Same here as ruski. There's a guy here with a sedan, but I like the look of the coupe better. I don't like the interior of the G at all (I'm not super fond of the exterior styling, narrow and tall, but it's OK). Seems very small and has a cheap look to it. The reclining rear seats are uncomfortable in any position other than fully up. The sedan lists for only a few ticks over $27K and I think the coupe is a couple of grand more for the base model. Probably a decent replacement for an M, but after getting spoiled by the spacious, well-styled cockpit in the M, I'm not sure I could get used to a small cockpit with vanilla styling. For the record, I'm 6'2" and 280, so smaller drivers might not feel as cramped.
I have to admit I was drawn to the "radical" look of the CTS, but I think it looked better in pictures than in real life. What turned me off on the CTS were unfavorable reviews that claimed the CTS was really an unimproved Catera and the handling was disappointing...I agree with lflowers (I'm less than 5 years behind you!) about the recent trend toward ugly cars. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the Infiniti FX35/45? Yuch!!!
My 2003M is still in my garage awaiting the disposal of my leased 2000M, but I noticed another decontenting from the prior years' models.
The lights by the door handles that go on when you unlock the car are missing. Instead, the entire light casing is red plastic (red and clear on earlier models). Also, someone mentioned the difference in the tinted section at the top of the windshield -- it is definitely smaller and shaped different.
Car manufacturers generally hype the new additional features they have in each new model year cars -- I think they should have to list all changes (additions and deletions) from year to year. When you buy a 4th or 5th year model car, you should expect to get the same car as the prior years, with perhaps some additional new features. You shouldn't have to find out later that some content has been removed.
Now I am wondering what else I may find missing...I just hope it's not under the hood!
They did "add" something to the 2003 300M. You now have plasic "chrome" coating over your wheels. Isn't that a nice feature? I have a 2000 M and am happy with it at 50K. The only thing I would have liked was the real wood accents and the wood steering wheel with radio controls. Guess I'll be keeping her till she gets fat and ugly. Then I'll trade her in for a younger model--maybe a different make.
so were they accidently cross rotated? The Avids are meant to stay on the same side of the car even when rotating. Maybe that caused a belt problem. I have the 420 v-rated ones and mine appear to allow cross rotating as the tread is symmetrical. The channels for water displacement on the edge are in the same direction no matter which side of the tire faces outward. The avids I believe are called directional tires. You have to have them mounted to rotate in the proper direction. If they were mounted in reverse, that could be the cause of your noise problem. All I know is that my 420s are much quieter than the Goodyears and handle great.
I think it has style. I think I like the exterior styling of the Murano a little better. The FX is probably more plush in the interior as it is made by Infinity as opposed to the Nissan Murano. I love the mean duals and tail lights on the rear of the Murano and I like the grill area of the Murano a little better than the FX, though its made of plastic instead of real chrome. The large wheels and the window shapes add to the look of macho aggressiveness. I would like to take one out on a test drive soon just for curiosity.
I also found the interior of the G35 very cramped and uncomfortable. Especially the armrest on the door that encroaches on the lateral legroom to the point of being painful (I also, am of a larger than "normal" size), but my M fits me just fine. Another reason to keep it!
I am concerned about the G35 interior size also....the 300M has 58.8 inches of front shoulder room.....the G35 only has 54.7. My shoulders are broad, so I am betting I won't fit. The Infiniti dealer here just never seems to be open...closed after 5:00 on Saturdays, closed Sundays, closed all holidays...they MUST be doing OK. I've looked at the car on the lot in detail, but have not had the opportunity to sit in it yet.
I really like the interior of the Murano. At the San Diego Auto Show in January it was one of the few I sat in that I immediately liked. Most others (including high-end cars) were "yuk" as an immediate impression. It's very clean and elegant like the M. I think a loaded Murano tops out around $38k which isn't cheap, but if I were in the market to replace my M that would be on my sort list.
I assume that they were rotated correctly. I took them to a Yoko dealer in town and told him what had happened and he checked them out and said that they looked OK. He might have not looked them over that well but since he said they looked OK but sounded very loud, I assume he checked them for correct placement. He couldn't do anything for me since I had bought them elsewhere, but I wanted to see what a place that specialized in Yokos would say. They are off the car now so I may never know.
I really liked the CTS in its' show form, but I don't think the design made the transition to production well. I don't like the production model at all. My same fried at work with the G35 drove a CTS first and he hated it. I owned an El Dorado a few years back and my in=laws had a Brougham but I've never been especially fond of Caddys. I try to keep an open mind because I wasn't a fan of Chrysler before I drove an M and now I'm thrilled with my M and may buy a Pacifica!
I went to the local infinti dealer today..when it was open....I sat in the G35 and actually while it was snugger than the 300M, it wasn't a tight fit. The side seat bolsters could be felt, but I wasn't sitting on them...so I think the seat test went OK. The front seats move forward electrically when the seatbacks are pushed, making it pretty easy to get into the rear seats. The rear seats are quite roomy, but the headroom sucks....my head hit the roof. Many of the controls and knobs are too small and hard to read. Center armrest is...well....not designed to rest your arm on......so why is it there?
I am amazed that a $35M car has a plain old metal rod to prop the engine hood up....the twin shocks on the 300M were a very upscale and useful touch...have they been decontented in the 300M yet? I have to admit, I really can't tell much of a difference in build quality anymore between the upscale car brands and their pedestrian siblings....the build quality in an Accord is every bit as good as the G35...in fact I think the 300M compares well with the G35. What I do like about the G35 is the 4 year, 60K mile B-T-B warrantly. Anyway, when I told the salesman I wasn't going to buy today, his demeanor changed like lost libido.....
No plastic chrome for me...I got alloys! The only options I got were a sunroof, full size spare, cassette and smokers group. I got one of the last 03's and this is what it came with.
Re the FX35/45...I agree it has a "Mean. Getoutofmyway" look, but that doesn't represent beauty to me. Most people seem to like it, but I don't. As I said before, beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
Maybe I'm just suffering from terminal old fartism, but I like the look of my cars to be smooth and flowing (like the 300M!), not chiseled and threatening...
The thing that amazed me most about the interior of the G35 was how much the sunroof intruded into the cockpit! There ahs to be a 2+ inchd rop in the ceiling where the sunroof slides in! Maybe they didn't want to add the 2 inches to the top of the roof considering how tall the car is already. Put an M next to a G and the difference is amazing. The G is narrow and tall, and the M is low and wide. It looks faster and sportier than the G. I've got a comparison picture somewhere. i will track it down and post it.
I can't remember if the coupe I sat in had a sunroof or not.....I don't think it did. I am only 5'9", so I usually don't have problems with seat heights, etc. I felt like I could have raised the seat to see better out the front, but I focused primarily on fore/aft and wheel placement, etc. The movable instrument cluster with the steering wheel is nice, I felt like I had perfect vision of the dash. It was a manual, which comes with the 18 inch wheets and Brembo brakes, but was otherwise pretty bare bones as far as options are concerned. It's sticker was $32M, a tickler model for the Infiniti dealer I suppose. Lowest sticker for a G35 coupe on his lot.
I parked my 300M in the lot with all the new Infinitis......I still think the styling of the 300M is ahead of the new cars...it just didn't look like it was a 4 year old design. Sigh....it is still the perfect car for me, if it would just stop breaking!! I read in the WSJ today that Chrysler was mounting a $100MM marketing blitz this summer to move cars, but there was no info as to whether that would extend to additional rebates or discounts. Appears to be more advertising and marketing expenditures. I could be enticed to buy a 2003 300M if it was discounted enough to cover the full cost of a fully loaded long term warranty contract. What can you get a 2003 300M for now? (not the special)
I got mine in April for $5,100 (including $3,000 rebate) below MRSP . With sunroof, full size spare, cassette and smoker's group, the total was $25,740. There aren't many 03's left in my area.
If you are interested in the luxury package, the 2004 models have a luxury package including upgraded stereo, wood trim & steering wheel, chromes, full size spare, moon roof, plus tire pressure monitoring system, etc. I believe this is the only way you can get these options for 2004 -- in one package. The package is discounted $1,100 - $1,200 and there is a $1,000 rebate on the 04's.
Both 03's and 04's have the 7 year/70,000 mile powertrain warranty.
When I watch movies that are susposed to be in the future the majority of the vehicles are the LH cars. I wonder why? Even the first gen, LH could be used as a 2005 model and pull it off easly. I was reading some automobile mags. and the one word they used for the CTS was "dated styling" while the LH vehicles were "the most beautiful 4 doors out there" If I were to loose my 300M today it would be a tough choice. I would not buy another 300M special because of the changes they have done (I like light interior and the special has the light seats but the rest is black, go figure). Some how I would probably end up with a Accord. Love the front but the back stinks. The four hundred HP CTS would be nice if you could change the body and the same can be said for the replacement for the 300M. I just might have to go Italian
one of the biggest turnoffs with the later M's is the cheapened chrome wheels. Plastic chrome clad aluminum wheels just scream "cheap" to me. And you actually have to pay for this option. Yuk. I would buy it with the cheap wheels and then go for aftermarket chromies. But it's probably harder to find later M's without the chrome wheels. They must think the consumer is stupid.
Guys( ruski ,pster,mrl859) R134a may not contain ozone depleting chlorine but R134a is still a greenhouse gas and can contribute to global warming .So please don't just release it into the atmosphere. You know a little global warming might not be a bad idea with this awful weather we have been having ;-)
going from the M to G35- NO tisk tisk . Dont do it , for the love of god.
I don't want to go to prison, so I'll do a good lip lock on the venting R134a, inhale nice and good, and exhale it into a 24 oz bottle of Coca Cola, screw tight, and dispose of properly. This is really serious, as I heard that if you are convicted of venting they make you join the Sierra Club and attend their meetings. Brrrrrr.....I'll be good!
Right now, it's a short list of things I'm missing in the 2003 that are in the 2000. Good idea -- swapping -- but a little difficult. The courtesy lights by the interior door handles would require wiring (no lights in the 2003) and the perforated leather in the 2000 seats would necessitate complete seat swapping, I expect. Also, the 2 adjustment equalizer replacement would probably require a complete radio unit radio swap. I kinda like the messages on the new radio (some stations show you the song and artist, plus other messages), so I would be reluctant to replace it. However, if I had chromes, I would be very tempted to swap them!
Actually, I've had alloys on all 3 of my M's and have been very happy with the appearance on all of them. With the new silver 2003M, the wheels almost perfectly match the paint color.
The newer Ms ( I believe 03 and 04) no longer offer a true chromed (as in metal chome plate) aluminum alloy wheel. It is actually a cladding made of chrome colored plastic over the alloy wheel. Many cars use a similar plastic chrome for their grilles. I would hate to rub those clad wheels against a curb. I also wonder how they will hold up against salt and sand. Another sorry form of decontenting. YUK!
Chromed Plastic? Has Zieter been smoking bad banana peels, or what? Whereas Acura is improving their cars, Chrysler is decreasing the quality. I kid you not, I doubt I'll buy another Chrysler after this; I think it says something about the company and I'll vote with my checkbook. If they didn't already have quality problems it might be another story, but that's the last straw.
I like my '99 M a lot, but I'm going to start paying more attention to what the other brands have and a lot less to DMC. Glad to hear the discussion of the G35 here and other cars. DMC is going to the dogs, or may already be there. They can keep their 2 ton munster-mobile 300C.
the sleek rwd Hemi convertible that I saw in the auto show a couple of years ago you would feel better about Chrylser products. I just wish they would build a hardtop version of that car. When I first saw that convertible at the auto show it was instant love at first sight.
I like the looks of the Crossfire but it should have more power.
I just found this site that talks about this sly method of lowering costs for Chrylser. The clad wheels are used on later models of the PT Cruiser and the word is getting out--the educated car buyer is not happy about this form of decontenting. The PT clad wheel is similar in construction to the ones on the later model Ms.
If I were to buy a new M, I would not purchase one if it had the chrome clad $800 option. I would rather buy one that had the plain alloy wheels and then I would buy aftermarket real chrome wheels. The $800 that I save on the wheel option would go far in purchasing a quality aftermarket wheel.
This plastic wheel thing is outrageous!!!! These cars are not entry-level vehicles. I fail to see how stunts like this can help Chrysler in today's competitive automotive market. Consumers will wonder what other "downgrades" are on the DC cars they are considering.
Hey all you 300M owners . If any of you are in the Brampton, Ontario , Canada area this Sunday June 1st, there is a Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep/Mopar car show that is held at the LH plant . It is open to all years of vehicles as long as the are DaimlerChrysler built.
Great link you put up, Easyrider300M. Great story, revealing DMCs unsavory rip-off. "Andy" did a great job telling the story in a straitforward fashion. I wonder if the Chrysler execs know about this? Anyway, this German management situation is not working out, I for one am done w/Chrysler. Who is really to blame for the downfall--wasn't Lutz the one who first sold them out? Did this resolve anything other than to line his pockets and sell out an American company in the middle of a revival?
I think Infiniti right now is becoming what chrysler could become. A company who sells interesting and stylish performance cars. I love my 300 (even with the problems) and I looked at everything when I bought in 2001 and it was the best bang for the buck. Then it seems as DC and the dealers gave up on it. I think if they made chrysler a real luxury brand (4-5yr warranty, free loaners etc) they would gain a better following but when you sell 10k cars (neon) and 40k cars (pacifica) at the same lot it is hard to portray that image. The new 300c is just awful and 40k+ with the no star dealers I have had to work with just doesn't add up in my book.
I love my fx and on freshalloy.com there are a couple people who traded M's for there FX and at least one other who has both.
Silver - Try 101 with 95% humidity down here in h-town
Unfortunately, you are not the only one that is done with "Chrysler". You can count me in as well. I can say that there are a few MoPar fans that I know that are done as well. The Daimler management is not sweet spot for us at all.
But, not to harp on that all day. Robert Lutz did not sell out Chrysler. It was Robert Eaton. I believe he got something like $70 million dollars from the deal, while ~26,000 Chrysler employees got pink slips. You can see one of the reasons why Lutz is at GM right now. I feel that he did not want to work for Daimler, and he left the summer of '98, before Daimler took over.
Does anybody have a picture of these? I can't really say that I can picture them.
I know somebody showed a picture of a butane blue 300M awhile ago that had some of the cheapest looking wheels that I have ever seen. Those wouldn't be the ones would they?
I have seen the same cheap looking wheels/hubcaps on the new 2004 Sebring sedan. They are a light plastic gray with the Chrysler badge sketched into the center of the wheel. They don't do anything for me. Plus, the 2004 Sebring sedans don't look as good as the 2002 models - cost cutting.
Infiniti is really improving itself. The way I look at it is that Infiniti is where Chrysler could have gone. The cars are fresh and interesting, and they don't hold back on some vehicles. The FX has got to be an amazing vehicle. It must be good if people are trading BMW M3s for one of them. I just think Nissan and Infiniti have taken "Chrysler's" spot as the hot, stylish car producer. I'm not sold on the interiors, but they do have some exciting products.
The 300M was (is) a nice car. I prefer it to the 300C. I think Chrysler and the dealers forgot about it after a while. The 300M Special was a great addition and it was a real sharp looking car, but there was not much of a power increase. The interiors became better over time, but I think they are taking stuff away from them now. The car's time is almost up. What a shame.
I just got my 2003 EVIC unit and noticed the differance there. The controls for the Sun Roof changed and the buttons to control the computer functions changed I do not like the style of the 03 buttons at all the earlyer models looked much nicer to me. It is a shame that Chrysler handled the car (300M) the way they did. They should have continued to make it better. Ie adding the all wheel drive option, performance improvements and additions to, not subtractions from the options. I give credit to Honda and Nisson for their strides in these areas (I just wish they could desing cars as good as the Chryslers) (sorry the FX is very ugly to me a melted version of a 300C). The 300M Hemi C was the last good looking Chrysler to come off the drawing boards. Now they are all (the cars) are starting to look like trucks. Makes me glad to have my 99 before MB got their hands on it. Just adding the best of the newer M's while keeking the best of the older ones.
I'll be passing through "sweat city", aka Houston tomorrow on our way to Galveston (actually Tiki Island) to do some fishing and relaxing. I'm from Houston and have lived in Dallas for 12 years.
Saw a nice Pro-Am model M yesterday. From the chrome exhaust I would guess it is a 2001 model. Looked nice.
In preparation for the brutal summer weather I added my nth coat of Z1 & Z2 today, including the sparkle paint wheels. Zeino tire dressing looks sharp, too. I still get compliments on this stylish car.
Also applied Rain-X to all windows. Anybody have good results with this stuff?
Not a big deal, but...took my '99M to the ?* dealer for the seatback bolts recall. Took about an hour, had a nice lunch at an Italian place next door. Picked it up, all seemed well. I later discovered they had even left a nice screwdriver under the seat for me. Today, evil wife and I switch cars so she hits memory button #2. Horrible noises, power adjustment for the seatback is now no longer working. I hit button #1, same deal. Back we go...
The Infiniti FX is on my list. I think it looks great and appears to offer a lot of value. Kinda like buying a G35 with all season capability and a bit more utility. Nicer interior, too.
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Last weekend was the second clay-bar job and one Zaino coat. This weekend was the second Zaino coat (Z6-2-6). I like to build up to about 5, then just wash and Z-6. Rain-X seems to work very well and I apply it about every other month - but don't let it get on any stickers - it will "dissolve" them.
Thx for setting me strait that it was Bob Eaton and not Bob Lutz that lined his pockets (and his children's children's children's pockets) by selling out Chrysler. Wow, I didn't realize that many people got pink slips--was it truly around 26,000? The top officers of corporations are out of control, and continue to raise their total take as their companies turn in ever poorer performances; unbelievable that our country doesn't curb this somehow.
Regarding Nissan/Infiniti, I agree with the folks who feel Nissan is now the exciting player with the FX, G35, and Z. And, I don't know if others would agree, but I feel the new '04 Maxima that just came out is very attractive; I saw a black SE next to me at the gas station and I couldn't take my eyes off of it. Leagues ahead of the Grand Prix IMO, and similar to the M to some extent. I mean it was sleek, muscular, and sophisticated. It looked so good that I doubt that the upcoming I35 will look better than it. I believe their overall quality is better than DMC, but the dealers, at least some number of them, have a pretty bad reputation. But there must be some decent ones, I would think. There are no more "buy American" options for me that I know of.
It's really sad to see the Chrysler design team being overpowered by the Mercedes big wigs. If the merger never happened, Chrysler would be on the cuttting edge of innovations. Now Daimler is worried about the Chrysler nameplate competing with the staid Mercedes models. Chrysler was on the cusp of success by recognizing what the public really wants and producing it at very competitve prices. Now it appears that some Chrysler products will become overpriced uninspiring vehicles in an ever changing very competetive marketplace.
Granted the Pacifica is a nice design for its vehicle class. But they may be pricing themselves out of the mass market. The Crossfire is a nice design but lacks the powerplant that the sports car enthusiast desires. The verdict is still out on the 300C but it appears it will attract a different owner than the M. The Charger is a nicely deigned vehicle that will have wide appeal if they price it right.
It's time that Daimler wakes up to the fact that they may soon lose market share in their Chrysler brand. They made a big mistake by slowly decontenting the 300M as if the buyer wouldnt notice. All I know is that for my next vehicle, I will be surveying the entire american and foreign manufacturers and will choose the one that give me style, handling, power, and the best bang for the buck.
Comments
My 2003M is still in my garage awaiting the disposal of my leased 2000M, but I noticed another decontenting from the prior years' models.
The lights by the door handles that go on when you unlock the car are missing. Instead, the entire light casing is red plastic (red and clear on earlier models). Also, someone mentioned the difference in the tinted section at the top of the windshield -- it is definitely smaller and shaped different.
Car manufacturers generally hype the new additional features they have in each new model year cars -- I think they should have to list all changes (additions and deletions) from year to year. When you buy a 4th or 5th year model car, you should expect to get the same car as the prior years, with perhaps some additional new features. You shouldn't have to find out later that some content has been removed.
Now I am wondering what else I may find missing...I just hope it's not under the hood!
Lynn Flowers
McKinney, Texas
I am amazed that a $35M car has a plain old metal rod to prop the engine hood up....the twin shocks on the 300M were a very upscale and useful touch...have they been decontented in the 300M yet? I have to admit, I really can't tell much of a difference in build quality anymore between the upscale car brands and their pedestrian siblings....the build quality in an Accord is every bit as good as the G35...in fact I think the 300M compares well with the G35. What I do like about the G35 is the 4 year, 60K mile B-T-B warrantly. Anyway, when I told the salesman I wasn't going to buy today, his demeanor changed like lost libido.....
Re the FX35/45...I agree it has a "Mean. Getoutofmyway" look, but that doesn't represent beauty to me. Most people seem to like it, but I don't. As I said before, beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
Maybe I'm just suffering from terminal old fartism, but I like the look of my cars to be smooth and flowing (like the 300M!), not chiseled and threatening...
If you are interested in the luxury package, the 2004 models have a luxury package including upgraded stereo, wood trim & steering wheel, chromes, full size spare, moon roof, plus tire pressure monitoring system, etc. I believe this is the only way you can get these options for 2004 -- in one package. The package is discounted $1,100 - $1,200 and there is a $1,000 rebate on the 04's.
Both 03's and 04's have the 7 year/70,000 mile powertrain warranty.
Hope this helps...
The four hundred HP CTS would be nice if you could change the body and the same can be said for the replacement for the 300M. I just might have to go Italian
You know a little global warming might not be a bad idea with this awful weather we have been having ;-)
going from the M to G35- NO tisk tisk . Dont do it , for the love of god.
Actually, I've had alloys on all 3 of my M's and have been very happy with the appearance on all of them. With the new silver 2003M, the wheels almost perfectly match the paint color.
I like my '99 M a lot, but I'm going to start paying more attention to what the other brands have and a lot less to DMC. Glad to hear the discussion of the G35 here and other cars. DMC is going to the dogs, or may already be there. They can keep their 2 ton munster-mobile 300C.
I like the looks of the Crossfire but it should have more power.
Read all about it here: http://www.ptripoff.com/
Plastic Wheels = ANGER
Jon
Regards, Silver
I love my fx and on freshalloy.com there are a couple people who traded M's for there FX and at least one other who has both.
Silver -
Try 101 with 95% humidity down here in h-town
Unfortunately, you are not the only one that is done with "Chrysler". You can count me in as well. I can say that there are a few MoPar fans that I know that are done as well. The Daimler management is not sweet spot for us at all.
But, not to harp on that all day. Robert Lutz did not sell out Chrysler. It was Robert Eaton. I believe he got something like $70 million dollars from the deal, while ~26,000 Chrysler employees got pink slips. You can see one of the reasons why Lutz is at GM right now. I feel that he did not want to work for Daimler, and he left the summer of '98, before Daimler took over.
I know somebody showed a picture of a butane blue 300M awhile ago that had some of the cheapest looking wheels that I have ever seen. Those wouldn't be the ones would they?
I have seen the same cheap looking wheels/hubcaps on the new 2004 Sebring sedan. They are a light plastic gray with the Chrysler badge sketched into the center of the wheel. They don't do anything for me. Plus, the 2004 Sebring sedans don't look as good as the 2002 models - cost cutting.
The 300M was (is) a nice car. I prefer it to the 300C. I think Chrysler and the dealers forgot about it after a while. The 300M Special was a great addition and it was a real sharp looking car, but there was not much of a power increase. The interiors became better over time, but I think they are taking stuff away from them now. The car's time is almost up. What a shame.
It is a shame that Chrysler handled the car (300M) the way they did. They should have continued to make it better. Ie adding the all wheel drive option, performance improvements and additions to, not subtractions from the options. I give credit to Honda and Nisson for their strides in these areas (I just wish they could desing cars as good as the Chryslers) (sorry the FX is very ugly to me a melted version of a 300C). The 300M Hemi C was the last good looking Chrysler to come off the drawing boards. Now they are all (the cars) are starting to look like trucks.
Makes me glad to have my 99 before MB got their hands on it. Just adding the best of the newer M's while keeking the best of the older ones.
Here's the link you were inquiring about:
http://www.manassaschrysler.com/Chrysler/290084_1.html
Scroll down to the window sticker that says "aluminum, chrome clad"-
fastdriver
Saw a nice Pro-Am model M yesterday. From the chrome exhaust I would guess it is a 2001 model. Looked nice.
Regards, Silver
Also applied Rain-X to all windows. Anybody have good results with this stuff?
Silver
The Infiniti FX is on my list. I think it looks great and appears to offer a lot of value. Kinda like buying a G35 with all season capability and a bit more utility. Nicer interior, too.
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Rain-X seems to work very well and I apply it about every other month - but don't let it get on any stickers - it will "dissolve" them.
Thx for setting me strait that it was Bob Eaton and not Bob Lutz that lined his pockets (and his children's children's children's pockets) by selling out Chrysler. Wow, I didn't realize that many people got pink slips--was it truly around 26,000? The top officers of corporations are out of control, and continue to raise their total take as their companies turn in ever poorer performances; unbelievable that our country doesn't curb this somehow.
Regarding Nissan/Infiniti, I agree with the folks who feel Nissan is now the exciting player with the FX, G35, and Z. And, I don't know if others would agree, but I feel the new '04 Maxima that just came out is very attractive; I saw a black SE next to me at the gas station and I couldn't take my eyes off of it. Leagues ahead of the Grand Prix IMO, and similar to the M to some extent. I mean it was sleek, muscular, and sophisticated. It looked so good that I doubt that the upcoming I35 will look better than it. I believe their overall quality is better than DMC, but the dealers, at least some number of them, have a pretty bad reputation. But there must be some decent ones, I would think. There are no more "buy American" options for me that I know of.
Granted the Pacifica is a nice design for its vehicle class. But they may be pricing themselves out of the mass market. The Crossfire is a nice design but lacks the powerplant that the sports car enthusiast desires. The verdict is still out on the 300C but it appears it will attract a different owner than the M. The Charger is a nicely deigned vehicle that will have wide appeal if they price it right.
It's time that Daimler wakes up to the fact that they may soon lose market share in their Chrysler brand. They made a big mistake by slowly decontenting the 300M as if the buyer wouldnt notice. All I know is that for my next vehicle, I will be surveying the entire american and foreign manufacturers and will choose the one that give me style, handling, power, and the best bang for the buck.