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Chrysler 300M

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  • bigmike5bigmike5 Member Posts: 960
    Try Truck Add Ons which has a site on the net. They have a very large selection and varied prices too. Click under exhaust and then on the tips icon. I have the Toucan T-813 tips. John Wyche, SD Mike, and Blonda have others from off that site. Pictures of some of the various kinds actually mounted can be seen on the Club site.
  • bigmike5bigmike5 Member Posts: 960
    Hey Silver are you still lurking somewhere in the nether. Are you going to make it to the Cruise this year? Get out of Wisconsin before the bad weather sets in. Take that M and come to Detroit.
  • scouterdonscouterdon Member Posts: 6
    Hey Tony,

    Sorry to hear about your loss. Generally 75-80 percent is the threshold we see. As a body shop manager I do take umbrage with those who say it will never be the same car. Properly repaired it will be EXACTLY the same car. That said there are many who do not properly repair collision damage.

    Go after the towing company for the additional damages. Insist on OEM parts or junkyard parts. Do not accept aftermarket parts.

    If I were fixing it I would buy two scrapyard doors complete. New OEM fender (Insurance probably will specify repair instead of replace there). New R/S rocker. Repair on rear quarter.

    Let the shop and insurance company know ahead that you expect 100% paint match. Pick it up on a sunny day and inspect it outside.

    Don
  • ajpiiiajpiii Member Posts: 260
    Thanks for the Info...

    I will definately be getting OEM parts, no cheapo parts on my baby...

    I didnt think about asking for 100% paint Match... Maybe they will volunteer to paint the whole car ... Even if they dont, Im still having the whole car painted... I 99% sure I will have all the special parts put on while Im in the body shop... I figure I can get the front bumper for free, and one of the signal mirrors, so why not throw a few more $$ at it ...

    Now all I have to do is get a hold of the illusive insurance adjuster... Guy hasnt returned any of my phone calls... Doesnt he understand my M is the most important thing he has to take care of ! :)
  • psterpster Member Posts: 293
    .....but the average retail collision repair customer doesn't get the same repair work you would get, or might expect from your shop. I have yet to see a "perfect" auto collision repair myself, or anyone I know. In large part it's an art....not a science. And we all know beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder...and is often only skin deep. I am amazed at what collision repair shops can do. But after 4 collisions and subsequent repairs, there were always imperfections, rattles, misaligned pieces, missing pieces........some serious, some minor....but none of them were perfect.
  • intrepidspiritintrepidspirit Member Posts: 662
    The lease on my 2000 inferno red 300M is up July 4. I have removed my custom clockface, my 300M Enthusiasts decal and replaced my K & N filter with the stock filter. It is still one of the prettiest cars on the road today -- just can't beat that Zaino shine! I'm even thinking of washing it one last time before I turn it in so the dealership I got it from can see what the car is supposed to look like!

    When I decided not to buy it at the residual(too expensive), I decided I would keep it as a third car if I won the state lottery -- after all, the 300M is destined to be a classic! Tonight's drawing is the last chance for my 2000 M...
  • scouterdonscouterdon Member Posts: 6
    Tony,

    Never in a million years will they volunteer to paint the whole car. Wise move to paint it all. Specialize it with 300M Special Front and Rear Fascias and side sills. Call the adjuster frequently.

    Pster,

    You and EVERY customer is entitled to have your car returned to you in exactly the same shape and condition it was in just prior to the collision damage. There is no excuse at all for repair induced rattles. The amount that you can push DOES vary. If the accident was someone elses fault show no mercy at all and demand perfection.
  • laurasdadalaurasdada Member Posts: 5,181
    Hello and Happy 4th to y'all. Monday marked the 4 year anniversary of the happy union of man and M! Only about 48,600 miles in those 48 months. I could have sworn I've driven a lot more!? Not much further to report. The seatback is back to functional with no extra courtesies from the dealer. So, 4 years, two window motors, one tranny sensor and dealer induced seatback issue. I'm fairly impressed since the purchase of this car broke all my rules, i.e. never buy a first model year, domestic car. Much less a Chrysler! Good job, Chrysler. Now, if I can get another year (at least!!!) of trouble-free motoring, I will be so much more impressed!

    What to buy next? 300C? Not unless it looks much better in person or is an undisputed grand slam underneath the skin. Infiniti FX? Still intruiged by that one. Or G35 coupe. Beautiful car. Infiniti appears to be building some great value autos. MB E Class? Classy styling in & out. After the M I would like a bit less NVH. New BMW 5? Probably same situation as the above mentioned 300C. Saab 9-3? Always been a Saab guy and the 9-3 looks pretty slick. Although the hatch was always a selling point for me. Or a used Jaguar XK8? Gorgeous. Mid-life crisis time!

    Anywho, enjoy your 4th. Be safe. Be proud. Be kind. (Gave blood last night, still a little light-headed. Hope I'm not rambling....!).

    '21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)

  • bluesky999bluesky999 Member Posts: 253
    Well, for those who follow the repair histories of each others cars here, like I do, I'll post my update. My '99 has 73K; brought it in for the seat bolt recall and A/C not working; they said they needed 4 days for an evaporator coil, fixed the seat bolts but in the process killed the tilt on the bottom seat driver cushion. During the 4 day interval, the check engine light went on and tranny wouldn't shift higher than 2nd gear; I assumed it might be one of the tranny sensors, but drove below 3500 RPM (45 mph or so--is that wrong?)

    Brought it back in 4 days later; to replace the evaporator coil (a $280 part) they had to take apart the dashboard and a lot of other stuff. They also found that the interior temperature sensor was off so they replaced that also. They got the seat working again, and the check-engine light was, as I suspected, due to the failure of a tranny sensor. As the A/C was a ton of labor, and they also killed a half day or so getting the temperature sensor, they had the car for 3 days. But my extended care, with $50 deductible, covers the rental so I got all that done, plus expect to be reimbursed for either 2 or 3 of the days I had the rental car; I'm not sure how many. Charge to me was $50.

    I will be quite pleased if the coming months prove that they fixed the A/C entirely. I'm also pleased that I got these items fixed before it hit 75K, when my extended care warranty runs out. As I've noted in the past, this is the 1st time I've bought a used car; bought it 1 1/2 years ago w/50K, now have 73K. In those 23K miles I've had the following problems;

    1) A/C was bad when I bought it used; last year they recharged the gas and that lasted through the summer, this summer they've now made more extensive repairs which I think should fix it fully. This was covered under warranty.

    2) Had to buy an electronic seat control module, or something like that. NOT covered under extended care warranty.

    3) Tranny sensor. Covered under warranty.

    I still like the M, and considering the car is up to 73K I don't like the problems I've had, but am holding onto it and hoping that now that the kinks are out of it, it will be more reliable going forward. I'm realizing that these cars can last a long time, as I had my last car for 150K and it was still going strong, and got a ride recently from a guy who had 280K on his old turbo volvo without ever even changing the turbocharger; I couldn't believe it.

    Question; at what intervals do you folks change your fuel filter? I've never done it; I've never even had the PCV valve changed.

    Last but not least; 1 page article on the '04 CTS in Car and Driver July issue. The new 3.6 engine has all the goodies including variable valve timing, etc.etc.; 250 hp and similar torque and quiet. If you get the issue, read Brock Yate's article on the the Big 2 (GM and Ford). He no longer speaks of the Big 3 since he considers Chrysler to be a German company now; he makes a good point I think.

    INtrepid; I'm behing in my reading, but I hope yuou got your A/C fixed up properly! My 5 star did a great job it looks like; hope youres did too.
  • 300michael300michael Member Posts: 1,815
    My 99 has not had many of the problems, many of the others have had. Except for window motors, no problems. I didn't purchase a new one because it would basically be the same thing I am currently driving.
    As for replacements (at least not for the next couple of years) I like the idea of the CTS, just not the styling. I will just have to save up for a Jag XK8 I guess.
  • 300mspecial1300mspecial1 Member Posts: 29
    Went to a local Chrysler dealer a few days ago just to kill some time and saw a silver Crossfire in the showroom. This is a very pretty car and I agree with someone's post above that the pics do not do the car justice. I wasn't aware that the dealer would give you a loaner Crossfire or Pacifica if you own one and it's in for service. What I did note was that the dealers in this area are marking the Crossfire's up $5-10k over MSRP as "Availability Charge" ( this is of course blatant BS ), "Adjustment to Market Value" ( maybe a kernal of truth on this one, but essentially still BS ), or my favorite, "Dealer Operating Cost" ( even more blatant in-your-face BS ). With that kind of wallet padding, they should be able to afford to keep a few extra around to give out as loaners...
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    intrepidspirit-

    Don't give up hope yet! Do you live in/near a state that has Powerball? Jackpot tomorrow night is $200 MILLION!

    With that, you could keep the 3 300's, expand the garage and buy a Crossfire- even with the INFLATED price- and a 300C! ;-))

    fastdriver
  • greasykid1greasykid1 Member Posts: 336
    My 2003M has none so went to local independent exhaust specialty shop. They had a perfect match for the factory tips. They welded them on perfectly for $24 total.

    Went to Midas before that. They didn't have a clue.
  • libertycatlibertycat Member Posts: 593
    who has had ZERO problems with her '99. SHE LOVES the 300M. She has a beige interior with wood trim (unfortunately, since she has a model before 2002, it has the old, plastic faux and looking it wood. The 2002+ wood looks more realistic although it is faux.) The engine, transmission, room for her ten cats, folding rear seats, the huge, comfortable leather seats, and white faced gauges are her favorite features
  • bluesky999bluesky999 Member Posts: 253
    Greasy, would you happen to know what brand of exhaust tips you bought? That was a steal for $24, including installation. Do those puppies weigh much?

    Since a number of folks here are looking to sign on to new cars after their leases end, here's a link on the new family of GM V6 engines, the first of which will be showcased in the '04 CTS. The 2nd link is on the upcoming V8 engines for the CTS, with the 1st available in '04. I'm totally stunned with what Cadillac is doing with the CTS; can you imagine a Caddy w/rear wheel drive, in a tidy package, getting great reviews from Car and Driver? I feel like I fell asleep and woke up in a different dimension.

    http://www.ai-online.com/issues/article_detail.asp?id=173

    http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=6049&sid=17- 3&n=156
  • beach15beach15 Member Posts: 1,305
    The CTS is an awesome car and has gotten terrific reviews ever since the first ones came out. I've only ever sat in one but that was enough to make me want to drive it even more...especially the new 2004's showing up on lots with the 3.6 VVT V6!

    Oh well, I'll just drive my '93 Caddy Fleetwood that's RWD with a 350 V8 and imagine it's a CTS...yeah right! It's a little too softly sprung for that!
  • bluesky999bluesky999 Member Posts: 253
    Beach, that's pretty funny. I can hear you now, "Officer, yes I did have a reason for going around the corner at 40 and sliding into the woods, see I was imagining I was in the CTS..." As you probably know, Cadillac is putting in a V8 next year that is a version of the Corvette engine; I think they refer to it as an L6 or something like that. I thought I read it was supposed to be about 400 HP; now that's getting a bit carried away, isn't it? Who needs 400 HP--I mean 250 is pretty quick on most cars.

    BTW, the early '90s Fleetwoods are pretty nice cars; I can see why you're holding onto it. Not only do they look nice but they have a ton of interior space, a big trunk, and if my memory serves me correctly the interiors were done in nice style. You could cruise all day with the best of them--great for taking the family on a vacation somewhere. Now for ripping around corners, you'd better plan on the CTS or your M (assuming you have one).

    Polished the M today; noticed that when the 5* had it to fix the A/C they got grease on the drivers seat and some kind of junk is sprayed on the dash. I know they had to take the whole dash off and more and I think some of the gunk is on the inside of the dash plastic--can't get it off. I'm pleased with the work except they were sloppy. I imagine that Infiniti or Acura would do a cleaner job. I mean the Chrysler dealers are dealing with Neon and old Sebring and LeBaron owners; I don't imagine they put as much effort in as the top tier brands, but I don't really know. Wow, I'm getting verbose in my old age here!
  • ajpiiiajpiii Member Posts: 260
    "Officer, yes I did have a reason for going around the corner at 40 and sliding into the woods, ..."

    Something about that comment just hurts... :( Only difference was it was around 50 in an M...
  • bigmike5bigmike5 Member Posts: 960
    The Caddy CTS-V will be getting an 8 not a 6 cylinder in 04.5 The next engine that is supposed to be going/available in that car before the V series arrives is something a little bigger than what is available now. I cannot recall the size but I think it is about M size. It is not the Corvette power plant. That comes along a little later. I'm betting the Vette engine will push the price up about $5K. The only knocks I have heard on the CTS, other than some people not liking the edgy styling, is the power [same rap as with the Catera]. But having never driven one I cannot say. I do know the Caddy service tech for the wife's Eldo, said it was whisper quiet at 100. On KY roads that would be a miracle machine.
  • udo4acceptudo4accept Member Posts: 2
    after i got the goodyear tire issue settled and the window motors replaced, i've had zero problems with my 300M. i love it! the only car i'd ever trade it for is the 300N. after all these years and miles, i still get compliments on that car everywhere i go.
  • intrepidspiritintrepidspirit Member Posts: 662
    No, we're not in the Powerball zone. With that kind of jackpot, I could have kept the 3 M's, got a Crossfire, Pacifica and a Jag convertible (I haven't warmed up to the 300C yet). And, of course, a new home with a 10-car garage to house these vehicles and any others I might fancy...

    But, alas, it would have been too late -- had to turn in my inferno red M on the 4th. I washed it one last time and drove it in to the dealer. When I took the sales manager to the car, he literally did a double-take! He said "Is THIS the car you're turning in?" and I replied "Yes." He said "I'm not turning this car in to Chrysler. We're keeping it." With its multiple coats of Zaino, it easily outshone every new vehicle on the lot...

    While I was there, I checked out the Crossfire -- they had 2 in the showroom; 1 black and 1 white. It looked smaller than I thought and I think it would look better in silver. I didn't realize the lines on the hood were so prominent. Looked pretty, but I think over-priced and under-powered. They are selling at MRSP at some dealers in our area...
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    intrepidspirit-

    LOL... I hear you. No one won last Sat., so the jackpot is well over $200M now!

    I got the same reaction when I turned in Christine to the Acura dealer in RI. They own a Chrysler dealership in Newport, so I was able to leave Christine with them and leave in the CL-S. That Candy Apple Red was gleaming with all that Zaino! Thirty three months old with 35,500 miles! ;-))) If they ONLY knew! I don't think they had Christine for more than a week before someone in Providence bought her.

    Glad your remaining 300's are treating you well.

    fastdriver
  • dustinnewtondustinnewton Member Posts: 242
    Sorry for the long delay in posting. I had a contractor cut a voice/data line into my mill here locally. It took phones and data (T-1) dowm for about 265 people. Working with the phone company to get it repaired has been a nightmare! On to the M. To my surprise, I received it back a DAY EARLY (!!!) with not so much as a fingerprint on the dash! It's back to being an icebox! Good thing too since it's 93 degrees with 75-80% humidity by noon! I will take it back to have the seat movement fixed when the part comes in in a couple of weeks.
  • libertycatlibertycat Member Posts: 593
    For GM in coming years=Cadillac=sporty, Buick=luxury, and Chevy, Pontiac, GMC, Saturn, Hummer, GMC, Isuzu, and Suzuki=standard. For Ford=Ford and Mazda=standard, Mercury, Lincoln, Land Rover, and Volvo=luxury, and Jaguar and Aston Martin=sporty. For Daimler Chrysler in coming years=Chrysler, Maybach and Kia=luxury, Mercedes-Benz=sporty, and Dodge, Mitsubishi, Jeep, and Hyundai=standard. Toyota, Honda, and Nissan are a bit more obvious.
  • bluesky999bluesky999 Member Posts: 253
    Apji, at least you lived through it. Now you'll have one more story to tell the young guys when you pass intomiddle age.

    BigMike, yes, the V6 to be offered in '04 is the new 3.6 liter at 250 hp, variable timing on input and exhaust cams, etc., as described in the 1st link I posted. The CTS V is expected to be 400 HP when it comes out in '04, but a later updated to the 'vette engine would put it at 500 HP. The 2nd link I posted was in regard to that potential engine. I think you're right about the 3.6 being quiet, C&D has a 1 pager on the new '04 CTS and they actually complain that the engine is so quiet. I'd be glad, but I guess they're a hard core group. As a side note, C&D estimated the cost of the CTS V recently at about 50K; seems very high as I'd be inclined to agree with your estimate of another 5K. The styling has grown on me, as I didn't like it at first but now I do like it. What do you think about the front, the back, and the interior. The interior is getting a small update for '04 according to the C&D article.

    Undo, how many miles do you have on your largely trouble free M?

    Intrepid, you did very well. Now my seat cushion is not working again, and I wasn't able to get all the greasy smudges out of the seats yet. My advice is to stay with that dealer..

    Happy Motoring All (note that you can't spell Motoring without a capital "M")
  • dukeofdallasdukeofdallas Member Posts: 52
    I went to a local, rinky-dink, muffler/tires/tune-up shop today to inquire about chrome tips. They welded on a factory match for $40 total. They probably aren't high-quality material but they look great and I'm sure they will at least last until I sell the car.

    Does anybody know of someplace that sells billet style lower grilles for the 300?
  • ajpiiiajpiii Member Posts: 260
    Does anyone know if the doors on M's , Intrepids, LHS's and Concorde's are all the same ? If I find one of these in good condition Id like to steal the doors and save a few $ when I repair the damage...
  • libertycatlibertycat Member Posts: 593
    Yes except the rear doors on Concorde/LHS are longer than 300M/Intrepid. I don't get what you're trying to do. Please explain furthur.
  • reybeastreybeast Member Posts: 35
    My 99 has 80k miles, what maintennace should I have done at this point? I want to do the tranny/diff, plugs, pcv and fuel filter for sure. Can anyone think of anything else? Power steering, coolant flush, any filter canisters or such, fuel injector cleaning,plenum cleaning? I called the dealer, but they dont know for sure...
  • intrepidspiritintrepidspirit Member Posts: 662
    I would go by the manual. If you leave it up to the dealer, he will likely oversell. This seems to be common procedure with all dealers...
  • lflowerslflowers Member Posts: 155
    I bought a new car for my wife last week. Not a fun experience. She has an extremely bad back, due to a birth defect, and when she needs a new car we shop by having her try on the seats of every car of the type she prefers. We started off looking at minivans, but none of the seats worked for her. Finally tried everything we could think of and she settled on an '03 Chevy Suburban!
    Actually got a good deal, but try driving a Suburban and then hopping into your 300M. Talk about a little difference in driving dynamics!
    Oh well, it's her car, not mine (thank goodness!).

    Lynn Flowers
    McKinney, Texas
    (now working in sunny San Diego)
  • ajpiiiajpiii Member Posts: 260
    I was thinking about doing some of the work myself and then just getting the finishing touches done at the body shop...

    Buuuuut I looked in the back seat, and noticed that it looked like there was something under the rug ? Come to find out the floor pan is bent up! Ouch...

    The Insurance adjuster estimated the damage at $2900 (without the floor or Front Bumper Damage)... Went to an awesome body shop and they quoted all new oem parts, new paint on everything except for the roof and the Drivers Doors, and found a few things the insurance guy didnt... his grand total was $7200 ! Looks like they will be sorting out the difference between them...
  • bluesky999bluesky999 Member Posts: 253
    Reybeast,

    If you haven't changed the unibelt yet, you're overdue. Same goes for the tranny fluid. I know on many cars people ignore that item, but this is Chrysler, with a bad history for some of its transmissions, so for that reason I followed suggested maintenance and did it on schedule. Plugs aren't needed until 100K (platinum tipped), at which point you'll also need timing belt and replace the water pump which is easily accessible when changing the timing belt. IMO fuel injection cleaner is a waste; I have never changed them before 150K and had no problems even though dealers have tried to get me to clean them at 40K; it's an easy $80 for the dealer for something you don't need. I assume you're changing your air cleaner regularly, and having your brake pads inspected. A halfway knowledgeable mechanic can tell you the shape of your brake pads w/o even taking the wheels off; that's one of the nice advantages of the razor stars. I forget what the schedule is for coolant change, but you're probably there. For that, I recommend mixing it w/distilled water to prevent mineral buildup inside the radiator and possibly engine. A new set of windshield wipers makes a noticeable difference in making the car feel "new" again also. Hope something here helps.
  • ottowrkrottowrkr Member Posts: 778
    dont forget the 300m has a style line running down the side of the car .So if you try to use a Intrepid door it's going to look a little funny .
  • CamcruzrCamcruzr Member Posts: 13
    I recently read a "Edmunds" road report on the 300S.It talks about this model's extra 5HP, the special suspension and the bigger brakes.
    Are the brakes and suspension the same as special ones on my 99'300M with PHP.?????
  • reybeastreybeast Member Posts: 35
    Thx bluesky, I did the tranny and unibelt at 40k, so I'm tempted to go ahead and do the belt along with the other belts when they do the tranny. I'd like to do the plugs now while I have the cash, a 5* mechanic told me not to wait until 100k to change the plugs, he says he has seen some really ugly plugs that made the car run badly and caused a drop in mileage. I myself usually get 21.5 mpg, and that has dropped to 19.5 lately, so I get the feeling the plugs may be involved.
  • pjyoungpjyoung Member Posts: 885
    I had to replace plugs at 50K. I noticed a decrease in gas mileage and an intermitant "miss" when cruising at about 45 mph.
  • reybeastreybeast Member Posts: 35
    I noticed the missing as well, but it is so intermittant that when it happens I'm not sure it happened. If I listen for it, it wont do it...
  • bigmike5bigmike5 Member Posts: 960
    Took a test drive yesterday in a Red Crossfire. Comparing it to the M is like apples vs. oranges. Features I liked, A/C was incredible, seats were ex-Viper and hugged me very well. A little faster perhaps than my M off the line, but not by much, if any. This one had auto/autostick and I didn't try the autostick because of the way the gate was set up with the D spot, no separate gate for autostick. The steering wheel only telescoped, maybe 3" and had no tilt. I am 6' tall with long legs, and it would be a chore to scoot my thigh under the wheel to get in and out. Just enough leg room for me to feel comfortable while seated. I have long legs as I said so if one were over say 6'2" I think it would be tough to get in and ride in for an extended period. I used the power seat adjustment to try to get a decent position for holding the steering wheel as the angle was tilted a little and I like it more vertical. Steering a little tighter than the M, but close, and the wheel itself seems a little smaller and is a little thicker in the hand. I liked that feel. The gear indicator on the dash is on the lower right side, and is virtually unseeable while driving. The digital readouts are difficult to see [and it was overcast and going to thunderstorm when I took the test ride, so it was fairly dark]. Reminded me of trying to see the digital readout on a bad runner's watch. Brushed aluminum on the dash and console area would take some getting used to. Might be really bright in there when the sun is shining. [I've never had brushed alum. on a car before, tho I know some M'ers put those kits in.] The trunk space is almost non-existent. No way golf clubs and bag go anywhere but in the passenger seat area. The spoiler deployed quietly and was not obtrusive at all. I didn't notice it til the saleman mentioned it was depIoying as I neared 60 mph. It has got to be for show tho, it is so small and thin. Can't imagine it providing much downforce to the rear wheels. It was a lot of fun to drive and handled about as well as the M. Hard to say more cause I only got to put about 5 miles on it, mostly off lights and at 45-60 mph on good roads. They had a $3K mark-up on it. Out the door for $38.5. As I drove home in my M I thought about it and concluded that for $11K more than I paid for my M it is just not a good value, cost and use wise. It's a weekend tourer for lots of fun, but totally impractical for a daily driver. When I checked the Crossfire site the other day they had a poll on what you used to drive before you got the Crossfire. Three people said that they drove M's and guess what? they decided to keep the M when they got the Crosfire. I think it just shows how practical the M is and how much of a little fun car the Crossfire will be. The salesman pressed for a possible sale, and told me they were only allocated and would get one more this year, color unknown, so....I told him that I would wait awhile to see if DC will decide to put a bigger power plant in it next year. Will have to button-hole Dieter at the Cruise and ask that question. I still think we all got the best car. On the Crossfire site I did invite any Crossfire owners to join us M'ers at the Cruise if they didn't have a group going. We may get some there. Sorry for the long post.
  • blowbyublowbyu Member Posts: 26
    I have just reached 47K on my '99 M and have also noticed a drop in mileage from about 19.5 to 18.5. I have also noticed some misfiring, but not on a consistent basis. I always use high test figuring it would help keep the engine clean...I guess I was wrong.

    Are there any brand plugs that are recommended? Anything else I should change? The 45K maintenance was a joke, they only change the oil and rotate the tires at the -5*.

    Thanks for the input.
  • fuzzywuzzyfuzzywuzzy Member Posts: 958
    Saw a news story down here in south FL a few days ago. Some "older" man drove his nice 02 black 300M through the window of a Chinese Restaurant. Claimed he hit reverse instead of drive. Though it was funny. We get these kinds of things all the time here. Like 4 of them this week alone.
  • fuzzywuzzyfuzzywuzzy Member Posts: 958
    Are they making the LX cars yet? Any info on the next M?
  • bigmike5bigmike5 Member Posts: 960
    I recall Ottowrkr said that they re-tool the plant production line in August, and will start producing the LX platform about 1 Sep. They have been doing 04 M's for quite a while now. The 03's and 04's have short production runs.
  • bluesky999bluesky999 Member Posts: 253
    Blowbyu, I would recommend the Bosch platinum tipped plugs. You can get them in a choice of 2 contact points or 4; I've used the 4s in the past and they worked well. If you don't get platinum the projected life expectancy of your plugs goes way down--perhaps to 20K or so although I don't remember.

    Bigmike, the crossfire sounds like a rich man's toy. Gee, even if I was in that league I doubt if I'd pay close to 40K for a Chrysler. I think the luxury brands dealer experience is just much better.

    Fast, those are interesting articles. Glad to see the Big 2 did fairly well. BTW, anyone have any experience with Cadillac service departments or know how they rate?(in case I get a CTS in the coming years)?
  • bigmike5bigmike5 Member Posts: 960
    I have dealt with two Caddy dealers here in KY. They have both been absolutely superb in handling any complaint, and being more than happy to do all they could for the customer. I have also watched how they handled other customers while I was waiting for service on the wife's car. They were uniformly business like,courteous, and I didn't hear em trying to blow unneeded services by little old ladies who were unlikely to know better. My wife has an 00 Eldo ESC and they baby it as much as I do. No complaints, period. When the CTS-V hits the market I will see if she will part with her Eldo for that one, assuming I still have any $$ left.

    On the Crossfire, I agree. Nice if you are a well-heeled bachelor, or an "old man" like me, in need of a new toy, and with extra money and garage space. Unfortuantely, I think all I qualify for here is the "old man" part. But if it had a 275 hp power plant with a turbo...ah well.
  • ottowrkrottowrkr Member Posts: 778
    Last day for LH is Aug 28 , We will not be building pilot LX cars till around NOV . Even then the first saleable cars for the public will not be built till late Jan 04 .
  • ajpiiiajpiii Member Posts: 260
    Does anyone know if the special side skirts are molded into the rocker panels, or are they a seperate piece that bolts onto a regular M Rocker Panels ?
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    bluesky999-

    Drove by the "-10STAR" today and noticed a silver Crossfire parked in front. I'll stop some time when they're closed and see how much they have it marked up. Between the Pacifica and this car, I don't think their sales will be going up soon. Touting Mercedes "parts" doesn't do much as far as I can see considering their ratings in the current JD Power listings.

    I don't think the Germans have ANY clue what Americans like and want in cars! They're very practical and stoic. We're more carefree and whimsical and like to change cars frequently. As least that's the way I see it. I get bored with a car after a few years no matter how nice it is.

    fastdriver
  • intrepidspiritintrepidspirit Member Posts: 662
    "I get bored with a car after a few years no matter how nice it is."

    LOL...you're not trying to tell me you were bored with Christine? From the stories you've told, boring just doesn't seem to fit!

    I agree with you about the German cars. The Germans just don't seem to understand the personal relationship that so many Americans have with their cars...

    BTW, there is at least one dealer here selling the Crossfire at MRSP. From what I have seen and heard (bigmike5's test drive, for example), the Crossfire just isn't that special -- it may be a good car, but not good enough to command a premium over MRSP. As with the Pacifica, it is underpowered. When Chrysler was still Chrysler, this didn't happen. Remember when the 300M was introduced in 1998? It had the highest horsepower in its' class...
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