Has anyone figured out what the two row, cooler-looking thing is in front of the A/C condenser? I've put some thought into it, and it seems kinda small for a tranny cooler, and I'm not aware of oil coolers becoming common on large engined machines which hold a goodly amount of oil (6 quarts).
Yes - The 245/55 R18 size certainly seems like the best fit option to upgrade the tires (any takers yet?).
However, in light of the too tall axle ratio, I'm considering another tack. Maybe instead of trying to maintain the exact same size it would be better to purposely go for somewhat smaller diameter (~3%, 6%, more?) wheel and tire. That should give a more aggressive effective axle ratio, right? 235/50 R18 is about 3% smaller and also happens to put you right into the heart of max/ulta perf tire choices. I don't think it would hurt the looks much, it would effect the speedo of course. In terms of axle ratio compensation even more might be in order but anyone have any idea how many % could this be tweaked down in size before significant suspension tuning impact? And what kind of effects you would expect to see.
Maybe an aftermarket chip could lift the limiter and tweak the speed for different tire size (or am I just dreaming?). And hope it wouldn't mess with that warranty coverage. And with everything else Chrysler seems to have done right with the car, how did they blow this so badly!? For 3% difference they take it out of high perf. tire mainstream and into touring "Continentals" only choice - take them or leave them! Can you say kickback or what?
I'd really rather they just make the SRT available now and be done with all this of course.
Just ordered a 300C. Interested in finding better rubber for it than the continentals that come standard. Does anyone know what the availability is for the Pirellis that go on the Euro spec 300Cs?
rwdevore - While for what its worth tirerack.com has posted some 300C optional sizes - 19" 255/45/19 that includes Pirelli Asimmetrico. Also 20" - 245/40/20 with more (and $$$) choices. May be good news that 255's may fit. Also interesting that in my calculations both these optional sizes are down 2-3% in size from stock but were deemed close enough by them.
Exhaust -- My understanding is that the muffler has two separate compartments for each bank of cylinders. Very glad to see it confirmed that it is stainless. Neither the manual nor dealer could verify. Never had any exhaust part problems on my '99 LHS in 58K and am hoping for the same kind of service.
mikeyjohn and bra's -- I tried that on my previous LHS's; took them back when the manufacturer insisted that they must be removed to wash the car. If that was so, what about rain when one can't remove it? Thus, I have never had a bra on any car and will not have one.
The satin jade pearl IS a very striking color -- very silver with a hit of green. There is NO orange peel.
The light gray interior offset with the dark green IMHO is much more appealing than the other darker gray (charcoal) type of interior color. Yes, the lighter carpeting will soil if one permits it to occur. My solution is to install 4 cheap clear plastic mats over the existing mats. Have done that for years on any car having alighter interior. I prefer the lighter interion since it is more apealing to me and cooler when the car has been sitting in the sun. IMHO, gettin rock chips can be controlled somewhat by not following to closely to another car.
Woofer -- it is under the rear package shelf almost centered and it does not interfere with the passthrough when the rear seat is folded.
Size -- this car is noticeably shorter (about 1 foot) than my previous LHS, just about the same width and goes into the garage easily.
Body fit -- as stated earlier, the build quality on this auto is fantastic. No seam/joint, including the hood, is out of alignment. Generally, no seam/joint, including the front of the hood, is greater than about 1/8th inch. That, and the build date, were the first things I looked at when I saw the car on the 29th. FYI -- this car's build date is 4/04, so unless Chrysler has been reticketing the stickers, it truly was just built, and was not an amustment park storagee. :^))
Cruise Control stalk -- it's ok, particularly since I had owned 2 previous "S" class Benz's, but I still prefer the previous arrangement of the cruise control on 3 or 4 buttons at the side of the steering wheen hub. It's really just a matter of getting reuesed to it again. All functions of the cruise control are retained on the stalk. Th "on" light is sometimes difficult to see for the steering wheel generally conceals it. But you only need to know that the system is "on" once; it remains that way until the engine is shut off (or unless you turn it off).
Control stalk -- is a multi-function stick for just about everything else and takes some getting used to as I stated above for the cruise control stalk, but once you do, it is very convenient.
Headlamp switch -- just like on the LH series EXCEPT that it does NOT pull out to turn on the fog lamps. To get them on, you must set the switch to that icon, then PUSH a separate fog lamp button just below the switch. Still has auto lights, auto on for wipers running and this particular car has rain-sensing wipers that MUST be turned off when going through a carwash.
Seat buttons -- still on the side of the seats. This auto has 8 way driver's power and I haven't found the buttons to be a problem. It's pretty much set it and forget it, particularly if you save the settings. There are still 2 "Save" settings, now on the driver's door. The left fron edge of the driver's seat contains the switch for the power pedals. The passenge seat has only 6 way electric while the reclimer is manual. BTW, manual lumbar controls are now on both seats. The driver's seat still glides back when the engine is shut off to ease entry/exit.
Seat height -- much better than in the LH series. Chrysler, in the 30's, 40's, used to make a big thing of their "chair height seats". Well, now it's back. It's just about like sitting in a good chair at home. Visibility out front is great, not a lot of the hood is visible, just to the windshield washers. I'm 70 inches tall and the seat is set sort of in the middle of its range. The car is much easier to get into and out of than the LH series. The auto is a great improvement generally over the previous series in just about any respect.
I think that pretty much covers comments to this point which have not been otherwise answered. Anyone want to know any more, just yell.
The 2.82 rear axle is not too tall in light of the 3.59 1st gear. 5th is a little shorter than most GM/FORD/Chrysler 4 speed overdrives so the 2.82 makes up for that. 300C is a pretty quick car. Any sedan that can 0-60 in less than 6 seconds is quick.
MB uses the same transmission with the same ratios in their CLK55 AMG, with a 362HP V8. It weighs less, but it goes 0-60 in 4.5 and a top speed of 155 (governed). The axle is 3.06. My point is that I think DC uses the axle ratio they have for MPG and maybe cruise noise concerns. There is enough power in our 300C's to go fast AND quick, but the mileage would really suffer. I have the med slate with dark slate interior, the seats are not nearly as dark as I feared they would be. I also think the light color makes an interior look bigger, but the carpet scared me so I went with the darker. The dash, top, sides, carpet, all compliment each other and there is no big swing in colors. I'm happy with my choice. Isn't this a great car? I reset my MPG to check the partly-hiway MPG over a 20 mile stretch and got a reading of 25 MPG. Tomorrow is a road trip of several hundred miles and I think I'll be very happy to see mid 20's from a big fast luxo barge. :-)
mileshoover- What's just below the heater/AC controls on the dash? Ashtray? Also, do you need to get the smoker's group to have a cigar lighter? I run electronics from my lighter.
dkrhardy- Would appreciate it if you could post your impressions of the car and the gas mileage after your trip.
Thanks for your input on this car. I'm chomping at the bit to see mine. I think I will shop another DC dealer this morning to get a test drive.I think my dealer is getting sick of me!!!!! I also read where people are complaining about the "H" tires, but mine are rated as "T" is this the same as your tires when you got the safety package?
I went out to google and typed in "300C" and "Pirelli" and came back with some foreign sites that had the Euro spec tire (tyre!) described as a P7 225/60. Went to Pirelli.com UK to find a description of tires but they didn't have the 300c's size listed.
chuckg -- beneath the heater/AC controls is the ashtray/lighter. W/o the smoker's group, that lighter is a power plug and there is a small storage agea. Just below that and on top of the console, is a small open bin for whatever. There is a coin holder in the front of the console, under the cover.
The cupholders are under a flip lip. The cupholder, due to that lid, will not take a large cup easily. They need to rework the front cupholders on the "C" model,
There also is a power plug on the front wall inside the console. That one is a direct tap from the battery, so one must be careful to remove anything plugged in there because it does not have the auto defeat system for other electrical items on the car.
That plug would be a good spot for electronics such as a laptop, cell phone, etc. There is a cell phone clip under the lid of the console cover.
My tires are the Conti self-dealing ones. P225/60R 18 99H EcoPlus tires. Seem to be fine, since I have nor will have any need for more that H rated tires, they'll be fine for me.
The car does NOT pull to any side on normal roads. Crowned roads require some correction.
The twin finned lines in front of the radiator, are IMO, tranny cooler lines. No way to verify that yet; the manual is silent on them. Speaking of the manual -- it is sizeable since it contains all the info on the entire 300 series. You have to fish and pick to get info applying to your options. Previously, in the LH series, at least for my '99 LHS, it was a dedicated LHS manual. I would prefer such a thing for this car.
I have always run DRL (Daylight Running Lights) on my cars. My local dealer balks at trying to order the module for this car and the one from my "99 LHS appears not to fit.
mikeyjohn -- since you are in Canada, could you please obtain the Mopar part number of the new DRL module for me? I would appreciate it greatly. There are dealers here in VA who will order it for me, once I get a part number; they claim here that it is not in the US manuals.
BTW, the wheel locks are different also, The older ones are too long to fit under the new lug cap covers on this car. Likewise, the gas cap has different (less) threading than the previous series and I will need to buy a new locking cap when Mopar has them in stock. Their accessory folder doesn't have them yet. If Chrysler would simply lock that gas flap now that it looks a Benz flap which locks, we wouldn't have to worry about locked gas caps. Oh well...
Regarding the DRLs, as a suggestion, why don't you just run your regular low-beams all of the time.
FWIW, I am an ardent opponet of DRLs in their current form. That's not to say that I'm against DRLs per se, it's just that by mandating the use of the high-beams, even if they are lower powered, means that the DRLs are aimed directly into the eyes of the on-coming drivers, which in my opinion, is actually more hazardous than not having them on at all.
So, if you find that you would prefer to drive your 300 with some form of frontal lighting during the daytime, you would be doing the rest of us a favor if you would simply switch on your low-beams. Thanks in advance! ;-)
My 300C had a license plate holder mounted into the front bumper so that half the plate holder is on the lower part of the 300C grill. I removed it only to find that the dealer drilled two wood screws into the front bumper. When I removed it the grill looked much better except for the two holes, which are now exposed.
Has anybody else had similar plate holders? I've noticed them on renal 300's too. It's a small cosmetic issue but I want to see the whole grill, not 95% of it. I'm looking to see if I can find a plate holder that screws in from the bottom of the grill with a bracket, then I need to somehow fix thee two screw holes.
They've had this problem since 1999 and still haven't come up with a bracket that will "enhance" the front end. Luckily, my dealer asked BEFORE he drilled holes! It was the ONLY thing this "award-winning 5-STAR" dealer ever did right in 33 months!
I am assuming the speedometer is in km/hr on the Canadian 300C's but I am curious about where the front license plate will go because as you know unlike the States we have to have two plates. I have a 300C on order and I hope the dealer doesn't drill two holes in the front bumper and mount the plate covering up part of the grille as stated in an earlier message.I assume in the Canadian cars there would be a mounting bracket down lower on the front bumper. If any fellow Canadians are lucky enough to have their car I would be interested to hear from you.
DON'T wait until AFTER the fact! Tell the dealer to write it right on the order form and any service department forms that they are to drill NO holes or you won't take the car! Simple.
I will phone the dealer on Monday and see if they have the parts list in, also does your car have the hids or the halogens?
I was able to find a 300 in the Pearl Jade to-day and I'm glad I ordered it, my second choice would have been the Vanilla
Shipo, you are so wrong when it comes to the drl's, they do not shine in the eyes of oncoming drivers unless someone has played with it.
Sandbagger, here in Alberta we do not have front plates so I don't have to worry about holes etc., and yes everything is in metric. If you go to the DC Cdn site and compare it to the US site you will see some differences when it comes to options and prices.
I asked my salesman to not put the front plate on (we ARE a 2 plate state) and they didn't. Looks soooooo GOOD with no front plate. If I get too many tickets for no plate, I may need to install it. No points, but can be fairly stiff fine for non-moving tickets. I agree with mileshoover - car does NOT pull, smooth ride on self sealer Conti's. Jeeez, ain't it a great car! Neighbors and even other drivers on the road give thumbs up and nice comments. But, the bottom line is that it drives and feels great.
Yes, Virginia is a front license plate state. On my '99, it did conceal half the front grille and looked like crap. I took it off and a year later, some smart young local sheriff deputy stopped me and gave me a $100 ticket for not having it on the car. (It was in the trunk) I successfully fought the problem with the judge but he insisted that I reinstall the plate.
The front plate holder on the "C" has been designed better. Mine, and all I have seen so far here in VA, is fixed in such a manner that only the bottom row of the grille is blocked by the plate. I can live with that since the grille is so large. So, the front license plate bracket has been redesigned. I agree w/fastdriver that the best way to get the dealer to be careful in its installation is to put it into the contract and make sure that the statement will survive the contract (and into the sales docs, whatever is used in your area). (Contracts die when the deal is completed).
For anyone who has had holes put into the fascia where they don't want them, it is possible to fix and repair them with body putty (plastic nowadays) and paint the holes carefully. It will be relatively unnoticeable. If you own and are skilled with an airbrush, buy the matching Mopar spray paint and do it. I painted my outside mirrors body color on the last one.
mikeyjohn -- Thank you so very much for trying to obtain the stock number of the DRL module. I really appreciate it and owe you one. Please let me know what I can do for you.
Glad you were able to order the Jade on your car; it is really nice and appears to be liked by all who have seen it so far.
My headlights are HID's, aimed properly, and do a fine job. When you get the HID's, headlamp washers are installed on top of the chromed part of each bumper below the lights. They work when using the windshield washer and the lights are on.
I just spent most of the afternoon playing with and learning how to program the Nav. Next, I must swap in my cell phone for a Blue Tooth enabled model (Nokia 6180, I think, seems to work fine, but some cell phone services are not yet compatible). A regular cell phone will work but not as well; strictly a manual operation each time. Blue Tooth, when set up properly with the UConnect module, will interface immediately upon entering the car, permitting you to continue a phone call and continuing through the system when entering and exiting the car. It also interfaces with the NAV system for best use. And if you have this stuff, one might as well use if fully.
shipo -- Sorry, I don't agree with you, so I will install DRL's, one way or another. I'd prefer to use the Mopar module as is used in Canada, but there are other options which work just as well. Yes, DRL's do use the high beam but only on about 2/3 power, so if they are properly aimed, I cannot see how they can blind any oncoming driver. Don't want to use low beams because I want the the lights to come on and off automatically with the ignition and I want them to be legal. VA requires annual state inspections. Had them on my last one for over 6 years; they saved my bacon quite a few times because they make you more visible. People think twice before they pull out in front of you going about 15mph.
I ordered a Magnesium 300c with dark slate/medium slate interior with navi. and protection group II and it has the HID lights. Ordered it on April 10th ...still waitng! I have to think that the dealership would not drill holes in someones car with out their permission but I guess its better not to assume anything and tell them not to before the car arrives!
Sorry my friend, the high-beam lens is aimed, well, high. I was working for MBUSA back in the mid 1990s and at that time, DRLs were simply lower powered high-beams, period. Has the standard changed since then? Possible. Is the Canadian standard different than the U.S. standard? Possible.
The fact remains that most folks I know, myself included, find all but the very dimmest DRLs to be both dazzling and a very unwelcome annoyance when driving, especially on the shaded tree lined winding roads that we have here in New England.
Now, as for the 300, I have yet to see what the DRLs look like on it. If they are about a bright a a turn signal, cool. If they are any brighter, I submit that regular headlights are a far more acceptable alternative to the public at large.
Are you saying that regarding the U-connect that not all cellular services and phones are compatiable or not all bluetooth enabled phones are compatible? In preparation of receiving my car I have been thinking of buying the Motorola V-600 (bluetooth) phone with Cingular cellular service. As far as you know, would this work OK with the U-Connect system?
Also, how do you like the NAV system? Is it very bright and distracting during night driving? Is it easy to see during various daylight conditions or is it sometimes "washed out"? Thanks..
Shipo, it's nice to see I'm not the only person who truly dislikes the entire DRL bit. What is *so* difficult about turning ALL your lights on, when *you* want them to be on. Personally, I've disconnected the DRL's on my Suzuki Grand Vitara, and will continue to do so on any vehicle which has them. I don't need my car making this decision for me, especially at say, astronomy meets where it takes 7+ minutes for your eyes to adjust to dark. Parking light are fine for 0-3 MPH. Plus, the incessant on/off of the full lamps, on the Zuk, when driving through trees drove me batty. That's just bad design on the auto headlights, but they're gone too.
Ah, now it is just like the rest of the world below the 50th paralell, or thereabouts.
Mikeshoover, *thanks* on the supposition behind the extra radiator bit. I'm surprised it'd be so small in area, though it might not need much. Tranny coolers are your friend, 'specially when new gearboxes cost on the order of two grand. Ouch.
If you have a 300C with the HID lights, they may not operate at 1/2 power, so it seems that you would have to use the low beams for DRLs. I also hate them, as they DO shine in my eyes.
Trying to decide between Jade and cool Vanila. I have seen the Jade but have not seen the cool vanila in person. Must decide by Monday to place my order. Anyone seen both in person in daylight?What do you think and why? Are there any web site with actual Pics of both?
Sorry guys, I really don't want to get in a discussion about what Drl's do or don't but if you get the ones that come standard or as an oem from DC they do NOT shine into anyones eyes. It is mandatory here in Canada and is one of the better safety features available. I also added the side markers on my 01M and if I can do it on this car I will.
I think I said this before but the HID's come standard here in Canada along with the washers, probably just another thing that willcause rust LOL.
is just that; a set of specifications decreed by an international committee for wireless connections to like enabled host systems. If the phone is truly Blue Tooth, then it should work with UConnect.
The problem is that ONLY Blue Tooth enabled phones will integrate wirelessly into the UCOnnect. Others will not. The other problem is that not all service carriers have Blue Tooth enabled on their networks. For example, my carrier, Cingular, doesn't have it yet in this area of No VA, but Verizon does and is doing a good job. That's a bit unusual since Verizon is generally pretty messed up as a phone co. :^))
Make sure that your cell provider not only HAS Blue Tooth capability, but also that they sell or have available a brand/model that is compatible and has been TESTED to function under that protocol with their system.
The new (June '04) edition of Automobile Mag. on page 42 describes the 300C as "simply the best American road car there's ever been" and "is like getting a better looking E Class for about half the money." It says that this is the American sedan we have all been waiting for, thanks to its German parent. Pretty effusive praise for this car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
kvilleboy -- I enjoy it, but IMO, it should be up higher on the dash, just under the clock. Very hard to focus on it where it is. However, the thing has a voice and sound capability which I believe must be used for safety purposes. One cannot adjust the guidance display while driving but probably can change the contrast via the steering wheel imput buttons. To set up a trip, the tranny must be in park, so even a navigator (spouse) cannot play with that part of it while driving.
So far I have only two trips set up in it. One is "Home" or how to get back here. The other is to my sister up in Stewartstown, PA (I83 just N of the MD/PA line, a total of about 70 miles from my home). I am driving up on Tuesday, the 4th, for her birthday, so I have preset that destination. The NAV then gives you several options as to how to get there, quickest, freeways only, etc. All of this can be stored into the unit's computer. Up to 100 phone numbers w/addresses can be stored. The addresses are used by the NAV to find the way to that destination, should you want to set up a trip. In addition, there is a whole set of many many addresses and phones for places of business, restaurants, etc.
I notice that the disk for the NAV is DVD; however, the radio/stereo sound unit cannot play DVD, just CD's including JPEG3's. 6 of those can be placed into the builtin turntable through a slot on top of the display, while the DVD has a separate slot at the bottom of the display. Updates for that DVD, when issued, according to Chrysler's manual on this, cost $150. It appears that only one disk is needed for the entire CONUS, Alaska and Hawaii are not available. Dunno about Canada. I am going to add my Sony 10 CD disk magazine from the last car back into the trunk. It plays by infa-red and gives me 13 hours of music, so doubt if I'll be using the 6 disk unit very much. I doubt if I'll ever use the Sirius.
Speaking of computers, there are 9 on this beast. I am now also thinking of purchasing a Mopar Extended warranty for the first time in my life. Dealer says it's $2150 but he'll let me have it for $1495. YEAH!!
Anyone know of any Mopar Extended Warranty offers for this car via the Internet which are cheaper? This one is for 100K miles and supposedly covers just about everything. With so much electronics on cars nowadays, maybe it is becoming more needful to have one if it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
One item which intrigues me; the car comes with only 2 keys, no valet key any more. And the key itself has the remote fob built into the head of the key -- one piece. Pretty cute and considerably lighter and more convenient than the old separate key and fob.
BTW, there is NO outside key hole for the trunk lid. It must be opened either with the builtin keyfob or by the dash push button.
Within the EVIC (onboard computer), there are full controls for contrast adjustment within the EVIC. It does not appear to be washed out in any respect, but you won't and shouldn't be looking at it or you'll get creamed. Let it talk to you and tell you what to do.
the key itself has the remote fob built into the head of the key -- one piece. Pretty cute and considerably lighter and more convenient than the old separate key and fob.
BTW, there is NO outside key hole for the trunk lid. It must be opened either with the builtin keyfob or by the dash push button.
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Actually, I'm glad to see the all-in-one key/remote come down the pike. My wife's RX300 has it, and it's nice, though kinda large.
I'm probably not the only person who's glad trunk keyholes have gone by the wayside. Any car I've had with a keyless remote, or better yet, a trunk release on the remote has never had the trunk lock used from outside. I was wondering when these were going to disappear. Of course, should you have a flat...wait a sec, the battery is *in* the trunk, isn't it?! If so, how are you supposed to either get a jump, or more importantly, change the battery?
I'll have to look/ask when I hopefully go by the dealer, tomorrow. I can't stand not seeing it in the flesh, er, steel.
Kelly '95 Intrepid ES, 3.5L, love driving it, but 340 HP is awfully tempting
is still done via the two remote positions on the right side of the Hemi. One terminal, the positive, is covered with a removeable red piece of plastic; the negative terminal just sits there.
B4z = I certainly agree that it is a very quick car - as you say 0-60 in less than 60 is already very fast. The point is just that with all the power of this car, Chrysler chose the 2.82 more for economy than all out performance (which makes its current performance that much more of a tribute to this engine!).
I'd agree that the first gear ratio adjustment helps to compensate, but w/2nd shift point at ~75, it certainly seems the axle ratio could be lowered further to bring this time down even more.
I bought an extended warranty on my C ... 1st time I've ever felt the need. The standard 3/36 is bumper to bumper and the powertrain is 3/36 and then $100 deduct out to 7/70. They don't make that last part very clear, do they? So I bought a Chrysler warranty that takes everything to 7/70 with no deduct on it. Covers trip interruption, rental cars, and since it is a DC product there is no hassle at a different dealer. Uhm, so says the salesman! New car, new technology (sorta) on the engine valve train, felt the need to cover my backside.
My Olds Intrigue w 3.29 ratio held 2nd to almost 80 mph. The ones with the 3.05 ratio held it to 86 mph. The 5 speed auto is one of the things that makes the 300C so quick. If Ford had invested in a 5 speed for the Marauder it would probably still be around after '04. And it probably would have been able to do burnouts from a dead stop too. LOL.
dkrhardy -- thanks for the info. I'm thinking the same way. Do you mind offering the price you paid? There was a Chrysler dealer in the midwest somewhere who was offering them around $1K the last few years. I'd like to locate him. Would prefer to pay as little as possible for it.
mileshoover- Thanks for all your detailed info. Maybe you could answer a couple of more questions.
Your leather seats.....are they smooth or do they have a grain to them?
The information center is located between the speedometer and RPM gauges. Do you prefer it there or in an overhead console?
Concerning the front license plate, there seems to be a louver of some sort directly below the front grill. Would it be possible to install a bracket in there and thus eliminating the need to either drill holes in the bumper or cover any part of the grill?
The leather is quite smooth, top of the line. A tag, in the shape of a hide, was hanging from the driver's headrest which identified the leather as PREMIUM Brand leather, gave cleaning instructions and said it was made by Seaton Automotive Leather Couture.
The info center, IMO, is best located on the dash rather than overhead as before. Much easier to see, less eye movement to focus on it. The overhead console now contains only the sunroof and HomeLink controls plus two map lights and a sunglass holder as was on the original '93 Concorde. The is no need to raise your sight line from the road under most circumstances.
The sunroof will stay open where you have it set when the ignition is turned off. It will NOT close automatically when the ignition is turned off as the LH series did.
License plate, as installed here, is specifically designed to screw into the bottom horizontal line of the grille, centered in the middle. ONLY that bottom horizontal line of the grille is covered by the plate. It would appear that it might have been lowered about another inch or two, but it may be that it would interfere with the air bag deployment sensor. It securely holds the plate in place. I can see no holes drilled into the fascia itself on my car.
The louvres I think you mean are on each side of the car front, connected to the foglights. They are functional vents for the front brakes. You probably won't want to cover it in any way.
The front plate location really isn't bad; much improved over the LH fiasco. I can and will live with it.
Interesting to note that the speedo and tach are reversed from the LH series. Speedo on left, tach on right.
mileshoover- Concerning the front license plate, there seems to be some sort of a louver directly below the grill and close to the bottom of the bumper. I'm looking at a picture, so my observations could be wrong.
If that area is not a louver of some kind, then what is it?
If I'm not mistaken, you had a 1999 LH car. A while back I believe you said that your car came with a 7/70 warranty. I said that I never heard of that for a 99 and was never able to find anyone else who had this warranty. Now you say that your LH car had a sunroof that CLOSED automatically? Like I said, maybe I'm confusing you with someone else.
As for the extended warranties from DC, this is the dealer that had the good prices- I believe-
The gap just under the license plate is the vent for radiator cooling and must not be covered with anything.
Strangely enough, while the grille looks quite large and one would think that it should give enough air to the radiator/engine, the primary source of cooling air is through that lower gap just below the center bumper.
If you recall, during those years that autos had (and some still have) NO grilles, that gap was always there to conduct air to the radiator/engine areas.
yep, that was me, but I said that it was "offered" either with a 3/36 or a combo 1/12000 basic and 7/75000 drive train warranty. I didn't like the idea of only a 1/12000 mi anything, so I declined and took the 3/36. And I never ever bought any extended warranties.
And, yes, my sunroof on the '99 LH closed automatically whenever the ignition was turned off. It could, by an additional touch to any roof control, stay in whatever position it was in when the ignition was turned off. One had to make that decision within 10 second of off. Remember, it was an LHS and the roof was standard while everyting was upscale, at least initially when delivered in 4/'98. I don't recall any options on that car, 5 chrome standard wheels and tires were also standard.
Thanks for the reminder about Mark Roberts; my mind was fuzzy, I guess. Will check him out, too. roger2k sent me an e-mail listing two others; seems that the prices run around $1K vs my dealer quote of $1495 for the same thing. The more I see how complex this "C" is, the more I believe I'll go for the extended warranty.
"yep, that was me, but I said that if was "offered" either a 3/36 or a combo 1/12000 and 7/75000 drive train warranty."
LOL... hey, I'm lucky I remembered it was even you without searching here! ;-)) Offered... the dealer had the "option" to disregard the factory warranty and make up his own concoction of warranty? Never heard of this before. Your dealer must be very creative! ;-))
As for Mark Roberts, I believe he was the one that had the best warranty prices at the time. Good luck with the new car!
Hello to all you 300 Chrysler folks. I am quite taken by the 300 especially the 300C. However, I attended an open house at my dealers last week and sat in a great looking silver machine, put my arm on the open window frame and my God my elbow was at a 45 degree slant. Can't enjoy tooling around with the window down. Also no key hole for the trunk. The battery was dead in the show car. Was the sales staff ever embarresed. They couldn't open the trunk! My wife and I went back about an hour later and the salesman who I know quite well had a young tech. crawl through the folded down rear seat and open the trunk. Sometimes manual controls should not be eliminated completely.
I keep my keys in my right pocket, so prefer that they be small. I see no need for electronic transmitters. My present and previous vehicle have them, and I keep them in a drawer at home. Our Mercedes has the key and transmitter as one unit, with a small metal key stored inside. It is better, but still far bulkier than a normal key. The car makers are too cheap when they omit key holes on the right front door and trunk. The lack of a right front key hole is a big nuisance on my current vehicle.
DRLs - fsmmcsi said ......... "If you have a 300C with the HID lights, they may not operate at 1/2 power, so it seems that you would have to use the low beams for DRLs. I also hate them, as they DO shine in my eyes"
the HID's are only on the low beam of the C's lights , so your high beam can and is used as the DRL .
Comments
Ideas?
However, in light of the too tall axle ratio, I'm considering another tack. Maybe instead of trying to maintain the exact same size it would be better to purposely go for somewhat smaller diameter (~3%, 6%, more?) wheel and tire. That should give a more aggressive effective axle ratio, right? 235/50 R18 is about 3% smaller and also happens to put you right into the heart of max/ulta perf tire choices. I don't think it would hurt the looks much, it would effect the speedo of course. In terms of axle ratio compensation even more might be in order but anyone have any idea how many % could this be tweaked down in size before significant suspension tuning impact? And what kind of effects you would expect to see.
Maybe an aftermarket chip could lift the limiter and tweak the speed for different tire size (or am I just dreaming?). And hope it wouldn't mess with that warranty coverage. And with everything else Chrysler seems to have done right with the car, how did they blow this so badly!? For 3% difference they take it out of high perf. tire mainstream and into touring "Continentals" only choice - take them or leave them! Can you say kickback or what?
I'd really rather they just make the SRT available now and be done with all this of course.
Thanks
May be good news that 255's may fit. Also interesting that in my calculations both these optional sizes are down 2-3% in size from stock but were deemed close enough by them.
Good hunting!
mikeyjohn and bra's -- I tried that on my previous LHS's; took them back when the manufacturer insisted that they must be removed to wash the car. If that was so, what about rain when one can't remove it? Thus, I have never had a bra on any car and will not have one.
The satin jade pearl IS a very striking color -- very silver with a hit of green. There is NO orange peel.
The light gray interior offset with the dark green IMHO is much more appealing than the other darker gray (charcoal) type of interior color. Yes, the lighter carpeting will soil if one permits it to occur. My solution is to install 4 cheap clear plastic mats over the existing mats. Have done that for years on any car having alighter interior. I prefer the lighter interion since it is more apealing to me and cooler when the car has been sitting in the sun. IMHO, gettin rock chips can be controlled somewhat by not following to closely to another car.
Woofer -- it is under the rear package shelf almost centered and it does not interfere with the passthrough when the rear seat is folded.
Size -- this car is noticeably shorter (about 1 foot) than my previous LHS, just about the same width and goes into the garage easily.
Body fit -- as stated earlier, the build quality on this auto is fantastic. No seam/joint, including the hood, is out of alignment. Generally, no seam/joint, including the front of the hood, is greater than about 1/8th inch. That, and the build date, were the first things I looked at when I saw the car on the 29th. FYI -- this car's build date is 4/04, so unless Chrysler has been reticketing the stickers, it truly was just built, and was not an amustment park storagee. :^))
Cruise Control stalk -- it's ok, particularly since I had owned 2 previous "S" class Benz's, but I still prefer the previous arrangement of the cruise control on 3 or 4 buttons at the side of the steering wheen hub. It's really just a matter of getting reuesed to it again. All functions of the cruise control are retained on the stalk. Th "on" light is sometimes difficult to see for the steering wheel generally conceals it. But you only need to know that the system is "on" once; it remains that way until the engine is shut off (or unless you turn it off).
Control stalk -- is a multi-function stick for just about everything else and takes some getting used to as I stated above for the cruise control stalk, but once you do, it is very convenient.
Headlamp switch -- just like on the LH series EXCEPT that it does NOT pull out to turn on the fog lamps. To get them on, you must set the switch to that icon, then PUSH a separate fog lamp button just below the switch. Still has auto lights, auto on for wipers running and this particular car has rain-sensing wipers that MUST be turned off when going through a carwash.
Seat buttons -- still on the side of the seats. This auto has 8 way driver's power and I haven't found the buttons to be a problem. It's pretty much set it and forget it, particularly if you save the settings. There are still 2 "Save" settings, now on the driver's door. The left fron edge of the driver's seat contains the switch for the power pedals. The passenge seat has only 6 way electric while the reclimer is manual. BTW, manual lumbar controls are now on both seats. The driver's seat still glides back when the engine is shut off to ease entry/exit.
Seat height -- much better than in the LH series. Chrysler, in the 30's, 40's, used to make a big thing of their "chair height seats". Well, now it's back. It's just about like sitting in a good chair at home. Visibility out front is great, not a lot of the hood is visible, just to the windshield washers. I'm 70 inches tall and the seat is set sort of in the middle of its range. The car is much easier to get into and out of than the LH series. The auto is a great improvement generally over the previous series in just about any respect.
I think that pretty much covers comments to this point which have not been otherwise answered. Anyone want to know any more, just yell.
Miles
5th is a little shorter than most GM/FORD/Chrysler 4 speed overdrives so the 2.82 makes up for that.
300C is a pretty quick car. Any sedan that can 0-60 in less than 6 seconds is quick.
I have the med slate with dark slate interior, the seats are not nearly as dark as I feared they would be. I also think the light color makes an interior look bigger, but the carpet scared me so I went with the darker. The dash, top, sides, carpet, all compliment each other and there is no big swing in colors. I'm happy with my choice.
Isn't this a great car? I reset my MPG to check the partly-hiway MPG over a 20 mile stretch and got a reading of 25 MPG. Tomorrow is a road trip of several hundred miles and I think I'll be very happy to see mid 20's from a big fast luxo barge. :-)
dkrhardy- Would appreciate it if you could post your impressions of the car and the gas mileage after your trip.
Thanks.
I also read where people are complaining about the "H" tires, but mine are rated as "T" is this the same as your tires when you got the safety package?
The cupholders are under a flip lip. The cupholder, due to that lid, will not take a large cup easily. They need to rework the front cupholders on the "C" model,
There also is a power plug on the front wall inside the console. That one is a direct tap from the battery, so one must be careful to remove anything plugged in there because it does not have the auto defeat system for other electrical items on the car.
That plug would be a good spot for electronics such as a laptop, cell phone, etc. There is a cell phone clip under the lid of the console cover.
My tires are the Conti self-dealing ones. P225/60R 18 99H EcoPlus tires. Seem to be fine, since I have nor will have any need for more that H rated tires, they'll be fine for me.
The car does NOT pull to any side on normal roads. Crowned roads require some correction.
The twin finned lines in front of the radiator, are IMO, tranny cooler lines. No way to verify that yet; the manual is silent on them. Speaking of the manual -- it is sizeable since it contains all the info on the entire 300 series. You have to fish and pick to get info applying to your options. Previously, in the LH series, at least for my '99 LHS, it was a dedicated LHS manual. I would prefer such a thing for this car.
mikeyjohn -- since you are in Canada, could you please obtain the Mopar part number of the new DRL module for me? I would appreciate it greatly. There are dealers here in VA who will order it for me, once I get a part number; they claim here that it is not in the US manuals.
BTW, the wheel locks are different also, The older ones are too long to fit under the new lug cap covers on this car. Likewise, the gas cap has different (less) threading than the previous series and I will need to buy a new locking cap when Mopar has them in stock. Their accessory folder doesn't have them yet. If Chrysler would simply lock that gas flap now that it looks a Benz flap which locks, we wouldn't have to worry about locked gas caps. Oh well...
FWIW, I am an ardent opponet of DRLs in their current form. That's not to say that I'm against DRLs per se, it's just that by mandating the use of the high-beams, even if they are lower powered, means that the DRLs are aimed directly into the eyes of the on-coming drivers, which in my opinion, is actually more hazardous than not having them on at all.
So, if you find that you would prefer to drive your 300 with some form of frontal lighting during the daytime, you would be doing the rest of us a favor if you would simply switch on your low-beams. Thanks in advance! ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
Has anybody else had similar plate holders? I've noticed them on renal 300's too. It's a small cosmetic issue but I want to see the whole grill, not 95% of it. I'm looking to see if I can find a plate holder that screws in from the bottom of the grill with a bracket, then I need to somehow fix thee two screw holes.
They've had this problem since 1999 and still haven't come up with a bracket that will "enhance" the front end. Luckily, my dealer asked BEFORE he drilled holes! It was the ONLY thing this "award-winning 5-STAR" dealer ever did right in 33 months!
fastdriver
If any fellow Canadians are lucky enough to have their car I would be interested to hear from you.
DON'T wait until AFTER the fact! Tell the dealer to write it right on the order form and any service department forms that they are to drill NO holes or you won't take the car! Simple.
fastdriver
I was able to find a 300 in the Pearl Jade to-day and I'm glad I ordered it, my second choice would have been the Vanilla
Shipo, you are so wrong when it comes to the drl's, they do not shine in the eyes of oncoming drivers unless someone has played with it.
Sandbagger, here in Alberta we do not have front plates so I don't have to worry about holes etc., and yes everything is in metric. If you go to the DC Cdn site and compare it to the US site you will see some differences when it comes to options and prices.
I agree with mileshoover - car does NOT pull, smooth ride on self sealer Conti's. Jeeez, ain't it a great car! Neighbors and even other drivers on the road give thumbs up and nice comments. But, the bottom line is that it drives and feels great.
The front plate holder on the "C" has been designed better. Mine, and all I have seen so far here in VA, is fixed in such a manner that only the bottom row of the grille is blocked by the plate. I can live with that since the grille is so large. So, the front license plate bracket has been redesigned. I agree w/fastdriver that the best way to get the dealer to be careful in its installation is to put it into the contract and make sure that the statement will survive the contract (and into the sales docs, whatever is used in your area). (Contracts die when the deal is completed).
For anyone who has had holes put into the fascia where they don't want them, it is possible to fix and repair them with body putty (plastic nowadays) and paint the holes carefully. It will be relatively unnoticeable. If you own and are skilled with an airbrush, buy the matching Mopar spray paint and do it. I painted my outside mirrors body color on the last one.
Glad you were able to order the Jade on your car; it is really nice and appears to be liked by all who have seen it so far.
My headlights are HID's, aimed properly, and do a fine job. When you get the HID's, headlamp washers are installed on top of the chromed part of each bumper below the lights. They work when using the windshield washer and the lights are on.
I just spent most of the afternoon playing with and learning how to program the Nav. Next, I must swap in my cell phone for a Blue Tooth enabled model (Nokia 6180, I think, seems to work fine, but some cell phone services are not yet compatible). A regular cell phone will work but not as well; strictly a manual operation each time. Blue Tooth, when set up properly with the UConnect module, will interface immediately upon entering the car, permitting you to continue a phone call and continuing through the system when entering and exiting the car. It also interfaces with the NAV system for best use. And if you have this stuff, one might as well use if fully.
shipo -- Sorry, I don't agree with you, so I will install DRL's, one way or another. I'd prefer to use the Mopar module as is used in Canada, but there are other options which work just as well. Yes, DRL's do use the high beam but only on about 2/3 power, so if they are properly aimed, I cannot see how they can blind any oncoming driver. Don't want to use low beams because I want the the lights to come on and off automatically with the ignition and I want them to be legal. VA requires annual state inspections. Had them on my last one for over 6 years; they saved my bacon quite a few times because they make you more visible. People think twice before they pull out in front of you going about 15mph.
I have to think that the dealership would not drill holes in someones car with out their permission but I guess its better not to assume anything and tell them not to before the car arrives!
The fact remains that most folks I know, myself included, find all but the very dimmest DRLs to be both dazzling and a very unwelcome annoyance when driving, especially on the shaded tree lined winding roads that we have here in New England.
Now, as for the 300, I have yet to see what the DRLs look like on it. If they are about a bright a a turn signal, cool. If they are any brighter, I submit that regular headlights are a far more acceptable alternative to the public at large.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Also, how do you like the NAV system? Is it very bright and distracting during night driving? Is it easy to see during various daylight conditions or is it sometimes "washed out"? Thanks..
Ah, now it is just like the rest of the world below the 50th paralell, or thereabouts.
Mikeshoover, *thanks* on the supposition behind the extra radiator bit. I'm surprised it'd be so small in area, though it might not need much. Tranny coolers are your friend, 'specially when new gearboxes cost on the order of two grand. Ouch.
I think I said this before but the HID's come standard here in Canada along with the washers, probably just another thing that willcause rust LOL.
The problem is that ONLY Blue Tooth enabled phones will integrate wirelessly into the UCOnnect. Others will not. The other problem is that not all service carriers have Blue Tooth enabled on their networks. For example, my carrier, Cingular, doesn't have it yet in this area of No VA, but Verizon does and is doing a good job. That's a bit unusual since Verizon is generally pretty messed up as a phone co. :^))
Make sure that your cell provider not only HAS Blue Tooth capability, but also that they sell or have available a brand/model that is compatible and has been TESTED to function under that protocol with their system.
Otherwise, you're gonna be very unhappy...
So far I have only two trips set up in it. One is "Home" or how to get back here. The other is to my sister up in Stewartstown, PA (I83 just N of the MD/PA line, a total of about 70 miles from my home). I am driving up on Tuesday, the 4th, for her birthday, so I have preset that destination. The NAV then gives you several options as to how to get there, quickest, freeways only, etc. All of this can be stored into the unit's computer. Up to 100 phone numbers w/addresses can be stored. The addresses are used by the NAV to find the way to that destination, should you want to set up a trip. In addition, there is a whole set of many many addresses and phones for places of business, restaurants, etc.
I notice that the disk for the NAV is DVD; however, the radio/stereo sound unit cannot play DVD, just CD's including JPEG3's. 6 of those can be placed into the builtin turntable through a slot on top of the display, while the DVD has a separate slot at the bottom of the display. Updates for that DVD, when issued, according to Chrysler's manual on this, cost $150. It appears that only one disk is needed for the entire CONUS, Alaska and Hawaii are not available. Dunno about Canada. I am going to add my Sony 10 CD disk magazine from the last car back into the trunk. It plays by infa-red and gives me 13 hours of music, so doubt if I'll be using the 6 disk unit very much. I doubt if I'll ever use the Sirius.
Speaking of computers, there are 9 on this beast. I am now also thinking of purchasing a Mopar Extended warranty for the first time in my life. Dealer says it's $2150 but he'll let me have it for $1495. YEAH!!
Anyone know of any Mopar Extended Warranty offers for this car via the Internet which are cheaper? This one is for 100K miles and supposedly covers just about everything. With so much electronics on cars nowadays, maybe it is becoming more needful to have one if it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
One item which intrigues me; the car comes with only 2 keys, no valet key any more. And the key itself has the remote fob built into the head of the key -- one piece. Pretty cute and considerably lighter and more convenient than the old separate key and fob.
BTW, there is NO outside key hole for the trunk lid. It must be opened either with the builtin keyfob or by the dash push button.
Within the EVIC (onboard computer), there are full controls for contrast adjustment within the EVIC. It does not appear to be washed out in any respect, but you won't and shouldn't be looking at it or you'll get creamed. Let it talk to you and tell you what to do.
They intend this car to be hustled through the twistied...mmmm, twisties....
the key itself has the remote fob built into the head of the key -- one piece. Pretty cute and considerably lighter and more convenient than the old separate key and fob.
BTW, there is NO outside key hole for the trunk lid. It must be opened either with the builtin keyfob or by the dash push button.
-------------------
Actually, I'm glad to see the all-in-one key/remote come down the pike. My wife's RX300 has it, and it's nice, though kinda large.
I'm probably not the only person who's glad trunk keyholes have gone by the wayside. Any car I've had with a keyless remote, or better yet, a trunk release on the remote has never had the trunk lock used from outside. I was wondering when these were going to disappear. Of course, should you have a flat...wait a sec, the battery is *in* the trunk, isn't it?! If so, how are you supposed to either get a jump, or more importantly, change the battery?
I'll have to look/ask when I hopefully go by the dealer, tomorrow. I can't stand not seeing it in the flesh, er, steel.
Kelly
'95 Intrepid ES, 3.5L, love driving it, but 340 HP is awfully tempting
I'd agree that the first gear ratio adjustment helps to compensate, but w/2nd shift point at ~75, it certainly seems the axle ratio could be lowered further to bring this time down even more.
The 5 speed auto is one of the things that makes the 300C so quick.
If Ford had invested in a 5 speed for the Marauder it would probably still be around after '04.
And it probably would have been able to do burnouts from a dead stop too. LOL.
Your leather seats.....are they smooth or do they have a grain to them?
The information center is located between the speedometer and RPM gauges. Do you prefer it there or in an overhead console?
Concerning the front license plate, there seems to be a louver of some sort directly below the front grill. Would it be possible to install a bracket in there and thus eliminating the need to either drill holes in the bumper or cover any part of the grill?
Thanks.
The leather is quite smooth, top of the line. A tag, in the shape of a hide, was hanging from the driver's headrest which identified the leather as PREMIUM Brand leather, gave cleaning instructions and said it was made by Seaton Automotive Leather Couture.
The info center, IMO, is best located on the dash rather than overhead as before. Much easier to see, less eye movement to focus on it. The overhead console now contains only the sunroof and HomeLink controls plus two map lights and a sunglass holder as was on the original '93 Concorde. The is no need to raise your sight line from the road under most circumstances.
The sunroof will stay open where you have it set when the ignition is turned off. It will NOT close automatically when the ignition is turned off as the LH series did.
License plate, as installed here, is specifically designed to screw into the bottom horizontal line of the grille, centered in the middle. ONLY that bottom horizontal line of the grille is covered by the plate. It would appear that it might have been lowered about another inch or two, but it may be that it would interfere with the air bag deployment sensor. It securely holds the plate in place. I can see no holes drilled into the fascia itself on my car.
The louvres I think you mean are on each side of the car front, connected to the foglights. They are functional vents for the front brakes. You probably won't want to cover it in any way.
The front plate location really isn't bad; much improved over the LH fiasco. I can and will live with it.
Interesting to note that the speedo and tach are reversed from the LH series. Speedo on left, tach on right.
If that area is not a louver of some kind, then what is it?
If I'm not mistaken, you had a 1999 LH car. A while back I believe you said that your car came with a 7/70 warranty. I said that I never heard of that for a 99 and was never able to find anyone else who had this warranty. Now you say that your LH car had a sunroof that CLOSED automatically? Like I said, maybe I'm confusing you with someone else.
As for the extended warranties from DC, this is the dealer that had the good prices- I believe-
http://www.markroberts.com
On the left, under sales, click on warranties.
fastdriver
The gap just under the license plate is the vent for radiator cooling and must not be covered with anything.
Strangely enough, while the grille looks quite large and one would think that it should give enough air to the radiator/engine, the primary source of cooling air is through that lower gap just below the center bumper.
If you recall, during those years that autos had (and some still have) NO grilles, that gap was always there to conduct air to the radiator/engine areas.
And, yes, my sunroof on the '99 LH closed automatically whenever the ignition was turned off. It could, by an additional touch to any roof control, stay in whatever position it was in when the ignition was turned off. One had to make that decision within 10 second of off. Remember, it was an LHS and the roof was standard while everyting was upscale, at least initially when delivered in 4/'98. I don't recall any options on that car, 5 chrome standard wheels and tires were also standard.
Thanks for the reminder about Mark Roberts; my mind was fuzzy, I guess. Will check him out, too. roger2k sent me an e-mail listing two others; seems that the prices run around $1K vs my dealer quote of $1495 for the same thing. The more I see how complex this "C" is, the more I believe I'll go for the extended warranty.
Appreciate your info, very much.
"yep, that was me, but I said that if was "offered" either a 3/36 or a combo 1/12000 and 7/75000 drive train warranty."
LOL... hey, I'm lucky I remembered it was even you without searching here! ;-)) Offered... the dealer had the "option" to disregard the factory warranty and make up his own concoction of warranty? Never heard of this before. Your dealer must be very creative! ;-))
As for Mark Roberts, I believe he was the one that had the best warranty prices at the time. Good luck with the new car!
fastdriver
Also no key hole for the trunk. The battery was dead in the show car. Was the sales staff ever embarresed. They couldn't open the trunk!
My wife and I went back about an hour later and the salesman who I know quite well had a young tech. crawl through the folded down rear seat and open the trunk. Sometimes manual controls should not be eliminated completely.
"If you have a 300C with the HID lights, they may not operate at 1/2 power, so it seems that you would have to use the low beams for DRLs. I also hate them, as they DO shine in my eyes"
the HID's are only on the low beam of the C's lights , so your high beam can and is used as the DRL .