Chrysler 300M

bigmike5

Took my 99M in for regular service on Monday and saw my first 01M. It had been dropped-off the night before from the delivery truck, and still had the road dirt and protective coverings on key areas. It was kind of a slate blue color. My first reaction in looking at it was "something was not right." On further inspection, and then looking at my 99M, I realized I was put off by the chrome window edging. I heard others remark about that feature some time ago, but when I saw it myself I thought it really cheapened the sporty appearance of the car. Otherwise, most of the interior appeared the same except for the CD player which I understand has more capacity than my single disc player. The dealer here has no 300Ms on the lot, and hasn't had but one in stock [used by the sales manager] since the new ones came out. Any wonder DC sales are not going well. How can a good sized dealer not have any on the lot? And yet he had a plethora of Intrepids and Concords. After looking at the 01 I guess I can wait for the 300N or Hemi C in a couple of years, and make do by adding after market stuff to the 99.

fuzzywuzzy

That's how my dealer is. And that'a why I could not pay anywhere near invoice when I bought my 2000 last year.

mykem

I went quite a while without seeing any. Then BAM! all of a sudden I see two of them in the wild this past Saturday.

I don't know, but I do think there might be something different about the front. I mean... I saw the front of them an immediately thought in my head "Oh Look! A 2001!" Turning around and looking at the taillamps was the final test.

Or maybe I'm just crazy.

So far to date I've only received the $50 bond offer. I guess I'm not quite the 'red headed stepchild,' but I'm not far from being one. 30 months and all I get is this.

-m

sleepymw

is there somewhere we can go to sign up for these discounts and money backs? i mean, if the dealer is gonna pay me money to test drive a car, we can become very good friends in a very short period of time... i got all day

fuzzywuzzy

Any news on the painting of your calipers. I need to replace the front pads this weekend. I was going to try it. If not on the M, then can I get any info that might help from your experience with the Ram. Email me if you want.

racefan9

haven't had a nice sunny weekend to get the job done, you should have no problem if you're taking off the pads, i don't even think you would have to disconnect the calipers, just clean them with some type of degreaser, wait for them to dry then go over them with some steel wool, dust them off, tape everything off with some newspaper and blue tape (just like regular masking tape but it's blue and is real easy to take off) and apply several light coats, you don't have to wait long between coats. the paint i used left a nice slick even finish, can't wait to do mine...Later

fuzzywuzzy

What kind of degreaser, & steel wool did you use?

racefan9

greased lighting, or just any degreaser the parts store has, fine steel wool to scuff it a little and loosen any rust.

sugar300m

what kind of paint are you using? I'm coming up to a pad replacement also & this sounds great. Other half hasn't given authorization for the Borla exhaust system (yet).

denverm

According to this site: http://www.car-truck.com/chryed/buzz/b072000.htm

the '01's got new front fascias, grills, and headlights. Looking at the pics on DC's site http://www.chrysler.com/300m/ext/index.html , I can't see any difference, but I'll look for it on '01's that I see on the street.

When I bought my '00 M, I went to three dealers, and I'd say that each had at least six M's on their lot. One probably had ten. There are two others in my parking garage at work, and one day I was one of three all lined up in a row at at stoplight. Guess Denver digs 300M's!

racefan9

VHT brake caliper paint
autoaccessory.com
have to call it in
1-888-734-8734
page P35 from their catalog $4.99
racing red, bright blue, real orange, gloss black, cast aluminum, bright yellow, satin black

300michael

came in the mail today. I wish Plymonth was still in business, so they would send me one too. I can see why Chrysler is in financal trouble, giving out $100 worth of saving bond to every owner.
hayneldan, we must be on the same list, I got all those thing too. I like the tape measure and the flashlight both of which I keep in the car. Will use the warning latch sound to go off when someone crititizes the driver.

easyrider300m

you were looking for a car with a long warranty--I believe Hyundai comes witha 10 year 100,000 mile warranty. That doesnt mean the car is built any better, just that they will fix it when it starts falling apart.

I still would rather have the M with just a 3 year warranty and I'll take my chances. Of course, you can always buy the extended warranty for your M.

Easyrider300m

fuzzywuzzy

Same paint as race. In black.

gumby6

Racefan9, thanks for the info.

300mlover

I am sure you all have talked about this in past posts, but I can't find any of them. Does anyone know what is the widest size tire that will fit under a '00 M. I am thinking about 255/45/17. I want to maintain same tire diameter for the speedo, but I am concerned about scuffing during turns. Any help will be appreciated.

Thank you,
Craig

fuzzywuzzy

I have gone over this before, from experience. A 255 is wide. It's not the widest you can fit on the 300M. You can fit alot wider tires on. Howerver only if you get the correct backspacing, & a wide rim. The stock 17's are only 7" wide. Most 245/255 tires are designed to be on at least a 8" wide rim. Check with the tire maker to find out. I had a 245 on the stock rims, & had nothing but pulling/vibration problems. Yet when I put the stock tires on, all was good. I now have 18's that are 300M specific. Same backspacing/bolt pattern as the stock 17"s. I tried to fit 255's on them, & there was less then a 1/8 of an inch of clearence between the tire & tie rod end. I decided it was too close. I put 245's on, & there's alot more clearence. A 235-50 is close to stock, would be off 1mph, or less. A 245-50 is also close to stock. A 255-45 would be about 2.5% off.(a 2-5 mile diffence depending on speed)

300mlover

I am sorry. I guess I should have been more specific. I want to use the stock 17" Razorstars and also keep the tires under the wheel wheels. Along with an accurate speedo reading.

dustinnewton

Sleepy. One solution to the dirty wheel problem that I have done in the past is once every 6 months or so (or however ofter you want to deal with it), you can remove each wheel one by one and wash ad]nd wax the inside of the wheel itself. Mark a spot on the wheel so you can put it back on the same lug (don't know if it makes a difference, but I never tried not doing it) afterwards and be sure to torque the lugs properly. True, it's a bit of trouble, but a good way to do it. You could also slip under the corner of the car and wash what you can, then roll your car a bit, put the brake on, and get what you missed the first time. That is what I do now.
Russ-You are right, Earnhardt's death must be kept in perspective. Kennedy wasn't a god either, and the Kennedy name means little down this way. Earnhardt's death was far more important to me than any Kennedy death because either I wasn't alive when one died, was too young, or in the case of John Jr., didn't care about hime more than any other human on earth. If you want to put a Kennedy death above an Earnhardt death, that's fine but be careful what you say about those who reverse the importance. The reason Dale's death has hit so hard is because he was a common man in an extraordinary position, not a blue blood socialite that got places because of his name. I would venture a guess that more people in the world could identify with Dale than any of the Kennedys. If you don't think he was important, that's fine but respect the feelings of those of us who did think he was important, and I will do the same for you and your thoughts about the Kennedy clan.

mikeyp

Hey there..
Thanks for letting me know..I will try and adjust the seat better..

This is the first time that I have done a car club, but reading thru these, lot's of people have some good gadgets..I really like the clock thing, but am afraid to do it..I also would like to add more base, but don't really want to spend the money now (just bought a house in N cal..)..so money is tight..I have the 01 s/blue with Light toupe inter..all options except side air bags..Great car..I'm having other little bead rattles from the drivers side..can't figure out from where..also, the seal on the moon roof has a little sqeek action going on..do you have those problems?

scotian

Your new clock faces are finally in the mail! You each get two faces, one printed on a color laser printer, and one on a color ink jet printer. The latter has one rough side on the transparency. I think the ink jet one came out better!

Anyway, look them both over, and tell me which one you decided to use.

Also, since the new 300M Shield obscures the small hand in the 5-7:00 positions, I gave Tandee an old-style shield version as well.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1280646&a=9486000

sugar300m

Race & Fuzzy - thanks for the paint type. Goes on as soon as Spring comes.
Dustinnewton-thanks for your take on the Earnhardt tragedy; very well said.

rklass

Here's a great tool for checking spedometer variance with different tire sizes;
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
It's on the Miata Net, but it works for all sizes
One last thing on Daytona:
I think that anyone who equates the importance of the assassination of a sitting US president with the death of ANY race driver has a serious problem with his/her values.

gbjerke

I also was one who was active on the AOL 300M board...until an over aggressive board monitor totally screwed it over and virtually killed it.
Glad to see something like this. I see rklass has posted and we considered him the guru of the "M". Seems he logged some 70k miles on his '99, and now has an '01. Any questions on the "M" can be answered by Russ.

denverm

Hey, there are all kinds of ways of looking at deaths; we're all going to go, and in one sense each person's life is of equal value.

In terms of IMPORTANCE to the world, to history, etc., the assassination of a sitting U.S. president is no doubt bigger than most other deaths.

In terms of impact to individual persons, though, it depends on very personal connections. I don't follow NASCAR and didn't even know who Earnhardt was before this event, but I can appreciate the loss his family and fans feel, even though it doesn't affect me personally very deeply. My son went and still goes (now with my daughter) to Columbine High School, and those deaths affected me and my family very deeply, but I wouldn't expect people without those connections to be equally affected by them. There's no real way (or reason) to attempt to rank or judge those very personal reactions to the deaths of people to whom we feel connected; historical importance can perhaps be weighed, but emotions can't.

sdmike2

Hi all. I'm a new member of the group here but I've been reading back for a while. I'm about to pull the trigger on a 300M (not literally, like beach15 might) and thought I might ask a question or two...

First, the pricing down here in San Diego right now is about $4,000 off MSRP. One dealer is quoting me $299 over invoice less $2,000 current dealer incentive. Even carsdirect.com is pricing only about $500 above this. Anyone know when this incentive is to expire? I'd love to jump on it, but I have yet to find a car equipped exactly like I want.

Second, I'd like to get some opinions on the available packages. Right now I don't think I have much use for the luxury package (tilt side mirrors, wood, & fancy computer) or the upgraded stereo (adds a changer). Is there anything I'm missing here. Is there a significant difference in the stereo quality?

Finally, (and this has probably been asked 1000 times before) has anyone found a good supplier of after-market performance parts and tweaks? I'm thinking of computer tweaks that can change the shifting points and increase RPMs (and even remove the speed limiter), cold air intake or K&N, and other goodies.

Thanks in advance. I'm looking forward to joining the pile of happy 300M owners in here.

-Mike

denverm

I have a 2000M, don't know details about the lux option. The upgrade stereo includes the 4 disc changer, more watts, and more speakers. I've got it, but didn't listen to the basic stereo, so can't judge the difference. Re: aftermarket, check out the FAQ and other pages at the Chrysler 300M Enthusiasts Club site: http://www.300mclub.org

Chysler's web site says there's a $1000 incentive on '01 M's, which expires 4/3/01

tandee

Soctian - I look forward to getting the clock faces. Thanks! Oh, and what is the old school version?

All - I'm out on the road and unable to do Trivia Time this week. I know, you're all really broken up about this... unless someone wants to fill in for me. Racey?.. Fuzzy?.. Bueller?.. Anyone?

rklass

Mike, I'm on my second M, a silver '01 with every option but the chrome wheels (I like the silver paint/wheel combo)
Stereo: Big sound difference, changer is nice too.
Luxury group: What the hell, it looks great!
PHG: If you are a DRIVER (I do 30,000 mi/yr) you will appreciate the superior steeting, brakes, tires & handling. Drive both, then decide.
Side air bags: Mixed feelings, but I have them.
Moonroof: Personal choice, my'99 didn't have one, I like it on the '01.
Full size spare: Cheap insurance against coming home from a trip on the donut.
You pays your money and you takes your choice.
Good luck, you'll love the M!

sdmike2

Thanks for the information! So many choices...all it takes is $. . I think I could do without the luxury group and the side air bags, but most of the cars on the lots down here are loaded. I guess if I'm getting the thing for $1700 under invoice I can afford to pick up a couple things I don't really want. I just found out that the dealer up in Escondido is getting 10 cars from the Bob Hope Chrysler Desert Classic that was just held in Vegas. They used 300Ms as the courtesy cars. They tell me that all the cars have under 500 miles on them and will have another $1000 or so knocked off. Anyone in SoCal that's looking for a 300 might want to ask your dealer about this.

rklass

Mike, if you want to see the Luxury Group real wood dash, go to PowerPoint.com, click on "Gallery" and type "300M" in the search box.
I was going to e-mail the link to you, but your e-mail address is not listed in your profile.
Mine has some Joshua Tree wood dash pcs. added, but you can see the texture and color of the Luxury Group real wood. I am very pleased with it.

racefan9

States with the most and least uninsured motorists
State % uninsured

Colorado 32% Rhode Island 11%
New Mexico 30% Delaware 11%
South Carolina 28% Arkansas 11%
Alabama 25% Wisconsin 11%
Mississippi 25% Hawaii 10%
California 22% Kentucky 10%
Washington, D.C. 21% Iowa 10%
Florida 20% Pennsylvania 9%
Texas 18% Vermont 9%
Tennessee 18% Montana 9%
Oklahoma 17% Connecticut 9%
Alaska 16% Kansas 9%
Maryland 16% Utah 9%
Arizona 16% New Hampshire 9%
Nevada 15% Louisiana 8%
New Jersey 15% West Virginia 8%
Washington 15% Idaho 8%
Missouri 13% New York 7%
Georgia 13% North Dakota 7%
Michigan 13% Nebraska 7%
Illinois 13% Wyoming 7%
Ohio 13% Massachusetts 7%
Oregon 12% South Dakota 6%
Virginia 12% North Carolina 6%
Indiana 12% Maine 4%
Minnesota 12%
Source: Insurance Research Council

sugar300m

If you can wait, I would order the car new so you know exactly what you're getting. Some of us have had no problems, others....I have a 99M no PHG but all other options w/ 24,500 miles & it's great! & take the full spare; my wife already had to use it far from home & was glad she had it. Whatever you do, Good Luck!

300michael

Welcome aboard, and happy posting

300michael

I totally agree with you on life, death, and the 300M.

300michael

As for changing the limiter and shift points, the limiter can not be removed, except to change the computer (very expensive). No shop will change the shift points unless it is sent an OK from DC. I had a run in with a service tech over this issue aready. Not a lot of after market parts for the 300M. Most of us have had to our own mods to this car some at http://homestead.com/chrysler300m/chrysler300M.html

300michael

I test drove a Intrepid R/T and an 300M both 2001 models today. The biggest suprise on both was how much quieter they were over the 99 models (russ I see what you mean) The non PHP was a quiet as mine (within 2 dbs) the PHP was just a little louder, but not really that noticable. The new lux wood is nicer IMHO to the orginal. The wood on the steering wheel took some getting used to though. One note though the tires on the tested vehicles were at 30 psi and mine are at 37psi.

denverm

Race - Dang! I didn't know Colorado was dead last, but I've wondered for a long time why the legislature can't come up with a better way of forcing compliance with mandatory insurance laws. Just goes to show that high uninsured motorist coverage on your own policy makes good sense!

300Michael - I've been curious about the R/T. What did you think of it compared to the M, aside from noise? (I'm hanging on to my M, just wondering!)

sdmike2

Thanks again gang. I really appreciate the feedback and assistance. Sugar, I think I'm leaning towards ordering exactly what I want, but the more I read the more I want EVERYTHING! lol! Tonight the dealer told me that he could give me the $2000 rebate or drop the interest rate down into the 2-3 range. On 25000 in financing it's a no brainer to take the lower rate. The risk of me ordering one is not knowing what the incentive landscape will be when the car comes in. The dealers tell me (or maybe are snowing me) that the incentives don't apply when you order it, but rather when it comes in. Who knows...maybe they're just trying to bully me.

Tonight I drove a non PHP car and it was truly a joy. I haven't driven a PHP but I assume it will only drive better. I could already picture my custom clock fact staring back at me. heh. Quick question for you 300michael (all the cool guys are named michael, by the way), is it true that with the PHP you get a high speed limiter instead of the standard one? I've read this but I haven't seen it in enough places to confirm. It sure would be a shame to have 253+ HP with a 100mph cap on it.

-M

sdmike2

I went to powerpoint.com and didn't see a link to "gallery". I tried the search engine anyway (without checking a radio button) and got a CGI error. What did I miss?

-M

racefan9

no limiter, non-php limited to 118mph

poohbird1

Has anyone else been having a problem with the trim on the interior of their 2000 300M pulling away from the frame? I am taking it to the dealer to have it checked out but was curious if anyone else was having the same problem.

eugenejackson

2001 non php, chrome, hole, lux group, had it since October 2000.

For the past two days I have been hearing a low creaking sound coming from my front right side (by the tire or just above it, maybe a strut or something). It only happens when I am at a complete stop and I accelerate quickly. Has anyone else had the same problem, or even something similar. Now I know it gets kind of cold here in Chicago (the wind-chill is about -10 right now) but I don't think this is causing it.

Poohbird1: no pulling a way from frame for me. The only thing that even remotely happened to me like that (which still is nothing like that) is on one cold Chicago morning, I went to press the button to turn traction control off (so I could get out of my space ) and the entire button went into the dash!

Comments?

drpixel

Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated! EayRider: No I didn't register emily.com for myself--must be some other eMily!

A tip o' the nuclear-powered mouse to all the new posters here--titanman, et al. Make sure you visit OUR new web site at http://www.300mclub.org and join the ever-increasing legions of happy 300m owners.

Been a while since I've visited this board. The S.O.'s back is out, so I'm playing male nurse, both my girls are sick, and as some of you may know, I had to have my cat, my early morning comanion, my little buddy Shadow put down.

I don't care what people say--especially those who are not pet owners...he wasn't JUST a cat, he was my friend. Some of you who already knew about this were very kind in sending my family and I your condolences; and I wanted you all to know how much it meant to us and we sincerely appreciated it. We recently got his ashes back from the pet cemetery (..no not the Stephen King one...). For those of you who have gone through this--you understand how my family and I feel.

Enough wallowing.....hope to to see all your applications for signing up for the best little 300m Club this side of the known universe guys AND gals--where IS scarlett88 these days?

Hope you all have a nice weekend--got 7" fluffy white stuff last night and it tok me FIVE #$%$^ing hours to get home to Joisey from da big city! Sheesh....

email to glenn.beye@ny.frb.org

for woik if you want....

Race: Good to 'see' you, why don't you reconsider and join us again?....

drpixel/Glenn/Ghost of Shadow the wonder Cat

fuzzywuzzy

I have found that alot of dash creaking is from the windsheild cow. The black plastic thing at the front of the windsheild. Mine seemed to creak. It sounds like the dash, but I have traced it to the that. I did tighten the torx bolts, & all is good now.

eugenejackson

Were are the torx bolts you tightened?

rklass

Mike, the PHG does have a speed limiter, but it is set for about 138-140 MPH. The manufacturers set a limiter to the speed rating of the tires.
The '01 300M is equipped with Michelin HX MXM "V" rated tires, which are good for 140 MPH. The non-PHG tires are rated for only 118 MPH.
As for the photo gallery, click on my name above, which will bring up my Town Hall profile. Double click on my e-mail address and send me a note. I will e-mail a link to the album.

rklass

There is a Chrysler TSB on creaking. It is related to the front struts. See your dealer for a warranty repair.

pat

I'm very sorry about Shadow. I know exactly how you and your family feel.

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

300michael

It is very much like our 300M's except for the interior feel. One the Intrepid doesn't have the lux feel and look of the 300M. The dash plastic has a cheeper look to it IMHO. You can't get some of the extra toys, like the trip computer and other features that you at least can get on the ES model. Performance was very simular (I did not take my gTech with me) as best I could tell. For the people wanting the performance with out the lux aspect it is a good choice. The reason for the noise report is because I had my sound meter with me. The saleman was wondering what it was and later was a topic of discussion at the dealership. The R/T had about 3k miles on it, and was going for 24.5K. It was the only one in the north Phoenix I could find.