Cross shopping dissimilar cars...

The time is coming soon (this winter) to sell the ol Escalade and move into something newer. I am sort of always in that constant state of car searching, but have narrowed my focus down to two vehicles and am having a dang hard time deciding. I am a regular family dad, two kids (6 and 2) and of course a better half.

My budget is approx 35k.

Vehicle 1 - Porsche Macan S. I test drove one a few weeks ago and was really impressed with the quality of the interior, the handling and love the looks of it. I was a little bummed at how docile it was tho, make no mistake its quick but it didn't have that angry growl I would have expected from a Porsche. AWD in the winter in MI is a big plus, overall ownership costs and potential repairs are a minus. 

Vehicle 2 - 2015+ Charger Scat Pack. I can nearly afford a new one with my budget, and can certainly get a very low mileage CPO vehicle. Test drove one last Friday and loved everything about it. The power, sound, feel all were very impressive. Downsides? The only thing I can think of is RWD + MI winter, but snowtires? I like the big dealership network and more simple drivetrain. 

Am I insane for considering a Dodge Charger over a Porsche Macan?  My entire life I have dreamed of owning a Porsche and now one is within reach and I am second guessing it because of the  6.4 liters of hate under the hood of the Charger.  I've driven older, high mileage cars for the past 15 years and am ready for something (basically) new and nice :)

I'd go Macan, because they are awesome and don't think I could own another sedan after having a hatchback. Also not a huge fan of FCA stuff. 

Looks like you are trying to buy something fun.... IMHO SUV's are not fun. Rat-nasty 6.4 liters of fury it would be for me.

How about a combination of the 2: panamera S.  Big v8 sedan, also a Porsche. 

Sonic said:

How about a combination of the 2: panamera S.  Big v8 sedan, also a Porsche. 

I looked into them (actually drove a GTS years ago) and for my budget they are pretty old and high miles. I do like the Panamera quite a bit though. 

You can get the Charger with AWD, you cannot get the Macan with a Hemi. 

pinchvalve said:

You can get the Charger with AWD, you cannot get the Macan with a Hemi. 

But not with the 6.4 Scat Pack package. The new AWD Chargers are purely 6 cylinders now.

Charger Scat Pack:

Large, RWD sedan with 485hp/475ft-lbs, 25mpg highway

Porsche Macan:

Small, AWD crossover with 252hp/273ft-lbs, 25mpg highway

Nearly twice the hp/tq, and no fuel economy penalty? Easy choice.

PS: What did Porsche do to the Macan to justify it's poor fuel economy? It's a small crossover that gets worse fuel economy than some full sized trucks.

STM317 said:

Charger Scat Pack:

Large, RWD sedan with 485hp/475ft-lbs, 25mpg highway

Porsche Macan:

Small, AWD crossover with 252hp/273ft-lbs, 25mpg highway

 

Nearly twice the hp/tq, and no fuel economy penalty? Easy choice.

PS: What did Porsche do to the Macan to justify it's poor fuel economy? It's a small crossover that gets worse fuel economy than some full sized trucks.

The Macan numbes your posted are for the base model, I am considering the S model which is 17/23mpg and 340hp/339tq.

All 3 Porsches i've owned don't total up to 35k so I'd say get your Charger and a cheaper Porsche in the near future. 

I'm not known as the standard for sanity by anyone but I'd buy the Charger before the Porsche any day.

You like both. I say buy whichever one depreciates slower. 

After having the "lowly" R/T for a few days I'd say Charger, all day every day.  Great highway cruiser, super-fun especially for how humongous it was, and just a generally rowdy ridiculous car that put a smile on my face.  It's been the only car in my price range that's made me seriously consider replacing the WRX (I need to haul 2 kids as well).

Yeah, just get the snow tires.

Storz said:

Am I insane for considering a Dodge Charger over a Porsche Macan? 

I'm not entirely sure what would persuade me to own a Porsche Macan over a Dodge Charger, myself. The AWD may be useful in the winter, but I'd expect decent snow tires would make the Charger livable year round.

My entire life I have dreamed of owning a Porsche and now one is within reach and I am second guessing it because of the  6.4 liters of hate under the hood of the Charger.  I've driven older, high mileage cars for the past 15 years and am ready for something (basically) new and nice :)

I'd get the Charger now and hold out for the sort of Porsche you dreamed of before the wandered off into SUVs. :)

There's going to be a Charger in my garage this winter. 

I rented a Charger for a week earlier this year and didn't hate it.  In fact it was quite nice if somewhat big and willowy.  But unlike some cars, it actually shrunk around you the more you drove it.  The interior was still cheaper than the price tag of the car would lead you to believe, but I liked the way it looked and drove.  My average mpg for the week however was only around 19.

You are cross shopping two vehicles I have no interest in owning, so I can't offer anything one way or the other.

Chargers depreciate like mad. Shop for one a few years old, and you can get quite a deal.

https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/d/2015-dodge-charger-scat-pack/6649199852.html

And buy a Porsche, too.

I’d go with the charger besides this likely not   the porsche you have dreamed about . While I’m not anti macan or crossover and seeing them up close in person think they look cool the dodge will be more fun obviously. Good snow tires will help but think of it everyone drove the muscle and sports cars in snow back in the day with no traction control ,abs,stability control etc. The big potential deal with snow with the charger would be ground clearance In deeper stuff.

Brett_Murphy said:

Chargers depreciate like mad. Shop for one a few years old, and you can get quite a deal.

https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/d/2015-dodge-charger-scat-pack/6649199852.html

And buy a Porsche, too.

That's just a regular R/T wearing lipstick.

I think the Charger is going on it's 10th year of basically the same platform now.  While I generally hesitate to recommend any Chrysler product, I would think/hope they've got the bugs somewhat worked out of the Charger by now.  

I can't think of any German car I'd recommend...to anyone.

The back seats fold down on these, from what I understand there's a substantial amount of storage there.  IIRC is a 60/40 split, so the 6 year old could ride in front, the 2 year old in back, and still haul a small load of lumber.  Or just get a Class II hitch.  This is why they invented trailers.  Would you rather haul stuff in your Porsche, or haul ass in your Charger?

volvoclearinghouse said:

I think the Charger is going on it's 10th year of basically the same platform now.  While I generally hesitate to recommend any Chrysler product, I would think/hope they've got the bugs somewhat worked out of the Charger by now.  

I can't think of any German car I'd recommend...to anyone.

The Chrysler LX chassis was derived from MB, I believe the E class.  So there is some German there.

Having driven derivatives of them (300/Charger/Challener) in the past, I'm a fan.  They handle better than they ought to considering the size/weight.  Plus a HEMI coupled with say some Corsa mufflers will put a E36 M3 eatin' grin on anyone's face.

I rented a V6 Chrysler 300 recently, and with all the bells and whistles, it did not disappoint.  The V6 was okay, but the amenities were great.  I can only image how much fun that platform would be with an angry V8 in it.  

I haven't driven a Macan, but it's basically Porsche's go at the small SUV/crossover market.  So, the Macan is not a Porsche, it's a small SUV with Porsche lettering on it.  I would be willing to bet that after even a decent stint behind the wheel, you wouldn't get out of it, shake your head, stare back at it in wonder and say to yourself "Now THAT is a Porsche!"

If you've always wanted a Porsche, you will be disappointed with a Macan, IMHO.

I like that the Porsche SUV's exist because they let Porsche make 911's.  With that being said I don't think I will ever own one so I would go Charger all day every day.

In reply to Stanger2000 :

That's right, the Charger/Challenger/300 platform was an older MB platform, wasn't it?

If you'd told me back in the dank days of the K car that Chrysler would, one day, be building cars badged like 1960's muscle/pony/luxury cars, with German mechanicals, under the ownership of an Italian company, I'd have wondered what alternative reality you'd come back from.