Chrysler 300M

ottowrkr

Fastdriver -"Yep- STILL love my CL-S even with the replaced tranny"

 You had your tranny replaced ? I didnt know that .

pjyoung

correct me if I am wrong - but wasn't your mom's M rear ended? Is it fair to compare one vehicles lack of rattles to one that was involved in a rather major accident? I've got a 99M with almost 60K miles - and no rattles.

scotian

I am now using an LED bulb to light my center console:

http://public.fotki.com/Scotian/300m/lighting/center_console_ligh- t/

scotian

My TCM loses its memory each time the car is turned off:

http://public.fotki.com/Scotian/300m/engine/tcm_fuse/

intrepidspirit

Acura tranny replacement is now part of scheduled maintenance....I think it's about 20,000 miles for the first repacement.

I'm not sure about the subsequent replacements schedule...

pjyoung

Acura tranny replacement is now part of scheduled maintenance....I think it's about 20,000 miles for the first repacement.

I'm not sure about the subsequent replacements schedule...

At least the cargo net was in the trunk on the delivery date.

fastdriver

ottowrkr-
"You had your tranny replaced? I didnt know that."

How'd you miss that? I posted this message last July RE: that damned Japanese "perceived" reliability! :-))))

fastdriver Jul 21, 2003 10:23pm

fastdriver

pat

Uh, folks, could we try to stick to the topic here?

Thanks.

scotian

Isn't the topic how much better the 300M is to everything else?

funky_mcnasty

Hi,
I'm not a 300M owner "yet." I'm looking at a 2001 with 38K miles. It's at the Chrylser stealership, and they want $17,900 for it. That sounds high to me. Carfax revealed that it is a former rental car from CA (i'm in TX), then sold at auction, then a fleet car, and then a private car that was traded in at my local stealership. It's been on the lot since mid-August. Carfax gave it a good report and the 5K guarantee. I hesitate to buy it due to it's past as a rental car, because i know how i treat rental cars.

The tires are shot, there's some chips in the paint (normal and not excessive), and the speakers buzz at relatively high volume. It doesn't have the infinity system. I drove it today, and it drives nice, and the heated seats work (at least the driver side does). The interior is in good condition. Anyway, what's a fair price on this vehicle??? What should i offer??? Or, should i steer clear due to it's rental past??? Thanks.

easyrider300m

you could try to negotiate. Tell them you want new tires mounted and you will give them $16,500. (You might want to check the Kelly blue book for suggested retail value for a 2001 in good condition with slightly higher miles than normal.} You can always go higher if you really like the car. Don't be afraid to walk out. You may get a call with a price closer to your bid price. But if the tires have less than half its life left, demand that they put on new tires at no charge. And if you really like the car, tell them you want to have your own mechanic check it out. Have a mechanic check the engine compression, check the brakes for wear, check the alignment and suspension. Make them throw in a tranny and differential fluid change. Make sure they use ATF-4 in the tranny. You also should check your local paper to see what they are asking for similar Ms.

Good luck

Good luck

fuzzywuzzy

Do not buy a car that was a rental ever! They are just beat on even the 300M is. I rented a 2003 300M for a road trip. Had 14K miles on it & was trashed. Plus it's out of warranty. You could get a nicer 300M still in warranty for not that much more $$.

beespecial

Got to go with fuzzy on this. I've always heard that "Nothing parties like a rental" and it's true. EVERY car I have ever rented was heavily abused before I got it. This past summer on vacation I rented a 2003 Blazer with less than 10k and it was a piece of crap already.

intrepidspirit

With the discounts and rebates out there on new cars, you should be able to get a better price on used! And I wouldn't get a prior rental unless it was an absolute steal -- maybe $12-13K?

BTW, ALL 300M's have the infinity speaker system...

laurasdada

Yesterday began with the end of the second OEM Goodyear from my '99 M at around 53,200 miles. Flat. In the cold rain, of course. Changed to doughnut, drove to work and left mid-day for the NE Auto show.

No 300C, a lone "Platinum" edition 300M going largely ignored. I really like the MB E class, possibly my next ride. Someone please give me 50 large... And the Infiniti FX is just plain cool. New BMW 5 series, well it's not that I think it has poor styling, I'm just not sure that it has any style! Watching the top of the Caddy XLR go up and down was fun, but $76k??? I'll wait for the big rebates. Saab 9-3 is also nice, great seats. Mazda RX-8 was drawing a good crowd, as was the Crossfire.

I won a "Scion" t-shirt, two Hyundai stadium seats and a CD from Mix 98.5, so I guess I kinda got my $5 admission fee back. Although $12 to park is a total crime.

Got a new Goodyear this morning, that's two this year. I would have preferred to try Yoko Onos, but I'm trying not to shell out for 4 new tires this year. Next year I'll decide whether I want to keep my M beyond year 5 and 60,000+ miles. If so, maybe I'll redo the tires.

Still lovin' the M.

travisgregg

I need some feedback. I drove an 2003 special used with 18,000 miles with the 17 inch wheels and found it to be quite noisy, Lots of engine noise, road noise. For some reason I thought that without the 18 inch wheels it would be nearly identical to a standard M with respect to noise. Does this surprise anyone ? Are the standard non PHP M's significantly quieter than specials ?

alcatrazt2

Okay...the sound system on my 2002 300M Pro-AM Edition is just plain...sad...yes..we all have those abundant speakers at all those locations...but who cares...I raise the music a little bit and all I can hear is the speaker smashing to the door or somethign...like its going to explode and like the bass is flying no where to be heard...no defects...but why...why does Chrysler have to be so cheap about such important thing...(it gets even horrible when you have it on surround sound...)wow.

bigmike5

Check the 300M prices on ebay. They will give you a good idea of what used Ms are bringing and you might even see one you like.

tayl0rd

Ever since I bought my Special, I've been wondering what could possibly replace it. It's got everything I need or want in a car. My one and only gripe about it is the power gleaning transmission, but putting it in Autostick mode helps rectify that just a bit. The car is simply beautiful! My girlfriend is crazy about it and so am I. It gets looks everywhere it goes, no matter what other cars it's in the company of. So what could I possibly replace my black beauty with; not that I'm looking to replace it anyway. I've looked at everything on the market and nothing touches it for dollar:content ratio. Nothing probably ever will. I could step backwards and get a mid-size car for the same money. I see a lot of former M owners sold out and bought Acura TLs. Don't really get the reasoning behind that. The TL is SO much smaller than an M and not nearly as nice looking.

Anyway, at one time I had my mind made up that an E-class was going to be my replacement when the time comes. I still had my trepidations about that because the E-class, too, is only a midsize. Well, lo' and behold, Mercedes introduces its Vision CLS concept! Now, ladies and gentlemen, THAT is an updated and freshened 300M if I ever saw one! THAT should have been introduced on the Chrysler side of the house as the successor to the 300M. THAT should be the 300"N". Look at it and the 300M and tell me you don't see the similarities. Anyone who says they don't see the similarities is either blind or lying.

The entire shape of the car is totally reminiscent of the 300M. To me, everything about it says "next generation 300." AND it's rear wheel drive. It'll be offered (in the States) as a CLS350, CLS500, and CLS55. I would consider buying the CLS350 just for nostalgic reasons and to pay homage to the 300M (both have 3.5L V6; 254HP in the CLS, 255 in the 300M Special), but I probably would just go with the CLS500.

Oh yeah, almost forgot! It's the same size as an S-class (LARGE, baby!) and "only" costs 15% more than the E-class. So, if I ever tire of my Special (which doesn't look too likely; it's been a year and I still love turning the key every single time), I'll be replacing it with the Mercedes CLS (350 or 500).

pjyoung

I took my 99M for it's 60k service. I took it to my dealer (who must be a rarity as they still live up to the 5 star rating). Had them replace the tranny filter and fluid, check and replace brakes, flush the power steering fluid, etc.

The service manager called my office and asked me if I noticed that the shift lever was hard to move. I honestly hadn't...it took a firm pull, but otherwise I didn't have a problem. He told me that it was the shifter cable binding - and if it goes, the car won't go anywhere that isn't on the back of a towtruck. So I replaced it. When I picked it up, it was like day 1 all over again - smooth shifts, and the shifter was like butter. So if your shift lever doesn't just slip between gears, you might want to have the shift cable checked. 60K and still impressed with this car.

silverbullet4

Was riding down the Tollway last night and saw a black Special. Really looked sweet in the dim light. The chrome exhaust tips and the spinning 18" wheels provided perfect accompaniment to the glossy black paint. I hope the Silver Bullet's feelings weren't hurt by my ogling a younger, prettier M!

pster

This is no lie! I was outrun by a Toyota Prius! This new hybrid can get up and go! I was stunned......it took off from a light, I got on it hard and never saw anything except its taillights for half a mile. Dang.

It proves once again, "the older I get, the faster I was"

tayl0rd

Gotta raise the BS flag on that. The Prius takes 10+ seconds to hit 60. You must've just been following leisurely along behind it for that half mile.

Now coming off the line with a full battery charge is a different story. At full charge it can produce 295 LB-FT of torque!! So you might be looking at taillights for just a few seconds in that instance, but not for a half mile.

On gas, it only produces 76HP and 82 LB-FT.

pster

then the 300M sucks big time...I had the pedal mashed. Actually, it does suck. A/C is out again, but with winter here, I'll wait till spring. I'll sacrifice the defrost. tired of nursing this hunk of parts failures. now its just basic transportation. I think the woman driving the Prius had to be running on batteries....it pulled away from me.

ruski

it's OK. Now when a little old Toyota Paseo beats my 2002 TL-S - that gets me upset. Or a Camry. Or an old Integra.

Today at least something beat me that did not get me that upset - a new Mitsu Evo blew by me.

Back when I had a 300M, after it got 6,000 miles old, it really became a beast of a car. I loved its pull.

bluesky999

A couple of pages back posters were exchanging ideas and experiences on tires; I have another idea to add since a couple of us are looking. The Falken ZE-512 ZIEX comes in the 225/55-17 size, and it was rated the #1 high performance all season tire by Consumer Reports in the recent issue. It blew away the Yoko Avid H4s, in about 6 of the 12 or so measures. Both are rated well for quietness, however, which is something a lot of us want. Note, yes, I did say "H4" and not "T4", this lower speed rated tire is supposedly sold only at Sears. Funny, Sears is also a dealer for Falken; I may be going there for my next 4 sneakers.

The Pirelli Pzero Nero M&S is my 1st choice, and the ContiExtreme Contact my 2nd choice, but since I would have to go to a wider or narrower size, I probably won't go that route. Will make the change in December when I get some time off, and will report then on what I choose. I like my Michelin Pilot Sports; they handle terrifically, although the noise on concrete, the price, and poor winter traction preclude me from repeating that one. Hope this may be useful for someone.

p.s. - don't buy that rental; if the buyer of the rental turned it over as carfax showed, sounds to me like it has problems, not to mention the price is too high. Multiple owners is a bad sign IMO. However, I would encourage buying a used 'M. I bought a '99 w/49K, now has 78K and I've enjoyed it a lot and it's been reliable, although the extended warranty did fix the A/C which was a problem when I bought it. Problem w/buying a car at this time of year is you might not check the A/C; I learned the hard way!

beach15

Not that anyone wants to hear it again, but our 300M's issues started and were all there before the wreck. The top notch repair work made it virtually impossible to tell that anything had ever been touched, she just got tired of the car. The only new problem after the wreck was a goofy hiccup in the wiper electronics that would cause them to not always work right, but that was minor. All the rattles, front end vibrations (Crapyears, of course!), and other issues started after a couple months.

The main reason she traded it for the Avalanche was room--the 300M is a big sedan, but still was too small for us and the dogs. I hope the person in Pennsylvania who now owns it loves it, as there was always something special about it.

I'd like to buy a new '04 Special with every option (including NAV) right now in either black pearl or graphite if I could...all the issues we had seem to have been fixed or at least improved after this long.

bluesky999

Going back some time, some posters have mentioned that they use the rhino ramps to change their speed sensors and to get under the car. I was wondering if you can use 4 ramps at once, so the whole car goes up, instead of just 2 in the front?

wire2

All 4 should be no problem. I've had a bit of trouble in the garage (smooth concrete) keeping them in place. The rear wheels tend to push ramps along rather than roll up them. I brace them with a 2x4 against the back wall, then back on.

greasykid1

Have 2003M. Talked to 5* re installing Sirius in to my Infinity system. Quoted $300 for the hardware & approx $200 for install. This would give me direct input to audio system same as am/fm/cd. Anybody done this? How about the pricing?

Also looking to improv. sound system,incl base, without any more cost than necessary.Suggestions?

Installed Sylvania Bright Star bulbs. Much improvement in whiter light & better coverage. Bought from Advance Auto Parts. Deal on now. Buy 2 bulbs & get 2nd @ 1/2 price plus $6 rebate. Net cost about $26. Had dealer install.

bluesky999

Thx wire--I'm going to buy 4 of them and give it a try. Didn't think I would ever change my own oil again, but the stations sometimes overfill and sometimes splash the oil where it shouldn't be and it drips on the driveway, so I'm going to give it a shot. My thinking is that if I only jack the front wheels, the car will be on an angle and all the dirty oil might not run out. If I get it level, w/4 ramps, it should be better I think.

Was at Sears Auto today to buy a battery recharger, as I like to have one around for my family. While there, just for fun I priced the Yoko Avid T4s (not H4s) vs. the Falken ZE - 512 Ziex. The Avids were in the 120s (129?), while the Falkens were $105. Judging by Consumer Reports the Falkens are better on varied measures, plus they are Z rated for speed as opposed to the Avids T, so I plan to pick up 4 in December. I asked if it would cost anything to get the tires rotated every 5K; the salesman said "no", Sears does it for free as long as you've bought the tires there. I always try to buy where I can get that, as the Chrysler dealer was charging me $25 a pop w/my Pilots.

I don't know much about Sears Auto, but hopefully they can handle tire maintenance and installation correctly. About a dozen years ago I dealt with them and thought they were pretty poor; I remember buying a tire there, and I checked the size right after he mounted it and sure enough the guy put the wrong size on. Well, I'll give them another shot this time.

rstilp

Go to Discount Tire and check out the Yokohama YK420 (Z rated) @ around $100. A lot of club members love 'em. I know I do!
Geezer300M

intrepidspirit

The message you got from the posters here is that $17,900 is too much for a 2001 300M rental.

Further to that, over the past weekend I saw an ad for 2 new 2004 base 300M's @ $21,994 each. The ads are genuine -- I know because I have bought 2 300M's from this dealer over the past 3 years on similar offers.

The base 300M is very well equipped. Although there has been some decontenting over the past 3 years, I would consider this price to be a real bargain. I have a 2003 (same as 2004) and I found there are some enhancements to offset the decontenting. Considering the 7 year 70,000 mile powertrain warranty vs. expired warranty on the 2001 rental, this would be an easy decision for me.

I live in the L.A. area. There must be similar deals across the country.

Godd luck on your decision!

ruski

the oil drain bolt if I remember correctly faces rearward. So if you only jack up the front - it is actually the best angle to drain most of the oil.

bluesky999

RS, thx for the info on the Z rated Yoko. I'll definitely check them out. I don't plan to buy until mid December so I have time to look--have plenty of tread left but can't take another winter on the Pilots.

Ruski, that's great to know. I was all set to go buy 4 of them this week--will definitely only buy 2 now. That's very helpful--thanks again. Say, when I was looking at them in Pep Boys it stated they hold 8000 pounds--that's pretty solid plastic! I have homemade wood ones my father made for me when I was 17, but they don't clear the M body so it's time to chuck them out after all these years...

Wow, an 'M for 22K, and new yet. That's a great deal and makes me do the math of trading in... Different topic; my co-worker is looking at the Pacificas; he says it rides very nicely, is appointed very nicely, and has tons of space. Also said that for that particular model, Chrysler provides free oil changes and routine maintenance for 36K--can that be right?

ruski

just peek under the car and double-check which way the drain plug is pointing.

ottowrkr

oil drain plug points to the back of the car

alcatrazt2

I don't know what kind of care that 300M has received...but no...a Toyota Prius can not take a 300M by any means...even if it has more tourque, it has 60+ HP...What happened to the rest of your 250 HP and 24 valve engine? The 300M is a great car for acceleration, in fact, I have taken many cars including Jetta VR6's and MBZ E320's on a completely stock setup...Quality wise...yes...I agree, it is an American car, however, if you take good care of it and do not abuse it...it will last...

bigmike5

Turned 63K miles this a.m. Still lovin it after 5.5 years. Oh yes, and I became a grandfather for the 1st time at 0530 this morning too. Named the little rascal after me. A surprise on the name.

madcityruss

I've changed my own oil on the '99 since new and it points toward RF tire.

alcatrazt2

Congradulatoins on the great news...wish the little kid great health...am sure you will have fun times together in that 300M It's great news that the M isn't giving problems...I'm only 16 and am enjoying my 2002 300M Pro-AM Edition and hope it doesn't brake down...! Congrats once again.

bluesky999

What I heard on the radio a couple of weekends ago made me think of Pster and his terribl lemon M. They were interviewing a laywer who handles lemon law cases. The particular fellow had sued GM 30 something times and had never lost a case. He stated that he did not recommend trying to get satisfaction without a lawyer (big surprise). From what he was saying it sounds like the car manufacturers just won't give satisfaction demanded by the law until they are brought to court.

Bought my rhino ramps, Pep Boys had oil on sale for like 70cents a quart and Fram filters on sale; I'm ready to stop being a pampered yuppie and use my hands and do it myself. It's probably good therapy for us desk jockeys. I do think I'll do a better job as I won't get the oil on the brake lines or elsewhere or overfill it as has happened to me a number of times. Someone told me that the law is that oil replacement places such as Jiffy Lube are required by law to take in old oil. As I despise Jiffy Lube and their high pressure sell tactics to uneducated and vulnerable people, I'll think I'll make a point of bringing all my old oil as a special gift to them. If they hesitate, I'll cite the law in a stern voice and look very serious and mention that I'm ready to call the township police immediately. Maybe I'm crazy...

ottowrkr

madcityruss- yeah, sorry . I was thinking about my 94 LH.

bigmike5

Thanks for the kind words. Wish I had a 300M when I was 16. When I was that age I had a cream colored 47 Stude with the suicide doors!! You got the best end of the deal with that Pro-am. I really like the Graphite color almost as much as the Platinum color that came on my 99M. I think the 2002 year was one of the more trouble free production years, so you should really enjoy the car.

travisgregg

What do folks think was the best year 300M ? I've got my eye on a low mileage 2000 but wonder if enough improvements were done by then. any thoughts ?

intrepidspirit

We have had 3 300M's. Currently have a 2001 and 2003. I had a 2000 which was turned in at lease end.

My opinion is the 2001 is the best year. It had upgrades over the 2000 (steering wheel radio controls and better tires, for starters).

The 2000 had 253 HP vs. 250 for 2001 and later. It seemed to get a little better gas mileage than the retuned 250 HP models. My 2000 had ATC problems -- the car was always cold and dealers were unable to correct. The 2001 ATC is perfect, as is the 2003.

The 2003 is decontented somewhat, with a couple of enhancements to partially offset the decontenting. However, I am happy with it.

With base 2004's being offered at below $22k here (L.A. area), you may want to consider new with the 7/70 powertrain warranty.

Good luck!

on1wheel

been a long time since i have been in here. been really busy. hope everyone is doing ok. still got my '99.
recently i`ve discovered a whining noise problem around the alternator area. it seems to be coming from inside the front of the cam cover or something on drivers side. it sounds like a supercharger whine. it increases with the rpm increase. is the cam gear driven maybe? has anyone ever heard of this, or been inside that area of the engine? any help is appreciated.

alsoi have a throttle body for sale if anyone is interested in doing the oversizing thing. i decided i dont have time to try that mod anymore. contact me at on1wheel@aol.com

silverbullet4

I read that the 2000 had improvements in sound insulation and the rear rubber bushings were changed to improve the rear seat ride. The window regulator motors were changed, and around March 2000 the PHG option started using 17" wheels and Michellin Pilots. Platinum color and light cypress green dropped and bright silver added. Hope this helps. Good luck!

dukeofdallas

When i had the whining noise it was the idler pully.

silverbullet4

I need to replace one of the bulbs in a courtesy/map light in my overhead console. I don't want to crack or break the lens. Anybody have any experience accessing the bulb?

TIA, Silver