I test drove a special this weekend while waiting at a service dept (could not resist). I liked the duals and big wheels. Sales manager saw my 2001 M and suggested that I "upgrade" it to a special - he claimed chrysler has some sort of promotion for existing 300M-ers that that trade in their cars. I liked the ride, handles a little better than mine non-php. But not nice enough to justify the diff between trade in and new vehicle purchase. I still prefer my non-lux, fake wood interior to that in special. He then started to play typical salesman games - will give me 18K for my car, the special goes for 38K (sticker at $34). So this is like trading in my car for 14K and buying at MSRP :-0 I repeatedly asked for a trade in value for my car without artificially increasing it while bringing up the cost of the new one. Just wanted to see what it would cost me to get in a special. After he realized I was not interested in his so called "deal", he proceeded to sell me a 2001 (why would I trade in my 2001 to get a 2001?), a PT cruiser, a grand cherokee, and a lexus (in this order). I'll stick with my 2001 for a few years..
I have the Chrysler hitch on, for a boat trailer and a dirt bike trailer. It was rated at 2000 lb gross and 100 lb tongue. My boat (19' with a 350 TPI I/O) weighs 3000, so I replaced the 1¼" cross tube with 2" for more strength. The reason for the explanation is; when you see the pics, mine is larger and more obvious than the dealer's. SDMike, I'll send 'em to ya, since I haven't figured out how to attatch pics with this post.
they were black in color (no need to paint them!), very similar to non-special. I did not notice any difference. There were 2 specials there to look at. The rotors were nice and shiny, although some rust has already started to develop on the rear rotors by the edge. Demo car had only 6 miles on it. I will be by a 5* this afternoon, I could take a closer look at them.
With andy's adventure at the dealer it seems a good time to remind people of a great resource for those interested in buying or leasing new or used cars. While there are clearly some advertising angles to the site, overall the information is excellent. Visit http://www.carbuyingtips.com. I have a link to this off my 300M information page at http://www.ritchiefamily.com/300m.htm if you guys ever need to find it and forget the URL.
It's sure a shame that you guys didn't get to that screw FIRST instead of last!! Would have saved you a lot of work! Did you consider running the car on 5 Bosch's and a stock Champion?
I have the Chrysler hitch on, for a boat trailer and a dirt bike trailer. It was rated at 2000 lb gross and 100 lb tongue. My boat (19' with a 350 TPI I/O) weighs 3000, so I replaced the 1¼" cross tube with 2" for more strength. The reason for the explanation is; when you see the pics, mine is larger and more obvious than the dealer's. SDMike, I'll send 'em to ya, since I haven't figured out how to attatch pics with this post.
I sure would appreciate some pictures. I've found several sites that sell hitches for the M (both class I and class II) and some seem more hidden than others. In fact, there is a whole brand called "hidden hitch" or something like that. It would be cool if I could find a set-up where the tongue would stick through a small hole in the fascia, with the crossbar totally hidden behind it. I read about someone who installed it that way, but it sounded like there was significant customization of the hitch kit.
I took my 2000 M in for some warranty issues today. 1. Noises under hood 2. Light show 3. Deteriorating steering wheel 4. Biannual safety/emissions check
Results: 1. Service writer said "Your belts are cracked and Chrysler won't replace them after one year. We can replace them for $150." I asked the mech to show me the belts, and after examining with a flashlight could see no visible cracks. Passed on their offer. 2. "Could not duplicate problem" (what a huge suprise!) 3. "We ordered a new wheel. You'll get a card" 4. No problem. In May Texas requires a more stringent check for a substantially increased fee, so I didn't wait till the last minute.
This dealer was formerly a Chrysler Plymouth, now Dodge 5*. They had three Vipers in the showroom.
"1. Service writer said "Your belts are cracked and Chrysler won't replace them after one year. We can replace them for $150." I asked the mech to show me the belts, and after examining with a flashlight could see no visible cracks. Passed on their offer."
This does not sound right. I had my AC belt replaced after 1 year in service under warranty. From what I know, you get 36mo/36000 miles bumper-to-bumper, brakes are exception to the rule - 12000 miles/ 1 year. Tires - they will replace them (60000?), but you will pay the "wear" adjustment (mine was about $50). Any other warranty exceptions that we should know of? I dont have a warranty guide with my car (bought it used).
this is good source of info. I remember seeing this site before. If I was serious about trading in to get the special, I would: 0) prequalify for a loan at virtualbank.com or own bank. 1) get trade in TMV for my car 2) get Invoice and TMV prices for the car I am shopping for. 3) make sure the dealer's "awesome, this weekend only, one of a kind" deal matches the numbers in 1 and 2. 4) keep financing and monthly payments out of conversations with the sales guy. I know what my credit is like and what my payment will be on a $N car. 5) not feel bad for the sales guy - yes, they need to make money on the deal, but let him make it on someone else. If I dont like the deal, head for the door. 6) get MaxCare.
This one particular dealer managed to sell a Jeep Liberty to a friend of mine for 29K (TMV about 25K). I felt bad for not being there for him.
>...By the way, what's that white stuff on the ground?
Those pics were taken several weeks ago, here in Canada. (You know, where the Eskimos build igloos out that white stuff) ) Needless to say, it all disappeared in last week's 88º.
According to a friend of mine that used to sell cars, the thing salesmen hate is someone coming in with a folder of paperwork. They know their chance of making a killing (like the guy that sold my wife's 80 year old grandmother a NEON about 5 years ago for $5k over sticker) is greatly reduced. The key is going in well armed. When I bought Big Red the dealer only made about $300 over actual cost...which is invoice less holdback and any incentives. There might have been end-of-month volume incentives that weren't factored in, so don't feel TOO sorry for them. They can make their money on the trade-in, the selling price, add-ons, or the financing. The game they love to play is to mix all of that together into a game called "how much do you want to pay a month?" When I bought I knew within $10 what their actual cost was. One dealer told me "your numbers are all wrong". I told him to show me where I was wrong, and he came up only with $10 difference....in MY favor. lol. I told them straight out that 1) I want the car, 2) I know what I'm willing to pay, and 3) this could be easy or hard for them depending on how they wanted to handle it.
When I told them what I wanted to pay they said "no way" and started negotiating. I told them I could get this car at 10 different dealers and three places on the Internet for not much more, and it was up to him. I showed him some quotes (well armed). He got within $250 of my price after I got up to leave and he practially fell over himself chasing me to the parking lot. The last thing he said as I drove away was "you'll drive away from this car for $250??". Yep! Keep in mind, I was never mean or rude, just straightforward. By the time I got home there was a message on the answering machine saying they would sell it to me at my price, but for "today only". I told them that I wasn't driving back down there today, and if that price isn't good tomorrow I'll go elsewhere. They called me back 10 minutes later and said ok. All this time I fended off questions about trade-in and financing.
When I got there the next day we talked about my trade-in. As expected they low-balled me, to which I replied "I want $10,000 for the car or I'm taking it home with me. $10k was 1/2 way between wholesale and retail blue book and the middle of the TMV and value ranges from many sources. And honestly, I would have taken it home and sold it myself. After 30 minutes he agreed to the 10k. In the meantime they ran my credit after I INSISTED that they not do it and they told me they wouldn't. I told them if I wasn't financing through them they had no reason to do it, and they blatently lied. If I hadn't gotten the pricing I wanted on my M and my trade-in by then I would have yelled at them for 10 minutes and left. Instead I yelled at them for 10 minutes and stayed. Then we got to the financing/paperwork person, who was actually the coolest of the group. She tried to sell me rust-proofing and all that stuff but I told her I wasn't interested. She didn't push it. She asked about an extended service contract and offered one at $1600. I showed her information on some third party ones (warranty direct, for example) for half that price for the same or better coverage. I got her down to $900, and I figure the $100 additional cost was worth it just because it's a DC contract (third party contracts are a pain...I have one on the van).
We then talked about financing and I told her that I already was preapproved at people-first, but if she could beat the rate I'd go with her financing. She could match it, which wasn't worth the extra paperwork for me. I filled out the peoplefirst check and wrote my own for the difference, and then got to drive my baby home. I'm sure at each step the sales people (and everyone else in the food chain) thought "we'll get him on the trade", or "we'll get him at the financing". Well, they could have made it hard or easy, and they made it hard. But I truly came out of the experience realizing that being fully armed with information and options, knowing exactly where your "take it" or "leave it" thresholds are...and sticking to them....is the key to a successful car purchase.
Sorry about the long post, but it's something I feel passionately about. These car salesmen sell cars 8 hours a day. We buy cars once every 3 years or more. They have an incredible advantage over us, and a lot of tricks of the trade. However, we have the money and, thank heavens, the Internet to help us. )
Oh yeah...once I had a price negotiated I went outside and called 4 other dealers to see if they could beat the deal by at least $200. Nobody could/would, so I knew I was ok. Dealers love taking business from other dealers because of the usual service work that follows.
SDMike - the thought did cross my mind but figured all the way or no way. With my luck anyway, even if we had all the screws off no problem, one of the plugs would have been stuck.
geesh...all this talk about car salesmen makes me glad I bought mine from a friend (GM of dealership). We actually worked out the deal while at his house watching the Academy Awards!
I like reading "case studies" like that to better educate myself for next time I am (or my friends) buying a car. In the past, I was talked into buying extended warranties for cars (but I dont regret it). You are a tough negotiator! I find it hard not to feel bad for the sales guy (they like to bring up the fact that they get paid commission, that their kids are hungry etc), but I know they are robbing people at the service dept with $80/hr. So it your case, after you took off in "bigred", the dealer probably though "we'll get him at the service dept" :-) One more thing: when buying a used car, a CarFax report is a must, but one should also take it to some shop for review - make sure it was not in an accident etc. Mine apparently was in a fender bender, nothing about it in CarFax, found out about it months after purchase. If I knew this at the time of sale, I probably would not buy, even though it was a minor accident.
I'm sorry, but they make enough money off other people that pay MSRP that I don't feel like I'm taking food from their kid's mouth. Besides, if they can't make enough money at their chosen profession they're free to choose another one.
totally agree. Besides, if someone lost a job or whatever that needed to urgently sell their car to keep their house/feed their kids - would they pay retail/tmv/trade-in/below trade in for it? Hint: it would not be retail.
Gardener's weed whacker threw a stone and shattered our dual glaze sliding glass door. Nice mess. Thank heavens for shop vacs. The window shattered like auto glass, into a zillion little pieces. Kind of cool.
Found it on their website, but it doesn't say anything about the hp as best I can tell. Using the "configurator" it tells me it's a V8, and that the price STARTS at $38k.
I think passats are kinda cool, I almost bought one last year. The new beetle is for sure a girly car. Its mostly college girls and she-males driving those (I know because of all the bumper stickers).
For anyone not familiar with W8 design, It has the cylinders offset from adjacent ones in each bank so that 1&3 are at one angle, 2&4 at another, then the 4 are "siamesed" close together for a more compact and lighter block and heads. Each bank forms a narrow "V4" so both banks are a "W8".
$40,000 for a VeeDub? (W8 Passat)... get serious! At least Honda had the good sense to call their high bucks cars "Acuras". If VW can't be happy with the Audi name on their premium priced cars they deserve whatever happens to them. Now they have their sights on an $80,000 car with a VW badge...who do they think is going to pay that kind of money for a "peoples car"?
I used to love listen to those guy's radio show when I lived back east. I don't hear them out here on the west coast though. Maybe I'm just missing them. I love the comment on the Neon.."Even in black, they are feminine and adorable, only just a bit tougher, like Tattoo Barbie." LOL
Yes, I only had a lenght on him though. Mine clocks at 6.9sec. I also have one advantage, I am a right foot gas left foot brake driver. So even though be both got the light, I was giving it the gas while he was just getting off the brake. With a little tweeking the CTS could be faster. Unfortunitly the body would need a ton of work.
When I purchased mine I did most of the corispondance through Emails. I got the fleet managers to give me a quote. Then just walked in and did the paper work. Like most they try to get you to purchase more. Just tell them you can leave faster, than you came in.
in August:(, so I am trying to talk them into changing the date to July or September. I have to find some pictures of people baking (not the cooking type) out here in the 120 deg. heat. Don't get me wrong I love to see them, I would just love to see them more, before or after the Woodward Meet.
Back in the 70's I put myself through Graduate School by working as a Class "B" mechanic at a Ford Dealership (and later a VW Dealership.)
Back then, the Dealership had a lot of discretion, but this particular dealer was cut-throat. Here are 2 examples:
1) Water pump on a T-Bird goes bad 1 month after purchase. Handled under warranty. No problem, right? But the dealer Service Manager charges the guy $10 for anti-freeze that was obviously lost during the repair. Service Manager claims fluids are not covered under warranty (can't send 'em back!) So the new T-Bird owner goes nuts, pays the 10 bicks but goes into the showroom screaming that he'll never buy another car there and no one else should either. So for 10 lousy bucks (actually less...we got all the fluids wholesale of course) the dealer probably lost hundreds of dollars in lost sales.
2) Lifter starts clicking on a 2 month old F-150. Covered under warranty, of course. I replace the lifter and of course change the oil and filter, a standard procedure for any work of that sort....and the dealer charges the guy for the oil. Same story as above.
3) In the VW dealership the Dealer would "eat" those fluid costs as "dealer good-will."
This has nothing to do with Ford vs. VW or Import vs. Domestic. Just a difference in business philosophy. I'm not a businessman, but I think the Ford dealer's logic was just plain stupid, creating a lot of ill-will, and untold lost sales.
That was back in the 70's. I don't know how the dealerships (No Star or 5 Star) handle these situations these days....
I tried that but couldn't get them low enough. Did you hvae some special trick? In fact, most of the ones I corresponded with via e-mail were more expensive than the carsdirect price. I tried Costco's car buyer program and the one through my credit union as well. I ended up with a far better price in person...at least $700 better!
Well, at least the Dodge dealer that can't seem to stop my wife's tranny leak is taking it in for the THIRD time for free on Friday. I'm even corresponding with the shop foreman about it now. He's being very nice. So, I'm torn about taking stuff to them in the future. Incompetant repairmen versus nice handling of the problem.
That leads to a question. What else just inside the front driver side wheel on a grand caravan can be leaking tranny fluid? They've replaced the axle seal at least twice that I know of already.
Ok, it's been a while, but I'm itching to get my hands greasy again! Although I used to be a mechanic, I haven't done much work beyond audio upgrades on cars since the 80's (too many computers and electronics!) Just put my order in for the Aircharger...should be fun!
If it has its original tires (probably goodyear) check to see if they're V-rated. If they are, it's likely PHP because PHP doesn't have the 118 mph speed limiter and needs higher-rated tires. If not, it isn't. If they've replaced the tires you can tell by looking at the brakes. The PHP are externally vented. However, I've never seen a good picture of this and don't know exactly what to look for. A sure fire way would be to drive it to 120mph. Oh...you could also give the VIN to any dealer and they could look up the car and what it has on it.
seefive - The 300m club website has a FAQ page and a link to a photo of the two differences on the front brake rotors. Basically the front rotors on any non PHP/PHG car are flat sided from the hub to the outer edge of the rotor. the PHP rotor has a groove milled into the rotor just above the hub.
the PHP rotor is the one one the right. also a 99 PHP will have the 16" "wagon wheel" aluminum wheels non chrome. the photo linked below is a 99PHP/PHG 300M.
All PHP equipped cars 99- present come from the factory with V rated Michelin Pilot tires. the 99 and early-mid 2000 models were 225/60-16" with the above wheels.
All non PHP cars in 99-2000 Got Goodyear Eagle LS 225/55-17" tires with 17" Razorstar wheels.
The PHP equipped cars were changed to 225/55-17" Michelin Pilot V Rated tires with the 17" Chrome Razorstar wheels for the remainder of the 2000 model year.
DC switched to Michelin tires on all 300M models in 2001. Only PHP equipped cars get the V rated tires.
As wire2 said in an earlier post it was 88 degrees up here in Ontario last week. Woke up this morning to 2" of snow. A temperature drop of 58 degrees in four days. Sigh !!!!
I asked this question a couple of days ago and I guessed you missed it (or just chose to ignore it It was: How many coats of paint did you put on the calipers and did you paint the valve cover lettering that you were thinking about doing. I'm also thinking of painting the 300M logos on my Mopar mud flaps red (there white now but have half worn away) Can't decide if it will look right or not.
OR you missed my answer. Each caliper has about 2 1/2 coats of paint. The first coat provided most of the coverage, the second coat filled in most of the pits and imperfections and left a smooth, glossy job, and the 1/2 was touch-up of areas that like to resist the paint because I didn't get them all the way clean. Also, I didn't get the kit with the lettering. I had ordered mine before roger posted the link to that one.
A 270hp Passat with a W8 and MSRP of over 37K. Seems a little under power and over priced. Found info right here on edmunds, just click on the "NEW" button on the menu bar at the top of this page and then on VW link.
sdmike2- No problem comrade. I've had PHP/PHG car envy since I drove one after having mine for 6 mos. already. my 5* has 9 2002 300M's on his lot not one of em PHP/PHG equipped. I don't get it. I've done mucho surfing trying to find out what it would take to get my 99 non PHP up to PHP specs. My estimation to do it my self, brakes, chassis parts and struts/springs: almost a grand without V rated tires. nearly $1400 with Tires :-(. Thats only for parts. no Labor and you have to get the ECM reprogrammed to to allow over 118MPH speeds.
DC will do it for ya for $575 when you buy it new. Such a deal.
Blonda- many old timers here may recall the angst I endured putting my Bosch Platinum plus 4 plugs in. stripped out the torx screw heads on 5 out of 12. that PN for the replacement sdmike gave out . I gave him. And those screws don't come out of the coilpack assembly. If you'll notice below the coil on the screw shaft is a little plastic spacer/keeper that's crimped onto the shaft of the screw. I've still got the 12 screws I bought to replace all mine. I decided not go thru the hassel of breaking off all those spacer/keepers and replacing them too.
Very Long Story shortened - Replace the plugs in the morning after the engine has cooled all the way down! We did this to phases78 300M after learning it the hard way on mine and had no problems. Definently get and use the the antiseize compound on the plug threads and on the screw threads when you reinstall.
Comments
Seriously, I like the clock face!
He then started to play typical salesman games - will give me 18K for my car, the special goes for 38K (sticker at $34). So this is like trading in my car for 14K and buying at MSRP :-0 I repeatedly asked for a trade in value for my car without artificially increasing it while bringing up the cost of the new one. Just wanted to see what it would cost me to get in a special. After he realized I was not interested in his so called "deal", he proceeded to sell me a 2001 (why would I trade in my 2001 to get a 2001?), a PT cruiser, a grand cherokee, and a lexus (in this order). I'll stick with my 2001 for a few years..
I visited my no-star this weekend, but they had no specials in stock.
The reason for the explanation is; when you see the pics, mine is larger and more obvious than the dealer's.
SDMike, I'll send 'em to ya, since I haven't figured out how to attatch pics with this post.
I will be by a 5* this afternoon, I could take a closer look at them.
The reason for the explanation is; when you see the pics, mine is larger and more obvious than the dealer's.
SDMike, I'll send 'em to ya, since I haven't figured out how to attatch pics with this post.
Mike
1. Noises under hood
2. Light show
3. Deteriorating steering wheel
4. Biannual safety/emissions check
Results:
1. Service writer said "Your belts are cracked and Chrysler won't replace them after one year. We can replace them for $150." I asked the mech to show me the belts, and after examining with a flashlight could see no visible cracks. Passed on their offer.
2. "Could not duplicate problem" (what a huge suprise!)
3. "We ordered a new wheel. You'll get a card"
4. No problem. In May Texas requires a more stringent check for a substantially increased fee, so I didn't wait till the last minute.
This dealer was formerly a Chrysler Plymouth, now Dodge 5*. They had three Vipers in the showroom.
Silver
This does not sound right. I had my AC belt replaced after 1 year in service under warranty. From what I know, you get 36mo/36000 miles bumper-to-bumper, brakes are exception to the rule - 12000 miles/ 1 year. Tires - they will replace them (60000?), but you will pay the "wear" adjustment (mine was about $50).
Any other warranty exceptions that we should know of? I dont have a warranty guide with my car (bought it used).
If I was serious about trading in to get the special, I would:
0) prequalify for a loan at virtualbank.com or own bank.
1) get trade in TMV for my car
2) get Invoice and TMV prices for the car I am shopping for.
3) make sure the dealer's "awesome, this weekend only, one of a kind" deal matches the numbers in 1 and 2.
4) keep financing and monthly payments out of conversations with the sales guy. I know what my credit is like and what my payment will be on a $N car.
5) not feel bad for the sales guy - yes, they need to make money on the deal, but let him make it on someone else. If I dont like the deal, head for the door.
6) get MaxCare.
This one particular dealer managed to sell a Jeep Liberty to a friend of mine for 29K (TMV about 25K). I felt bad for not being there for him.
Those pics were taken several weeks ago, here in Canada. (You know, where the Eskimos build igloos out that white stuff)
Needless to say, it all disappeared in last week's 88º.
When I told them what I wanted to pay they said "no way" and started negotiating. I told them I could get this car at 10 different dealers and three places on the Internet for not much more, and it was up to him. I showed him some quotes (well armed). He got within $250 of my price after I got up to leave and he practially fell over himself chasing me to the parking lot. The last thing he said as I drove away was "you'll drive away from this car for $250??". Yep!
When I got there the next day we talked about my trade-in. As expected they low-balled me, to which I replied "I want $10,000 for the car or I'm taking it home with me. $10k was 1/2 way between wholesale and retail blue book and the middle of the TMV and value ranges from many sources. And honestly, I would have taken it home and sold it myself. After 30 minutes he agreed to the 10k. In the meantime they ran my credit after I INSISTED that they not do it and they told me they wouldn't. I told them if I wasn't financing through them they had no reason to do it, and they blatently lied. If I hadn't gotten the pricing I wanted on my M and my trade-in by then I would have yelled at them for 10 minutes and left. Instead I yelled at them for 10 minutes and stayed. Then we got to the financing/paperwork person, who was actually the coolest of the group. She tried to sell me rust-proofing and all that stuff but I told her I wasn't interested. She didn't push it. She asked about an extended service contract and offered one at $1600. I showed her information on some third party ones (warranty direct, for example) for half that price for the same or better coverage. I got her down to $900, and I figure the $100 additional cost was worth it just because it's a DC contract (third party contracts are a pain...I have one on the van).
We then talked about financing and I told her that I already was preapproved at people-first, but if she could beat the rate I'd go with her financing. She could match it, which wasn't worth the extra paperwork for me. I filled out the peoplefirst check and wrote my own for the difference, and then got to drive my baby home. I'm sure at each step the sales people (and everyone else in the food chain) thought "we'll get him on the trade", or "we'll get him at the financing". Well, they could have made it hard or easy, and they made it hard. But I truly came out of the experience realizing that being fully armed with information and options, knowing exactly where your "take it" or "leave it" thresholds are...and sticking to them....is the key to a successful car purchase.
Sorry about the long post, but it's something I feel passionately about. These car salesmen sell cars 8 hours a day. We buy cars once every 3 years or more. They have an incredible advantage over us, and a lot of tricks of the trade. However, we have the money and, thank heavens, the Internet to help us.
Oh yeah...once I had a price negotiated I went outside and called 4 other dealers to see if they could beat the deal by at least $200. Nobody could/would, so I knew I was ok. Dealers love taking business from other dealers because of the usual service work that follows.
You are a tough negotiator! I find it hard not to feel bad for the sales guy (they like to bring up the fact that they get paid commission, that their kids are hungry etc), but I know they are robbing people at the service dept with $80/hr.
So it your case, after you took off in "bigred", the dealer probably though "we'll get him at the service dept" :-)
One more thing: when buying a used car, a CarFax report is a must, but one should also take it to some shop for review - make sure it was not in an accident etc. Mine apparently was in a fender bender, nothing about it in CarFax, found out about it months after purchase. If I knew this at the time of sale, I probably would not buy, even though it was a minor accident.
For anyone not familiar with W8 design, It has the cylinders offset from adjacent ones in each bank so that 1&3 are at one angle, 2&4 at another, then the 4 are "siamesed" close together for a more compact and lighter block and heads. Each bank forms a narrow "V4" so both banks are a "W8".
At least Honda had the good sense to call their high bucks cars "Acuras".
If VW can't be happy with the Audi name on their premium priced cars they deserve whatever happens to them.
Now they have their sights on an $80,000 car with a VW badge...who do they think is going to pay that kind of money for a "peoples car"?
http://cartalk.cars.com/About/Guy-Chick-Finalists/chick.html
These guys are nuts!!!!
Back then, the Dealership had a lot of discretion, but this particular dealer was cut-throat. Here are 2 examples:
1) Water pump on a T-Bird goes bad 1 month after purchase. Handled under warranty. No problem, right? But the dealer Service Manager charges the guy $10 for anti-freeze that was obviously lost during the repair. Service Manager claims fluids are not covered under warranty (can't send 'em back!) So the new T-Bird owner goes nuts, pays the 10 bicks but goes into the showroom screaming that he'll never buy another car there and no one else should either. So for 10 lousy bucks (actually less...we got all the fluids wholesale of course) the dealer probably lost hundreds of dollars in lost sales.
2) Lifter starts clicking on a 2 month old F-150. Covered under warranty, of course. I replace the lifter and of course change the oil and filter, a standard procedure for any work of that sort....and the dealer charges the guy for the oil. Same story as above.
3) In the VW dealership the Dealer would "eat" those fluid costs as "dealer good-will."
This has nothing to do with Ford vs. VW or Import vs. Domestic. Just a difference in business philosophy. I'm not a businessman, but I think the Ford dealer's logic was just plain stupid, creating a lot of ill-will, and untold lost sales.
That was back in the 70's. I don't know how the dealerships (No Star or 5 Star) handle these situations these days....
Thanks
That leads to a question. What else just inside the front driver side wheel on a grand caravan can be leaking tranny fluid? They've replaced the axle seal at least twice that I know of already.
Hope that helps.
Mike
http://www.300mclub.org/faq.htm
also see photo.
http://www.300mclub.org/phgrotor.jpg
the PHP rotor is the one one the right.
also a 99 PHP will have the 16" "wagon wheel" aluminum wheels non chrome.
the photo linked below is a 99PHP/PHG 300M.
http://www.car-truck.com/chryed/review/300m7d.htm
All PHP equipped cars 99- present come from the factory with V rated Michelin Pilot tires. the 99 and early-mid 2000 models were 225/60-16" with the above wheels.
All non PHP cars in 99-2000 Got Goodyear Eagle LS 225/55-17" tires with 17" Razorstar wheels.
The PHP equipped cars were changed to 225/55-17" Michelin Pilot V Rated tires with the 17" Chrome Razorstar wheels for the remainder of the 2000 model year.
DC switched to Michelin tires on all 300M models in 2001. Only PHP equipped cars get the V rated tires.
Hope this helps. good luck.
tnsc300m
Woke up this morning to 2" of snow. A temperature drop of 58 degrees in four days. Sigh !!!!
ignore it
logos on my Mopar mud flaps red (there white now but have half worn away) Can't decide if
it will look right or not.
Mike
I've done mucho surfing trying to find out what it would take to get my 99 non PHP up to PHP specs. My estimation to do it my self, brakes, chassis parts and struts/springs: almost a grand without V rated tires. nearly $1400 with Tires :-(. Thats only for parts. no Labor and you have to get the ECM reprogrammed to to allow over 118MPH speeds.
DC will do it for ya for $575 when you buy it new. Such a deal.
Blonda- many old timers here may recall the angst I endured putting my Bosch Platinum plus 4 plugs in. stripped out the torx screw heads on 5 out of 12. that PN for the replacement sdmike gave out . I gave him. And those screws don't come out of the coilpack assembly. If you'll notice below the coil on the screw shaft is a little plastic spacer/keeper that's crimped onto the shaft of the screw.
I've still got the 12 screws I bought to replace all mine. I decided not go thru the hassel of breaking off all those spacer/keepers and replacing them too.
Very Long Story shortened - Replace the plugs in the morning after the engine has cooled all the way down! We did this to phases78 300M after learning it the hard way on mine and had no problems.
Definently get and use the the antiseize compound on the plug threads and on the screw threads when you reinstall.
Good Luck,
tnsc300m