Chrysler 300M

mboomgarden1 · June 2001

Sorry if I came across a little heavy. I know how frustrating this can be--you've got a car you love and it gets screwed up by someone who wasn't paying attention, then you find you have to drive a four-cylinder Corolla for 45 days because Chrysler can't locate a rear bumper. It's enough to make you want to scream.

Being a lawyer, I am a strong proponent of the idea that you should "sue the bastards" if it's the only way to make yourself whole. I have no great affinity for insurance companies and it may turn out to be the right thing to do. My feeling is that you're better off trying to work through your insurance company to have the other guy's insurance fully compensate you. Don't get taken advantage of, but keep in mind that suing the other guy will keep this from getting resolved for a long time, with no guarantee that you'll get everything you're looking for.

Good luck.

phases78 · June 2001

yeah thats what im trying to do. i dont wanna sue cuz i dont wanna go thru a bunch of headaches. im trying to get his insurance company to compromise with me. the lawyers and everything else is really just leverage to help convince them. if i have to, then thats one thing.

im not trying to take them for all they're worth..
im not suing for millions. if i did sue it would be for a around 5k. if i have to..

fuzzywuzzy · June 2001

There's a big difference here. A wrecked car has alot of damage, including frame. How much damage do you have? Is it just the rear bumper, trunk, trunk lid, etc? Maybe the repair job done on that car the dealer saw wasn't a good one. Most times no one will know is was in a accident. Even a major one if it's done right. DO you have pics of the damage?

denverm · June 2001

In Colorado, a no-fault state, I believe you have to have medical expenses over a certain $ amount before you can sue for personal injury in a motor vehicle accident. Under that $ amount, your own insurance company just pays your medicals. I thought most states were similar.

As to property damage, I personally believe that the value of a fully repaired car that's been hit is less than if it had never been hit, especially for a new car. Assuming you get your car repaired and are offered some reasonable amount for diminution in value ($2K? $4K? talk to a dealer), I'd say take it. Hiring an attorney is either going to cost you 25 - 33% on a contingency basis, or a fair amount on an hourly basis. You won't come out ahead by a lawsuit, assuming that the insurance company gives you an offer that's in the ballpark, even if it's not completely what you think it should be.

99_300m_ric_va · June 2001

Saw on the DodgeIntrepid.net forum where Ottowkr was telling them the plant started building 2002 model year cars. He mentioned an Air Temp Sensor inline on the intake hose before it connects to the Throttle Body.

Should be interesting to see that when they hit the showrooms.

phases78 · June 2001

heck i dont know if its wrecked or minor. i know all they've givin an estimate for is the bodywork (the part that was hit) at 4k. they're gonna do a seperate one for the transmission thats screwed up now, and the rattling in the door, and whatever else a diagnostics brings up, seperately.

im getting with chrysler monday to find out a fair figure for the diminution (?) amount.

im only gonna hire an attorny if they refuse to work with me on this....the lawyers fees are unbelieveable.

phases78 · June 2001

i just went to the gas station and when i turned into it, its sorta upshill entrance, and braked, it felt.... wrong. like grinding maybe? i dont know.. just not normal cuz i go to that gas station all the time its right by my house.. how could a rear ending hurt my brakes though??

ottowrkr · June 2001

Well today the last 01 LH car was built. Guess what was the first 2002??? A black 300M built for Canada. Yes the rubber air intake tube now has a temp sensor on it , it is about an inch from the TB. The eng and trans controller is now one unit. Now two weeks summer vacation and then July 16 we start pumping out 2002's. Order yours today.........Otto

drew_ · June 2001

phases78 · June 2001

forgive my ignorance, but what benifits does this temp sensor have? i know it does what it says, but, what does it do after its gets the temp u know?

beach15 · June 2001

What are all of the changes to the 2002's? I've read the shared trans & engine cooler, air intake, tire pressure monitor and the new colors, but anything else visibly different, like the year-to-year trim revisions? Any new trim or other changes? Where is the tire pressure monitor and what does it look like/do?

beach15 · June 2001

For some reason, your photo site is no longer working. Everytime I try to visit, it has an error message. Check it out.

rogor2k · June 2001

Just got mine today. For anyone worrying about this being a refurb or "gray market" merchandise, be assured this is the full retail package with full factory warranty. It comes with wiring harnesses, brackets, everything but power wiring. If any installation shop wants to rip you off for "materials", walk quickly away and find another installer. The only material they need to supply is a 12 AWG (minimum) power lead to the battery terminal.

easyrider300m · June 2001

did you check the door weatherstrip to see if you have the shrinking problem---I had bad weatherstripping and got them to replace strips on all four doors--see if its wet near the door edge at base where it meets with carpet

tnsc_300m · June 2001

Phases, I got to know you well enought to say that I'm sure you're not out to hit a lottery win with this. You just want your car fixed and to be compensated for the loss in value. Plus your medical & treatment bills. Lawsuits are a pain in the [non-permissible content removed] for all involved and I know you don't want or need that. Just getting to know your enemy (the other guys insurance company) like a smart soldier would. They're gonna try to jerk you around and minimize the whole thing down to a door ding. You know better and are getting ready to try to win what probably isn't a fair fight.
you've got plenty of pics of the great car she is before all this and that could help.
good luck to you.

Fellas, there are way too many uninsured motorist in this state TN. Yes insurance is required but enforcement is a joke. and no passenger car inspection program here either. which makes an environment with to many deadbeats driving POS cars with no insurance and lots of people in this state unfortunately get screwed when they're victims in an accident. So making sure you get justly compensated is a major deal requiring mucho effort. I'm sure other places around have similar problems but around here it's a big pain to get a fair deal from the Insurance Co's. I understand where phases is coming from.

my cyber $.02 worth
tnsc_300M

wencao · June 2001

http://www.car-truck.com/chryed/buzz/b062901.htm

Any comments? I am wondering why Chrylser power its lower level model Intrepid and Concorde the same as 300N, so what is the advantage of buying a 300N if a cheaper 5.7HEMI powered Intrepid may beat 3.5L powerwed 300N ? Why cann't Chrysler rebuild its 300 glory by offering only HEMI powered 300N. If you want bargin please go for less powerful Intrepid/Concorde! Strange, seems chrysler don't know how to market their products.

phases78 · June 2001

thanks for the support man...

u coming up next weekend is it? wont be the same w/o my car, but we could still get together if u like?

tnsc_300m · June 2001

Got the replacement coil-on-spark plug bolts today
to replace the 4 torx heads that got stripped on my original ones when I/We tried to install my Platinum +4 plugs last weekend. Got 12 new ones, figure I may as well replace em all.
12 bolts for $4.20 (w/o tax)

pn# 6505121-AA @ $.35 ea. ordered 6/27 (wed.) arrived yesterday 6/28.

While there asked about parts for Trans. filter service.
filter pn# 4796730-AB @ $11.75 ea.
gasket pn# 5010884-AA @ $4.95 ea.
ATF+4 Fluid pn# 5013458-AA @ $30.00 gal.
( geez $7.50 qt./lt. that's more than some boozes cost)

Sdmike, please add these to the PN FAQ you're compiling for the club.

phases78 · June 2001

u should also add the wiring color coding or whatever it was that avalanche posted a link too. i have it somewhere around here..

jedi_knight · June 2001

If you think $7.50 a quart for the atf 4 is expensive, when I still had my TJ I installed a NV4500 5 speed, it used a special syntec lubricant that you could get from Chevy or Chrysler. Oh did I mention that it cost $21.50 per quart and it took a little over a gallon to fill the tranny. Of course I guess if you can afford the $2500 price tag on the tranny you can afford $21.50 a quart for the lube.

Keith

traley · June 2001

Anyone upgraded their alternator? I will have alot of draw on mine and I want to upgrade it. Any ideas?

spyboy · June 2001

1. Hey, Phases, sorry to hear about your misfortune. Good luck. We're all
tuned into you.
2. Just got back from another long trip w/my '01M with 2.3K miles on her.
Here goes: going up north averaged 25 mpg w/AC full blast (hey, it was HOT
in the northeast!), 32psi. Coming back home, 26 mpg w/NO AC.
Used 89 octane. Average speed was 65 MPH. But also had to
cruise into a few cities in bumper to bumper. Not bad, eh?
3. Must have seen about 15-20 M's (northeast - NY, CT, MA, RI). Some guys
don't wave back!

beach15 · June 2001

I know you have a 00' Deep Slate & Agate M, and have had your windows tinted. The reason I'm bringing this up is because as the heat and humidity boil our identical M, we've been thinking about getting the windows done. Since the Deep Slate is a mix between a gray and a black metallic color, I'm not sure what percentage of tint would look best. I'd like it as dark as possible (within the DE laws) but not to look funny with the color of the car. What percentage(s) are your windows tinted?

sdmike2 · June 2001

gonna put some more boom boom in the zoom zoom today. I'll report in later. Thanks for blazing the trail, 300mlover. We appreciate the information and the pictures.

-m

300mlover · June 2001

Beach

thanks for the heads up. Not sure what happened to that link. try this one

http://public.fotki.com/cmc300m/ pictures of my M

Phases

My guy could be wrong, but he claimed that wiring guide that Av provided wasn't accurate.

300michael · June 2001

It is fustrating when you see a M on the road and can't give them a Club Card. We need to come up with something like a dart pistol that has a suction cup (as to not hurt the cars finish) that when we see a M we can, in a since harpoon the car with a club card attached. Much like they tag sharks with. If I had an another passanger riding with me I could have them use a long pole to do the same (maybe that is why some of you have sun roofs) thing. There she blows, I mean there's another M.

phases78 · June 2001

since i have none, ive just been writing a little note and putting it on the few M's that i do see (parked) under the wiper blade.. did one yesterday as a matter of fact..

300michael · June 2001

Well I got my computer going again. My sister just bought a new one. It is a really nice one, Sony Pent. 4 1.7Gig. with 80 gig HD, and a DVD rewriteable drive. So I took her old PII apart and was intalling her memory and harddrive, when when talking to you at the Wednesday night chat. I hate doing this when you do not have the manuals. But through trial and error I have it running. I am still waiting for the emblems to come Hood scoop is fixed (for the most part), I will probably have it professonly painter at a later date. I will be painting my side mirrors (thanks Avalanche). Next is the spoiler (like SD's but with a LED light.

avalanche165 · June 2001

i had mine rebuilt to 200amps. costs about $150, lemme get the details from the guy and i'l get back to ya..

avalanche165 · June 2001

thats weird 300mlover. but remember they did change wiring colors after 99's. i have a 99.. so those were for 99 but they were what i went with and everything was good. what year is yours?

traley · June 2001

How does it hold up with your sound system?
Did use and capacitors with the install?

fuzzywuzzy · June 2001

Yeah it's not the weatherstriping. Mine is good on all 4 doors. I just filled the hole with expanding foam. See what happens.

fuzzywuzzy · June 2001

What are you going to run? The stock alternator is a high amp one. You may run ok. I have a Kicker amp with a 1 farad cap pushing 600W's into 2 12" Kickers subs. I have no problems.

traley · June 2001

I will be running 2 15's each running 380 watts and 100 watts to the front left and right components.

sdmike2 · June 2001

I just dropped my car off for the install. Looks like I'll be putting it behind the rear passenger seat facing towards the rear. My installer didn't like the idea of ramming it into the wheel well like 300mlover did. I told him to "put it where it sounds great and it's out of the way".

One question came up in the wiring, however. 300mlover, you indicated that you took the signal pre-amp, that is you jumped off the wires before they got to the infinity amp. However, your pictures show the basslink wiring running into the high level inputs and not the low level inputs (RCA jacks). Normally there woudln't be enough juice out of the pre-amp in the head unit to run the high-level side. What am I missing here. The installer also scratched his head on this one, but he ensured me he'd put a meter on all the wires to make sure we were getting the right power to the right part of the system.

Oh, my install is costing $50 plus a $19.95 "power kit" that includes the power harness, connectors, fuse, etc. They said I could come get it in about 3 hours.

sdmike2 · June 2001

Just hit that link. What an ugly car! I hate seeing reports that chrysler is abandoning the cab forward design. I think it's smart, efficient and attractive.

-M

sirharper · June 2001

Who here has replaced/switched head lamps in their M? I began to install new Xenon's today and found the process was either too difficult or I had wrong instructions (the owners manual). Did you have to remove the tires to get to the facia bolts inside the wheel wells? Seems like a royal pain in the [non-permissible content removed] to me! Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

fuzzywuzzy · June 2001

YES IT IS!!!! Great DC design! On this car it's easier to change spark plugs, then light bulbs!!

It is easier to take the wheels off. Then pry out the 2 press pins on the wheel well, Then remove that rubber gromet, then use a LONG extension with a 10, or 11mm(I don't remember) socket. Be very carfull not to let the nut you take off fall out of the socket. You will not find it again! Then take those 2 LONG bolts out of the headlights, Then carfully pull on the front facia. I don't think you will be able to take the whole headlight assembaly out(I wasn't, & a few other people weren't) The facia should move just enough to get the bulbs out. Good Luck!

sdmike2 · June 2001

good lord. I hope I have 100,000 mile headlight bulbs. lol!

sirharper · June 2001

I sorta figured removing the tires was the element I was missing.

300mlover · June 2001

Sdmike- My guy is out today so I am not able to find out about that signal issue you mentioned.I can only go by what he explained to me (clueless)

Sirharper- I did not need to remove the wheels. Although if you can it will make it easier. Also if you remove all the plastic grommets on the top portion of the fascia you can pull it far enough forward to remove the entire headlight assembly. It is a pain in the gluteous maximus though.

Av- My M is a Y2K...that may be the issue

sdmike2 · June 2001

Just got a call from the shop. There is a problem with the unit where it doesn't shut off if you cut amp power to it (auto on/off). The shop says they can put a switch in, but I'm not sure yet what I"m going to do. Roger, you might have your shop check yours before they start doing all the install work.

phases78 · June 2001

just how good is this thing? im now thinking of getting it. does it sound good? loud, good bass? whats the downlow..

easyrider300m · June 2001

how do you keep from dropping the screw inside the wheel well---

antique car show at Endicott Estate in Dedham on July 8th----hope some of you local M'ers are going to show up--over 1000 classic and antique cars on display---wear your club shirt so we can find ya---

hatax · June 2001

Alrighty, here you go with the sub..

The lines from the stereo are high level feeds, the fatory amp accepts high leve feeds, that way they can use that stere in cars that don't have the infinity amp and it will power the speaker by itself. (IE Cloud Cars and Minivans with base systems)

Tell them to look at the infinity amp for a feed that turns on and off with the radio/ignition. It's called the remote turn on, and they can tap that and feed it to the remote feed on the Basslink..

Don't worry, no biggie about the auto on and off not working, rare that works correctly ever anyways...

This should help you out

300mlover · June 2001

Sd- My remote on/off works fine. I think that is why he went with the high level speaker inputs. The amp senses the signal and turns on/off 2-3 seconds after I turn the radio on/off.

Stang- wouldn't your recommendation cause the Sub to fade out when fading the head unit to front speakers only? I think that is why there are four inputs (two front speaker, two rear)

Easy- use some playdough stick it in the socket. My 5 year old taught me this one!

Phases- As to my previous posts. The Basslink is incredible. And I am sure Sdmike will concur shortly. I think it produces better sound than a 2 15" subs w/punch 150 amp I used to have in my Cutlass. And that took up my whole trunk!! This Basslink is small, small, small. Leaves you with your whole trunk available

silverbullet4 · June 2001

For what year/s are these colors correct? I put in a bid on a Infinity BassLink on eBay today.
Thanks for posting the information.
Silver

phases78 · June 2001

every time i look at my car i want to cry.

avalanche165 · June 2001

traley i have 400 to each sub. each sub is going to an amp, so the current drawn is very high. i put in Alumapro's 15 farad cap.

the headlights were still dimming a little tiny bit. only on this one song by Tupac, the bass was hard hits. other than that it was good. but definitely get at least a 1 farad cap. thats a lot of power and when bass hits, its gonna need a hella lot to push those subs. the alternator i did mostly for sake of mind, because with radio, heater, lights, etc...i was afraid it would draw too much. but no more ligth dimming after the rebuild.

sdmike2 · June 2001

Well, it's installed. wow! It's hard to believe that so much bass is coming from this little unit, but it becomes evident when you open the trunk and stick your head in. This thing is beating it's brains out! haha. I have the gain/level set so that it rounds out the sound with my bass control about 1/2 way. I can turn it down or up from there as needed. I had it pumping so good with crisp clear bass that my rear view mirrors were vibrating too much to see out the back. lol. It's strange how the bass level doesn't change a ton with with volume adjustments. I had a song playing at low volume and the bass was almost overwhelming. As I turned up the radio the midrange and highs caught up and everything sounded awesome. Different CDs were very different in terms of bass level, and I think it's going to take a little bit before I have the unit adjusted exactly where I want it.

I mounted the unit behind the rear passenger seat facing backwards. It looks very nice sitting back there, and it didn't seem to beat my son up TOO bad when he was riding back there.

Now, you guys are going to laugh, but I just found out today that my entire rear seat folds down. LOL. I thought it was just the driver's side (60%). If I had known that before the install started I might have turned the unit sideways so it didn't block the entire width of the folddown. Roger, something to consider.

Thanks for the information on the wiring. However, the auto on/off clearly had more of an issue than just getting it the right power level. When they had the unit hooked up and turned off the car they noticed that the basslink didn't shut off. They checked their connections and voltages, and then called another one of their shops that had done these to verify they had it hooked up correctly. So they disconnected the speaker wires from the unit. With no voltage the auto-off should turn the unit off. Well, it didn't. They had to disconnect the power totally. Their solution was to connect the remote wire. That didn't fix it either. Finally, they inserted a relay into the system to shut off the power to the unit when there was no signal...just like it should have done automatically.

-M

Chrysler 300M

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