Do modern 300's have a reputation?

[celticwarlock]

I'm looking to buy a 2005 or newer Chrysler 300C. I was wondering if these particular vehicles are prone to any problems that I might want to avoid. I have never owned one before and I would appreciate some insight. Thank you in advance.

 

[GOLDMYN]

goggle problems 2005 chrysler, if anything like challengers, shifter proplem, hemi "tick", recall or tsb on timing chain and plastic tension and front-ends parts wear quick

 

[Carmine]

goggle problems 2005 chrysler, if anything like challengers, shifter proplem, hemi "tick", recall or tsb on timing chain and plastic tension and front-ends parts wear quick

That's an acceptable method if you keep in mind that I could type "problems with Jesus Christ" and surely find complaints. In other words, those search terms applied to anything will make things appear much worse than reality. Keep that in mind if that's your methodology.

My advice would be to begin your search at model year 2011 if possible. Many improvements to the whole Chrysler line that year. If 2011 isn't in the budget, at least begin at 2008... there were some year-over-year improvements that year as well.

Third piece of advice: Plan a south-western vacation around buying a car. Not only for the salt/rust, but because the table-smooth roads don't beat the hell out of everything else. I do this for anything I plan to own long term, and 5 years later my LHS still feels nicer than anything I could buy in Michigan.

 

[Polara_500]

Front ends are supposedly weak and wear out fast, mine only lasted until 165,000 until I had to do it. Otherwise a nice comfortable car with good road manners. I had the 3.5 not the hemi.

 

[polara71]

This is the pnly problem Ive ever seen from them

And I cant stand it when I see it. ...otherwise Ive always heard positive things about them

 

[Dobalovr]

mine only lasted until 165,000 until I had to do it

Only to 165000 miles? Pity...

My mother has put 200000 on her 2008. Normal wear items tierods brake rotors ac recharge that's it. Carmine's right though 2008 and up preferably 2011 if you can afford it. Also look at Magnum RT's for that cool look!

 

[celticwarlock]

165 K? I am used to cars needing a full front end rebuild by then. A little steering and suspension work won't scare me off....as long as I don't have to replace a rack (although even that's not a deal breaker). Buying one from the southwest is a good idea, but not possible right now. I am willing to go for a nice example from my part of the country. A 2011 is something I might be able to afford, but it's more than I want to spend.

 

[Badvert65]

My brother bought an 05 300C brand new. Only trouble he ever had was outer tie rods needed replaced. Oh, and he had to replace his rear tires a lot sooner than the front tires. That car was loaded and so frikkin awesome that it prompted me to buy my 07 Magnum R/T. I absolutely love my Magnum. Not as much as my big block 65 Sport Fury, but it's a close second.

 

[celticwarlock]

My brother bought an 05 300C brand new. Only trouble he ever had was outer tie rods needed replaced. Oh, and he had to replace his rear tires a lot sooner than the front tires. That car was loaded and so frikkin awesome that it prompted me to buy my 07 Magnum R/T. I absolutely love my Magnum. Not as much as my big block 65 Sport Fury, but it's a close second.

I have always liked the Magnums, too.

 

[Carmine]

165 K? I am used to cars needing a full front end rebuild by then. A little steering and suspension work won't scare me off....as long as I don't have to replace a rack (although even that's not a deal breaker). Buying one from the southwest is a good idea, but not possible right now. I am willing to go for a nice example from my part of the country. A 2011 is something I might be able to afford, but it's more than I want to spend.

I can occasionally find one-way Spirit flights for $59 to Phoenix. Then it's just the gas to get back. (I understand that I'm oversimplifying it, but just saying... Maybe you could have somebody out that way keep an eye open for you?)

 

[Turboomni]

Wasn't there some Mercedes influence in the suspension design when they occupied Chrysler legally?

 

[Dobalovr]

Wasn't there some Mercedes influence in the suspension design when they occupied Chrysler legally?

Yes the 300 is loosely based on the E Class underneath but Daimler wouldn't give us the Aluminum components so we had to use steel and cheaper Chinese crap. However up above our Gangster styling rocked but the interiors were stripped so as not to compete with MB. Sad days back then

 

[The Horvaths]

You might consider purchasing from a dealer. If you do so, you can get lifetime warranties for everything for a fair price. The work can be done at any dealer for free.

 

[Turboomni]

Thanks for that. The whole thing just reeks of power ,status,rank, being used,wiping hands with ,,CEO bonuses ,,etc ,etc,, being blown by and blowing ,,and of course ,,,MONEY,,,,,bean counters are victims of the rich. The E class if I remember correctly is the most manufactured ,,as they were all taxi's in Europe. They are like the Checker cabs with Chevy drivetrain of yesteryear.
So Chrysler big wigs sold out for a good OLD mass produced design with crappy chinese steel parts so the big pricks could still make money....

 

[Dobalovr]

You might consider purchasing from a dealer. If you do so, you can get lifetime warranties for everything for a fair price. The work can be done at any dealer for free.

Please tell me that is sarcasm otherwise my business model is really phlucked up.....lol

 

[Carmine]

Yes the 300 is loosely based on the E Class underneath but Daimler wouldn't give us the Aluminum components so we had to use steel and cheaper Chinese crap. However up above our Gangster styling rocked but the interiors were stripped so as not to compete with MB. Sad days back then

That's not quite accurate. The LX cars were quite far along in development before the Germans had integrated much of anything from a product standpoint, so this is not an "old e-class". In fact, Daimler did offer the rear axle/IRS from the newer E-class, but that design had NVH problems so the LX team elected to use the older, proven design. With regard to front end components and de-contenting, you are essentially correct. However I could point out numourous commonalities with the previous LH "underneath" as well. One of the 2011 improvements was re-engineering the MB front suspension components.

 

[Dobalovr]

That's not quite accurate. The LX cars were quite far along in development before the Germans had integrated much of anything from a product standpoint, so this is not an "old e-class". In fact, Daimler did offer the rear axle/IRS from the newer E-class, but that design had NVH problems so the LX team elected to use the older, proven design. With regard to front end components and de-contenting, you are essentially correct. However I could point out numourous commonalities with the previous LH "underneath" as well. One of the 2011 improvements was re-engineering the MB front suspension components.

Thanks Carmine nice explanation. It's interesting the differences in Dealer info compared to Factory reality. There were many inconsistencies at the Dealer level that the Factory never explained in great detail. The 2011 redesign definitely improved the vehicle that is for certain.

 

[Carmine]

Thanks Carmine nice explanation. It's interesting the differences in Dealer info compared to Factory reality. There were many inconsistencies at the Dealer level that the Factory never explained in great detail. The 2011 redesign definitely improved the vehicle that is for certain.

I generally don't like allpar as a source. They'll take just about any comment and turn it into content... because they are starved for content. However, I've actually spoken to this guy (Burke Brown) and his comments to me (on LX) line up well with his interview in allpar:

"At the time, and probably still, a lot of people think is that we were just given the old E-class stuff, and that’s not true at all. They were doing the new E-class, code named the 211, and they launched that one year before we launched the LX. They would invite us and we’d go over and we’d go on their two-day road trips around the neighborhood, you know, in the Autobahn in Germany and Austria development trips, with the new E-class. We’d participate in that and compare notes, because we basically modeled our suspension after that new 211 with a couple of things that we did differently.

The idea that we were just kind of given the old stuff, and that here you go, just take the old E-class and put your Dodge or Chrysler skin on it, that wasn’t it at all.

On being asked if they looked at using ZF transmissions for the LH or LX: “We did before the Mercedes link, but then we fell in love with that 580 because the low parasitics and it had a nice gear ratio spread at the time. It was pretty advantageous and we could have it, so there was not any big debate. Well we started to build them ourselves in Indiana, and we got a few from Germany as well.”

 

[67Monaco]

Watch for cars that were in lots of stop and go traffic. Or lots of stopped and idling rather. The cats are close to the frame rails and there are reports of rails rotting from over heating that area.

 

[celticwarlock]

I have seen a bunch of threads, in various places, regarding valve train problems in the Hemis. Supposedly, the springs are prone to breaking, and the seats occasionally drop out of the heads. How widespread is this? I've got no intention of buying a car only to do valve train work immediately. If this is a legitimate concern, I would essentially have to make repairs right away to forestall the problem. I'm not exactly in love with that idea.