300C's as beautiful as in the ads

A silver Hemi pulled up next to me on Shelburne Rd in South Burlington
Vt. just about 2 hours ago... Needless to say I followed it back to the
dealer. WOW. It really does look as good in person as in the
ads..Beautifully appointed and that engine! They had 4. 2 Hemi's, a
Touring and a base model.
I was skeptical that the 300C would look as rich as it does based on
past experiences with pictures of the Crossfire.... and then in person...
Ugh. As for the fatboy Pacifica I expect that comes with a years supply of
Snickers to make it even fatter..
Will having such a broad range of models cheapen the 300 line, or as a
year goes by see the slimming down of the trim levels to keep it an exciting
car?
_Fred

 

Welcome to the "Mercedies-ification" of Chrysler.

One car (300) coming in a half-dozen different sub-models. All look
the same from the outside. Different engines and interiors on the
inside. Yawn.

All of them looking like Bentleys.

It's the big-box car. It's got to be. It's doing double-duty as a
station-wagonish suv-ish thing for Dodge (Magnum). These
industrial-looking cars are the new thing, we're told. People are
into the high-beltline thing, we're told. Something about a certain
feeling of security. Course you have to raise the body some to put in
the AWD.

I like my car-line with more visual differentiation. But I guess we
can't have it with the "volume brand" that is Chrysler. Of course I
like to have more "car" in my car. If I want fisher price or tonka I
know where to get that.

Remember - these cars only look good in the limited, toned-down color
set they have. They better have a hemi with the freeking huge flat
front wall-of-a-grill they're pushing down the highway. I hear that
there's a dealer accessory (front ground-effects kit) that turns it
into a hemi-powered snow plow.

 

No, they don't, but for 2005 it will be available in three trim levels -
Pacifica, Pacifica Touring and Pacifica Limited. As for our 2004 AWD - best
vehicle we have ever owned (except for the mileage).

RP

 

| A silver Hemi pulled up next to me on Shelburne Rd in South Burlington
| Vt. just about 2 hours ago... Needless to say I followed it back to the
| dealer. WOW. It really does look as good in person as in the
| ads..Beautifully appointed and that engine! They had 4. 2 Hemi's, a
| Touring and a base model.
| I was skeptical that the 300C would look as rich as it does based on
| past experiences with pictures of the Crossfire.... and then in person...
| Ugh. As for the fatboy Pacifica I expect that comes with a years supply of
| Snickers to make it even fatter..
| Will having such a broad range of models cheapen the 300 line, or as a
| year goes by see the slimming down of the trim levels to keep it an exciting
| car?
| _Fred
|

It's a friggin square box!

 

When I test drove a Pacifica the seat controls on the door seemed loosely
installed. Have they given you any problems?

 

Nothin' wrong with square boxes. A great many beautiful cars over the
years have been square boxes. The '64-'65 Imperial is a square box. The
'70 Dart is a square box. The '62 Continental is a square box. The '64
and '78 Chevrolet full-size cars are square boxes. The problem with the
300C isn't that it's a square box, the problem is that way-too-high
beltline and too-short window glass, the raised-rump effect of the trunk,
and the "We didn't study so we had to cheat off Cadillac during the test"
greenhouse styling.

This is not an attractive car to any degree greater than the ad hype has
made people think it is.

DS

 

No problems with the seat controls except for the fact that the passenger seat
doesn't have all of the capabilities of the drivers seat. That being said,
there were a few minor problems that had to be corrected under warranty:

1. The alignment of the hood was off and had to be corrected. When it was it
showed that the edge wasn't painted so that now has to be done.
2. The beltline chrome molding was loose and had to be replaced. When it was
the body shop damaged the new one so it has to be done again!
3. The dashboard clock was not aligned properly so instead of straightening it
they replaced it.
4. The drivers floormat had a bad grommet that would not allow the floormat to
be removed.
5. The passenger seatback would occasionally stop working. They found a faulty
motor and replaced the seatback frame.
6. The winged-badge logo in the steering wheel was cracked so the replaced the
airbag unit.

Except for the seatback nothing on this list is a major issue, just annoyances
that I figured should be corrected. Some of the parts had to be ordered so they
had the car for five days. That was no problem because we get a free loaner
whenever the Pacifica goes in for service.

RP

 

As many people who have read this newsgroup over the last few months know, I
have been a strong proponent of this vehicle. I finally said I would reserve
final judgement until I saw it in person. Well I have seen it in person and I
have to agree with your statement above. I do like the front styling but the
high beltline/low greenhouse is not pleasing. I do, however, like the styling
on the Dodge Magnum as it lends itself better to the wagon, but I prefer the
front styling of the 300 over the Magnum. Unfortunately if I want to buy a
vehicle like that I will have to move to Europe.

RP

 

That is a lot of problems for a new car these days. Hope they get their
act together.

 

Not really. Had the vehicle been purchased by someone not as "nit-picky" as me
items 1, 2, 3 and 6 would not have been noticed. As a matter of fact, the
vehicle is driven daily by my wife. She only noticed items 3 and 5 and item 5
remains questionable because it has more to do with the way the clock is mouted
at a slight angle toward the driver. The average person wouldn't care that the
back of the hood sat about 1/8" lower than it should or that the beltline
molding sat 1/8" higher at the rear than it should. Overall these are very
insignificant for a vehicle that was built last July in the first initial days
of production.

RP

 

Or wait for next year.

I expect the 300 Touring will come this way when it no longer
completely undercuts Dodge, i.e., when the new Charger is at Dodge
dealers.

 

| On Thu, 8 Apr 2004, James C. Reeves wrote:
|
| > It's a friggin square box!
|
| Nothin' wrong with square boxes. A great many beautiful cars over the
| years have been square boxes. The '64-'65 Imperial is a square box. The
| '70 Dart is a square box. The '62 Continental is a square box. The '64
| and '78 Chevrolet full-size cars are square boxes. The problem with the
| 300C isn't that it's a square box, the problem is that way-too-high
| beltline and too-short window glass, the raised-rump effect of the trunk,
| and the "We didn't study so we had to cheat off Cadillac during the test"
| greenhouse styling.
|
| This is not an attractive car to any degree greater than the ad hype has
| made people think it is.
|
| DS

I guess I don't like boxy-looking cars...at least the ones with the newer style
queues. It doesn't seem at all stylish to me. Looks plain-Jane to me. But it
appears many do like it. I wonder how the wind drag rating is on that puppy?

 

I doubt Chrysler would do that because of the Pacifica.

RP

 

Remember, it's only square on the outside.

If they have designed and wind-tunnel-tested the ductwork properly behind
that huge grill, they can do wonders with airflow inside the body.

<http://scoop.daimlerchrysler.com/pdf/product/30005specifications.pdf>
says the drag coefficient is between 0.331 and 0.350, depending on trim.

That's pretty darned slippery for a car with as much frontal area as the
300C. By comparison, a 94 LHS, a 92 Taurus or a 95 Saab 900 has a cd of
0.320, and a 93 Saab 9000 or an 82 Delorean has a cd of 0.340.

 

Frontal area is only half the battle, rearward is the rest. The best
ass-ends
are ones that gently taper in. You can get away with a fat front if the
ass isn't fat. The wedge shape isn't actually as aerodynamic as people
think. You want a more teardrop shaped vehicle if you can get it.

Ted

 

I think this applies only for subsonic speeds.


Matt

 

funny thing i saw the other day a new pt parked on side of the main drag
and someone parked a 48 fiat behind it amazing how much they were alike
and the aero dynamics were very similar
it seems to me the ebodys are still as slippery as say a new malibu

 

What is the drag coef. for the 300M ?

 

Hmm, I wonder if this guy knew that?

http://www.jetped-boarders.co.uk/

Ted

 

You mean like:

Belvedere
-Satellite
-Sport Satellite
-GTX
-Roadrunner?

Or:

Coronet
-Coronet 440
-Coronet 500
-Coronet R/T
-Superbee

Or maybe:

Chrysler
-Windsor
-Saratoga
-New Yorker
-300 Sport Series
-300 Letter Series

I'm certainly no fan of the Daimler takeover, but give it a REST
already. The 300 is looking better and better the more I learn about it,
and now it looks like Dodge is going to get a sedan after all. About the
only downside is that last I heard they're planning to use a German
transmission, but at least the Hemi is an Auburn Hills design.