Magnum R/T is a great car

Upon nearing my 29th birthday, I came to a few realizations. I've always liked fast cars, but I've never owned one. I laugh at plain-Jane Camrys and Accords, and yet, there's a 2007 Camry sitting in my garage. I'm almost 29, well past the point where my insurance dropped rates.
With that, I decided I wanted a new car, specifically, a fun one, possibly german, or heck, maybe even italian. Long story short, the wife very quickly vetoed anything italian, even used. :(
German would be okay, though. After test driving 3 series, a couple of Mercedes and a 350Z, thrown in the mix for good measure, I found myself wanting. The BMW handled well, but good lord, it's a turd. Granted, it was the 328 model, rather than a new 335, but still. The Mercedes were fun, as well, and comfortable-ish. For the price, I felt there was more. This led me to a reminder that Mercedes owned Chrysler, maker of fine automobiles, best of all, powered by an available V8. To top it off, my dad drove a Dodge to over 200,000 miles, and he's not known for maintaining a car well.
appearance The LX cars, Dodge Magnum, Dodge Charger, and Chrysler 300 are all basically the same car. They're big, with anything but conservative styling. Since I bought a Magnum, that's what I'll be reviewing here. As I said, it's a big car. The standard 18" wheels look small. It's got a 120" wheelbase. At first glance, you think "stationwagon", but anything longer than a momentary glance, and you see that it's much more than a station wagon. Big, flared fenders give it an athletic look. The signature Dodge grille, and shortish windows make it seem like a tank. Big is the name of the game here. There's nobody that would say this car is "cute" or anything similar. Where some compensate for lack of power or lack of room with nifty little gizmos, the Magnum makes no apologies. It's a big car, with a big motor. Like it or leave it. This car just has attitude that says "Please, call me a station wagon, then watch me mop up the floor with your car." That's the best way I can describe it. It may not be the best description in the world, but drive a Magnum, understand a Magnum.
Interior The excessive outside dimensions carryover into the interior of the Magnum. Think "limo-like" in size. I've had five people in the car, and no one had any complaints about room, front or back seats. The door panels are the only negative, they just seem cheaply designed. They're sturdy, but just not very attractive, especially in a $30K car. The center stack and steering wheel have a nice satin silver finish, not the same appeal as those found in the BMW, but then, not bad, either. Dark privacy tint is standard on the windows in the back, a la SUV. Everything is well within easy reach of the driver, and the steering has a good feel to it. Mine has a leather wrap, but the V6 models have standard plastic. Leather seating doesn't look very supportive, and looks borderline cheap, but they're very comfortable, and have a great leather smell to them. Not a big deal, but it's a nice touch. The seats now seem to be quite durable, and have a power adjustment. Heated seats are an option I did not get on mine. Gauges are something that have to be seen to be believed. This is what all cars should come with. Bright, but not blindingly so. Clear, even at a glance, and easily separated by the eye. They're perfect. To top it off, there's a lot of cargo space. I took my wife away for a weekend, and everything fit in the back, no problem, just like in any o=ther car. I also fit my mountain bike in the back as well. Still had room for other things, too. It's quite versatile.
powertrain Yeah, it's got a Hemi. I have an R/T model, with the 5.7 Hemi V8. 340 horsepower, 390 pound-feet of torque. This car will get it, despite it's porky 4200 pound weight. You'll get 0-60 times below 6 seconds with this car, but above that is where the car shines. Cruising along the highway at 80 mph, passing power is instant. You won't run out of juice in this car. If you do, for some reason, there's always the Magnum SRT8, with it's 6.1 liter 425 horsepower V8. I'm quite happy with the "little" hemi, though. Another nice feature is MDS, which shuts down half the cylinders at highway cruising speed, essentially converting the engine to an economical 4 cyinder. Hit the gas, and all 8 cylinders come back in something like 0.04 seconds, so you don't notice the switchover. I'm averaging right at 20 mpg total for the car, with mostly city driving. This is on regular gas, too. Pretty darn good for a big, honking motor like this.
Cliff's notes version I've owned many cars, this is the one you keep. Great looks, great capacity, great power. The Magnum R/T is the total package.

Update 7/13/2007 I've now had this car for 3 months. I'm not exactly a long-timer, but I still vouch strongly for this car, and I like it more and more every time I drive it. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that I love the car. I wouldn't change a thing about it, and if I had to do it all over again, I'd not hesitate to buy another one, but maybe this time I'd get an SRT-8.