Car of the Year

I would have voted for the new 2005 Mustang and I'm definitely NOT a Ford man. But that car is SWEET! But hey, I'm outvoted.

I, too, am not a Ford man and as much as I like the 300 I, too, would have voted for the Mustang - in fact the new Mustang is presently the only contender to replace my '96 T&C LXi, but I am hoping the Charger will offer a good challenge when it comes out.

As recently as the early 1990s, MT COTY was very much an award for sale to the highest bidder.

Autoweek also named the 300c as the top sedan. They say first year sales are exceeding first year sales for the PT Cruiser.

significantly

.......and CNN/Money Magazine have named it Top Sedan of the Year.

How many car makes/models does the C replace?

Intrepid? Concord?

What were the sum-total of all LH car sales last year, and then tell me if the new LX body style (300 and Magnum) has equal'd or beat those numbers.

Yup.... I made that point a few months back. All I know is that I still see a lot of original version Intrepids on the road and they still look like a pretty nice design.

I wish they had taken the original version Intrepid and just upgraded it mechanically. I didn't like the fact that the 2nd generation Intrepids were longer (my garage is pretty maxed out as it is), had less headroom in the back seat, did not have the trunk release in the lockable glove box (original design keeps valets from snooping around in the trunk), did not have dimmers on the visor vanity mirror lights.

Mechanical improvements to the original design should have been improved HVN (in the performance handling package), better paint job (paint is flaking off my 94 in big sheets), non-leaking fuel rail, better inner tie-rod bushings, longer lasting water pump, longer lasting C-pillar covers (after 5 years they start looking like crap). Engine is tough. I have had no problems with the tranny after 155K miles, although I know many people have had tranny troubles.

Give it up, Mopey - the LH car is NOT coming back. C replaces the 300M; Touring/Base replace the Concord; Magnum/Charger replace the Intrepid (but you already know this, don't you?). The horse is dead - stop beating it!

They actually look quite dated and old to me. As for the second generation I'm glad it is gone as I couldn't comfortably sit in one of those to drive it.

He is not looking for a comeback. He is just pointing out that the sales count needs to take into account all the models no longer made before the

300 is called a success. Comparing it to just the 300M numbers, as the trade magazines do is nuts.

No, Art, he is actually trying to compare apples and oranges. He asked: "How many car makes/models does the C replace?" and the answer is the C replaces the M - period! The Concord is replaced by the Base/Touring/Limited - period! The Intrepid is replaced presently by the Magnum and, soon, the Charger - period! (If one wants to be anal I guess one could say the 300Base replaces the Intrepid, but that is really trying to stretch it) He also wants to know if the LX sales numbers have equalled or beat the LH sales numbers for last year. That is a very stupid question as one will not, and cannot, know until the model year is over. Talk about nuts..................!!!

I call it the "c" to differentiate "old" 300 vs the "new" 300.

The varients of the "c" do not impress me (the "mercedes-ificati> Autoweek also named the 300c as the top sedan. They say

If you want to talk about nuts, what then do you have to say about Autoweek mentioning the above sales comparison?

Do you agree that they should be comparing less-than-full-year sales figures for 2 different models? (When during it's first year was the PT available?)

Do you agree that they should be comparing a sedan with a (what the hell is a PT anyways?)

Do you agree that the sales numbers for the 300 varients are stacked in their favor given that they replace 3 different car models and that comparing 300 sales to the PT is absurd?

......and that is where you err!

and continued:

Uh, Mopey, you have been an ass about the whole new 300 since before it was introduced so if I am being an ass it is only because of your continued whining about it for a long, long time. The "old" 300 was an "M" - the new 300 is MORE than a "C" as there are four trim levels. But you have had a continued hard-on for Chrysler since Daimler stole it - and at times you have been considerably MORE than an ass. Some old dogs learn new tricks. You? Forget it!!!!!!!

Quite honestly I prefer the "mercedes-ification" of Chrysler and I experience it first-hand everyday. My '04 Pacifca AWD is a far, far superior vehicle to my '96 T&C LXi and has given us nothing but excellent performance and service in the 15 months we have owned it.................and I believe Autoweek is comparing first-year sales of the 300 and the PT Cruiser because the PT was a run-away hit the minute it hit the showrooms, ummmmmmmmmm, much like the 300. Of course, you already know that, too, but you just want to argue more............and the 300 only replaces two models, not three, but you know that, too.

In Europe the Toyota Prius just won the Car of the Year award, an international contest judged by a panel of 58 motoring writers from 22 European countries.

It seems somebody gave that title to the car in North America as well, but the article doesn't seem to say by whom.

DAS

I certainly hope the 300 and/or 300C has a longer life than the PTCruiser. Although there was high demand for a few years, now the dealer have trouble moving them off the lot. Personnally I think it is a great car for the money but clearly when you rely on style to move a car, the market saturates quite quickly. Meanwhile, Toyota and Honda keep increasing market share with their boring but apparently reliable cars.

Of course they're not moving in the numbers that they were at the beginning.... but the sales aren't DEAD , especially considering the body style hasn't been changed since 2000. Chrysler is restyling the PT a bit, I believe in 06. There are tons of interest in the PT still, Car Clubs, aftermarket mods, etc. Of course, Chrysler hasn't helped sales all it could, by releasing the PT Convertible mostly in the very expensive turbo models, with fewer less-expensive "base" models available. And the pricing for the last 2 "Dream" Cruiser models have been unrealistically high. As far as reliability goes, the PT has done pretty well, so Toyota and Honda can keep their boring cars....

SRG

Yeah - what he said!

The 300C certainly has more than looks to it. It's smooth, powerful, has great road manners, and after 11,000 miles there isn't a squeek or rattle to be found. One drive and it's evident that it is a solid, well-built car.