Water pump?
Adding coolant everyday. Finally got under it (sorta) and it’s dripping from here. I’ve read water pump replacements are a real *****. Options? Has Other problems so not sure about throwing a bunch more $$ at it. (Thinking maybe new engine??). I love my car but no one wants to work on it. 175,*** miles on it, of course it’s tired!

 

definitely the water pump.
175k is barely even close to tired. (there's a 254k mile one I just picked up.)
yes it a bastard of a job to do, as you're basically doing a full timing service just to get to the water pump.

 

If what I’ve been seeing it’s like $1500 to do this, or more?? I wish I could believe I’d get 254,000 out of it but from what I’ve read and am experiencing….. maybe time to go the Toyota Solara route. Sister has one and hasn’t had near the issues I have (249,000 on it)

I’ve been told it has a head gasket problem. Used Stop leak and it’s been holding up pretty well.

I saw new motors for $900-$1000… not sure what the labor would be but kinda thinking it might be money better spent. MAYBE.!?!

Thoughts?? Just having so many problems with this one just not sure I’m ready to give up entirely yet but tired of driving with one eye on temp (I drive all over for my work).

I wish people would stop giving me such crap for loving my Chrysler (2nd one and I know if I buy another every mechanic I know will say I brought it on myself)

 

That price doesn't sound unreasonable, for quality work.
If you've overheated it, then yea I'd have some additional cause for concern, and *might* make more sense to look for a good used engine.
You'll never see me (or I suspect most people on this board, or other mopar branded boards) give you crap about having one. Hell my sig is now missing 6 chryslers i've owned, only because of sig limits!
As these cars age though, finding competent mechanics is going to get more difficult, finding ones willing to take on the job will be even more so, and as such the cost will be commensurate.
There's shops that will give you the F U price to get you to go away, and others that will flat out tell you they don't want to because the profit margin isn't there any longer.
As such only the true nut jobs (I myself am in that category) are going to be willing to home wrench on these things, and not care about the time it takes.

If you were to have a shop do a motor swap, be careful, as the 04 model year was a transition year for engine style and ECU, and you can run into all kinds of wonky problems if you mix them up.

 

I am currently looking at a water pump replacement on an '06 sebring. Local mechanic quoted flat rate of around $900 labor plus parts. They allow me to bring my own parts which will run about $140 from rockauto and given the typical auto part store markup would probably be around $300. Puts the repair in the $1100 range.

If you are considering the solara convertible, be aware there is noticeable cowl shake which affects handling and ride. Sebring convertibles have significantly less cowl shake as they are designed as a convertible and not a 2-door coupe with roof chopped off.

 

I've had 3 vehicles now with this engine. All in the 2001-2005 range. I can tell you that there is a known issue that the factory waterpump bearing is flawed. What happenehas the bearing gets worn, possibly from overheating once, an it starts to leak antifreeze. If your lucky, you will notice the cream on your lipstick to warm you. Otherwise, when the pump gets sloppy enough, it will cause the chain to skip a few times until the intake valves are out of sync and they hit the pistons l, thus bending everyone of the valves. This will require a teardown to the head gaskets, changing out the valves, grinding the new valves, replace the waterpump, guides, and tensioner. Might as well change the oil pump while your in there.
the job is a b****, but if you can follow directions and get the book, the kit is around $200 and a days work.
We did have an issue with one rebuild... after all the work, it wouldn't start unless the cam sensor was unplugged. We spent several months and several teardown, compression tests, sensor changes, until we had our mechanic lok at it. He couldn't diagnose the issue but discovered a bad signal coming from the cam sensor. Turned out, after another teardown, that the part I was sold had a flaw. One of the timing punches was not punched. I put the old sprocket on it and it started right up.
conclusion: the replacement pump had a better bearing. Each vehicle ran well after the rebuilds. My current engine is at 103k. I'm hopeful it had the work done before I bought it... but I will eventually find out.