[Chrysler300] 300M - everything you'd ever needed to know

[mwl1967@xxxxxxx]

Hi Bob,
            My  brother bought a 2002 Special new after he drove and liked my 
'99. In 99 the hp  was rated at 253, by '02 they dropped that rated # to 
250hp at a slightly lower  rpm so they could market the 300m Special at 255hp (at 
a slightly  higher rpm). Hence, same engine.
 
        Before the Special the  300M;s had a handling package that actually 
replaced the standard 17" wheels  with smaller 16" wheels robbed from a 
chrysler minivan and had a stiffer  spring rate. The M specials all came standard 
with 18" wheels and higher rated  springs. It had a split muffler with dual 
exhausts, side skirting which  gave the car a lower look to it and two-tone paint 
on those lower skirts (  cladding ) which I never cared for. It had a 150mph 
speedo vs. the standard cars  120, carbon fibre looking trim instead of 
woodgrain, turnsignals in the side  view mirrors and tire pressure monitors.
 
        After driving my brothers  new Special I yearned to make my 300M 
handle better and ordered up a set of KYB  struts for the car. I kid you not... 
the new KYB's were soft and handled like  crap and I wished I had left the 50k 
mile oem struts in the car. A call to KYB  and a conversation with an engineer 
explained that the struts fit many different  models and they are softer than 
oems because most people will complain about a  stiff ride but not a soft one 
and they didnt offer any performance struts for  the car. KYB reimbursed me 
for the 4 struts and labor to replace them.. which I  did with oem MoPar parts. 
 
        I also replaced the springs  with a kit from H&R which lowered the 
car an inch up front and an inch  and a half in the rear. I didn't want the car 
to have that silly "slammed"  look but wanted the tires filling the wheel 
wells a little better and this kit  did that and was also engineered with spacers 
for the engine / trans  mounts to maintain the stock driveline axle angle. I 
had heard of other  kits which lowered front wheel drive cars causing 
vibrations.
 
        My brother's M special has  about 175k miles on it now and my 99 M 
has about 110k miles on it. I'm getting  the itch for a new Challenger ( my 
buddy bought one yesterday ) and if you want  a regular M for a daily driver let 
me know... I'll give you a deal on  mine... still have the original window 
sticker and you know its history back to  99.
 
Mike Laiserin
Phoenix, AZ  
     
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