When the LH cars were "on the horizon", I suspected we'd see some at Mopar Nats that year. We were NOT disappointed! The first batch seemed to be the "Kacki Myca" color as many dealers loaded up their family/friends and drove to Mopar Nats in them that year. Probably about 20 LHSs in that color!
The real surprise was when the Chrysler guys rolled in in THEIR cars (manufacturer plates and all). The "throng" followed them to where they parked. Suddenly, as they got out of the car in their Chrysler Engineering polo shirts, they were surrounded and the questions about the cars started flying. They were not ready for that instant celebrity! Neat to see!! They happily answered questions until somebody came to "rescue" them.
The LHS became my "Rent Car of Choice" with Dollar/Thrifty. For my trips to Mopar Nats and other weekend excursions. Never disappointed! Wished the rear struts weren't quite so bouncy, compared to the fronts.
One of our Mopar Club members, back then, ran the Chrysler Training Ctr in Dallas/Irving. He told us that the orig 3.5 could make 300 horsepower pretty easy. Probably by removing the cast-in "rings" in the throttle bodies, for more air flow?
When my parents suddenly needed another car in late summer 1995, Mother didn't want a "stick shift", so an LHS was out. They found a New Yorker at a nearly small town dealership. The dealer's wife had it for her demo. The neat thing about the New Yorker version was that the seat pattern mimicked the '69 New Yorker split bench seat.
When it got to be 6 years old, the same dealer recommended a new timing belt, which was installed. She took it to them for all of the service. It needed the fuel injector O-rings. Another switch so the trans didn't hunt in the 27mph range on light throttle. Outer tie rod ends. Had some issue with the cooling fans not working.
One time, they did something that tripped the limp-in mode in the trans. She drove it home that way, in 2nd gear. She called them and they said it might need a new trans. NOT. I checked with a local trans shop and arranged for her to take it by for a check. When I drove it later that afternoon, no issues. Whatever happened had cleared with the later re-start, apparently.
The trans shop, whom I've know for a good while, put the scan tool on the trans to check the apply times in each gear, to determine wear. At approx. 100k, NO ISSUES with wear of the clutches!
Along about '08, I started noticing a few things about the electronics. The delay wipers seemed to have an extra millisecond berfore they responded each time. Then the alarm system started deploying, with a longer than normal horn chirp. The ABS light would illuminate after so much driving time. Finally, the instrument cluster stopped working. Had to unhook the battery to keep it from running down. That was after she'd stopped driving. I'd get a rent car to take her to town to get her hair done, as the NY sat. And it still sits under the carport. Need to put a new belt, water pump, and fuel pump in it to get it running again. Then a new BCM for it! Maybe injectors, too?
From reading the old Usenet Chrysler forums, the main problems with the cars were the dealers' service writers. A reman trans rather than speed sensors, it seems, for example.
I liked the 300Ms a lot. Look at the bucket seats on a Buick Lucerne and see if they look familiar! The car was a little quieter (rear suspension isolation) and the mpg of the Gen II 3.5L was better. I clocked 29-30mpg at 55-60mph, then 27mpg @ 90mph, on the computer (several cars, several times, the 55-60mph speeds, that is). Higher mpg than expected, for back then.
On the first gen cars, the LHS would normally average 26-27mpg on highway trips. The few times I rented a Concorde, they were 1.5mpg higher (better shape for aerodynamics, front contours and rear roof line).
On the Gen II cars, I watched as Daimler de-contented them. Rear sway bar gone. Lighted switches, gone, LHS gone (replaced by Concorde LXi). Even a Chevy Impala had these things, standard!
What I need is a reliable source for a new BCM for the '95 New Yorker. Great car, just looking a bid dated in some respects. Don't see that many of them anymore. PM me with BCM suggestions, please.
CBODY67
