Chrysler 300M

bradfordl1 · January 2001

Thanks for the welcome and the info on the Zaino......my 300m is Sapphire Blue with all options except the side air bags and the performance group. Great car.......40 miles on it so far! Everything works, no visible problems, no rattles, etc.......knock on wood! I looked at a lot of cars including the MB C class and the BMW 3 and the 300M was literally the best car for the money on the market if you are looking for a "sport" sedan. I was pushing for $100 under list but had to settle for $42! Great time to be buying.....!

stumpy11 · January 2001

Tictac,

I had my I in for pulling to the left. Same procedures done on my car, alleviated problem slightly. I was also told there is a TSB for this, though. The number is 021699 and the part numbers involved are engine mount shims, part number 5016903AA. Let your service department know this info and they should fix it under warranty. I am having it done when I bring her in for her first oil change.

Stumpy

stumpy11 · January 2001

That should have been "M" not "I". Those zany spellcheck programs! :-)

promotone · January 2001

I put up with this pulling to the right for 11 months, 16000miles, and 2 alighnments. My friendly DODGE Dealer (I couldn't take the incompetance at the local Doylestown PA, 5 star Shyshler ) put the new motor mounts in and she is as straight and true as possible. Truly a night and day difference.

easyrider300m · January 2001

Just got back from a trip to Florida. Stayed in Delay Beach for 4 days then went on a 4 day cruise on the Sovereign of the Seas. Then to Orlando for 2 days.

Love the Florida roads. Much better than roads here in Boston. If you have a compass , you cant get lost in Florida. Those elderly drivers in Delay can drive you nuts though. They think they are the only ones on the road. Love the way they attempt to back up without turning their heads around.

Had a great trip and am now returning to reality. It will take a few days for my equilibrium to return after the cruise.

One question: Why should motor mounts affect the straightness of travel. My car seems to drift slightly but I attribute it to the crown in the road. On certain roads it travels straight for a very long distance with my hands off the wheel.

Whats going on with the new club. I haven had time to read all the missed posts. Someone please fill me in on the happenings for the last 10 days.

Easyrider300M

300michael · January 2001

After going to the Barrett-Jackson show I have noticed only half the 300 (B-H) for sale this year. There sure were a lot of Caddys though (1954-64). The price doubled to get in ($20) it seems that everything is going up.
I did get to talk to some DC reps out of Alburn that came for the show. Some of the topics we discussed:
1. 300HemiC There feeling is that it will not be built. The higher ups in DC feel that it would "scare off" European drivers because of it's size and gas consumption. Like I told him, any one buying this car doesn't worry about gas prices. All one would have to do is look at the crouds around it.
2. Finance problems, It seems that DC plays with the books. All the money Chrysler has put into Mitsubushi and others is not counted on Chryslers assets but on Damiler's. All of Chryslers investment capital just disapeared.
3. A lot of workers are still leaving do to DC's new work ethic. Before designers working after hours could dress casual, but not now, they must wear suits and ties at all hours. Most of the people leaving are going to GM, he mentioned.
4. After market for the PT is really taking off. There were 3 companies at the show alone. HE mentioned that DC feels that the 300M is a conservitive car and there is not much call for after market parts do to the drivers demographics. I did try to set them stright on this.
I did mention the web site and the boards, and one even came to give my 300M the once over, so I showed him all the mods I made. He did recomend that I have the Chip reburned, so that the shift points and MAFS could better use the changes I have made to the exhaust and intake.
He did mention that with all the restrictions the platform offered that it (300M) was very restrictive, and that any transmission change in the near future (meaning the "M") would not happen do to DC not being unable to to produce transmission in sufficient numbers.
All in all it was a great day.

skerner · January 2001

Hi - folks - my '99m w/ 37k miles has a terrible musty type smell in the cabin - almost all the time - (I keep it clean and fresh) but seems to be blowing in from the ac/heating system. Told my dealer about it a few months ago and they sprayed some "stuff" - but of course it was useless. I think I read something about this months ago here. Anyone have a fix? Thanks - Steve

300michael · January 2001

With the AC on spray some (be generous)Product like Lysol down the Air intake vent On the outside Passenger side of the car. The problem is caused (in all cars) by running on recycle mode most of the time. Mold and mildew start growing in the system and it must be kill off (Lysol). Bringing in fresh out side air instead of recirculation mode will keep the problem from returning. when spraying change the fan speeds some (ie, low, med, and high) so that the spray will get into different areas of the system.

silverbullet4 · January 2001

Hi, everybody. As I was pounding through and around all the new potholes in our Dallas streets this week, I suddenly developed an appreciation for adjustable shocks, ie those with a cabin switch with 2-3 positions. I would like to see DC make that an option on future PHP models. Any other takers?
If your team is in the S-bowl, good luck! My SO and I attended the Superbowl in Tampa where Buffalo missed the last minute field goal, losing to the Giants. I was sitting in that end zone--couldn't believe that chip shot FG attempt went wide.
Happy Motoring, Silver

foto · January 2001

I commited the cardinal sin. Wrote your name down on a piece of paper, then lost it. Thanks for raising your voice.

Hear from my cousin you've got four fresh inches of the white stuff. Better you than me. It's been in the eighties here in north Florida for two days straight. New front in town today. Won't make it past fifty. I really hate winter.

That trip to Miami came up suddenly only two days after my return from Cincy. I've had the M for less than three months and put a little over 8000 miles on it. My twenty-three year-old Camaro just sits there in the yard staring at me reproachfully. I've hardly driven it since the 300 arrived. I guess I'm going to offend the poor thing further by putting a FOR SALE sign on it. Never thought I'd do that.

Take care of that silver bullet of yours in all that crappy weather.

Jerry

radar77 · January 2001

I picked up my new '01 300M, and soon noticed a smell like burnt oil coming through the HVAC. My dealer says it's stickers on the exhaust and should go away after a thousand miles. Anyone else experience this?

300michael · January 2001

They have built date stickers on the exhaust parts and all the body panels. I would peel them off, they will burn off in a week, but I didn't want the smell that long. You would think that this is part of the dealer prep.(at least it should be)

ed12 · January 2001

radar77

I had that burnt smell on my new '99 300M. It went away in about a week.

Ed

fuzzywuzzy · January 2001

Never had that. Maybe I just didn't notice.

fuzzywuzzy · January 2001

This weekend I went on a trip to the other side of Fl. The west coast side, by Fort Myers. First time driving down Aligator ally(I75). I must say this road was made for fast cars. Imagine a road where it's nothing but straight road for 100 miles. No hills, only a few curves, no traffic, no cops, just the road. This is what Aligator ally is. What a road. The 300M came alive, & bit some mustangs, & the slammed hona civic. Sure they kept up untill 115, but at 120, & beyond they were no match

The 300M is a very stable car at those speeds.

Note-I don't condone driving at those speeds unless you have a note form the shrink, & own a 300M

jedi_knight · January 2001

Well I just had to try out the top end on the way home from work Friday. It was fun until the speed limiter kicked in

Sure had a lot more power to spare when it shut down. And of course all I could think about was why oh why didn't I get the php model?

Keith

300michael · January 2001

Out here in the west, we have a lot roads like that, I5 goes for about 500 miles with about 2 turns. I10 and I8 are almost as good (only 300 miles with no turns) I do agree that this car was made for the autobaun. Can you say zoom, zoom?

rogor2k · January 2001

Glad you're back Dude, we've missed you and yer 'brudders' at the Wednesday evening chats.

Thanks for asking about the club. We are still scrambling to get the new web site ready for launch. DrPixel is coding his little heart out to get us ready. We have officially incorporated as a non-profit organization and have adopted the assumed name of 'Chrysler 300M Enthusiasts Club.' We've elected officers and have just a few loose ends to tie up before we're ready to go. So keep yer ear to the ground, we'll be there soon. I'll be doing a mass e-mailing to introduce the club as soon as we're ready.

Don't forget the new domain name http://www.300mclub.org. That takes you to the old site right now, but the URL will be the same for the new site.

See ya' on Wednesday evening. Would you like to conjure up a theme for this weeks chat??

fuzzywuzzy · January 2001

As you know, I am replcing my Dunlop tires, with something other then dunlops. Beacuse of the traveling I do, I need a all season tire. Problem is I need a 245-45-18 tire. I have been unable to locate one. The closest I can find is a 255-45-18. Now, I really like Michelins. So I test fitted one on the 18 rim, & mounted it on the front of my 300M. The problesm is clearence at the tie rod end. I cannot get anything bigger then a flat ruler between the tire, & tie rod end. With the stock, or the other dunlop size, there is much more clearence then that. Do you guys who have 255's have the same clearence? I fitted it on the back, & it fits fine. I also turned the wheel side to side, & it doesn't appear to rub anywhere. The rims I have are car specific. Back spacing, bolt pattern, are the same as stock. But, I don't know if bumps will affect this.
Thanks for the help.

silverbullet4 · January 2001

Sorry you ever started this mod, I'll bet! Hey, didn't Chrysler show some car mag editors a modified 300M with dual exhausts and 18" wheels? I think it may have been in Motor Trend last year. You could get on the MT website, maybe find the name of the DC rep and email him for tire info. Kind of a long shot, but maybe worth a try.
Regards, Silver

fuzzywuzzy · January 2001

Everything is fine if I use a 245-45-18. The problems is finding a All season tire in that size. If I can't find one, so be it, but that's what i'm looking for. The motor trend car has 18's but with 245-45-18 high performance tires.

racefan9 · January 2001

http://www.car-truck.com/chryed/buzz/b012201.htm

cdnpinhead · January 2001

what if the road isn't straight for 300 miles?

Some boards light up with discussions of the PCH (California highway 1), or Sonora Pass (once again in CA), or Mt. Evans (CO), or the Sea to Sky highway (British Columbia), or any number of other places in which actual handling is the issue, not straight-line speed, or the ability to run above the speed limit without pieces falling off.

Thought your board was falling off a bit in numbers of posts per day. . .

easyrider300m · January 2001

why not run the stock 17" tires in the winter and then run the 245-45-18 performance tires the rest of the year--solves all your problems

Easyrider300M

racefan9 · January 2001

pinhead: the focus pocus is getting more action than we are...i've been told that it's a quality over quanity methodology :~)

easy: fuzzywuzzy is looking for an all season tire, but south FL only has one season, i think he's looking for wet traction...

fuzzy: glad no armadillos crossed your path on the way to 152mph!!! you have a shrink, that's what you get for hanging out in Boca

)))

jedi: why didn't you get the php??? aaaaahhhhh!!!

ruski · January 2001

fuzzy - there are cops there and I have seen them stop people (in one case there was a van pulled over with its former occupants lying on the ground face down with their hands behind their heads). Be careful next time.

jedi_knight · January 2001

I had been waiting close to 3 months to sell my Jeep and get the M. My local dealer did not have a PHP in the color I wanted, they thought they might be able to dealer trade with another dealer, if not they would have to buy it out right which would have affected the price I had negotiated. Oh and the fact that I cannot wait for anything, got to have it right now! Honestly I don't know how comfortable a PHP equiped M would have been every day on my 180 mile round trip commute. The bay area freeways are not the smoothest.

Keith

fuzzywuzzy · January 2001

Now I didn't say I was speeding that much the whole trip, Only 15 miles. I set the cruise at 87, the rest of the way. Cops? I saw 2 cars. 1 going, & maybe the same one coming home. I did see someone get pulled over, however my V1 saw that for at least a mile.

Pinhead- What car do you drive?

tictac3 · January 2001

I'll contact my 5* today. Can't wait to hear his answer.

pjyoung · January 2001

straights are fun, but my eyes light up when the road goes into the twisty bits (which amazingly, there ARE twisty bits in Northeast Kansas). Triple digits are fun, but the 300M is even more fun at double digit speeds in curves. Pacific Coast Highway? Bring it on.

dustinnewton · January 2001

Are you going to trade your silver beauty in on a 300 Hemi C if/when they are produced?

fuzzywuzzy · January 2001

I found something else that will fit in a 300M in a pinch.

I was suprised!

A 6 foot ladder! Not using the trunk. Inside the cabin. Getting it out was easy to.

denverm · January 2001

I've had plenty of fun in my M (with PHP) on the mountain curves above Denver, and on the straightaways down to Santa Fe. Both types of driving are a blast in this car -- we don't have to choose, we have it all!

If you live someplace where the roads never bend, take a road trip to the mountains, the Pacific coast, or some other twisty byway, and experience just how competent the 300M is on the curves.

So, pinhead, are you a freeheeler?

racefan9 · January 2001

naw, you??? i think my next car will be a grand am, or oldsmobile alero...he he he...no i'm waiting on the next generation Ram, that will me my next new one, then i may get a used prowler, to fill up the third bay on the garage i'm building this spring, i'm going to have a pit so i can change oil and wire up neon lights, have to get all this done before some woman comes along and does her thing, you know what i mean :~)

silverbullet4 · January 2001

Thanks for the suggestion. Actually it was Fuzzy's tire situation, not mine. The Pilots suit me just fine on my painted 17" wheels.
Regards, Silver

weehawks98 · January 2001

My heater works and I have taken it to the dealer. Within minutes all the windows in my car are fogged up. I have the defrost on and can feel the heat but the front window will defrost only a little bit, with it on high. I have a 1994 LHS. Can anyone help me with this problem.

pjyoung · January 2001

Sorry - can't help. From what I've read, window fogging was a problem on early LH cars. I haven't had any problem with my 99 300M windows fogging and they've had a workout this winter.

illini4 · January 2001

If you have the heater in the recirculate mode, that will cause fogging. Also, make sure your A/C compressor is on during defrost and the A/C is cooling. 94s are notorious for leaking A/C evaporators. If the evaporator is leaking, there is an extended warranty that provides free replacement if under 70,000 mi.

dustinnewton · January 2001

Yeah, I'll get either the 300 Hemi C or Crossfire, whichever they choose to make. I'm only 30, but it's never too early to get a good start on my mid-life crisis!! I like the idea of a Prowler. Trouble for me is that in Birmingham, it might as well be a Lamborghini Diablo. Not many exotics here, so anything like that sticks out like a sore thumb (read: keying canidate, insurance claim for stolen car, etc.). There are about 7 prowlers here and I would love to be eighth! It's a beautiful car. Have you seen the Chrysler Howler? It's a prowler with a pickup-type bed on it. You could kill two birds with one stone. You are right on the money with your ideas about building the pit now! Trust me...RIGHT ON!! Get everything like that you want done beforehand and life will be much easier!!!

dustinnewton · January 2001

Let's see, 250+HP and torque, 17" wheels with low profile tires standard, an available PHP, An aggressive look, tight handling standard, and a 240 watt 9 speaker stereo standard with a 360 watt 11 speaker 4 disc changer system optional. Conservative? Hardly. HEY ALL YOU AFTERMARKET COMPANIES OUT THERE, BRING ON THE MODS!!!!! CHRYSLER, BRING ON THE MODS!!!

drpixel · January 2001

Hey, Dustin..missed you last night...hope all is well...woiking my leetle feengers to de bone on Gen2....too cold here in Joisey to wash eMily...hose is away for the winter, and I can't deal with a bucket brigade---and no I won't take her to the car wash. Washing eMily for me is brain therapy and requires little if any brain activity whatsoever.

Have a happy 300M kind of day, dude....
the doctor

memphis300m · January 2001

Just had my first tire (4 tires) rotation yesterday at 7500 miles. Was a little concerned with what would happen after all of the experiences on this board but put about 100 miles on it afterwoods at speeds up to 75 and no vibration, pull, anything. Guess I am blessed (or got a better than average set of Goodyears and 5* although the latter just called to say they had forgot to put the wheel lock key back into the glove box).

2K nonPHP, small stero, after market hole in roof, Inferno Red.

rogor2k · January 2001

The problem is that the 300M just happens to be the most expensive model in the Chrysler lineup. So ... all those little gray haired ladies trading in their New Yorkers are still going to want the most expensive car that Chrysler makes. I have seen a LOT of seniors (even older than me) driving 300Ms. I think that market segment is where the conservative image comes from. It would be very interesting to see the age breakdown of 300M buyers. I think the median age may be a lot older than you would guess, given the aggressive personality of the car.

fuzzywuzzy · January 2001

Well, I can see that down here in FL. Seems like the only people I see driving 300M's are older people, or woman(no offense). And they seem to be the same color. Tan. Even my neighbor who bought one is in his 50's. I wonder if i'm the yongest owner, at 25? 24 when I first bought it.

fuzzywuzzy · January 2001

Since I was going to replace my 2000 steering wheel with 1 from a 2001 model, I decided to test drive a 2001 PHP model to see how the new wheel was. I'm very glad I do not have the 2001 wheel. Those audio controls are very hard to use. At least in the positions my hands are on the wheel. It would drive me nuts! They wouldn't work anyway with my 2000, but would be in the way big time. I'm still waiting on a price for the 2000 wheel. I found a few in junk yards here, but the airbag was deployed, or they were the wrong color. Looks like i'm stuck with the steering wheel cover. Can anyone recommend a good leather cover?

denverm · January 2001

I would think the New Yorker crowd would trade in for an LHS. Lots of (ahem!) older folks like to have fun, too, so the age of a 300M driver doesn't necessarily mean much to me. I would have loved to have a car like this back when I was in my mid-twenties, but I couldn't have afforded it then. (Congrats to all you youngsters who are able to buy one now!) I'm in my mid-forties, but I'm diggin' the car now, and I think I'd be pushing the gas pedal just as vigorously if I were ten or twenty years older, too. To me, the styling and performance of this car are not "conservative," and after-market vendors are probably missing out if they ignore the vehicle because of the median age of its drivers.

fuzzywuzzy · January 2001

Still messing with the intake side of the 300M. I had an idea to reinstall the stock air box, but drill a bunch of holes in the bottom, & sides, & then put in the stock size K&N filter. Just wondering if anyone tried this out yet? I have a spare airbox, so i'm not worried about drilling holes in it.

drpixel · January 2001

drpixel. Now don't everyone jump down my throat, but I seem to remember a few years back that you could buy a leather steering wheel wrap at the local Pep Boys or local auto supply stores. I had put one on another car I had owned, and if you do it right, it doesn't look too bad. Just an idea, fuzzy.
regards,
Glenn

fuzzywuzzy · January 2001

I did buy one of those for my truck I owned. The 1 that has the laces. Didn't fit right, & looked bad. Wonder if they changed?

illini4 · January 2001

I'd try an auto trim/upholstery shop. They should be able to come up with something much better than a wrap from a parts store.

Chrysler 300M

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