Engine: 5.7-liter V-8, 345 horsepower, five-speed automatic

Features: A/C, 18-inch wheels

Ownership history: bought new September 2004, sold 35,000 miles later in May 2007

There was just something very attractive to me about the Dodge Magnum when it was introduced as a 2005 model. Maybe it was the flying-fist silhouette. Perhaps the idea of a Nomad-like sports wagon reached me on a nostalgic level. Or it could just be that I liked the idea of a 345-horsepower Hemi V-8 and luxurious roomy interior.

Regardless of reason, I took my Dodge salesman to lunch when the Magnums first hit his lot and told him exactly what I was looking for and how much I was willing to pay. Two months later, he called and told me it was time to make our deal. I traded my 2001 Mustang GT and some cash (of course) for a Magnesium Pearl R/T with 3.0 miles on the odometer.

My wife did not like the Magnum at first. Its unconventional looks and long wheelbase did not win her over until she drove it on a four-hour trip to visit her parents in Virginia; after that, she loved it. At the end of the first month, I put more than 5,000 miles on Maggie when I took a Richard Petty Driving Experience class in Las Vegas. Having a car that could quietly cruise at 90 or 100 miles per hour on desert interstate made me feel like the pilot of a private jet.

My only problem with Maggie was  her factory tires – a set of Continental donuts that never, ever seemed to become round. They went through phases over their 20,000-mile life when each tire took turns having vibration problems. At 20K, the Dodge dealer, weary of my constant complaints, installed a set of Goodyears free of charge. After that, Maggie was awesome again until we traded her at 35,000 miles for a new Chrysler Crossfire.