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Chrysler Concorde

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Comments

  • anonymousanonymous Member Posts: 314
    My Concorde is about 3 months old and lately I have noticed that the AC stinks like a damp rag. I have tried spraying Lysol into the blower intake under the glove compartment and it goes away for a while. Any suggestions?
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    Don´t use it in the recirculation mode.
  • 401k401k Member Posts: 16
    I posted this information quite some time back, but I guess that it is worth repeating. (I got this fix from "MotorWeek" on our local PBS station a few years ago.)

    Turn on your AC in the "Manual" mode and set the temperature control to the lowest possible setting ("Lo"). Put the fan in the recirculation mode. Spray the Lysol into the outside air intakes at the base of the windshield. Be generous with the Lysol. Allow the AC to run for at least two minutes. The drawback to this method is that your car will smell like Lysol for a couple of days, but it sure does beat the wet sweat-sock smell!

    This method has worked for me on every car on which I've tried it. This is NOT a problem that is confined to Concordes or Chrysler products by ANY means.

    One way to avoid the moisture build-up in the AC system is to make sure that you give the system a chance to dry out. Running the AC, then parking the car in a cool, damp place will allow the mold and mildew to grow in the system just as it will in a bathroom that is insufficiently ventilated. If you don't think that there will be sufficient warmth or dryness to evaporate the moisture in the system when you park your car after running the AC, try to turn off the AC a minute or two before you park and blow fresh outside air through the vent system.

    Hope this helps.

    Happy Motoring!

    Tom
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    Thank you for your advice,but let me tell you something,the bad odor is NOT a problem confined JUST TO CHRYSLER products,it may happen to any car,it happens when the A/C evaporator gets contaminated,and the best way to avoid that is trying to keep off the A/C from the recirculation mode.
  • sligirlsligirl Member Posts: 1
    I looked at a dealer demo 2000 Concorde LXi model today which has 5250 miles. The car has extra's - CD changer with Infinity speakers, moon roof, full spare tire and 16 inch chrome wheels.
    The dealer is asking 23,690 plus $249.00 dealer cost. CT sales tax is 6%.
    I want to go through Chrysler for financing (4.90% @ 48 months). I have not talked to the salesperson about financing nor did I haggle over price, that is "haggle yet". The salesman said, they want to make room for the 2001 models. I can believe that, considering the lack of space at this dealership. My question is, how hard should I push to get a reduction in price? If I should push for a reduction, what price would be equitable for me and the dealership? The salesperson repeatedly said the car was below invoice and it was a good deal. I liked this sales person though, he didn't push, was low key and didn't go with my husband and I on the test drive.
    What do you think? Should we take the offer or get them to come down. I love to haggle so give it to me straight.
    Thanks for the help!!!
  • jj34jj34 Member Posts: 9
    Apparently, you must be a first-time Chrysler victim in the making. My wife just dumped her '98 Concorde LXi in favor of a '01 Accord EX-V6 Sedan.
    Do yourself and your husband a favor and choose anything but a Chrysler. Should you decide to purchase a Chrysler, you will remember this post when your electrical system begins to go haywire, the window motors start giving out, the A/C evaporator goes out, the heater coil goes bonkers and the car begins to leak right around the driver's side floorboard.

    Good Luck because you're going to need it.
  • 401k401k Member Posts: 16
    A few comments on various subjects...

    First of all, on the face of it, it would seem that the price that the dealer offered for the 2000 LXi was pretty decent. It would appear (without doing real number-crunching) that it is a couple thousand below invoice. My humble opinion is that it doesn't hurt to haggle, but be prepared to pay the asking price if the dealer stands firm.

    Secondly, I am sorry that jj and his wife had a bad experience with their Concorde. My wife and I have been THRILLED with our 1998 Concorde LXi as well as our 1999 Chrysler 300M. Neither of us had ever owned Chryslers before, and we would have no hesitation buying another Chrysler in the future. I'm also sorry that jj felt compelled to come to this forum and bad-mouth all Chrysler products because of his unfortunate experience. He may wish to look up "Karma" in the dictionary.

    Regarding jj's wife's new car, I checked out the Used Car section here on the Edmund's site. I compared the 1998 Concorde LXi to the 1998 Honda Accord EX-V6. This is what I discovered...

    Based on a rating system of 1 to 10, the two cars compared as follows...

    Safety - Concorde 7.1, Honda 6.9
    Reliability - Concorde 8.1, Honda 8.2
    Performance - Concorde 7.8, Honda 7.6
    Comfort - Concorde 8.5, Honda 8.3
    Value - Concorde 9.0, Honda 5.0 (!!!)
    Overall - Concorde 8.1, Honda 7.2

    These are the unbiased ratings of the automobile experts at Edmunds. The only rating in which the Accord beat the Concorde was in "Reliability", and that was only by one-tenth of a point. The "Value" rating is extremely telling, don't you think?

    I wish jj and his wife well with their purchase of their new Honda Accord.

    Happy Motoring!

    Tom
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    401K.- I agree with you,what a nice and informative post you gave us,the truth!,I also share with you the good experience with my Intrepid 98,and now with a ´01 Concorde,they are the best for your money,they are a good cars.

    jj34.- Not all people have the same luck in life don´t you think so???' You simply can´t say ALL Chryslers are bad,a vast majority of people are very happy with their Chrysler products,and they will recommend them¡

    So good luck to you with your Honda,and hope you never crash,beware of the thickness of the sheet metal Honda uses,visit any shop where you can see Hondas with a frontal impact,and then let us know what you saw,what you think; ask any pro. about those Hondas after a crash,I have seen them,believe me.
  • enetheneth Member Posts: 285
    The thickness of the sheet metal has nothing to do with crashworthiness. In fact, if you look up the ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Concorde rates as "marginal", while the Accord rates "acceptable". The only advantage a Concorde holds, should it crash into an Accord, is size and weight - certainly not safety-conscious design.

    Certainly Honda hasn't traditionally been at the forefront of safety-conscious design - but neither has the U.S. arm of DaimlerChrysler. Most of the current DaimlerChrysler products - from Neons, PTCruisers, through Concorde/Intrepid, to Caravan/Voyager, aren't well-regarded for safety in crash tests.
  • jj34jj34 Member Posts: 9
    Karma? While I don't waste my time with karma, I do read technical service bulletins (TSB's). If Chrysler cars are so well built, why so many TSB's?

    I am now well versed in TSB's based on my wife's experience (nightmare is more like it)with her '98 Concorde LXi. Take a look at the TSB's issued by DaimlerChrysler for the Concorde's "known" problems. While you're at it, take a good look at the TSB's on all of DaimlerChrysler's LH cars (including the 300M).

    I certainly hope your Chrysler vehicles continue their satisfactory performance. However, should your vehicle begin a run of legendary Chrysler failures, your frustrations may quadruple when you begin dealing with the dealership's service department and the Chrysler Zone Rep.

    As for the sheet metal gauge differences in cars-- neither my wife nor I buy cars in order to drive them as if they were bumper cars. We take excellent care of our cars and never miss the preventive maintenance schedule (oil changes, tire rotations, alignments, etc).

    Since we wear our seat belts and drive defensively, the last thing on our minds when buying a car is the fear of a crash. Maybe you buy cars with crashes on your mind but we don't. When we buy new cars, we try to buy reliable six-cylinder vehicles with reasonable gas mileage which won't need repairs every six weeks.

    When you spend more than $20,000 on a car, I don't think its unreasonable to expect it to be reliable and trouble free until at least three years down the road.

    For example, who would expect a brand new '98 Chrysler Concorde LXi to have a shorted out horn two weeks after its purchase? Then, the flashing dashboard lights as you're driving down the road. Then the seven (yes, seven) window motors which were replaced (four of which were on the driver's side). Then, the transmission sensor went out which meant the car wouldn't shift into overdrive.
    How about the cowling cracking twice? How about the engine mount shims which were added after the rack and pinion replacement to try and correct a tendency to drift although the car was within its alignment specs?

    I'll spare you the rest of the details, but my favorite was when the evaporator went out and the car began draining its A/C inside the car. You see Chrysler (in its infinite wisdom) decided to design the car with an evaporator up and behind the dash on the passenger side so when it burns out, it takes about 8-9 hours of labor to get to it. It's really a "good design idea" because that way if it occurs out of warrranty, the dealership stands to make a killing in labor costs. Since the A/C problem occurred out of warranty, we weren't about to sink any money into that bucket of bolts so we got rid of it. All of these problems are outlined in Chrysler TSB's so when yours begin acting like a Chrysler, you can look them up on NHTSA's website.


    How does that old adage go? Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Once upon a time a Chrysler owner but never again!!!

    Good luck to all of you!!!
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    Talking about TSB,pease take a closer look at any other car,like a Focus,Taurus,Cavalier,Buick,and then compare,after you read about TSB,send us a note!
    Just take a Neon,or a Stratus or a Town and Country Minivan,and compare to a Focus,a Windstar etc..

    Take care!
  • jj34jj34 Member Posts: 9
    Why test-drive a Town and Country minivan
    when 1.4 million of them were put on a recall list this past week?

    That speaks volumes about Chrysler/Dodge vehicles.
  • enetheneth Member Posts: 285
    At least that was voluntary on the part of DaimlerChrysler - Ford had to be forced into recalling defective vehicles (and then, so far only in California) by a court decision.

    No automaker is doing perfectly when it comes to recalls (though at the moment, it looks like Ford Motor is the recall king).
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    I´m sorry but I have to tell you,that you are a hard nut,(no offense).
    If you looked already at Ford´s products,TSB and you are still flaming Chrysler products.......
  • suegreenesuegreene Member Posts: 1
    While backing out of her garage, my mother's '97 Concorde accelerated wildly out of control. Although she obliterated a free standing a/c unit and the trunk was totalled, fortunately she was OK.

    Has anyone had or heard of a similar occurences in the Concorde?

    And could someone please advise where the service bulletins are posted?

    Thank you.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    suegreene-

    Glad no one got hurt. You can find the TSB's here-

    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/servicemmy1.cfm

    Hope this helps.

    fastdriver
  • srinacarsrinacar Member Posts: 14
    Sue: Glad there were no injuries - typical example of the [non-permissible content removed]-backwards way Chrysler operates.
    FastDriver - just an update to give you a laugh.
    I haven't had my Chrsler for more than 3 months yet I continue to receive service notes, surveys and even a letter demanding proof of insurance!!
    The only thing worse than that car is the company that created it!!!
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    srinacar-

    THANKS for the laugh! Sounds like the people who work for them are as bad as their products! Let them keep sending them and spending the money for postage! Was the car leased? That makes it even funnier if it was!

    fastdriver
  • jj34jj34 Member Posts: 9
    I may be a hard nut, but neither of our two cars is a Chrysler or Ford.
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    No,so what is a Concord??????
  • jj34jj34 Member Posts: 9
    Apparently you must not have read my first post about your beloved Concorde; my wife traded it in for a '01 Accord EX-V6.
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    Good for you,now would you please step out from this topic and you can feel free to join Honda´s topic.

    BTW,did you checked out Ford´s TSB´s?????? those are tsb´s don´t you agree?

    And speaking about TSB,a 2000 Honda Accord has 25 TSB,and a 2000 Chrysler Concorde has 32,
    SO A HONDA HAS ALMOST THE SAME # OF TSB,they are NOT PERFECT EITHER!!!
  • jj34jj34 Member Posts: 9
    I don't own a Ford, however my wife's Honda is a 2001 as opposed to the 2000 you mentioned.

    Since I have owned a Chrysler Concorde LXi which proved to be the worst car I have ever owned, I can share my experience with anyone who may wish to reconsider their prospective purchase. Also, there may be Chrysler owners who may be seeking similar experiences to theirs.

    By the way copperhead, despite your sensitivity to dissenting opinions pertaining to valid vehicle ownership experiences, this is still America!!!!
  • drerulezdrerulez Member Posts: 6
    I am 15 years old and my parents just purchased a 2000 chrysler concorde lxii(yes the extra i means something)we are extremely pleased with this purchase.we are coming out of an import minivan and are asounded that we can actaully carry more groceries in the enormous trunk than in the tiny space behind our old toyota's third row seat.is anybody else having as great a time with their concorde?
  • drerulezdrerulez Member Posts: 6
    copperhead, what is your problem?just because you had the unfortunate luck to buy a lemon, does not give yout he right to bad mouth all chrysler products.My parents lxi is a solid piece of machinery and we could not be happier.by the way, read your honda's tsb's,25 to 32 is not a large margin and seeing as how your 2001 has not been on the market as long as our 2000, more tsb's are guaranteed to appear.
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    drerulez.-

    What are you talking about???????? it wasn´t me who had the bad luck with the Concorde,in fact I own one,and I´m very happy with the car; so please read again my post you made a terrible mistake,you should post jj34 OK?

    jj34.-
    So your wife has a ´01 Honda?,but you are comparing that car to an older Concorde,isn´t it right??????
    If so,that is why I posted about those Hondas TSB ok? is that clear for you???
    And as DRERULEZ POINTED OUT:

    "by the way,read your honda's tsb's,25 to 32 is not a large
    margin and seeing as how your 2001 has not been on
    the market as long as our 2000, more tsb's are guaranteed to appear."
    Is it now clear enough for you???

    And yes,you are no longer a Concorde owner,your opinion is more than welcome,of course it´s America,but YOU were flaming against Concordes many TSB,that´s why I answered you telling you that there are many other cars with more TSB,like Fords,Chevys,AND I also pointed out that HONDA HAS ALSO AS MANY TSB as a Concorde,but of course your´01 has not so many because it is a ´01 model,but wait there is more time than life,just take a look at NHTSA TSB´s from Honda,and I´m not pointing out Hondas "internal" bulletins,so please no more ..... from you.
  • drerulezdrerulez Member Posts: 6
    i must apologize to copperhead. i must have read someone elses rantings and then accidentally put your name to them.truly sorry.
  • drerulezdrerulez Member Posts: 6
    well since I was so TERRIBLY mistaken about copperhead's posting I should now like to ask him what the best part of his concorde is.Luxury, price performance? let us know.
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    Never mind, what is the best part,I would say price,value,and styling.
  • drerulezdrerulez Member Posts: 6
    is it just me or does it feel like every time you get in, your going to break something?not to say it feels cheap, just fragile.
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    No way my car is great,and it feels very solid and runs great,and the best part,it´s a head turner.
  • tksatksatksatksa Member Posts: 30
    I have a question regarding TSB's. I'm going to buy a 2001 LHS. Since there has been so little change between the 2000 (maybe as far back as 1999?)and the 2001, would TSB's from previous years be applicable to the 2001? Also, would TSB's for the Concorde and M300 be applicable to the LHS (insofar as their commonality goes)?

    The reason I ask is that when I go to the service department with a problem, I want to be armed with any applicable TSB's. I don't like being preyed upon by service managers.

    Thanks for your time.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    tksatksa-

    Well, I wouldn't say for sure that all those TSB's for the LH cars would apply to your 2001 model, but if you look back to their TSB's prior to 1999, you will find some of the SAME problems year after year after year that also apply to the newer LH models.

    Chrysler is a SLOW learner. Given their current financial situation, it could get worse OR they'll realize that they have to improve their quality AND their "5-STAR" dealers!

    fastdriver
  • randman1randman1 Member Posts: 2
    My concorde has been an absolute joy to drive and own. I'm a caddilac buyer, but the concorde is a refreshing change and i love it.
  • randman1randman1 Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone know where i can pick up a cargo net for the trunk?
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    randman1-

    Mmmmmm......someone must have stolen yours because it's standard on the Concorde.

    fastdriver
  • 401k401k Member Posts: 16
    Actually, fastdriver, the 1998 Concorde did not come with a cargo net as standard equipment. If randman1 has a 1998 model, he should simply pick one up at his local Chrysler dealer. As much as I am known on this board as an unabashed "Concorde Lover", I DID find that 1998 oversight by Chrysler to be a bit ridiculous, given the "Grand Canyon" that one finds when you open the trunk of a Concorde.

    I also wish to report our very first real problem with our 1998 Concorde LXi...

    The speed sensor on the transmission failed a couple weeks ago. The transmission would not/could not shift out of second gear. I limped into the company-owned "Chrysler Neighborhood Service" shop near my office. They diagnosed and repaired the problem immediately under warranty and I was back on my way in less than one hour.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    401k-

    I guess I just assumed that he was talking about a newer model Concorde. I did look back, but didn't see any model year mentioned. Thanks.

    fastdriver
    An unabashed Chrysler hater! LOL..
  • elyons1elyons1 Member Posts: 7
    I purchased my new loaded 2000 Concorde LXI (garnet red/Charcoal interior) in September, 2000 to replace a '98 3dr Eddie Bauer Explorer, which I had no troubles with. I had near 50,000 mile on the Explorer, but had 3 more yrs to pay it off (due to My wifes '89 Blazer dying in February). So I decided to get a car to save on the rising gas prices. I selected the Concorde over Chevy Impala, Ford Tauras, and Mercury Sable. This car simply has the best bang for the buck. I love the large trunk, large back seat, great looking interior, comfortable seats, good ride, and the gas mileage. On a recent rip from Pittsburgh to Indianapolis I got 30mpg (normally around the 'Burgh I get 18-19 mpg). For those who think this car is noisy inside try a Tauras. My parents have a '98 Taurus and it's very noisy inside. My only dislikes are the blind spot you need to be aware of while highway driving, my drivers side Infinity speaker rattles occasionally, I tend to hit the CD changer buttons when putting the car in park causing the Cds to eject, and my car has idled rough when at a light or stop sign going from 600rpm to 1,000 rpm and back. The Service manager told me this is normal until the car is broken in and it has gone away some in the first 3,00 miles, but not completely. I hope this car has the relability of my Explorer. The only other non-Ford product I have owned was a '96 Supercharged Riveria, which I had nothing but troubles with, but boy what a car it could/should have been. But ford just didn't have anything to compete with the Concorde so now there's a Chrysler in my driveway.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    WHAT'S next at Chrysler?

    http://www.detnews.com/2000/autos/0011/14/a01-148596.htm

    elyons-

    Just curious- what kind of problems did you have with your 96 Riv? Did you buy it new? As for your car going from 600 RPM's to 1,000 while at a light, I do NOT think this is normal! Try another dealer!

    fastdriver
  • elyons1elyons1 Member Posts: 7
    My '96 Riv, supercharged black with gold plated emblems and chrome wheels, had a reoccurring electrical problem which would totally debilitate the car. Generally what would happen is you would get in the car, start it up and notice that none of the electrical accessories would work i.e heater, air, windshield wipers, power windows, radio ect... Next, when you put the car into gear and began to pull out you could literally smash the pedal to the floor to get the car to move at 30 mph. It took four trips to the dealership to get the problem corrected. The problems was by the time I got to the dealer the computer had reset. I found after the second occurrence that if you turned the key off and then back on everything cleared up. Later it developed a problem where you put the car in gear and it wouldn't move. This happened twice and I never did get it corrected before trading it in on the Explorer. I also had trouble with the car leaking on the driver side, but the garage was able to adjust the window to correct the problem. And to top things off I hit a deer with it that only damaged the windshield and dash. It was after this incidence that the 2nd transmission episode happened. I figured that perhaps some cars just have bad carma or something. Others that I know who have had or know someone who has had a mid 90's Riveria has some type of problems with the car. That's probably why Buick doesn't make them anymore.
  • elyons1elyons1 Member Posts: 7
    I forgot to mention that I did buy my Riv new. My brother bought a supercharged Regal around the same time and experienced similar troubles. He too went back to the Ford stable buying a '98 Mustang GT.

    I agree with your assessment of the reving engine. I like to work on classic cars as a hobby, '66 Mustang and '58 F100, and have actually rebuilt engines in the past. So I too do not agree with the Service Mechanics excuse that it will disappear after break in.
  • billgiffbillgiff Member Posts: 16
    All of a sudden my hazard warning light button has started to pop up on it's own while driving, and when I depress it it does not stay down, have to play with it to keep it down, any one else out there have this problem.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    billgiff-

    Just one more mystery of owning a Chrysler product- things just happen for no apparent reason.

    fastdriver
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    The mystery for you is almost coming to an end,or are you going to make an early return of your "Christine"?
    How could you deal with it for so long?,maybe you can free yourself earlier!
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    copperhead1-

    As I am sure you know, I would have tried the Lemon Law route, but I know that even though there are specific time limits that the customer and the car company have to abide by, this is NOT always the case. The car company can stall things for MONTHS! Had I ANY idea of what was to follow, I would have gone the Lemon Law route. It couldn't have been much more stressful then what I have been through.

    As for dealing with this for so long- IF I was independently wealthy, Christine would have been GONE a LONG time ago! Unfortunately, that is NOT the case.

    Yes, I can get rid of Christine early with NO penalties because of the type lease that I have. I just have to make the remaining payments from now until May! I have a little over 32,000 miles on her since June of 1998. I do NOT plan to have this car past 36,000 miles. I'll play it by ear as to how long I will keep her. I'm sure it won't be until June!

    fastdriver
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    The best thing for you would be arrivederchi to your 300M,you never liked it,and of course you´ll
    always find problems in the car,it happens to anyone,and it´s normal.
    It´s simple you don´t like the car,and the service,so anything about it will be bad to you, I just hope you will enjoy your next car,but as you may know i do have a LH car ot´s not perfect,but it´s muchbetter than the competition,the 300M is a good car.

    Take care!!
  • tksatksatksatksa Member Posts: 30
    Fastdriver/Copperhead, I pulled the trigger! On Saturday I brought home a 2001 Garnet Red LHS with Taupe interior and chrome wheels. It's beautiful! I'm sure hoping to duplicate Copperhead's experience with his car rather than Fastdriver's - no offense FastD.

    Next weekend I'll attack it with Zaino; I didn't get a chance this weekend because we were driving around to family and friends showing off (that's the kind of thing you do when it's your first NEW car in 20 years). With 70 miles on the odo what's not to love?

    Thanks to Fastdriver, Copperhead and others who offered advice while we were looking things over; I appreciate it.
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    Congratulations,ENJOY your beautiful car!

    Drive it enjoy it,and don´t look for problems in it,I´ll assure you, you will love it as much as I love mine.!
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    tksatksa-

    Congratulations. Drive it in good health. I certainly hope you duplicate copperhead's experience too! What I've been through, I wouldn't wish on a DOG!

    While some people may think that I LOOK for things that are wrong, they are totally off base! I am the LAST person who wants to go to the dealer for ANYTHING! They can think what they want because they don't know me and they don't know my car! With Christine, things just happen! I don't look for them, I don't make them happen. Some people, who have NO clue, tend to talk out of their XXX, which in turn makes them look like one.

    Wait til you get some Zaino on that beauty! WOW!! Post some pics for us at http://www.photopoint.com It's FREE!

    fastdriver
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