2012 Chrysler 300

[Vic Vega]

I've found my next car and it will be a Chrysler. :ninja:

For the last three days I have been driving a 2012 Chrysler 300 C. Normally I don't rent premium cars but through a promotion I received this car at the midsize car price. I will have the car through September 10th and will put approximately 2,000 miles on it. This car has every single option available with the exception of a sunroof. I couldn't quite figure that one out. I am the second renter of this car according to the counter jockey and the car has just 4,500 miles on it.

I knew the 300 was a good car and rented one back in 2007. It was a base model with the mid-grade V6 but I still thought it was a very good car. Quiet, good handling, spacious, good material quality (not great, but good), decent acceleration, great styling (subjective but I liked it). Good isn't great though and I always thought the 300 was overpriced for what you were getting and that turned me off. I ended up going with a Lincoln LS instead which while smaller checked the premium car boxes better.

Fast forward to the updated car. I don't care what prior experience you have with a Chrysler product or how bad you may think of them. If you drive this car you opinion will be changed, mine was. I have enjoyed this car so much the last three days I am looking to buy one in the next 30 days, as soon as I turn this one in basically. It's that good.

I might throw some photos up if I have time.

 

[MrA79]

I recall Wired was quite fond of it as well.

http://www.wired.com/reviews/2011/09/chrysler-300/

Great car by all accounts, but expensive to insure around here (high theft risk category thanks to the 300\Charger popularity with certain uh... demographics).

 

[Black2na]

The 300s are nice. Do yourself a favor and go look at a Taurus at the same trim level I loved that car when I had it as a rental even the base model was exceptional. Doesn't hurt to look and if you don't like it go get your 300.

 

[alpineranger]

The base 300 has arguably improved even more than v8 ones. The new v6 is much better and you get the 8 speed ZF transmission that BMW and the like are using.

 

[Bacstar]

I've had the 2012 300S AWD V-8 now since November, and prior to that, a 2000 300M. Never had any major issues with either car, so never understood the bad rep. Absolutely love this car, and I'll probably drive this for another 10-12 years.

 

[nerp]

NIce bro. The 2012 Charger is similar and I have a similar experience and story. Drove one, was blown away. Love getting into it every morning. The 8-speed transmission is just fantastic.

 

[heymrdj]

I heavily shopped these before settling on a 2012 Civic as a stop gap car. The 300C currently can only have the aged 5 speed. Do yourself a favor and drive the premium V6, the power of the older hemi is 80% there and a drastic increase in mileage. I got as high as 34mpg on the highway @60mph. Chrysler made it so you can get every option (including AWD) in either the 6 or the 8. I drove a fully loaded Limited AWD 6, they wanted 47k for it. I was going to get it, but because I've never had a car payment before (all previous was cash) they wanted a 15k down payment on it. I was willing at most to do a 7k dp (5.5k trade, plus 2k cash). I got the civic to put an installment on my credit, the 300 will be mine someday! The White/Tan interior of the Limited AWD 300 I drove was sheer orgasm.

http://odanieljeep.com/2012-Chrysler-300-Limited-Fort-Wayne/vd/9061507 That's the one I drove.

I cross shopped it with the BMW 328i AWD, the Lexus IS350 AWD, and the Taurus SHO AWD. They are all really wonderful cars. The 328 was easily the looser of the bunch (low warranty and low features for the price). The IS350 was more spartan, but its looks were regal (I drove a red one with tan interior) and that trademark Lexus quietness and smoothness was there in spades. The Taurus was a wonderful car and a big tug on my heart strings. The problem is Ford (like the 2012/13 Focus HB) is wanting too many $$$ for the features. Where's the LED running lights (not those really weak ones they are putting in the fog spots right now). Where's the LED tail lights (2013 will get them, but 12's have incandescents). Lit entry sill? The SHO performance package is a must but it locks you out of many color options and basics. I think the interior was a tad higher quality than the 300, but I didn't find seating and accomodation as nice as the 300.

Basically if I had been offered a better deal, about 5 weeks ago I would have been posting pics of that white 300 in my driveway.

 

[LTC8K6]

I heavily shopped these before settling on a 2012 Civic as a stop gap car. The 300C currently can only have the aged 5 speed. Do yourself a favor and drive the premium V6, the power of the older hemi is 80% there and a drastic increase in mileage. I got as high as 34mpg on the highway @60mph. Chrysler made it so you can get every option (including AWD) in either the 6 or the 8. I drove a fully loaded Limited AWD 6, they wanted 47k for it. I was going to get it, but because I've never had a car payment before (all previous was cash) they wanted a 15k down payment on it. I was willing at most to do a 7k dp (5.5k trade, plus 2k cash). I got the civic to put an installment on my credit, the 300 will be mine someday! The White/Tan interior of the Limited AWD 300 I drove was sheer orgasm.

http://odanieljeep.com/2012-Chrysler-300-Limited-Fort-Wayne/vd/9061507 That's the one I drove.

I cross shopped it with the BMW 328i AWD, the Lexus IS350 AWD, and the Taurus SHO AWD. They are all really wonderful cars. The 328 was easily the looser of the bunch (low warranty and low features for the price). The IS350 was more spartan, but its looks were regal (I drove a red one with tan interior) and that trademark Lexus quietness and smoothness was there in spades. The Taurus was a wonderful car and a big tug on my heart strings. The problem is Ford (like the 2012/13 Focus HB) is wanting too many $$$ for the features. Where's the LED running lights (not those really weak ones they are putting in the fog spots right now). Where's the LED tail lights (2013 will get them, but 12's have incandescents). Lit entry sill? The SHO performance package is a must but it locks you out of many color options and basics. I think the interior was a tad higher quality than the 300, but I didn't find seating and accomodation as nice as the 300.

Basically if I had been offered a better deal, about 5 weeks ago I would have been posting pics of that white 300 in my driveway.

The Pentastar is nowhere near as powerful as the older Hemi, let alone the current Hemi. It is well short in the torque department, and quite a bit short in the horsepower department.

That said, the Pentastar is a great engine and is a great package with the 8 speed in the Charger and the 300.

Old Hemi was 340Hp and 390Tq
3.6L V6 is 288Hp and 260Tq

 

[heymrdj]

I drove the 300c as well. The engine is potent, but does alot of gear jumping trying to work with the car. Driving it in city reminds me alot of my 4 speed 2004 expedition 5.4. A drive that feels like the car is stumbling over itself. Until the revised hemi with it's own version of the 8spd comes, which supposedly is the 2014 model year, the hemi just isn't a contender in that car to me. To each their own though. My dealer said only 11% of their 300 sales are the hemi. No one wants to pay the price bump and the massive fuel tax for the bit of extra power that is not managed well through that cruddy 5spd.

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[Vic Vega]

The 300 I have is white/tan. Great looking car. This is my favorite color combination for a car, followed closely by black/tan.

I am a V8 guy and will go with the Hemi. I can't say I am bothered by the 5 speed and my experience has been super smooth. I'm sure the new V6 is very nice, but I enjoy torque, especially for stop and go traffic. I can't stand winding a small engine up over and over just to go 50 yards. I am sure the new 8 speed helps with this, but I'll go with the V8 anyway.

 

[heymrdj]

The 6 has a very authoritative exhaust and with the 8 speed i averaged 1800rpm. It sounds like a half as loud hemi. I couldn't stand getting 9mpg less doing the same thing. I could chirp the tires on a stoplight with the 6 and burn them with the 8. But like I said to each their own they are both phenomenal. . I personally won't get the 8 until the 2014 rendition. Which is right about my timeframe

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[Ferzerp]

I don't believe you can get AWD with the real V8.

 

[Vic Vega]

I don't believe you can get AWD with the real V8.

Yes, the SRT8 is RWD only, as it should be.

 

[heymrdj]

I don't believe you can get AWD with the real V8.

Yes, the SRT8 is RWD only, as it should be.

+1

 

[heymrdj]

Oh and referring to power, real world reviews have the 5.7L hemi models at 6.1 seconds, and the 3.7L V6 Pentastar's at 6.6 seconds. That's how powerful and technologically superior this 6 is to the 8. Which is why I think it's such a tragedy that it hasn't been revamped and mated to an 8 like yesterday. To me a car of its regality needs a V8 against the competition, but getting caught up to by a 6 almost half of it's L output is sad. The hemi should put out way more.

Here's the 6 sound from the interior: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpw2UstbznI

 

[Vic Vega]

I have a different requirement for engine power. Brute acceleration, 0-60 times, etc are not a priority to me in this car. 6.1 vs 6.6 0-60 is marginal for me - either time is "fast enough" for this car. Here is where the V8 wins. The driveability of the V8 car does not change with 4 adult passengers and a full trunk - the V6 does. That's the difference the V8 makes. Like I already mentioned, the torque is the key. The V8 has gobs of it, down low where you want it - perfect for city traffic where you stop and go a lot. Being able to effortlessly pull away without pushing 6K RPM is what I am after, to me that's what these cars are about.

I felt the same way about the big S class Mercs in the 90s. Who buys I 320? I guess it comes down to buy what you like. I like the V8.

 

[heymrdj]

I have a different requirement for engine power. Brute acceleration, 0-60 times, etc are not a priority to me in this car. 6.1 vs 6.6 0-60 is marginal for me - either time is "fast enough" for this car. Here is where the V8 wins. The driveability of the V8 car does not change with 4 adult passengers and a full trunk - the V6 does. That's the difference the V8 makes. Like I already mentioned, the torque is the key. The V8 has gobs of it, down low where you want it - perfect for city traffic where you stop and go a lot. Being able to effortlessly pull away without pushing 6K RPM is what I am after, to me that's what these cars are about.

I felt the same way about the big S class Mercs in the 90s. Who buys I 320? I guess it comes down to buy what you like. I like the V8.

Believe me I understand where you're coming from. That's why all my cars have been 8's (well except my ranger..they don't make them in 8's ..would be epic though..) I just think it's sad Chrysler has let the 5.7 continue to be mated to such a shotty tranny.

 

[thegimp03]

I like the look of them, way less outlandish than the Charger SRT8 Super Bee with the 6.4L I test drove for fun a few weeks ago. The sales guy told me to punch on it on the freeway and I obliged...

 

[Ferzerp]

Oh and referring to power, real world reviews have the 5.7L hemi models at 6.1 seconds, and the 3.7L V6 Pentastar's at 6.6 seconds. That's how powerful and technologically superior this 6 is to the 8. Which is why I think it's such a tragedy that it hasn't been revamped and mated to an 8 like yesterday. To me a car of its regality needs a V8 against the competition, but getting caught up to by a 6 almost half of it's L output is sad. The hemi should put out way more.

Here's the 6 sound from the interior: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpw2UstbznI

The 6.4L is in the mid 4's 0-60.

 

[heymrdj]

The 6.4L is in the mid 4's 0-60.

Yup I was comparing the normal 300's, not the specialty models (SRT8 is the only one I know of the with 6.4). If the OP is set only on the single specialty model well yeah the V8 makes the only amount of sense lol. I was only arguing in the closeness between the 6/8 thanks to trannys. I know as soon as the 8 gets the 8 speed I'm all over it

 

[CA19100]

I rented a 300 a few months back, and really liked it as well. Comfortable, fun to drive, and seemed really solid.

I don't care what prior experience you have with a Chrysler product...

Well, my last experience with a Chrysler involved its transmission blowing up at 83,000 miles, on a car I had since new. This was just a couple of years ago. I ended up trading the carcass in on a ~3-year-old Honda.

I took exceptionally good care of that Chrysler, and a manufacturing flaw turned it into a lawn ornament. A tooth broke in the transmission's hydraulic pump, sending chunks of metal through the whole system. They wanted $3200 to replace it. When I asked if Chrysler would help on this one because it was an obvious manufacturing defect, they just said, "Out of warranty, nothing we can do."

So however nice the car may look and drive, it's going to be a cold day in hell before I even consider another Chrysler product. I need a car to last a whole lot longer than 83,000 miles.


Now the Buick LaCrosse, on the other hand, is one I'd seriously consider. I rented one last month, and loved driving it. I had pretty much written Buick off as an Old Man Car, but this wasn't the case at all with the LaCrosse.

 

[Ferzerp]

Yup I was comparing the normal 300's, not the specialty models (SRT8 is the only one I know of the with 6.4). If the OP is set only on the single specialty model well yeah the V8 makes the only amount of sense lol. I was only arguing in the closeness between the 6/8 thanks to trannys. I know as soon as the 8 gets the 8 speed I'm all over it

That 8 speed tranny would probably fall apart under the near 500 lbs*ft of the 6.4L (There is a reason mercedes is still using the same 5spd design on their high powered cars)

 

[heymrdj]

That 8 speed tranny would probably fall apart under the near 500 lbs*ft of the 6.4L (There is a reason mercedes is still using the same 5spd design on their high powered cars)

Possibly so. There's obviously a big market for the cars, tranny style be damned . I'm of the persuasion that I want more than just brute for the car, I want some efficiency out of it (big motor+tech=boom head shot). The 8spds just aren't there yet so the brutish motors are stuck behind archaic trannies.

 

[LTC8K6]

Oh and referring to power, real world reviews have the 5.7L hemi models at 6.1 seconds, and the 3.7L V6 Pentastar's at 6.6 seconds. That's how powerful and technologically superior this 6 is to the 8. Which is why I think it's such a tragedy that it hasn't been revamped and mated to an 8 like yesterday. To me a car of its regality needs a V8 against the competition, but getting caught up to by a 6 almost half of it's L output is sad. The hemi should put out way more.

Here's the 6 sound from the interior: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpw2UstbznI

Give the 5.7L the 8 speed and it's acceleration will improve dramatically, just like the 3.6L did when it went from the 5 speed to the 8 speed. The 3.6L was initially paired with the old 5 speed, and it was quite a bit slower.

 

[CraigRT]

Love the new 300, agree with you on getting the V8... Something about that car with a big V8 under the hood is just so satisfying. it's the epitome of an American luxo-barge and I love it.