[mkaresh]

I wanted more up-to-date car reliability information that included actual repair rates. So in late 2005 I started getting people together to make this possible. TrueDelta now updates actual repair frequencies, not just dots, four times a year, to track cars closely as they age.

We've had excellent participation by Chrysler LX owners, partly thanks to allpar's support, and would like to do the same with the earlier LHs. Just a matter of getting enough owners involved, and three model years are already close to the minimum sample size.

Participants simply report repairs the month after they occur on a one-page survey. When there are no repairs, they simply report an approximate odometer reading four times a year, at the end of each quarter.

To encourage participation, participants receive full access to all results, not just those for the LH, for free.

For the details, and to sign up to help out:

Car reliability research

 

[patricklynch]

I added my Concorde. Apparently, I'm the only one.

 

[mkaresh]

Nah, you're not the only one. There are 19 other owners signed up for the Concorde. Plus 119 for other LHs so far.

The 1999, 2000, and 2001 all remain just short of the minimum sample size. A few more owners for each year and I'll add them all to the survey.

Car reliability research

 

[JA Cumbo]

I am pretty sure I added my 1999 300M a few years ago.

 

[135SoHc]

I'll add our 03 concorde when I get a chance.

Other than being on its 3rd camshaft position sensor and an appetite for front rotors if your stopping to hard. Its required absolutely nothing other than normal maintence for nearly 140,000 miles.

 

[Dave Z]

My wife's 300M is on its second rotors, I think. 101,000 miles? Something like that. Had a rough life though. Wheels got hammered in Jersey City.

 

[mkaresh]

The 1999 and 2000 have been added to the survey, though more participants will be needed for full results. The 2001 is now just five owners short.

Help get your year included:

Car reliability research

 

[dmwagner]

Just put in my 2000 Concorde.

 

[mkaresh]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Now only four short for both the 2001 and the 2004. The 1999 and 2000 are right at the minimum.

In other words, additional participants would be very helpful for all years from 1995 on.

Car reliability research

 

[mkaresh]

Hoping to have results for at least one model year in August. It's going to be close.

 

[shadowvox6]

I have owned 2 300M's, a 99, and an 04. I currently own the 04, and I love it.
I put 70k on my 99, and 60k on my 04.
I race both of them....

 

[dodge-guy]

I am pretty sure I added my 1999 300M a few years ago.

And how is your car doing, i've been lured by a car dealership to take a 1999 green pearl 300m with the light almost white interiors, looks and feels greate, but im doubltful about how will behave as a daly driver, i could use pointers on what to check or be carefull before opening my checkbook

 

[shadowvox6]

And how is your car doing, i've been lured by a car dealership to take a 1999 green pearl 300m with the light almost white interiors, looks and feels greate, but im doubltful about how will behave as a daly driver, i could use pointers on what to check or be carefull before opening my checkbook

How many miles does it have on it?
Do you have access to the maintenance records?
Do you have any pictures of it?

 

[JA Cumbo]

And how is your car doing, i've been lured by a car dealership to take a 1999 green pearl 300m with the light almost white interiors, looks and feels greate, but im doubltful about how will behave as a daly driver, i could use pointers on what to check or be carefull before opening my checkbook

The biggest single outlay I have had on my 99 was repalcing the AC evaporator. That set me back about $600. The only other major items that needed repalcing were both transmission sensors and those were way less than $100 each and can be a DIY repair. Of course I did have the timming belt, tensioner, water pump and drive belts reaplaced at 100K miles.

 

[cshupe]

Working now to add our '99 Concorde LXi.
We've done front rotors, radiator, radiator fan (2), rear sway bar end link, tie rod ends, ball joints, a/c temp control panel, some seat leather (thanks ebay!), camshaft and transmission sensors, timing belt, spark plugs, battery cable repairs, r&r engine computer (thanks ebay!), and currently need a/c recirc door motor and front strut top mounts, and a paint job (weak clearcoat, non-garaged). Car has 125K miles in California desert heat.
Still a daily driver and a reliable car.

 

[Dave Z]

"he biggest single outlay I have had on my 99 was repalcing the AC evaporator. That set me back about $600."

I want to use your mechanic.

 

[JA Cumbo]

He's a good one. I guess that is one good thing about living in the middle of nowhere. The parts came to about $125, the rest was labor.

 

[mkaresh]

Looks like we'll have an initial stat for the 1999 last month. Looking forward to when we'll have full stats for every year from 2005 on. Just a matter of getting enough owners involved.

Car reliability research

 

[Miles11]

And how is your car doing, i've been lured by a car dealership to take a 1999 green pearl 300m with the light almost white interiors, looks and feels greate, but im doubltful about how will behave as a daly driver, i could use pointers on what to check or be carefull before opening my checkbook

My '99 300M has been one of the more reliable cars I've owned. I've got just under 91K miles. So far its been fairly cheap repairs; cam and crank sensors (about $85 total), starter ($125), and the usual front brakes and rotors (a little over $100 to replace everything). Obviously all these things give you plenty of notice when they're on the way out, so it's never stranded me and I've been able to do the repairs myself, thanks to many of the posters on these forums.

The only thing I wasn't able to do myself, mostly due to lack of time, was a bizarre coolant leak somewhere under the intake plenum, that my mechanic fixed for about $250.00, nearly all of this was labor. I had a recent major coolant loss due to a broken flushing tee installed by someone, but since it wasn't a part orginal to the car I can't really blame Mopar.

Upcoming repairs are the shifter cable (getting stretched) , possibly the A/C compressor, and the dreaded water pump and timing belt change.

Considering some of the other horrors I've dealt with with fewer miles, this car has been great.

 

[mkaresh]

We have an initial result for the Chrysler LH based on owner experiences through September 30, 2010.

With a reported repair frequency of 178 repair trips per 100 cars per year, the 1999 is worse than average. The sample size is small, though, so this result is not precise.

Thank you, everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in February and May. With more participants, we could provide more precise information and cover all model years.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help:

Chrysler 300 reliability ratings and comparisons

Dodge Intrepid reliability ratings

Same result for the 1999 on both pages.