They catch my eye when I see one, though I really don't need one, having an 07' Subaru Impreza, and an 86' Chevy Celebrity, both with low mi, because I got disabled.

I started doing a Lot of research, and though I usually work on my cars, it is a lot harder now, but I still try to, but I'm slow. Have a situation where there are 3, a 99', 00', and 02'at a city auction, where the city will take your car if you have tickets, or aren't leagal somehow, to you pay up or get legal, and after a mo auction the car, so they could go pretty cheap, but could be pretty rough, and you Don't get any keys. So learning about getting them

Saw a nice looking 00' at a dealer for 4K, but it has 96Kmi on it, so concerned about the timing belt on it, as the auction ones.

I have read about reliability problems with the 300, and really don't need any for that matter or expensive ones. I used to be up on technology, but my 86' Chevy is pretty basic, and I am trying to learn about the Subaru. My Chevy keeps needing something, and I'd probably get rid of it if I got a 300, but use it more than the Subaru, and swap the cars to save the parking space for the Sube, in a big city, and get stressed if the Chevy won't run, and I could loose the space.

Trying to learn all I can about the 300M's, and what a used one could need, like a timing belt. The Subaru has the same type, and still have a few yrs before it should be replaced. It kind of bugs me that they would put on on an interference engine, when they used to put a Triple chain on them. I'd want to change one on a 300, but like I said, I am slow now, and may take a long time to get to it, which could be a disaster.

I have been interested in a few cars that I passed on, after researching them a lot, trying to figure what hassles they might cause. I was after an 84-86' Mustang SVO turbo 4cyl, and could have had a mint one with 11K mi on it. Then got interested in a Chrysler Maseratti TC Cosworth, and then a Lotus Esprit, and now a 300M.

I'm going to go look at the one at a dealers, to get familiar with the car, and then check out the auctions. Would love to get one real cheap, but I don't even have room to let one sit if it needed work, and keep the Chevy, so I might just be getting an education. Looking for shop manuals, which I always get, to learn about the cars.

 

What's as good shop manual for the LH cars? I see service, and diagnostic ones.

 

PASS...........

I'll look around a bit....Chrysler has a Publication warehouse where you can order the Official SHOP manuals.....

The 2.7 IS a chain driven engine, where as the 3.2 /3.5 are belt driven. In all my years of doing this, I have only seen one Valve Bender, and that one was not because of a broken belt. The camshaft sprocket bolt broke and coughed the gear out......Wiped every exhaust valve on the right side head.

Normally, I will just replace the belt and send it on its way, with little heartache.

DO NOT..remove the ignition cylinder and replace it with an aftermarket one to get keys.....There is a simple solution.... Once you have ownership documentation, Bring your paperwork to your local Chrysler Dealer, with Picture Identification. The can look up the Vin Number and get the factory code for your key cut, and make one right there. You wont have to change the door and trunk cylinders , and you will have a SINGLE key for the entire vehicle. 2000 I think is still too early for skim, so key "Programming is probably not an issue.

 

Factory Manuals are the best way to go. I got Factory Manuals on CD/DVD on eBay. Don't remember for sure, might have been $10 - $20, tops. Someone evidently scanned the whole mess into a .pdf file that any computer should be able to access. You can print only the pages you need or just take a laptop out to the vehicle. The best way to go, in my humble opinion.

I used this in my recently completed project joining a 2001 Intrepid to a 2002 300m. I used the intrepid body and everything from the 300m except the rear door panels (they were the only thing that didn't fit). All wiring from license plate to license plate, components and everything from the 300m. I've the most decked out Intrepid Chrysler never built!!

Hope it helps, if you want the eBay handle of the guy I bought my disk from, just let me know, I'd be happy to help out.

 

I'd appreciate the name, or link to the seller of the manual-s on CD on Ebay. Didn't see any for the LH or M's.

I got one for my Subaru there. Only thing, they had drawings, not pictures, so made it a little difficult to visualize, so got a Haynes paper manual to help, but they didn't have ones for the Impreza or 07's, so got one for up to 06' Legacy's, that is similar drivetrain and all. Anything to help understand something new, and I have lots of limits.

That hybrid you made sounds interesting. Back in the 50's Chrys Corp used to put the front of a Dodge on a Plymouth or v v in Canada.

VF

 

the auction listed a 4th 300M that will be coming up. A 99' Thurs, an 00' & 02' Sat, and another 00' next sat.. I have to go check 00' at a dealer, to drive one, but a cheap one would be tempting.

Is there a good year for them?

 

reading about some problems the 300m's can have, that sound scary, like bolts holding the rack can break, and other problems, in the steering, and loads of play in the steering wheel, can't align it and tires wearing. Just hope I don't get involved with something I can't handle.

Vince F

 

I've had a 96 Intrepid, a 96 Concorde, a 01 Intrepid, and a 02 300m. All vehicles built on the LH platform. NONE of these car ever suffered a broken bolt failure concerning the steering or an alignment issue. Only issue I have ever seen is the sway bar links wearing out and causing a knocking noise, and that's just a normal wear and tear kind of wear.

007.

 

The steering problems were pretty scary, and not being able to align, and going through tires fast.

It sounds like many cars had the same problems, so could have been a batch of defective parts. I have read that failed trans's were repaired with improved parts.


They don't sound like a good choice in my situation.

 

finally made it to a city car auction Thurs to try to get a 300M. In the past 3 weeks there have been 5, but the weather has been SO bad, with a snow storm, rain, and high winds twice, one day, gusting to 60mph. A friend was going, and he said he would let me keep the car at his place till the title came in, because you can't park them on the street or insure them till it does. . Thurs wasn't much better, raining all day, totaling about 3". The car was supposed to be an 02' which seems like a better yr to get than a 99, 00, or 01'. Walking up to get into the auction, there was a nice looking 300M parked, but had tags, so someone's car. Maybe it was the one that was supposed to be up for auction, since there weren't any at it. Next week another comes up, but an 00'.

On my way to a friends house tonite on the interstate, what do I see, but a 300M on the side with the hood up.((((( Are the gods trying to tell me something???