Chrysler 300M

videoman1

Blonda,

Where did you get the chrome shifter for your M?

-vman

blonda

I got the chrome shifter from Tom Mills -- I think the info is still posted on the 300M club site message board. You can email him to see if he still has any.

Contact Tom Mills: tmills3202@aol.com

videoman1

I was hoping you were going to say that. I emailed Tom and he still has a few of them in stock. I was gonna order one unless you say you don't like it for some reason.

-vman

reybeast

Hey EasyRider,
Has anyone posted anything about the headlight lenses clouding over? Mine have been getting worse, and they look all crackly on the outside, not the inside. My fog light lenses look fine, so its not something I ran into or over, so what is it? I'm tempted to show it to the dealer to see what they say about it. Any comments are welcome

silverbullet4

Thanks for the info. Mine seems to be more of a problem on the driver's side.

Regards, Silver

reybeast

Hey EasyRider,
Has anyone posted anything about the headlight lenses clouding over? Mine have been getting worse, and they look all crackly on the outside, not the inside. My fog light lenses look fine, so its not something I ran into or over, so what is it? I'm tempted to show it to the dealer to see what they say about it. Any comments are welcome

blonda

Go for it. He'll get it to you pretty quickly. From the packaging, they appear to be OEM no copies.

hmk123

So now I am a bit confused... Is it something to worry about? Should I have it checked out right away or wait until the next service (which is a few month away)? Could accidently hitting those damn pot holes on the highways be a cause for this?

Thanks,
Hans

scotian

If you're going to install it, you will want to do this:

http://public.fotki.com/Scotian/300m/engine/air_intake/throttle_body/wot_switch/

videoman1

Blonda, I ordered the shifter. Thanks for the quick replies to my questions.

Scotian, they say that the e-RAM comes with a WOT switch. You just have to install it. Why did you decide not to get the e-RAM?

-vman

scotian

I'm sure it comes with a $0.50 micro switch of some kind, but I doubt it is tailored to fit the 300M's TB, the best place for it (as opposed to a button on your dashboard). "Just have to install it" is easier said than done, but I have shown you a way to do it.

I didn't buy one because I wasn't intending to install my modified TB for a while (and haven't yet). No need to buy an eRAM I wasn't going to use for a while.

glennbp

I would love to see what difference there would be having the $600.00 Super eRam installed on the K&N tube. Anyone want to try and then let me know?

splatt

Video - nice choice of tips. I think that if I were to choose from those, that would be the ones I picked - but $200 on tips... ouch

sdmike - how much were the tips from your guy? I do llike the staggered look

sdmike2

$200.

splatt

ROTFL!

sdmike2

The tips by themselves were $15 each. The staggered tip assembly, including the y-pipe and two welded tips, were $100 per side. Ed Hanson said he'd sell them to others, but videoman didn't have much luck dealing with Ed for some reason. I guess maybe he changed his mind about making and shipping them.

300michael

If you look at the site's dyno testing you will see that any car with a Hi Flow system gets less then 7 hp (in most cases 4 or 5 hp) for $300. About half the car show no improvement at all until the higher revs are attained. Considering that it reaches it's most psi to the engine when first engaged, as the engine rpms get higher (more air flow) the air pressure will actually go down. Not to mention the drain on the engine (the thing draws 50 amps). To me it is an expensive tornado unit. and the unit would cause a restriction when not using wide open throttle. The ideas is good but 1psi and they even say it will be only .5psi in actual use.

videoman1

Mike,

I think what might have been happening with Ed is that he'd make exhaust tips or components for people and ship them out. Then the people would complain that it isn't what they expected it to look like or something. He didn't say it that directly, but that's the impression I got. Maybe you can give him a buzz if you get some time to get the whole story.

-vman

videoman1

I don't know how to read a dyno test sheet so I'll take your expert word for it. It's a shame that thing doesn't work as good as you'd think. It would be nice to be able to bolt on a simple solution and get good results from it.

Also, doesn't a turbo charger and supercharger actually compress the air allowing it to hold more fuel, not just shoot it down the intake tube? It seems like the e-RAM does no compressing at all.

-vman

videoman1

If having knee surgery isn't bad enough for the doc, he was recently informed that as of October 1st, he'll be "Downsized" from the company he works at. This economy is effecting a lot of people knowadays. If anyone has any leads for a website designer and programmer position, please pass it along to the doc.

SDMike, I hope things are looking up for you too.

-vman

easyrider300m

yes the tips from truckaddons and the ones from Hanson are $200--BUT the ones from truckaddons are stainless steel versun nonstainless for Hansons---big quality difference--I'll go with the truckaddons!

sdmike2

agreed on the tips. Stainless would rock.

V-man - no luck yet, but thanks for thinking of me. A couple more months and Big Red gets traded in for a late 80s Honda.

fuzzywuzzy

I thought he worked for the FED?

fastdriver

videoman1-

Thanks for the update on the dr. When it rains, it pours. Hope things look up for him and sdmike2.

fastdriver

fastdriver

He has HIGH, HIGH hopes...... He even wants to match Toyota and Honda's "perceived" reliability!!

http://www.detnews.com/2002/autosinsider/0207/26/b01-546314.htm

fastdriver

300michael

an not just give it lip service. I do hope they get some new designers hired, not to crazy about some of there latest ones.

ottowrkr

Hey mike ,as of now I dont have any solid numbers as to how many guys will be going to Detroit. We are off on holidays and will be going back on Mon. I will be able to get a better idea from some of the guys next week.

beach15

Yeah, I really do have high hopes for them. What I'm worried a little about is this:
__________________________________________________
"The Chrysler Group may not be able to beat its Japanese rivals in price and reliability, its chief executive said Thursday, but it can compete in innovation and pure style -- like Volkswagen, but better.

"We will not try to create a better Camry or Civic or Jetta," Dieter Zetsche told a group of reporters. "We will go our own unique way."
__________________________________________________
Yeah, well that's all fine and dandy, but I don't understand why they can't match Japanese rivals in reliability and price. They can still have their "own unique way", but make the quality at least match the best. Do I like gorgeous cars? Sure. But would I buy a great looking car only to have things rattle, vibrate, break, etc.? No.

It's a simple prospect, let's just hope they do it correctly.

beach15

Hey, when should the 2003's start showing up on the lots? Another 2 weeks or so?

Saw a silver Special last night in the dark while driving home. It was sitting at a light waiting to turn onto the main road, and the first thing I noticed it by was the big blinking orange signal on the driver's mirror. Great feature! However, the car wasn't too clean...maybe I should find them and give them a card!

muskateer3

My .02

Past automobiles

1990 Honda accord:
rotors warp every 30K (sound familiar?)
transmission recalled
after fix for trans recall, leaked oil from then on
most "fragile" paint I ever had

1994 Isuzu rodeo
Stumbling on acceleration - never was fixed correctly
clutch would last 30K max - $600 parts only

1996 Honda Civic
Manual Transmission lunched itself at 9K
Whistling from windshield at >=55MPH, had to be "glued" back in
Warped rotors at 30K (again?)

1996 RAV4
Bald OEM tires at 10K
AC that never got cold enough, but was "working to specs"

All things considered, I believe DC has surpassed the japanese reliability... at least in my case

M3

300michael

The US automakers will never match the the Japanese in price because of the Government insentives (money) that the Japanese government hands out in subisdies to it's companies, and because of the wage scale differances. They can match in quality, though. I agree I do not want to see Chrysler making Camry's, If I wanted a Camry I would have bought one. I tend to like cars with big interiors but smaller exteriors (as much as possible. I did look at Accords, Camry, along with the TL's (I did not like the GM plastic caldding, and red instrumentation) so the RL and I30 were in contention. My second reunner up was the STS but too pricy.

300michael

so far my 300M (99) and my Honda (00) are holding up the same. I will be looking to replace my Honda in six months though. The 300M I will be keeping for at least another few years.

sdmike2

my 85 subaru XT coupe sucked (everything died). My 90 mitsu eclipse was awesome (not one problem in 130k miles). My 99 mitsu galant sucked (suspension, rotors, brakes). My 96 Grand Caravan sucks big time (multiple trannies, seats, doors, windows). My 01 M is fine so far (13,000 miles)

fuzzywuzzy

Went out for lunch today. My job is on a very busy main road. There's a light at the entrance. It a very long light too. Talking minutes here. The traffic on this street has to wait for the light to turn into my complex so you get alot of impaitant people who run the red turn signal. So I'm at the light first, cars behind me. I see this VERY nice silver 300M special waiting at the light to turn. And guess what this woman driver does... yep tries to turn on the red signal. Too bad she didn't see the Blazer who was speeding. Yep a very nasty collision. The 300M spun around a few times, & landed in the ditch. The Blazer lost control & went into on coming traffic, & he some how avoided other cars & stoped by the side of the road. So I turn around the other way in my complex, & park. So does 2 other cars. I go over to the 300M, some others go to the blazer. Luckly no one was hurt. A cop car was there in 5 minutes. He happend to be just in that area. So I'm there with the other people talking to the cops, filling out witness reports. About an hour goes by. I ask the woman if she was really ok as I was leaving. She said yes, but she said she only had the car for 2 hours! She was driving it home from the dealer. I look at the car again, & see the 30 day temp tag that read expires 8/26/02.

beach15

I'm glad I wasn't there to see it! My mother and I still have flash backs to the horror we went through last October, and even though the car had problems, I wanted to cry as I stood there looking at it without a trunk, the gas spilling all over the road, and a Dodge Ram van where the rear parcel shelf once was. Boy, was it bad, but at least we're alive.

As harsh as it may seem to say this, it may serve that woman right that she ran through the red light. Being impatient is one thing, but putting both your's and other's lives in extreme danger by going through a red light because you "just can't sit there anymore", is NO EXCUSE. Good thing everyone was alright, though.

Whoo, only had the car for 2 hours! And it's a new Special to boot! Oh well, maybe it'll teach her what not to ever think about doing again.

Did it look reparable? I could have sworn ours was totalled with the extent and severity of the damage, but the insurance company decided it was worth 2 months and $12k of repairing. It was back to the exact same condition as the minute before the accident, but that didn't speak for much very long.

ottowrkr

I would think maybe you will see 03's in about a month.

Oh man , why did I have to read about this. A Special , WHY WHY WHY !!!!

splatt

OMFG! I think someone should take the M away from here permanently Whether or not she deserves to drive again is one question (though it sounds like both were at fault - but I believe hurting the M is worse than the blazed ;-)

That is sad....

blonda

And to think how bad most of us feel when we get our first little door ding!

greasykid1

How can I get a copy of a factory TSB? Is there a way without going to the dealer. I know the number.( FOR MY JEEP).

videoman1

What color was the interior? I'm looking for a shifter trim with the leather boot. My trim is a dark gray. Not sure of the actual color name.

-vman

ruski

my Acura TL-S lost its transmission at 6,100 miles.

300michael

Did you give your M a nice coat of Zanio when you got her home?

300michael

You said it. I was nervous when the ladys Caddy backed into my M. But that was nothing compared to this.

fastdriver

300michael-

You mean- did he give the CL-S a nice coat of Zaino when he got her home! ;-))

fastdriver

beach15

Huh? Does fuzzy not have a 2002 CL-S now...you must be confused?

beach15

Once again, we posted one after another! Gee, must be some sort of telepathic connection!

Hey, have you ever seen the infamous "Christine" ever again? I could have sworn I saw our "II" in a Chrysler dealer's used car lot when we went by, but after emailing them, they called yesterday and told me it wasn't the car. Oh well, I guess it's a good thing...that car gives me the creeps!

fastdriver

beach15-

LOL.... Nope. NO sightings of Christine. Only been to RI a few times since I got rid of her up there 16 months ago. Imagine, 17,000 miles on the current ride and everything still works and no problems! I hate this "perceived" Japanese reliability. So boring. I miss visiting the dealer and calling the Zone Office and Detroit!

Last week I saw a truck with THREE 300M "Specials" or maybe they were the Pro Am ones or whatever the new catch phrase is. How could you tell? All the same color and trim. Parked next to one last week in Westbrook, CT at a timeshare resort where a friend owns a week and gets to use the resort all year. Nice beach. Art Carney from the Honeymooners TV show supposedly lives right next to this timeshare. Haven't seen him yet though.

fastdriver

fastdriver

easyrider300m

scavanging for parts already even before the dust settles--yeah I guess even a totalled M has some value---

Hey fuzzy--how are the outside mirrors---I could use a nice set of special mirrors!

just a comment on the accident I saw between a 14 yr old caddy and a fairly new Mercedes S class---neither driver seemed to be badly hurt--the cars were badly wrecked-- the driver of the Mercedes calls his wife on his cellphone to come get him. She shows up --first she looks at the car and starts crying ---then she finds her husband and before she asks if he's ok , she screams--"Where's the dog---my dog-my dog! The dog evidently ran off in the excitement. Then she starts looking for the dog and starts asking people if they saw him. Meanwhile her husband is limping around in a daze. Witnesses were all shaking their head in amazement as she kept saying : My dog--where's my dog?

Some people!

fastdriver

easyrider300m-

;-)) That's how some of "those" people are! All show, NO substance! Sad.

fastdriver

videoman1

I hope nobody took that the wrong way. I didn't mean to make light of the accident. I'm certainly glad that nobody was hurt and there were people close by to help the drivers. Cars can be replaced, people can't. If I offended anyone or gave the wrong impression of me and my morals, I apologize.

-vman