The Dodge Charger is a beloved muscle car, and, when it comes to muscles, it sure has plenty. However, just like any other car, there are more things to consider than just horsepower. That’s probably why it’s totally reasonable to wonder just how many miles a Dodge Charger will last before it needs to be retired.

How reliable is the Dodge Charger?

Despite being a famed muscle car, the Charger is actually a surprisingly reliable car, according to Consumer Reports. Obviously though, the Charger’s reliability score may change depending on the model year in question.

However, the 2021 Charger got a predicted reliability score of 4 out of 5, and this actually made it one of the most reliable cars in its segment. Indeed, Consumer Reports said that the 2021 Charger was tied for first place in terms of reliability, and it beat out popular rivals like the Tesla Model S and the Audi A8, too.

That being said, other car reviewers didn’t feel the same way about the Charger. For example, U.S. News gave the 2021 Charger a reliability rating of just 2 out of 5 (based on JD Power), and this made it below average when it came to reliability. 

Another site, RepairPal, had a more middling review of the Charger. Overall, RepairPal estimated that the 2021 Charger should require about $652 a year in repair and maintenance fees, and this made it a pretty average car for its segment.

It’s impossible to estimate how many miles a car will last

Reliability ratings aside, they all hint at the fact that it’s practically impossible to give an estimate for how long a car will last. There are so many factors in play, and while a few factors are more important than others, none will ever give an accurate estimate as to how long a car will last. Obviously though, some automakers make more reliable cars than others, and those cars can probably last a long time. 

However, even though most cars come out of an assembly line, each car is different and certainly, every driver is different. As such, it’s entirely possible for a car with a poor reliability score to actually last quite a long time, and it’s also entirely possible for a car with a great reliability score to turn out to be a lemon.

At the end of the day, how long your Charger will last will probably be determined by things that are largely out of your control. That being said, that doesn’t mean that Charger owners will just have to go quietly into the night, and there are certainly things they can do to ensure that their Charger is in good shape for a long time. 

How to ensure that your Dodge Charger will last

Just like with any other car, routine maintenance is necessary for the Charger as well. These routine chores are things like checking and replacing the Charger’s fluids, changing its filters, and cleaning the car among many other things.

Most of these chores are easy enough to do at home, but folks can always take their Charger to a shop so that someone else can do them instead.

Routine stuff aside, Dodge Charger owners in particular will probably want to avoid doing anything stupid with their car. Obviously, the Charger is a muscle car, and the whole point of a muscle car is to flex its powerful engine every now and again.

That being said, one easy way for Charger owners to make sure that their car doesn’t last long is by driving too fast and crashing into something. This is good advice in general, but muscle car owners should heed this advice more than usual.