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Comments
If Daimler can produce cars that retain that innovative flair, increase the quality and hold the prices down (not by producing cloth interior M's with 2.7 litre engines), then we truly will have the best of both worlds. But so far, they have let go most of the people responsible for Chrysler's innovative designs and announced the phasing out of the cab forward design...so we'll see.
By the way, I believe the design of PT Cruiser was well under underway before the merger, but at least Daimler didn't kill it.
Silver
Their philosophy is consistently to take the most expensive approach to repairs. For example, when I recently had a wobbly brake rotor on my wife's Mercedes, they suggested replacing all four. And, no, they would not machine my existing rotors. So, I went to a local shop where I now have all my Mercedes work done and got it straightened out for one-fourth the cost. Similarly--and I feel this may be some sort of scam--I never--repeat, never--took either my 300E or my C280 in for service without the dealer (I've dealt with two of them) "discovering" a bad gasket or seal of some sort. As long as the factory was paying for this, I didn't question it, but since then I've wised up and fond that their leaky gaskets were apparently illusory.
There are good and bad dealers representing any brand. But, overall, it's kind of nice to deal with a service department that doesn't give me the feeling that they're scoping me out to see if I have gold fillings.
Sorry for the rambling, but sometimes I think there would be peace in the world if everyone could just find an honest, competant and inexpensive car repair shop...camel repair shop..whatever..
Seriously though, I'm glad you're ok and nothing was hurt except a pretty car. They can be fixed. Not so easy straightening out the doors and wheels on a person. Good luck, and insist on factory parts.
I was hit and did the same thing. They took out my 94 caravan. They offered me $20/day which won't even pay for a car. I said you can either deliver another or pay me whatever the rental cost (I got a Cirrus) for the time. They took the latter
Good luck!
So, DC, Don't "cheapen" the interior. This is where many people "live" many hours of the week driving to work and such. Great looks, superior workmanship, high quality leather, innovative nostalgic instrumentation are key things to design into the next 300 letter car. Much of that in the current M, except for some low grade leather in a few places (ex. Steering Wheel!)
If people need cloth and low grade ugly plastic, there are plenty of cars like that at GM and Ford, or maybe a base Dodge. Don't cheapen the Chryslers, please don't.
I'm clear on don't buy Goodyear. I've had good luck with Michelins on a couple of vehicles, so I'm leaning towards the Pilot ZX tires. Can someone give us a compelling reason to choose something else.
Brakes, hmmm what to do. Do I:
1) Get the dealer to install the Chrysler stuff..worked pretty good for the first 40K (no warped rotors).
2) Go to local brake place and get NAPA premium brakes installed. Machine or replace with NAPA rotors as necessary.
3) Buy EBC, Performance Friction, etc and Cross drilled rotors and install myself.
What is everyone doing? What's the consensus?
Thanks in advance.
jona: again, NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you could just do what i did, and get a new one. j/k.
anyway, good luck with everything, i know dealing with insurance sucks.. and i hope you get a decent rental!!
I was hit and did the same thing. They took out my 94 caravan. They offered me $20/day which won't even pay for a car. I said you can either deliver another or pay me whatever the rental cost (I got a Cirrus) for the time. They took the latter
Good luck!
jona57:ouch...ooch....I feel your pain...though eMily's damage was done for free by my .25 star Dealer and will cost $600 to fix, it pales in comparison to your M's wounds.....
phases78: Ya know, I just might try this Tornado thing....seems the local PeP Boys/Strauss Auto /etc. might carry it. If I buy it and it does nothing then they should take it back. It'd be my way of being some kind of mechanical-type of test dummy. The info implies UP TO 20 more HP, and mileage is supposed to improve. The mileage thing I can figure out (miles divided by gallons re-purchased..), but how would I figure out additional horsepower? ...
inquiring wine-soaked brains want to know......
D (hic..)oc
Try PEP BOYS.
Doc
Tires: Unless you have PHP/PHG you don't need V-rated tires.
They will wear out much faster than OE tires. I had Michelin XGT V-4 tires on my '99 and was very pleased with them. DO get them properly balanced on a Hunter GSP9700...here's the link:
http://www.gsp9700.com/pub/search/findgsp9700.cfm
Brakes: If you were happy with the original brakes, why not stay with the Chrysler replacements?
Here's my question...if the air is flowing in a circle caused by these fins, it seems to me that it would have to travel further. If it has to travel further it seems that it would get to the engine slower, not faster. I must be missing some law of physics. Also, in their informercial they show a clear tube with a "propeller" in it and put an air source on top of the tube. The propeller doesn't spin. Then they put one of these $75 pieces of tin between the air source and the tube and the propeller starts turning. Well gentlemen, wouldn't a propeller turn when air is blown across its surface normally? I give you the example of a pinwheel, a beanie cap, a windmill, a ceiling fan, a propeller, etc.. Why did this one stay still while air flowed over it then spin when the air "vortex" was applied. Easy, the sumbitch must have been FLAT! So, it makes a flat propeller spin by spinning the air. So??
Maybe if I get a Tornado, those fuel line magnets, and an under-dash swamp cooler I'll be able to get 300hp and 50mpg! Better yet, I'll run premium gas in it and apply vaseline to make my plenum smoother and become INVISIBLE!!!
On a lighter note, I was joking with my wife this evening about today's whole episode 'cause yesterday she was giving me grief about who would get the first stone chip or door ding on the shiny new M. I started BS'ing about the female officer who responded to the accident scene-playing up the cute, blonde, divorced, "wouldn't leave me alone" thing- how she thought I was handsome, how she would find an excuse to call, etc, etc.. My wife's pretty cool & thought this whole bit was funny as hell. During this bull session after dinner, the phone rings & as sure as Daimler bought Chrysler --it's the same female officer asking to speak with me! Seems she needed a bit of follow-up info for her report, but my wife starts cracking up to the point I can hardly keep from laughing on the phone with this piece (er- I mean peace!) officer.
Crass & politically incorrect story for sure, but it broke-up the tension on an otherwise sh**tty day.
Keep up the good work.
Problem is the price. The base car with cloth seats is already 31k. There are two option packages, a 3k package that upgrades to leather seats, CD Changer and HIDs, and a 7k package that has everything the 3k package does plus a premium audio system, heated seats and navigation system. So to compare to my 300M that I paid $28k+ for (with a 34k+ sticker) the ES would cost at least $6k and possibly $9k more.
it will already be functional, meaning there will be a tract under the hood that leads to the airbox from the scoop.
inquiring minds......
as for the armrest - boy am I dissapointed! With what was going on under there I imagined it to be much more of a useful contraption than a pack of tissues and a pen
I too saw the dyno test, etc. sdmike2 said"...They didn't, however, show what they did to the engine to achieve this. ;"..., I can only go on what I saw on the infomercial. can basically understand the facts he so eloquently stated/reamed me out with (!), but even if it gave me a couple more miles to the gallon wouldn't it be worth it just for that?
I looked for a 300m version, but did not see it listed...but thanks for the part number. The website also stated it could be purchased at auto specialty stores--PepBoys, R&S Strauss. If they do have it, I think I'm gonna give it a shot. I will utilize the lastest technology for anaylsis of gas mileage (calculator...) and report back to y'all.
Now, what'd I do with that DiDee-7 spot remover?.....
See youse in the chatroom tonight!
Doc
I generally give infomercials the same credibility as a story in the National Enquirer...
Here's an alternate suggestion: make a slight change in your driving habits and save the 3% without any out of pocket costs. This saves you the $80 and you get better mileage.
Igor
KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN
I would guess this little sucker is probably has some sharp edges. I called the local PepBoys hear me..they said they hadn't gotten them in-yet. Don't know if they ARE or aren't getting them, but I try again another time. Why pay $7.95-$8.95 S & H if I could get it locally, and be able to return the dee-vice.... I'm also going to try the local Strauss Auto store and the site says its available at Tire Centers...
ruski Crap?...maybe, but suppose it DOES do what it says it will? As long as I could return it to the store, it would be worth a shot in the air intake tube, ay?
Again, I'm obviously NOT mechanically inclined, but I think I could handle this; and I think its at least worth the effort. Maybe its all smoke and mirrors, but...
Doc
I would guess that any air passing through/around a propeller/whatever should have moved.
In any case, I think its worth a shot.
My driving habits--which for me means not jumping on the gas when the light turns green-- really wouldn't figure into the equation. I have yet to get eMily over 80 mph. I'm just trying to see if I can improve my gas mileage a bit. I think the tests they ran and posted on their site would be verifiable, or else why would they post them, right?
'Crap', maybe, but I'm willing to try.....
just my .000002 ¢ worth!
Master Mechanic Doc
In my aftermarket car alarm/mess of wires, I have a closed loop sensor unit attached to the V1. If the V1 is yanked out, a ground is disconnected, which causes a second wire to ground, which causes the alarm to be triggered. I also have this second ground/trigger signal connected to the driver door ajar signal to set the OEM alarm off. This also turns on the dome light, of course, as well as the red dash light, which also happened as I drove.
I'll have to get a new closed loop sensor, which consists of resistors and transistors. This one (DEI 502T) lasted over a year. The first one I bought from Autotoys.com was awful-- it randomly grounded the trigger wire.
Also, that eram looks neat, except it sounds pretty loud from the vid clip...
drpixel I got an email back from the tornado people in regards to the version for the M.
"Absolutely! The TORNADO for your vehicle is a part ki-75. For additional
information and a free brochure please provide your full name and address."
If you get one let me know how it goes.
The 300M seems to be the fastest car at high speeds them most of it's competers. In my seach for another car, I see alot of them have better 0-60 numbers, but onwners complain about a lack of punch at high speed. After 70 it takes forever to get past 100. This includes the CL/TL-S, Maxima, LS, & GTP. Intresting. The 300M's high speed ability always impressed me. It is a great car for crusing HW's.