[SpeedyV6]

Atfter 180,620 miles it looks like my '97 LHS - which ran perfectly just three days ago - is being sidelined with tranny issues (it's stuck in second gear & won't upshift to third).

I'm thinking about buying an '04 300M with 34,000 miles for ~ $20K. Is there anything I should know about the second generation LH cars (300M, Concorde, LHS). I appreciate any suggestions.

 

[Avenger]

What you should know about your tranny is that it might be a very MINOR thing. Transmission input or output sensor's breaking are VERY common issues.

 

[red2k300m]

They depreciate rapidly. Bought a used 00 300m at 6000 under retail in late 02 and now im already $3300 upside down if I could find someone to buy it at the KBB private party value.

Is there anything I should know about the second generation LH cars (300M, Concorde, LHS). I appreciate any suggestions.

 

[00ChryslerIntrepid]

Resale value is one of the main reasons I bought an Accord.

I had about 2 years left on the loan for the Intrepid... which was longer than I wanted to have a car that already had 90K miles on it.... and who's engine was less-than-solid in the reliability dept.

 

[alderran]

You don't buy cars as investments .. add to that the fact that your current vehicle has high mileage which leads me to believe you keep your cars for a long time. Therefore resale value does not matter...

If you like it then get it I bet you can get some really good deals now that the redesigned model is out. Not that I like the redesigned model... to me the 300M is beautiful and the 300C is ugly!

 

[00ChryslerIntrepid]

You don't buy cars as investments

Speak for yourself. Cars aren't an investment in terms of receiving more money from it than you put into it.... but they are investments in other senses of the word.

Resale value matters if you don't want to or end up not being able to keep the car for the life of the loan.

 

[alderran]

Even though your Honda has good resale value it still dropped by thousands the second you drove it off the lot. Go to Kelly Blue book and check for yourself if you don't believe me.

You know last year at this time you would have attacked me if I said 2.7L Intrepids were unreliable... funny how your tune has changed.

 

[00ChryslerIntrepid]

Even though your Honda has good resale value it still dropped by thousands the second you drove it off the lot. Go to Kelly Blue book and check for yourself if you don't believe me.

You know last year at this time you would have attacked me if I said 2.7L Intrepids were unreliable... funny how your tune has changed.

Yeah, I know it's value has dropped off considerably by driving it off the lot. That happens to all cars. Over time, though, the Accord will depreciate slower than many other vehicles.

2.7L Intrepids aren't unreliable... but the engine is cause for concern when you owe a ton on it (as I did), it has lots of miles, and 2 years remaining on the loan.

 

[alderran]

Then you should buy a car that is cheaper so you won't be so deep in debt that it is a cause for concern. I could have bought a more expensive car but then it might have been a burden to me financially. So I bought a car that I could afford and I don't have to worry about my equity position because there is no equity in a car.

 

[00ChryslerIntrepid]

Then you should buy a car that is cheaper so you won't be so deep in debt that it is a cause for concern. I could have bought a more expensive car but then it might have been a burden to me financially. So I bought a car that I could afford and I don't have to worry about my equity position because there is no equity in a car.

This is a cheaper car.... cheaper than a more desirable Accord EX with leather... or Acura TSX.

I couldn't go too cheap, though, because then the Loan-to-Value ratio on the loan... with the negative equity... would be too high. I had $5K worth of negative equity to eat. Add that $5K on to the cost of a cheaper car and the LTV ratio gets well above 130%... which almost no bank or credit union would do.

I can definitely afford the Accord. It's $30 more per month than my Intrepid loan was costing me. I saved $30 per month by dropping my land-line phone and using just my cell phone. That decision I was going to make anyway... new car or not.

 

[CaptainMorgan]

Alright you two quite ****in around in this guys thread.

I can't speak for the 04 models specifically but the common second gen problems are rotors warping-happens in almost every one of them, and then some other less common places of concern are air conditioning, the transmission which still the same as your first gen for the most part, and other than that I can't really think of any other common problems. I have had great luck with the reliability of my car. The tranmission getting rebuilt was all my fault being a new 16 yo driver and being retarded. With that said its a great car and I say jump on it. I wish I had the money for a 300M.

 

[TJ]

Ditto on what Avenger said, check sensors first. If its just a sensor issue then you are back on the road with very little out of your pocket. If you are using this as "the final straw" to get a new car, then it would still be worth your while to check the sensors for the resale issue. The car will obviously not be worth as much if the tranny is not working (trade or sale).

 

[dakotaquadsport]

Sounds like you've got some pretty good service out of the LHS. The M is smaller in length than the LHS so if your looking for that trunk space.... But it's a really nice car, I wish I had an M. If anything, say if you do buy it, get a warranty on it

 

[SPOOK R/T]

Cars can be good investments. Like i wish i had the $4,000 1970 hemi cuda Conv. They are now going for a million bucks. The 50 Viper 2004 SRT 10 Rams and SRT 8 Chargers would be good investments. A Maybach in 30 years would be another one. A Motor Sports Intrepid R/T might be one in the future because they made very few. Any performance car that they make in very few of or in odd ball colors. Have a good chance of making a good return on your money. If you take care of it and with low miles in 25 to 30 years.

 

[Avenger]

.........maybe why my 2002 Intrepid R/T is now in storage until the spring? Only 1917 made and I want to preserve it

 

[SpeedyV6]

Ditto on what Avenger said, check sensors first. If its just a sensor issue then you are back on the road with very little out of your pocket. If you are using this as "the final straw" to get a new car, then it would still be worth your while to check the sensors for the resale issue. The car will obviously not be worth as much if the tranny is not working (trade or sale).

Can I check the sensors myself or would it be necessary to tear down the tranny to find out?

 

[dakotaquadsport]

The sensors are on the outside of the transmission:

http://dodgeintrepid.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14839

 

[SpeedyV6]

The sensors are on the outside of the transmission:

http://dodgeintrepid.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14839

Sorry for sounding like a dumb newb but is this image the view from underneath the engine or from the top? I couldn't recognize much of anything in the diagram:

 

[dakotaquadsport]

Well thats the transmission right there, the left side of it. I think thats the correct diagram, if someone else knows better please put your input in.