2015. Two years after the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 seemed to punctuate the horsepower wars, Dodge and Tim Kuniskis unleashed the Challenger SRT Hellcat on American streets. A 707-horsepower lesson in the delightfully unnecessary. And now, 10 years later, you can get a used Dodge Hellcat without breaking the bank. But should you?

A used Dodge Hellcat could be your ticket to a tire-roasting good time machine

If you love horsepower and have an utter indifference to traction, you might be considering a used Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat or Charger SRT Hellcat. When they first rolled off the line, the SRT models produced 707 horsepower. But enough was never enough, and the non-Demon models made up to 807 horsepower. 

For those who want to grab a gear, the supercharged Challenger models could be had with a six-speed manual transmission. The rest offered surprisingly smooth-shifting eight-speed ZF automatic gearboxes.

And what does all that power mean? With some sticky tires and a prepped surface, even an early Hellcat is properly quick. When they first came out, testers coaxed a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds. And with a top speed of 199 mph, some discipline is required. 

Depending on the generation, a used Hellcat is a performance car bargain

Granted, Dodge closed the book on its resident hellions with the 2023 model year. That means the newest models haven’t hit peak depreciation quite yet. However, earlier models can be surprisingly affordable.

According to Classic.com, the average sales price for an early-model SRT Challenger Hellcat is under $50,000. Don’t believe us? A 2017 model with a six-speed manual transmission recently sold for $45,000 with just 6,000 miles on the clock. Just don’t forget to budget for tires.

Feeling lucky? Because it could be a gamble

Then we have the reality behind buying a used car. Namely, it’s always a gamble. Even with a good test drive, an independent pre-purchase inspection (which we can’t recommend enough), a clean title, and a full service history, you always run the risk of running into issues.

For instance, some owners run into a fairly typical HEMI V8 issue, namely “HEMI tick.” HEMI tick is a colloquial description of any number of issues resulting in an irritating ticking noise. But the most worrisome cause is often camshaft and roller lifter failure. As these components fail, metal fragments can circulate in the oil, causing potential terminal engine damage.

There are also instances of supercharger bearing failures, even at low mileages. While not overly common, a bad enough bearing issue can require a new supercharger. And as it sounds, that’s a pricey fix.

If a used Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat or Charger SRT Hellcat is on your shortlist, make sure to get a pre-purchase inspection, prioritize an unmodified example, and ask the right questions. Remember, a Hellcat is a high-horsepower vehicle. If you suspect it was abused on the street or track, it likely was.