Autoclinix Long Term Test:
2005 Dodge Magnum R/T HEMI
This is 2005 Dodge Magnum RT HEMI is one of the Autoclinix guys favorite rides and has turned out to be one of our
best long-term test vehicles. After putting a little over 15,000 miles on this unique ride we came away more
impressed than we expected and found only a few things we would suggest that Chrysler should change about these cars.
As fortune would have it, Chrysler ceased production of the Magnum in late 2007 and a few 2008's are the last of the
breed. It is a shame because there is a lot to like about this car; especially as a manly alternative to all the
candy-ass crossover's on the market today.
Dodge refers to this body style as a "sports tourer" and throws a fit if you try to call it a station wagon.
We here at Autoclinix have no problem with station wagons and comfortable enough in our manhood to say so.
The Magnum shares most of its innards with the Dodge Charger and equipped with the 5.7L HEMI can do 0-60mph in
5.6 seconds. That's our kind of station wagon.
This first-year Magnum is a 2WD model with the 5.7L HEMI V8 and 5-speed automatic transmission
w/ Autostick. It also features Chrysler's Electronic Stability Program (ESP), All-Speed Traction Control,
4-wheel disc brakes, and 4-wheel Independent Touring Suspension.
The powerful 5.7L HEMI boasts 340 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. It features the Multi-Displacement System (MDS)
engine management system that allows this powerful machine to get up to an EPA-estimated 25mpg on the highway.
We averaged 20 mpg overall during our test (19 in the city and 24 on the highway). The R/T
package adds a host of features including 6 Boston Acoutsic speakers, 288-watt AM/FM Stereo w/ CD, 8-way power drivers seat,
and much more.
Our test car had a base price of $30,070 and as-tested listed for $33,460. In addition to the
plethroa of features that come standard with the R/T package, options on our test-car included:
Inferno Red Crystal Pearlcoat Paint
Electronic Convenience Group
Instrument Cluster w/ Display Screen
Temperature and Compass Gauge
Vehicle Information Center
Traveler/Mini Trip Computer
Security Alarm
Steering Wheel Mounted Audio Controls
Homelink Universal Garage Door Opener
Trailer Tow Group
Severe-Duty Engine Cooling
Load Leveling and Height Control
Convenience Group II
Air Conditioning w/2-Zone Auto Temp
Heated Front Seats
Power Front Seats
Power Adjustable Pedals
Roof Rack and Cargo Organizer Group
Roof Rack
Rear Cargo Oganizer
SIRIUS Sattelite Radio
AFTERMARKET: Interior Kit - Burled Gray: Dash, Center Stack, Door Pulls, Vent Surrounds.
Click on the pictures below to view larger images of this car...
Driving Impressions
This is a full-size car when it comes to hauling people but it drives much more like a sports car than you might
think. It has a relatively firm suspenion and although we didn't drive it like Mario Andretti we did put it
through it's paces a few times. The steering is tight and has almost no "play"; it goes where you point it.
Some of our drivers found this a little unnerving at first but quickly adjusted and found it a redeeming feature. The
340hp 5.7L HEMI V8 under the hood sounds good when tasked and even with the stock exhaust it reminds
us of the muscle cars of our youth. The 5-speed automatic with AutoStick shifts as smooth as anything from Europe or
Japan and probably helps this beast get respectable mileage. The Multi-Displacement System (MDS) allows the engine
control computer to disable 4 of the 8 cylinders as appropriate to get up to 15% better mileage (at least according
to Chrysler). The system works smooth enough (it's practically undetectable by the driver) and since we averaged
almost 20mpg overall during our 40,000+ mile test we're not complaining. One thing we did notice is that when you're driving
moderatetly and (presumably) in 4-cylinder mode and give the gas pedal a good hard push you need to hang on. Once all
8 cylinders kick in (in less than 40ms accordingly to Chrysler) and the 340hp spools up this thing moves. We went to
pass a truck while driving home from dealer after just purchasing the car and gave it some gas and went from 50mph to
100mph before we knew what happened. Sweet.
Interior
One of the things we like about this car is the roomy interior. Real, full-size adults can occupy the rear seats
for extended trips in relative comfort. The front seats are also comfortable as our test car had an 8-way power
driver's seat and power passenger seat as well. The dual-zone automatic climate control is easy to operate and works
as expected (there are rear seat vents as well).
The Magnum's exterior styling features a high waist-line and you definitly sit "low" compared
to the feeling in say an SUV. Some reviewers
have complained about the "coffin-like" feel but they're sissys. We like the stance of the car and the low roof-line.
Some people pay big money to chop the top of a street rod. You can get a similar feeing here for a lot less. Rear
visibility is not the best given the gun-slit sized rear window but you get used to it pretty quickly. That said,
headroom is excellent front and rear. One of our testers is 6'6" and he had headroom to spare even in the rear seat.
The interior is nicely laid-out and the instrument cluster provides a nice set of white-faced analog gauges.
The tilt/telescopic steering is infinitely adjustable and drivers of almost any shape-and-size should be able
to get comfortable in this
car. Although we like the layout, size and ergnomics of much of the interior the materials used are another story.
The leather seats in our test car are sweet but most everything else is a sea of cheaper-looking-than-it-should-be
plastic. We think garbage cans are made out of the same, industrial-gray plastic. Chrysler fixed much of this with
the 2008 models by using better materials and by slightly re-designing the interior. Too bad they then promptly
ceased production of the Magnum. We attempted to dress up the interior of our test car with a do-it-yourself dash
trim kit (see pictures above). The factory radio with CD player, Sirius sateliite radio, and Boston Acoustic speakers
sounds as good as any factory sound system we've heard.
Problems / Issues
Problems with our test car were few; especially considering it was a first-year produciton unit: an ABS sensor had to
be replaced due to it "sticking" and causing the ESP light to come on, a TSB for the front-end was performed to
correct an alignment issue (car pulled to the right), the rear hatch struts had to be replaced at ~11,000 miles,
and a valve in the emission system had to be replaced; all
covered under the 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty. Now you should know that our car sat on the lot for almost a year
before we bought it. It was a left-over 2005 model that we purchased after the 2006 models came out. As such, some
of these issues
could have been caused by the car sitting for so long. For what it's worth, our dealer experience has been very good.
We have used 3 different Dodge dealers to perform the warranty service in order get a feel for Dodge's dealer network
and have to say all the dealers we worked with provided solid service. Many Chrysler/Dodge owners have horror
stories to tell about their dealer experiences but, for what it's worth, all of ours have been good. Note that the
dealers were unaware that this was a long-term test car being reviewed by the Autoclinix staff. We got the same
service any other schmoe would get.
The tires on our test car are 225/60/18 Continental ContiTouringContact's (what marketing genius came up with
that name?) In our opinion, they are crap. We're pretty sure they're made from a special
blend of rubber and concrete. At 15,000 miles we'd had all we could stand and replaced the Conti-crap tires with
Michelin Primacy MXV4 tires all around. What a difference they have made. They ride better, handle better,
are quieter and (so far) seem to be wearing much better than the factory-installed Continental tires we had so
grown to hate. This is one upgrade we should have done a lot sooner.
Summary
In summary, we like this car and hate to see Chrysler kill it. It's fast, it's comfortable, it carries four full-size
adults in comfort, it's got a kickin' sound system, and it's as solid at 60,000+ miles as it was the day we took
delivery. With a few minor user upgrades (tires, dash trim, etc.) we'd drive this thing until the tires fell off.
For a RWD V8 car it gets respectable mileage and dang it we think it's good-looking.
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