M6 vs A8 Hellcat

My Bros.

So, I've been running the numbers and I may end up ditching the Cobra and my Tacoma and leasing a Hellcat. With no money down, guys are walking out with $600/m leases.

Since I doubt any dealer is going to let me take one of each transmissions home over the weekend to beat on and compare - what is the major consensus? I'm certainly old school with the man-pedal. My truck is my first daily driver with an automatic (truck + auto just makes sense to me). However, I've driven plenty of Chargers and Charger R/Ts with the 8spd and they are great rental cars - but ultimately, there is a lot of difference between bombing around in a car for a few days and actually owning it for a few years.

I hear guys rave about the A8's ability to launch and boogie on the 1/4, but are the paddle shifters and two pedals going to be as fun and engaging on a daily commute? My father has a TT with DSG and honestly - meh, its not the same thing and I just leave it in D whenever I drive it.

My only question is this: are even considering keeping the vehicle after the lease term ends?

If the answer is yes, I would honestly just accept the larger monthly payment NOW and keep your term as minimal as possible. If youre an SVTP baller, hey do what makes you happy!

But leasing a big dollar car like a Hellcat doesn't make long term sense. If possible, keep the Cobra. You can always rent a truck if you need to haul shit.

Also, get the Auto. Win races, and sip a cool beverage while doing so.

if youre truly "old school" and have strong feelings towards manual trans cars, I dont care how fast an auto is, you will get bored, get the manual

If any car has a manual option I’m getting the manual.


Pick your poison.

I've put 25K miles on my A8 Challenger Hellcat and had a 2012 Shelby and 2003 Cobra before that. I sometimes miss the manual shifting running around town but other than that, I love the A8.
With the A8, I run around town in manual mode using the center console shifter to change gears. I like using the shifter more than the paddles. Once I hit the highway or decide to do a few WOT runs, I push the shifter over and let the A8 take over.

lexustech48 said:

My only question is this: are even considering keeping the vehicle after the lease term ends?

If the answer is yes, I would honestly just accept the larger monthly payment NOW and keep your term as minimal as possible. If youre an SVTP baller, hey do what makes you happy!

But leasing a big dollar car like a Hellcat doesn't make long term sense. If possible, keep the Cobra. You can always rent a truck if you need to haul shit.

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Cobra is a money sucking pit of despair.

36 months x $600 = $21,000

Cobra = maintenance since acquisition is pushing over $10k in 2 years.

You can't rent a pick-up to do pick-up stuff. Just say'n

At the end of the lease you walk away no shit given in regards to paint nicks, having been driving in snow and salt so forth. Full warranty.

Buy out is ~$42k - so really, what are you losing? The car is ~$70k, $70k-21k = $48k, seems like FCA is taking a $6k bath. 2015's are still in the $45-50k range, so $42k is a deal on a used Hellcat. Buying out the lease in 3 years would be no different then buying any 3 year old Hellcat, well except you know the history and condition and can buy an extended warranty.

Manual hellcats.

No.

Auto all day.

8 Speed Auto is the way to go.

Be very cautious. Most car companies have a 3rd party inspect the car prior to lease return. They are BRUTAL and usually cant over rule their determination.

YOU pay for any damage beyond the wear and tear agreement you choose.

Im literally turning in my Lexus lease today and the company that inspected my car, AutoVIN, went so far as to check paint thickness to verify the car was up to standard. Also, they recommended a WINDSHIELD because they found a small chip. Had I not opted for the extra wear and tear protection I would be out at least $1000. I made sure car was always pristine. Had it washed and waxed regularly so the paint was up to par, and the interior is pristine short of a get ready detail.

Thats on a Lexus that retailed for 35k. I don't even want to know how a 60k car is going to be inspected. Even with an excessive wear and tear agreement, its all up to what is covered and what isn't.

Caveat Emptor.

Zemedici said:

Manual hellcats.

No.

Auto all day.

8 Speed Auto is the way to go.

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I really want the manual, but keep hearing the A8 is the only way to go in this car.

Get the A8.

Are hellcats really still going for 70k? I know there were a few left over models being sold for high 50s last year. I am guessing they are pricing the car at 60-62k on the car.

03Sssnake said:

I really want the manual, but keep hearing the A8 is the only way to go in this car.

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Explain to this man what Houston traffic looks like. For that simple reason my wife will only drive an auto

A8


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

jeffh81 said:

Explain to this man what Houston traffic looks like. For that simple reason my wife will only drive an auto

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It’s terrible, but I go in to work and leave off peak times. However driving manual in stop’n’go has never bothered me. I haven’t owned an auto almost 20 years.

03Sssnake said:

I really want the manual, but keep hearing the A8 is the only way to go in this car.

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Nightmare, with the big displacement and PD blower, its a tire frying machine, so stickshift with spin city is just not fun. Too hard to keep the car straight. At least with the A8 you can steer with both hands. lololol

03Sssnake said:

It’s terrible, but I go in to work and leave off peak times. However driving manual in stop’n’go has never bothered me. I haven’t owned an auto almost 20 years.

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I hear that. 10 years of hilly Huntsville with 2 manual cars and 2 motorcycle

Find a used one in the low 40's and buy it.
At 42k and 72 months you'll own it outright

If you need to get rid of the cobra, sell it for 19k,then apply that towards your loan and you at 414 a month for 60 months and again, you own it

Oh, get the manual

Sent from that shiny thing in my hands

lexustech48 said:

Be very cautious. Most car companies have a 3rd party inspect the car prior to lease return. They are BRUTAL and usually cant over rule their determination.

YOU pay for any damage beyond the wear and tear agreement you choose.

Im literally turning in my Lexus lease today and the company that inspected my car, AutoVIN, went so far as to check paint thickness to verify the car was up to standard. Also, they recommended a WINDSHIELD because they found a small chip. Had I not opted for the extra wear and tear protection I would be out at least $1000. I made sure car was always pristine. Had it washed and waxed regularly so the paint was up to par, and the interior is pristine short of a get ready detail.

Thats on a Lexus that retailed for 35k. I don't even want to know how a 60k car is going to be inspected. Even with an excessive wear and tear agreement, its all up to what is covered and what isn't.

Caveat Emptor.

Click to expand...

I had the exact opposite experience turning in my MDX last year. I was worried they would charge me for all sorts of damage. The car was covered in chips and scratches, had accident damage including a cracked grill, and my own dyi curb rash repair on the wheel. Some guy pulled up to my house pulling a car carrier and walked around the car once. He looked closely at one large scratch and said it was okay. I never heard from them again.

verbal said:

I had the exact opposite experience turning in my MDX last year. I was worried they would charge me for all sorts of damage. The car was covered in chips and scratches, had accident damage including a cracked grill, and my own dyi curb rash repair on the wheel. Some guy pulled up to my house pulling a car carrier and walked around the car once. He looked closely at one large scratch and said it was okay. I never heard from them again.

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sounds like you got off easy, the guy didn't care much sounds like, YMMV applies here.......

Definitely got off easy. Now, Honda/Acura may have different lease return programs than other manufacturers. If there is one thing that Honda/Acura is known for is customer satisfaction. They will bend over backwards to make a customer happy, at least at the corporate/national level. Maybe for them as long as that car came back and can be sold at the auction, they dont care. I saw them goodwill model year 2000 and up Odyssey and Pilot transmissions like they were going out of style. Cars would be well out of any applicable warranty and just one complaint they'd have a new trans on the way for them.

OP, do your due diligence about lease return time. Find out what the process is and make sure you are eyes wide open about any applicable inspection process.

If it is simply return the car when the lease is over, no matter the condition, lease it if that's what you want to do.

Auto. I sold my Boss 302, which I absolutely loved, and got a W212 E63. Slightly different situation than the Hellcat, as the Boss was a peaky motor that needed to be revved to the moon, but I'm loving the go-fast-anytime experience of the auto with lots of torque.