Convince me not to buy a Dodge Magnum

Spitsix said:

 

My RT might be up for sale soon. 2005 90,000 miles

My 06 was (is) the same color, but had the 2.7 V6. Yes it was not fast, but had no problems keeping up with traffic, and got 27 mpg on the highway! Till a deer took it out. 

ojannen said:

In reply to dxman92 :

I do not fit in the front row of a Mazda 5.  There is not enough leg room and my knees are resting on the dash.  I looked at these about 5 years ago and there isn't a fix that keeps me out of trouble with insurance.

How does a similar year cts-v sedan compare to magnum?  Horsepower looks similar and a manual transmission is offered.

You're in luck if you're looking at the first gen CTS-Vs: they're all manuals

I might be one of the only people here who has owned an 05 Pacifica, an 06 Magnum, and an 06 Town and Country. I can definitely confirm that if you aren't going to have a bunch of power or drive the piss out of it the Magnum is totally inferior at people and stuff carrying to the larger models.  I lived in the Texas hill country when i had mine and definitely drove it like a rally car on occasion.  If you're not going to do that.... eh. 

Also having driven both Magnums and CTS wagons they're very similar in size. 

I can't help but I am surprised we're having another person shop cars for their tuba capacity, 

In reply to Wally (Forum Supporter) :

There are dozens of us

I have to chuckle at the folks that are suggesting alternatives like the Mazda 5.  Don't get me wrong, I'm the biggest Mazda fanboy ever, but do you really think that someone who is considering a V8-powered American wagon would deign to buy a 4-cylinder mini-mini-van?

STM317:  I have never considered the possibility, but I don't hate that either!

1988RedT2 said:

I have to chuckle at the folks that are suggesting alternatives like the Mazda 5.  Don't get me wrong, I'm the biggest Mazda fanboy ever, but do you really think that someone who is considering a V8-powered American wagon would deign to buy a 4-cylinder mini-mini-van?

Are you new here?

Surprised nobody has suggested Miata yet.

In reply to nimblemotorsports :

I like the V50 and I've spent a fair amount of time with them. My mother has one. A good friend has one. Another friend owned a AWD 6 spd version until he sold it for a FoRS.  But large cars they are not and it sounds like the OP is fairly tall.  I'm not sure he'd be comfortable in one. Or if he can get comfortable, there will be nobody in the seat behind him other than maybe a baby seat.

My thought is that a CTS-V can get expensive due to the V8 tax, but a regular CTS would not be bad and they came with a manual. But GM interiors are not my fav, so I'd go to a TSX wagon. You certainly are giving up HP compared to the Magnum, but a much better chassis and Honda reliability. 

Another option is the Forester XT, with some help from Cobb these things can really fly and should fit a Tuba with kids.

 

I had a 2005 Magnum RT that I bought in 2010. It had every option except for the rear load leveling suspension. IIRC, I paid like $15.5k and it had 83k miles.

It was a big girl; about 4400lbs. I could get 21mpg on the highway if I drove it nice. It handled pretty well for a tank. It was an outstanding highway cruiser.

I ended up putting a JBA catback on, a cheapo CAI and tuned it with the canned tunes from Diablosport which disabled MDS. The exhaust sounded like poo when the MDS kicked in.

It was a fun car. The tuner really helped the NAG1 shift with authority. If I disabled the traction control, RWD shenanigans were a throttle stab away. The car really needed a mechanical LSD as it used the brakes as a quasi diff.

Yeah, the interior was Play-skool quality. The nav head unit frequently froze. The BOSE sound system had like 11 speakers and sounded pretty good. The PO had the windows tinted pretty dark so it was like a cave in the back. The seats were pretty comfy. I had to replace the upper driver's side control arm due to my own stupidity but I never had any real issues.

This is one of two cars I regret selling in my life. I'd love to get another one again; maybe an SRT-8.

Mayhap a gander at a Volvo XC70 T6 would prove advantageous. 

To wit:

Much tuba frivolity abounds. 

In reply to stanger_mussle (Forum Supporter) :

That’s the first time I’ve heard of a V8 magnum doing better than low to mid teens!!! Maybe nobody else could baby one enough?

The other 2 Chrysler models do have more room and utility than a magnum, but are merely Chrysler BLAH. Neither has the fun factor if a big RWD V8, and even the V6 ones LOOK like a bad azz!

A lot of the others have more refined looks, and several will out perform the heavy RWD, but... 

Is "it's a Dodge" not enough to sway you against it?

Regal Tourx is a lot nicer place to spend your time. 

pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) said:

My thought is that a CTS-V can get expensive due to the V8 tax, but a regular CTS would not be bad and they came with a manual. But GM interiors are not my fav, so I'd go to a TSX wagon. You certainly are giving up HP compared to the Magnum, but a much better chassis and Honda reliability. 

Another option is the Forester XT, with some help from Cobb these things can really fly and should fit a Tuba with kids.

 

I'd second the recommendation of the TSX wagon.  I believe they were available with the 3.5L V6, IIRC.  While it wouldn't be a pavement scorcher, it wouldn't be slow either.  Dead nuts reliable, safe, plenty of room.  Hard to beat.

to the OP:

Just remember, the last guy on here who used "carry tuba" as selection criterion ended up with a $57k repair estimate and a broken collarbone

If you want an overweight wagon of questionable reliability with a V-8 in the nose, why not a 2004 Allroad with the 4.2?

Klayfish said:

pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) said:

I'd second the recommendation of the TSX wagon.  I believe they were available with the 3.5L V6, IIRC.  While it wouldn't be a pavement scorcher, it wouldn't be slow either.  Dead nuts reliable, safe, plenty of room.  Hard to beat.

I don't believe the TSX wagon was available with the V6.  That would have required a separate US certification and Acura didn't expect to sell enough to make it worth the investment.

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

to the OP:

Just remember, the last guy on here who used "carry tuba" as selection criterion ended up with a $57k repair estimate and a broken collarbone

Luckily, the tuba was fine....

Duke said:

Klayfish said:

pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) said:

 

I don't believe the TSX wagon was available with the V6.  That would have required a separate US certification and Acura didn't expect to sell enough to make it worth the investment.

 

I had to look it up because now I'm curious, and I think you're right.  The sedan was available with the V6, but not the wagon.  Odd.

Somebody here in the past was looking to transport a tuba and I think they ended up going with a 3.6R Outback?

In reply to Klayfish :

Yup.  Even though they are mechanically identical, the EPA classifies the sedan and wagon as entirely separate cars and certifying the V6 in the wagon would have required yet another full trip through the bureaucratic nightmare.

As I posted in the Hotlink thread, I can't say no to this

I enjoy hanging out in a forum where someone has to base their choice around Can it fit a tuba?  and everyone is like yea, i think we've answered this question at least twice in the past.