About the Chrysler 300
Martin Z purchased this Chrysler 300 used for $65,000 (including all on-road costs) in 2022. Martin Z would buy this car again because: “The 300 SRT is one of the most satisfying cars I’ve ever driven. Nothing quite compares to the sound, power and presence this car has. I hope some day a Chrysler will once again grace the inside of my garage.”
How reliable has your car been? Tell us about any issues.
The car was immaculately looked after by the previous owner, and with very low mileage for the age of it I wasn’t expecting many issues.
The 6.4L HEMI has been around awhile, and as such is a pretty reliable engine. If you dig deep enough you will find horror stories of some owners having camshaft issues (bad enough to require a new engine) but my understanding is this problem is rare, especially in the latest 300 SRT, and mostly isolated to cars that frequently sit at idle and don’t have regular oil changes.
The only issues I’ve personally experienced with the Chrysler are electrical. I once started the car but my dash didn’t recognise the engine was running (message kept telling me to ‘press the brake and start the engine’) .
I simply switched the engine off, restarted it and all was fixed. Other than that, I had a couple of very minor glitches with the UConnect infotainment system (radio settings resetting, etc).
Whilst I think the 300 SRT is quite reliable, I have marked it down for the potential camshaft issue. It can be a costly repair for those who experience it, and has made me feel anxious about long-term ownership.
What do you think of the ownership experience with your car?
Owning this car is full of juxtapositions. Full enjoyment of the power and noise on offer comes with the knowledge that you’ll regularly empty your wallet at the bowser.
Driving it like a nanny to reduce fuel consumption then feels like a waste given you have a thunderous V8. Taking it to the shops gets you plenty of looks, but at the risk that someone might hit it with their car door (given the width is almost that of a regular car spot at the local Woolworths).
The turning circle is big enough to keep you out of most undercover car parks in metro Sydney, and range anxiety means most trips need to be carefully planned to ensure a service station is within reach if required.
Chrysler’s departure from Australia also means customer service is almost non-existent through Chrysler, and most authorised service centres seem to struggle finding details on these cars in the systems (maintenance schedules, etc). Despite the service requirements being clearly outlined in the service handbook, I’ve found myself having to explain what items need replacing at services. I’d hate to imagine what a warranty claim would be like.
But no car I’ve driven comes close to offering the sheer amount of thrills and enjoyment as this one does.
Are you happy with the price and features of your car?
I won’t lie, spending close to the RRP for a five year old car isn’t what I’d consider a smart financial decision. But I suppose you do get a piece of motoring history, and the last V8 family sedan available in Australia.
This car is packed to the brim with features, including heated/cooled cupholders, heated/ventilated seats and my personal favourite – heated steering wheel. The analogue clock in the dashboard receives compliments by absolutely everyone that takes a look inside the car, and adds a premium feel to the interior.
Being five years old, this car doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto (I believe newer models do). The 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system is phenomenal though – I’ve only found 10 of the speakers so far.
All your active safety features are present, such as Adaptive Cruise, Pre-Collision Braking and Blind Spot Monitor.
Some features, while present, don’t work as well as they might on a European or Japanese car. For example, the dusk-sensing headlights almost never come on at the right time, so you still need to manually turn them on or risk being the last car on the road with no headlights on. The rain-sensing wipers on the other hand come on at the right time, but never at the right speed for the amount of rain falling.
At this price point though, I would expect an electronic handbrake to replace the footbrake it comes with, and LED headlamps. The bi-Xenon headlights feel very outdated and make visibility at night poor.
What do you think of the performance and economy of your car?
With a dazzling 350kW and 637Nm of torque, performance is never in short supply.
The eight-speed ZF gearbox never hesitates to find the right gear for the situation, and acceleration is instant at any speed. Even in the default Comfort Mode, it’s plentiful. Throw the transmission/drive mode into anything sportier, and it becomes a whole other monster.
Downshifts result in a healthy chorus of pops and crackles, and throttle becomes even more ready and willing.
You don’t buy a big V8 to save the planet, but fuel economy isn’t awful when cruising around town. Thanks to the Multi-Displacement System (MDS) that switches off four cylinders when cruising, you can easily achieve 8.0-9.0L/100km on highways. Add some around-town driving into the mix, and you’re looking at a 10.5-12L/100 average and around 500-600km out of a single tank. Anything spirited will immediately see you in the high teens/low 20s.
Many owners dismiss the MDS, but I’m a fan of it. It makes this car a bit more reasonable in a modern world where fuel is more expensive and cars are becoming greener.
What do you think of the technology in your car?
The 300 SRT has plenty of gadgets and tech, though some are executed better than others. The UConnect system feels old in this car, but does the job well enough. The built-in GPS is average, but most inbuilt systems are these days when compared to Google Maps.
My gripe with this car is so many functions and features (such as changing your A/C mode) are located within the infotainment system, and often within sub-menus that are hard to reach when you’re trying to focus on the road.
The 300 SRT has remote start which is fantastic on Winter mornings, particularly as it will automatically turn on your climate control and heated/ventilated seats if the outside temperature is below or above a certain amount.
What do you think of the ride comfort and handling of your car?
The seats in the 300 SRT are straight out of a lounge room, and are incredibly comfortable to sit in. Bolstering is excellent, though you can tell the seats were made to accommodate an American rather than my skinny frame.
The adaptive dampers do an excellent job at soaking up most bumps in the car, and stiffen the car right up in Sports/Race modes. Cabin insulation is fantastic, with very minimal road noise. Even the raucous V8 sounds tame and quiet from inside the cabin.
For a car this large and heavy, cornering and traction around bends is surprisingly good. It’s no Subaru WRX, but it stays planted and composed without making you forget that it weighs over two tonnes and is the length of a small boat.
Do you have any additional comments about your car?
The Chrysler 300 SRT is an incredible car inside and out, one that puts a smile on my face each time I drive it. It’s a car that’s frustrating to live with, but one I don’t want to live without.
And sadly, it’s the last of its kind.
As the world moves towards electrification, I’m incredibly happy I’ve had the chance to own this beautiful machine before V8s and internal combustion engines become nothing more than the very fossils that drove them.