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Sedans Chrysler 300/300C/300C SRT-8 Chrysler 300/300C
4893 messages, Last post on Jun 14, 2009 at 10:28 PM
You are in the Chrysler 300/300C/300C SRT-8 Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Replying to: snowy (Feb 07, 2005 8:11 am) |
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Mark, I was shocked to see you on this forum. Interestingly enough, I am very interested in the 300C AWD, only one of which I can locate on Chrysler's web page for a 50 mile radius! I've driven the 2wd C, and liked it. Missed the ease of manually directing the shifting similar to Audi's version, and felt the caster was different, as the wheel didn't return to straight after turning a corner. In all fairness, the car had almost NO fuel, a dirty windshield, and I didn't get far enough from the dealer to really be sure it was warm. I will likely get out of my TT 3.2 DSG Roadster early, as the fun is overshadowed by the inconvenience of lack of storage, comfort for my spouses's tush, etc. I am actually disappointed I turned in my A6 early. I've put the car up on lease trader, but no action for a month. Probably because the payments for the next 14 months are about $770. Anyway, if the A6 has gone up that much, I'll probably go with the 300C, as the CTS seems small, and dated, and the STS seems too large, and way too expensive. Unfortunately, both the STS and 300C AWD are quite scarce now. It's good to see your name again, as I haven't browsed the forums for over a year. I lost your email address when I had a crash a month or so ago. HA! Hell of a note!! jk |
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Audi is still on my short list. But the 300C and the Acura RL and even the Infiniti M's cannot be overlooked. Even the upcoming Bimmer 3 and 5 AWD's merit consideration. Audi is no longer alone, that is. The 300C AWD is quite the value -- and from reading, it is also quite the performer. |
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It's funny how I got all excited when pricing out the A6 this morning. I've owned 5 911s, and don't remember that much excitement, considering luxury, appointments, performance, i.e., whole package!! Guess my old age is showing. I could keep the Audi on my short list, but may very well go with the 300C AWD. jk |
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Hi All, I have been reading through this complete forum after having purchased my 300 in Nov/2004. Excellent discussion about this terrific vehicle. Even though I purchased the 300 with most of the available options I wondered whether it might be possible to upgrade the headlight system from standard to the H.I.D system that is available on the 300C. Has anyone considered this option or know if this is something practical to consider. Thanks to everyone for a terrific forum! kroache |
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. . .it would be cheaper to trade your current car in on another one with Xenons rather than try to retrofit them to your current car. I do not know if this is LITERALLY true. However, I have been participating in these forms for years and years and whenever this question comes up, someone who knows the technical hurdles usually explains why this, although possible, is generally thought to be too expensive. Perhaps Chrysler has somehow managed to build this car in such a way that this is both possible and affordable. Good luck. I don't know if this feature was available or not, so this question is not meant to be impertinent: why would anyone get a brand new car without HID lights (if they were available)? If you have ever driven or ridden in a car with these lights, you certainly can attest to their efficacy -- heck, I'll go so far as to say, these lights could save your life. But, while I'm on my soapbox, why would anyone get a car without ESP (or stability control) if such technology was available on the car one was considering buying? The cost of these two technological marvels is relatively low and the very fact that it is NOT an overstatement to claim these features could save your life would seem to compel new car buyers to demand these features. |
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. . .see our impressions of the new Infiniti M35x over on that board. Still couldn't drive a 300C AWD -- could've driven a non C AWD, decided to pass. |
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I love the Black loaded 300C AWD I have a deposit on. I hate the fact that I couldn't get the dealer to move AT ALL off of the $40800 list price. Except for tossing in a remote starter I can't get any concessions. This is the only one I could find in a 50mile radius of Danbury, CT where I live. So... can owners reply w/reliability, concerns, issues, experience and recommendation? thanks! PS: lastly my 2nd choice right now is the Infiniti G35x |
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Have had HID lights--very good except for sharp cutoff. Do not have them now but have installed Sylvania BrightStar bulbs. Best way you can spend $40 to improve your lighting. Also you can adjust them for more distance lighting without problems for oncoming cars. Go from yellow lights to white.Not as bright as HID but great improvement.
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After several years of not posting at Edmunds, I’m surprised and delighted to see Mark here, as well as other folks from the ranks of Audi drivers. Though I’m not in the market for a new car right now, I find the 300C occupying my automotive fantasies as an eventual replacement for my former non-sport ‘01 A6 2.7T. I was fascinated by the aesthetic of the new 300, and excited by the many glowing reviews of the driving experience. The pleasure an auto offers while driving it is probably paramount among my criteria. I prefer a roomy, fast, good-handling touring sedan to sports cars. If I like it’s looks, so much the better. The new Durante grill on the A6 and other new Audi’s isn’t as great a turn off for me as it seems to be for many. Other aspects are more disappointing. The original new ’98 A6 was a WOW of design departure with creativity and brilliance evident in almost every detail. Its replacement is not. The exterior goes from “huh?” to yawn. While its interior is less attractive, and amazingly, perhaps a tad snugger even though the car is bigger. The quality of materials and fit and finish are still excellent, though not to quite as high a standard as my old ’01. I haven’t driven one yet. I began to satisfy my curiosity by visiting the nearest Chrysler dealership where there were originally plenty of 300’s sitting around the lot. My reaction echoed what I’d read in automotive magazines; “This is a Chrysler?” They were well put together with an excellent (Though not quite Audi) level of fit and finish. The interior was very roomy and comfortable, and the materials were better than reviews had led me to believe. And the 300C’s stickered for about $10K-$12K less than my A6 had. Over several months I watched 300’s arrive and depart the dealership. I saw a few that had botched paint jobs with plenty of orange peel and poorer fit. Though in fairness, I’ve seen new Mercedes with plenty of orange peel too, and have even seen it on some body panels on some new Audi’s. I noticed when looking at the construction and welds in the door jam, engine compartment, etc., that this is obviously a simpler and ruder technique of body construction than that used to produce an A6. That doesn’t bother me very much, as the overall result in appearance and solidity is impressive. However, I wouldn’t accept delivery of some the cars that had really screwed up paint. The dealer salesman with whom I dealt was charming, but the process was a little comical. He likes trucks, the dealer likes trucks, and they like to sell trucks! He really didn’t seem to know what to make of the 300C, or $30K+ sedans in general. Chrysler seems to have lightning in a bottle. Let’s see what they do with it. The initial dealer response to low inventories has been predictable; I’ve seen dealers trying to add $3K to $5K to the sticker! My first impression on the RWD 300C test drive was that this was the best American car I’d ever driven by a huge margin. It didn’t feel as big as I thought it would. It was both much quieter and smoother than my ’01 A6. The interior is delightful. It is attractive, roomy and very comfortable to drive. I would sum up the driving experience as stately. I treat new, unbroken-in cars pretty gently. Given that, I thought the engine powerful, though not in the ripping, kick-in-the-pants nature of the 2.7T. I found myself exceeding the speed limit by 10 to 20mph in 40 and 50mph zones with no sensation of the extra speed. The handling is very good, though not quite as nimble as the A6’s, though the excessive body roll of the older non-sport A6’s is absent. The brakes were adequate, though much less powerful than those on my A6. Break-in may alter this comparison, as it will almost certainly affect engine performance as well. Much of the brilliance of an A6 and other Audi’s is found at the extremes. As I’m not willing to bring any new, unpurchased car to that point, I found myself wondering how the 300 would compare in those situations to the A6. My initial test drive suggests the A6 would be substantially superior. But I don’t spend much time driving a car at its limits, so I don’t think these extra margins would necessarily affect a buying decision for me. I too am most interested in the AWD version. Those of us familiar with Audi’s quattro know that there’s a trade-off. The extra weight and friction result in a slightly slower car, and reduced gas mileage. I doubt the effect will be too great on the 300. The few posts I’ve read here about the 300C with AWD are very promising since the drivers seemed to love the result of AWD on the driving experience. I do wonder about the difference between the center differential system used on the AWD 300 compared to the Torsen center differential of Audi’s. That’s one thing that has worked very well, and has been bulletproof on Audi’s. I also wonder about the overall level of problems the 300 is likely to experience. Audi’s aren’t nearly as bad as many think, but they are sometimes not flawless. I would be surprised if the overall number of trouble a 300 driver will experience will be either much greater, or much less than has been the experience among A6’s. |
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