Chrysler 300M

andy300m · May 2002

passed by a 5* today and asked them what they thought of KVR brakes. They never heard of this brand. They recommended Sure Stop or something like that which are also cross-drilled rotors. When I asked them about the "motorcycle exhaust noise", the guy said this is one of the characteristics of all cross-drilled rotors in general, regardless of brand. The noise is the air escaping through the holes.
I am getting ready for this upgrade, probably with my next scheduled service.

turtle8081 · May 2002

Thanks for the advice on the pulling after rotation. On my lunch I purchased a torque wrench, turned every lug to 100 lbs. and regulated the air pressure in all four tires to be a uniform 30psi. No more pulling although the vibration upon breaking at 40 or more mph still exists.

I've ordered the K&N air charger and am saving for the dual exhaust. what is the benefit of cross drilled rotors?

Also, I saw the ebay posting for the 300m door sill plates. Anyone know where to purchase these?

toms99 · May 2002

ducati52 - I have no trouble seeing the display unit where I have it mounted (in the cubby above the ashtray that became the "4 disk changer" in the later models...I have a 99...the ORIGINAL with 3 more HP!!) I even can still put my sunglasses in sideways next to the display, so nothing was lost.

At night the display is a litter dimmer than where I have the rest of the dash lit, and of course in the day if a beam of sunlight hits it directly you will not be able to see it. But in reality this is no problem. Hell, you know what CD's you put in the changer!!

Silver--Check the "Used" prices right here on Edmunds. They walk you thru the condition of the car and the options, then they give you the low-end Trade-In value and the higher Retail price. Shoot for something in the middle = What they call TMV - True Market Value. It's pretty accurate.

toms99 · May 2002

I believe the cross drilling (or in some cases "slots") help keep the rotors cool. Cooler rotors=more efficeint braking and less potential for warping.

However, not everyone on this board that has done the swap was happy with the results. Unless you brake regularly from extreme high speed I would reconsider. Either that or wait until your current rotors wear out!

300michael · May 2002

or in my case the DVD digital surround controls in the spot where the ash tray is (since I do not smoke and don't allow it in my car) and the cubby hole is occupiyed by my Head unit, (the orginal stereo location is occipied by the motorized monitor. Just more options.

wire2 · May 2002

>I just rotated the tires... Now my M pulls to the left and vibrates during braking.

To distinguish between a tire fault and something changed in the car, you could put the tires back to the original position.
Pull/vibration gone? Gotta be a tire.
Still there? It's probably the car.

turtle8081 · May 2002

does anyone know the price and part # for the exterior mirrors on the special and whether they come pre-painted? I have an 01 and assume they will fit and install the same as 01 mirrors as well as perform the same functions.

Thanks in advance.

andy300m · May 2002

I have been experiencing vibration when braking and finally took my M to 5* for brake evaluation and/or service. spoke with the tech and he said all that needed to be done is front rotors resurfaced. I have a set of KVR front cross drilled ones that Chris Martin from this board kindly sent to me, but they will probably wait until I wear the stock ones out. The tech could not tell me anything about the KVR ones when I showed them to him, they use a different brand. He advised me to go with the brand they use (Sure Stop cross-drilled) because people that have been using them on similar vehicles were happy with the results.
He did say that I will need new pads if I install these rotors.
So anyway, only had the rotors resurfaced for now, and my car is like new. No vibrations, pulling (knock on wood). Eastside 5* Chry-Jeep in Bellevue, WA is the new home for my M!

scotian · May 2002

I bought new pads because I wanted better braking. I got new rotors to hold up to the better pads. The ones I have now are working great! Call Jerry at http://www.MyRoadster.Net/

http://public.fotki.com/Scotian/300m/exterior/slotted_rotors/

scotian · May 2002

I ordered my old pics, so I should be able to post how to install the euro side markers, etc.

fastdriver · May 2002

no1trust-

Sorry for the delay in answering your question. Just caught up reading the 129 messages I missed. I have been leasing cars since 1990. While it may be more costly for me to lease, since I can't deduct the lease as a business expense, I find it way more convenient to just give the car back after 2-3 years and move on. No advertising. No weirdos coming to the house to drive the car when you want to sell it etc. Personal preference. Never had any intention of buying any of those lease cars at the end of the lease. I get tired of them after 2-3 years.

riker2-

Plastic vs metal clips? Great way to increase their coffers and increase your aggravation. Then again, some people don't mind all these "minor" annoyances and return dealer visits, so I guess it's no big deal. As long as they are covered under warranty, just keep going back to the dealer.

blonda-

Try this link for those long links that you can't post here because some people get aggravated scrolling from side to side. http://www.makeashorterlink.com/

fastdriver

blonda · May 2002

Thanks for the cool link -- that will come in handy for me to use for work also.

Sorry if I messed up everyone's viewing...on my screen it wasn't big at all or I would have deleted it.

km99cobra · May 2002

Well, I did it. Chrysler extended the Lease Pull Ahead program through end of September and have offered to make my last 4 payments on my 99 300M. They also offered $1500 consumer cash and $1000 lease loyalty and my buddy at the dealership worked out a deal for a 2002 300M Special at invoice. Too many good things happening at once, an offer I couldn't refuse. Plus I really like the 300M Special (would like it more w/300HP, but oh well...). Will pick it up on Monday, Bright Silver/Dark Slate Gray interior/hole-in-roof. Looks like I'll be hanging around here for a while. Hey, it's the best site on Edmunds, great car, good group of people, why not!! ;-) . (Also, I'm pretty sure this one is OK, invoiced to the dealer on 4/22/02 so hopefully not in the group of Specials with the bad engines or whatever that problem was.)

exshoman · May 2002

Haven't posted in quite a while.

We had quite a storm today in suburban MD during work. Hail the size of marbles (although the news said hail the size of golf balls).

Everything looked fine at first, but that was when the car was still wet. Had a closer look after I got home and noticed about 15-20 small dings in the hood and roof. The trunk seems to be OK. I was hatin' life. Two years of parking in the far reaches of parking lots to avoid dings, and now this.

Anybody have experience with PDR (Paintless Dent Removal)? Does it really work? I really don't want to have the car bondo'ed and painted.

Any advice is appreciated.

sdmike2 · May 2002

Sorry to hear about your dings. However, you'll be happy to hear that PDR is awesome if done by an experienced and careful individual. I had my door done and I couldn't begin to tell you where the old ding used to be. Not the slightest trace remains.

ottowrkr · May 2002

turtle8081 - yes the mirrors we use in plant come pre-painted. They will fit all 300M's the only thing you will have to do is get the signal wires to the mirror for it to work.
km99cobra - congrats on the Special. i really really love that car

dammitjim1 · May 2002

Got a call from my Chrysler dealer the other day advising me that the Lease pull ahead program was extended through September, when my lease matures. I have the 2000 300M, Deep Slate, fully loaded. I had intended to lease another 300M since I love this car. It seems like a good option...has anybody out there done it? Further questions...the deep slate is awful for showing dirt and scratches. I have scratches from parking lots, etc., on both sides. I had resigned myself to a trip to the body shop, but am wondering how meticulous I have to be at repair.
Will I get heavily socked with excess wear and tear charges if I'm leasing another car? Any help appreciated. Lastly..does anybody know if an excess wear&tear waiver option exists on Chrysler GK leases?

mikeyjohn · May 2002

A couple of years ago, we had a major hailstorm hit here and the PDR guys made a fortune.

I went to the guy I use and watched him start and the next day I saw him finish a hood which was trashed by hail. You could not see any marks on that car. I fully recommend the repair.

One word of warning, get estimates and check out their work. There are a lot of fly by nighters out there. Good luck.

dammitjim1 · May 2002

Got a call from my Chrysler dealer the other day advising me that the Lease pull ahead program was extended through September, when my lease matures. I have the 2000 300M, Deep Slate, fully loaded. I had intended to lease another 300M since I love this car. It seems like a good option...has anybody out there done it? Further questions...the deep slate is awful for showing dirt and scratches. I have scratches from parking lots, etc., on both sides. I had resigned myself to a trip to the body shop, but am wondering how meticulous I have to be at repair.
Will I get heavily socked with excess wear and tear charges if I'm leasing another car? Any help appreciated. Lastly..does anybody know if an excess wear&tear waiver option exists on Chrysler GK leases?

km99cobra · May 2002

Dammitjim1: That's what I just did. Chrysler is making my last 4 payments on my 99 300M with the Lease Pull Ahead program. It's good for me for two reasons; I'm just about over on miles (36K) so I won't have to pay any mileage fee. Second, I worried that I wouldn't be able to find a 300M Special if I waited until September. Even now, the dealer had a tough time locating the one I wanted. Also, the 7/100 powertrain pledge was extended through May so that's good too. As far as excess wear and tear, I've babied mine and of course it's been Zainoed extensively, so I don't expect any problem at all turning it in.

Otto: I have had my eye on the Special for some time and I'm glad I'm able to do it now. I have had no problems with my 99 300M, so I'm hoping for the same or even better experience with the Special. Thanks.

Ken

dammitjim1 · May 2002

Got a call from my Chrysler dealer the other day advising me that the Lease pull ahead program was extended through September, when my lease matures. I have the 2000 300M, Deep Slate, fully loaded. I had intended to lease another 300M since I love this car. It seems like a good option...has anybody out there done it? Further questions...the deep slate is awful for showing dirt and scratches. I have scratches from parking lots, etc., on both sides. I had resigned myself to a trip to the body shop, but am wondering how meticulous I have to be at repair.
Will I get heavily socked with excess wear and tear charges if I'm leasing another car? Any help appreciated. Lastly..does anybody know if an excess wear&tear waiver option exists on Chrysler GK leases?

toms99 · May 2002

Scott - I've been trying to e-mail a request for one of your neat Roman Numeral clockfaces, but my message keeps bouncing back. I know you made up a "Tom's LHS" clockface for me, and the same one with the Roman Numerals would be awesome! Check your Hotmail account...If your e-mail address has changed let me know....

toms99
tsokol5@comcast.net

exshoman · May 2002

The only shop reasonably close to me is the Dent Wizard - a franchise organization.

I'll check them out, probably tomorrow - I'd prefer to see some real-life work. I imagine this is one of those skill type jobs. Done right and everything should be ok. I can imagine that like every other type of service, the quality depends on the skill of the person doing the job.

Thanks for the advice...

sdmike2 · May 2002

ok...here is the current "big red" clock face and one that is less classy but more fun. The latter is created using paintshop pro. Votes? lol

http://www.ritchiefamily.com/misc/bigredface.jpg

http://www.ritchiefamily.com/misc/spongeface.jpg

scotian · May 2002

Gotcha. You'll have to send me your postal address again to sjensen666@hotmail.com. My mailbox isn't full, so it should work. The damn spam has no trouble getting to me!

And if someone really wants a Spongebritches Bob thing, send me a request!

scotian · May 2002

I programmed a small chunk of that (PSP7). Cool!

300michael · May 2002

AAAAAAAHHHHHH, Please No more Sponge Bob. I know you like it, but it drives me up the wall (along with Barney)(and I manage the Toy Department). Now you know why I am not married or have kids. Please post a warning lable before showing such obseen material (IMHO) Thanks Michael

300michael · May 2002

as the WW1 flying ace? in your clock face files?
I like to fly in this car (although the thought of bullet holes scares me). I will just stay away from South Phoenix.

easyrider300m · May 2002

how bout Roadrunner--now that would be great for clock face! Beep--Beep

bigmike5 · May 2002

Whoops wrong on the letters. It is the Caddy XLR not XLT. Well, the letters are right next to each other on the keyboard. Anyway, that is the car I wished I could get in a couple of years. Awesome design. The Caddy Cien concept car at 750hp and 225 top speed would be nice too, in my dreams.
On hail damage, near Fort Knox we have had two massive storms, one on 29 Mar and one yesterday. Hail the size of golf balls or better the first time and tennis ball [no kidding] sized the second time. The PDR people have been here for a month making millions. My office has paid out almost a 1/2 mil so far. Dent Wizard people have been here and the reports on them, among others, is that they have done a good job. Some of the companies are doing the work for the insurance estimate and waiving the deductible just to get the business. So if the insurance estimator says the repair cost will be $1500 and you have $500 deductible on your Comprehensive coverage, some of the places will do it for the $1,000 that you actually get from your insurance. Shop around, because if the storm was a big one the repairers will arrive shortly thereafter. My M was in the garage at home the first storm, and got missed at work on the second, but I have seen some huge hits on windshields and sheet metal.

drpixel · May 2002

Am having arthroscopic surgery on left knee, Rick. Its taken the Workman's Compenstation board almot TWO @#$%ing years to finally approve this. They had to determine causal realtionship between the originall injury-which occurred in 1995-to the destroyed cartilage in my knee.
Since my wife has had rotator cuff surgery, I was the chauffeur, chef, part-time massage therapist--you name it. I had to wait--to make sure she could do at least 60%-70% of what she used to before I set my own surgery up. So far, I've had 2 surgeries on my left wrist-one to remove about 1/2 inch of bone, and two on my left foot. The knee will be #5.
My concern is that to be out 3-4 weks (I do commute into Noo Yawk, you know...and the walking is murder..) that my employer may decide to give me a hard time. contacted the ADA people to get an idea if they can screw with me..they of course were non-committal about this, refering me to the Equa lEmployment Opportunity Commission. In any case, the surgery is scheduled for May 31st in NYC, where my doctor 'operates' out of. I said 3-4 weks only because the MD has no idea of what he's going to find in there.

About the eBay link for 300m door sills....can someone repost the link? I think I'd me able to handle that 'mod'....

To facilitate the uninterupted cretion of membership packages, I'm going to mail Roger/Rogor2k the required computer files, parchament paper and laminating material so he can take care of the packages in my unavoidable abscence.

Regards from sunny Noo Yawk,
Doc

Kirstie_H · May 2002

As we all know, the purchase price isn't all that's involved in the true cost of a vehicle. Check out the article and new tool at Edmunds.com:

True Cost to Own (TCO): Revealing the Hidden Costs of Car Ownership

http://www.edmunds.com/advice/specialreports/articles/59897/article.html

kirstie_h

Roving Host

Edmunds.com

russklass · May 2002

Planning is underway!
Hotel rooms are blocked for both Detroit and Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
Hopefully details will be up soon on the club web site.
If you plan to attend, please e-mail me at RussKlass@aol.com to let me know, I want to be sure we have enough rooms.
Dates:
Dream Cruise Hotel Aug. 6-17 (Cruise 8/17)
Plant tour hotel Aug. 18 (plant tour 1/19)

sdmike2 · May 2002

At least it generated a couple of posts on a quiet board! lol. Hey 300michael, how can you even put spongebob and barney in the same category. Spongebob is so much more....adult (very sarchastic wink).

dammitjim1 · May 2002

I am about to renew a lease on my current 2000 300M. I have the non-PHP right now, and was considering this option on the new car. My question to those who have driven both, is if there is much of a perceptible difference between the two. Secondly, do the speed rated tires on the PHP version have reduced traction on ice/snow compared with the non-PHP.
I should add that my dealer doesn't have a PHP available to drive right now, or I'd test it myself.

Thanks in advance for answers....

scotian · May 2002

All real requests go to: sjensen666@hotmail.com.

Also, if you want Roman Numerals, be advised that it takes more work on your part:

http://public.fotki.com/Scotian/300m/interior/clock_face/installation_instru/extra_work.html

sdmike2 · May 2002

I have a PHG '01 with 10k miles on it. My only experience with a non-PHG was the test drive prior to buying mine. The trail is cold, but the two things I remember are that while the non-PHG cornered well, the PHG cornered like on rails (well, for a 2 ton car)...and that the ride on the PHG was a bit rougher (although still very smooth). The PHG has about $1,000 worth of suspension parts, so the price is a bargain if you tend to drive aggressively. If you don't, it might not be worth the money just to have the speed limiter removed (non-PHG is limited to 118mph) and the V-rated tires.

As for tires, the only ones you need to watch out for are the tires on the "special", which are unsafe in snow or icy conditions. If you live in a place that gets snow/ice you'll want to get a set of winter tires as well. The PHG tires are excellent in all conditions. The only difference from the non-PHG is that they're V-rated to handle the increased speed capabilities.

Hope this helps.

Mike

sdmike2 · May 2002

I'm just messing around with the idea so I haven't requested it yet. Thanks for offering to do these. They're a great touch to customize an M.

denverm · May 2002

I have nearly 30K miles on my '00 M w/ PHG. I've ridden in a non-PHG M for a couple hours, but haven't driven one. Just by riding, though, I could tell that the non-PHG is cushier over road surface irregularities and bumps, but has more body roll in curves; i.e., handling more like what I would expect from a large sedan from a U.S. mfr. I love the way my PHG M handles, and I've really driven it aggressively in some demanding road conditions. You just point it where you want to go and the car goes there, like on rails, as SDMike says. I like the steering feel very much, but haven't experienced the different steering on a non-PHG M. Although I've had it over the 118 MPH mark several times, that is probably the least important PHG benefit, IMHO. PHG was my one "must have" option, and it still would be if I were buying another M. If comfort is most important to you, go non-PHG; if performance, definitely get PHG. The Michelin Pilots have worked well for me in the snow in Colorado.

videoman1 · May 2002

Well, I'll hit the other side of the spectrum and say that I have a Non-PHP and have never driven a PHP version. I live in Pittsburgh, PA and the roads here are less than desirable. Many bumps, holes, and uneven pavement. Because of this, I'm glad I have the Non-PHP cause even though it's a "cushy" ride, I still get bumped around a bit. I think the PHP package would jar my teeth.

I will tell you that a while back I had a Cavalier Z-24 which handled like a dream around corners, but the 300M handles even better even without the PHP package.

I would suggest test driving both versions and see what would best fit your driving habits and road conditions.

fastdriver · May 2002

blonda-

Glad the URL came in handy.

sdmike2-

In 99, when it was called PHP, it was a $255.00 option if memory serves me correctly.

fastdriver

alta_300m · May 2002

I echo what sdmike2 and denverm have expressed. I have a 2001 with PHG and love it. It has a slighty firmer ride, loves to be driven hard, tires are no problem even in the snowy depths of Canada.

On the otherhand the tires on the Special I believe would totally impractical in any climate where the is a chance of snow or ice and a different set of winter tires would be mandatory.

If I was to buy a 2002 now it would be with the PHG and even though I love the look of the Special I would lean away from it from a practical point of view (tires and lower ride height).

russklass · May 2002

I have driven over 100,000 miles with PHP/PHG on '99 and'01 Ms. Somewhat firmer ride, sharper handling.
I drove a non PHP for a month while waiting for my '99, and was glad mine had the package.
The tires alone are worth the cost, and are good in the winter, although I always mount performance winter tires.
Decisions, decisions!

fastdriver · May 2002

alta_300m-

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought this was ridiculous. You live in a wintry area, spend $32,000+ for a new car and then have to spend hundreds more for new tires and wheels so you can drive it in bad weather. Doesn't make any sense to me.

fastdriver

mikeyjohn · May 2002

I have a 01 with PHP with 9848 Kms. on it, and I agree with others that it has a slightly harsher ride but the handling is unbelievable. I have also seen the Special and I do not see what all the hype is about. I don't like the wheels or the carbon fiber interior. In my opinion it looks cheap. I also do not see buying 4 extra sets of wheels so I can use it in winter. I also don't like the idea of using high grade gas for an extra 5 HP especially if the Kyoto accord is shoved down our throats. The price of gas is going to go up and it may be too expensive to even drive our cars. Only time will tell. The only thing I do like about the Special is the colour coded side mirrors with the turn signal option. I would also like to see more of a variety of colours on this car.IMHO.

jona57 · May 2002

Just my 2 cents as the owner of a 2001 with PHG-

I had to search in my area to find a PHG-equipped 300M. I drove 6 non-PHG M's and had each salesman do his best to discourage me from the PHG. There is a distinct difference between the 2 suspensions, with the PHG having a bit harsher ride (esp. on rough pavement) but better handling & braking. After nearly a year, I am still very glad I put out the extra effort to get a PHG-equipped M. Others prefer the better ride of the non-PHG cars, so you have to drive both over the same roads to see for yourself.
I'm afraid I must disagree with prior posts regarding the PHG tires (17" Michelin Pilot HX MXM4's) for winter driving. I find them wanting on snow- so much so that last winter I began parking my 300M & driving my Gr Caravan when it snowed. My prior LH sedan (Dodge Intrepid ES w/Goodyear Eagle's) was MUCH better in the winter- clearly better than my Caravan. BTW- The 300M video Chrysler supplied with my car mentioned the point about PHG-equipped tires having inferior traction on wet or snowy roads.
If you like the PHG ride & handling, then by all means get PHG. You may (or may not) find yourself investing in a set of winter tires. (OTOH- with the Special, you WILL need extra winter tires!).

Jon

ottowrkr · May 2002

Hey guys and gals. Just wanted to let you know that on Sunday 12 there will be the local Mopar clubs show in the west parking lot of the plant. If your in the area drop in see some old and new Mopars .

easyrider300m · May 2002

17 Point lead--6 min left--this is Boston's year in Sports

Easyrider300M

300michael · May 2002

I purchase my Non after driving both. The facts are as you heard before. The non is a softer ride and a little quieter. The PHPor G has better braking (bigger disks) and tighter (ratio) steering. It rolls (firmer struts and jounce bumpers)less in conrners (Not to much differance between the two) and has more senitive brakes. I liked both for differance reasons, but got the non because I figured I could do a couple of simple things like changing the tires to improve corning and such, while keeping the nicer street ride. By tweeking the suspension and tires I have a non that can hold it own against any PHP M (changed from .70 stock to .77 skidpad).
The PHP packiage really come into it's own on country roads. The non is in its element in the city streets. I really depends on the type of roads you drive most (or would like to drive on).
Take each one out for a long drive on the same route, also take a partner with you so that they can take notes (or in my case take sound and performance readings) I always take my Sound, tempiture, and GTech meter with me.

uxca300m · May 2002

On the plant tour in August are we allowed to take our cameras into the plant. Wouldn't want to carry it around if I couldn't use it.

Chrysler 300M

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Your Privacy