Chrysler 300M

ruski

Since my 300M is 1999, it has 253HP. Would that be "Special Junior"?

Seriously though, this is disgusting. Chrysler was constipated for 3 years and finally pooped out the Special. Big deal! Whoop the f***ing doo!

I like much better the way Acura or Nissan have been doing things recently - year after a year a significant upgrade, not just some chrome around the windows or on the shifter.

Back in 1999, 300M was the Car of the Year and it really deserved that status. Now it seems they can't sell it for crap and only wonder why that is the case.

sel714

I guess I have the older Borla exhaust. But I am not for certain. It makes a nice throaty sound very pleasant. Drove over 200 miles this past weekend mostly interstate at speeds from 65 to 75 mph.I had it to about 90 one time but the wife gave me the you better slow down look. This is her daily driver and she still hasn't noticed the new Borla. I really thought it would be loud from some of the other posts. At highway speeds I notice it only if the radio or cd is turned way down. I think it was the right system for us.
I will give the wife a couple of weeks and if she hasn't noticed it by then I will tell.
Happy motoring
sel714

sirharper

HAHAHAHA...typical woman!!! Actually my wife didn't notice the Borla sound difference or look at all either (she did know I put it on though). Oddly enough she did notice the improved MPG and performance boost!!! This coming from the same woman who's Plymouth Breeze radio is set to the left rear speaker only on a regular basis and can't hear any difference when I adjust it. Go figure!

scotian

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1280646&a=13301166&p=53473415&f=0

scotian

Not a perfect match, but pretty good:

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1280646&a=13687085&f=0

scotian

Facing forward directly behind passenger rear seat. I've noticed that others have it there facing rearward, or facing forward at an angle. I wonder which is best...

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1280646&a=13687151&f=0

avalanche165

oh man my sides hurt from laughing about all the special 300m jokes. i was talking to mike (tnsc) about the same thing. when they come out and someone buys it around here, i cant wait to show him up. oh man oh man, i really, i mean seriously, i was hoping for chrysler to whip out something badass. something off the hook. but....thats not happening. still, just looking at this as a new year, no special bs, i like the sideskirts, hey better than nothing right? i'll probably get a pair of those. and the mirrors, i was hoping for the turn signal on the outside of the mirrors, otto are those gonna be on here? or is it just tilt down, which isn't bad either...
i'm not real disappointed becuase well guys....join together and hold hands, even tho we may not be "special" 300m's, we are all special in out own way

avalanche165

the acoustics of this car are actually weird. i hit right about 151.4 db, that was my record anyway, and the subs were facing toward the tailights. i mean i know the basslink is much smaller but jsut for talk, its real weird. most ppl are facing the subs in towards the cabin, right behind rear seats. i did that and i hit below 140db, cant have that happening now can we

so we angled, and then this, then that, and the best for me was about an inch away from the end of the trunk at the back. they are facing toward the back at the tailights. try it....

achance

Here in Alaska, I have more experience than I want with the heated mirrors. First, I don't know how life went on before heated mirrors! Any time the defroster is on, the mirrors are on. On my 99 there just seems to be a port through the dash and door to throw a little defroster output to the mirrors. Simple but effective.

fuzzywuzzy

The 300M SE's computer is programmed slightly different then the "regular" 300M. DC changed something, & it now requires premium fuel just for the 2hp gain. Maybe leaned out the mix a little? or advanced spark?

fuzzywuzzy

That's why I got the black. I'd rather have the wheel darker then lighter.

aj_tomasi

Has anyone read about the 300m Specials power avalibility? If it runs on premium fuel does that mean the power comes in sooner, like 6,000 RPM instead of 6,400 RPM? Also, what about Torque. You guys seem so obsessed with 255hp, but what about the torque rating.

I'm sorry if these questions have already been answered, but I've been away because the 300m has taken a back seat to my search for a '71 Cuda/Challenger.

Or maybe I should just go to my local Chrylser Jeep dealer and pickup a copy of the brochure.

silverbullet4

What a disappointment! Only cosmetic changes and a few new convenience items. They're acting like GM. Just throw some body cladding on it and make it look like it's a fast car. Well it didn't help Catera sales! I will reserve judgement until the final build specs come out, but based on what I have read the last couple of days' posts I would be embarrased to drive one. Especially when a myriad of imports have surpassed the M in straight line performance. Someone mentioned new gearing. Maybe to make up for larger diameter tires on the 18" wheels.
If this thing is "all show and no go" the car mags will roast it. Just look at the reviews on the new Q45-performance does not match advertised horsepower. Grrrrrr!

Silver

aj_tomasi

Wow, those price cuts sure do rock. Starting MSRP for a 2002 300m is $28,995 with Destination while a 2001 $30,295. Gorsh, an Acura TL is $33,710! Hmmm it seems to me that everyone who is complaining about the 300m should either fork out the extra $5 grand for the imports or use that $5 grand for performance mods to make the 300m faster than any $34,000 Acura.

Or better yet just buy a $24,000 top of the line Mustang and buy a supercharger and blast away anything short of a Viper.

I just don't see why y'all can't wait for the 2004 300n and stop complaining about the 300m. It must be a nightmare to you guys to know that there is still going to be a 2003 300m before the next model.

I work in the marketing dept for a company with an Acura dealership as well as Infiniti, Nissan, Chevy, Pontiac, GMC, Dodge, Honda, & Indian Cycles. So I've driven every level of car and I know that the 300m ranks very high up with the Acura TL & Infiniti I30 and just short of the new Q45. Instead of reading magazine reviews, go and drive the cars make you own judgements.

scotian

Ever since Emmy was new, when braking on an uneven road surface (e.g., warped from heat and heavy trucks), the car feels unstable as it jiggles back and forth until it stops. It is fine on an even surface, so it's not rotors. My 1990 Buick Regal GS didn't do this, at least not nearly to such an extent. Has anyone else experienced this?

scotian

Well, as far as I know I just ordered a replacement clock/vent trim bezel with the retro wings on either side of the clock, like the 1999 LHSs have. I obtained a list of dealers that had one of the possible part #s in stock and had them visually inspect their inventory for the wings.

scotian

Has anyone here modified their air box to house a cone-style filter? I'm thinking of getting a new one, cutting it up to let through a 3" hose for the filter, and then adding baffles on the front that will open while the car is driving. Since I have a smooth secondary resonator I don't know if replacing the entire pipe from the throttle body on up is a neccessity.

traley

Hey, wasn't there someone who removed the keyhole from their trunk? If so, who was it? Thanx...

Also,
How often do we use our own board?

fuzzywuzzy

Best I did was swiss cheese the airbox. Used a stock K&N filter, & drilled alot of 1/4 holes in the box on the sides, & bottom. Got the same performance with just the cone filter without the air box, but it didn't make the intake noise any higher.

scotian

I would leave in the air box (& baffles) to keep away engine heat during idle, on the assumption that it might matter.

Would dumping the resonators and having a 3" pipe help things significantly?

How much is an air box?

scotian

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1280646&a=13301458&f=0

scotian

Thanks for the advice; I'll give it a try.

scotian

Just how bad can the air intake noise get without the resonators, etc? All the internal combustion sound energy goes out the tailpipes, right?

scotian

What's the best cone air filter, and where can I get one?

fuzzywuzzy

When I had all mine off, & just a cone filter with a hose to the throttle body, the noise was very whinny. Like when I floored it, I heard the intake more then the engine, & muffler. It was a high piched whine. Sounded like a turbo spooling up. It was too much for me anyway. It also might have been just the way my engine sounded. Others might sound different.

As for the cone filter, I don't know. I just took the hose I was using to teh store, & picked the biggest K&N cone that would fit on the hose.

silverbullet4

Sounds like a fun job, aj. While I was single I had the time to go around and test drive several cars, hang out in show rooms, etc. That's not the case anymore, so I came up with a short list of cars through research on-line and reading test reports. The final two were the Acura TL and the 300M. While I liked them both, the 300M was more spacious, and the Acura styling was, well, a Honda. Yes, I drove the Acura. Liked the 5-speed and build quality. Both cars were good value, well equipped. I just felt the M would be better for hauling customers to lunch.

Silver

jj300m

I have been reading the board off and on for about a year now and wanted to say "hi" and share some info that you may find useful. If you own a 300M built after July 29 1999, there is a TSB (21-17-99 from 7/99) that concerns a reduced differential fill level of 25 oz. instead of 32 oz. This is not that big of a deal, except that this reduced differential level requires a fluid change at 15,000 miles, parallel to the "Severe Service" recommendations. No dealer that I have talked to (all 5* of course) has been aware of the reduced fill level. I changed my diff fluid at 15,000 miles and sure enough, only 25 oz. were in the differential. The correct fluid is the Mopar 75-W-90 fluid; I have the part # if anyone needs it.

scotian

Do you have pics of your modified air box, opened up and closed?

I just bought a spare airbox to chop up.

sdmike2

thanks for the info, jj300m

sdmike2

Anyone who is using premium in the 99-01 Ms is just wasting money. Newer engines are tuned for a certain air/fuel mixture and spark to achieve optimal performance. Using a higher grade than specified may actually reduce performance.

sdmike2

If the new special (and I use the term loosely) is using the same engine I doubt they would set it up to produce much more torque. Heck, if I were making a "special" using the same engine I'd increase the cam lift, install a cold air intake, and increase the gear size. Those things with the current engine would knock a second of the 0-60. I'd be curious to see if they've done more than just push a little more HP on the dyno, and actually improve the performance of the car.

I also don't feel a need for HID lights. Is is just me? My headlights could light up a small stadium as it is.

-M

scotian

Are we all supposed to only have 25 oz. and change every 15K miles, or if we have 25 oz. be sure to change at 15K but 32 oz. is OK for every 30K miles?

How do you know how many oz. are in there? I just had my transmission fluid and filter changed at 32K, as well as the differential fluid. Would the # oz. be listed on my sheet?

scotian

Are they the really cool true HID lights with the electric arc and all, or just those cool projector lenses?

jj300m

If you have a pre-2000 LH vehicle (or build date before 7/27/1999), your differential was probably filled with 32 oz. of lube. Apparently, and this was documented in yet another TSB, there was a problem of fluid "burping" under certain conditions from the diff vent (low ambient temps.)This reduced level is to prevent any fluid leakage. It was IMHO cheaper for Chrysler to reduce the fluid level than to retrofit an auxiliary vent to the gear case; the other TSB describes the installation of such a vent.

fuzzywuzzy

No but I can get 1.

fuzzywuzzy

Any update on these? Anyone install them yet?

bbraddock

I think from everything I'm reading about the new model, it's a heckuva buy. Larger now than the Maxima. Very quick, and looks great, not bland like the Acura TL. The two I've previously had were even good in the snow. I've got to give it a serious look in the next 6 months. I don't think the trunk will compare with my 300M, but if I can get 4 sets of golf clubs in it, it could be a buy. I was even considering a '02 300 special, but not now that they screwed it all up. Why would anybody go for 2h.p more and premium fuel. Perhaps the torque went up, but I doubt it. Time will tell as I'm testing the first Altima that comes to northern michigan.

herrmdogg

First off, what's up everyone? I know I know, long time no post. TRALEY, I apologize for my brother's comment, I didn't think it sounded very nice on your page and I reemed him for it, he was like "I wasn't being mean, I was just letting him know that you had the best looking 300M that I have ever seen and I didn't even know that you knew him !!!" so I apologize for my freak of a brother. DUBS, congrats on your trophy. I went to a show this weekend, the first show my M has EVER been in and I took home BEST MODIFIED VEHCILE 1958 - CURRENT. I was happy, espcially since I'm 1 for 1 and batting a thousand. AVA, where the hell are your pics !?!?!?!?! Well I'm gonna get off here cuz I'm about to leave work, talk to you guys soon.

http://members.cardomain.com/herrmdogg

HerrmDogg

7888

I have taken my '99 300M to a 5* in MD 3 times for the same problem, front end noise when I drive on uneven pavement. It sounds like the front end is loose. Has anyone experienced this problem. If so, what was the problem. They replaced my right and left sway bar links, but that did not correct the problem. Also, my driver seat and steering wheel is showing considerable wear after only 46,000 miles. Love my "M" but its seems to be falling apart.

scotian

Hey, that's not exactly how your post read elsewhere... :-)

scotian

I had the most horrible racket and dry squeaks coming from my car's front end over bumps and while turning the steering wheel, especially while moving.

They replaced the strut tower bearings and sway bar links to no noticeable effect. They then replaced the steering column to great effect (there was definitely noise coming from it).

I still think there's something else they haven't fixed up there, that's just waiting for the right combination of temperature, humidity, whatever, to start up again. We'll see.

fcm

Seems I always start my posts with "be careful" but watch out if you MIX tire sizes. The ABS/traction control computer might go berserk when it compares the speed of the tires at the 4 corners of the car. Bigger tires would be going slower, fewer revolutions for the sensors to pick up.

I once had a car with nasty front end squeaks, it was the sway bar bushings. They'd lube them and it would quiet down for a week or 2, and then start squaking again. I sold it that way and told the new owner the dealer refused to replace the bushings; it would have been at my expense but they insisted on lubricating the bushings.

mike_sp1

Missouri has a new window tint law that goes into effect in a couple of days. In the past, it was legal to have as dark a tint on the back windows as desired, but there could be NO tint on the front two windows--this I know since my wife and I both received citations from the same trooper because we had 35 on the front windows. I had 20 installed on the back windows WHICH WAS LEGAL and 35 installed on the front windows of my new 300M since the law was about to change in which it would permit 35 on the front windows. HOWEVER, unknown to anyone at that time was that the new law would only allow 35 on the back windows and those of us that already had 20 on the back windows would be in violation of the law and IT WILL NOT BE GRANDFATHERED so we must remove that darker tint. The local PD officers and county units don't seem to mind, but there is one trooper out of Troop A whose goal in life is to pick up as many drivers with illegal window tints as he can. He chased my wife down an Interstate in rush hour traffic and in doing so, he was passing cars that were doing 85+ mph,ignoring them, in order to cite her for her flagrant violation of Missouri traffic laws. QUESTION--how can the rear window tint be removed safely without damaging the rear defroster??? Damn my silver 300 looks good with 20 on the back windows...oh well... Mike_Sp1

7888

Thanks Scotian! I have my car in the shop again, I will let you know what they come up with this time. The manager who test drove the car with me this a.m. suggested it may be a rack problem.

travmn

well, best thing I can say is to be VERY CAREFUL. especially with the defroster parts. if I recall, there is something you can use that makes it easier to pull the tints off, but cannot think of it right now. also, I believe using a heat source helps make it easier to use. if i recall when i had to remove the tints on my old car, i started with the razor blade and used something similar to goo gone to help loosen up the glue and worked at tearing it off ( trying to keep it in as big of a piece as possible ). of course, sometimes the tint gets so hard, you just need to be very careful with a razor blade, but it is doable. you also might consider, if you are going to do the 35% (and not do it yourself), to see how much extra the shop will charge to remove the existing tint. hope this helps

travmn

http://go.to/travman/

(i finally got my webpage back up!)

dfrum

I have good and bad news... Your guys were right... it turned out to be the "Input Speed Sensor". The part was $16.70, but labor was $75, and shop supplies $10?? for a total w/tax of $107.81. We have 43k miles on the M, so they didn't offer to cover it under warranty (although the tech said it was a common problem). I'm not going to complain though since I was scared they'd tell me it was the whole tranny. I told them I spoke with several other M owners online that said it was the speed sensor, so at least they knew not to pull one over on me. For future reference, that may save someone piece of mind and money here's some info...
Input Speed Sensor part # 4800878 (Sensor TR 8037155). The input speed sensor is located on the driver's side of the tranny closet to the output/cv joint. It looks like the output speed sensor is close to this but about 6 inches toward the back. I looks similar to any other sensor (shape like a sparkplug with a wire plug on the end). If I remember right 0700 was the code that the check engine/"3 key switch" displayed. After the check engine light came on, the tranny went into "limp" mode and would not come out of second until either turning the car clear off, or temp disconnect of the batter. The other symtoms were very harsh shifting (enough to squeal tires in second :> ) that I figured had to be a major breakdown in the tranny itself. I actually called Autozone on Sunday after you guys told me it was probably that, but they said it would take 2 days to order. I couldn't bear the suspense waiting a couple days to see if that would fix it, so I called 5* the second they opened Monday. I figure if this happens again, I'll replace it myself.
Thanks again for the earlier assurance and info !!

toms99

looks like your M could use some Zaino !!

(your bike looks cleaner than your car!)

travmn

umm, it needs a lot more than zaino
just got back from a camping trip with it last weekend. spent almost a whole day getting the mud / sand out from the inside. then its rained almost every day since then. today's been the nicest day since then, but i've been so busy i haven't had a chance to wash it. although, i need more than a wash. i got too many highway hood dings, and my car got keyed a few weeks ago. had some guys do an airbrush job which helped, but it still doesn't look very good . if anyone can recommend a place to have the paint on my car repaired for a good price in the chicago area, i'd be happy to hear of it.

99_300m_ric_va

Hey I had this happen to me too. I could hear a slight squeak when going over bumps and when I would turn the steering wheel. I found I could reproduce it by pushing down on the front drivers end like when you check shocks for the bounce test. Further wiggling and rocking, I discovered the sound was coming from the strut shock cartridge where the smooth piston meets the casing seal.

Anyways, decided lube on the strut shaft would fix the problem. Got out the ol' trusty Synthetic grease and smeared some around the seal and up and down on the piston. I raised the car on a jack a little to expose more the piston before greasing it up. Noise gone. I greased all four struts as I could hear a little sound out of the passenger front strut too.

The reason I used synthetic is because it is not water soluable. It will stay on for a long long time. Now I had to do it again one other time, since I drove through a flooded street and gave my wheel wells a "power washing". I noticed after that the noise reappeared. Another greasing and again no more noise. I have never done this again since. The grease is still there after all this time. Couple of years now I think.

I think there is a TSB on this and someone said something about strut caps. Don't know what this is, but I would rather grease it than take to the dealer any day.

ottowrkr

Well here goes, we built two specials one blue ,one silver. The dual exhaust is kinda unique. The pipes start out the same as all 300's from the engine and go down into the first resonator then TWO pipes go down the middle of the car and just before the gas tank they go into a y pipe and go into the rear muffler as one pipe. Then two pipes leave the muffler (one on each side of the muffler) and go into another resonator then exit out the back fascia with a large round chrome tip.Not sure why they have the dual pipes down the middle into a y pipe??. The swaybars are much larger but the brakes are the same ones used on the PHP cars. The headlights are the same as what we put on the Euro spec cars, no HID.The exterior gets colour keyed mirrors with turn signals in them ,these look nice. Now the 300M badge's get the word SPECIAL written between the 300 and the M . When you open the doors the lower cladding has a aluminium insert that has 300 Special written on it , looks cool. The inside of the car has Carbon fiber(FAKE) instead of the wood.The speedo is a 150 MPH unit. The steering wheel is all leather ,I thought they might have used a half carbon fiber and half leather? might look nice IMOP. The car does look good , but it still uses the same motor as the regular 300 so not sure were the extra H.P comes from?? The rubber and rims really do a number on this car . So there you have it , no four piston callipers ,no HID ,no 300 H.P . SORRY , If it was up to me it would have all that and more. All in all a nice car . Hey now a question for you all, has anyone heard a price? What will the package cost ? Because nobody I ask knows or will tell me.