OT your thoughts/experience

[Anonymous-0]

After reading the posts about the Intrepid, my daughter comes in - been looking at a 99 Sebring w/200k miles - guy is asking $1900.00. 3.0 V6 Auto trans. Any experience?

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 21:21:52 01/24/12) After reading the posts about the Intrepid, my daughter comes in - been looking at a 99 Sebring w/200k miles - guy is asking $1900.00. 3.0 V6 Auto trans. Any experience?

I'm a used car guy all the way but I won't touch anything with 200K on it.

TOH

 

[Errin OH]

Ditto.

Pay a grand or so for something with 130-150K, drive it a couple /three years, put 50-60K on it and sell it for $500 or so. 2 grand for 200K is way out of line as far as I am concerned even if it looks new.

 

[Tom N MS]

I"d look some more---------too many miles on it..

 

[souNdguy]

even if it's rated for 500k? I bought my 7.3psd with 175K on it.. and 12ys old.. I expect it to go another 9-10ys at least..

soundguy

 

[ZANE]

200K is a lot of miles but these newer cars are amazing. The old flat head Fords and six cylinder Chevies of years gone by were almost a miracile if they made it to 100K miles.

I bought a 1998 Nissan Quest a few years ago from a man who drove it from new as a highway courier for banks all over AL and GA hauling paper. When I bought it he thought that water was coming from under the back head. It's a V6. I bought it cheap. It had 550K on it then. I replaced a blown water hose after taking the intake plenum off the top of the engine to see where the water was coming from. No head problem.

I gave it to my daughter who has been driving it ever since. I did replace the automatic transmission about a year ago with a used one. It now has 650K on it and runs like a dream. If I were buying another car and had a choice it would be a Nissan with V6. She gets in it and goes anywhere and doesn't give it a second thought. 200K doesn't seem like a lot when you look at this 98 Quest.

Zane

 

[elmersooner]

not for that money, there are better cars out there for that kinda money... never been a fan of that motor. or the suspension on those mopars.

 

[Anonymous-0]

3.0 v-6 LeBaron
Almost 500,000 miles.
Normal maintenance. and parts changing.
Fuel Mileage: avg. 35 mpg. Normal weight load.
16 in. wheels.
Compression: Within range of factory spec's.

Used primarily for long-haul x-country driving.
1990 Chrysler Lebaron Contertable.

I can understand why the SEBRING looks good.

John,PA

Change cfront crankshaft seal with timing belt and water pump. Approx every 60,000 miles or so.

Had to change out the clock springs in the steering wheel once.

Cheap operting vehicle.
2002 Intrepid purchased because of a wrong mechanical diagnosis of the 3.0 v-6 when outta town! careful We still operate the 3.0 v-6

No State inspections in Florida. PA pretty tough!

 

[souNdguy]

i used to have an 84 lebarron..

 

[Hobo,NC]

I touch'em almost everyday and don't have a problem with them,, its them new cars that i don't make a dime on I have issues with...

I don't consider it to have high mileage till it reaches 150K :shock:

 

[gutterman]

(quoted from post at 02:21:52 01/25/12) After reading the posts about the Intrepid, my daughter comes in - been looking at a 99 Sebring w/200k miles - guy is asking $1900.00. 3.0 V6 Auto trans. Any experience?

i have bragged on this old truck before, now at 406,000 miles, still doesn't use oil, runs fine, for a v6 gas, doin the work of a diesel. so at 200k i wouldn't worry about the mileage, though i haven't been around many Chrysler products.

for kicks i added some pix.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I found that it helps for engine endurance try the followin:

Find a small radar range along the road.
Remove the magnetron tube. Take one of those "rare earth magnets" and stick the magnet on the end of the engine OIL FILTER.
change filter at 3000 mi. add some oil.
Change OIL and filter every 6000 miles or so.

Method has work great for a lotta years.

John,PA

 

[Anonymous-0]

One day HE asked me :What do YOU think about the "quality" of our (Chrysler) product"?

Well, says I: "What do YOU think about the "QUALITY" of this BEECHCRAFT PRODUCT that we are ride'N in"?

Our job is to simply "KEEP 'em RUNN'N.

DuPont CO.

Have a nice evening.

500,000 miles is a lotta hrs. in the SADDLE.

John,PA

 

[ShadetreeRet]

I guess prices vary somewhat around the country. That seems a little much for the price, but when you look at the prices dealers are asking for used vehicles, and many of them have a hundred thousand or better, it doesn't seem like too much. It depends on the condition of the vehicle and how it has been cared for. Road miles will not cause as much wear as stop and go traffic. I have a 93 Dodge Spirit with the Mitsu 3.0 engine with 160,000+ miles on it and a 93 Intrepid with the 3.3 engine that has 187,000+ on it and they both still run great. Although I only paid $1100.00 for the Intrepid about ten years ago. (It wasn't a beauty queen, but it was a solid car.) All I have done to it since I have had it is front brake pads and an alternator, one tie rod end and front end alignment.

 

[Tom N MS]

And the truck still looks good too--taking care of em inside and out pays off for sure...stay away from the Chrysler products...will never own another one..2000 Intrepid, 130,000 miles, regular oil changes-old man driven(me)nearly every one of those miles--don't, never have done quick starts etc, passing gear might have been kicked in 3-4 times since I had it(bought new)--it ought not be putting me down..

 

[Tom N MS]

the 3.3 or whatever it is is suppose to be a good engine--2.7 is junk. Water pump behind the timing chain and when water pump goes it dumps all coolant into the crankcase...How drunk or high on dope was that idiot who designed that....

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 21:21:52 01/24/12) After reading the posts about the Intrepid, my daughter comes in - been looking at a 99 Sebring w/200k miles - guy is asking $1900.00. 3.0 V6 Auto trans. Any experience?

The issue with used cars is primarily maintenance - who owned it and what did, or more importantly didn't, it get. At 200K chances are high it's been through several different hands so in addition to the hefty mileage I don't like the people odds. I purchased a Dakota with 150K that was fine and went another 150K. I purchased a Jeep with 23K that was trashed by the woman that owned it and needed a new motor at 60K. When my mother died my wife wanted to keep her 12 year old 98 Camry that only had 19K on it. I said no way - I knew it's history and it had been driven into way to many curbs, poles, and other vehicles :roll: My current "minimum standards" are less than 100K and one owner. That usually equates to about $5-$7K. In this day and age $2K isn't a lot for a nice looking vehicle and you got some advice on the reliabilty of the model. So if you are feeling lucky you pays your money and you takes your chances.

TOH

 

[Ron-MO]

I'll toss my 2 cents in on staying away from a Chrysler product even with half that mileage - I wouldn't touch it. With that said, I just bought a 98 Camry with 170K on it for $2000, and it will easily pay off. It was a one owner car, and had nearly new tires, brakes, and documentation to prove. While it was slightly dirty, it was obviously never abused, and runs, drives as if it had 40,000 miles on it. With proper care, it will easily go double that 170K. But if a vehicle won't run past 100K with no more than normal oil changes, filters, etc I want nothing to do with them. I have never had a transmission or major component fail other than my first truck and the issue was what you might expect from a 17 year old with a Corvette V8/TH400 trans under the hood of a pickkup - I drove it like I stole it, and the tired engine soon started showing it. Maybe I have been lucky in the 35 years I have been driving (other than a VW Rabbit I unloaded quickly), but I look very very closely before buying, or buy new so I know what I am getting, and if I see any sign of big time issues I unload them quickly (as in the Rabbit).

 

[Anonymous-0]

Final thoughts before old Commanding Officeer Arrives:

I would tend to purchase the Sebring. Factory re-man engine only $2,l00.00 Maybe on demand.
ATK ENGINES.com Warehouse here in PA. Able to specify "No more than 10,000th. borings and shaft." Again long haul fuel mileage and excellent for daughters physical safety!

Find a reputable dealership to make change-out.
Or, maybe some old N mechanic!

 

[souNdguy]

my parents still have an old 'radarrange' in their kitchen.

things old and heavy.. and still zaps food!

 

[oldtanker]

(quoted from post at 18:21:52 01/24/12) After reading the posts about the Intrepid, my daughter comes in - been looking at a 99 Sebring w/200k miles - guy is asking $1900.00. 3.0 V6 Auto trans. Any experience?

OK 1st call around and ask what a tranny rebuild goes for on those. 200K is a lot of miles. I'd steer clear or it.

Rick

 

[Old Texan]

"Some" of those V-6 engines had oil return tube issues. Oil in the heads would clog up the tubes, causing reduced lubrication to the crank and failure.( tubes were too small) It was corrected in later years.
Somewhere there is a place you can enter the serial number and find out from the manufacture if it has had major problems and the fix , if any.

Mine was a tough V-6 , sort of wish I had kept it.
BTW, the engines in the hardtops are different than than the ones in the convertible, if that matters.

 

[Ron-MO]

Gutterman - You must not live in the 'rust belt', as most trucks in MO older than 10-15 have significant rust. Does not matter if it is a Ford, Dodge, Chevy, or Toyota for that matter. I know I had a 76 Chevy back in the early 90's, and ran/drove like a new one, but body was leaving quickly, and traded it while it was still in one piece.