Chrysler 300M

99_300m_ric_va

The PHP cars have BIGGER brakes. The Front rotors are approximately 297mm in diameter on the PHP and 282mm on the non-PHP cars, despite the older model PHP cars having only 16" wheels.

You could probably buy the PHP sized rotors and bolt on. You may also have to use the PHP caliper as well.

guesswho1

http://communities.msn.com/Racefan9s2000Chrysler300m/photoalbum1.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=10

radtech

Hey Guys Long Time No Post

300michael

Baker Performance carries the full line of S&B filters. I will look up there web site for you, of if your comming up north I can give it to you personally.

sdmike2

Osman & fastdriver - thanks guys. I think she's purty too.

Gil, glad to hear it! Now I can post as many pictures as I want and you won't tell at me! lol

mikeyp - I got the bra at my 5*, but you can also get it on-line for cheaper at http://www.chrysler-parts.com

radtech

I've tried to e-mail you twice to see about the hood you have you must be too busy tweekin that ride of yours to answer
are you selling them?
is it functional?

radtech

the cover you are looking for is sold be le bra and available at any pep boys or similar type auto store

radtech

I just had my front rotors turned and now the brake pedal is so soft it feels like a clutch!
Any pointers?

sdmike2

make sure you let DC know how you feel about that dealer if you get one of their surveys! We need to keep all of the honest and caring 5*s around!

sdmike2

that's exactly how I did mine, and I'd do it again in a minute.

sdmike2

Take it back and have it fixed. It's dangerous that way. Sounds like they didn't bother to bleed the brakes right.

sdmike2

Did you get the stuff I sent?

tucsongil

Race: Now that you have removed your engine just for fun, go over to Doc's and show him how easy it is to remove!

300Michael: I am 99.9% sure I will be up in PHX on Saturday. You did say Krespy Kreme, right!?

sel714

Splatt I have the Borla with a K&N filter. I didn't tell the wife I had the Borla installed. I thought I would wait until she said something about the nice throaty exhaust tone. Well its her daily driver. She drives 25 miles to work and 25 miles home daily. She never said anything. About a month after it was installed at my 5* dealer. We went on a 350 mi trip to Memphis. We got 29.6 mpg on the trip down from IN. Driving between 65 and 75 mph. I check mileage often and the best we had ever gotten on this trip was almost 27mpg. I showed the wife the mileage we got on the trip down and she said thats better than we have ever got before. I said yes it must be the new Borla exhaust. She said what new exhaust? I said its been on here for a month had you not noticed? She said I thought it sounded a little different but thought maybe its just me. I don't think there is any kind of resonance problem that bothers me or my wife. I was at my 5* back in August for an oil change and rotation. And their in the parts dept was an advertisement for Borla for PT cruisers. I ask the service manager about it and he said they had installed about 80 on PTs. I said could you get one for my 300. He said we have them in stock and that the owner had one on his M. I said how much for one installed? He said $480 + $105 for install. I said could you do it today? He said we
can do it right now. I said how long? He said 1 hour to 1 and 1 1/2 hours. They had it done in about an hour. All i can say is I love it.

no1trust

I read about the Yoko tires... apparently that's down the road. Can the car be bought new from the dealer w/more desirable tires or are you stuck w/the noisy ones? Does it make a difference which rims to get as far as noise/durability/cleaning, or is the choice in rims for appearance only? It's hard to tell the difference with short test drives, and the selection at Dollar is rather limited for rentals. I admit it, I know nothing about performance cars. I'm just smitten with the 300M's looks inside and out, its nice ride. I don't know "Borla" or any of that technical stuff you are all tossing around. If I get the car I doubt I'll modify it at all. Is the performance package quieter or no difference?

bigmike5

I think Chrysler stopped using the Goodyear Eagle LS tire after the 99 model year, and went to the Michelin MXRV4-Plus tires which many have reported to be a lot quieter. The Yokohama AVID T4s are reported to be good, as are the Michelin Pilot XGT, Pirelli P6000, Bridgestone Potenza RE730s or Pole Position S-03, Nitto NT 555R and some Dunlops SP Sport 5000s. The Yokos are supposed to be under $100 each from one of the net tire companies. I am also considering the Goodrich Scorcher [Net tire company Tire Rack had the yellow striped ones for $99 each] and the Dayton Daytonas which have a 30 day trial period to accept or return them. There are lots of good tires out there depending on how much you want to spend. Goodyears just ain't them.

splatt

sel714 - thanks! I've already talked to the wife about it, and well... we'll see Maybe by the end of the year. I'll contact my locat 5*, but I know I can get it online for about $520 and the mechanic was saying about $50-100 for the install. I'll have to gt him to nail it down a bit more.

no1trust - the michelins with the newer models are much better than the old goodyears. The yoko avids are supposed to be a great deal for the price, though the dunlup a60 (I think that's the one) is supposed to be very quiet. My wifes volvo has them standard...

on1wheel

i have had 2 different dealers telling me that the php brakes are smaller,and the guy at KVR told me that smaller rotors along with smaller wheels actually handle better.according to my vin#, i have the php option and i have the silver 16" wagon wheels. has anyone else used KVR brakes? if so,what are the part #s.thanks

melthomason

Well, we picked up our '99 Platinum 300M on Saturday. So far it's everything I expected. It did not have chrome wheels on it, but I have some on order from Mr. Chrome in California. Can't wait to get them on. Thanks to everyone that answered my questions before I bought. Now, I will probably have a lot more.

fuzzywuzzy

I got the KVR brakes. Trust me!!!!! Get the bigger ones. Thos are correct for the PHP. They also told me they had 2 sizes. I didn't know which ones they were, but decided on the bigger ones. THOSE ARE CORRECT. I don't have the part numbers anymore, so long ago, but the bigger ones are those ones to get. They fit fine, & had no problems. Also be carfull, with the front pads. The set I got did not fit the calipers right. I returned them, & used different pads.

on1wheel

the guy at KVR is ordering a set of factory rotors for measurements,that way he will have all the exact sizes.i was convinced i had the larger all along,till this.im still pretty sure, with your guys help.thanks so much

on1wheel

which pads did you use,did they come from KVR also or somewhere else?he said he did not have them in the carbon fiber,only for the rear.he has the bonded metalic for the front.are these the ones that didnt fit or maybe thats why he nolonger sells the front carbon?i`ll be sure to ask when he calls in a bit.

mboomgarden

I haven't been able to do a back to back comparison, but generally higher performance tires (as on the Performance Handling Group package) are noisier than lower speed-rated tires. I have the PHG-equipped model (a 2001) and the tire noise is not significant. Borla is the brand name of an aftermarket exhaust company. I have a Borla on my 300M. It's noticeably louder, so if a quiet ride is what you're after, it sounds like the stock exhaust system would be the ticket for you.

denverm

I've never measured the rotors. Lots of folks have posted here saying the PHG rotors are bigger in diameter, and then others have posted saying the diameters are the same. I've never before heard a claim that the PHG rotors are smaller. The PHG front rotor is internally vented, as shown by the arrows in this photo: http://www.300mclub.org/phgrotor.jpg

I've got the PHG with stock Michelin tires. Road noise varies depending on surface. Very quiet on smooth asphalt; quite a bit of hum on worn concrete, plus expansion joint slap. Some have said that the Avids are much quieter tires, but I think they don't come in "V" rated versions. I would expect that the PHG car is noisier than the non-PHG car, perhaps due both to the tires and to the stiffer suspension.

I would also expect that the car handles better with 17" wheels (and lower profile tires) than with 16" wheels (and higher profile tires), if by better handling you mean road-hugging ability in the twisties.

If you have PHG and there is any possibility that any driver will take the car beyond 118 mph, you should get "V" rated tires to handle the speeds of which the car is capable. Non-PHG is speed-limited to 118 mph.

sdmike2

Here are the brake specfications on the '01 M, direct from DC's specification guide. According to this, the standard and optional (PHG) discs are the same size, just one is internally vented and the other externally.



Big Red's Page

silverbullet4

I am surprised that your 5* recommended "no fluid change necessary". I bought my 2000 M with 6500 miles on it. After one years total service I took it to a Jiffy Lube and they did a power flush which replaces all the fluid. In the process, all the dirt and metal particles are forced out of the transmission. Cost was about $80. They used the correct fluid (ATF 4). This may have been unnecessary, but I saw crap exiting the transmission through the transparent tubing on the flush machine. Peace of mind is worth $80. I had to have transmission rebuilds three times on my '88 and '94 Taurus cars, and twice on my wifes '93 Voyager. This is very expensive. Use your own judgement, but do check the fluid visually every month. If it looks dirty, or looks or smells burned take action. My $.02, and free advice is worth what you pay. Good luck.

Silver

sdmike2

I second what silver said. When I get to about 20k miles I plan to do a complete flush even though Big Red's manual says I don't have to. The transmission on my wife's 96 Grand Caravan croaked at 60,000 miles. Cost $2,000 for a RECONDITIONED one. If spending $100 lowers my risk I'm all for it.

Big Red's 300M Information Page

splatt

what do you think of the borla setup? Would you recommend it? Also, what kind of noise increase or mpg increase did you notice?

Thanks

mikeyp

I know that there was a story posted here somewhere that said how fast the M's go..I have an 01..PHG..all the bells..does anybody know(or have fact) of how fast this car really goes? I've gone 110 no problem..but I have a new son..and one kid on the way, so I have to be carfull...Just asking..for bragging rights..

intrepidspirit

I have 2 300M's (one is my wife's). I have Yokohamas Avid T4's on my 2000, replacing the Goodyears that caused the car to drift to the left and wore prematurely. I got rid of them after a cut couldn't be repaired on one of them.

For my type of driving, I am very satisfied with with the T4's. They are very comparable with the Michelins on my wife's 2001. The T4's are $88 each at tirerack.com and the Michelin's are $137 each. Made my decision easy.

You don't have a choice of tires from Chrysler, but maybe you can work out something with the dealer.

BTW, I am very much like you -- no mods except K&N filter (if that 's really a mod!) and of course Scotian's custom clock face. I love the look of the car, I enjoy driving it and I like the "entry-level" luxury features. But the 300M is really not a performance car, it's an entry level luxury car that performs very well for its class!

Anyway, IMHO it is a great car that I can heartily recommend!

splatt

Well, I don't have the php so 118's the limit - found out the hard way (or would that be considered the easy way - engine shutting down I've seen posted speeds of about 148/149 range for the php package...

bigmike5

I've never gone near 100 but I think Scotian said a buddy in a Viper paced him one day and he hit 152mph before he shut it down.

silverbullet4

Hey, '99 owners. Please let us know when your batteries start pooping out, and how many miles and months they lasted. Climate extremes will cause some to expire sooner. My experience with Chrysler OEM batteries (and Ford) is that about 2 1/2 years is when minor problems start. Since the M battery is almost inaccessable, a preventative replacement might be the best strategy, if we know what to expect. Please share any experience with the Club.

Thanks, Silver

denverm

I have my M in for routine service at about 23K miles, and dealer says the front brake pads should be replaced (they say they're worn down to 2/32 from 12/32 new). Seems kinda early to me, but I've probably been harder on them than many drivers are, so I'm OK with new pads. They also recommend, however, that I have the rotors turned. I'm balking at that, since I haven't noticed any braking vibrations or other problems. They say I may get squeal with new pads if I don't turn the rotors. Any comments?

fuzzywuzzy

That was me. 151mph & no more, & not ever again! Way too fast on a road. Track maybe, but not a traveled road.

fuzzywuzzy

Ok I remember a few things when I bought mine. This was over a year ago btw.
The guy at KVR said they had 2 sizes. They told me the smaller ones were for the non php M, the bigger ones were for the PHP M. So I bought the bigger ones. I always though the PHP rotors were bigger. Otto says they are the same size. Just vented different. The ones I got from KVR are the correctly vented ones for the PHP. Which I guess is why KVR lists 2 different rotors. I think they just have the size wrong, & they are the same size, just vented for PHP, & non PHP. When I got mine they were the same size as the stock ones. I'm not sure what the front pads were. I know KVR didn't have the fiber ones back then, so I guess they were just standard Hard pads. These I returned to them. Since I had to put a set on at the time, I got some hard metalic pads from performance friction. I got a refund on the front pads from KVR. If you are really in dought, have them pull up my name JASON TALBOT in FL. I'm sure they have me in their database. Just order the same rotors I did.

bigmike5

On the brake pads. I had mine inspected at 24K and had 65% left on the front and 75% on the back, but I downshift a lot and don't have the hills of Colorado to deal with. Maybe I would check with another brake place if I were you. I can't believe they would wear that fast. Don't know on the rotors, how much does it cost to turn them? If you could depend on the 5* not to screw it up and it didn't cost an arm and a leg maybe it would be worth it, but with no shimmy I don't understand why it would be necessary. Check out ARC on the net for rotors and brakes.

illini4

I wouldn't turn rotors that aren't warped. They might squeal, but I doubt it. The less material in the rotor, the more susceptible it is to warping. 23K miles is very low mileage for pad life replacement. They should last around 40k miles unless you are really abusing them.

jona57

Before buying my 2001 300M back in May, I extensively test drove 300's both with the PHG and without it over the same roads. No question the non-PHG suspension is a bit more quiet (especially on rougher road surfaces) and a bit softer riding, while the PHG has sharper handling. Also- the non-PHG 300's are limited to 'only' 118 mph top speed due mainly to the tires. I am happy I chose the PHG for my 300 for the handling, but I would never argue with one who prefered the non-PHG better since the handling is outstanding in either version. As an "entry-level" luxury sedan the 300M is among the best, and the luxury group option with its real wood trim gives a most upscale feeling to the interior. It has more interior room and trunk space than any import in this class. Inside and out, it is an artistic and well-balanced sedan which is a pleasure to drive on a daily basis.

BTW- at the risk of commiting heresy on this BB, not all hate those Goodyears. I had over 35K trouble-free miles on the stock Goodyears on the Dodge Intrepid I traded for my 300. My father is quite happy with the Goodyear LS tires on his '99 Chrysler LHS (a close "cousin" of the 300M), and plans to replace them with another set when the time comes. He still has about 5/32nds of tread left at 32K miles of mixed suburban & highway miles. We both regularly rotate and balance our tires, which is key to optimum performance and treadlife in any tire. His LHS has less tire noise than my PHG-equipped 300M with its Michelin Pilot MXM4's, but those Goodyear LS's are NOT performance tires. IMHO they are decent for cruising but do not meet the demands of spirited driving. For that type of driver, I would add Hoosier Tire to the brands already mentioned on this BB as names to consider (although they may not be available in all areas).

mboomgarden

I like the Borla. They claim a 16 hp increase with the exhaust and the S&B (K&N type) pleated filter. I don't know if that's accurate, but I felt a pretty substantial increase in responsiveness after the Borla was installed. I'd say I picked up one or two miles per gallon, but I had it installed within a month of buying the car, so I didn't have a very accurate baseline to judge this.

What I didn't like was the drone that accompanied the Borla between about 2100 and 2600 rpm--it really added a lot of cabin noise. I contacted Borla and they sent (free) an annular venturi, which I had tack-welded in the first section of the system. It dramatically reduced the droning sound, though it is still noticeably louder than the stock system. You can install a second venturi, but I didn't feel it was necessary. If I were doing it all again, I'd order the system with one or two venturis already installed. It saves the trouble of having to dismantle the system to install them after the fact. Since the system is stainless steel, not every shop has the capability of doing the welding.

mikeyjohn

Just had the dents removed from the roof of my 01M after my garage door attempted to break into my car. It took my guy about 45 mins. to do a fantastic job and then power polished the scratches out and you would not know the difference. I will now order some Zaino and do a number after the new year when the weather changes for the better.

mikeyp

mikeyp

Are you kidding me?? 150mph..you were being followed by a viper..and you hit 150?? Then what..you shut down, or the car shut down? I'm assuming that the viper would have been able to pass you no problems..!

Wow..

99_300m_ric_va

Yeah, I'm at 2.5 years and I am getting concerned about the battery as my experience with factory batteries is also bad. I will probably do a preventative replacement before it gets really cold for piece of mind.
Unfortunately, the local Advance Auto Parts, who will replace your battery for you when you buy a replacement, won't do any LH cars. They point to the fine print..."*Most cars".
Oh well, I guess I did not want them removing my front tire in the parking lot anyway.

99_300m_ric_va

You said bad is 2/32 and new is 12/32. 12/32 is about 9.5mm and 2/32 is about 1.6mm, I have 6.5mm to the edge of backing plate left on my front passenger pads. If their reference is the same, then I have about 8/32 left or 60% left. An that is at 39,000 miles. Not too bad.

Does anyone know if the 2/32 is referenced from the edge of the pad to the edge of the backing plate or if it's to a couple of rivets I can't see without taking things apart. I'm thinking these pads are bonded and have no rivets.

99_300m_ric_va

The following is quoted from a post on the 300m-lhs forum at Yahoo Groups

"Thank you to everyone who responded to my post about the failed climate
control system.

It took some doing, but the dealer finally fixed it and it now works
perfectly.

What did it take to get it fixed? The dealer's contention was that it was
operator error (in other words, I didn't know how to use it) or that the
expectations for the system were excessive (if you set the sytem on seventy,
its all right if the car is actually fifty inside). They weren't interested
in the cabin temperatures, where it was colder inside than outside on a
fiftty degree day, but vent temperatures. They also said that in auto mode,
there's no telling what temperatures mean, only manual mode can be used to
test the system. And that temperature settings near room temperature are
hard to maintain. So, I bought an indoor/outdoor digital thermometer, set my
system on manual, eighty degrees and put the probe in the vent. Over two
days as the car was used we kept records of the vent temperatures every two
minutes. A real nuisence. After warming up, the temps then erratically
bounced all over the place from fifty one degrees to one hundred and forty
eight. And on a cold morning, the system produced a temperture of fifty five
degrees constant. The chart convinced the dealer that there really was a
problem, they replaced the head unit and now it works fine. And as the for
the argument that the system can't maintain a constant temperature? Now, in
auto mode, seventy two degrees, the inside temperatue in the car hasn't
varied (after warming up) by more than point four degrees. I wish the house
was that comfortable."

zipactonal

I'm looking to purchase a new 300M. Anyone have any recommendations / warnings regarding lower left coast Chrysler dealers? Thanks in advance.

Edward

sdmike2

Edward - Not sure where you are, but in San Diego Midway was advertising '01 Ms for $8,000 off MSRP. That's where I got a heck of a deal on mine...just over $5,000 off MSRP in April.

You'll also want to read up on car buying at www.carbuyingtips.com. Helped me and others here a lot.

300michael

The answer to both of your questions is Yes, I did get it and there will be Krispy Kreems at the meet. (at least of you get there before they are all gone).

denverm

Well, the dealer put new front pads in, and there's no squeal or other problem even though I didn't have the rotors turned. I hadn't asked them to save the old parts, so I'll just trust them on the wear. While I can't bring myself to concede I'm guilty of brake "abuse," I drive enthusiastically enough that I don't expect the same miles on a set of pads that others get.
They also replaced the driver's door window regulator under warranty, eliminating noisy travel, and they're going to do the TSB 020100 thing on the front suspension, which just started making noise about a week ago (they had to order parts). I also had them change the differential fluid, $40. Got 10% off the total cost, since my dealer signed up for the Club discount, so that helped.