The Dodge Charger has been popular since it was first released back in 1964. If you’re thinking about getting one, you want to know how long they’ll last!
A well-maintained Dodge Charger can last be expected to last 200,000 miles. J.D. Power awarded the Charger an 89 out of 100 on its reliability scale, making it one of the more reliable vehicles in its class.
The most important factor in determining how long yours will last is maintenance. Maintaining your Charger is crucial if you’d like it to last for as long as possible. That includes regular oil changes and fluid refills.
Driving style also has a fairly large impact on their lifespans. Driving them like a maniac would make them break down sooner. But, if you’re careful while behind the wheel, they’ll keep going for a long time.
Do Dodge Chargers Last a Long Time?
Dodge Chargers seem to last for at least as long as other vehicles in its class. That means you might still be driving it after 15 years. Assuming you’re driving 15,000 miles a year, you could even drive it for 20 years. You’d have to take care of it really well, though.
Conservatively, we’d suspect that 200,000 miles should be the limit. Anything after that would be a bonus. Still, plenty of drivers still have them until they’ve reached 250,000 miles!
You can prolong their lifespans by strictly following the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations. You should be able to find a recommended maintenance list in the back of your owner’s manual.
Usually, they’ll have a list of items along with a timeframe. Follow that guide to take care of your Charger to the best of your ability.
Sometimes, people wonder whether they’ll start rusting sooner or later. A lot of drivers report their Chargers are still rust-free after 100,000 miles.
Storing them away from the weather could help prevent rust from developing, too. If they get wet, try to dry them off as soon as possible. Rust only develops whenever it can access the metal in your vehicle’s frame.
If you notice any rust on yours, take it to a service mechanic soon. Rust can spread fast once it begins developing. You might also want to use an undercarriage protectant. These seal the frame from rust developing underneath.
How Many Miles Does a Dodge Charger Last?
Most of the time, you’ll get a powertrain warranty that lasts for the first 60,000 miles. Other cars have warranties that last longer. But, that doesn’t mean you’ll have problems once you’ve driven that much.
Simply take good care of your car, and it’ll last for at least 100,000 miles. You might even keep it on the road for 200,000 miles if you’re strict with its maintenance.
RepairPal gave the Charger a reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5. That might not sound like it’s all that good. But, most of the problems sound like they’re the result of poor drivers.
Rapidly accelerating puts a ton of strain on a car’s transmission. Driving slowly tends to preserve their mechanical components, though.
Other vehicles in the same class don’t tend to last as long. For example, the Ford Mustang only lasts for around 200,000 miles usually.
Compared to the Mustang, a Charger could last for an additional 50,000 miles.
J.D. Power gave the Charger an 89 out of 100 on their reliability scale. That’s even better than the Hyundai Elantra. Kelly Blue Book’s customer ratings have it at 4.8 out of 5 in terms of reliability as well.
So, it seems the Charger is relatively reliable. Taking care of them should help keep them on the road for longer. And, you might still be driving yours once it’s reached over 250,000 miles.
What Problems Do Dodge Chargers Have?
We can look at CarComplaint.com’s database to see what issues people typically have. It seems the biggest issue would be premature failures of the engine. A lot of that could be attributed to aggressive driving behaviors, though.
On average, customers seem to have issues once they’re near the 94,000-mile mark. At that point, transmission troubles tend to become a lot more common.
Newer Chargers seem to have fewer issues like this, however.
The average cost of an engine replacement was over $5,500. That sounds like it could be pretty expensive for a lot of drivers.
The brakes on a Charger should last for at least 30,000 miles. But, they could last for up to 70,000 miles. Gently applying the brakes seems to reduce wear on them.
Factory tires should last for at least 60,000 miles. You might get another 10,000 miles out of them if you’re rotating them frequently.
Their batteries tend to last for around 3 to 5 years. Letting them sit without driving could decrease their lifespan. Turning on the engine for a few minutes could help them to maintain a charge, though. The alternator should supply them with enough juice to keep them going.
Spark plugs have a lifespan of around 30,000 to 50,000 miles. After that, you’ll probably need to get replacements.
Finally, the transmission has the longest lifespan of all a Charger’s components. They’ll last for up to 250,000 miles if they’re well maintained.
Dodge Chargers Years to Avoid
Buying a used Charger could be somewhat of a gamble. Some of them seem to be a lot more reliable than others. The worst model year sounds like it would be the 2006 Charger.
There were over 180 complaints registered on CarComplaints.com for that model year.
After the 2006 Charger, the 2011 and 2007 would be the worst. They received more than 120 complaints as well.
Chargers made after 2018 seem to have solved most of these issues, though.
The 2012 Charger had 12 recalls issued on record. That’s the highest of all model years. The next highest would be the 2014 Charger. It had 10 recalls issued.
Recalls come with free repairs if you bring the vehicle to a licensed dealership. They’ll fix whatever caused the recall at no cost to you.
Tips for Making Your Dodge Chargers Last Longer
Comparing the Charger to other vehicles reveals a higher cost of ownership. You should expect to pay around $650 dollars a year on maintenance. Other vehicles in the same class only cost around $550 a year on average to maintain.
Getting your Charger to last for as long as possible is all about how you maintain them. Don’t let corrosion build on the battery’s terminals. That tends to decrease their lifespan.
Become familiar with the recommended maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual. You should be able to find it somewhere near the back of the booklet. As long as you follow it, your Charger shouldn’t have a whole lot of issues.
Take it in for an oil change once every 7,000 miles. However, if you’re using synthetic, you can go for up to 10,000 miles without an oil change.
Rotate the tires every 5,000 miles. The back tires on a Charger go through a lot of wear because it’s a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. Rotating them to the front should make them last a little longer, too.
Also, keep an eye on your fluid levels. Refill the transmission fluid if you notice it’s getting low. Driving without enough transmission fluid could cause fatal damage to your engine.
Examining the Dodge Charger
Driving a Dodge Charge has been the dream of a lot of people. They’ve remained popular since the 60s for a reason. If you’re thinking about investing in one of them, make sure to take care of it.
Properly maintaining your Charger could help it last for up to 250,000 miles. Some people are still driving them until 300,000 miles, too.
Aggressive driving habits tend to decrease their lifespan. Don’t accelerate too fast from a full stop. That would put a ton of strain on the transmission.
The most common issue with a Charger would be transmission failure. Typically, that’s the direct result of poor driving habits.
Compared to other vehicles, the Charger is a lot more reliable. It’s got higher scores on reliability from most major publications. Models made after 2018 have the fewest issues on record, too. So, consider getting something new if you’d like it to last a while.
