2002 Chrysler 300M special 3.5 6 cylinder. from North America

Summary:

Very nice looking & reliable

Faults:

The only needed repair has been the 4-disc CD changer. It ceased to function without warning. Dealer Warranty repair @ no cost to me.

My only gripe is the very low clearance of the car. The 300M Special has side body moldings that scrape in some parking places, and pull the front bumper out of alignment. Fortunately I am handy, and can straighten it out when needed. Just annoying and a bad design.

I still have the full factory warranty in effect until Spt. 2009, or 70,000 miles. I Have driven the car daily for more than a year, & have no issues other than the above.

General Comments:

Overall, it's a very decent car. It's bright silver, with 18" chrome wheels, Dark grey leather interior. It looks beautiful indeed. I've added some TASTEFUL & RESTRAINED aftermarket chromed trim, which enhances the lines & grille. The car turns heads in town.

It Has a harsh ride, & so-so quality of appointments. XLNT handling, fairly good acceleration. Moonroof is nice, & heated seats. I bought the car from a friend who ordered it new. He garaged it, & put few miles on it. Car has been totally reliable. 15 mpg in town/29 on the highway. Much more economical to drive & maintain than my Q45 Infiniti.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 15th March, 2008

16th Mar 2008, 21:47

I'm not exactly into "tasteful and restrained" (my Mustang is Grabber orange with huge black Shelby stripes) but I wanted to comment on your excellent choice in a car. The 300M is a far more beautiful car than the squared-off new 300. As for reliability, well, I sold my last Chrysler car with 240,000 miles on it. It ran like new, had had virtually ZERO repairs (belts, hoses and brakes) and it still used not one drop of oil. I hope yours serves you as well as mine did.

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2002 Chrysler 300M Special 3.5 HO from North America

Summary:

Beautiful car. Reliable car

Faults:

Nothing so far.

General Comments:

It took me some time to find this car at a good price, but at $13000 I could not pass it up. The car is a blast to drive the 60 mile round trip to work every day.

This car is very comfortable with heated memory seats and power everything. Even at 5 years old she still turns heads with 18 inch factory rims and dual chrome exhaust tips.

The H.I.D headlights blaze a trail through the dark, and the L.E.D turn signals in the mirrors are a nice touch.

Love the car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th April, 2007

2002 Chrysler 300M 3.5 from North America

Summary:

I love it

Faults:

I damaged a front wheel, probably a pothole. So far I have moved it to the rear for now.

On a REALLY HOT day, the automatic temperature control has trouble lowering the interior temperature.

The car has the standard 300M problem with warped rotors and you can feel a vibration when braking.

Could be a bit quieter at highway speed.

General Comments:

I like the look, performance and handling.

The mileage has been steady in the mid-20's, but on a long trip through the Mid West over flat ground, I averaged 30 MPG.

Interior comfort, trunk space are very good.

No squeaks or rattles. No leaks. Audio is great

UPDATE: 50K miles now, no problems to report.

UPDATE: 7/12/2009 54K miles. Battery has been replaced. No service issues to date. Still has original tires, plugs, brakes. I do regular oil/filter changes @ 5K intervals. Still loving it!

UPDATE: 5th Mar 2011, 68K miles, no problems to report. All original equipment except for battery replacement noted above.

UPDATE 14th May 2011: I decided to replace the tires after 68K miles. The original Michelin ENERGY gave me very good service, so I chose to replace them with Michelin PRIVACY. I already notice the better ride and quietness. At my recent NYS inspection, my brakes are still fine and can go for quite a few more miles before needing replacement.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd October, 2006

19th Sep 2008, 06:14

Got to love the 300m, it's a great car. Word of advice though, get the timing belt/tensioner done when the car is around 89000-95000 miles. Mine went bad at 92000 miles and I was lucky it did not do damage to the intake/excuse values, as it's common at times when the belt skips or breaks that the pistons will hit the valves.

So I got lucky, it was just skipping a couple of teeth and didn't do any damage, and the tensioners are a must. It does cost between $800-$1200 depending on where you go. My advice is to go to a skilled person who will do quality work and parts. Even though the manual says 102000 miles, it's good to do it early. If you do a lot of rough driving, it will go bad faster.

Oh, and don't forget the water pump with the belt.

3rd Dec 2011, 15:54

UPDATE Dec 2011. I was sailing along, then... THE TRANSMISSION EXPLODED.. at 73K miles. I had some warning that things were NOT QUITE RIGHT. I opted for a used transmission, which turned out to be faulty (no 2nd) gear, so now waiting for a replacement. Undecided on whether to keep the car, as my confidence is shaken, but I have not had one problem with the car until now.

UPDATE Dec 2011. I got a replacement USED transmission, which was fine for about 2500 miles. The internal solenoid pack then had to be replaced, but it did not cost me anything, as my mechanic warranted the original replacement for 6 months.

UPDATE Mar 2012. Started to experience occasional "sensor" errors, which went each away in a day or so, but it troubled me. I traded the car in.