Chrysler 300M

uxca300m

A few years back I had a business meeting in Winnipeg. Flew in, had the meeting and got aboard the plane to fly home. Taxied out to the runway, waited about an hour and then the pilot advised us that they had electrical problems so back into the airport we came. Spent the night in a hotel in downtown Winnipeg. Sigh !!!!!!!

uxca300m

I noticed that you had mentioned Enya in the above post. My daughter also got me involved with her music and now I do have two of Enya's CD's in the M. Great sound. I haven't listened to Enigma or Adiemus but I will down load a couple of their songs tonight( for evaluation only before I buy the CD's.
I'm also a big fan of Queen. You've gotta hear Freddy Mercury blasting out," I'm in love with my car"
at 80 miles per hour. It fits the M perfectly.

blonda

My husband started singing that to me once when he caught me polishing the car in the garage at 9pm

uxca300m

Blonda, that was funny. Just after I'd got mine I was sitting in it and listening to tunes at around 11:00 pm, put the seat all the way back and just relaxed, closed my eyes and just enjoyed the feeling and sound system of the new M. Woke up at 3:00 am with my wife banging on the window.
and saying," get out of the car and get into bed, I think you love this car more than you do me"
Glad it wasn't a question:) or I may have been in deep doo-doo.

scotian

is pretty much as up to date as it can be:

http://public.fotki.com/Scotian/300m/

kimies

Have been known to be alittle obsessive about my car. Am forever wiping off smudges and I park miles away from anyone. There isn't anything that I don't like about my car..the sound system, the power, the way it hugs the road. You wouldn't guess that I am a middle aged woman with 3 grown children, with my hair flying out of the sun roof.

sdmike2

First, the good news. Big Red is clean and shiny as of this afternoon, AND I got my K&N Aircharger today! The bad news... I'm out of Z6, Z10 and tire dressing! Ack!

Any of you San Diego guys need anything from Zaino Bros let me know and I'll include it with my order tomorrow to save shipping (Mike? Glenn? Blonda?).

sdmike2

Oh man, that brings back memories. I just have to run out now and get me a copy of the double album Queen, "Live Killers" Those would be some kick rear songs to play while playing in the M.

sdmike2

That's ok, I'm a 40 something guy with three children whose baseball hat often tries to fly out the sunroof. Congrats on your new baby. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do mine.

http://www.ritchiefamily.com/300m.htm

kimies

Checked your web site..awesome looking cars..everyones. Don't have a web site as of yet but will soon. Will post pic's of my new baby then. p.s I too listen to Enya and Loreena McKennit.

300michael

I believe we are all obsessive over our 300M's. My neighbors are always asking me why I am always working on my car. They tell me It is a new car, that I shouldn't have to work on it. But I enjoy tinkering with it, or should I say dismantling it, to put some new gismo or improving something on it. We have the busyest board, that has to say something.

300michael

I tried to check out your site, but wouldn't load. Everyone must be trying to check it out.

300michael

As far as the meets go, it seems that only half the people show up that say they will. At least that is what I have seen in the Monterry and Arizona meets. I hope all 49 resond with a "yes". Luckly I have a bottle of each of the Zanio products left.

glennbp

Glad to hear Big Red is happy. I actually left work yesterday an hour early to clean Francesca! And people say we're crazy! Anyway, if you think about it, I do need a couple bottles each of Z2 and Z6. Let me know when you order and I will gladly pay you.

beach15

I too, the teenage son of the M owner, am obsessivw with our M. Even though it tends to be problematic and annoying, there's nothing better than when it's clean! I wash it EVERY weekend no matter what, vacumm and clean the interior, treat the tires, polish the wheels, and clean the windows. I just think of it as getting my weekend exercise.

I also drive people nuts about keeping it clean too. I yell at my dad and brother about not opening the windows for a little while after I wash it so they don't get marks on them, and to close the doors by putting their hands in the door handles to avoid finger or hand prints.

As for the crazy owner, my mother, I think she's a little protective of it, but not nearly as much as I am. She says "Oh, it's just a car", but I know from experience she likes it more than that. There's proof in the fact that we still have it! If she didn't like it for some reason, the problems would have made her trade it quite some time ago.

There's just something oddly special and obsessive about a 300M, even more so with the possessed Chrisine II!

beach15

So, does anyone want the info.? Email me at dkrucelyak@hotmail.com for the details.

sdmike2

Cool...I'll get you two of each unless you tell me otherwise. Hey, what's your impression of your aircharger now that you've had it in a week?

sdmike2

I was originally disappointed that my '01 didn't come with it, but now I'm glad. With as hot as the interior of the car can get during the summer I consider it a benefit to not have some metal that I have to grab onto.

mikeyjohn

Kimies, welcome to the site, tell us what you got and colour, also I like my music and also Enya, and yes kimies I like Loreena, sdmike, I can't say the same for Queen, but I did pull out my old cassettes as I had not listened to one for quite a while, and found a 1981 copy of the Manhatten Transfer (the best of) and I was in my glory. I make it a point of trying to buy a new CD whenever I'm at Costco, and I have quite a new collection of CD's, and yes I do have my copy of the Eagles, When Hell Freezes Over. It sure does make the car go fast!!!!!!!!!

denverm

OK, I'll weigh in here and mix the subjects of hair flying out the sunroof and tunes blasting on the sound system. No disrespect meant to new age, or to ancient age (e.g., Eagles), but there's nothing like listening to your teenaged son's rockin' tunes at high volume in your M to keep the juices flowing. Here's a CD mix of some of my favorite tunes from his collection:

This disk ROCKS! And to back it up, I'll burn and mail free copies to the first five people who e-mail me their names and addresses. If you like it loud, let me know!

contadino

Has anyone ever come across some sort of steering wheel heater? It seems dumb to have heated seats, mirrors, rear window - but the part you actually touch - the steering wheel isn't. A nice leather wrap type with a heater wire would be great in the winter. I can't find one though.

2000 M with 30K

sdmike2

You (or your son) is da man! Sorry, but at 40 I'm still a teenager. That looks like most of the compilation CDs that I have in my changer (except I have one that's all Rage Against the Machine). Now, turn your web radio to www.knac.com (the loudest dot-com on the planet) and go get these tunes:

Puddle of Mud - Control
Godsmack - Awake
Lit - My Worst Enemy
Papa Roach - Between Angels & Insects
Limp Bizkit - Break Stuff
POD - Alive
Rage Against the Machine - Renegades of Funk
Rage Against the Machine - Know your Enemy (you can't do under 90 with this on)
Saliva - Your Disease
Sum41 - Fat Lip

Now THAT is driving music.

easyrider300m

though not Chrylser related, this is car related. Ford is in major hot water. Tonight, a court ruled against them in an explorer rollover where someone was injured. By blaming the rollover on the vehicle and not the tires, this will be a precedent for future major lawsuits.

This could seriously affect the financial health of Ford. It now trades at only $15 and they are losing money fast. Hope Ford doesnt go bankrupt.

I personally have neveve liked SUV. They make me very nervous taking curves at speed. I would rather drive a nice decked out wagon or hatchback than an SUV just for the safety issues. Here is link to lawsuit

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/020131/n31258633_1.html

sdmike2

If you like Manhattan Transfer, try listening to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They've done quite a bit of Christmas music in their own style (like Manheim Steamroller has) but they have a great album of Beethoven stuff called "Beethoven's Last Night". Great stuff if you like classical with some power chords in it. heh. I tried to post a link to a clip but got the dreaded "115 character limit" BS message. You can go to http://www.cdnow.com, search for trans-siberian orchestra and check out some clips. Good stuff.

Another local favorite here in San Diego is Gary Hoey. He's a "guitar god" that isn't too hard edged. Kind of like Eric Johnson. Also great for driving.

300michael

I is probably because if some one mentions the word "My mother-in-law is comming" your sweaty palm would short out the electrical system

sdmike2

How funny. Blonda and I were just discussing this via Email. I agree with you. Those of us in warmer climates that don't own driving gloves really suffer when it gets cold, especially with the wooden wheel of the luxury group. I thought my fingers were going to freeze to my wheel this morning. I'm sorry to say, though, that I have never, ever heard of heated steering wheels.

300michael

Most of the music in my M is car tunes from Click& Clack, Jan & Dean, Beach Boys, and Enya. Stuff I grew up on (except for Enya). Working on a second cartrige of Toto, The Boss, and a few others, depending on the drive. I alway play "Hot rod Lincoln" for my dad when he rides with me (his first car 41 Zepher 12 cyl.).

300michael

Is to install a heat lamp above the drivers head (shinning on the steering wheel) Wa La heated steering wheel LOL.

denverm

I think either BMW or Lexus offers a heated steering wheel, and BMW motorcycles offer heated hand grips. I'd really like a heated wheel in the M. I'm getting spoiled; I can't imagine buying another car that doesn't have heated seats!
[edit] Yup, the BMW 745 has a Cold Weather Package option that includes a heated steering wheel: http://www.edmunds.com/new/2002/bmw/7series/745li4drsedan44l8cyl6a/options.html?id=lin0016

glennbp

Well, after a week with it I can say there is a definite improvement in performance. I have the luxury? of driving on 15 at 5:45am to get to work each morning. I have taken that opportunity to, let's say, open her up. Although I haven't timed her, Francesca is getting into triple digits quite easily now. I believe it's the combination of the exhaust system and the aircharger. The Bosch P+4 plugs don't hurt either. Have you gotten yours installed yet?

denverm

So far only three takers on my offer . . . . .

sdmike2

Denver - glad to see there are some closet head thumpers in here. lol! Oh, add to my list Linkin Park (Crawling, and In The End), Puddle of Mudd - Blurry, and Hoobastank - Crawling in the Dark. I'd take you up on your offer but I have all those except one or two already (the others on their way now for...uh...sampling before I buy)

Glenn - It just arrived this afternoon so I haven't installed it yet. My wife gave me "the look" when I got home, and there was no denying that it was a car part because they put a big cone air filter picture on the side of the box (they should employ the 'brown wrapper' approach made popular by dirty magazines). I told her it came from my eBay mad money and that seemed to make it ok with her. I wonder if it had anything to do with her taking $50 from my wallet and going out with the girls tonight. lol. If I don't get tied up with some "honey do's" tomorrow afternoon maybe I'll come by and see if you can come out and play. Maybe I can help you track down your amp issue, and you can watch me tear out my intake.

bigmike5

Has anyone removed and reinstalled the hood insulator before? I plan on replacing the one on my 99M because it got all crudded-up and nasty over the last 3 years when the windshield washer was leaking onto it when I hit the spray button. I thought I they had the sprayer hoses sealed and fixed the first time I noticed it, but had to have them try agains last month. I am checking it now after use to make sure the insulator is dry. If they solved the problem I want to replace the insulator. Wyckoff had the part at a decent price, but I don't want to yank on the fasteners til I know how they work and if they will go back together. Any guidance on this point? Otto? AV?

drpixel

..it's amazing how from one post, all this music 'discussion', right? Here's some other music that I tend to listen to from time to time, both in eMily AND at work--in no particualr order:
Sarah Brightman (not only a trememndouis voice, but very pleasing to the occular nerves...), Journey, Queen -Greatest Hits, searched and found a theme song from HBO's Diva series (about 'exotic dancers') called Straight to Number One by a group called Touch and Go (will email mp3 to those who want this song---), some bouncy psuedo-disco stuff from a group called Da Buzz-Your Love will Shine on Me, bouncy psuedo-disco stuff from Amber, Robert Miles, Stevie Nicks with/without Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood Mac, Vangelis, Yes, Deep Forest (tremendous album--no English lyrics..guess this would be classified as World music--CD with green 'graphic' with a blue glyph graphic of sorts), Moody Blues-Live from Red Rock, B-Tribe, Yanni (yes, Yanni..the guy's a musical genius in my VVHO), Tangerine Dream, ABBA, Modesty Blaze (with Eylin de Winter doing vocals).
I have an 'eclectic' taste in music, being a near-child of the 60's, so I enjoy Pink Floyd (the FIRST album--triangle prism) so much I have 2 copies and a lot of new age stuff. I listen to just about all types of music (Hooberstank?..daughter had me test-burn a cd that had their music on it...interesting stuff), SOME jazz..more towards the David Sanborne/Richard Elliot saxaphone type, and some classical, 'true classical, Manneheim Stemroller and Trans Siberian Orchestra types, too.
I do find that if I'm driving by myself, I don't put the radio/cd on at all. I thoroughly enjoy the experience on man and machine on the road, the sound of the engine purring under the hood--even without DUAL exhausts..the scenery slipping by....for me its a very peaceful experience, especially after dealing with 5 days in NYC.
As to us being obsessive about the 300m, I stand guilty as charged. My wife does not understand WHY I'm this way about this particular car, though from reading in the forum, I'm not alone!
Hope you all have a great wekend--its raining in noo Yawk--again; a kind of heavy mist actually.

I'll be reading da mail up heah,
Doc

300michael

I have taken my hood insulater off more times than you can shake a stick at. Plan on loosing about half the clips, They are easly breakable and it is better to just buy new ones from the dealer. Mine cost 85 cents each.

bigmike5

300Michael--Do you need to pry the fasteners out with a screw driver or do they pop out somehow?

I called the place that Beach recommended for the chrome and wood shifter [K & M Dodge, Grand Rapids, MI, [800]-999-9470 and spoke to Tom] and it will be in the mail to me today at a total cost of $81.09. He told me he bought a bunch of them cause he knew that they would eventually sell. I thought I saw on the board that it was not hard to change the shift knobs, anyone know if that is true, or do I have the dealer do it at the next service?

glennbp

I tracked down my amp noise problem. It was my fault as I mistakenly assumed that the output from the head unit was line-level. It's not! You need to use line converters to change from speaker level to line level matching the gain to the new amplifier and more importantly, isolate the ground loops from the head unit and the new amp! Yes, you can use the speaker level inputs on the new amp, but that will not isolate the ground loops and noise will result. Why I didn't know that from the get go is beyond me. Chalk it up to a total brain fart!

lflowers

My favorite driving music is mostly of the Celtic Rock genre. My two favorite groups are Tempest and Steeleye Span. Also listen to Manhattan Transfer, Dr. John, Mannhiem Steamroller, Leon Redbone, plus a lot of VERY early rock like The Clovers, Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters, The Midnighters, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holley, etc. If I'm in a mellow mood, I like Big Band stuff, like Glenn Miller, The Dorseys, Benny Goodman.
I guess my musical tastes are pretty eclectic, except I don't like much classical music and I can't handle hard rock or heavy metal.
Lynn Flowers
McKinney, Texas

sdmike2

I use my music to mask a couple of rattles that I haven't gotten fixed yet. I, like you, have a diverse taste in music that includes Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon, Animals, Wish you Were Here, The Wall), Kansas, Queen, Genesis and other 70s REAL rock bands, mainstream stuff like Billy Joel, the Eagles, and Elton John (Live from Australia is great), heavy metal stuff like AC/DC and Ted Nugent (yes, terrible Ted), and even Jazz and new age (Deep Forest, Ofra Haza, Peter Kater, Spyro Gyra, Sadao Wantanabe, The Rippingtons, etc.) in addition to the recent hard stuff. I also love some of the slightly off track music of the 80s like Oingo Boingo, The Tubes and others. The only things I won't listen to are your basic "top 40" stuff from the last couple of years (Britney Spears, et al), Opera and especially Country (sorry country fans).

Now, YOU need to go find a copy of Deep Forest (with Peter Gabriel) - While the Earth (let me know if you want it e-mailed.

sdmike2

I'm very glad you fixed the amp problem, because I have NO idea what you're talking about. lol! Well, only a little of what you're talking about. I would have been worthless except to maybe hold things. haha.

ottowrkr

scotian- the second gen LH cars do not have any sensors on the front bumper for the airbag. There is only one sensor,actually it is part of the airbag control module . This module is bolted to the body under the center radio stack . Now the first gen cars used three sensors one under each headlight and one in the same place as the second gen. Now if you have a side airbags there are two more sensors. They are bolted low on the center B-post under the trim panel.

bigmike5- there never was a chrome and wood shifter , it was chrome and leather.

sdmike2 - actually the chrome does not get hot in the summer ,or cold in the winter .HEY- That's some good driving music you have posted .You need a little linkn park to round things out though.

We are going to be building some 2003 cars next week. No real changes from what I have heard. We are getting Satellite radio as an option in 2003.

bigmike5

Ottowrkr--I must have been thinking of a Lexus shifter...anyway, when I saw the chrome one on the M, I at first said "No way." but, on reflection....Is it hard to change-out the old one for the new or can the mechanically challenged do it with a screwdriver?

On the the hood insulator clips. Do they pop--off with a screwdriver or some other machination?

mframent

I just had to have both front caliper rebuilt on my 1999 300M after 54,000 miles. They mechanic explained that the pistons in the calipers are made of plastic and don't contract or expand correctly inside the caliper. I was experiencing vibration in the front end during heavy braking situations. Since the repair the vibration has gone away and the car handles wonderfully during heavy breaking. Has anyone else experienced this problem. Just trying not to feel too lonely now that I spent $450 on the repair.

scotian

I guess I was thinking about the outside temp sensor, which is up there somewhere. I knew that the airbag sensor wasn't in front of the driver's knees, however.

sdmike2

If the clips are like the ones for the trunk liner they come off and go on pretty easily. I just pried them out with a big flathead screwdriver, and wiggled the ornery ones out with some needlenosed pliers. None of them were damaged enough to not go back in and they look fine.

arby500

Good, Satellite Radio will go good with my Quadrophonic Hi-Fi in the house. Another thing that never took off as expected. You'll still need local radio for traffic and news. I know there's a big push for it and all but ya' can't please all the peope all the time. It's like internet radio. Another Bust... It's there but nobody listens... At least not in the numbers they envisioned. No listeners = no paid advertising.

blonda

Got my Club welcome packet yesterday. My husband sees me open it up and looks at me and says "obsess much?"

My husband and I have approx. 600 store bought CDs. Wide range from Nina Simone to Rob Zombie and everything in between. My biggest fear is someone breaking into my house and stealing them. We've even joked about if we ever got divorced -- we'd fight over those more than the kids.

sdmike2

Same with wireless technologies in the US. For the last 5 years everyone has been saying "in the next two years..." My ex-company played big in the wireless space, and it was always a big topic in strategy meetings discussing just when it's going to happen.

kosh_2258

The shifter knob is held in place with 1 hex screw and is easy to replace. BUT when you put the new one back on be sure to get it fully seated. There is a nylon shaft inside that has a dimple the hex screw bottoms in. Miss the dimple and you'll crack the shaft. Not the end of the world, you can superglue it, but it is a hassle.

The satellite system DC went with has the "birds" in orbit, but they are having some major problems getting the service up and running. The service was supposed to be available in 2001. The antenna for it looks pretty ugly perched on the roof.

blonda

I have a coworker (who's a women in her 50's by the way!) who has a Harley with heated seats -- now that's luxury!