Ha! My suspicion was correct(Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and then). The 5* service guy ordered a Body Control Module. After they worked on it, the door locks are locking as soon as you close the door. I hope that is a programmable feature. (under great duress, our hero is forced to read the owner's manual ;>))
I asked the SA if I will get a new BCM, or a refurbished unit. He admitted that they will program one with the information from my VIN, and that it will be a recycled unit. Geez, I hope that works out OK.
Since I started using too much of my domain storage space for 300M pictures (instead of pictures of my kids!) I decided to buy some space at Webshots. I will keep my 300M page at http://www.ritchiefamily.com/300m.htm with links to the pictures, information and other links, but direct access to my event and modification picture galleries will be at http://community.webshots.com/user/bigred300m
I don't think that's a feature! We have a door lock setting, but I think it's when you put the car in drive or something similar. Locking the door when you get in reminds me of a horror movie that shall not be named.
Does anyone else have problems with the CD player skipping? Seems it happens more on outer tracks. Or is it my CDs? Was just wondering if it might be a common problem with the player in the 300M. And it doesn't always happen just on rough roads.
I used to say my CD player was rock solid. However, today I noticed some small clicks and imperfections in the music when I got to the latest tracks on one of my CDRs. Maybe it's how I recorded the CD, maybe it's the media that I used, or maybe it's the fact that I crammed 23 tracks on one CD.
One of things I really liked about my LHS when I got it was the tight fit of the sheet-metal. Not exactly Lexus quality, but better than most cars I had driven.
After the dealer performed the "Headlight Welt" TSB I could swear (but can't prove) the gap or seam between the front of the hood and the front fascia is larger than normal.
The TSB requires the R&R of the fascia, but I can't see how it could be adjusted any tighter. I know practically zip about body work.
I would take it back to the dealer and complain. They would most likely send it to a body shop.
Had a similar issue on my car after AC belt was replaced. the hood would not close. took it back to 5*, they were clueless. sent my car to their body shop. Turns out, when the 5* guys moved stuff around under the hood, the AC condenser was reinstalled in such way that it prevented the hood from closing all the way - per body shop guy.
you may have something similar going on. For sure have it checked out by a body shop.
I just watched the Thursday night re-run of Motorweek on PBS, and it said on the next episode, the new Mini and the 300M Special, showing a sapphire Special. This will be on Saturday here (ET, 5:30pm), and Thursday at 8:30pm. I'm not only watching it, but taping it just so I can watch it again, and again (I do this with almost all car shows).
On another note, am I the only one here that was sent a video with the Motor Trend Car of the Year review for the 99' 300M? I got it back in summer of 99' with a package that had a brochure in it. The first 3 segments are by Chrysler showing the 99' Concorde, the 300M, and then the LHS. Then, it goes to Motor Trend TV and their review of a dark green 300M on a racetrack and driving in town. Anyone else have it?
I just stumbled on this over at the Chrysler website. They have their TV Commercials online. There's one exclusive to the 300M and some of the others have short scenes of the 300M.
Doors that lock by themselves? What famous car could that possibly be? ;-))) Blonda- sound like the same car that flashes the lights? ;-))
I do remember something about being able to program the door locks so that they would lock x number of seconds after you got out of the car. I think the 99 had it.
We have new neighbors that built a new house this past winter and moved in a few months ago. He drives a 00' Silverado and his wife has a 99' Grand Cherokee Limited V8 Quadra-Drive. He also has an 82' Trans Am covered in the garage. He got a letter for us from Chevy in his mail by accident and when he gave it to my father, started talking about cars.
Turns out, he worked for Chrysler for over 20 years. He went on to say that he didn't want to say anything bad about Chrysler, but their Jeep has been the worst vehicle they've had (what 99' GC wasn't!?) with it having to go for service quite often and that he's always gotten terrible treatment at the Chrysler dealer. On the other hand, with his truck, he's never had a problem with the dealer and they always did excellent work. I hope we get the same if anything happens to turn up (nothing yet, knock on wood!)
And, there has been a few people noticing that the M was gone from where my mother works. One who works at another office and drives by daily, called her at work today to ask her about the new car and "why did you get rid of your Chrysler". She had a 95' Stratus and now has a new Intrepid. Telling her of the problems with both the car and the dealer, she was asked who the dealer was. As it turns out, this person is related to the owners and just kind of had an "Oh".
Oh well, just thought I'd share that with you guys. You must admit, I'm not badmouthing the M this time!
You can put a 245/50 17 on in most cases. Thanks for the compaments. I agree it does look better. It would even be better with larger wheels, but ride quality come first, and at least the lowering spring with the stock suspension doesn't hurt it too much. After all most of the driving I do is city and freeway driving. If I lived closer to the mountians then it would be another story.
After our Ciera got stolen I hooked up a motion detector light to watch for movement. No lights go on but a buzzer in the house will go off. I should hook it up the a camera to photograph it. Most experts say to "layer" your alarms. After they take the time to defeat 3 they usually move on, they do not want to spend a lot of time trying to take a car. That is what I have done to my car I have some dummy switches and wires set up that are hooked up but are really inactive. the wires usually are hooked up to a switch, but not the one they can see, usless they want to take the time to trace each and every wire.
I believe your 200 six was in-line. I had a '65 (actually a 64 1/2) with the 225 horse 289, 4 speed and console! I was at the Fabulous Fords Forever show at Knott's last month. Of the hundreds of Mustangs, only one was closely configured to the way mine was. It had power steering and mine didn't. I sure miss my Mustang!
BTW, did you have a chance to look at my page with the unusually large (at least to me) gap between the hood and the front fascia? Having removed the fascia yourself, does this look like a problem with the fascia or the hood????
Well, I made my trip to Phoenix/Tucson this past weekend in a rental Lincoln LS8 from Hertz; all the 300Ms were unavailable at Dollar. In the 3 days I had the LS I learned new respect for the Lincoln and for the most part was satisfied w/the car BUT some issues w/it keeps the 300M at the top of my buy list. Hertz has a Magellan "Neverlost II" system hooked up to the Lincolns. I've never tried a Nav system before; it was a great feature that accentuated the drive experience in spite of some minor problems. AAA also had their Tour Book linked w/the system. Can anyone tell me if either a Nav system will become an available option w/the 300M, or steer me in ther right direction for an aftermarket appropriate for the M? Like seat warmers, I never realized what I was missing w/Nav systems. I think wire2 mentioned something about a "hump" for the 2003?
Finally, if you had my old site bookmarked you can still get to all of the pictures from there. You can also get other links such as all of the TSBs, a parts list, technical specification documents and other things. The URL is http://www.ritchiefamily.com/300m.htm
I have the alpine 852A DVD based Nav system. I like it the best of all the units I have seen. The only drawback is it does not have detailed maps of all the citys. In AZ it is only Phoenix. Tucson and Flagstaff is only major hiways. You want the check with each company to see if they have detailed maps for your driving areas. I use mine all the time, it comes in hand for yard sales, and making sure you can find your way out of housing tracts. It came in handy when I went the the Carlsbad 300M Meet last March. Just input the address and bingo it takes you right there. Well you still have to do the driveing.
The system you use in the rental car is a magellan 750. I purchased one shortly after using on in a hertz car. I purchased the 750M which is portable since I was not going to install in a vehicle at the time because they have no coverage for Alaska and I wanted to be able to take with me when I traveled down south. Just got a new 300 M special and will be moving to phoenix in October, so I purchased the second car kit and will install in the special. I will still be able to use as a portable if needed since I still have the portable components. I have not used extensively but it is fantastic. Not sure how the one you used was mounted but I ordered a vehicle specific mount for the 300 from Profit international. It mounts to the side of the radio and looks as if it was made to be. Headed to Phoenix on Saturday and will take the unit with me in the portable configuration. Dealer will have Special while I am gone to run the necessary wiring to install in the Special. The price for the 760 NAV, the non portable model is about $1600 even though if you shop the internet I suspect you can do better. One of the advantages to the Magellan 750 is you get all the maps unlocked where as other units will charge you for areas of the US. For example the unit sold by Chrysler charges I think like $300 for additional areas. The Magellan has a hard drive and response and features, as you may be aware are excellent. Not sure what else to say but I would highly recommend the Magellan 750NAV, or the 750M the portable model. Good Luck! 4
thats one hot car and will give the M some serious competition:---a base model with leather is about 29k--(without leather its about 27,500) if you add Nav, sport susp, xenon headlights, Bose stereo with 6 disc in dash cd player, 17"wheels with full spare, winter package etc it brings it up to 36K---it comes with 5 speed auto rear wheel drive--52/48 wt distribution--260hp, 260 torque--good fuel economy---good trunk space
I've heard all the bad mouthing about the '99's too. I'm here to tell you I have a '00 GC LTD w/Quadradrive and have had 1, count 'em, 1 problem with it. The seal on the right headlamp assembly failed allowing moisture to get in and fog it. 15 minutes at the dealer to install a new assembly and that was it.
Other than that, the vehicle has been flawless. Just like my 98 Intrepid, and my '02 Special have been.
If the 99 JGC was as bad as some make it out to be then DC did an extraordinary job correcting all the problems by '00.
I'm beginning to think that there is this certain part of the country where contaminates have seeped into the ground water causing all the local inhabitants to be negative naysayers.
I have only seen pics of it. I do like the pop up Nav (it has given me some ideas) screen though. I still like my M better enough to keep it. I hope it ups the competition. That makes it better for all the buyers of this class of automobile.
I am in the market for a new or possibly slightly used sedan and am considering a pre-owned 300M. I commute on major highways to work (35 miles, takes about 65 min)but usually take the route less travelled on the way home, a fun ride and I like to drive it hard. Currently I am in a 93 Passat, which works like a dog and can be pushed hard through the twisties, but is getting on in miles/ yrs. I need a four door as I take clients and co-workers from time to time. I can't afford a BMW and would not take a chance with a used one that I could afford, but a similiar driving experience is what I'm looking for. Also, I would like to buy American. I have narrowed it down to these choices: 1. Lease a new Altima 3.5 not American but I like this car, good rep for quality/ re-sale and this thing really hustles(Purchasing a well equiped one puts monthly payment too high, although I am not thrilled with the idea of leasing) 2. 300M 00 or 99 (considerations on M below) 3. New Intrepid...no leather, less ponies, but the new warranty and cash back... 4. Buick Regal new/ used? Not really thrilled with the looks but it seems to have a following... 5. Chevy Impala new / used? Is this thing a dog off the line or what, Edmunds seems to think the Malibu would be a better way to go, but looks alone would steer me towards the Impala (maybe black w/ spoiler) So here's where I'm at on the M:
I went down to a dealer and drove a 99' M and liked it but here are my thoughts: 1. The M I drove had a misaligned drivers door. This caused a most annoying whistle at speeds over 30mph. Dealer willing to fix this but how long would the fix last? Does this say something about the car's overall quality? Chrysler seems to get pretty poor marks here, are they justified? 2.) The ride and drive of this car seem excellent: great snot off the line and a pleasure cruising the highway but...will it inspire me on the back way home? 3.) It seems you get a lot for the money with a pre-owned M, but what re-sale can I hope for in 4 more yrs? 4.) What warranties/ certification programs does Chrysler offer, what do they cover and are they worth it? 5.) I'm tall and it seems I'm looking out the blue sun tinting stuff at the top of the windshield. Are there any other tall M drivers out there and is this something you get used to? My Passat has an excellent greenhouse and I love the visibility.
The M is at the top of the list, the greenhouse alone on the Impala would be a big seller, but I like the oomph and looks of the M. Let me know your thoughts...
On the M - never heard of the door problem before, so can't say to that. As for will you enjoy it - I've been driving it about 18 months and still love it. It's got very good acceleration for a car this size. And it seats three adults in the back with decent trunk space (nothing has a big trunk after I got rid of my 98 concorde - hell I couldn't even touch the back of the trunk in that thing w/o climbing in!)
As for warranties - if it's not out of the orig 3/36 (I think you can purchase an extended up to 4/48k though) you can get one. Chryslerwarranty.com is a good start as it's a chrysler warranty, but usually cheaper than your local dealer.
As for resale - it's already dropped in price however, Chrysler does not have a good history in resale.
I love mine and highly reccomend it. If price is an issue you may also want to check out a new/used concorde. The lxi version is pretty peppy (not quite up to the M though) and is very conmfortable. Not quite a 'sports' car, but is wonderful. I would still have it if it wasn't for engine/dealer problems. otoh - it got me into the M so I can't complain
Welcome to the board. The 2000 model had some improvements over the '99. Here are a few: 1. Cupholders added to the rear (fold down the armrest)
2. Performance Handling Group had a running change to 17" wheels and Michilen Pilot tires.
3. Improved rubber bushings on rear suspension (read that in a car mag)
4. In-dash 4-CD Changer (i'm not sure if the Premium sound system was available in '99).
5. Upgraded vendor for PW regulators
All of these may not be of interest, and there may be others here on the board with additional items. Regarding driving on the twisties, the M can hold its own (I have the PHG and Pilots).
The 99 had more issues than the more recent year versions of the car (I have a flawless 01), but that is typical of the first year of a model. However, there are many, many very happy owners of 99Ms posting on this board that have had few if any problems with their car. If the dealer says he'll fix the door, let him. But make him give you a guarantee on it for some period of time (1 year?). The overall quality of the M is excellent, even according to the seemingly foreign-biased Consumer Reports. Here's their "repair history" chart from this month's auto issue: http://www.ritchiefamily.com/car/consumer.jpg . Two of the biggest issues with the 99 were failing window motors (responsible for the black dot) and the underperforming Goodyear tires. MANY have replaced the Goodyears with less expensive tires (e.g Yokohama Avids) that perform much better. Warping rotors are also an issue for some, but as you probably know those are easily replaced if necessary.
The M will inspire you to drive it hard, especially if the car has the Performance Handling Package (called the Performance Handling Group in 01). The Autostick lets you keep the car up in it's rocket ship range of 3,000+ RPM and is almost like driving a stick...but without the clutch! I love my car in the twisties, expecially using the autostick and listening to the roar of my dual exhaust. Oh..I forgot to tell you, you'll start having the urge to modify your car. Don't panic, we almost all get it for some reason.
Resale values are terrible in some places, fine in others. I can get almost what I paid for my M out here in San Diego for my '01. Others have taken an immediate 8k or 9k hit when they drove it off the lot. The low resale value is likely one reason you can get into the 99 so cheap. Don't expect to get a lot out of it after 4 years. By then it will be 7 or 8 years old and you'll have put a zillion miles on it.
Check with your dealer on warranty programs. The car is probably out of factory warranty and I'm not sure what DC offers on used cars. Another source to check is www.warrantydirect.com. Good company, good coverage and good prices. Finally, one of the things people have raved about with the M is the ability to handle tall drivers. I'm NOT one, so wait for someone who is to chime in.
Here's some M information (including specification sheets, TSBs and other stuff) and pictures of my car and modifications. Good luck in your search. http://www.ritchiefamily.com/300m.htm . Also check out the 300M club at http://www.300mclub.org
"SHE whose name cannot be mentioned" visited my M. While I was in the bank, my son was just sitting quietly in the car when suddenly all the doorlocks slammed down. (Twilight Zone music, please). "Is that you, C-------e?"
All the lights and locks nonsense should be fixed by the "new" body control module next week. Oh, well. We're going camping this weekend at Cooper Lake with friends. It's been rainy this spring, so the lake is full. Last visit it was down 12 feet. Have a good weekend everyone.
You're right, it was a straight six (I typed V6 out of habit I guess). Mine was auto with power steering which seemed pretty good until I started driving a new car then the steering seemed incredibly sloppy and the brakes even worse -- I'd stop at an intersection and end up in the middle of the street if I hadn't driven it for awhile as I was used to power brakes on the new car.
My father also had a brand new 66 289/manual -- cost a whopping $2,200 back then.
Any of you seen the new Taco Bell commercial where they have cars tip to the side and start driving on two wheels? Very first car they show is a gold 300M.
Check the club site (300mclub.org) there is a little old lady (really) selling a 99 with extremely low miles for 18K. I have 44k on my 99 and am very happy with it. A couple very minor problems (one window regulator and now I seem to have a short in my fog lights). Car is rock solid and I can honestly say it has zero squeaks, creaks or rattles. The 99 does have the upgraded stereo (Infinity II), but the 4-disc changer was not available. Oh yeah, the Goodyears were a problem on my car as in a large percentage of the 99/00's but replacment with a different brand took care of that. M's with the Performance Handling package came with Michelins. I bought a Maxcare extended warranty (75K)when the car was 2 years old for $1,300 from Chrysler and most will offer 0% one year financing on it.
don't have a 300m, but it's on my short list also...something to consider regarding the door: what's the reason the door is out of whack...i would suspect a collision (sp?) and defintely have somebody check it out. you can check the undercarriage and the door jam for overspray from being repainted...jack g
jg - excellent idea. Definitely ask about body damage and have it inspected. Not nec. the worst thing in the world, as long as there was no frame damage, however it would be important to know.
I'm sure you folks have been through all of this many times before, but I am about to replace my original Goodyears on my '99 M. I recall some of you have been happy with what you've replaced yours with, so I'd like to get some good tires. Something quieter and handles very well. Thanks!
I don't want to say anything bad about Pontiac, but the plastic trim on my old Grand Prix started peeling off, leaving a really shiny silver trim. Wasn't very pretty. Stuff happens though. At your age, obsessing about a car that wasn't even yours long after you are out from under it isn't healthy. I had two crappy Fords with the 3.8 liter engine in them. Once I got rid of them, I didn't keep posting about what a POS it was. Life goes on.
I had a 1978 VW Scirocco that was rear ended by an Impala going 45 mph when my car was only two weeks old. I didn't tend to blame VW for the quirks that were related to that accident.
FWIW - there are some who might dis the Grand Cherokee. Fine that's their perogative. My brothers neighbor had the transmission and engine replaced in his Blazer, but he wouldn't consider a Jeep because they "weren't reliable". Get along and find a rattle in the Asstek and moan about deteriorating GM quality.
Well, it finally arrived. I completed my 3 year contract assignment near my home in the Dallas area and my next assignment is in Petaluma, Ca. I have to leave next Wednesday and report to my new job on Saturday. I'll be driving out for the first long trip I've made in my 2000 300M. I put the M in my local 5* yesterday. It has 52K miles now and it's still on the original brake pads, plus there were a few other thing that needed attention (tranny and diff fluid, noisy window regulator, etc). Nothing major. I got a call this morning from the service rep to tell me I still have 40% of my brake pads left! 52K miles and I've only used 60% of the original pads? I also had to replace 2 of the Goodrich GForce KDW tires I put on last August (sounds like they wore out too quickly, but I put around 25K on the car since they were new). I guess that's not too bad for Z rated tires that provide the wet and dry weather grip these tires do. I put the new GForce tires on the front, since the fronts wear faster. I would rather not have to leave home for my new job assignment, but I'm kinda looking forward to getting the M out on a long trip in a way. I guess the bright side is I won't have any honey-do's to do for a while and I'll get to spend a lot more time racing '67 F1 cars on my computer simulation (Grand Prix Legends) than I get to at home. sdmike: the job at TRW in the San Diego area fell through, so I won't get to have duals installed by the shop that did yours. Maybe I can find a good shop in Petaluma or Santa Rosa if I have any time when I'm not working so I can look. Lynn Flowers McKinney, Texas
I'm really not obsessing, it's just comments from previous experiences. Those experiences were bad, so the comments don't appear much nicer. I do admit though, I can see why it's annoying for you guys to be reading some of my crap sometimes, just like some of your's is to me!
On the Pontiac, thanks. I've never really been a fan of the excessively cheap interiors with those nasty red gauges, but basically like the GP for it's looks. And, from what I've been reading, I'm not to impressed with certain GP issues, like rattling interiors with all that cheap plastic. Because you KNOW I'm not a fan of car's that rattle!! Ah, but who knows what I'll buy?!
GC- My main point was that from reading the GC board since it's new 99' intro, there have been many, many owners with excessive problems, several lemon buybacks, etc. And, it seems that they all had the same problems. Each year past, they have gotten better though, and I liked one when I had a chance to ride in a friend's 99' Laredo. Aztek? It is ugly in every sense of the word, but they have rather high quality, and I very much enjoyed sitting in them all at the Auto Show this year. And, you just have to know the color I like most in them--bright yellow!
If you can get a good deal and can get information on the car's past, by all means go for it. Even though we had a Christine II, I myself would actually consider one used, probably a 99' or 00' as the somewhat bad resale makes purchasing a used M rather attractive. They can be very reliable and enjoyable vehicles to own, probably still for years to come.
Like it? Good deal? Buy it! That's my motto when it comes to cars. You buy what you like and what you can afford, simple as that. It's the way all our vehicle purchases have worked in the past and will continue to for some time. Plus, once you buy an M, you'll start getting an "itch" to mod it a little! Too bad it wasn't my car, for duals, K&N, tinted windows, new tires, etc. would have been done!
Welcome to N. CA, you don't have to do F1 on your computer simulation. Sears point race track in Sonoma/Napa opens to public every Wednesday night for drag race. And you can wine yourself in Napa, lots of fun around Petaluma. Too bad I haven't try it yet because it's about 2 hours drive from my home. I would like to hear you more when you're in. May be someday you can make a meet in there, drag race, wine, ...
Comments
The 5* service guy ordered a Body Control Module. After they worked on it, the door locks are locking as soon as you close the door. I hope that is a programmable feature. (under great duress, our hero is forced to read the owner's manual ;>))
I asked the SA if I will get a new BCM, or a refurbished unit. He admitted that they will program one with the information from my VIN, and that it will be a recycled unit. Geez, I hope that works out OK.
Silver
Mike
does it work?
I once had a local pricinct support sticker of some sort, the first day I had it on my car, I got a parking ticket :-)
Mike
After the dealer performed the "Headlight Welt" TSB I could swear (but can't prove) the gap or seam between the front of the hood and the front fascia is larger than normal.
The TSB requires the R&R of the fascia, but I can't see how it could be adjusted any tighter. I know practically zip about body work.
Here's a link to some pics I just took:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/tsokol5/seam_problem.htm
What do you guys think?????
Had a similar issue on my car after AC belt was replaced. the hood would not close. took it back to 5*, they were clueless. sent my car to their body shop. Turns out, when the 5* guys moved stuff around under the hood, the AC condenser was reinstalled in such way that it prevented the hood from closing all the way - per body shop guy.
you may have something similar going on. For sure have it checked out by a body shop.
On another note, am I the only one here that was sent a video with the Motor Trend Car of the Year review for the 99' 300M? I got it back in summer of 99' with a package that had a brochure in it. The first 3 segments are by Chrysler showing the 99' Concorde, the 300M, and then the LHS. Then, it goes to Motor Trend TV and their review of a dark green 300M on a racetrack and driving in town. Anyone else have it?
http://www.chrysler.com/inside/videos/index.html
Doors that lock by themselves? What famous car could that possibly be? ;-))) Blonda- sound like the same car that flashes the lights? ;-))
I do remember something about being able to program the door locks so that they would lock x number of seconds after you got out of the car. I think the 99 had it.
fastdriver
Turns out, he worked for Chrysler for over 20 years. He went on to say that he didn't want to say anything bad about Chrysler, but their Jeep has been the worst vehicle they've had (what 99' GC wasn't!?) with it having to go for service quite often and that he's always gotten terrible treatment at the Chrysler dealer. On the other hand, with his truck, he's never had a problem with the dealer and they always did excellent work. I hope we get the same if anything happens to turn up (nothing yet, knock on wood!)
And, there has been a few people noticing that the M was gone from where my mother works. One who works at another office and drives by daily, called her at work today to ask her about the new car and "why did you get rid of your Chrysler". She had a 95' Stratus and now has a new Intrepid. Telling her of the problems with both the car and the dealer, she was asked who the dealer was. As it turns out, this person is related to the owners and just kind of had an "Oh".
Oh well, just thought I'd share that with you guys. You must admit, I'm not badmouthing the M this time!
Thanks for the compaments. I agree it does look better. It would even be better with larger wheels, but ride quality come first, and at least the lowering spring with the stock suspension doesn't hurt it too much. After all most of the driving I do is city and freeway driving. If I lived closer to the mountians then it would be another story.
Most experts say to "layer" your alarms. After they take the time to defeat 3 they usually move on, they do not want to spend a lot of time trying to take a car. That is what I have done to my car I have some dummy switches and wires set up that are hooked up but are really inactive. the wires usually are hooked up to a switch, but not the one they can see, usless they want to take the time to trace each and every wire.
BTW, did you have a chance to look at my page with the unusually large (at least to me) gap between the hood and the front fascia? Having removed the fascia yourself, does this look like a problem with the fascia or the hood????
Finally, if you had my old site bookmarked you can still get to all of the pictures from there. You can also get other links such as all of the TSBs, a parts list, technical specification documents and other things. The URL is http://www.ritchiefamily.com/300m.htm
Ok...I'm now finally organized! lol
It came in handy when I went the the Carlsbad 300M Meet last March. Just input the address and bingo it takes you right there. Well you still have to do the driveing.
4
see for yourself: http://www.infiniti.com/discover/ModelHomepage/0,9279,22756,00.html
Other than that, the vehicle has been flawless. Just like my 98 Intrepid, and my '02 Special have been.
If the 99 JGC was as bad as some make it out to be then DC did an extraordinary job correcting all the problems by '00.
I'm beginning to think that there is this certain part of the country where contaminates have seeped into the ground water causing all the local inhabitants to be negative naysayers.
Click the 300M album. All the cars are mine except the 300M. I sold it
http://community.webshots.com/user/jasontalbot
Igor
1. Lease a new Altima 3.5 not American but I like this car, good rep for quality/ re-sale and this thing really hustles(Purchasing a well equiped one puts monthly payment too high, although I am not thrilled with the idea of leasing)
2. 300M 00 or 99 (considerations on M below)
3. New Intrepid...no leather, less ponies, but the new warranty and cash back...
4. Buick Regal new/ used? Not really thrilled with the looks but it seems to have a following...
5. Chevy Impala new / used? Is this thing a dog off the line or what, Edmunds seems to think the Malibu would be a better way to go, but looks alone would steer me towards the Impala (maybe black w/ spoiler)
So here's where I'm at on the M:
I went down to a dealer and drove a 99' M and liked it but here are my thoughts:
1. The M I drove had a misaligned drivers door. This caused a most annoying whistle at speeds over 30mph. Dealer willing to fix this but how long would the fix last? Does this say something about the car's overall quality? Chrysler seems to get pretty poor marks here, are they justified?
2.) The ride and drive of this car seem excellent: great snot off the line and a pleasure cruising the highway but...will it inspire me on the back way home?
3.) It seems you get a lot for the money with a pre-owned M, but what re-sale can I hope for in 4 more yrs?
4.) What warranties/ certification programs does Chrysler offer, what do they cover and are they worth it?
5.) I'm tall and it seems I'm looking out the blue sun tinting stuff at the top of the windshield. Are there any other tall M drivers out there and is this something you get used to? My Passat has an excellent greenhouse and I love the visibility.
The M is at the top of the list, the greenhouse alone on the Impala would be a big seller, but I like the oomph and looks of the M. Let me know your thoughts...
ps good board here
As for warranties - if it's not out of the orig 3/36 (I think you can purchase an extended up to 4/48k though) you can get one. Chryslerwarranty.com is a good start as it's a chrysler warranty, but usually cheaper than your local dealer.
As for resale - it's already dropped in price
I love mine and highly reccomend it. If price is an issue you may also want to check out a new/used concorde. The lxi version is pretty peppy (not quite up to the M though) and is very conmfortable. Not quite a 'sports' car, but is wonderful. I would still have it if it wasn't for engine/dealer problems. otoh - it got me into the M so I can't complain
1. Cupholders added to the rear (fold down the armrest)
2. Performance Handling Group had a running change to 17" wheels and Michilen Pilot tires.
3. Improved rubber bushings on rear suspension (read that in a car mag)
4. In-dash 4-CD Changer (i'm not sure if the Premium sound system was available in '99).
5. Upgraded vendor for PW regulators
All of these may not be of interest, and there may be others here on the board with additional items. Regarding driving on the twisties, the M can hold its own (I have the PHG and Pilots).
Silver
The M will inspire you to drive it hard, especially if the car has the Performance Handling Package (called the Performance Handling Group in 01). The Autostick lets you keep the car up in it's rocket ship range of 3,000+ RPM and is almost like driving a stick...but without the clutch! I love my car in the twisties, expecially using the autostick and listening to the roar of my dual exhaust. Oh..I forgot to tell you, you'll start having the urge to modify your car. Don't panic, we almost all get it for some reason.
Resale values are terrible in some places, fine in others. I can get almost what I paid for my M out here in San Diego for my '01. Others have taken an immediate 8k or 9k hit when they drove it off the lot. The low resale value is likely one reason you can get into the 99 so cheap. Don't expect to get a lot out of it after 4 years. By then it will be 7 or 8 years old and you'll have put a zillion miles on it.
Check with your dealer on warranty programs. The car is probably out of factory warranty and I'm not sure what DC offers on used cars. Another source to check is www.warrantydirect.com. Good company, good coverage and good prices. Finally, one of the things people have raved about with the M is the ability to handle tall drivers. I'm NOT one, so wait for someone who is to chime in.
Here's some M information (including specification sheets, TSBs and other stuff) and pictures of my car and modifications. Good luck in your search. http://www.ritchiefamily.com/300m.htm . Also check out the 300M club at http://www.300mclub.org
Mike
All the lights and locks nonsense should be fixed by the "new" body control module next week. Oh, well. We're going camping this weekend at Cooper Lake with friends. It's been rainy this spring, so the lake is full. Last visit it was down 12 feet. Have a good weekend everyone.
Silver
My father also had a brand new 66 289/manual -- cost a whopping $2,200 back then.
what's the reason the door is out of whack...i
would suspect a collision (sp?) and defintely have
somebody check it out. you can check the undercarriage and the door jam for overspray from
being repainted...jack g
Blonda - I wish I knew :-D
The first thing to do is order food from Taco Bell.
I had a 1978 VW Scirocco that was rear ended by an Impala going 45 mph when my car was only two weeks old. I didn't tend to blame VW for the quirks that were related to that accident.
FWIW - there are some who might dis the Grand Cherokee. Fine that's their perogative. My brothers neighbor had the transmission and engine replaced in his Blazer, but he wouldn't consider a Jeep because they "weren't reliable". Get along and find a rattle in the Asstek and moan about deteriorating GM quality.
I put the M in my local 5* yesterday. It has 52K miles now and it's still on the original brake pads, plus there were a few other thing that needed attention (tranny and diff fluid, noisy window regulator, etc). Nothing major. I got a call this morning from the service rep to tell me I still have 40% of my brake pads left! 52K miles and I've only used 60% of the original pads?
I also had to replace 2 of the Goodrich GForce KDW tires I put on last August (sounds like they wore out too quickly, but I put around 25K on the car since they were new). I guess that's not too bad for Z rated tires that provide the wet and dry weather grip these tires do. I put the new GForce tires on the front, since the fronts wear faster.
I would rather not have to leave home for my new job assignment, but I'm kinda looking forward to getting the M out on a long trip in a way. I guess the bright side is I won't have any honey-do's to do for a while and I'll get to spend a lot more time racing '67 F1 cars on my computer simulation (Grand Prix Legends) than I get to at home.
sdmike: the job at TRW in the San Diego area fell through, so I won't get to have duals installed by the shop that did yours. Maybe I can find a good shop in Petaluma or Santa Rosa if I have any time when I'm not working so I can look.
Lynn Flowers
McKinney, Texas
On the Pontiac, thanks. I've never really been a fan of the excessively cheap interiors with those nasty red gauges, but basically like the GP for it's looks. And, from what I've been reading, I'm not to impressed with certain GP issues, like rattling interiors with all that cheap plastic. Because you KNOW I'm not a fan of car's that rattle!! Ah, but who knows what I'll buy?!
GC- My main point was that from reading the GC board since it's new 99' intro, there have been many, many owners with excessive problems, several lemon buybacks, etc. And, it seems that they all had the same problems. Each year past, they have gotten better though, and I liked one when I had a chance to ride in a friend's 99' Laredo. Aztek? It is ugly in every sense of the word, but they have rather high quality, and I very much enjoyed sitting in them all at the Auto Show this year. And, you just have to know the color I like most in them--bright yellow!
Like it? Good deal? Buy it! That's my motto when it comes to cars. You buy what you like and what you can afford, simple as that. It's the way all our vehicle purchases have worked in the past and will continue to for some time. Plus, once you buy an M, you'll start getting an "itch" to mod it a little! Too bad it wasn't my car, for duals, K&N, tinted windows, new tires, etc. would have been done!
Good luck with whatever you buy!