300C and Magnum cars -- First impressions from NAIAS (long)

I am guardedly optimistic about the prospects of DCX in general and
Chrysler in particular. The 300C is an attractive car, and for the
money, it's a V8 RWD Sedan with a hemi engine for under 35k. That's
pretty impressive, and for many people, that's all they really need.

I've been a lifelong Chrysler fan and I've even written about how I've
thought DCX was going to ruin Chrysler, and maybe they have. But,
pre-buyout Chrysler had some problems of its own that we seem to
overlook. Fit and finish on the interiors were always so-so at best,
but Chrysler's transmissions oft left something to be desired. How
many Chrysler Cirrus owners are out there that need a new tranny at
90k miles? How many Neon owners?

I for one am looking forward to test driving the Dodge Magnum, and I
certainly welcome the Mercedes transmission in the 300C.

 

Yep. I think it just might save 'em. We'll see.

--Geoff

 

I've never been a Chrysler fan one way or the other.
In 1960 when I was a junior in HS my parents bought a '59 Dodge D-500
convertable, white with red tail fins. THAT really impressed me. It also
impressed my classmates whom I used to beat in drag races.

I owned a '59 Plymouth between '65 and '67 after I totalled a '65 VW
with no insurance. I paid $250 for it and it served me well until I had
paid off enough of the loan on the VW to buy a '67 Mustang in "candy
apple red."

I've always liked the look of the PT cruiser, but the 4 cylinder engine
turned me off.

IMO, the Dodge Magnum Hemi is like a PT Cruiser with attitude!!
I'd really like to have one one, but I'm retired and hardly ever go
anywhere. It would be a pretty stupid purchace since my '90 Toyota Camry
is serving me well for little trips to the store.

However, you only live once and it's about time for a new car.
DROOL! DROOL!

I was glad to see this thread. After seeing the Magnum on the Super Bowl
and surfing the net for info, I subscribed to this NG to see what people
were saying about it.

P.S. Doesn't the Magnum Hemi have the Mercedes transmission too? I
thought I read that it did.

 

Chrysler *used* to make the best transmission in the world (the A-727
and A-904), and really the only questionable one was the 41TE. If you
think it had problems, just wait until you try to live with one of those
Rube Goldberg piece of *&#@@ transmissions that Mercedes builds. I love
the Hemi, but I'd only buy it if they use the same transmission that the
trucks have been getting. Last I heard, though, it will have a Mercedes
junker in it.

 

Charlie Dilks wrote:

Yep, the only time you get a real Chrysler transmission is if you buy a
truck. And its no longer the tried-and-true A-518, but I'm not hearing
too many gripes about the new one. A real shame they didn't shoehorn it
into the cars as well as the trucks, it would have been a nice
drivetrain without a piece of Mercedes bubblegum between the engine and
rear wheels :-(

 

yep....gotta love those 727s!