Funny you should mention the Deville. I had one behind me for a bit on the way in. I believe they have the cruise control that's monitored by radar - it kept setting my detector off every 5-10 secs as it was following! I thought it was histerical.
If I were you though, what about the Seville? Much sportier, more like the M and only about $1k more. Personally, I love the STS, but can't afford it. If you remember the older commercials, they showed the car and all sorts of curvy roads. At the end all they said was "It's what comes next". Wife and I were watching TV - at the end of the commercial, she just looks at me and goes "NO". rotfl.
Thought I'd mention, if anyone is wanting to get one, I recommend it Got it yesterday, took 15 min to install, and it does cut down the noise a lot! (damn, I sound like a commercial
but heck - it's a mod, right?? I was a bit ticked that I scratched the corner a little on the roof, but it's below where the sunroof closes, and you can't see it from in or out of the car anyway...
And the 300MClub.ord membership is really growing fast! I'm pretty impressed. It's a great place.
Any chance people might want to change the chat night though? I know it's tonight and I prolly won't make it again I'm averaging a bit over 1 per month...
If I was going to buy a Caddy I'd be looking at the 2003 CTS that's supposted to be available in early 2002. The price seems to be comparable to the 300m. Plus it comes with rear wheel drive plus a standard transmission if you want it. Engine is only a 3.2 220 hp (same as the Accura TL) but still should be enough power. The exterior design is radical so either you'll love it or hate it. As for me I still love my 300M and plan on keeping it.
I had rented one in Las Vegas with only about 1000 miles on the odometer.
It is a smooth ride, took me a while to get used to the steering, brakes and well, it drives, well, like a Caddy. I've driven older ('94s) Devilles, and while the older ones can be likened to marshmallows or clouds, the newer ones are more like pillows.
Gas mileage was over 24MPG consistently. I put about 1200 miles on it in 10 days.
By virtue of their properties, they are indeed good cars in the categories in which they prefer to excel. The Caddy's category is Luxury, while the 300M is more Performance.
Different accoutrements, etc. as well. I prefer the floor shifter, the Caddy has the column mounted shifter.
But, it goes without saying, drive them both, try out the different things -- from stereo to cup holders to seat pockets, and go with what you want.
The site (link) below at the bottom of the page they sell an EGR bypass kit... It's for the prowler when using a special intake they make. What you think?
EGR BYPASS KIT
To help meet emissions standards, the engine recirculates exhaust gases in the manifold back into the intake to be burned again (EGR). While recirculating the dirty exhaust air, the engine also breathes in oil vapors which, over time, coat the inside of the intake path, including the rubber intake tubes, the throttle body and intake manifold. As this coating occurs, the air speed is reduced because of increased friction along the intake path walls. Performance is further reduced because the engine is injesting air that contains less oxygen and combustion-promoting gases.
This EGR Bypass Kit bypasses this recirculation process by preventing the dirty, oily air from being injested by the engine. The EGR Bypass Kit comes with a chrome-capped washable reusable breather filter and all necessary hardware.
Includes all necessary hardware and detailed installation instructions.
from drpixel! My spreadsheet shows me that you are an ENTHUSIAST. I read your post about your Special thats on order. I would assume that I'll be updating my spreadsheet to update your new status as an owner--soon?!
Current member total is now 223 happy 300m enthusiasts and still counting. Roger--if you're lurking out there, all of the recent dozen members have been sent out. Mr. Ghobash through me for a loop, but a quick check through whowhere.com showed that he is who he is!
Hope to see some of youse in the chatroom tonight--10:00pm EDT/EST time. Click on the link to the chatroom--please be patient as it may take 30 to 40 seconds or so to login.
Regards from the Doc
Ground Zero news...
The Deutsch Bank building (split in half up the middle..) is scheduled to be imploded sometime today...BUT the air quality downtown here is good (?).....
Glad to be part of the club. I have a '99 Bright Platinum Metallic Clear Coat M. Bought it at the end of 1998. Luv it Man! I recently popped out the Infinity radio and put in a Sony Active Black Panel Headunit, a Kenwood mono amp and two 10" Rockford Fostgate subs. Also parted ways with the stock Goodyears and went with the Yokohomas.
Last night my neighbor backed out of his driveway without looking back. I was parked in the street due to construction on house. Dark night, Deep Slate 300M + Stupid neighbor= $777.damage. #$@%^$#@?!!!!! Rick/Geezer300M
I can talk about the 99 300M and the 2000 Eldorado. Got an Eldo for my wife last year at about 20% off the sticker. Biggest factors I have found in differces is the handling of the cars, and the cabin noise [which is now better on the newer Ms, but us originals got the Badyear tires]. The Eldo is very quiet and the handling is not as tight and sporty as the M. On the downside, I have found myself in- advertently doing almost 90 without realizing I was at that speed in the Eldo. With the Badyears I don't have that problem in the M. But it is still a matter of what your ears are used to. The sound system is a little better in the Eldo, but it did not come with a CD!!! so I had to stick a 10 disc in the trunk. Cabin and trunk space are not even close. The M has way more room in both areas. Problems-- so far they are about even, and the M is almost 3 years older. Dealer response so far has been excellent at both, but I figure the Caddy better have good service. Appearance, not even close. M is light-years ahead. I had to talk my wife into letting me put a spoiler on the Eldo so it would look a little bit sportier and now she loves it. I only get to drive the Eldo for service rides. She thinks the M is too noisy comparatively. Mileage--I get 20 around town and 25 on the road. Her Eldo with the big Northstar V-8 gets 23 around town and 29 on the road. Ouch. And on regular too. Bottom line--you got to decide if you or the wife feel old, and in need of some pampering. If so, go for the Caddy. If you still enjoy a sporty ride that will turn heads go for the 2002 Special.
Just wanted to know what's the secret about car trade in. Example. My friend financed a 4 Ruuner several years back and in less then a year traded that car in for a Linclon Nav. Had that for about a year and then traded that car in for the Lexus Jeep. My questions is how does this work. How can you trade in a car with another car dealer when you still paying off the loan. From my knowledge she owed alomost 30,000 loan for the Nav. had it for a year (just paying the monthly payments) tradded it in and got a Lexus for close to the same payment as the Nav, OK What gives how do this work and is it worth trading my car in for another although i still owe the loan
I am fairly new to Edmunds and so I just recently read up on some of the older threads comparing the 300M with other cars. I saw quite a few of your posts and am a bit surprised to see you getting a TL-S :-) I missed your post though where you announced getting one. I do like the TL quite a bit. From all the entry level Japanese luxury sedans I like it the best. The Mazda Millenia is pretty nice, too. Compared to the 300M, the TL looks to me a bit more elegant (smoother) but also less agressive. I really like the width of the 300M and how it drives because of it. How is the TL-S in that department? Driving the 300M on HW 280 from Cupertino to San Francisco is such a joy. And I have always enjoyed the deep, humble sound of the M's V6. How does the TL-S sound?
Thanks for the info and congrats to another great car, Hans
I wouldn't get too worried that the current finance rates will disappear on January 4. They were supposed to end on November 19 originally and they were continued. Plus the warranty length got extended. As long as other manufacturers continue to offer the incentives so will DC. The feds just lowered the prime another .25% today which will help too.
Yep, you are correct. As soon as it's official you'll be able to move me from enthusiast to owner.
I was fence sitting for a while about the Special but decided that the package appealed to me. Having a good track record with my local dealer didn't hurt either since they gave me the chance to order their first one to my liking.
They haven't made 5 Star yet but it won't be long with that kind of customer service.
Kosh_2258 - well a silver Special with your name on it rolled off the line this morning. We still are not shipping specials yet.I think they parked it beside Arby's car. You guys have twins.
Arby- same story ,still waiting for passports to the U.S.A. ;-)
Rdl40- they have not shipped your car because we have not shipped any Specials yet, as for why? sorry don't know that . You wanted to know how long to ship to Cali , No idea!
Uxca300m- you can not see the lot from the road ,but if you do want to see cars , turn into the employee parking lot (closest to Torbram road) and drive under the bridge to the back of the parking lot .There you will see everything that's parked outside. If you want to see the specials bring a set of binoculars and look north of that big white tent .That's were they are parking the Specials.As for mentioning me , don't think that will get you in any easier.
this is how it works you call up the bank and get a payoff quote on your loan...next you go to the dealer and tell them you want to trade, they look at the car and tell you how much they will give you...if they will give you more than you owe on the loan great, they will send a check to your bank and what's left will go toward the new car. if not you are what the dealers call "upside down" meaning you owe more than what they are willing to give you for the car...so the extra will have to come out of your pocket or they might tack it on to the new car loan. trade in values have been really bad lately, because of 0% financing and the supply of used cars is outpacing demand.
Ruski, your eye for detail in the comparison was excellent. I'm a car nut and know a lot about both cars, but you pointed out a number of things I didn't know. I found it interesting that you don't call either one a better car--I thought you would give that honor to the TL-S being that it's got a lot of updates. It sounds like each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and individual preferences come into play, so I guess one is not really better than the other. But for me the 300M was easier to warm up to, largely because of its incredible looks, it's American made, and being a tall person I enjoy the extra headroom.
I just hope that Daimler Chrysler keeps their best men on the project for the upcoming '04 model. I'm a bit afraid after seeing that the latest Sebrings were basically rebadged Mitsubishis. Anyway, enjoy your Acura and keep us posted on how reliable it is. How long did you keep your M (miles-wise) and how was its reliability?
I'd like to add what guesswho said. A car payment is made up of three parts...length of loan, rate, and principal value. So term and rate can be changed to offset any increase in the loan amount that will occur 90% of the time a transaction like you describe happens. For example (and these are NOT the correct numbers), your friend might have put $10k down on a $40k car, with the remaining $30k being the principal value of the loan. That might be, for example, a $400 per month payment given certain lenght and rate. If a year later that $40k car is worth $30k because of depreciation, and your friend paid off $3k of the loan, the difference between the $30k value and the now $27k loan balance can be applied to a new car. Ok, so they apply that $3k in equity to a new car and get another $40k car. They have two options to keep the payment at $400 per month. Pony up the remaining $7k to bring the loan down to $30k again, OR stretch the loan out 18 months or so.
What you need to realize in this situation is that while the person has a new Lexus with the same car payment as the old car, they will likely be paying on the car longer, they have already shelled out $17k (the original $10k plus the new $7k) and STILL owe $30k! So that's $47k worth of loan and deposits (not including the year of payments) for a car that will likely depreciate down to $35k when driven off the lot! It's a wicked circle, which is why people that replace cars often will opt for leases. Leases put the depreciation burden on the car owner...the leasing company.
those who bought the Yokos--can you tell us how you like them, how long you've had them and if you find any fault with them---they sure are a bargain at only $88 each--I am trying to decide between Dunlop sport and Yoko Avid
300M special--I vaguely remember reading that the special wont be available to March--I could be wrong but thats what I recall--maybe they are expecting a big demand for the special and are making sure to have enough available--but in this economy, I would think they would ship as soon as possible---you buyers-just keep drooling over the brochure till your baby arrives--
The March date is unlikely. DC wouldn't sit on new vehicles that long before shipping. Not good for their bottom line, or the dealers.
As for demand, yeah, they will probably be popular but since only 8500 will be built I doubt there will be enough to fill demand in any case. I'm not sure how many Chrysler dealers there are in the U.S. and Canada but it's probably safe to say that at 8500 that averages out to only one per store. Larger markets will get more, and some small stores won't even see it.
Well, maybe my dealer will be correct when he said 2 weeks ago that the 14th was to be the shipping date. Let's hope he was talking December. Not Janauary :-)
Hey, I'm not worried as long as my "Special" is under ottowrkr's watchful eyes.
Take a look at the Conti CH95s. Got them a month ago for my 2000-M and glad of it. Paid $115 each (incl installation, tax, etc) from local dealer. Car tracks like it should and the tires are much more quiet than the stock Goodyears.
300msadowner - I believe that they call that being more than "upside down"...it's more like "buried alive, face down". I don't care if you drive a Lexus off the lot - 1 year later you are still going to owe more than you will ever get on trade for it. The dealer simply "rolls" any outstanding balance into the new loan, and off you go. Not a real great idea if you're having thoughts of trading.
Judging by your handle, you don't like your 300M. My suggestion, either live with it, or trade out and take your lumps -but make darn sure that your NEXT car is a bona-fide keeper, lest you be tempted to "trade out" on it after a year.
As far as leasing - it's great if you want to trade a car every 3 years, but it won't work for trading a 1 year old car, unless you have a 12 month lease (almost unheard of). You'll still pay a penalty.
TL and 300M both came out (in the present form) back in 1999. I was intrigued by both. But 300M both looked better and had more features. Performance seemed to be a tie. I saw 300M at car shows and knew that I had to have it. To me TL did not look as nice. It did not even look as nice as the previous version of TL.
I still think the TL does not look as nice. But the Aegean Blue is a beatiful color
Anyway, over the years, I watched Acura working hard on making the TL better (added more powerful engine, added seat memory, updated suspension on TL-S, etc). While Chrysler sat on their hands and made insignificant improvements (chrome door locks, chrome strip on the tranny shifter, chrome strips around windows), plus they did very little to promote this great car and only teased us with rumors about German transmissions.
So I gave the prize of my hard earned money to the company I think deserves it best this time. Besides I always wanted to try and see for myself what was so special about the TL-S (I would also like to try for myself and see what is so special about S4, A6 2.7, A6 4.2, E55, CL55, XKR, M3, M5, the Vette of course, but they are a bit out of my range . But I will keep watching with great interest what is going on with 300M, N, etc.
300M is wider and wheelbase is longer. This definitely creates a smoother ride, even with the Performance Handling Package. And in my opinion 300M turns better, you can have more fun making it drift and fishtail a bit.
I also now have a CL-S. It's really the same performance as the TL-S, just with 2 less doors. I did have a hooked up 2000 300M, with the PHP. I only got it because my current needs changed, & I saw what the trade in value would have been like in another 2 years. I had a 4 year loan. I agree with Ruski. However the 300M is also ALOT bigger of a car at least compared to the CL-S. So it is a bit more stable. I miss some of the features of the M, but I'm happy. No regrets. The 300M was a great car. It has alot of respect from me.(it was my first new car) Part of the resons I got it was because I was paying just too much for the 300M. $700/month without insurance. Fianced 4 years. That was a product of no credit, & at the time, I couldn't get a 300M ANYWHERE near invoice in my area. The 300M sticked in a $31,200 + all the fees, tax etc. I really couldn't see paying so much for a car with 2 years left on the loan, when the car wouldn't be worth anything at that time. I was going to trade it in. Since I owed less the the book value. However no Acura dealer would give me the book value. Book was like $18K & was offered only $13-$15K. Mind you my car didn't have a scratch, or a ding, & needed nothing to be sold on a dealer's lot. So I sold it my self, paid off the loan, & used the extra money as a down payment on the CL-S. I also decided to lease this car. I though I'd try it. I got a major lesser payment now, & don't have to worry about resale.
ok...I know this isn't M-related, but I get home last night from my business trip to find a house that's a complete disaster! Dishes on the counters, clothes on the floor, clutter everywhere. I'm not a clean freak but what the hell!?! Is it THAT much harder to put a jacket IN the closet instead of on the floor IN FRONT of the closet? Is it THAT hard to put the lids back on the peanut butter and jelly and put them away? Is it that hard to take out the garbage that is overflowing the top of the can and falling on the floor? I don't get it. To make matters more fun, she also broke off the arm of my favorite sunglasses and managed to infect our home computer with a virus. It seems like whatever it is deleted a lot of the windows VxD and DLL files and the system can't boot in normal OR safe mode. I'm currently running NAV from DOS...the only thing I could get to boot...in hopes of finding it and eradicating it. Then I'll have to re-install. Cripes. Which brings me to my point. If you don't have virus scan software, get some. If you have some, keep the virus files updated.
I got my M back from my 5* body shop Friday before last (I'm a little late posting this info). To my delight, I found they had done a superb job on the body repairs and paint work. I was concerned as to how well the metallic silver paint would match, but my concerns were unfounded. The car looks great, just like brand new (except its been rainy here in Dallas and its dirty now). They 5* body shop even cleaned up my car inside and out and (believe it or not) lexoled the leather interior! What's more, they got the car done in several days less time than promised and it cost me about $60 less than originally quoted. I also had the dealer's service department do an alignment while the car was in the shop and they seem to have done a perfect job on that! I'm impressed! I guess my hometown dealer really is a 5* dealer! Whoopee! Lynn Flowers McKinney, Texas
Well, I tend to agree that Acrua has made a lot of improvements where DC hasn't. That's a major issue. Not to me personally, since the TL (and most definitely the CL) can't work for me. I need a car that can fit 3 adults in the back comfortably (ok, 2 kids and their friends But I was a long time Acura owner - had a 91 integra we recently traded, and they make a great car.
I think DC is foolish to wait so long on the changes. Sure, the little things I got in the 01 like steering wheel controls, are great, but minor. They need to keep on top of this. Marketing is lousy. It's a great looking car, but people need to see it...
ah well, what can I do...
And Fuzzy, I just had to say, it's '2 fewer doors' not less. You can tell I'm a former English teacher? Sorry, couldn't help it :-D
Ok guys. I know the basslink rules here so... I tried to put my sub box(the 2 12's) in the cl-s trunk, & it was a good laugh. Yes it fits, but I have NO trunk space at all. I should have sold it with the M. I ordered a basslink from ebay. Not bad $217 shipped. I already have a line output converter wired in, so I will have to use RCA's, I also have power, ground, & turn on lead already ran. Is there anything else I need to set this thing up? What mounting position have you guys found to be the best? Is the hardware to secure it to the floor good? Is it strong? Does it move around? Thanks
I have a '99 300M with about 54,000 miles on it. It is making a terrible whining noise that goes up and down with the RPM. Sounds like it is related to the drive belts assembly. Has anybody experienced this? I'd like to be able to tell the mechanic what's wrong rather than ask him what's wrong.
My basslink stays put using the mounting hardware. I also like the way it sounds where its mounted, but I've never compared that to anything. Sure gives the person in the back passenger-side seat a good thrashing. heh
I agree that Chryser doesn't market the M much, and I may be different, but I love the fact that the M's aren't that popular. I don't want a car that everyone else has. I see Acura's everywhere...(and if I seen another mustang I'm going to vomit). I totally get a kick out of the fact that I can look out my employer's parking lot of approximately 700 cars and only see one M (and it really stands out as a thing of beauty in the sea of BMW's and japanese cars). And believe me, people like it -- I get tons of compliments. I have shuttled coworkers around who are visiting from all parts of the world and they all comment on my car (especially the people from Japan and Asia Pacific). Just my opinion.
I do agree with you in one sense. However, the more business that DC looses in lack of marketing...
I worked in several companies that did very little marketing and they are no more But even if they didn't press the M as much, I'd really like to see more on the Intrepid and Concorde. Also very nice cars (personally prefer the Concorde, but more because I owned one
I agree that Chrysler could do a lot better with promoting the M. They don't seem to be very aggressively marketing it to the crowd that's looking for sophistication + performance. Yes, it is nice to have a car that you don't see on every street corner, but sales and profitability are essential to developing and maintaining leading edge performance.
It seems to me that the engineers who developed the 300M "get it," but I wonder about the Chrysler execs who make the marketing decisions.
Echoing blonda's observations, I've gotten more compliments on my 300M than any other car I've owned (and I've had some pretty cool cars). However, as often as not, the admirer asks me what it is--this does not bode well for the future of the 300-series.
Cars are the largest advertised product on television. Chrysler commercials are just so...well..boreing. And they have a tendency to do "lump" ads where they combine most of their products into one (I'm assuming this is a cost saving effort). The only time I have ever seen an exclusive ad on the 300 M is during a major sporting event (i.e., playoffs, championship games, etc.) and they aren't very inspired either or promote what the car really is all about (like the Acura CL/TL, or Infinity commercials do). Pay attention next time and see who advertises most (Japanese manufactures) and guess who sells the most and improves their cars on a frequent basis??
OK-here's an approach you may find successful in getting your house "detailed".
Simply invite your nearest relatives to come and spend at least one night in your home. This will almost always cause a panic-stricken Spring cleaning effort. My in-laws are coming for a few days around New Years and you would not believe the honey-do list I have. (Gotta find a new job!)Good luck,
Silverbullet - but that means mike will have all the chores, then the relatives too...
It's more my wife who gets bothered first. However, if I keep on top of the mess myself as well, she tends to make it worth my while, so it is, how shall we say, cost effective :-D
I agree, it is nice that the 300M is not such a common car. I wonder if it had the same appeal to me would I see it as often as Mustangs or Accords. A few more around would be nice though. It is funny how here in Silicon Valley you are almost unique when you drive an American car.
Ruski, you are right about Acura improving the TL over time. DC should have done quite a bit more there. Although, to me my 2001 is an almost perfect car. I love the interior design, especially with the real wood of the luxury package. I have to say though: I am anxious to see the 300N. That will be an interesting car.
Overall, in my opinion Detroit has to do some catching up again. It is disappointing to see that in the last Car&Driver mid size sedan test, all foreign cars were doing better than the domestic ones. Dodge with the Intrepid was the best performing U.S. car, coming in 5th.
I actually was trying to get another 300M until the last moment, but PHG packages are rare around here and I was not financially flexible to order one in advance. Chrysler dealers around here acted like they did not want to sell the car ("but it's our showroom vehicle, it's expensive", or "but it has the luxury package in addition to PHG, plus more options, it's expensive").
So this Acura guy who was very professional and pleasant to work with gave me a good deal. I refused once, he waited a month and called me again with better offer. I just could not refuse then.
Have you guys ever seen the commercial where a guy drives a TL-S from NYC to Maine for lunch?
Why can't Chrysler make something like that? 300M is very comfortable to drive, fast. You could drive from NYC to LA for lunch in it and will not get tired.
Although my red 300M seemed to be a ticket magnet...
LOL... When I first saw that commercial, I said that was ME! I now have 11,000 miles on my CL-S since 3/28/01. Every mile of that has been a pleasure. Time for the 3rd oil change. The local dealer raised their price from $9.99 to $19.99.
Your red 300M was only a ticket magnet because you drive fast! Christine NEVER got stopped! Which does surprise me. ;-)) You're right- it was comfortable on long trips. The one time I took it to FL, my friends and I drove straight through without getting tired OR stopped.
I agree with your comments on the scarcity of 300M's on the road. I enjoy it! My wife and I both like "different" cars and we both drive 300M's!
When I leased my '98 Intrepid, it, too, was different and so striking! However, it soon became a volume car -- fleets, even police cars. And they produced cheaper, downgraded models in subsequent years -- really stripped down! The car became commonplace and it was alarming to see how many were being driven with body damage. It was almost like the owners felt the car was too cheap to bother fixing up.
Now that I've got my 300M, I hope Chrysler continues to make the Intrepid (and Neon, Stratus, etc.) their volume cars. That way, the 300M can remain "special" to its owners. I want the 300M to ALWAYS turn my head...
Comments
If I were you though, what about the Seville? Much sportier, more like the M and only about $1k more. Personally, I love the STS, but can't afford it. If you remember the older commercials, they showed the car and all sorts of curvy roads. At the end all they said was "It's what comes next". Wife and I were watching TV - at the end of the commercial, she just looks at me and goes "NO". rotfl.
but heck - it's a mod, right?? I was a bit ticked that I scratched the corner a little on the roof, but it's below where the sunroof closes, and you can't see it from in or out of the car anyway...
And the 300MClub.ord membership is really growing fast! I'm pretty impressed. It's a great place.
Any chance people might want to change the chat night though? I know it's tonight and I prolly won't make it again
in early 2002. The price seems to be comparable to the 300m. Plus it comes with rear wheel drive plus a standard transmission if you want it. Engine is only a 3.2 220 hp (same as the Accura TL) but still should be enough power. The exterior design is radical so either you'll love it or hate it. As for me I still love my 300M and plan on keeping it.
It is a smooth ride, took me a while to get used to the steering, brakes and well, it drives, well, like a Caddy. I've driven older ('94s) Devilles, and while the older ones can be likened to marshmallows or clouds, the newer ones are more like pillows.
Gas mileage was over 24MPG consistently. I put about 1200 miles on it in 10 days.
By virtue of their properties, they are indeed good cars in the categories in which they prefer to excel. The Caddy's category is Luxury, while the 300M is more Performance.
Different accoutrements, etc. as well. I prefer the floor shifter, the Caddy has the column mounted shifter.
But, it goes without saying, drive them both, try out the different things -- from stereo to cup holders to seat pockets, and go with what you want.
-m
EGR BYPASS KIT
To help meet emissions standards, the engine recirculates exhaust gases in the manifold back into the intake to be burned again (EGR). While recirculating the dirty exhaust air, the engine also breathes in oil vapors which, over time, coat the inside of the intake path, including the rubber intake tubes, the throttle body and intake manifold. As this coating occurs, the air speed is reduced because of increased friction along the intake path walls. Performance is further reduced because the engine is injesting air that contains less oxygen and combustion-promoting gases.
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Current member total is now 223 happy 300m enthusiasts and still counting. Roger--if you're lurking out there, all of the recent dozen members have been sent out. Mr. Ghobash through me for a loop, but a quick check through whowhere.com showed that he is who he is!
Hope to see some of youse in the chatroom tonight--10:00pm EDT/EST time. Click on the link to the chatroom--please be patient as it may take 30 to 40 seconds or so to login.
Regards from the Doc
Ground Zero news...
The Deutsch Bank building (split in half up the middle..) is scheduled to be imploded sometime today...BUT the air quality downtown here is good (?).....
Rick/Geezer300M
Just wanted to know what's the secret about car trade in. Example. My friend financed a 4 Ruuner several years back and in less then a year traded that car in for a Linclon Nav. Had that for about a year and then traded that car in for the Lexus Jeep. My questions is how does this work. How can you trade in a car with another car dealer when you still paying off the loan. From my knowledge she owed alomost 30,000 loan for the Nav. had it for a year (just paying the monthly payments) tradded it in and got a Lexus for close to the same payment as the Nav, OK What gives how do this work and is it worth trading my car in for another although i still owe the loan
I am fairly new to Edmunds and so I just recently read up on some of the older threads comparing the 300M with other cars. I saw quite a few of your posts and am a bit surprised to see you getting a TL-S :-) I missed your post though where you announced getting one. I do like the TL quite a bit. From all the entry level Japanese luxury sedans I like it the best. The Mazda Millenia is pretty nice, too. Compared to the 300M, the TL looks to me a bit more elegant (smoother) but also less agressive. I really like the width of the 300M and how it drives because of it. How is the TL-S in that department? Driving the 300M on HW 280 from Cupertino to San Francisco is such a joy. And I have always enjoyed the deep, humble sound of the M's V6. How does the TL-S sound?
Thanks for the info and congrats to another great car,
Hans
The feds just lowered the prime another .25% today which will help too.
Yep, you are correct. As soon as it's official you'll be able to move me from enthusiast to owner.
I was fence sitting for a while about the Special but decided that the package appealed to me. Having a good track record with my local dealer didn't hurt either since they gave me the chance to order their first one to my liking.
They haven't made 5 Star yet but it won't be long with that kind of customer service.
Arby- same story ,still waiting for passports to the U.S.A. ;-)
Rdl40- they have not shipped your car because we have not shipped any Specials yet, as for why? sorry don't know that . You wanted to know how long to ship to Cali , No idea!
Uxca300m- you can not see the lot from the road ,but if you do want to see cars , turn into the employee parking lot (closest to Torbram road) and drive under the bridge to the back of the parking lot .There you will see everything that's parked outside. If you want to see the specials bring a set of binoculars and look north of that big white tent .That's were they are parking the Specials.As for mentioning me , don't think that will get you in any easier.
Hee hee, Dr. Otto delivers another baby for a proud father! Not bad timing either, just 3 days before "dads" birthday.
Can you say how many Specials have been built so far? Or is that one of those "I can tell ya, but then I'd have to kill ya" sort of things.
Rats, now comes the hard part, waiting for delivery...but I can handle it .
I just hope that Daimler Chrysler keeps their best men on the project for the upcoming '04 model. I'm a bit afraid after seeing that the latest Sebrings were basically rebadged Mitsubishis. Anyway, enjoy your Acura and keep us posted on how reliable it is. How long did you keep your M (miles-wise) and how was its reliability?
What you need to realize in this situation is that while the person has a new Lexus with the same car payment as the old car, they will likely be paying on the car longer, they have already shelled out $17k (the original $10k plus the new $7k) and STILL owe $30k! So that's $47k worth of loan and deposits (not including the year of payments) for a car that will likely depreciate down to $35k when driven off the lot! It's a wicked circle, which is why people that replace cars often will opt for leases. Leases put the depreciation burden on the car owner...the leasing company.
300M special--I vaguely remember reading that the special wont be available to March--I could be wrong but thats what I recall--maybe they are expecting a big demand for the special and are making sure to have enough available--but in this economy, I would think they would ship as soon as possible---you buyers-just keep drooling over the brochure till your baby arrives--
Easyrider300M
The March date is unlikely. DC wouldn't sit on new vehicles that long before shipping. Not good for their bottom line, or the dealers.
As for demand, yeah, they will probably be popular but since only 8500 will be built I doubt there will be enough to fill demand in any case.
I'm not sure how many Chrysler dealers there are in the U.S. and Canada but it's probably safe to say that at 8500 that averages out to only one per store. Larger markets will get more, and some small stores won't even see it.
Hey, I'm not worried as long as my "Special" is under ottowrkr's watchful eyes.
Judging by your handle, you don't like your 300M.
My suggestion, either live with it, or trade out and take your lumps -but make darn sure that your NEXT car is a bona-fide keeper, lest you be tempted to "trade out" on it after a year.
As far as leasing - it's great if you want to trade a car every 3 years, but it won't work for trading a 1 year old car, unless you have a 12 month lease (almost unheard of). You'll still pay a penalty.
I still think the TL does not look as nice. But the Aegean Blue is a beatiful color
Anyway, over the years, I watched Acura working hard on making the TL better (added more powerful engine, added seat memory, updated suspension on TL-S, etc). While Chrysler sat on their hands and made insignificant improvements (chrome door locks, chrome strip on the tranny shifter, chrome strips around windows), plus they did very little to promote this great car and only teased us with rumors about German transmissions.
So I gave the prize of my hard earned money to the company I think deserves it best this time. Besides I always wanted to try and see for myself what was so special about the TL-S (I would also like to try for myself and see what is so special about S4, A6 2.7, A6 4.2, E55, CL55, XKR, M3, M5, the Vette of course, but they are a bit out of my range
TL-S tends to buck a bit on uneven road surface.
Thanks for letting me rant. It's therapeutic.
I also had the dealer's service department do an alignment while the car was in the shop and they seem to have done a perfect job on that! I'm impressed! I guess my hometown dealer really is a 5* dealer! Whoopee!
Lynn Flowers
McKinney, Texas
Are there any areas where she performs better?
I think DC is foolish to wait so long on the changes. Sure, the little things I got in the 01 like steering wheel controls, are great, but minor. They need to keep on top of this. Marketing is lousy. It's a great looking car, but people need to see it...
ah well, what can I do...
And Fuzzy, I just had to say, it's '2 fewer doors' not less. You can tell I'm a former English teacher? Sorry, couldn't help it :-D
I tried to put my sub box(the 2 12's) in the cl-s trunk, & it was a good laugh. Yes it fits, but I have NO trunk space at all. I should have sold it with the M. I ordered a basslink from ebay. Not bad $217 shipped. I already have a line output converter wired in, so I will have to use RCA's, I also have power, ground, & turn on lead already ran. Is there anything else I need to set this thing up? What mounting position have you guys found to be the best? Is the hardware to secure it to the floor good? Is it strong? Does it move around?
Thanks
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1620463&a=13418625&p=51162220&Sequence=0&res=high
I worked in several companies that did very little marketing and they are no more
It seems to me that the engineers who developed the 300M "get it," but I wonder about the Chrysler execs who make the marketing decisions.
Echoing blonda's observations, I've gotten more compliments on my 300M than any other car I've owned (and I've had some pretty cool cars). However, as often as not, the admirer asks me what it is--this does not bode well for the future of the 300-series.
http://www.stylinconcepts.com/parts.cfm?partfamilyid=617&categoryid=8&subcategoryid=31&ForceAll=1
Simply invite your nearest relatives to come and spend at least one night in your home. This will almost always cause a panic-stricken Spring cleaning effort. My in-laws are coming for a few days around New Years and you would not believe the honey-do list I have. (Gotta find a new job!)Good luck,
Silver
It's more my wife who gets bothered first. However, if I keep on top of the mess myself as well, she tends to make it worth my while, so it is, how shall we say, cost effective :-D
Ruski, you are right about Acura improving the TL over time. DC should have done quite a bit more there. Although, to me my 2001 is an almost perfect car. I love the interior design, especially with the real wood of the luxury package. I have to say though: I am anxious to see the 300N. That will be an interesting car.
Overall, in my opinion Detroit has to do some catching up again. It is disappointing to see that in the last Car&Driver mid size sedan test, all foreign cars were doing better than the domestic ones. Dodge with the Intrepid was the best performing U.S. car, coming in 5th.
So this Acura guy who was very professional and pleasant to work with gave me a good deal. I refused once, he waited a month and called me again with better offer. I just could not refuse then.
Hey Splatt, how's my English?
Why can't Chrysler make something like that? 300M is very comfortable to drive, fast. You could drive from NYC to LA for lunch in it and will not get tired.
Although my red 300M seemed to be a ticket magnet...
LOL... When I first saw that commercial, I said that was ME! I now have 11,000 miles on my CL-S since 3/28/01. Every mile of that has been a pleasure. Time for the 3rd oil change. The local dealer raised their price from $9.99 to $19.99.
Your red 300M was only a ticket magnet because you drive fast! Christine NEVER got stopped! Which does surprise me. ;-)) You're right- it was comfortable on long trips. The one time I took it to FL, my friends and I drove straight through without getting tired OR stopped.
fastdriver
When I leased my '98 Intrepid, it, too, was different and so striking! However, it soon became a volume car -- fleets, even police cars. And they produced cheaper, downgraded models in subsequent years -- really stripped down! The car became commonplace and it was alarming to see how many were being driven with body damage. It was almost like the owners felt the car was too cheap to bother fixing up.
Now that I've got my 300M, I hope Chrysler continues to make the Intrepid (and Neon, Stratus, etc.) their volume cars. That way, the 300M can remain "special" to its owners. I want the 300M to ALWAYS turn my head...