Chrysler 300M

cebteb

Tires? Been there, done that. Our M has been riding on Yoko YF420s for the last 3K miles. They greatly reduced the road noise and steering wheel vibration. I keep them at 32 psi.

Our M is well out of warranty, but the two 5*s we use (one was recommended by Chrysler customer service) both say nothing is wrong, but the struts are just showing the effects of wear.

intrepidspirit

bigmike5...I haven't added the 4 mpg decontented from my 2003 M to my decontented list yet! LOL...

clpurnell...I noticed you had steering wheel leather wear in your list of problems. I had my 2000 steering wheel replaced under warranty, as did others who were on this forum a couple of years ago. I haven't heard of problems with the 2001, though. My wife's 2001 steering wheel has a different feel to it than the 2000, so I guess they changed them for 2001. As I recall, the replacement steering wheel I got for my 2000 was different than the original.

kupper25...I would vote no on the extended warranty. My experience has been that American cars generally hold up well for 100,000 miles if they are maintained properly. Problems start to surface after 100,000 miles, but I don't know if extended warranties go out that far. If they do, I bet they are expensive...

intrepidspirit

One of the common complaints on this forum over the years has been a left drift or pull, mostly for the 99 and 2000 M's. This problem was lessened beginning with the 2001 model year which replaced the Goodyears with Michelins.

My leased 2000 M had to have the sub-frame adjusted by the dealer, but the problem didn't completely go away until I replaced the Goodyears with Yokahamas.

My 2003 has a slight drift as well. It is particularly noticeable to me because I use a light touch on the steering wheel, allowing the car to "steer itself" until an adjustment is needed. My steering adjustments on a level surface are 99% to the right in my 2003 M.

I checked the height of the car front and back. The front left and right are level (both have the same distance between the road surface and the car. However, the left rear is 1/2" lower than the right. I checked my wife's 2001 and found that it too was 1/2" lower in the left rear.

I am not an engineer, but it seems intuitive that if a car is lower on one side, it may cause the car to naturally drift to that side. Could this be a reason for the chronic 300M left drift -- i.e. could all 300M's have this rear half-inch differential from left to right?

dustinnewton

J-Yep, I'm in Birmingham. We are about a quarter inch of rain away from what we would normally get in a year. I also work at a steel mill so that adds dust and dirt. The rain chances go back up on Monday, but I'm going to wash it tonight anyway just so the grime doesn't get too thick. Now if we could only get all this moisture In Jan./Feb. when it gets cold enough to snow...!!

Kupper-I usually don't believe in extended warranties and wouldn't have bought one for my 2000 300M were it not for the fact that we were able to beat the dealer into a pretty good deal on it. I paid $1300 ($75 ded.) to bring my total coverage up to 6yr./72K miles from the standard 3/36. I hadn't had any problems until this spring when the AC went out and the warranty saved me a $1500 charge. I've also had a wheel bearing and a door latch replaced, and that saved some money as well. You'll probably never need it but it might pay for itself in one fell swoop like mine did. It's just like auto insurance. I'd go ahead and get it to sleep better at night.

Bluesky-Thanks for the info on the cover. The NOAH is the one I'm considering purchasing from California Car Cover Co. because it has the best features for harsh outdoor use. I hate to lose the luxury of my underground parking deck, but I don't have any choice!

blowbyu

Kupper -
I have the extended warranty on my '99M...Thank God since I needed it! I bought the 7/75 for $1300 with the $50 deduc. It seems like a crap shoot though, some do not have it and have had no problems. Then again, with my last car I had to replace the computer after 6/65 which was $1000 at the dealership. I ended up finding it in a junkyard in Ohio off the internet for $150 and installed it myself.

Cebteb -
My Springs and struts had to be replaced...twice. The ride was just as you describe the first time. That set was rusted out. This is on a PHP. After no more than a bouple of months, the struts had to be replaced againbecause the front end of the car was bouncing. Take them in and get them replaced.

dick4295

I hear a lot about extended warranties. I hope none of you paid the full price. The warranty (at least from the dealer)is also negotiable.

laurasdada

I'd just put the $1500 away in a CD, Money Market,somewhere safe and accessable, in the unlikely? event you'll need it for a major repair. If you never need it, hey, you've got "found" money! I have to believe that, statistically, extended warranties are very much in the house's favor!

My '99 M is about to turn 50,000 miles, 14,000 since the warranty expired. STill a jewel, no issues. I did two window motors and one tranny speed sensor under warranty. I'm looking for another 10-20,000 trouble free miles out of her...

fastdriver

bigmike5-

You don't need a digital camera. When you get your 35mm film developed, you can also get the pics put onto a CD for a few $$$ more. Then, all you do is put the CD into your computer, go to http://www.ofoto.com (a Kodak site), register for free and upload your pics! It's easier than fixing your 300! ;-)))

OR- e-mail them to me and I'll post them for you. I have to get into that OTHER group because I miss seeing SDMike's gleaming red 300M!

fastdriver

bigmike5

I will see what I can do on the photos. I never knew they would put 35mm shots onto a CD. I'll check with Walmart this weekend, and if they say that they can I will shoot some film and then send you the CD. I cannot load or attach it at work anymore.

reybeast

I see most of you folks have voted no on the extended warranty, but I am so glad that I bought it ($1200). I have gone well past the cost of the warranty, and this has saved me a bunch of money. Take a look:
6 window motors (one each door, pass side 3 times)
1 radiator cooling fan
1 ac compressor, evap core
3 blown speakers, (one last month and drivers side may be up again, we'll see)
1 bad radio
seat bolts for movement
leaking radiator petcock

dont get me wrong,I love this car, but she keeps me on my toes. 99 non php 83K miles

fastdriver

bigmike5-

Great! No problem. If Walmart can't do it, try Walgreens, Rite-Aid, CVS etc. I believe almost all of them use Kodak processing. I'd be happy to post them for you.

I might not have had good luck with Christine, but that doesn't mean that I still don't like to LOOK at them while they're still looking good. Once that Hummer-like Hemi 300C comes out, there won't be much to look at. Like I said when I first saw it, the US Govt. will probably buy them because they'll be fast and "stately" looking.

Glad they have this 30 minute edit feature here. I just remembered that Kodak makes disposable digital cameras now. Take a look- http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml;jsessionid=5KY0Q3HKD- A0YFQHIO3JXWJA?pq-path=1046&pq-locale=en_US&_requestid=18- 3654

I believe it even lets you delete a picture if you don't like it just like a real digital camera.

fastdriver

dukeofdallas

I also have a VERY rough ride. It's jarring at low speeds as you described. When/if you change the struts I'd be interested to hear the results.

charlesf1

Has anyone had any dealings with buying a car through carmax.com. I checked out there prices on there web page and they do look good.

j3studio

Does anybody have an idea of when 2004 300M build-out will be? We love our 1999 300M, don't really like the 300C, and need a new daily driver. However, we have a fairly specific configuration in mind, so we'd probably need to order from the factory...

Thanks in advance.

easyrider300m

That "digital plus" throwaway camera sounds like a gimick to me. It basically uses regular film and then you send it in to KOdak for processing onto a CD. You can do that with any film camera. It's definitely not a digital camera in the true sense as it doesnt record on a memory card or chip. Kodak has been hurting lately with all the competion in digital cameras and their film sales are dropping fast. They must think the consumer is stupid.

ottowrkr

ajpiii- yes each Special door has a plastic panel that is on the lower 2 inches of the door . they are stick on pieces , no screws needed.

j3studio- the last LH car will roll off the line sometime on Thur. Aug 28. As for factory order sorry , they stopped taking them back in May . Everything we are building now is for dealer inventory

bigmike5

No, Kodak just figured that someone like me would be the buyer. I'll check it out and see what the cost of the camera is. It would be a lot easier than hauling my 35mm around at the Cruise. So it might be a good option.

beespecial

Obviously it will be a day of mourning.

silverbullet4

My daughter just spent the summer in Michigan and commented on the large number of M's she saw there.

blowbyu

Reybeast, I noticed that you posted that you have 83k miles. Did you get the 7/100 extended warranty? Was it through the dealer?

I only got the 7/75 because I don't do much driving. Mine is a '99 and I currently only have 48k. I am curious, becuase I paid $1300 for my warranty extension through the mail.

I have also gone well beyond my warranty value. I have listed my problems here a while back, but here is a reminder:

Fuel Rail(gas leaking all over), all window motors, tranmission sensors(twice), blown speakers(twice), Struts and Springs(twice on struts), ignition switch, ...

j3studio

Ottowrkr,

Thanks for the information - I doubt we'll find what we're looking for in dealer inventory...

laurasdada

Hello, all:

My '99 Platinum M turned 50,000 miles this weekend, with little fanfare ('till now!). All continues to be well, although I've noticed a buzz in the drivers's door speaker. I think it just might be that the grille is loose, not a big deal yet. Other than that, still enjoying my M. Off to LA & San Diego (Fish World, Zoo) next week for vacation. I'll probably be driving my bro's Acura TL or MDX. A chance to compare and contrast.

BTW: Here in the Boston area, 300Ms are far from an uncommon sight. I was parallel to (I hate to say) an identical one to mine this morning. Mine was better lookin', though...

ottowrkr

j3studio -what would you want , that you think you would not be able to find?? we dont have that many options on the M .

intrepidspirit

Although I have never actually consumated a deal with Carmax, I was not impressed with them. They use kelley bluebook. Their cars tend to be rated (by them) at the "extra clean" level (or whatever they call the highest dealer retail level). I believe their prices are high. Used 300M's for example, tend to be $1,500 to $3,000 higher than dealer prices.

I took a '98 Avenger ES in to them for appraisal in 2000 (they advertise that they buy as well as sell). The car was pristine -- in absolutely perfect condition with 11,000 miles. Their non-negotiable purchase offer was around $11,000 -- the "average condition" trade-in appraisal that I was told they always give, unless it is below average. I sold the car to the Bank of America (they held the lease) for somewhere close to $15,000 a couple of weeks later. Obviously, B of A used a different valuation method...

blonda

Just an FYI in case any of you have similar symptoms down the road. My 1999 with 63K miles had the fuel level sensor replaced last week. The gas guage suddenly started going from fuel level to empty and back again...fuel low light and bell kept going off like crazy. Continued for a day or so. I posted on the 300Mclub site and a service manager there said they had just had a 2000 with same symptoms the day prior - fixed by replacing the sensor.

I called my local service manager and fellow club member and they had the part in stock. Fixed in a couple hours on the Maxcare Warranty with the $100 deductable.

So far the only repairs on my 99 have been:
1) Tranny input sensor
2) Auto Window Down regulator (driver's door)
3) Headlight switch
4) Fuel level sensor

I can't complain -- not bad for a 4-1/2 year old car.

intrepidspirit

Found another one yesterday. The left foot rest area no longer has a rubber pad...that must have been a cost-saving of at least $.25!

clpurnell

This weekend for a LOADED 300 with Nav, Chrome, roof and Sat radio for 29995. Not bad. What year was the nave released. Is it the same as the pacifica and also is it installable in older versions ('01).

beach15

It's nothing like the Pacifica's and is kind of an "add-on" that became available in 2003. It's a small screen in the center of the stereo, with the controls surrounding the screen.

This ad picture of a new Onyx Green 2004 shows it very well:
http://www.manassaschrysler.com/Chrysler/290104_4.html

clpurnell

is it dvd or cd based? Otto anyway to adapt this to older M's.

beach15

According to my Chrysler accessories book, it's DVD based. However, I'm not sure if it can be retrofitted into an older 300M. I would think it could be, but there's probably some kind of extra or different wiring in cars that have it.

Otto probably knows....

clpurnell

any members here get an '04 with navi that could comment whether it is worth it. Seems like you get a sat receiver with it built in.

bluesky999

I'm wondering whether the decontenting of the left rubber foot pad on the M, or the stealth switching to painted wheels that I believe we had discussed earlier on this board for the Sebring, was worse. It may just defy all logic.

intrepidspirit

A few years ago, it appeared that American car manufacturers were dedicated to improving quality in an effort to narrow the perceived quality gap between Japanese and American cars. They actually did make strides as evidenced by surveys that showed that gap narrowing. However, when push comes to shove, under difficult marketing conditions (as experienced over the past few years), they resort to cost-cutting, thereby reducing consumer confidence in their products.

Recently, it was revealed that Ford had discontinued the painting of seat frames in certain vehicles including the Lincoln Navigator. The result? Rust of course. An internal Ford document showed that the cost savings for each vehicle was $1.11, I believe. If anyone notices the rust, Ford will repair it under warranty. The cost to Ford is between 1.9 and 5.1 hours labor reimbursement to the dealer that makes the repair.

That may be a minor cost compared to the lost consumer confidence from the purchaser of a $50,000 Navigator!

This process of quality improvement followed by shooting themselves in the foot is astounding...

boxset

Anyone needed to replace the condenser on their M?? My 99 (80k km) was blowing warm air last year (at 60K km)- dealer recharged as no leak was found and installed a dye to search for new leaks. This year a/c was not cooling as it should - so had the dealer look at it again. They say its a leak at the condenser - and it needs to be replaced - which means - DOLLARS!!!!

Any experience or comments to share??

Thanks.

ruski

and they probably paid a nice bonus to the smartass who came up with the "cost cutting" idea.

bigmike5

If you need a condenser,check out Wyckoff or Mechanicsville on the net for parts 15-20% below what most dealers sell em for. My 99 continues to blow cold, knock on wood...

bluesky999

Now I'm wondering whether the decontented left foot pad, the unadvertised "painted" chrome wheels on the Sebring, or the $1.11 cost cutting resulting in rust on the $50K Navigator was the stupidest move. I thought Dieter and Chrysler couldn't be outdone, but Lincoln proved otherwise; I think the lack of paint may be the worst move of all 3. Not on a $50K vehicle; get real! I hope GM does indeed put out some good cars in the next 5 years. Ford and DMX just don't seem to get it, of which the decontenting seems to be evidence of. With GM, they've been spending 70% of prduct development on trucks, so it's understandable, but hopefully as that budget increases they'll give us something useful, with content.

As for A/Cs, when I bought my '99 used w/49K miles in the winter, the a/c already wasn't working as I found out on the first warm day. Used the extended warranty that came with it, and they replaced an inside temperature sensor and the evaporator coil, which was a major piece of work involving taking the whole dashboard apart. A/C is great since. I have no knowledge about the condensor, sorry.

bigmike5

Well, I leave tomorrow for the rendezvous in Detroit for the Dream Cruise on Saturday. My 99 Platinum baby will pass thru 60K miles on the way up there. Still loving it, and looking forward to the drive, and seeing all the M'ers who come for the Cruise.

Fast-- I checked with Walmart. They will do a CD of a roll of film, any number of frames I think, for about $3.50, so I will see if I can shoot a roll or two, then you will need to e-mail me an address to send em to.

silverbullet4

Does anyone know if the 2000 M can be 4-wheel aligned? I am planning new tires, and want them to last. Have 46k on the original Michilen Pilots, except for one replaced a year ago for a non-repairable nail in the shoulder.

pat

Enjoy the Cruise!!

:-)

intrepidspirit

GM doesn't have to decontent -- have you checked out the Cadillac CTS? It starts out virtually spartan and upgrades (to 300M luxury level) cost several $1,000's. So if you make the consumer pay for all "contenting", the "decontenting" becomes the consumer's choice...

Having said that, maybe that's the way to go. If the 300M were sold in a spartan state, maybe I could have upgraded to a rubber left food rest pad. They probably could have made it a $25.00 option...LOL!!

At least I would have had a choice...

ottowrkr

clpurnell - yes the nav system can be put on an year M.

silverbullet4- yes the M gets a 4 wheel alignment

bigmike5- have fun at the cruise wish I could make it. Next year for sure.

dustinnewton

I finally got my act together and got sime current pics of my M on my website. The address is: http://www.dustinnewton.com/trips/300m/300m.htm . I apologize in advance for the lack of sharpness in the pictures. I take high-resolution digital pics and I have yet to figure out how to condense them to a size that is manageable for dial-up users without the image quality suffering. In case you haven't figure out, I'm not a professional web guru!! I also have a high-res picture of the new drilled and slotted rotors installed on the car for those with high-speed access. It's at : http://www.dustinnewton.com/trips/300m/fullres . I still will be painting my calipers silver, but when I got started replacing the rotors and pads, I figured it was too much to tackle for one day. I'll probably paint my rotors either this or next weekend, depending on the weather.

blowbyu

I really like what you have done with your 300. That is one sharp looking vehicle.

I would leave the exhaust tips where they are though. I think they look good there because they are clearly visible. If you move them in, they might not be as noticeable.

Also, you have a few pics on your site where your plate is showing, you may want to rub it out.

blowbyu

Forgot to ask my question.

How did you get your magnetbra so smooth? I ended up with bubbles on mine and nothing I did would get rid of them. I tried using a hair dryer to heat it and smooth it out, but that didn't work.

dustinnewton

Thanks for the complements and the heads-up. I had a feeling that I had forgotten something but I couldn't put my finger on what it was! I bought my Magnetbra a good while back and got frustrated initially because I couldn't get it to line up correctly with the front edge of the hood. I recently (for other reasons) picked up a nifty heat gun from my local Harbor Freight store for about $20 and I decided to give it a try. Being careful not to overheat the bra lest I possibly damage the paint underneath, I carefully heated (using the low setting which was 650 degrees)the magnet bra in sections and stretched it into the exact shape of the front of the hood. A little more coaxing from the heat gun helped the Magnetbra conform to the two curves on the hood and I was able to take out a couple of bumps on the surface by alternating heating and pressing hard on the surface where the bump was with my thumb about 6 times. The bumps on my Magnetbra were from where I had stored in to a shelf on an object with a couple of points that had gradually and sightly deformed the surface. That did the trick and I only had to shave off two slivers of the bra about 1/32 of an inch wide by about 4 inches long in two places on the front edge of the hood. This made installation of the edge piece without creating a bubble at the edge easier. It also allowed me to tap the edging with a rubber mallet to seat it evenly. As for the exhaust tips, I do want the chrome to be visible, but only protude about 1.5 inches or so. They look a little bit too "tuner" for my somewhat toned down tastes. I want my M to be subtle and maintain it's luxury looks primarily. I do like the looks of the M's that people here and in the club have gone "all out" on, but I'm not that brave on my own ride!

bigmike5

Shoud be able to send some stuff back with Jose if we link up when he comes down.

fastdriver

bigmike5-

Great! Let me know when you're all set. I'll send the CD's back of course.

Have a great time. I'm sure the Detroit paper will have a video of the cruise online. If you see a 1960 RED Ford T-Bird convertible, will you take a pic for me? Thanks. I still love that car!

fastdriver

blonda

I have trouble with little bubbles too. I can install it and it looks great, but by the next day they are there again. I have noticed this summer it's not a problem so heat definitely helps. I also noticed that any little paint chips that I had touched up show up as little bumps if you look real close. I still like it better than the regular hood cover though.

bluesky999

Intrepid, that's pretty funny. I can see the invoice on our next cars: left rubber footpad = $25, painted seat frame (non-rusting deluxe model) = $15, trip computer with all the functions of the previous year included = $40, etc. It's pretty funny but I would rather have the choice it's true. As for the CTS, it may come fairly spartan, but at least it's in the ballpark and is a nice package to own and is being improved (i.e. new 250 hp V6 and 400 hp V8). Next year, Chrysler and Ford will have not a single car that interests me; so it would be either a CTS or an import if I should decide to get something new.

Am looking forward to looking at Dustin's links. Tonight am still working from home; this was my break.