You're right! DC got the design right, but not the quality. If I had a dealer(s) that some of you have- true "5-STAR", I might have considered another 300. I love the looks of my 300 and the color with that ZAINO shine! However, that's not the case. Being one of the original posters here back in June of 1998, many people couldn't believe the crap I was going through with Christine. I was this close -><- to filing for the Lemon Law in CT. I even went to the Consumer Protection Dept. to look at the case files for past cases to see what the results were for others filing against Chrysler. I probably SHOULD have filed, but thought I would give the dealer(s) a chance. I guess if you get a car with minor problems, these "5-STAR" dealers are fine, but if you get a problem car, then the nightmares begin!<BR>
I don't know if you ever read my "soap opera" story or not. What is listed there is only SOME of what I went through. If I had to post everything, I don't think there would be enough free space in Geocities to print it! Take a look if you haven't already- http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Flats/7501/
So, I guess my AARP bland-looking Regal GS will have to suit me for now. I know I'll be happier without all the hassles! I have to get moving soon! Christine turned 35,000 miles last night! I want it OUT of my name before 36,000!
Well, had my 99 in the shop on Friday (and Saturday) to repair two INOP windows (LF & RR). This is a total of six times windows have quit working on my M.
Did you all know that there is now "a true fix" for the poorly designed window mechanisms on the 99's that was actually causing the problem, rather than just bad motors? Yea, there is... they now have a factory kit where they replace the tracks and guides as well as the motor and regulator. I know I have two windows now that have this "fix" but not sure about the other two. Since I'm coming up on 36K miles and they won't repair unless INOP, I'm gonna get them to promise in writing that they'll do "the fix" on the other two if they go INOP again.
Now if I could just get rid of the intermittant shimmy.
over all the posts i've missed for the last couple of weeks.
not pointing fingers or complaining, but everytime i read this board my paranoid schezophrinic side begin to emerge.
titanman, what is happening with your insurance claim? sorry to hear what had happened. i remember the first week i bought my car and some "elderly" geezer merged into the freeway and almost hit my car, had she hit it i think i'd be sitting in a country club with a uniform on by now. so, good for you for keeping your cool!
being here in Buffalo, the weather has been brutal, the M drives wonderfully. traction hasn't been a problem.
would never buy anything other than another M!
ok. i'll shut up now before i start to talk about something that's not relevant to M discussion *smirks* and risk this being deleted.
Love the license plate Larry! I just wish the gods in Albany would dump the front plate in New York; The M looks much better without a front plate.
Dustin: For shame! I thought you would know that the "R" in the tire sidewall size description is for "radial," and appears on all radial tire sidewalls. Just a temporary memory lapse I'm sure!
that "blemish" looks more like a bubble--I would get that tire checked by Goodyear ASAP---that looks like it could cause a blowout on the highway--wouldnt take a chance riding on it And dont let them blame in on your driving-- I would insist on a new tire==they may however charge you for tread wear unless the tire is fairly new
Glad to see that you returned after that backwoods, draconian, and undeserved editorial a while back.
I still skim about once a week for entertainment, although with less frequency.
Slightly off topic, but...
Don't do it! That Buick will make your GM card earnings that you've spent for evaporate by the time you sign and leave the lot. It will have no resale value! Check out the April issue of Car & Driver and see what Bedard sais about GM cars. Then check out Consumer Reports. Aside from a certain two seat plastic rocket, which is a blast, I would not touch ANY current GM car unless it was a rental.
IMO, getting another 300M would be a much better choice over the Buick, and you know my first hand experience and subsequent opinion regarding 300 quality and resale value.....no offense intended to anyone else with that last statement.
I'm with you, Russ, I wish CO would get rid of them. One legislator introduced a bill this year to dump front plates, saying the state would save $millions. Law enforcement has lobbied heavily against it, saying it's easier to identify potential criminals with front plates on cars (I suppose it would also be easier if we all had side plates on our cars, or had our names tattoo'd on our foreheads). Timing of the bill was unfortunate, as a very recent hit-and-run driver was found because his front plate came off at the scene of the accident. It looks like the bill won't get anywhere.
Although it is against the law here in California not to have front plates, there are plenty of autos that don't. I thought I would live dangerously a couple of months ago, pulled off my front plates, only to find two holes where my 5* attached the frame for the front plate. I contemplated the holes for a moment, then quickly put the plate assembly back on. I believe I'd seen posts in the past about something that could fill these holes, but unless I was assured that I would "never know the difference", I'd be reluctant to use some kind of filler which would then need to be painted.
Oh well. Looking at the positive side of it.. I'll never get pulled over and issued a "fix-it" ticket for not having a front plate.
A note on zaino. I put the first ap of z1 and z5 on my new 01 m and was amazed at how well it lifted out the swirl marks . I will be putting on 2 more layers of z5 then go to z2. This stuff really works well. just after one layer of the z5 the finish had a smoother look. This is one product that is living up to the hype.
Anyone know if you can remove the driver's footrest? Is it part of the frame or is it something that can be removed from under the carpet? That's probably my biggest drawback about the car... my left leg sits up too high and will get cramped on long drives.
Got a question I couldn't answer from one of our new 300M Enthusiast Club member candidates. Just wondering if anyone had an answer for him. Here's his question: ------------------------------------------ Hi Roger (again),
My sister owns a '99 M. Since new, the auto A/C has had a problem which was addressed at the dealer, but with no change. On the second visit, they said it was normal. We don't think so.
When the outside temperature is below about 55, the unit comes on with the lower vents and defroster vents activated. Most of the time it remains in that mode for the remainder of the time it is on during the day. The small manual says it should have the lower and middle vents coming on or off as the temperature varies in the car.
It is annoying to have the air come from the defroster unless we specifically need air in that direction. In warmer weather, it works as it should.
In all other auto temp. cars I have driven, the defroster only worked when specifically called for. I could see it coming on for a brief time to clear the windows in humid weather, but not all the time.
Is this normal operation? On the first dealer visit, they changed some module I believe, but it went back to the same condition very shortly afterward.
Would really appreciate any feedback you could give us. Thanks for the opportunity. I am looking forward to being a part of the group.
Thanks for any help. Don Warnaar -------------------------------------------- Anyone have an answer??
I can't say for sure what DC intended, but my observation has been similar, i.e., that when it is colder outside and the heater is on, the climate control automatically selects windshield defroster and floor outlets for the heat. When it is warmer outside (I can't say whether the cutoff is 55 degrees), it selects only the floor. I don't know how other cars' systems work, but I wonder how an automatic system could detect whether the windshield is actually fogging or not, so using outside temp. as a cutoff point seems reasonable to me for the automatic system. Also, once the car gets warmed up, the fan speed generally drops to the point that I hardly notice where air is coming out. My preference, though, would be for a system that allows the driver to change the outlet selection while still leaving the rest of the parameters of the climate control system in automatic mode (fan speed and temperature), instead of the whole system switching to manual.
Don't put words in my mouth. It was my friend, the owner of the GTP, that told me of the problems with his car. I'm not the one that said it's uncomfortable or noisy, Just reporting.
Interesting posts. Since I haven't picked up my 300M yet I don't have an experience to share on this one. However, I find when something is fully automatic (e.g. cameras) it tends to do some things great and others not-so-great. Heck, we're all different in our wants and needs and they have to take the best crack at the "average", right? A friend of mine has a Honda Odyssey minivan that seems to do a real good job of the automatic climate control. You can pick "full auto" where the system decides where to blow the air, etc., plus you can manually change the outlets. You guys saying that we can't manually choose the outlets for the air on the 300?
If you have the climate control set to Auto, you just select the temperature you want, and the system does the rest: fan speed, outlet, hot or cold, waiting til the car warms up before turning on the fan and heater, etc. Overall, I think it works very well.
You CAN manually select air outlets. However, when the climate control system is on Auto and you then change anything other than the temperature setting, the system switches to manual mode. The fan speed then goes to wherever the fan knob is set, etc.
In other words, it's either ALL Automatic (except temp setting), or NOTHING automatic.
Not a big problem, just a little quibble, in my mind at least. Sure wouldn't have kept me from buying this car if I had been aware of it in advance!
I recall reading that early LH cars had a problem with the windshield fogging over. Certainly there's enough glass area that it could pose a problem. I thought that it mentioned that the defroster vents will be selected to prevent this fogging problem
I ordered my 300M this weekend. I talked a dealer into honoring the $2,000 rebate even if they can't get me the car until after the expiration date. Boy was THAT tough! It's amazing what impact a nice "ok, I understand. I'll try somewhere else" comment has when you stand up to leave. My guess is that they'll search high and low in the state for one over the next week before ordering it from the factory. That's ok by me .
I ordered one with PHG, chrome wheels, the spare, and the hole in the roof. I didn't want the luxury group or upgraded stereo...which most seemed to have. Of course they asked me "what would it take you to drive off with this one here on the lot that has these things you don't want"...and it was kind of fun to answer "give them to me for free" I'll let you guys know when I get the car. Thanks for all your help and advice. I've already ordered my Zaino
The climate control system on the 300M has a number of sensors to determine inside and outside temps, heat load, etc. It then uses a pre-determined mapping program to select outlets and fan speed. It even detects vehicle speed snd uses "ram air" instead of the fan when possible. The result may not be perfect for all situations, but it sure beats fiddling with the controls all of the time! Manually selecting the outlets does NOT affect the automatic temperature control, but does change the fan to manual. In my 75,000 miles of 300M driving I have found that, on the few occasions I wanted to select different outlets, I did so and then set the fan to a comfortable speed.
only 5 hours left, these sell for $90 go to eBay and look under "dodge intrepid manual" item 567047855 ed won't let us post a word over 100 characters long so no link. this is not my auction, just trying to help fellow m'ers i know i'm just too nice...
I looked at a bunch of dealers in the Washington D.C. area. Some dealerships had some '01 and some had a ton of '00. Koons of Tysons had a ton of '00. I counted 7 silver 00' with every option. They probably had 30 more of other colors. For some reason they were also the hardest dealer to talk down in price. After 1 visit the best they would do was 5k under msrp. I looked at some online buying services and had little luck. But looking online found me the BEST website if you plan on buying a new car. The url is WWW.CarBuyingTips.com This site helped me get the deal that I ultimately got. A fully loaded '01(every option except winter package MSRP of 34,310) for 28,900. The invoice price was $31,100. The car had a dealer installed mopar spoiler that was no charge. If you do everything the site says you can easily get your car for 3% over dealer cost. The site includes a spread sheet that all you have to do is fill out the form with the msrp and invoice plus delivery charge minus any rebates or incentives and it figures out what you should pay for the car based on a 3% profit. I was in and out of the dealership in under 80 minutes. Be sure to do everything they reccomend it really helps. That includes bringing your "folder" to the dealership that has invoice pricing, rebate info, dealer incentive info, and other dealers email price quotes. The salesman tried to explain that there were no dealer incentives being offered at the time. I had anticipated this so I printed out the url's of 7 different websites that mentioned the 300m dealer incentive. I let him look at the list and his attitude changed. There was no more questions about the incentive. I ended up paying $100 more than my target price but the car had the free mopar spoiler so I was still very happy. Using the spreadsheet I figured I could have bought a 2000 300m with the phg for under $25,000. I forget exactly how much less. I hope this helps.
I've put my $.02 in on this before (back during the "3 things I like, 3 things I don't" thread), but I thought I'd chime in again.
The "auto" climate control in my last vehicle (98 Ford Explorer Eddie-Bauer) worked the way I wish the 300M worked. You hit the Auto button, select the temperature, then select the vent position (def, floor, mix, vents). You could also select recirc while in auto, which saves a bunch of $$$ during the summer, and keeps out foul odors as well....
As a prior poster noted, at low outside temperatures, the system selects floor/defrost for the air flow. But this logic is slightly flawed, since those of us up north know that you don't necessarily want warm air blowing on the windshield when it's snowing out, as this makes the snow melt and then refreeze on the window, rather than just bouncing off... but that's another discussion altogether. I did have the experience of the vents changing positions on my this weekend while travelling from Maine to CT. It was about 50 deg F and the sun was out in force (this was saturday after the 8" storm) and I was driving along when I felt a cool breeze on my face, I looked down and the display still showed def/floor and the temp was set at 68, but the air was coming out of the vent. About 30 seconds later, the display changed to floor/vent and stayed there for 30 minutes or so. Very strange... must have thought that I was getting warm...
Anyhow, here's my info: 2000, 300M bought new in May. just over 25,000 miles. Dk Blue, hole in roof, big stereo, fs spare. Love it... no big problems, other than ---> had to have the washer pump replaced the day of delivery 'cause it didn't work, couple of paint flaws, but don't want to have the dealer make it worse, 5* dealer replaced the brake pads at 15,000 miles due to squeal at low speeds. They need to replace all 4 doors' weather stripping due to the incredible shrinking rubber phenomena..
I also need to have them check out the driver side window. It seems to be squeaking occasionally and when it goes up all the way, it sounds like it's still grinding into the door.
Other than that... no rattles, squeaks, vibrations, etc... and drive about 350 - 500 miles/week on I-84 in CT, I-90 in Mass I-495 in Mass, Rte 3 in Mass and I-95 all through New England, so it gets it's workout flexing and bending with the potholes and ruts.
my 5* (see below) dealer was real good with the idea of the front plates on the LHS and 300...
They don't even put them on. They ask specifically at signing if you want it on or not. My front license plate is stowed safely in the seat pocket behind the driver's seat.
Another nice thing, they don't put the dealer sticker on the 300M and LHS either. I did get a license plate frame, though. I figure I'll keep in on for a month and put my chrome 300 frame back on.
Regarding my 5* dealer -- very nice. They probably worked very hard for this designation, and so far they've earned it. I've been there many times for routine maintainence for my '99 300 and plan on going there for the '01.
If anyone wants a used '99 and you live west of Chicago (or are willing to travel), let me know and I'll point you in the right direction.
FANTASTIC stuff, isn't it?!?! I have a bottle of everyhting they make (including the clay bars) except for the non-clearcoat polish (don't need it) and everything they make is tops. I especially love the leather cleaner and protectant. Nice leather new car smell! The plastic polish works wonders on the tail and head lights. Enjoy the Z!
I checked out the very informative site but how do you get the lowest price figured out? What do you click?
I waxed my y2k slate/agate M yesterday and it's looking good. I have another question though. The driver's seat bottom has some very deep lines in it and the grooves are very visible. I have conditioned all of the seats a few times so they really shouldn't be having any wearing issues yet. I've seen leather seats that look like this in very well-used 10+ year old cars. It's only the bottom cushion of the driver's seat-none of the others have any marks. Any idea?
I've almost given up on the rattles--except for the one in the guage cluster that seems like if the dealer knew what they were doing, it would be fixed already.
Sometimes after accelerating on a new, very smooth road and reaching speed, there is a slight up and down vibration on the right front passenger's side. It feels exactly like it is coming from the wheel/tire. I really hope the shakes and vibrations from the badyears don't start now. I'll probably get the tires rotated very soon--what exactly should I ask to have done? Just rotated or rotated and balanced?
What are the best cleaning products that I should use on the deep slate paint and the agate leather. I want some type of Zaino that will keep the car looking relatively clean and that will last and something that will clean the seats well and restore the new-car smell. What's best? Oh yeah, what will keep the chrome razorstars relatively clean & shiny and what will keep the tires a nice clean, black color.
FYI My new 300M(Dec production) came with Michelin MXV4+ P225/55R17 95H tires. These are not "T" rated but "H" rated. Had the car for 2 weeks and love it. Also, a previous post mentioned that only the luxury package had the outside tilting mirrors when car is put in reverse. Not true, my car has these.
Here is a direct link to the page that explains more about dealer cost and has the spreadsheet that you can fill in to figure out what you can get a new 300m for. You need to know what rebates and dealer incentives chrysler is offering currently to figure out the price. I was able to get my car for 3% over dealer cost. http://www.carbuyingtips.com/car4.htm
My friend tells me his GTP seats are uncomfortable (to him) and that he has a rattle problem in his car... and you suggest that I tell him he's full of it? Huh? What do you care if he doesn't like his car, and even better, why would I believe you over him? I guess you're just one of those people that feels a need for confrontation.
I noticed a TSB for Y2k for wind noise. Has anyone seen the full TSB report on this. Has anyone had work done on his M related to this TSB.
Lolita goes in on Wednesday for her physical and a few minor warranty issues--growling, hissing, defective wood panel, tranny fluid change (15K). Dont know if I will change the differential flush as my dealer told me it wasnt necessary. Any advice on this issue.
ola, ladies and gentlemen from rainy Noo Yawk. First, anyone who knows the real email address of lflowers (Lynn Flowers) would you please contact me via email with HIS email address, OR if Lynn Flowers reads this message, please contact me at glenn.beye@ny.frb.org Thanks. I am now the victim of the dreaded "Tower Strut Assembly" problem. I originally went to my 1* dealer thinking it was my brakes. I described the noise eMily was making. They test drove it--heard no BRAKE noise. They told me about the Tower Strut Assembly, and ordered the parts. Knowing there is a fountainhead of knowledge here, is there/are there ANY other things I should educate the 1* dealer about pertaining to this? Sorry I haven't been here much, my Mom had an aortic valve replaced on Friday, and thank God everything went fine. Anyone with info on my impending repair can email me at the above address.
Many thanks, drpixel/Glenn and Shadow the angel cat
please excuse Ruski, he had a GTP that he loved dearly, but his wife made him trade it in on her Lexus suv...now he has to drive the inferior 300m to work everyday, he's not being confrontational, he just loved the GTP as much as we love our 300m's.
http://www.zainobros.com can take care of the paint and leather on your car with no problems. It's not cheap, but it's fantastic and since you don't have to use it as much, it winds up costing the same as conventional waxes in the long run.
to think of it, there were only two things about the GTP that really bugged me - slow window motors and dim headlights.
As for 300M, I guess the only thing that really bugs me is the transmission logic. Sometimes it seems to say "let's try this gear first... just for a split second", when choosing a different gear right away would be much better for the move that I am executing on the highway. Other than that 300M is perfect, until it meets an Acura TL-S, I guess.
I understand. Sometimes it's easy to get emotional about our lost loves...even if a car. Ruski, I know where you can get a beautiful black/black 99 GTP with heads up display, moonroof, chrome wheels, etc. for a really really really good price. It's also cosmetically perfect, and if you don't find the seats uncomfortable it might just be what you need.
One question though...isn't the 300 more expensive than the GTP by about $5k? I don't understand why you didn't get another one instead of the M once you had your wife settled into her SUV.
Does anyone know if you canreplace 2000 tail lights with new 2001 clear tail lights by just remove and replace. Also is the wiring harness and bulbs etc. the same . I would appreciate any reponse.
The wiring is the same except for the center light (red lens) which has a different lamp type. It can be done though. The 2001 lenses are tough to get though. I have been waiting for two months (back ordered). I may end up getting my 2002 before they come in.
In cold weather (sub freezing), the driver's side rear door will not unlock with the remote or the inside switch. The lock-button on the door does not fully disengage. My 5* replaced the activator in the door and all seemed fine because the weather was milder. Got some cold weather and the problem re-appeared. Any info would be appreciated.
Have the same problem with the driver's side rear door. I haven't found a solution except to reach through from the front door and pull the pop-up to finish unlocking it. After doing this it will be fine until the car gets cold again...
I thought it was just me. Exactly the same symptoms with the driver's side rear door. I've found that recycling the door locks with the switch on the driver's door usually fixes the problem (until the next time).
RE:Power Door Locks: 5* called me today as a follow up to recent service. Told them problem persists. They were very apologetic and said that their 5* means a lot to them and they WILL fix the problem. Bringing it back to them for another go-round. I'll post results.
Comments
You're right! DC got the design right, but not the quality. If I had a dealer(s) that some of you have- true "5-STAR", I might have considered another 300. I love the looks of my 300 and the color with that ZAINO shine! However, that's not the case. Being one of the original posters here back in June of 1998, many people couldn't believe the crap I was going through with Christine. I was this close -><- to filing for the Lemon Law in CT. I even went to the Consumer Protection Dept. to look at the case files for past cases to see what the results were for others filing against Chrysler. I probably SHOULD have filed, but thought I would give the dealer(s) a chance. I guess if you get a car with minor problems, these "5-STAR" dealers are fine, but if you get a problem car, then the nightmares begin!<BR>
I don't know if you ever read my "soap opera" story or not. What is listed there is only SOME of what I went through. If I had to post everything, I don't think there would be enough free space in Geocities to print it! Take a look if you haven't already- http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Flats/7501/
So, I guess my AARP bland-looking Regal GS will have to suit me for now. I know I'll be happier without all the hassles! I have to get moving soon! Christine turned 35,000 miles last night! I want it OUT of my name before 36,000!
fastdriver
Did you all know that there is now "a true fix" for the poorly designed window mechanisms on the 99's that was actually causing the problem, rather than just bad motors? Yea, there is... they now have a factory kit where they replace the tracks and guides as well as the motor and regulator. I know I have two windows now that have this "fix" but not sure about the other two. Since I'm coming up on 36K miles and they won't repair unless INOP, I'm gonna get them to promise in writing that they'll do "the fix" on the other two if they go INOP again.
Now if I could just get rid of the intermittant shimmy.
Rick
The Consummate 300M Pages
not pointing fingers or complaining, but everytime i read this board my paranoid schezophrinic side begin to emerge.
titanman, what is happening with your insurance claim? sorry to hear what had happened. i remember the first week i bought my car and some "elderly" geezer merged into the freeway and almost hit my car, had she hit it i think i'd be sitting in a country club with a uniform on by now. so, good for you for keeping your cool!
being here in Buffalo, the weather has been brutal, the M drives wonderfully. traction hasn't been a problem.
would never buy anything other than another M!
ok. i'll shut up now before i start to talk about something that's not relevant to M discussion *smirks* and risk this being deleted.
Sleepymw
I just wish the gods in Albany would dump the front plate in New York; The M looks much better without a front plate.
Dustin: For shame! I thought you would know that the "R" in the tire sidewall size description is for "radial," and appears on all radial tire sidewalls.
Just a temporary memory lapse I'm sure!
And dont let them blame in on your driving-- I would insist on a new tire==they may however charge you for tread wear unless the tire is fairly new
Glad to see that you returned after that backwoods, draconian, and undeserved editorial a while back.
I still skim about once a week for entertainment, although with less frequency.
Slightly off topic, but...
Don't do it! That Buick will make your GM card earnings that you've spent for evaporate by the time you sign and leave the lot. It will have no resale value! Check out the April issue of Car & Driver and see what Bedard sais about GM cars. Then check out Consumer Reports. Aside from a certain two seat plastic rocket, which is a blast, I would not touch ANY current GM car unless it was a rental.
IMO, getting another 300M would be a much better choice over the Buick, and you know my first hand experience and subsequent opinion regarding 300 quality and resale value.....no offense intended to anyone else with that last statement.
Erik V.
i'm going back to lurking again.
Click on the link at message #997
Oh well. Looking at the positive side of it.. I'll never get pulled over and issued a "fix-it" ticket for not having a front plate.
z5 on my new 01 m and was amazed at how well it lifted out the swirl marks . I will be putting on 2 more layers of z5 then go to z2. This stuff really works well. just after one layer of the z5 the finish had a smoother look. This is one product that is living up to the hype.
------------------------------------------
Hi Roger (again),
My sister owns a '99 M. Since new, the auto A/C has had a problem which was addressed at the dealer, but with no change. On the second visit, they said it was normal. We don't think so.
When the outside temperature is below about 55, the unit comes on with the lower vents and defroster vents activated. Most of the time it remains in that mode for the remainder of the time it is on during the day. The small manual says it should have the lower and middle vents coming on or off as the temperature varies in the car.
It is annoying to have the air come from the defroster unless we specifically need air in that direction. In warmer weather, it works as it should.
In all other auto temp. cars I have driven, the defroster only worked when specifically called for. I could see it coming on for a brief time to clear the windows in humid weather, but not all the time.
Is this normal operation? On the first dealer visit, they changed some module I believe, but it went back to the same condition very shortly afterward.
Would really appreciate any feedback you could give us. Thanks for the opportunity. I am looking forward to being a part of the group.
Thanks for any help.
Don Warnaar
--------------------------------------------
Anyone have an answer??
Thanks,
Roger Waters
http://www.300mclub.org
Please go to the The Consummate 300M Pages and take a few seconds to answer this poll.
Rick
You CAN manually select air outlets. However, when the climate control system is on Auto and you then change anything other than the temperature setting, the system switches to manual mode. The fan speed then goes to wherever the fan knob is set, etc.
In other words, it's either ALL Automatic (except temp setting), or NOTHING automatic.
Not a big problem, just a little quibble, in my mind at least. Sure wouldn't have kept me from buying this car if I had been aware of it in advance!
I ordered one with PHG, chrome wheels, the spare, and the hole in the roof. I didn't want the luxury group or upgraded stereo...which most seemed to have. Of course they asked me "what would it take you to drive off with this one here on the lot that has these things you don't want"...and it was kind of fun to answer "give them to me for free"
The result may not be perfect for all situations, but it sure beats fiddling with the controls all of the time!
Manually selecting the outlets does NOT affect the automatic temperature control, but does change the fan to manual.
In my 75,000 miles of 300M driving I have found that, on the few occasions I wanted to select different outlets, I did so and then set the fan to a comfortable speed.
go to eBay and look under "dodge intrepid manual" item 567047855 ed won't let us post a word over 100 characters long so no link. this is not my auction, just trying to help fellow m'ers i know i'm just too nice...
I looked at some online buying services and had little luck. But looking online found me the BEST website if you plan on buying a new car. The url is WWW.CarBuyingTips.com This site helped me get the deal that I ultimately got. A fully loaded '01(every option except winter package MSRP of 34,310) for 28,900. The invoice price was $31,100. The car had a dealer installed mopar spoiler that was no charge. If you do everything the site says you can easily get your car for 3% over dealer cost. The site includes a spread sheet that all you have to do is fill out the form with the msrp and invoice plus delivery charge minus any rebates or incentives and it figures out what you should pay for the car based on a 3% profit. I was in and out of the dealership in under 80 minutes. Be sure to do everything they reccomend it really helps. That includes bringing your "folder" to the dealership that has invoice pricing, rebate info, dealer incentive info, and other dealers email price quotes. The salesman tried to explain that there were no dealer incentives being offered at the time. I had anticipated this so I printed out the url's of 7 different websites that mentioned the 300m dealer incentive. I let him look at the list and his attitude changed. There was no more questions about the incentive. I ended up paying $100 more than my target price but the car had the free mopar spoiler so I was still very happy. Using the spreadsheet I figured I could have bought a 2000 300m with the phg for under $25,000. I forget exactly how much less. I hope this helps.
I'd like to get one answer from every 300M owner that reads these forums. With this info, maybe DC will take some action.
Rick
The Consummate 300M Pages
The "auto" climate control in my last vehicle (98 Ford Explorer Eddie-Bauer) worked the way I wish the 300M worked. You hit the Auto button, select the temperature, then select the vent position (def, floor, mix, vents). You could also select recirc while in auto, which saves a bunch of $$$ during the summer, and keeps out foul odors as well....
As a prior poster noted, at low outside temperatures, the system selects floor/defrost for the air flow. But this logic is slightly flawed, since those of us up north know that you don't necessarily want warm air blowing on the windshield when it's snowing out, as this makes the snow melt and then refreeze on the window, rather than just bouncing off... but that's another discussion altogether. I did have the experience of the vents changing positions on my this weekend while travelling from Maine to CT. It was about 50 deg F and the sun was out in force (this was saturday after the 8" storm) and I was driving along when I felt a cool breeze on my face, I looked down and the display still showed def/floor and the temp was set at 68, but the air was coming out of the vent. About 30 seconds later, the display changed to floor/vent and stayed there for 30 minutes or so. Very strange... must have thought that I was getting warm...
Anyhow, here's my info:
2000, 300M bought new in May. just over 25,000 miles. Dk Blue, hole in roof, big stereo, fs spare. Love it... no big problems, other than ---> had to have the washer pump replaced the day of delivery 'cause it didn't work, couple of paint flaws, but don't want to have the dealer make it worse, 5* dealer replaced the brake pads at 15,000 miles due to squeal at low speeds. They need to replace all 4 doors' weather stripping due to the incredible shrinking rubber phenomena..
I also need to have them check out the driver side window. It seems to be squeaking occasionally and when it goes up all the way, it sounds like it's still grinding into the door.
Other than that... no rattles, squeaks, vibrations, etc... and drive about 350 - 500 miles/week on I-84 in CT, I-90 in Mass I-495 in Mass, Rte 3 in Mass and I-95 all through New England, so it gets it's workout flexing and bending with the potholes and ruts.
They don't even put them on. They ask specifically at signing if you want it on or not. My front license plate is stowed safely in the seat pocket behind the driver's seat.
Another nice thing, they don't put the dealer sticker on the 300M and LHS either. I did get a license plate frame, though. I figure I'll keep in on for a month and put my chrome 300 frame back on.
Regarding my 5* dealer -- very nice. They probably worked very hard for this designation, and so far they've earned it. I've been there many times for routine maintainence for my '99 300 and plan on going there for the '01.
If anyone wants a used '99 and you live west of Chicago (or are willing to travel), let me know and I'll point you in the right direction.
-m
as long as it's keeping me warm in the winter and cool in the summer i don't care where the air is coming from as long as it keeps coming
back to lurking....
I waxed my y2k slate/agate M yesterday and it's looking good. I have another question though. The driver's seat bottom has some very deep lines in it and the grooves are very visible. I have conditioned all of the seats a few times so they really shouldn't be having any wearing issues yet. I've seen leather seats that look like this in very well-used 10+ year old cars. It's only the bottom cushion of the driver's seat-none of the others have any marks. Any idea?
I've almost given up on the rattles--except for the one in the guage cluster that seems like if the dealer knew what they were doing, it would be fixed already.
Sometimes after accelerating on a new, very smooth road and reaching speed, there is a slight up and down vibration on the right front passenger's side. It feels exactly like it is coming from the wheel/tire. I really hope the shakes and vibrations from the badyears don't start now. I'll probably get the tires rotated very soon--what exactly should I ask to have done? Just rotated or rotated and balanced?
What are the best cleaning products that I should use on the deep slate paint and the agate leather. I want some type of Zaino that will keep the car looking relatively clean and that will last and something that will clean the seats well and restore the new-car smell. What's best? Oh yeah, what will keep the chrome razorstars relatively clean & shiny and what will keep the tires a nice clean, black color.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1172860&a=9559248
My new 300M(Dec production) came with Michelin MXV4+ P225/55R17 95H tires. These are not "T" rated but "H" rated. Had the car for 2 weeks and love it. Also, a previous post mentioned that only the luxury package had the outside tilting mirrors when car is put in reverse. Not true, my car has these.
-M
-M
Lolita goes in on Wednesday for her physical and a few minor warranty issues--growling, hissing, defective wood panel, tranny fluid change (15K). Dont know if I will change the differential flush as my dealer told me it wasnt necessary. Any advice on this issue.
Easyrider300M
glenn.beye@ny.frb.org
Thanks.
I am now the victim of the dreaded "Tower Strut Assembly" problem. I originally went to my 1* dealer thinking it was my brakes. I described the noise eMily was making. They test drove it--heard no BRAKE noise. They told me about the Tower Strut Assembly, and ordered the parts. Knowing there is a fountainhead of knowledge here, is there/are there ANY other things I should educate the 1* dealer about pertaining to this?
Sorry I haven't been here much, my Mom had an aortic valve replaced on Friday, and thank God everything went fine. Anyone with info on my impending repair can email me at the above address.
Many thanks,
drpixel/Glenn and Shadow the angel cat
to think of it, there were only two things about the GTP that really bugged me - slow window motors and dim headlights.
As for 300M, I guess the only thing that really bugs me is the transmission logic. Sometimes it seems to say "let's try this gear first... just for a split second", when choosing a different gear right away would be much better for the move that I am executing on the highway. Other than that 300M is perfect, until it meets an Acura TL-S, I guess.
One question though...isn't the 300 more expensive than the GTP by about $5k? I don't understand why you didn't get another one instead of the M once you had your wife settled into her SUV.
-M
300M was a replacement for my '96 supercharged Buick Riviera that I had leased for 2.5 years.