I spotted a NEW (insert make/model) today!

ghulet · April 2004

Last night I saw my first 'on the street' Scion, a burgandy xB just like the one at the Chicago Auto Show, on North Halsted just south of Addison. I've also seen a surprising number of Chevrolet Aveos, both three door and sedan.

andys120 · April 2004

I swung by the local Chrysler store to have a look at the 300s. They are good-looking, even the base model has a nice stance on the road.

The car doesn't look as massive in person as in photos nor does the grille seem so large.

The car has clean lines so it should wear well even after there are millions on the road. The squashed roof might look gimmicky after time though.

The interior was a very good effort let down mostly by the fact that the leather (300C) didn't have a pleasing smell, though it looked very nice.

I was mildly disappointed by the "Tortise-Shell" accents on the wheel and gearshift. They were opaque and looked like plood rather than translucent which would be a classy update on the translucent plastic often used in 50s and 60s designs.

I liked the "Cool Vanilla" color on one of the 300Cs, a cream white alternative to the metallic colors so common now.

wale_bate1 · April 2004

So Vanilla has no flake at all? Now that's cool. I saw it on the Dodge Magnum site, and I like the pics. The local Chrysler shop has silver only just now.

Now there's a trend I'd dearly love to see: non-flake colors. Just give me a yard-deep red or green or cream and keep the flake for the pimpers!

Not that I have an opinion or anything...

lemko · April 2004

...in the lot at work today.

badgerfan · April 2004

After seeing very few of either of these for the longest time and only briefly at that, I saw both on the freeway going same direction as me yesterday(only slower). I can't say much good about the sedan styling, but oddly, the Maxx struck me as better looking than the sedan.

Can't really swallow the styling much on either, though. Hard to believe GM couldn't do better than this. Chevy's broad chrome strip just looks like a styling edict forced on the designers from on high in the Chevy management ranks, and how it actually looks in execution be d***ed.

andre1969 · April 2004

about those non-metallic colors in the past is that they were much, much more resistant to fading and "crows-footing", "spider-webbing", or whatever you want to call it than the metallic colors were, although with newer cars and improved paints, this might be pretty much a non-issue.

vikd · April 2004

...saw a Merc SLR and both versions of the Scion during lunch in La Jolla.

That SLR was awesome! Not that it makes much difference I guess, but a woman was behind the wheel...

Regards... Vikd

lemko · April 2004

...Chrysler 300 while stopped at a light this morning. It was white and appeared to be the "regular" 300. The taillights on this car remind me of those on the 1989 Chrysler New Yorker.

vikd · April 2004

...saw the same thing in the Torrey Pines parking lot; the first base 300 i've seen. The local Chry shops have up til now only had either Limited's or C's.

Regards... Vikd

andre1969 · April 2004

I drove up to PA on Saturday and met with Grbeck, and we went to the Spring Carlisle swap meet. I saw 10 300's on the road going up there! And then we saw one at a car dealer, a white one with the 3.5, but I forget if it was a Limited or a Touring.

Okay, I gotta come clean. Those 10 300's I saw? They were on a an auto carrier heading southbound, so I guess that doesn't really count! ;-)

The first 300 I ever saw actually WAS a base model. Three Saturdays ago, I was out with a buddy of mine. He needed to get a new headlight assembly for his '95 Grand Marquis, and while we were out we stopped at a Chrysler dealer to see if they had any 300's. They had a silver base model that stickered for $24,995. While we were there though, the C came back from a test drive. Nice, pretty $35K Magnesium model. Me want!!

andys120 · April 2004

I doubt you'd have any trouble fitting into it.

Here's a little irony about the Cool Vanilla..
White was a popular color for the original C-300,
300B/C/D (only available in black white or Red IIRC). Most 1950s cars that were white were really off-white or cream colored but the early 300s were a pure Snow white and stood out because of it.

The irony is that Snow white has become nearly ubiquitous for white autos, so the new 300s go to an off-white and stand out because of it.

kenjabi · April 2004

Last weekend, I saw a new BMW 5-Series AND a new 6-Series on the streets, both in black, for the first time. I didn't get a very long look at either, but the first impression was pretty good, definitely better than the 7-series.

Also saw a yellow SSR--again, first time I've seen that model, but it was too far away to really form an opinion. But it stood out, even from afar.

andre1969 · April 2004

I didn't do a test drive, but at least got to do a test-sit on the 300, and it fit me just fine! I actually had my worries about this car, because going just however they measure it, it somehow comes up less than the Intrepid. The Intrepid is rated at 42.2", and I think the 300 is rated at 41.8".

Now most people would say hey, that's not even a half-inch. However, my Intrepid is barely adequate for me! On longer trips, I end up driving barefoot, so that I can stretch out my legs a bit further. So naturally, I was worried about a car that actually had less! BTW, IIRC a Camry also has about 41.8" of legroom up front, and I find them to be a bit cramped for legroom.

Anyway, all those fears went away when I sat in the car, and put the seat so far back that I couldn't even comfortably reach the steering wheel! It does have the tilt-telescope feature standard, but honestly on the cheap models it's a clunky, awkward thing that feels easy to break.

IMO, the interior does show a few signs of cost cutting, but that's pretty much par for the course nowadays, so it's nothing I'd single out the 300 in particular for. Still, I'd rate it a bit below my Intrepid. Mainly for little things, like the cheap looking carpeting, the cloth on the seats that looks something you'd use on indoor/outdoor furniture, and the sparse-looking door panels. Call me old fashioned, but I like to see some carpeting, and fabric that matches the seats! Enough with this stuff that you actually have to push against with all your might, just to see if it's soft-touch or hard!

lemko · April 2004

...look significantly better inside or do all the extra bucks go toward the powertrain? I'd like to check out a 300-C in the future. Andre, would you say the 300-C is at least comparatively as luxurious as my old M-body Fifth Avenue?

stickguy · April 2004

just do it, you know you want to. Sell the fleet (except for the Pick up, keep that for dirt duty) and get a nice 300C with leather. Just don't look at the payment number when you sign the papers.

Could be a good story for "inconsiderate buyers" when you show up with 5 hidden trades!

wale_bate1 · April 2004

LMAO!

seminole_kev · April 2004

in my personal opinion the 300C does look much nicer inside than the lesser models. I've sat in both recently and the lesser models look somewhat cheap to me (although in reality, it is probably about right for the $25K and under market save for Audi/VW interiors). But the 300C looked nicer. Has chrome and faux-metal accents plus the either Tortoise shell or wood interior accents. It looks nicer to me. Plus the leather is of a better quality than the other versions.

Just my two cents.

andre1969 · April 2004

I'd say that, compared to something like an M-body 5th Avenue, it's really a hard call. If you like a car like a 5th Ave, and equate that to luxury, than the newer models are just going to look cheap for the most part. Similarly, I don't think there's a Buick made at any price today that's as nice inside as my Grandma's '85 LeSabre Limited was.

For instance, the carpeting they used in nicer cars back then simply puts the newer stuff to shame, and in general they just padded things better back then. Not necessarily in cheaper cars, but nicer cars were pretty plush. Also, Chrysler went out of their way in the 5th Ave to cover things like the A- and B-pillar trim with fabric that matched the headliner, instead of just leaving hard, exposed plastic. And the dashboard on the M-bodies used a high-quality type of padding that's very resistant to cracking, and has almost a leather-like texture.

Now, the parts fit together better on the 300 than they did on the old M-body cars. Gaps are tighter and more even, and the window frames are thicker, so you're not getting in with a wire hanger, like I used to with my old Gran Fury!

BTW Lemko, there was this gorgeous '88 (I think) 5th Avenue at Carlisle this past weekend for sale. It was white, and looked showroom new. Maybe it's a sad commentary on these types of shows that cars like this are starting to show up so frequently, but this sucker WAS nice! They wanted something like $4400 for it, which was pretty extreme for something of that vintage. But damn, was it schweet!

Oh yeah, one area where the 300 definitely comes up superior to the M-body in comfort, is the steering wheel. I love the legroom on the M-body, and the footwell area is wider than on the 300, so your legs aren't as tight together. But the steering wheel on the old M- is just a bit too close for my comfort.

andys120 · April 2004

it didn't smell nice. An upholsterer once told me that's because they don't use the best leather.

andre1969 · April 2004

I almost had another added to that list. My Granddad, who's going to be turning 90 in October, decided not to renew his license. So he's giving up his '94 Taurus. My Dad called me at work today and asked me if I wanted it, because they'd give it to me. At first I said yes, but then thought more about it, and called him back and said no. It was a good learning experience for me, because I think I've actually lost count of how many "free" cars have been dumped on me! Free isn't always a good thing, when you have to get it inspected, insured, find a place in the yard for it, fix it when it breaks, etc.

seminole_kev · April 2004

was it a 300C or a different version of the 300 you looked at? The "Limited" and "Touring" versions have different, cheaper leather than the "C" version.

andre1969 · April 2004

the one I really looked at hard and heavy was just a base 300. When the Magnesium 300C pulled up though, I went over and looked at it. I liked some stuff, like the leather, but as for the plastic goes, if it was hard-looking plastic in the base 300, it was still hard-looking plastic in the 300C. I think the carpeting was a higher grade too though, I'm not sure. And with the two-toning with that dark green look, well, I'm a sucker for certain shades of green, anyway!

The car's not perfect, but it's nice enough that I'm in lust with it

I like my Intrepid, but I have a feeling that if I were to trade it in on a 300C, I wouldn't be missing it too much!

andre1969 · April 2004

sorry Kev, I just noticed you said AndyS and not Andre, in that last message...my goof!

uga91 · April 2004

I saw a Cheval Zafira in the driver's license bureau in Columbus, GA this morning. It had Chevrolet badging and a Mexican license plate. I think the car is sold in Europe as well as an Opel Zafira. It looked like a shrunken version of the old Mazda MPV (with the 4 real doors, not sliding doors) and it had a rear end similar to the Mazda Tribute. It had alloy wheels and a roof rack and was not a bad looking car.

player4 · April 2004

Yesterday I saw a silver 2005 Chrysler 300, it was the base package (300) it was real nice and the interior looks great!! The wheel covers are HUGE and so are the tires!! I was very impressed to see how nice this car is and probably is the first Chrysler that i like for real. The 300 was parke right next to my car at a Wal-Mart parking lot.

andys120 · April 2004

Didn't really look at the base interior.

wale_bate1 · April 2004

I saw a new 645ci today in white. Once again, the real thing beats the pics. In person, it's not nearly as Chrysler Sebring LXi 'vert as it is in the photos.

Still doesn't give me that "oooo, gotta have one" stirring in my loins, so to speak, but it's better than I thought.

[sigh]

These are not the best of times for styling, methinks.

stickguy · April 2004

Autoweek came today. They have a humor page, and often do a body double box. This week, they had as "switched at birth" the 300C and the Green Hornet's car. Actually pretty close.

ghulet · April 2004

In the past two days, I've seen a new (black) 645 CSi with dark tinted windows (illegal in IL, or at least Chicago) and an X3. The Bangle-desh rear end is just hideous on the 6, the rest of the car is nice. There's just no continuity in the design. The X3 looked fine (hard to botch a two-box SUV), except for the black bumpers. I like them on a practical basis, but the overall effect was that the vehicle looked cheap. I mean, didn't they learn anything after everyone whined about the '92 3-series? Bumpers went body color in '93.

wimsey1 · May 2004

Mitsu Evo, second I've seen.

It will be interesting to see how the 300 does, it does seem to be getting more attention than the 'Bu.

andre1969 · May 2004

I saw my first new GTO, outside of an auto show. It was silver. Not a bad looking car, but it just doesn't stand out and grab your attention, although I'm sure the silver color didn't help much!

stormdavy · May 2004

saw my first (moving and being driven) 300 in greater Chicagoland area. It was a Touring or Limited; no chrome strip on back bumper. Very regal presence (first noticed it coming up behind me), and different from most photos as its frontal appearance is altered by those lit headlights. Evokes classic car proportions. Nice and trim, great light color Jade something.

Later checked 3 at my dealer - 2 300Cs, 1 Limited. The front clips of these two trim levels are completely, though subtly different.
And I find the less complicated rear styling of the base models (no sonar "bumps"; no chrome strip) just fine; they don't scream 'entry level'.

Impressed and excited by this sortie of Chryslers into the new RWD full-size market. The car now a symbol of a scrappy new era what with parent company/ corporate/ managerial changes afoot.

wimsey1 · May 2004

player4 · May 2004

Yesterday i saw the 2004 GMC Canyon it was black with the extended cab it looked tall and tough!! Not bad looking. IMO it looks better than the 2004 Chevrolet Colorado, the only reason i would pick the Colorado is because of the Sport Package: 17" wheels, body color bumpers, lower suspension and body colo grill..

andre1969 · May 2004

yesterday, I saw Chrysler 300 out in the "real world" (i.e., not at a dealership, on an auto transport, or at an auto show). It was stuck in traffic coming the other way, so I didn't get more than a quick glance at it. It was black. I drove by too quickly to see what trim level it was, though.

andys120 · May 2004

right next to a Kia Amanti. Since both were black, have large eggcrate grillework and roundish h/ls there was a definite resemblance,
not that the 300 doesn't pull it together much better.

fintail · May 2004

Saw my first 300 on the road too...a silver one with chrome wheels...didn't spot the trim level

rcc8179 · May 2004

I was in Washington, D.C., a couple weeks ago and saw a Scion xB for the first time. I never thought I would see a vehicle that made the Aztec or Element look appealing.

bretaa · May 2004

300C: Lots on the road here in MN and in RI. Also have seen two Crossfires on the road.

2005(?) Focus: The Ford dealer here in town has the redesigned Focus with the new toned done (boring?)Euro-look front clip and interior. The front comes off much better looking than in photos. It's more mature and upscale appearing, definitely in line with the Euro Mondeo, although the jury's out if its better looking. I didn't get a good look at the interior.

Mazda 6: All variations now on the road. Oddly, I've seen more 6 hatches here in MN than Malibu Maxxs...

Audi A3 and a 4dr Alfa sedan: Both seen in NYC on trips over the past year, both with diplomatic plates. The Alfa was gorgeous, and the A3, while clean, doesn't really stand out... Tons of people were walking by it on the street and despite its rarity, no one was giving it a glance... I've also seen the Chevy zafira that someone else mentioned (with Mexico plates) here in MN. I don't know why Saturn isn't selling those...

Garris

kmag · May 2004

I came out of the library and a silver 300 was parked next to me. Another guy was admiring it and we chatted for a minute. He liked it alot. I do too, although I will probably never be in the market for such a car.

What surprised me was how high the beltline is. The pictures make it look low slung, at least to me.

It is certainly a radical departure from the Intrepid-based cars...which is a good thing. Now if they could apply some of that magic to the desparately-needed replacements for the Stratus and the Neon.....

lemko · May 2004

Saw both a silver and a black 300 today.

andre1969 · May 2004

he was complaining about the fuel economy of his 2003 (IIRC) Ram, which has a 4.7. He says the way gas prices are getting, he's thinking of trading it in. What's he thinking about trading on? A 300C, of course! Go figure.

If nothing else, it SHOULD get much better economy than his Ram. The 300C is rated around 17/24-25, whereas his Ram is probably 14/19. I still think it's funny though, to be worried about gas prices, and be considering a Hemi!

wimsey1 · May 2004

I've actually wondered if the 300 wouldn't draw from the truck crowd. I think some truck buyers are buying the "big sedan" that no one is selling anymore (I don't count the ancient platforms that need replacement).
Saw a Magnum at the local dealer today. Looks alright. I think the roof line is pretty good.

Also saw a Colorado in a parking lot today. It didn't bother me at the show but today I actually flinched when I saw it in broad daylight. Maybe it will wear in a bit but right now...argh. In particular the wheel arch accents are revolting, bad geometric parodies of the nasty ones on the Tacoma. Rotten looking little truck IMO. Seems like every Chevy lately is a nasty geometric mess.

OK, I'm calm again.

Bretaa-Seen a few 6 hatches too. Every time I see a 6 it looks better, by far the sharpest midsize. I think I've still seen more Maxxes, but I've seen more of those than 'Bu sedans also even with the later start date (I don't count the sedans piled up at the local Chevy dealer). With out the Maxx the 'Bu would be a contender for the "Why bother car introduction of the year" award.

wimsey1 · May 2004

player4 · May 2004

Two 2004 Chevrolet Malibus Maxxes, 2004 Chevrolet Silverado SS, 2004 Cadillac CTS-V, 2004 Mitsubishi Evolution.

setzer · May 2004

saw a Chrysler 300 driving out of the WalMart parking lot today. I was really glad to see it in person!

player4 · May 2004

2004 Suzuki Forenza, 2004 Suzuki Verona, and 2004 Mitsubishi Galant (the 2nd one ive seen).

player4 · May 2004

I live 2 mins away from the Ford Truck Plant, there they manufacture the F-250's and up, and today on my way home i saw the 2005 Ford F-350 Double Cab in Black with Chrome wheels, it was amazingly nice!!!! it had the BIG CHROME GRILLE and it looked awesome!! The news Super Duty F's are to go on sale this september.

millspd · May 2004

I got to drive a Malibu Maxx LS today. We are considering buying one for work, so we got one to try out for a day or two. Pretty nice, actually. I'm 6'4" and was able to get comfortable (it had the power seat). Drove it on back roads and the interstate and it did both well.

andys120 · May 2004

I saw a black one and it looked kinda jaunty and MINI-like, too bad about the wimpy motor.

I spotted a NEW (insert make/model) today!

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