I hate the new Dodge Dart

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Dart resonates with "cheap" and "white trash" rather than "class" and "reliable" with most of the world. It's not like they're calling it a Barracuda or Roadrunner.
 
I have made the connection between Dart and cheap... but I dont get the white trash connection... I have never heard anyone (up til now) mention the two in the same sentence.. I have had hundreds of conversations about Darts with various people, from fellow car enthusiasts to people that know diddly about cars, and have never come up with that connection, So I think thats a bit bizarre and inaccurate, and to say that most of the world thinks of it that way is just crazy...
 
They sure couldn't call it "Duster" after Al's ride disparaged that on Married With Children, especially Gold Duster. Automobile magazine reviewed the new Dart and liked it. Good value, largest interior in the compact segment, kind of rings a bell with the Dart of the early 60's. Indeed, it doesn't look that different from an early A. It actually has many Mopar parts despite the Fiat body.

I always associated Mopars with the South, especially Appalachia, but maybe because I grew up there and many in my family drove Darts and Valiants. Certainly Dukes of Hazard promoted the White Trash image (though phony accents and filmed around L.A.). My Grandpa (originally Boston) always raved about Chrysler cars superior engineering, like 5 wheel lugs instead of 4 back in the 50's and his mis-construed theory of why they slanted the six.
 
Bottom line is if you don't like it, don't buy one! This isn't 1970 and just because it does not look like what YOU want to doesn't mean that it will not be a sucess no matter how much you don't like it. You have to remember that YOU were NOT the target sales group for it, and that 99.99% of the people it is aimed at, have no idea that the Dart moniker is a name from the past, nor do they care, or even know that the Dart back in the day it was a small economical, entry level car. I for one think that by even bringing back the Dart badge is a tribute to thier heritage, and to what made the Dart a sucess. Look at the marketing of this thing, they have Travis Pastrana, Tom Brady, and host of other pop culture things aimed at the twenty somethings to buy this car, not a 340 Swinger in the back ground trying to connect with us who remember. That is why they market the 300, Charger, and even trucks to OUR age demographic, because we are older, have jobs and are more likely to purchase one of those vs the Dart.

I have personally driven one, and to be truthful, it is not a bad car. Fit and finish was above what I thoiught it would be, it rode and drove well, and had decent power for a 4 banger. Will I buy one, probably not. Just because it is not what I am in the market for, I can honestly tell you though, would I recommend it to someone? Yes, I would. Do I think the style is cool, sort of. It does look like most other cars on the road today, but then again it is not 1970 and alot of what we see is based off of safety standards, EPA fuel mileage demands, and what will sell in a mass market. NOT to a niche market of enthusiests who whine when things aren't what they think they should be.

Sorry for jumping up on the soap box, but I am tired of hearing how the Dart is a let down and how Chyrsler should be ashamed of it. We should all at a minimum be happy they chose to honor their past, accept that it is here to stay. Like it or not.
 
64physhy said:
I bet it has more pep than the original Dart did back in '63.
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The original Dart came out in 1960 and was available with 260hp 383 "Red Ram" . Believe it or not, the '60 weighed LESS than the 2013, so the pep probably goes to the 1960 Dart.
 
Did anyone ever consider that in 40 years this is going to be the car that people are going to be craving as a new ''retro'' styled Dart, not the '60s and '70s cars?
Then our beloved '60s and '70s cars will be a distant memory to us old people something like the cars of the '20s and '30s are to us now?
The manufacturers are trying to sell cars that people will buy a lot of, and not really worried about nostalgia.
They are purely profit driven.
 
What the hell does this have to do with the new Dart?
Methinks Ab7 made a little mishtookie and posted this here, not the political forum.
 
Dartnut said:
What the hell does this have to do with the new Dart?
Methinks Ab7 made a little mishtookie and posted this here, not the political forum.
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That's a big 'ole WHOOPS!!! Post deleted.
 
Dartnut said:
Did anyone ever consider that in 40 years this is going to be the car that people are going to be craving as a new ''retro'' styled Dart, not the '60s and '70s cars?
Then our beloved '60s and '70s cars will be a distant memory to us old people something like the cars of the '20s and '30s are to us now?
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LOL, good point!!
 
Wow, so many people complaining about the Dart. Honestly, if I were to total my daily driver (Scion TC), the new Dodge Dart would probably be the first new car I would look into if I was going into the new car route. It gets about 10 more mpg at a loss of at most 20 hp, that's not bad. Plus I've seen pictures and heard good feedback about the interior, I dig it.

O and by the way, this is coming from a 20 year old who owns a 2 door 1968 Dodge Dart GT. My car is the definition of a family/grandma car. It's got a dog of a 273 with the super amazing 2.94 economy rear gears. Sure, there was the Swinger and GTS back then, but who says there's not going to be a performance model within the next couple years. I heard the rumors of a 300hp AWD car. That would be pretty cool!
 
Whewwww!!! I'm emotionally worn out from reading this thread!

Damn shame nobody has an opinion about the new Dart! LOL!!!

Whether you like the new Dart not, Sergio has managed to get Chrysler heading back in the right direction - toward profitability. If they got it wrong on the Dart, I can tell you he will be quick to fix it. As far as performance versions in the future, I am not a gambler (I farm instead), but I would make a sizable wager that those versions are already in the works. He knows performance sells.

Ma Snart
 
I got the impression that the Dart II was going to be more of a Rally model similar to Subaru's WRX. What I don't like is that the commercials show it being under $16 Grand but thery're over $23 Grand. I mean come on most items should be pretty much standard these days.
 
ESP47 said:
Dart resonates with "cheap" and "white trash" rather than "class" and "reliable" with most of the world..
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i can assure you i have met the epitome of white trash and they did not own a chrysler/fiat product or any car for that matter
 
Just like the new charger the dart iam sure is a great car and fun to drive but the name ruins it for me i think the charger needs to be renamed to something that you could have orderd back in the day with 4 doors. The cars themselfs are not bad just the names do not fit
 
Here are the comments of Mopar Action Magazine Editor (Cliff Gromer) about the new 2013 Dart, he made some good points.
 

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If they built a true retro-Dart like the old ones, I'd be lining up to buy it. I realize my two cents ain't even two cents. After all, I'm still waiting for Chrysler to make the new Charger with TWO DOORS
 
Inspector71 said:
If they built a true retro-Dart like the old ones, I'd be lining up to buy it. I realize my two cents ain't even two cents. After all, I'm still waiting for Chrysler to make the new Charger with TWO DOORS
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A real retro dart would be a green, 4 door, with white vinyl top and small, efficient engine.

How many of those do you think would sell today?
 
Yes the Dart is not a retro car, but what retro cars are "economy" models? The new Dart is just what the originals were; A cheap economy car that you can option out if you would like. Compared with the other cars in their class, I would pick a Dart in a heartbeat. I would love a 2 door, but that's not what people buy these days. The R/Ts will be here soon, and the SRT is in the works. The exterior styling is kind of a love it or hate it thing, but the interior is amazing for a small car. Also the fact that you can option out the car however you want instead of choosing packages appeals to me. I love my '73, but this spring I will be buying a new Dart. Hey, if you like nothing else you have to like the fact that you can get a manual in any trim package. What was the last car you saw with a manual that you could option out?
 
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