i use Pennzoil Full Synthetic (has Pennzane!! Whatever the heck that is!) with a fram filter changed every 3K or so miles. $10 more than standard oil at my oil place, and works like a charm. 16K FANTASTIC miles so far. Next time, I will get the tranny power flush just to see what happens.
Forgot to post this when it happened. I was driving in typical severe Alabama weather 2 weeks ago at about 75. I heard a pop on the windshield like a rock had hit. Then all h&%# broke loose. I drove into a wall of 3/4 to 1" hail proceeding a funnel cloud that I was trying to outrun (don't ask). Slowed to 60, took my exit, and went through about another 1/4 mile of hail beofre it quit. Got home and parked. The M dried off in my garage overnight and when I pulled out into the sun the next morning, spots all over the nose of the car. Not damage, but places where the hailstones had knocked the road grime off the nose!!! Like poking your dirty finger in a thousand randon places on the front of a dirty M. Washed it that afternoon, and not a dent, not a scratch! We rarely get hail down here, so I was scared that it might have stripped my baby down to the bare metal, but it fared well!!
Can the head unit & amp on the upgraded stereo handle the subwoofer or did you need to swap one or both of these items out? I put a Eclipse (Fujitsu Ten) unit in my Galant that already has a subwoofer pre-amp and controls. All I'd need is the box and the amp. It would be nice if all we'd need to put more boom boom in the 300 is to add the subby.
I like the upgraded stereo, both for the extra power and the disc changer. You can get a bit more base with the equalizer, and the CD changer is great for books on CD during a long trip. I have the Taupe interior, and after 2 months and 5,000 miles it still looks great. I like the two-tone motif, and it brightens the interior. I had the agate interior on the '99 and it showed dust all the time.
all we have done is added an extra amp to the system using speaker level inputs off the factory amp, no harm done, some here have added big 600watt amps still no problems, very easy to do.
Was that last message to me..Mikeyp? I'm not very handy when it comes to wires..however, if it is easy to do, then, the worse case, is that I screw it up and still take it to an install place..
What about the powered Bazooka's..do you think that it would also be difficult? Is your way better??
Thanks! Exactly the information I was looking for. I really didn't want the dark interior and I was looking for another good excuse to hold out for the Taupe. Dust it is!
post 699 was to you, the not welcome message is just a joke, in the past i have not been very nice to intrepid owners...powered bazookas are great only thing is that they have to stay in, they are wired the same way using the speaker level inputs,the way i have mine hooked up i can take out the box by just unplugging the speaker wire to it and i have factory sound, the amp is mounted directly under the factory amp so it's out of the way, on trips i fill the trunk full of moon pies and rc colas so i need all the room ))
What a great phrase. I also boom boom and zoom zoom regularly, but I went the expensive route. One 12" Boston Acoustics Pro Sub with 150W adds plenty of bass to my M. Sprinkle with a dash of BA Pro 3 way seps and BA Rally 6X9s, then BAM! an Alpine V12 5 Channel amp and BAM BAM! a Kenwood Head Unit and you too can listen to the sweet rockin' sounds.
Hi all, I am planning on buying a shiny new 2001M sometime in the next month. I haven't talked to the Chrysler dealer yet, so I haven't been able to play around with one yet. I'm planing on getting a dashboard kit later... I'd like to know exactly what does the Luxury option give you? I mean.. what does the Vehicle Information Center do? I can't decide if the Luxury option is worth getting or not.
Also, does anyone know if xenon head lamps are sold aftermarket anywhere? (Otherwise known as high density discharge head lamps)?
thanks for all of your replies, i think i'll just stick with the wal-mart oil and filter, i can change my oil for the life of the car for what you all pay for 1 change, yeah right!!! i'm going to go with my twin brother fuzzywuzzy (we both have 2000 silver php's that were born/manufactured on the same day) and switch to the mobil 1 oil and filter...
wow, you don't have a playstation 2 with monitors in the headrest in the ingredients??? i just wanted to see how cheap i could add some quality "boom boom to the zoom zoom!!!" $230 for rear seat massagers not bad huh???
I personally decided that the "luxury group" was a $500 item I could live without. My understanding (and experience poking around) is that the group adds the following things:
Real wood trim in place of the fake stuff Added wood to the top of the steering wheel A computer center that adds some things such as a oil/tuneup notification (you set the miles) and a setting that links your seat memory to the remotes. Not sure what else is in there, but standard is outside temp, direction, and a trip computer I think. Side mirrors that point down a little when you go to back up (help you see the curb).
Josh, post #714 listed the contents of the Luxury Group, except that the remote link to the memory settings is standard on all 300Ms. I confess I got the package because I liked the real wood with the wood-topped steering wheel. I added the Joshua Tree dash kit and it really richens the interior which, after all, is where you spend your 300M time. The dipping side mirrors turned out to be more useful than I thought when backing. Yes, the price is high for what you get, Chrysler should at least have extended the wood trim to the console. I rationalized my decision by going the monochrome silver paint & wheels, using the money I saved on the chrome wheels to get the Luxury Group. OK, so id doesn't make a lot of sense!
I bought a 2000, so the luxury group wasn't an option, but I have tilted the curb side mirror down manually a few times since I heard about this concept - I don't want to accidentally grind my rims against the curb when parallel parking. I can see Russ's point that it's more useful than you might imagine.
On a separate subject, I got my first order of Zaino <http://www.zainobros.com> recently. Largely on Dustin's recommendation I included Z-10, the leather treatment, in my order. Dustin, you've commented about the "new car smell" from Z-10. Just wanted to let you know that the seat heaters seem to release that aroma a bit more, so even though you may not need the heat down in the South, turn them heaters on and see if you get an aroma boost. You may change your mind about wanting the seat heaters to be optional!
The Z-14 works well on the fake wood trim and the smoked plastic on the stereo and climate control (it masks minor scratches well). It hasn't been warm enough long enough up here for me to try the external products yet.
I'll be your witness. When DC markets the heated seats with a bottle of leather scent (additional charge) as "aromatherapy seats" on the 02 model, you can sue them and give me a small fee! ;-) Wasn't I correct though? I have people that get in my 10 month old M and ask if I just got it. The phrase "that nice new car smell" comes up a LOT!!! Enjoy the Z!
I would like to disagree about the turning radius - 300M has a pretty tight turning radius. I have driven my 300M a lot in NYC and never had a problem with tight spots.
I was wondering if anyone knew if you could get the real wood trim from the dealer and replace the fake stuff in the 1999 and 2000 model cars? Anybody got some pictures of how much better it looks? I think it would too much trouble and too expensive for the steering wheel change due to the airbag.
I was in AZ in July on a mountain and all hell broke loose up there, too. 8000+ feet up, 35 degrees, and hail balls I thought were going to come through the windshield.
Knocked all the desert dust off the car, and left behind no dents.
Thought I'd chime in on the oil/filter/interval discussion. Been using Mobil-1 oil & filter, and changing every 5000 miles, in both my 99 300M and my 94 Dakota. Like the fluidity at low temps in these Wisconsin winters.
On a different note, has anyone else thought about putting wire wheels on the M? Wire wheels have a long traditon in Chrysler history, but I don't know of their existence in the correct sizes. I have the 16" PHP wheels now.
I too have thought of this, and when I went to check it out the salesperson thought I was crazy. I do like the looks of them too, although the front wheel ones do not look as good IMHO as the more recessed rear wheel drive ones. As for companies Daytons is the main seller of them (also sold thorugh Discount Tire). There are a lot more. Check out the Lowrider magazines for more names of companies. They go up to 22" not just the 15" and 16" they used to. The only thing bad are that they are spin offs, making it easy to steal.
I've had my '01 300M for about 5 months (one of the first ones that rolled off the assembly line). It has ~5K miles on it. No PHP, no sunroof, no upgraded stereo, but it does have the chrome wheels with the Michelins as the only option. It came with the "old style" chrome wheels instead of the newer ones I see on the new '01s.
I can perhaps offer some answers to some of the questions being posed.
Mine is solid as a steel brick....no squeaks, rattles, no unfindable noises anywhere. Build quality is great with great materials.
It's kind of strange, I inherited my 300M so I didn't get to pick it out myself. My mirrors DO tilt down in reverse. I was under the impression that this was only available with the lux package.
It's red with the taupe interior. The taupe looks really good. No problems keeping it clean (and smelling good with Zaino).
I've heard the upgraded stereo at my dealer's during a routine oil change stop. I couldn't tell any difference (or sound level) with the upgraded. I would imagine that being in the back seat, it would sound different since that's where the two additional tweeters are added (bringing the speakers from 9 to 11). I didn't notice any appreciable difference with the extra power on the upgrae either. The CD changer is nice, but I don't miss it. I only play one CD at a time anyway.
The '01 is noticeably quieter than it's earlier siblings. I was able to drive a used '99 that my dealer had for sale when I was last there. Don't know the reason (Michelin vs. Goodyear?). Better sound deadening? I really don't know.
I'm getting 28MPG on all highway driving (travelling between 70MPH-80MPH). I haven't done a totally straight "city driving" test, but am getting 21 MPG on a 50/50 mix of city/highway....all on 87 octane.
Whoever thought of putting the audio controls on the backside of the steering wheel is a genious.
All-in-all, not one complaint with my 300M so far. Great car!
To get an idea of what the "cream colored" interior looks like, here's my link:
Hi all. Bought my 2000 300M in September of 2000, PHP, Deep Sapphire Blue. Love this car so far! I now have 12000 miles on it, and have had no real problems at all.
1) I have developed a rattle in the right front door. How have been experiences getting things like this fixed at the dealer? Will they fix it? The car is otherwise drum-tight.
2) At certain points during acceleration, there is a "sucking" or "wheezing" noise coming from the engine area. Can't tell if its the engine or tranny. Anyone experience this?
3) Although I have the PHP, apparently the cruise-control is limited to around 87 miles per hour. This is annoying as hell. Does anyone know if there is a way to defeat the limiter?
4) I want to add a little wood to the dash. I DO NOT want to get a kit that glues on though. Does Mopar sell the wood trim kits from the 2001 models aftermarket? Or someone else? I'd love to add the 2001 steering wheel to my 2000, and few other pieces too.
Recently saw an ad in Philly newspaper for Maguire's Tire Gel. Claimed longer lasting than others. Available in gloss or satin. Has anyone tried the stuff?
I use the Meguires tire gel and have been satisified. I use the satin finish. It DOES last much longer that anything else I've tried. I tend to not wash the car too much, living in San Diego and all. Just routine dusting and Meguires "Quick Detailer" (switching to Zaino, if it EVER stops raining here :~(). With the way it lasts and the way I wash, that bottle should last for quite a few years. You will need one of those contoured applicators, though. They make things go on easier.
Tom, I use this product regularly. It's called "Meguire's ENDURANCE Tire Protectant Gel" Be advised there are TWO kinds, regular and wet look. I personally prefer a black satin finish to the "wet look" which I feel looks cheap. One caveat: If you drive the car before the protectant dries, centrufugal force may deposit the gel on the sides of your car. You can minimize this by buffing the tires with a dry piece of cotton towel to eliminate the excess gel. The product does, as claimed, last much longer than most other tire dressings.
I posted a couple hundred ago. 99M, 38,000 miles...Just recently began experiencing a wind whistling at around 50-60 mph. The noise is on the driver side, seemingly coming from around the rv mirror. It is not window molding related, as the noise continues even with window open around half way. Anyone experience this? Apparently, there was a TSB on wind noise, but I'm not sure it was specific to what I am experiencing. I love the car, but wince whenever I approach 50 mph, because, sure shootin', the whistlin' begins.
definitely not related to this, unfortunately. I wish there was a simple solution. The other day I noticed that int the front, driver side wheel well, a rubber cap was missing in an opening that must be used for lube access. I was almost certain that was the cause, duct taped the hole, convinced I had found IT, but, no luck. I seems to be whistlling around the mirror attachment to the car, but that might just be a symptom of some other issue
It has to be some sort of weather stripping issue. The whistle is caused by air moving between 2 small spaces. Check it agian. There is also a foam piece in the drivers side fender. You can see it when the door is open. It is grey/black, & looks shoved into the fender where the door hinges are. Check that too. Also check the bottom of the door, & around the window. That rubber plug is to cover the access hole for the front facia bolt. You need to take out the bolt if you replace the headlight bulbs. There should be another one on the other side of the car.
that hole is probably the access hole to remove the bumper cover for replacement of headlight bulbs--I cant believe they make it so difficult to replace a headlight bulb.---they have a grommet to fill that hole--you should get one from the dealer.
Dash still drives me nuts but continues to worsen. The driver's door now sounds like it will be coming apart soon judging by the way it sounds when I close it. What would be a reasonable price to sell my loaded car with 5,500 miles for? I've checked KBB but that price seems a little high compared to the prices of new M's. I originally purchased the car at a selling price of $17,000 after $10,000 trade and have a 60 month loan on that amount at 8%. I've made 3 or 4 payments so far. Wonder what I could get for it as a trade?
I'm going to the Ocean City, Maryland Auto Show tomorrow and will be exploring some new cars. I'll report back afterwards. Well, better go. I think a storm is headed this way soon. Even a few inches makes me worry a lot because even though I'm experianced in winter driving (former Pennsylvanian), the brain-dead morons here in Delaware cause pile ups even when it rains.
Lolita is approaching 15k so its time for her first visit to the dealer. Up till now, I've just been changing the oil every 3K at a local shop. The main reason I wanted to bring it in was for the B schedule recommended differential fluid change. I also wanted to have the tranny fluid changed.
To my surprise the service writer said they have not had requests to change the diff fluid and he said it wasn't necessary. He said it was more important in a 4 wheel drive vehicle. And he said not to worry about the tranny till about 30K. I told him I want to change the tranny fluid anyway and asked what they do during a change. He said they drop the pan, change the filter, and also drain the converter-- so it sounds like a complete fluid change. I didnt think they could drain the converter fluid. Has anyone here had the converter fluid drained during a tranny service? I thought the best they could do was to flush the whole system.
They are also doing a few warranty repairs--engine hiss at 2K rpm's, growling noise on low idle on cold start (accessory belt looseness), and are replacing the dash wood strip due to a small defect.
I also have noticed a rubbing noise when raising and lowering driver's side window as if the strip on door edge at lower part of glass is rubbing. I will see if they can replace the strip. Anyone else have this problem?
They were very accomodating when I told them I need a replacement vehicle to uses while repairs are done.
So far they are acting like a true 5*--hope I feel the same way after the repairs.
A differential on a FWD car? Never heard of that before and I've had FWD for 18 years. As to the tranny change. I believe they call it a flush when they do the proceedure where they remove all the fluid, including the torque converter. I had it done on my '96 Sable at an independent shop for around $135.
Can't help not to share with everybody. After having the M for almost 3 months, I have a chance to drive the way I like. I was able to drive up to 110 mph on Hiway 280 in bay area, playing with 3rd and 4th gear. The M shoots so smoothly and fast when shifting to 3rd gear. It is a really nice car. Mine is 2001 with PHP. I can't wait to drive faster.
Our Ms have differentials since our engines are not mounted transverse like most FWD V6 cars. My dad used to have an old FWD Olds Toronado. It had a 5.0 V8 FWD and a big ol differential in the front.
I thought I read in our owners manual that ours in loaded with a factory synthetic gear lube. I know the manual on my dad's Grand Cherokee says this about the diffs and transfer case. So the factory has a synth lube.
Everyone's got an opinion. Mine has been influenced by a poster on the Chryco minivan topic who is doing his own original research. He has three Chrysler vehicles of various ages (newest a 2000) and sends samples of his used oil to an analysis lab every time he changes engine oil or transmission fluid. The analysis indicates stubbornly high levels of aluminum and silica. The aluminum is obviously wear from various internal parts. He hypothesizes that the silica is from the sand casting process used to manufacture the engine blocks. The conclusion is that the relatively high historical failure rates in Chrysler minivan transmissions are due to contaminated blocks "sandblasting" internal components. Since most people change their engine oil with some regularity, contamination is eventually diluted enough to allow for good reliability. However, transmissions, with very long or no service intervals, have frequently failed in the 60-70,000 mile range. Further, the recommended dealer trans service consists of dropping the pan and replacing the filter. This results in removal of less than half the contaminated fluid. This is why some folks seek "power flushes" for transmission service. If one believe's this guy's research (and I do) the issue is not which type of engine oil to use but the frequency at which it is changed. The issue is wear contamination, not lubrication breakdown. Therefore, both synthetics and organics work just fine if changed at 3,000 miles. However, many people use synthetics with the goal of longer change intervals which may actually hurt the longevity of engine components.
As a counterpoint to the many anti-Goodyear rants, I got 53,000 miles out of my OEM Eagle LS's. I was not down to the wear bars (could have easily gone 60,000) but was skating in the snow so I replaced them. I would get wear imbalance resulting in vibration (it's a large, heavy tire) but it was always correctable with rotation and balance. I did a lot of shopping for replacements and finally concluded that the Eagle LS was the best value for my needs and bought another set for $516 out-the-door with lifetime balance and rotation. Many other alternatives (Michelin, Bridgestone etc.) were at or above $1,000.
If you're tall, watch out for the headroom differences. If you look at the body shell specs, the two cars have identical headroom measurements. In reality, there is a significant difference. I really wanted a sunroof, which eats up 1-1/4" of headroom. I'm 6'-4" and I fit comfortably in the 300M, but not the Intrepid. The difference is in the seat foam. It is much firmer in the Intrepid. You tend to sit on top of the seat, whereas in the M, it is softer and a little wider so you tend to sink down into it.
Thanks for the info. I forgot that Chrysler does that on some FWD. How 'bout enlightening me as to why they mount them "normally." Seems like more moving parts to eat up HP. Just curious. Thanks Michael
you're an LS owner right??? so why are you following the chrysler 300m topic??? i know you want to see what you're missing...no problem it's flattering!!!
I arrived at the convention center and while I was parking, my car's twin pulled in. I caught up with him and he asked me how I like my car. I told him about the problems but he just smiled. He said him and his wife first seriously considered the Bonneville but she liked the way the 300M handled. His still had the temp. tags so he probably hadn't had it that long. I also saw a record number of M's today on the highway. At the show they had a 2001 black/lt. taupe 300M with every option except PHP. I like the light interior much better than my agate that just doesn't look that great and always looks dirty.
I think ezaircon4jc checks out this (300M) board is because it is so active and the cars are almost identical. I know if I have the LHS, or Intrepid R/T, I would be checking out this board at least every other day. Just like once on a while I check our the R/T board to see if anything new has come out. This board is the best source for info in the 3.5L Chrysler products.
You are getting about twice the wear as I am getting. Of course I take the corners pretty fast (can always hear the tires complaning) so it is not surprise. Mine have been very good to me none of the problems, others have complaned about even after rotations (I did them myself) still no problems. I just want a little better performance tires. A couple of shops tell me that I can put on 255/50's on my stock 17X7 wheels. Some shops say it's too much tire unless I have an 8" wheel for this tire.
Off-topic and inappropriate posts (and a couple of responses to same) have been deleted.
Please review the Terms of Use to which you agreed when you joined Town Hall. If further clarification is needed, please address your questions to Online Support.
Now, let's get back to discussing the 300M within the TOU. Thanks.
Pat Host Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards
Comments
The Chrysler 300M Enthusiasts Club, Inc.
LHS owners, bring those sister cars on over too!!
I have the Taupe interior, and after 2 months and 5,000 miles it still looks great. I like the two-tone motif, and it brightens the interior.
I had the agate interior on the '99 and it showed dust all the time.
Racefan9's 300m -NO LHS, Concord or Intrepid owners welcome SORRY!!!
What about the powered Bazooka's..do you think that it would also be difficult? Is your way better??
Mike
What a great phrase. I also boom boom and zoom zoom regularly, but I went the expensive route. One 12" Boston Acoustics Pro Sub with 150W adds plenty of bass to my M. Sprinkle with a dash of BA Pro 3 way seps and BA Rally 6X9s, then BAM! an Alpine V12 5 Channel amp and BAM BAM! a Kenwood Head Unit and you too can listen to the sweet rockin' sounds.
I am planning on buying a shiny new 2001M sometime in the next month. I haven't talked to the Chrysler dealer yet, so I haven't been able to play around with one yet. I'm planing on getting a dashboard kit later... I'd like to know exactly what does the Luxury option give you? I mean.. what does the Vehicle Information Center do? I can't decide if the Luxury option is worth getting or not.
Also, does anyone know if xenon head lamps are sold aftermarket anywhere? (Otherwise known as high density discharge head lamps)?
Real wood trim in place of the fake stuff
Added wood to the top of the steering wheel
A computer center that adds some things such as a oil/tuneup notification (you set the miles) and a setting that links your seat memory to the remotes. Not sure what else is in there, but standard is outside temp, direction, and a trip computer I think.
Side mirrors that point down a little when you go to back up (help you see the curb).
I confess I got the package because I liked the real wood with the wood-topped steering wheel.
I added the Joshua Tree dash kit and it really richens the interior which, after all, is where you spend your 300M time.
The dipping side mirrors turned out to be more useful than I thought when backing.
Yes, the price is high for what you get, Chrysler should at least have extended the wood trim to the console.
I rationalized my decision by going the monochrome silver paint & wheels, using the money I saved on the chrome wheels to get the Luxury Group. OK, so id doesn't make a lot of sense!
On a separate subject, I got my first order of Zaino <http://www.zainobros.com> recently. Largely on Dustin's recommendation I included Z-10, the leather treatment, in my order. Dustin, you've commented about the "new car smell" from Z-10. Just wanted to let you know that the seat heaters seem to release that aroma a bit more, so even though you may not need the heat down in the South, turn them heaters on and see if you get an aroma boost. You may change your mind about wanting the seat heaters to be optional!
The Z-14 works well on the fake wood trim and the smoked plastic on the stereo and climate control (it masks minor scratches well). It hasn't been warm enough long enough up here for me to try the external products yet.
I was in AZ in July on a mountain and all hell broke loose up there, too. 8000+ feet up, 35 degrees, and hail balls I thought were going to come through the windshield.
Knocked all the desert dust off the car, and left behind no dents.
-m
Thought I'd chime in on the oil/filter/interval discussion. Been using Mobil-1 oil & filter, and changing every 5000 miles, in both my 99 300M and my 94 Dakota. Like the fluidity at low temps in these Wisconsin winters.
On a different note, has anyone else thought about putting wire wheels on the M? Wire wheels have a long traditon in Chrysler history, but I don't know of their existence in the correct sizes. I have the 16" PHP wheels now.
Happy Motoring!
I can perhaps offer some answers to some of the questions being posed.
Mine is solid as a steel brick....no squeaks, rattles, no unfindable noises anywhere. Build quality is great with great materials.
It's kind of strange, I inherited my 300M so I didn't get to pick it out myself. My mirrors DO tilt down in reverse. I was under the impression that this was only available with the lux package.
It's red with the taupe interior. The taupe looks really good. No problems keeping it clean (and smelling good with Zaino).
I've heard the upgraded stereo at my dealer's during a routine oil change stop. I couldn't tell any difference (or sound level) with the upgraded. I would imagine that being in the back seat, it would sound different since that's where the two additional tweeters are added (bringing the speakers from 9 to 11). I didn't notice any appreciable difference with the extra power on the upgrae either. The CD changer is nice, but I don't miss it. I only play one CD at a time anyway.
The '01 is noticeably quieter than it's earlier siblings. I was able to drive a used '99 that my dealer had for sale when I was last there. Don't know the reason (Michelin vs. Goodyear?). Better sound deadening? I really don't know.
I'm getting 28MPG on all highway driving (travelling between 70MPH-80MPH). I haven't done a totally straight "city driving" test, but am getting 21 MPG on a 50/50 mix of city/highway....all on 87 octane.
Whoever thought of putting the audio controls on the backside of the steering wheel is a genious.
All-in-all, not one complaint with my 300M so far. Great car!
To get an idea of what the "cream colored" interior looks like, here's my link:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1158985&a=8520252&f=0
1) I have developed a rattle in the right front door. How have been experiences getting things like this fixed at the dealer? Will they fix it? The car is otherwise drum-tight.
2) At certain points during acceleration, there is a "sucking" or "wheezing" noise coming from the engine area. Can't tell if its the engine or tranny. Anyone experience this?
3) Although I have the PHP, apparently the cruise-control is limited to around 87 miles per hour. This is annoying as hell. Does anyone know if there is a way to defeat the limiter?
4) I want to add a little wood to the dash. I DO NOT want to get a kit that glues on though. Does Mopar sell the wood trim kits from the 2001 models aftermarket? Or someone else? I'd love to add the 2001 steering wheel to my 2000, and few other pieces too.
Thanks all.
You could buy the '01 real wood dash parts from your dealer, but I think you will find the price is astronomical...ditto the steering wheel.
The "glue on" wood trim is actually double sided 3M tape, but it IS permanent. View mine at:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1501794&a=11408326&f=0
Someone on the board posted a link to a company offering real wood trim to cover the factory "plastic wood"
mine kit is from Joshua Tree.
It's called "Meguire's ENDURANCE Tire Protectant Gel"
Be advised there are TWO kinds, regular and wet look.
I personally prefer a black satin finish to the "wet look" which I feel looks cheap.
One caveat: If you drive the car before the protectant dries, centrufugal force may deposit the gel on the sides of your car.
You can minimize this by buffing the tires with a dry piece of cotton towel to eliminate the excess gel.
The product does, as claimed, last much longer than most other tire dressings.
Any ideas??
Easyrider300m
I'm going to the Ocean City, Maryland Auto Show tomorrow and will be exploring some new cars. I'll report back afterwards. Well, better go. I think a storm is headed this way soon. Even a few inches makes me worry a lot because even though I'm experianced in winter driving (former Pennsylvanian), the brain-dead morons here in Delaware cause pile ups even when it rains.
The main reason I wanted to bring it in was for the B schedule recommended differential fluid change. I also wanted to have the tranny fluid changed.
To my surprise the service writer said they have not had requests to change the diff fluid and he said it wasn't necessary. He said it was more important in a 4 wheel drive vehicle. And he said not to worry about the tranny till about 30K. I told him I want to change the tranny fluid anyway and asked what they do during a change. He said they drop the pan, change the filter, and also drain the converter-- so it sounds like a complete fluid change. I didnt think they could drain the converter fluid. Has anyone here had the converter fluid drained during a tranny service? I thought the best they could do was to flush the whole system.
They are also doing a few warranty repairs--engine hiss at 2K rpm's, growling noise on low idle on cold start (accessory belt looseness), and are replacing the dash wood strip due to a small defect.
I also have noticed a rubbing noise when raising and lowering driver's side window as if the strip on door edge at lower part of glass is rubbing. I will see if they can replace the strip. Anyone else have this problem?
They were very accomodating when I told them I need a replacement vehicle to uses while repairs are done.
So far they are acting like a true 5*--hope I feel the same way after the repairs.
Easyrider300M
I thought I read in our owners manual that ours in loaded with a factory synthetic gear lube. I know the manual on my dad's Grand Cherokee says this about the diffs and transfer case. So the factory has a synth lube.
Michael
I'll post more on the show later.
Please review the Terms of Use to which you agreed when you joined Town Hall. If further clarification is needed, please address your questions to Online Support.
Now, let's get back to discussing the 300M within the TOU. Thanks.
Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards