At $7,800, Would You Go Cab-Forward In This 2002 Chrysler 300M?

Today’s Nice Price or No Dice 300M is the shortest of all of Chrysler’s turn-of-the-millennium LH platform cars, designed as such to make a stand in the European car scene. Let’s see if this cab-forward sedan is priced to succeed in the here and now.

I’m always befuddled by people who wear Kirkland brand attire. Now, don’t get me wrong. I like Costco as much as anybody, and would rue the day I had to give up my five-dollar chickens and buck-and-a-half hot dogs. That said, I feel no compulsion to strut my stuff festooned in Kirkland branding. Now imagine that clothing—hoodies, flip-flops, and the like—are from a bygone era, offered as “vintage wear” and, as such, carrying a premium price. Now they would be both embarrassing and expensive.

A similar conundrum faced us yesterday in the form of a 1980 Honda Civic 1500GL that had been locked away, Rapunzel-style, for two decades and now asked $13,000 for the opportunity to experience its old-school econobox charms. That price proved, in both comments and the vote, to be about as appealing a thought as me on the beach in a Kirkland-branded G-string. The result was the Honda falling in a substantial 83% “No Dice” loss.

It should be acknowledged that, while best known for its promotion of the Hemi V8, what Chrysler, in its many iterations, really does best is dangle its corporate feet over the abyss of financial ruin. Think of a decade—any decade—and there’s going to be some story about Chrysler begging, borrowing, or stealing (other companies’ platforms) to stay afloat.

Today’s 2002 Chrysler 300M Special is a prime example of what some might call an innovative use of existing resources to create something new on a limited budget. Less generous sorts might call it rehashing old news.

The 300M was one of Chrysler’s LH platform cars. It joined the Chrysler Concorde, LHS, and Dodge Intrepid at the dawn of the platform’s first major refresh, replacing the Eagle Vision when that sub-brand went belly up. The Eagle, along with all its LH bandmates, could trace its origins and its somewhat unique-for-the-U.S. longitudinal FWD underpinnings to the Renault Premier mid-size sedan, which Chrysler acquired in the deal to buy all of American Motors and Jeep in the late 1980s. All LH cars featured a styling trope Chrysler called Cab-forward, a design that shortened the firewall-to-front axle distance, affording the appearance of a more spacious cabin. In practice, that turned out to be a pretty good look.

The 300M’s Renault-based history is especially pertinent as this particular LH was designed with Europe in mind. Chrysler intended the car’s shorter overhangs, which allowed it to come in under five meters in length, to better appeal to European sensibilities than would the other, longer LH models. The European cars also received a smaller, 2.7-liter V6 engine as standard, for less pocketbook pain at the gas pump.

All the American editions, like this black-on-black model, received Chrysler’s 3.5-liter SOHC 24-valve V6. Mated with that is a standard 42LE four-speed automatic sitting atop its chain-driven differential. This setup was chosen for easy exhaust routing and the prospect of a tail shaft, which would allow for a four-wheel-drive edition, although that was never realized on the platform.

According to the ad, this 300M has 104,000 miles under its belt and has seen “thousands” spent on its maintenance and repairs over the last few years. That includes replacing the brake rotors, timing belt, and water pump, and a complete refresh of the cooling system. It’s now said to “run great” as a result of all this attention.

It should be noted that, as evidenced by the badge on the fender, this is a “Special” 300M. That means it has dual exhaust, unique 18-inch alloys, and model-specific upholstery, among other upgrades. The Specials also enjoyed a minor bump in power from 253 to 255 horsepower, although that came at the cost of a vampiric-like requirement for premium gas.

Aesthetically, this Chrysler is good but not great. The seller seems honest in their appraisal of the car’s condition, pointing out a good-sized dent in the right-front fender, some paint chipping on the side-view mirrors, and the ripped leather on the driver’s throne. Aside from those blemishes (which are fairly minor), the car appears to be in solid shape. The alloy wheels exhibit only minor curbside rash, and the headlamps are minimally clouded. 

Yes, the cabin is awash in hard plastics (remember, Chrysler has long pinched as many pennies as it could), but there’s an analog clock mounted at the center top of the dash, so it’s easy to pretend this car is a Porsche with the Chrono package if that’s your wont.

Let’s see a show of hands: how many of you have seen any of Chrysler’s LH cars recently? Yeah, I thought not. OK, how many of you remembered or even knew to begin with that the 300M existed and was Chrysler’s salvo to the Continent in the early Aughts? Short car, short memory, I guess.

Regardless, this edition, despite its minor flaws, is an interesting opportunity to sample Chrysler’s cab-forward design language and longitudinal FWD drivetrain, both unique features of the LH cars. To do so, the seller of this car is asking $7,800 for the transfer of its clean title. What’s your take on the car and that price? Does that seem fair given the ad’s description and images? Or is this one cab-forward car that needs a retrograde price?

You decide!

Nice Price or No Dice:

Kansas City, Missouri, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

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