New car shopping......

brettw22

OK, I haven't started officially looking for a new car as of yet, but I've been trying to find a car that I even like lookin at nowadays.

Right now I'm driving a Honda Accord 4cyl which has been ok, but not what i expected it to be when I got it. I want something with a bigger engine, and it has to have more room. I never realize how small my car is until I get back in town from being in a rental all week long. I also will NEVER drive a 4cyl car again.

That being said, I had pretty much decided that I should look at the Nissan Maxima. The new style is different, but overall the Maxima has a great rep and their engine has been rated as the best 6 on the market somethin like 9 out of the past 10 years I think.

For a few weeks lately, I've driven the new Chrysler 300M. WOW what a car. THe ride, the styling (front end of a Bentley, back end of a Caddy, and the chopped body of something circa Green Hornet era)......EVERYTHING about that car is HOT......(see pic below). I can't say that I've ever really thought about a Chrysler before, so I'm curious what y'all think about them. The new 300M is their first rear wheel in over 20 years, so maybe this first year in production would be a bad idea, but I REALLY liked driving that thing. The big negative about the 300M is that it weighs in at just under 5000 pounds. I know that translates into dead weight for gas mileage, but it gets about 25% less mpg than what I'm currently getting, while having a tank that's 3gallons larger......

Both cars are about the same price, so from a pricing standpoint one doesn't automatically win out over the other. I'm sure the styling on the 300M won't appeal to everyone, but aesthetically I REALLY like it. Any other opinions??????

brettw22

Here's a side shot to show ya the chopped body top........

brettw22

try this again......

F1nut

Yep, you'd look good in that pimp daddy car.

pjdami

My first thought that came to mind when I saw that picture was pimped out FBI car. I don't know just not me at this point in my life.

As for the Nissans. I own a 2002 Pathfinder and its the only new vehicle that I have owned that I have driven off the lot and never returned to the dealer for any repairs or little nuisance things that usually come up with new vehicles. Not a single problem yet. Knocks on wood...

Happy shopping on whatever you get. New cars are always fun.

pjdami

Looks a little better from the side.. but still screams undercover agent.

brettw22

I don't think that the pics do the car all the justice it deserves. This car looks beefy and agressive as hell. It could swing either way to the older generation (I've seen a few 50+ drivers), but this car looks like a throwback muscle car.......

warviper

Ive never been impressed with the build quality of domestic cars. Currently I have a lexus es300 and the craftsmanship far exceeds any domestic that I have owned in the past. I have read that domestic makers have mad great improvement but I dont think that they are there just yet.


Chryser has this kick **** wagon platform with the hemi that looks cool. I would take a good look at that one before the 300m.


If you are buyibg new there are alot of cars in that price range that will blow you away. Check out the Mercedes kompressor. 2.3 liter supercharged two seater that handles like its on rails with a convertable hard top. Great for Arizona weather.

brettw22

Originally posted by warviper
Ive never been impressed with the build quality of domestic cars. Currently I have a lexus es300 and the craftsmanship far exceeds any domestic that I have owned in the past. I have read that domestic makers have mad great improvement but I dont think that they are there just yet.

Check out the Mercedes kompressor. 2.3 liter supercharged two seater that handles like its on rails with a convertable hard top. Great for Arizona weather.

Ah.....let me add to my stipulations......I will NEVER again own another 2 door car. I don't have a need for a car that is meant to be DRIVEN because I don't have a problem getting whatever car I own well past the legal speed limits....lol

I think that one of the pluses that Chrysler has goin for it (as wel as Dodge) is that they have the Daimer engineering backing them now. The quality of the interior of the 300M was incredible and I didn't really have any quality issues with the car. I've seen that new Dodge wagon, but I'd buy a Chrysler before I'd buy a Dodge......

warviper

The build issue is never apparent in a brand new car. All issues happen in a few years. Loose panels, and parts that just show wear alot faster than they should. Check out long term test results and stay away from new models. It always takes a while to iron out all the wrinkles.

danger boy

cars say alot about a person. what do you want your car to say about you? are you looking for a sophisticasted look? Do you want something that says i'm sexy, look at me? Sporty, muscle, athletic, frugal, carefree?

Give me an idea. I think though most foreign cars look sexier than their American counterparts.

I just got a used econo car for me to drive to and from work. I needed something with good gas milage. I got a Plymouth Neon. Yeah, it's not sexy or anything.. and it's my second car. It says i like to save money on gas, and i'm cheap as hell.. but yet sporty. lol

I have to go with the others on this car.. looks to much like a car my grandfather would drive to me. Big, boxy, and heavy. Like a tank.

I prefer sleek, sexy, more aerodynamic looking instead. More like a Jag or something like that.

good luck. car shopping is both fun and tiresome. Tiresome, because I can never make up my mind on which one to get.

amulford

I kida like the new Dodge that looks like a station wagon w/ a Hemi under the hood:)

goingganzo

IT IS A MAGNUM i think and i was looking at it i dont care for the wagons but this looks kind of cool it is olny areiund 30k with the hemo and 33 if you add some stuff to it. i was also looking at the rx8 a real sweet sports car.

dorokusai

Buy a used Yugo.

F1nut

Yeah, Doro's Yugo is really cool. Channeled, chopped and lowered with hand truck wheels and about 50 hp that thing moves out as long as you have a strong tail wind.

Early B.

That Chrysler is incredible. It's the most appealing car on the road in its class. Very impressive. I've been looking at purchasing one for my wife this year. Never thought I'd buy a Chrysler either, but lately they make the best body styles. Their Crossfire sports car is great, too. We also like their SUV (forgot the name). I even bought a used Chrysler LHS recently because the price was so low and I'm liking it a lot.

jdavy

Car looks good. Has an optional Hemi 5.7 V8. Is rear wheel drive.

But, is not Japaneese and the last american car I got was not reliable. I drive an Odysey from Canada and a Maxima from Japan.

brettw22

I agree with the American vs. Japanese arguement..........BUT having Daimer behind them puts a MUCH better level of comfort in my head about it as compared to that of a Ford for instance....

I'm thinking that if I go with the Maxima I'll do a purchase, but if I do the Chrysler, I'll look into leasing.......

brettw22

Originally posted by amulford
I kida like the new Dodge that looks like a station wagon w/ a Hemi under the hood:)

If you look at that Dodge wagon thing, you will see the 300M pretty clearly. I think that from the back seat to the back door of that Dodge it slopes too much. The same engine can be had in both, but I think you can even get the Hemi version for mid 20's if I'm not mistaken....

joe6pak

I am a little biased as I am a Mopar man from way back. I still have my first Dodge from 69. I have a 98 Dodge quad cab 4wd and mrs6pak has a 2000 300M. The 300M is a pretty nice car. It handles o.k. for a front wheel drive. ( I still have a problem being confident with fwd ) It has adequate power and is not bad confort wise. She liked the new 300 the first time she saw one on T.V. I was not that impressed. I have seen one in person and did like it a lot better. Now for the good part. Rear wheel drive and the HEMI! I just read a test on the HEMI powered 300C and they got a 14.1 quarter out of the car. That is pretty quick. This car would match up with a majority of the 60's muscle cars. I have driven several different muscle cars and am into the brute acceleration stuff. The most brutal one I ever drove was powered by a 426 street HEMI. This new Chrysler would not keep up with the 426, but I am sure the 300C would be way more comfortable.

The foreign cars do have a good rep for quality control. I think that the American cars are catching up. Hell a lot of the foreign brands are built in the USA, and a lot of the American brands are built over the border. My dodge truck was built in Mexico.:)

joe