YACT: Chrysler 300M Special - any opinions?

BillGates

Diamond Member
Nov 30, 2001
7,388
2
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Has anybody ever driven a 300M or 300M special? I'm considering getting a used 300M Special late next spring. They seem to have high depreciation which is good for the used market but I may have trouble finding one...

I would like to spend around $15,000, maybe a bit more. I have a crotch rocket, so sports cars don't really interest me as they're slow compared to bikes. The 300M would be comfortable, looks nice, and has decent performance if it were needed.

Other vehicles in the market would be a Lexus ES300 and Acura TL, but both would be tons more money that I'm not intrested in spending right now.

Any opinions?
 

lowtech1

Diamond Member
Mar 9, 2000
4,644
1
0
Originally posted by: BillGates
Has anybody ever driven a 300M or 300M special? I'm considering getting a used 300M Special late next spring. They seem to have high depreciation which is good for the used market but I may have trouble finding one...

I would like to spend around $15,000, maybe a bit more. I have a crotch rocket, so sports cars don't really interest me as they're slow compared to bikes. The 300M would be comfortable, looks nice, and has decent performance if it were needed.

Other vehicles in the market would be a Lexus ES300 and Acura TL, but both would be tons more money that I'm not intrested in spending right now.

Any opinions?
Money shouldn't be a concern Mr.

Don't know what TL or ES300 is like, but the 300M is a nice car to drive.

 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
IS300 is a girl's car, so let's just put that one out of the running.

An acura TL is obviously nicer, and faster. But, like you mentioned, it's a lot more money. The 300M is probably pretty nice. What year and miles would you get for $15k?
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,234
1,718
126
I have a 1999 300M. Its not the "special edition" but it is a great car. Its got decent power, and good handling. It has been extremely reliable for me and has given me no problems (though the front brakes are starting to go and will need some work soon). I bought mine last year for about 15K and so far it has definatly been worth it.
I have never driven an ES300 or a TL, so I couldn't compare them.

EDIT: When I got mine it had only 27K miles on it
 

RedRooster

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2000
6,596
0
76
Originally posted by: Skoorb
IS300 is a girl's car, so let's just put that one out of the running.

An acura TL is obviously nicer, and faster. But, like you mentioned, it's a lot more money. The 300M is probably pretty nice. What year and miles would you get for $15k?

Why is the IS a girl's car? Are you questioning my hetrosexuality because I think it's a nice looking car, even though it's a bit underpowered? :)

The 300M is a nice car, they look awfully big from the outside though. I see a lot of older people driving them around too, maybe because they look like the Intrepids and whatnot? I dunno. Would still rather go foreign, but if the 300M is depreciated a lot by the time you buy it, it'd be worth booting around in for a few years. I say go for it!
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Why is the IS a girl's car? Are you questioning my hetrosexuality because I think it's a nice looking car, even though it's a bit underpowered?
I dunno, it just seems a little classier than a Jetta, which for most guys is kind of a yuppie-in-your-20's males car. Often though I see a lot of young daddy's girls driving the IS300. I just find it exceptionally unmasculine in almost all ways.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
I agree that the IS300 is a girls' car, but at least isn't FWD. :D
When you're as girly as the IS it doesn't matter if you're AWD!
 

Mr N8

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
8,793
0
76
300M is a great all-around car. Good handling, good accelleration, and tons of cabin room. Sitting in the back seat is like lounging on a couch. The drivers seat has all the controls nicely positioned around the driver. The passenger seat is huge and comfortable.

 

BillGates

Diamond Member
Nov 30, 2001
7,388
2
81
Originally posted by: Skoorb
IS300 is a girl's car, so let's just put that one out of the running.

An acura TL is obviously nicer, and faster. But, like you mentioned, it's a lot more money. The 300M is probably pretty nice. What year and miles would you get for $15k?

Right now the average used 2002 300M Special with 25-30k miles goes for around 18 (that I've found so far). I'm hoping that 6 months from now when I'm truly serious the prices will be a bit lower - or I have a little more money!
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: BillGates
Originally posted by: Skoorb
IS300 is a girl's car, so let's just put that one out of the running.

An acura TL is obviously nicer, and faster. But, like you mentioned, it's a lot more money. The 300M is probably pretty nice. What year and miles would you get for $15k?

Right now the average used 2002 300M Special with 25-30k miles goes for around 18 (that I've found so far). I'm hoping that 6 months from now when I'm truly serious the prices will be a bit lower - or I have a little more money!
So, basically the exact same price you can expect to pay for a maxima of the same age and miles.

I'd rather take the maxima, but I won't pretend that it's going to be as luxurious as the 300M :)

 

BillGates

Diamond Member
Nov 30, 2001
7,388
2
81
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: BillGates
Originally posted by: Skoorb
IS300 is a girl's car, so let's just put that one out of the running.

An acura TL is obviously nicer, and faster. But, like you mentioned, it's a lot more money. The 300M is probably pretty nice. What year and miles would you get for $15k?

Right now the average used 2002 300M Special with 25-30k miles goes for around 18 (that I've found so far). I'm hoping that 6 months from now when I'm truly serious the prices will be a bit lower - or I have a little more money!
So, basically the exact same price you can expect to pay for a maxima of the same age and miles.

I'd rather take the maxima, but I won't pretend that it's going to be as luxurious as the 300M :)

The Maxima is actually the other car on my list. I had mentioned to a friend of mine that I liked Maximas a while back and he noted that he never really checked them out much. Lo and behold, a month or two later he and his wife got a 2003. I got kinda pissed about that and haven't cared so much about them since.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Maximas are nice :) I would recommend against buying a 2004. Maybe I've read only the bad posts, but there are a sickening amount of problems with the 2004s from what little I've read at maxima.org. I'm sure the 05s will be great, and some are having no worries with their 04s, but more than a couple of people have had to return their car and get other ones, or jump off the nissan bandwagon altogether because of their 04.
 

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
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Originally posted by: MogulMonster
300M is a great all-around car. Good handling, good accelleration, and tons of cabin room. Sitting in the back seat is like lounging on a couch. The drivers seat has all the controls nicely positioned around the driver. The passenger seat is huge and comfortable.

Gotta agree with this. Almost went with a new 2004 300M until I realized their depreciation rate. Yes, I know all new cars depreciate quickly, but the 300M depreciated a lot faster compared to the other cars I was looking at. Plus it had the highest sticker price, but man was it loaded.