owner choose to start driving the Challenger regularly. What do you think?
The seller says the SRT8 is as new in every sort of way, and all of the photos appear to show what looks like a factory-fresh Challenger both inside and out. Hemi Orange Pearl is one of those colors that never seems to go out of style on these cars, and I have to believe that when the original buyer decided to keep this one new, he may have been considering that very thing. One question that comes to mind is his decision in thinking now is the right time to sell, but with third-generation production ending as of last year, this may be an ideal period to get this one on the market.
Back in 2009, the window sticker showed a price of $42,640 as-equipped, and at this price, I’d say sign me up for at least a pair if we could go back to this time again. The seller has set the asking price for this one-mile example at $79,990, not quite double the 15-year-ago cost, but approaching. If you’re ready to keep this beauty at 1 mile or get it out on the road, this 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is in Moonachie, New Jersey, and can be seen here on the Vantage Auto website. Not that there’s a right-or-wrong scenario, but what would you do- preserve or enjoy?
Why? A 15 year old car that has no warranty. that is as common as an Elantra.
How can it be tested with 1 mile on it. That sounds like rotten process.
If I wanted a new one, I would be a new one for the same money.
A Hurst shifter, w black knob ⚫️ would set off the interior nicely.
I’m leery of anything Chrysler puts out these days. And these days means ’09 too. My shop has seen so many Jeeps, Dodges, etc. etc,…and they ALL problematic with alarming regularity. Not to say that chebbys or ferds are much better…
I can buy a new Hellcat for that. Nothing special about this one except the miles.
Ironically, the Dodge Forum newsletter has an article today citing the plummeting values of Hellcats: “Since February 2024, Hagerty reports that the average sale price has decreased nearly 10 percent on these models overall.” If the more recent Hellcats are falling off, I seriously doubt this early SRT8 will bring the jackpot the seller is hoping for. The manual transmission will be desirable. I am not sure how much more computerized these cars have become over the years, so maybe there is some simplicity in the earlier versions that may make it more desirable to a collector. I do agree that the market is SATURATED with these cars. I see at least a dozen Challengers every day on my drive to and from work. I am sure the daily videos of Chargers and Challengers being chased down by police and pitted into walls and ditches are causing some folks to decide that, while the cars are cool, they are currently associated with behaviors the potential buyers don’t care to be tied to. The good news, at the rate they are being wrecked at back alley “car meets”, intersection takeovers and cop chases, undamaged original cars will eventually be rare, even if they did make a million of them.
PS – my brother owns an early Challenger RT… bless his heart.
You can get a good look at a steak by sticking your head up a bulls A$$! With millions of these currently on the street there’s a lot more out there to spend 80 grand on!
This was an exciting time when Dodge reintroduced its Pony car. After the static about four door Charges they finally had their car. 2008s were all SRTs with the 6.1 Hemi. Sadly 425 HP ain’t what it used to be and what happens when it has 10 or 100 miles on the clock? It’s a nice collector piece but that’s where the ride ends for this one.
Save for putting it on a stand and keep it as a garage queen, i’d be almost afraid to drive it. I’m guessing that within 50 to a 100 milles every seal and gasket is gonna start leaking not counting that you are gonna need new tires and a flush and fill of every liquid in there. I just hope that it was drained of fuel before going beddie bye.
In addition, if things like the injectors, fuel pump, supporting valves and sensors weren’t drained, the breakdown of the fuel will have pretty much destroyed them.
Someone clearly placed a bet that this would be a very desirable car someday.
They had no way of knowing that the Challenger would ultimately break the 1000 horsepower mark. With 3300 built, it’s unlikely that even an ultra-low mileage Demon 170 will ever be a blue-chip collectible like an early Hemi Challenger. Gambled and lost. Some folks will never understand that mass market cars like this rarely end up delivering a satisfactory return on investment.
I had one of the limited Edition models, I think it was 428 of 2800 maybe? Anyway, traded it in 2011 on a pickup, it only had 310 miles on it and got 10k more than I paid for it!
Awesome car back then but they didn’t have the lineup then that they do now. Have to agree for that $ I would definitely opt for a hellcat! Jmho
If the person was looking for an investment they should have bought gold around $900 an oz
Today it’s around $2450 an oz
The comments here are hitting the mark. 2009 was the first year for a manual transmission on these – exclusive to Challengers, no Magnums, 300’s or Chargers got a manual.
The original muscle cars were not built to be collected, they just happed organically. This is the key difference between them and the artificially constructed limited edition collectable editions. Why real diamonds are worth more than man made ones.
I bought one new in 2009 and enjoyed it for 8 years. Sold it with 30,000 miles on it. It was fun (6 spd manual) and even better in B5 blue which was very rare back then.
PS – I watch with interest the 2000 Daytona Chargers (hellcats) and the 2023 King Daytona. Both marked up when new and now prices are falling on them by the thousands.
Whoops, I meant the 2020 Daytona Chargers.
The original muscle car did not happen by accident. Manufacturers were always looking for the competitive sales advantage. Those original cars whet an appetite that has yet to be satisfied. The new muscle is every bit the performance car the old one was. Case in point are all the people who say their Camry can run past your GTO. This person and others who moth ball cars never recover their money and miss out on the enjoyment of driving the car.
I would consider this a used car. It is too common and too new to be a collector piece. Maybe if Dodge does a major body change to future Challengers it could reach collector status. Or, if Dodge stops making them, that would drive the price up.
I got awake up call these last 6 months I bought a car that had been in storage since about 1980, it looked amazing. What happened was just because a part looked like it was new, it didn’t perform like it was new. I spent about $15,000 just replacing parts. I have a beautiful truck now, but it was much more work and money than I thought it would be. Cars are like people they need exercise.
Would I do it again, probably, but I would be a little more aware of the problems that can occur with long term storage.
Well, look at it this way. This is probably the only way to buy a Challenger from “yesteryear” that hasn’t been hammered. Nice drive train too, I’d rather buy this than any of the current ones, but not at that eye-popping price!
I think its beautiful and I would drive the crap out of it. Of course if I had 79k to spend on a car like this Id probably be a different person and may feel differently.
🥱 Yawn….. One mile so what, I’m a Mopar guy too but these are just heavy street coupe 425hp at this weight. I’d rather have a 71 demon 340 4sp or a 70 Z/28 or a 69 boss 302.
I would like to see a story on the top ten American cars that have been purchased over the past 25 years and stored with the goal of cashing in. I have limited the list to 10 because I am sure there are 100’s of cars somebody thought were going to be “rare”. I don’t have a dog in this hunt because I believe not driving a special interest or high-performance car is just flat-out stupid. Life is too short, especially when viewing it through 71.5 year old eyes. “Drive em’ if ya got em'”
1 mile?
So does the car have dents on hood and trunk from pushing outside or around ?
It could be a high dollar collection someday..
Just never drive it?
Good luck with sale..,
My crystal ball did not work either. Around this time, the consensus was
that high H.P. cars were going away. Instead, this car is competing with
double the H.P. Challengers and EV`s that can go 0-60 in 3 seconds.
And as stated already in the comments, a car that has sat for this long is nowhere near a new car. I believe a car will degrade more sitting than driving
it enough to warm everything up occasionally. Beautiful car, and I might be tempted to take the chance at about half the asking price.
But, as my Father used to tell me – “You can always come down in price, but it’s hard to go up”. The market will determine what this 1 mile car is worth.
I knew a guy many years ago who bought a new Trans Am every model year change and immediately put them up on jack stands in his building. He never could explain why to me. I never saw one on our local streets. He would be about 90+ now, so who knows- coming to Barn Finds in the near future?
They could have at least put a MOPAR battery in the car for $80,000.
You can get low mileage 2008-14 SRT8s for well under 30k, and it would probably be more reliable than this would be. I just never got this concept
I will never understand why anyone would like a car that looks like my 6 year old nephew tried to draw a 72 Challenger with a thick magic marker.
Or, why anyone would like a car that looks like someone put a 72 Challenger in a crusher, turned it on for 3 seconds, shut it off and brought it back out.
The grace of the originals was the fuselage body – these are boxy. I have always wanted to like these cars enough to buy one, but i just can’t do it. They are a bad caricature of the original with the slab sides and the squared ends. For $80k I would just find an original and enjoy it. However, with a kid in school, none of that is happening for a few more years.
Exactly, thank you. I know someone that bought a Camaro when the retro design came out. He said he liked the Challenger as well, but that it looked so much like the original, “you don’t know what you’re looking at”. HUH? I only WISH it looked so much like the originals that you couldn’t tell the difference.
Bicentennial Eldorado Convertible 1976, last convertible ever, so they thought, people bought them and stored them, to sell them 40 years later for book value or original MSRP, 1978 Corvette 25th anniversary, same thing, it’s a gamble
Absurd.
Just bring back the Cuda like they threatened to do a while back – and do it right.
Please explain, and don’t leave out the regulators.
I just searched for “new cuda 2021” and this came up:
(No idea what “regulators” you are referring to.)
“All we know about the 2021 Dodge Barracuda
The 2021 Dodge Barracuda is expected to shock the market. Take a look at a sneak peak of this anticipated new model.
The revival of the iconic Barracuda has been on the cards ever since 2007. However, it looks like the Cuda is finally set to make a return in 2021. It looks like the Dodge Barracuda is going to come in as a replacement for the legendary Dodge Challenger. The new Dodge Barracuda is expected to take the American muscle car market by storm.
As of now, Dodge hasn’t officially confirmed the launch of the Cuda or its renderings. So the design of the car is very much a mystery as of now. The 2021 Barracuda could be a modern rendition of the original car. It is expected that the 2021 Barracuda will have a macho look just like the Challenger. Design-wise it won’t be anything like the Challenger. Apparently, Dodge is looking for a new design language that will inspire a new generation of Charger. Although it could be a bit wider, it is expected that the Barracuda will be a bit smaller than the Challenger. The car is expected to be designed, keeping an aggressive stance in mind. The Challenger’s wheelbase is 116 inches, whereas the Barracuda’s wheelbase is expected to be around 110 inches.
2021 Dodge Barracuda Engines
As far as the Barracuda’s powertrain is concerned, the engine would presumably include FCA units. It is expected that the base models could come with a 3.6-liter V6 engine. It will possibly be a new turbo-four that gives you 270 horsepower. The V8 engines will be the real deal though. It is also expected to include both 5.7 and 6.4-litre engines along with a Supercharged 6.2-liter unit sitting at the top. It is not clear at the moment whether the car could see some sort of electrification.
Interior
The interiors of the 2021 Dodge Barracuda at this point seems to be a mystery, considering it might still just be a rumor. It can be expected to have a two-door coupe layout and 2+2 seating configuration. Many other modern tech features can also be expected on this car.”
This is a b.s, made-up blurb like you see all over the internet. It is clickbait. No, there is never going to be another “Barracuda”. Plymouth is gone and will never return. Please, you are smarter than this…I hope.
Please forgive me but I can’t understand how that car has only 1 mile on it that means the dealer never looked at it went for a ride just to make sure everything was good?? Real risky if you ask me the lowest mileage vehicle I ever got was a new GMC pick up with 7 miles on it…just saying 🤔
I have seen customers who would not allow you to perform the PDI and wanted the car exactly as it came off the carrier. Whether they were qualified to, or even did, do the work may always be a mystery.
People have dealership stories. Dealers have people stories.
Vantage Auto is a big seller on Bring A Trailer, not sure why this hasn’t shown up there? I doubt they would reject it. These kind of have the C4 syndrome, in that they were successful for 15 years with basically the same design and are so common that none of them will be worth a whole lot….ever.
Nutty. I’ll go buy a 2023 left over, Last Call, Scat Pack Challenger and pocket a buttload of money. There are tons out there.
I could care less if this has 1 mile on it. Never liked trailer queen cars anyhow. In my opinion, they are a complete waste of money. “Ooooooooooo it has 1 mile on it”……. Yeah, I copy….. some moron bought a performance vehicle that isn’t made to perform. That’s plain stupid.
Besides all of that, you could have Dodge send you build numbers on any of their cars per VIN. I’ve run into about a dozen with “1 of 50”, “1 of 185”, “1 of whatever” cars (with the documentation). I have 1 of 169 in my own garage, that’s a documented 1 of 1(truth) with dealer sponsored/manufacturer approved (slim chance ever getting that to happen…. but did) performance modifications. But guess what?!? I drive the darn thing like it was meant to be! I have lower mileage, I baby it, but drive it!
So, I’m not overly impressed by a HEMI Orange Pearl (one of the most common colors) SRT car anyhow. It’s a beautiful car. It’s a cool car. It’s a wonderful car. Someday it’ll be worth a fortune to someone, but we’re not going to be around then. Get out, drive it. Enjoy it. Take care of it and guess what? It’ll still be a cool car in 50 years and worth some coin. Otherwise, shove it in a museum to collect dust now. Why waste time? Turn it into a permanent display of modern waste.
Ha ha ha this is another kind of crazy insanity. Piece of MOPAR history? Sure, but not the important one IMO. It is not the 1 of 1 all-boxes-ticked car, so drive it to the ground, f*kkk trailer queens :)