[00ChryslerIntrepid]

Tom, the Intrepid is a big and heavy car. Don't expect it to stop as quickly as smaller and lighter cars. If you've had to slam on the brakes to avoid rear-ending someone that's your own fault for being inattentive.

If you really want to compare brakes, compare the braking performance of the Intrepid to the braking performance of other cars in it's size and weight class. If, after that, you find the Intrepid's braking sub-par, then I'll believe you, but don't base your judgement of the brakes on the experiences you described.

 

[00ChryslerIntrepid]

And, FYI, I think the braking performance of the Intrepid is good. I have had no problem stopping effectively, even with the car full of people.

Original brakes with 29,500 miles on it.

Driving style has everything to do with it.

 

[00ChryslerIntrepid]

Perhaps the brakes on the Intrepid are not as good as those of the Monte Carlo. I wouldn't necessarily call it a bad design, just an area that could use some improvement. Bad design would be the headlight mouting apparatus on the first generation Intrepids. Bad design (from a subjective aesthetic perspective) would be the styling on the new Monte Carlo. Bad design is not braking distance...it's just an area that could use improvement.

Is it something that is really that big of a deal? Absolutely not. If you're a careful and attentive driver, braking is not a problem, no matter what make/model of automobile you're in.

I certainly wouldn't get rid of your car as soon as you can based just on braking distance. If you develop problems with the car that do not seem to be related to regular maintenance, then I would consider it.

What do you love about your Intrepid? Anything? Don't ignore all the good things that you like about the car...another thing to consider before you trade it in.

[ October 21, 2001: Message edited by: 00ChryslerIntrepid ]

 

[00ChryslerIntrepid]

Marcus, in the event that another driver is not being careful and attentive, brakes that are absolutely perfect in every way are not going to prevent an accident either. No car, no matter how perfect, can prevent the poor choices of an inattentive driver from affecting you.

And I'm not making an excuse, just making sure that we're complaining about the right thing and for the right reasons.

Clearly, the brakes could use improvement. It is also quite clear, based on stories from people who own cars other than Chrysler and Dodge, that there are systems and components on those other makes/models of cars, some more serious, that also require improvement.

[ October 22, 2001: Message edited by: 00ChryslerIntrepid ]

 

[00ChryslerIntrepid]

Exactly

Everyone can find something to complain about. LOL

 

[00ChryslerIntrepid]

Tom, I'm sure you will not be doing any rear-ending in emergency stopping conditions. Lots of people with Intrepids have had to emergency braking (thanks to the idiocy of other drivers) and not been in an accident, so don't believe that your experience is typical.

 

[00ChryslerIntrepid]

Bear in mind that the 98 base model Intrepid came with the smaller, narrower wheels that the previous generation base model had (to the best of my knowledge). I know this because I've seen a few 98 Intrepid's around that had the same tire size I had on my 95 Intrepid. 205-70R15, I believe. My base model 2000 Intrepid has the larger 225-60R16 tires. They are wider, and that makes a difference in stopping distance.

Improvements are always necessary on the first year cars of a particular generation, and that's true of other makes/models too.