The Edmunds Site compares the 300c to the Acura TL, Infinity G35, Lexus ES330 and VW Passat. I was not thinking of any of these cars when I selected the 300c. Those of you who ordered or are thinking about the 300c what other cars were you considering?
While I don't claim that these cars are equivalent, I was considering BMW 5 series, MB E series and Lexus 4xx. The Lincoln Town car and Cadilac are dated and too likely to be mistaken for a limo car service in NY.
I thought the 300c gave a lot of bang for the buck.
Clad covered wheels are produced by adhesively bonding and sealing and mechanically locking a thin plastic or stainless steel cladding (skin) to a steel or aluminum wheel. The rim of a clad covered wheel has a retention groove added to the inside of the flange to allow the cladding to be mechanically locked to the wheel. The cladding can be wrapped around the wheel flange for a full chrome plated wheel appearance. A robotically applied adhesive bonds the cladding to the wheel and acts as a sealant to prevent moisture from penetrating the cladding bond. The cladding is then pushed and locked into the retention groove by a hydraulic press. These permanently affixed cladding coverings can be finished to provide a variety of surface appearances.
Advantages: Bright look at lower cost Durable function at a lower cost Non-removable wheel covers Environmentally friendly Multiple looks with a single wheel
I'm guessing that we are going to be seeing this car almost exlusively in Bright Silver. The other colors will slowly be given away with discounts, after Martha is in jail and no longer peddling puke green tones.
I ordered the puke green. Its hard to tell from the paint chip if its a true puke color or perhaps something slightly different from every other car on the road today. When I ordered the car the dealer told me if, when the car arrived I did not like it he would refund my deposit as long as I didn't order anything odd. When I ordered the Jade exterior he did not revoke his offer. In fact he said he had seen the color on other models and said it was nice. By the way this is America Martha won't do any time, just fines and probation. Unless the low security joints need redecorating. Then you are right.
Should have used a milder green tone reference....may I ask what you paid and for what options? I assume they are charging full MSRP on this new model, as seems to be the industry sales business model: "get it while the gettins good". The dealer called the other day and offered me "more than what my 300M was worth on trade-in" if I would buy a new car from him (whatever the heck that means...he'll pay me more than its worth to him? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!).
Dale asked: I am curious why any of you like me ordered this vehicle. Anyone have a firm delivery date or driving one now?
My '94 LeBaron has 121,000 on it, just time to get a new one. Always "generally" bought Mopars, and contrary to public opinion concerning reliability, I always had good luck with them. My worst vehicle for both gas mileage and reliability??? 1982 Buick Regal Estate Wagon.
Dale, I ordered my 300C on Jan 16th, and was told to expect it by mid-March. I asked my dealer last week for it's status, and was told it was at "D", simply meaning that the order had been scheduled for assembly.
pster asked: may I ask what you paid and for what options
I think Dale got it a few hundred below my price.
I paid 32,995 for a 300C with: Walnut Trim Sound Group II Protection Group II Power Adjusted Pedals
However, what you need to be aware of is the spread between MRSP and invoice was tighter than the other manufacturers. At least this was the case back in January. Things can change quickly, and if it looks like another Pacifica, they'll be rushing in with incentives. So far, Mopar hasn't been seriously running any ads as many people whom I told at work what I ordered didn't have a clue what a 300C was. Most simply related it to the LH bodied 300M. And this is Mopar's flagship??
I ordered my 300C in January after visiting the Detroit Auto Show on the 12th and observing and sitting in the car. I fell hopelessly in love with it.
I ordered it in silver. A nice, safe color, and shows michigan salt less than darker colors.
The dealer did not tell me exactly how much I'll have to pay. I said I'd pay dealer invoice. He said he'd want invoice plus $500. We'll argue when the car comes in, and who knows when that will be. He has no build sheet yet.
My current cars are a 2000 Cadillac STS and a 1999 300M. I think I'll sell the STS.
Fastdriver asked: Is the 300C going to be "spareless" too with run flat tires?
They will have the type that are self-sealing in that they'll (supposedly) seal up to a 3/16" puncture; a nail sized hole, if you will. I don't think they are the run-flats however. I got it in writing from the dealer that I can purchase a rim / tire at dealer's cost to use as a conventional spare. That's if a conventional spare will fit in the trunkwell.....I haven't been able to get a firm answer from Chrysler yet.
One concern I have about the 300C is tires. The tires on the one I saw at the auto show had Continental tires on it. I cannot find any 18" tires in the size that comes on the 300C available at Tire Rack or anywhere else in any brand.
When I bought my 300M, it had Goodyear Eagle LS 17 inch tires on it, and I had horrendous problems with tire vibration after about 2000 miles. Two sets of tires, same problem. Finally I switched to Michelin MXV4 energy plus tires, and that solved the problem.
I would bet that most of you reading this that bought the early 300M's had this same vibration problem. I hope we won't have to go through this again with the 18" tires in a very rare tire size on the 300C. If the OEM tires built to Chrysler's specifications prove to be problematic, it can take a year or two of hassles to get a decent set of tires.
I thought I would have to pay sticker on an order. The Dealer told me 2% over FWP (wholesale). The MSRP for my car was 36,415. 32,370 base plus 625 delivery and 3,420 in options. The FWP was 34,325, base 29,973 plus 625 delivery and allowances for Gas 11 Owner mailing 20, Long Island DAA 390, NY PPA 160, and options 3,146. I paid 35,011 (34,325*1.02) I thought that was fair and accepted the price without negotiation. I spent a total of one hour at the dealer's to make the purchase mostly deciding on options and color. Soozpk, In addition to what you ordered, I ordered the sunroof, Headlamps and Sirius but not the walnut that adds about 1500 so soozpk you did about 500 better than I did.
Looking at tire specifications at chrysler.com, I see that the base 300, Touring, and Limited come with 17" all-season tires. The 300C comes with 18" touring tires.
It is ironic that the Touring model comes with all-season tires, and the 300C comes with Touring tires.
And just what the heck are "touring" tires anyway? Does that mean they are not all-season? Will they suitable for winter driving?
I'm surprised that everybody else here has their prices nailed down at ordering time. I spent a few minutes at my local dealer, and we both agreed we'd negotiate a price when the car comes in.
He said "I'll take care of you". (I've been dealing with them for 32 years - first car I bought there was a '72 Plymouth Satellite Sebring in Richard Petty Blue).
Thanks. Self-sealing and run flat tires are quite different. I assume that means no spare tire on the 300?
stephen-
Maybe you shouldn't sell anything yet. Are you committed to the deal or can you change your mind? You know what they say about first year models!
The 99 300M was Chrysler's "flagship" model too and many of us had an inordinate number of problems. Mine have been well documented here. So as not to upset any posters or hosts who are bored by the stories, just click on my name and you can read the whole soap opera story there.
I was eager to order the car and did not want to be in a situation where the dealer had more buyers than cars. Since you have a long term relationship with a dealer you trust you are in a different position.
Until my car is delivered I would prefer that there is no big ad campaign. I don't want my dealer to sell my car to a higher bidder.
I paid $686 (2%) over Invoice.
I was glad to hear you sat in the car and still liked it. I have not had the opportunity.
I'm surprised that everybody else here has their prices nailed down at ordering time. I spent a few minutes at my local dealer, and we both agreed we'd negotiate a price when the car comes in.
He said "I'll take care of you". (I've been dealing with them for 32 years - first car I bought there was a '72 Plymouth Satellite Sebring in Richard Petty Blue).
Wow, I read your web page. Christine just did not like you! Regarding the early problems with the tires, I know what you went through. I had the same thing happen, but at a later date than your problem, and by the time my problem developed, Goodyear was well aware that they had a serious problem with that tire. Goodyear bought and paid for a set of Michelin tires for me. And I had purchased my car used! It had 26k miles on it.
I have Goodyear Eagle LS tires on my 2000 STS, and they are absolutely perfect, no problem. The OEM tires for the 300M were built by Goodyear "to Chrysler specs" and maybe that was the problem, who knows.
In answer to your question, when the 300C comes in I will drive it, and if I don't like it, I don't have to take it. Of course, that's true of anyone, anywhere.
One thing I'm wondering, is when the car is idling or loafing at highway speeds on level ground, and in 4 cylinder mode, will it be smooth or will there be engine vibration? I don't expect hesitation, because Chrysler claims that it can go from 4 cyl operation to 8 cyl operation in 40 millionths of a second.
I'm pretty sure that I had Goodyear Eagle LS tires on my previous 96 Buick Riviera and never had any problems. Actually, I've never had a problem with tires on any new car I had since that first 63 Chrysler 300 convertible to the present!
"The OEM tires for the 300M were built by Goodyear "to Chrysler specs" and maybe that was the problem, who knows."
I suspect it was. They should leave tire building to the specialists. Just like they probably should have left the window motor specs to the supplier too. Like everything else, it all comes down to $$$$. Good for them and their stockholders, but bad for the consumer. Maybe that's why the foreign car companies are making so much $$$$. They leave others to do what they do best and don't tell them to skimp or how to build their parts. Who knows.
As for the 4-8 cyl. switch, I'm not too sure what that will be like. I'm sure if it shook and you took it to your "award-winning 5-STAR" dealer to complain/inquire, they'd say that they all do that or it's a characteristic of the car! Cadillac tried a 4/6/8 cyl. back in the 70's and it didn't survive for long.
Fastdriver, I believe that all the manufacturers negotiate specs and prices on a contract for each model with tire companies.
The 17" Goodyear Eagle LS that went on the early Chrysler 300's and LHS's was a disaster. Goodyear and Chrysler began fighting with each other, and it was a real mess until it got sorted out, but not nearly as bad as the Firestone/Ford fiasco with the Explorer.
Now we have a potential for a problem once again, with an odd tire size, 18" for the 300C only, not another car on the planet that I'm aware of uses the 225/60R/18 tire size.
Fastdriver asked: I assume that means no spare tire on the 300?
It's the Crossfire that doesn't come with a spare. I haven't been able to get a good answer but from what I gather, the 300s are equipped with a "compact spare", which to me, is an inflatable. Up here in ND, I want to be able to change a tire only once at below zero weather, not twice. That's why I'm opting for a conventional spare. It may not fit in the trunkwell, but at least I can have one at home "ready to go".
Zooz, if you can afford a new 300C and an extra tire and 18" chrome rim, surely you can afford to hire someone to change the tire that second time!
And how many flats do people get these days anymore? Full size spare tires get old and don't get used more often than not. And they shouldn't be put on a car for regular service if they're over four years old.
has anyone orderd just the limited or is everyone here ordering the 300C with the Hemi... I don't want the hemi and I'm trying to figure out how things are going for someother people. let me know how it all was going... anyways this is the last stop for me after I see this at the auto show this comming weekend I'll decide whether or not to go ahead with the G35 or the MBC230 K. my top two chioces as of now.
I might be spitballing here, since I haven't driven the car or anything, but honestly I suspect any 300 w/o the Hemi is going to be a bit of a pig for what is the flagship. I was just wondering why you wouldn't want the Hemi?
Primarily cost, fuel economy? I'm really not being a snot, but I think to myself for anyone looking at a 300, why they wouldn't want a Hemi.
Stephen asked: surely you can afford to hire someone to change the tire that second time!
This is rural ND here, Steve. The county roads here get very quiet at night, it's not like the Belt Parkway on Sunday afternoon waiting for Aquaduct traffic to clear, on the way to JFK. There are towns that don't even have a gas station, just a grain elevator, and three houses standing One needs to be quite independent up here. My 3.0 has a bad habit of throwing the serpentine belt if the snow gets into the lower pulley. I had that happen once, at night, about -18 below zero. I never used so many four letter words that night. The belt had to go back on, as the battery power won't last that long. Then I'd be really screwed.
CJS--I think that the 3.5 litre engine pushing my 99 300M around will have a heck of a problem pushing the much heavier [predicted] 300C. How about 0-60 in 10 seconds like the Pacifica? Not great for merging from an on-ramp. If you can affort it go for the Hemi.
Soozpk--First year build is a crap shoot. For every distressing situation Fast had, I had almost none on my 99 M. Nothing that wasn't identified early [window motor, door lock, starter relay, etc.] and solved quickly by the dealer, except for the Badyears. I kept thinking they would get better til I finally dumped em at 40K for some Goodrich Comp TA's, which have been much better. I kept thinking it was a balancing problem or a bad belt and it turned out two out of five tires had bad belts.
Fast-- Great pic of the XLR. My dealar had one in Black back in Oct. at a new car "coming out party" and it was awesome, except for the blond wood which I did not like that much. It was the only color wood that came with it. Anyway $76K in my dreams only. Your pics of the 300C were also nice, except that they reinforce my feeling that its a big sedan [not sporty sedan] like my dad would drive. Unfortunately, I am now at the age when my dad would have been driving it, and I don't need to be seen as the "old man in the big sedan." Which is why the more upbeat Crossfire and 04 Vette appeal to me...ah, aging...ain't it great.
I'm just not thrilled with the 32K price tag for a chrysler. I like the car, and I actually think the 3.5 should be able to handle the car fine, its a bit lighter because it doesn't have the hemi. or at least thats what my research has come up with. I'm thinking about the G or the MB if I dont' like this. just throughing thoughts around and I appriciate the help and input.
Don't you find it odd that Chrysler won't give you a definitive answer about whether the 300 has a spare tire or not? Trust me- it foreshadows their future answers to any/all questions you might have if you buy the 300.
99zero-
My first reaction when I saw pics of the 300, after I said UGH, was that this would be a car that the White House/FBI/CIA would purchase in black with the HEMI. I'd bet that you'll be seeing them in and around Washinton, DC once they're out.
bigmike5-
Age is just a number! ;-)) The 300C certainly does NOT evoke the same reaction that the 300M did that's for sure. As for going rear wheel drive, it's NOT going to be a hit in the snow states. With today's report of gas prices going to $3.00+ by the summer, I don't foresee a great number of HEMI's on the road. Time will tell.
"My first reaction when I saw pics of the 300, after I said UGH, was that this would be a car that the White House/FBI/CIA would purchase in black with the HEMI."
Don't forget the black steel wheels and the moon hub caps. ;-)
Regarding winter traction, it seems that the genie is slowly being let out of the bottle vis-a-vis RWD cars (properly tamed, as in electronic traction control) being inferior to FWD cars. There is now plenty of evidence (both scientific and anecdotal) to indicate that of the three drive train types (AWD, FWD, RWD) the AWD car is superior in acceleration in slippery conditions, the RWD car is superior in braking in the same conditions and it is a toss up depending on the capabilities of the driver as to which of the two handles better. The FWD configuration is actually the worst of the three in every situation except light acceleration (where it beats the RWD car), unless of course you want to consider the FWD cars' prowess at backing up a slippery hill, there it rules. ;-)
After twenty years of driving FWD cars in the snowy latitudes, I finally returned to RWD cars in 1999, and I hope to never have to go back to the FWD platform.
Regarding the mileage of the 300C, I saw somewhere (maybe here) that with the "Displacement on Demand/V4-6-8/Variable Displacement" scheme in place on the Hemi that it actually gets almost comparable mileage to the 3.5 V6.
All of this to say, "I think that there will be a significant number of Hemi cars on the road, and soon." ;-)
Everybody wants to live a long life but no one wants to get old. The 300 may be a big non sporty sedan, but adding the "c" with 340HP eases the pain of deciding your body is now built for comfort not speed.
The reason for the past problems with rear wheel drive cars is cheapness - people who bought the cars and dealers who sold them usually did not bother to order the cars with a limited slip differential - a $50 option. I never had any problems with RWD cars equipped with a limited slip differential and good snow tires. For example, I once drove our 1970 AMC AMX (remember those) around all of the cars stuck spinning one wheel on the I 40/61 in St. Louis, up the embankment on the shoulder, and onto the service road to get around all of the wrecks. The modern electronics in the 300 will make it difficult to get in trouble with the car.
Shipo According to the only known brochure out on the 300 EPA City/HWY 2.7 18/25 3.5 18/24 5.7 17/23 But occasionally (after proper break-in) I plan on getting 6 or 7.
Surprised to see that so many of you prefer RWD in snowy areas. I predict that when sales don't take off with these RWD cars making a comeback, that AWD will suddenly become the norm.
I don't have far to drive to work, but with all the crazy storms that we have had over the years, I have never been stuck with any FWD car that I owned. I can't say the same for the RWD cars that I had that did have limited-slip differential.
I've had FWD since 1990 and love it. That said, if a car I really liked only came with RWD, I would consider it again. Like I said, I'm not putting on tens of thousands of miles a year.
As for the gas mileage, wouldn't the HEMI most likely require PREMIUM fuel?
First, a disclosure. I have snow tires (Michelin Arctic-Alpin) mounted on a separate set of wheels for winter use for all three of our cars.
Last winter we had 114 inches of snow in our town (which has very hilly and winding roads), and lots of ice to go along with it. Through it all, my RWD car was a far superior driver than either of our two FWD vehicles.
Disclosure number two. With the OEM rubber on our cars, my RWD car was the worst of the three in snow and ice. Of course, the OEM rubber on my car is the low profile, high rubber content Michelin Pilot Primacy, while the OEM rubber on our two FWD cars are All-Season tires (high silica content) from Michelin and Bridgestone respectively.
Here is a partial list of 300c features Can someone explain the first item. Soozpk and fast driver note the last item.
# Daylight Opening Moldings # Power Accessory Delay # 12-Volt Power Outlet Located In the Center Console # Door Sill Scuff Pads # Rear 60/40 Split Folding Seatback # Rear Seat Cupholder In the Armrest # Three-Point Seat Belt for Rear Center Seat # Security Alarm # Sentry Key(R) Engine Immobilizer Theft-Deterrent # Tortoise Shell Style Shift Knob # Height-Adjustable Front Seat Belts # Compact Spare Tire from Chrysler build and price by clicking on * Includes Standard Features javascript:universalNav('buildandprice','/buildandprice/global.se- ssionid=BuildAndPrice6060643F7A676761FF5E5157020D0000/StandardFea- tures.jam','/buildandprice/us/en/chrysler/html/Chrysler-loading.h- tml');
I haven't had or needed snow tires since before 1990. Then again, I don't think we ever had a CT winter with 114 inches of snow either. I don't miss the changeover to snow tires one bit or the reduced gas mileage.
Time will tell how this RWD works out. Mercedes has AWD now too on one sedan model. I would venture to say that Mercedes had all kinds of electronic devices too, but it didn't help them in snow prior to the AWD.
Thanks. That answers that question. WHY would Chrysler make a big deal out of it and not give Soozpk a straight answer? Then again, if he was just asking the dealer or the 1-800 "HELP" line about the spare, that would answer everything!
From 1971 through 1985 I drove rear wheel drive cars in Northern Michigan along with most other drivers, and I never used snow tires and never ordered the limited slip differential.
"I don't miss the changeover to snow tires one bit or the reduced gas mileage."
Hmmm, well, changing is a bit of a pain; however, I really don't mind it all that much. Regarding the gas mileage issue, our two FWD cars get nearly identical mileage with and without snow tires (not to be confused with the "Big Knobbies" of days gone by), after all, the Michelin Arctic-Alpin tires are rated up to 100mph and have a ride that is as quiet and as smooth as that of a typical All-Season tire. As for my RWD car, it actually gets better mileage with the snow tires, most likely due to the fact that they are slightly narrower in section width.
"Mercedes has AWD now too on one sedan model. I would venture to say that Mercedes had all kinds of electronic devices too, but it didn't help them in snow prior to the AWD."
That is not actually true. I used to work for MB-USA back when they were first considering offering AWD on the W210 E-Class, and what I wrote a few posts ago about the relative merits of AWD vs. RWD hold true on a Mercedes-Benz as well. In fact, a couple of years ago one of the car magazines did a test of various cars to see which layout had the best drivability in ice and snow. One of the car sets was an E320 with and without AWD. Their test results matched those that Mercedes-Benz came up with several years before.
So in the end, AWD will out accelerate (due to its four driven wheels) a similarly equipped RWD car in slippery conditions, the RWD car will out brake the AWD car (due to its lower relative weight) and the handling depends upon driver skills as to which has the advantage. Regarding handling, due to the lower weight of the RWD car, it should have the advantage in the hands of a competent driver, however, we've all seen the quality of U.S. drivers, and on the whole I don't give them that much credit. :-/
Fastdriver asked: WHY would Chrysler make a big deal out of it and not give Soozpk a straight answer?
First off, the personel at 1-800-Chrysler can answer only simple questions in general terms, such as what colors are available on a certain car. Ask them for something in specifics such as the 300's trunkwell dimensions and they're lost. My dealership is of no help also as they have the same brochure / information I'm getting.
One option I'm looking at is the use of a Continental kit to put on the rear bumper. That would solve the trunkwell problem.
Dale48 asked: Compact spare tire To the best of my knowledge, these are the inflatables. Meaning, they are undersized, and come with a small air cylinder to inflate it. They work rather well if a person wants to play screw-around. I'd just as soon have a conventional spare in the trunkwell.
I don't about having to inflate the spare. Anytime I've seen a reference to "compact spare tire", it was the "donut"--smaller and narrower than normal and only good up to 55mph, but otherwise ready to go. I assume this is what this would be? I mean, if the point of using a donut is to save weight (which the engineers must be desparate to do on an already heavy car), why toss in an air cylinder and all that?
I guess I always thought the donut (or even a run-flat--which I know the 300 doesn't have) was there simply to limp the car to somewhere you can replace the regular tire. At any rate, I have emergency road service on my auto insurance, so I would just call a tow company to either change the tire (although perfectly able of doing so, I'm not interested in changing a tire on an interstate with 75mph traffic zinging by, so full size or compact or run flat--irrelevant) or tow me somewhere.
As far as RWD vs FWD goes, my very first car was a 1976 Ford Granada. Very big, very heavy, and very much RWD. I lived in the country where if it snowed overnight, we were lucky if the road was plowed by the evening. Never once went in the ditch or even came close. That said, combine RWD with stability control resolves a lot of the cornering control issues that people associate with RWD. Traction control, IMO, does nothing of use in ANY scenario. I mean, if your tires are spinning in snow, how does them spinning slower help you go? Traction control does not improve TRACTION--that's the job of tires. Stability control is the key.
Traction Control does help assuming that you do not have a Limited Slip Differential (LSD). Without either LSD or Traction Control, if your car has one driven wheel on dry pavement, and the other on glare ice, you're going nowhere. Why? Because standard differentials send power to the wheel with the least resistance. In that scenario, Traction Control uses the brakes on the spinning wheel to cause it to have enough resistance for the differential to shift power to the wheel on dry pavement.
My current RWD car does not have an LSD (I wish it did), but it does have both Traction Control and Dynamic Skid Control, and trust me, it works. Due to the way driveway was installed, water runs across it on "Melt" days, and then freezes at night. Unfortunately, my driveway rises about fifteen feet from my garage apron to the street, and on days where the ice has really built up over night (like last night), our car without traction control cannot make it up the hill. The other two cars (one FWD and one RWD) with traction control have no problem making it up; they just keep shifting power from left to right hunting for traction, until finally the street is reached.
"Surprised to see that so many of you prefer RWD in snowy areas. I predict that when sales don't take off with these RWD cars making a comeback, that AWD will suddenly become the norm"
Agree with fastdriver 100% The G35 just went AWD. The BMW's & Audi's have AWD options. Even the new FWD TL I heard may go AWD in the next 2 years. I think DC knows alot more then it lets on. I also get the felling the benz portion is trying to mold Chrylser into a more appealing upscale brand. Which they will fail at doing cause Chrysler is so american. Back to the topic at hand. I saw my first 300c in a dark black color in south FL today. It didn't have any markings on it at all, & had some dealer plate on it. Couldn't make it out. Maybe long road trip testing?
Comments
Infinity G35, Lexus ES330 and VW Passat. I was not thinking of any of these cars when I selected the 300c. Those of you who ordered or are thinking about the 300c what other cars were you considering?
While I don't claim that these cars are equivalent, I was considering BMW 5 series, MB E series and Lexus 4xx. The Lincoln Town car and Cadilac are dated and too likely to be mistaken for a limo car service in NY.
I thought the 300c gave a lot of bang for the buck.
Clad covered wheels are produced by adhesively bonding and sealing and mechanically locking a thin plastic or stainless steel cladding (skin) to a steel or aluminum wheel. The rim of a clad covered wheel has a retention groove added to the inside of the flange to allow the cladding to be mechanically locked to the wheel. The cladding can be wrapped around the wheel flange for a full chrome plated wheel appearance. A robotically applied adhesive bonds the cladding to the wheel and acts as a sealant to prevent moisture from penetrating the cladding bond. The cladding is then pushed and locked into the retention groove by a hydraulic press. These permanently affixed cladding coverings can be finished to provide a variety of surface appearances.
Advantages:
Bright look at lower cost
Durable function at a lower cost
Non-removable wheel covers
Environmentally friendly
Multiple looks with a single wheel
Finish/Trim Options:
Chrome plated stainless steel
Chrome plated plastic
Polished stainless steel
Its hard to tell from the paint chip if its a true puke color or perhaps something slightly different from every other car on the road today.
When I ordered the car the dealer told me if, when the car arrived I did not like it he would refund my deposit as long as I didn't order anything odd.
When I ordered the Jade exterior he did not revoke his offer.
In fact he said he had seen the color on other models and said it was nice.
By the way this is America Martha won't do any time, just fines and probation. Unless the low security joints need redecorating. Then you are right.
fastdriver
Anyone have a firm delivery date or driving one now?
My '94 LeBaron has 121,000 on it, just time to get a new one. Always "generally" bought Mopars, and contrary to public opinion concerning reliability, I always had good luck with
them. My worst vehicle for both gas mileage and reliability??? 1982 Buick Regal Estate
Wagon.
Dale, I ordered my 300C on Jan 16th, and was told to expect it by mid-March. I asked my
dealer last week for it's status, and was told it was at "D", simply meaning that the order
had been scheduled for assembly.
I think Dale got it a few hundred below my price.
I paid 32,995 for a 300C with:
Walnut Trim
Sound Group II
Protection Group II
Power Adjusted Pedals
However, what you need to be aware of is the spread between MRSP and invoice
was tighter than the other manufacturers. At least this was the case back in
January. Things can change quickly, and if it looks like another Pacifica, they'll
be rushing in with incentives. So far, Mopar hasn't been seriously running any ads
as many people whom I told at work what I ordered didn't have a clue what a 300C
was. Most simply related it to the LH bodied 300M. And this is Mopar's flagship??
I ordered it in silver. A nice, safe color, and shows michigan salt less than darker colors.
The dealer did not tell me exactly how much I'll have to pay. I said I'd pay dealer invoice. He said he'd want invoice plus $500. We'll argue when the car comes in, and who knows when that will be. He has no build sheet yet.
My current cars are a 2000 Cadillac STS and a 1999 300M. I think I'll sell the STS.
stephen
They will have the type that are self-sealing in that they'll (supposedly) seal up to a 3/16"
puncture; a nail sized hole, if you will. I don't think they are the run-flats however. I got
it in writing from the dealer that I can purchase a rim / tire at dealer's cost to use as a
conventional spare. That's if a conventional spare will fit in the trunkwell.....I haven't been
able to get a firm answer from Chrysler yet.
When I bought my 300M, it had Goodyear Eagle LS 17 inch tires on it, and I had horrendous problems with tire vibration after about 2000 miles. Two sets of tires, same problem. Finally I switched to Michelin MXV4 energy plus tires, and that solved the problem.
I would bet that most of you reading this that bought the early 300M's had this same vibration problem. I hope we won't have to go through this again with the 18" tires in a very rare tire size on the 300C. If the OEM tires built to Chrysler's specifications prove to be problematic, it can take a year or two of hassles to get a decent set of tires.
The MSRP for my car was 36,415. 32,370 base plus 625 delivery and 3,420 in options.
The FWP was 34,325, base 29,973 plus 625 delivery and allowances for Gas 11 Owner mailing 20, Long Island DAA 390, NY PPA 160, and options 3,146.
I paid 35,011 (34,325*1.02)
I thought that was fair and accepted the price without negotiation.
I spent a total of one hour at the dealer's to make the purchase mostly deciding on options and color.
Soozpk,
In addition to what you ordered, I ordered the sunroof, Headlamps and Sirius but not the walnut
that adds about 1500 so soozpk you did about 500 better than I did.
It is ironic that the Touring model comes with all-season tires, and the 300C comes with Touring tires.
And just what the heck are "touring" tires anyway? Does that mean they are not all-season? Will they suitable for winter driving?
He said "I'll take care of you". (I've been dealing with them for 32 years - first car I bought there was a '72 Plymouth Satellite Sebring in Richard Petty Blue).
Thanks. Self-sealing and run flat tires are quite different. I assume that means no spare tire on the 300?
stephen-
Maybe you shouldn't sell anything yet. Are you committed to the deal or can you change your mind? You know what they say about first year models!
The 99 300M was Chrysler's "flagship" model too and many of us had an inordinate number of problems. Mine have been well documented here. So as not to upset any posters or hosts who are bored by the stories, just click on my name and you can read the whole soap opera story there.
fastdriver
Until my car is delivered I would prefer that there is no big ad campaign. I don't want my dealer to sell my car to a higher bidder.
I paid $686 (2%) over Invoice.
I was glad to hear you sat in the car and still liked it. I have not had the opportunity.
You ordered at the auto show. Do you have an ETA?
He said "I'll take care of you". (I've been dealing with them for 32 years - first car I bought there was a '72 Plymouth Satellite Sebring in Richard Petty Blue).
I don't have an ETA, but I'm guessing that it will be early April.
As for first year models, I did have good luck with the 1993 Intrepid ES I bought in December of 1992. That was a great car.
stephen
I have Goodyear Eagle LS tires on my 2000 STS, and they are absolutely perfect, no problem. The OEM tires for the 300M were built by Goodyear "to Chrysler specs" and maybe that was the problem, who knows.
In answer to your question, when the 300C comes in I will drive it, and if I don't like it, I don't have to take it. Of course, that's true of anyone, anywhere.
One thing I'm wondering, is when the car is idling or loafing at highway speeds on level ground, and in 4 cylinder mode, will it be smooth or will there be engine vibration? I don't expect hesitation, because Chrysler claims that it can go from 4 cyl operation to 8 cyl operation in 40 millionths of a second.
stephen
I'm pretty sure that I had Goodyear Eagle LS tires on my previous 96 Buick Riviera and never had any problems. Actually, I've never had a problem with tires on any new car I had since that first 63 Chrysler 300 convertible to the present!
"The OEM tires for the 300M were built by Goodyear "to Chrysler specs" and maybe that was the problem, who knows."
I suspect it was. They should leave tire building to the specialists. Just like they probably should have left the window motor specs to the supplier too. Like everything else, it all comes down to $$$$. Good for them and their stockholders, but bad for the consumer. Maybe that's why the foreign car companies are making so much $$$$. They leave others to do what they do best and don't tell them to skimp or how to build their parts. Who knows.
As for the 4-8 cyl. switch, I'm not too sure what that will be like. I'm sure if it shook and you took it to your "award-winning 5-STAR" dealer to complain/inquire, they'd say that they all do that or it's a characteristic of the car! Cadillac tried a 4/6/8 cyl. back in the 70's and it didn't survive for long.
fastdriver
The 17" Goodyear Eagle LS that went on the early Chrysler 300's and LHS's was a disaster. Goodyear and Chrysler began fighting with each other, and it was a real mess until it got sorted out, but not nearly as bad as the Firestone/Ford fiasco with the Explorer.
Now we have a potential for a problem once again, with an odd tire size, 18" for the 300C only, not another car on the planet that I'm aware of uses the 225/60R/18 tire size.
stephen
It's the Crossfire that doesn't come with a spare. I haven't been able to get a good
answer but from what I gather, the 300s are equipped with a "compact spare",
which to me, is an inflatable. Up here in ND, I want to be able to change a tire
only once at below zero weather, not twice. That's why I'm opting for a conventional
spare. It may not fit in the trunkwell, but at least I can have one at home "ready to go".
And how many flats do people get these days anymore? Full size spare tires get old and don't get used more often than not. And they shouldn't be put on a car for regular service if they're over four years old.
stephen
Primarily cost, fuel economy? I'm really not being a snot, but I think to myself for anyone looking at a 300, why they wouldn't want a Hemi.
This is rural ND here, Steve. The county roads here get very quiet at night, it's not like the Belt
Parkway on Sunday afternoon waiting for Aquaduct traffic to clear, on the way to JFK. There are towns that don't even have a gas station, just a grain elevator, and three houses standing
One needs to be quite independent up here. My 3.0 has a bad habit of throwing the
serpentine belt if the snow gets into the lower pulley. I had that happen once, at night, about
-18 below zero. I never used so many four letter words that night. The belt had to go back on, as the battery power won't last that long. Then I'd be really screwed.
Soozpk--First year build is a crap shoot. For every distressing situation Fast had, I had almost none on my 99 M. Nothing that wasn't identified early [window motor, door lock, starter relay, etc.] and solved quickly by the dealer, except for the Badyears. I kept thinking they would get better til I finally dumped em at 40K for some Goodrich Comp TA's, which have been much better. I kept thinking it was a balancing problem or a bad belt and it turned out two out of five tires had bad belts.
Fast-- Great pic of the XLR. My dealar had one in Black back in Oct. at a new car "coming out party" and it was awesome, except for the blond wood which I did not like that much. It was the only color wood that came with it. Anyway $76K in my dreams only. Your pics of the 300C were also nice, except that they reinforce my feeling that its a big sedan [not sporty sedan] like my dad would drive. Unfortunately, I am now at the age when my dad would have been driving it, and I don't need to be seen as the "old man in the big sedan." Which is why the more upbeat Crossfire and 04 Vette appeal to me...ah, aging...ain't it great.
The Chrysler 300C is a good looking car, and I'm glad the cab forward design is being abandoned.
Don't you find it odd that Chrysler won't give you a definitive answer about whether the 300 has a spare tire or not? Trust me- it foreshadows their future answers to any/all questions you might have if you buy the 300.
99zero-
My first reaction when I saw pics of the 300, after I said UGH, was that this would be a car that the White House/FBI/CIA would purchase in black with the HEMI. I'd bet that you'll be seeing them in and around Washinton, DC once they're out.
bigmike5-
Age is just a number! ;-)) The 300C certainly does NOT evoke the same reaction that the 300M did that's for sure. As for going rear wheel drive, it's NOT going to be a hit in the snow states. With today's report of gas prices going to $3.00+ by the summer, I don't foresee a great number of HEMI's on the road. Time will tell.
fastdriver
Don't forget the black steel wheels and the moon hub caps. ;-)
Regarding winter traction, it seems that the genie is slowly being let out of the bottle vis-a-vis RWD cars (properly tamed, as in electronic traction control) being inferior to FWD cars. There is now plenty of evidence (both scientific and anecdotal) to indicate that of the three drive train types (AWD, FWD, RWD) the AWD car is superior in acceleration in slippery conditions, the RWD car is superior in braking in the same conditions and it is a toss up depending on the capabilities of the driver as to which of the two handles better. The FWD configuration is actually the worst of the three in every situation except light acceleration (where it beats the RWD car), unless of course you want to consider the FWD cars' prowess at backing up a slippery hill, there it rules. ;-)
After twenty years of driving FWD cars in the snowy latitudes, I finally returned to RWD cars in 1999, and I hope to never have to go back to the FWD platform.
Regarding the mileage of the 300C, I saw somewhere (maybe here) that with the "Displacement on Demand/V4-6-8/Variable Displacement" scheme in place on the Hemi that it actually gets almost comparable mileage to the 3.5 V6.
All of this to say, "I think that there will be a significant number of Hemi cars on the road, and soon." ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
According to the only known brochure out on the 300
EPA City/HWY
2.7 18/25
3.5 18/24
5.7 17/23
But occasionally (after proper break-in) I plan on getting 6 or 7.
I don't have far to drive to work, but with all the crazy storms that we have had over the years, I have never been stuck with any FWD car that I owned. I can't say the same for the RWD cars that I had that did have limited-slip differential.
I've had FWD since 1990 and love it. That said, if a car I really liked only came with RWD, I would consider it again. Like I said, I'm not putting on tens of thousands of miles a year.
As for the gas mileage, wouldn't the HEMI most likely require PREMIUM fuel?
fastdriver
Last winter we had 114 inches of snow in our town (which has very hilly and winding roads), and lots of ice to go along with it. Through it all, my RWD car was a far superior driver than either of our two FWD vehicles.
Disclosure number two. With the OEM rubber on our cars, my RWD car was the worst of the three in snow and ice. Of course, the OEM rubber on my car is the low profile, high rubber content Michelin Pilot Primacy, while the OEM rubber on our two FWD cars are All-Season tires (high silica content) from Michelin and Bridgestone respectively.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Can someone explain the first item.
Soozpk and fast driver note the last item.
# Daylight Opening Moldings
# Power Accessory Delay
# 12-Volt Power Outlet Located In the Center Console
# Door Sill Scuff Pads
# Rear 60/40 Split Folding Seatback
# Rear Seat Cupholder In the Armrest
# Three-Point Seat Belt for Rear Center Seat
# Security Alarm
# Sentry Key(R) Engine Immobilizer Theft-Deterrent
# Tortoise Shell Style Shift Knob
# Height-Adjustable Front Seat Belts
# Compact Spare Tire
from Chrysler build and price by clicking on
* Includes Standard Features
javascript:universalNav('buildandprice','/buildandprice/global.se- ssionid=BuildAndPrice6060643F7A676761FF5E5157020D0000/StandardFea- tures.jam','/buildandprice/us/en/chrysler/html/Chrysler-loading.h- tml');
I haven't had or needed snow tires since before 1990. Then again, I don't think we ever had a CT winter with 114 inches of snow either. I don't miss the changeover to snow tires one bit or the reduced gas mileage.
Time will tell how this RWD works out. Mercedes has AWD now too on one sedan model. I would venture to say that Mercedes had all kinds of electronic devices too, but it didn't help them in snow prior to the AWD.
fastdriver
Thanks. That answers that question. WHY would Chrysler make a big deal out of it and not give Soozpk a straight answer? Then again, if he was just asking the dealer or the 1-800 "HELP" line about the spare, that would answer everything!
fastdriver
"Mid-Grade will be the recommended fuel for the 300C with the notation that regular is permissible."
For the HEMI? Doesn't sound plausible.
fastdriver
stephen
Mmmm...you learn something new everyday.
fastdriver
Hmmm, well, changing is a bit of a pain; however, I really don't mind it all that much. Regarding the gas mileage issue, our two FWD cars get nearly identical mileage with and without snow tires (not to be confused with the "Big Knobbies" of days gone by), after all, the Michelin Arctic-Alpin tires are rated up to 100mph and have a ride that is as quiet and as smooth as that of a typical All-Season tire. As for my RWD car, it actually gets better mileage with the snow tires, most likely due to the fact that they are slightly narrower in section width.
"Mercedes has AWD now too on one sedan model. I would venture to say that Mercedes had all kinds of electronic devices too, but it didn't help them in snow prior to the AWD."
That is not actually true. I used to work for MB-USA back when they were first considering offering AWD on the W210 E-Class, and what I wrote a few posts ago about the relative merits of AWD vs. RWD hold true on a Mercedes-Benz as well. In fact, a couple of years ago one of the car magazines did a test of various cars to see which layout had the best drivability in ice and snow. One of the car sets was an E320 with and without AWD. Their test results matched those that Mercedes-Benz came up with several years before.
So in the end, AWD will out accelerate (due to its four driven wheels) a similarly equipped RWD car in slippery conditions, the RWD car will out brake the AWD car (due to its lower relative weight) and the handling depends upon driver skills as to which has the advantage. Regarding handling, due to the lower weight of the RWD car, it should have the advantage in the hands of a competent driver, however, we've all seen the quality of U.S. drivers, and on the whole I don't give them that much credit. :-/
Best Regards,
Shipo
First off, the personel at 1-800-Chrysler can answer only simple questions in general
terms, such as what colors are available on a certain car. Ask them for something in
specifics such as the 300's trunkwell dimensions and they're lost. My dealership is of no help
also as they have the same brochure / information I'm getting.
One option I'm looking at is the use of a Continental kit to put
on the rear bumper. That would solve the trunkwell problem.
Dale48 asked: Compact spare tire
To the best of my knowledge, these are the inflatables. Meaning, they are undersized,
and come with a small air cylinder to inflate it. They work rather well if a person wants
to play screw-around. I'd just as soon have a conventional spare in the trunkwell.
I guess I always thought the donut (or even a run-flat--which I know the 300 doesn't have) was there simply to limp the car to somewhere you can replace the regular tire. At any rate, I have emergency road service on my auto insurance, so I would just call a tow company to either change the tire (although perfectly able of doing so, I'm not interested in changing a tire on an interstate with 75mph traffic zinging by, so full size or compact or run flat--irrelevant) or tow me somewhere.
As far as RWD vs FWD goes, my very first car was a 1976 Ford Granada. Very big, very heavy, and very much RWD. I lived in the country where if it snowed overnight, we were lucky if the road was plowed by the evening. Never once went in the ditch or even came close. That said, combine RWD with stability control resolves a lot of the cornering control issues that people associate with RWD. Traction control, IMO, does nothing of use in ANY scenario. I mean, if your tires are spinning in snow, how does them spinning slower help you go? Traction control does not improve TRACTION--that's the job of tires. Stability control is the key.
My current RWD car does not have an LSD (I wish it did), but it does have both Traction Control and Dynamic Skid Control, and trust me, it works. Due to the way driveway was installed, water runs across it on "Melt" days, and then freezes at night. Unfortunately, my driveway rises about fifteen feet from my garage apron to the street, and on days where the ice has really built up over night (like last night), our car without traction control cannot make it up the hill. The other two cars (one FWD and one RWD) with traction control have no problem making it up; they just keep shifting power from left to right hunting for traction, until finally the street is reached.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Traction control helps forward motion a little bit in snowy conditions, and it reduces side-slip.
Agree with fastdriver 100% The G35 just went AWD. The BMW's & Audi's have AWD options. Even the new FWD TL I heard may go AWD in the next 2 years. I think DC knows alot more then it lets on. I also get the felling the benz portion is trying to mold Chrylser into a more appealing upscale brand. Which they will fail at doing cause Chrysler is so american.
Back to the topic at hand. I saw my first 300c in a dark black color in south FL today. It didn't have any markings on it at all, & had some dealer plate on it. Couldn't make it out. Maybe long road trip testing?