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I have been an avid follower and occasional contributor to this web page for a couple of years so I am aware of the potential "pitfalls" of owning a 300E. This will probably generate a lot of discussion but I would like your opinions on whether I should be proactive and start replacing some of the parts of my car that are destined to fail or wait until they do fail. The car has 110,000 miles and still has the original radiator and water pump. Both appear healthy, no leaks or any signs of imminent failure. The climate control blower is still OK....
It uses less than a quart of oil between changes so I'm not planning any valve seal work. There are others but we all know what they are..... Let me know your opinions and whether I should keep going with diligent preventive maintenance or start throwing some parts at it. Thanks....Chuck Robitaille |
#2
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Chuck, if it ain't broke, don't fix it... Seriously, stay up on the maintainance and fluids, drive sanely, listen for things that go bump in the night (or squeak, grind or whine). Have the suspension checked as well. You could go crazy replacing stuff if you so desired. Just my humble opinion.
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Jeff Lawrence 1989 300e 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE No matter what you fix, there will always be something else to fix.. "Warranty" is just another way of postponing the inevitable. |
#3
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Agreed...you could go broke replacing everything that is classically suspect on the 300E. Besides, not ALL of the historically-known failures will apply to your car, and subsequently, may not occur at any particular mileage.
Most of the problems are due to heat and age factors, and service history, use/abuse of driver, exposure to elements (sun rain snow, etc.) in a particular geographical area all attribute to the wear pattern on your vehicle. So enjoy your vehicle, maintain fluids, and fix/replace as you go. Otherwise, you could get pretty neurotic just thinking about when the next inevitable repair will occur. Fortunately, parts for this model aren't particularly expensive, and most repairs are do-it-yourself with a modest set of hand tools. Get a hold of a repair CD or a good shop manual, and you will be pleased at how much you can tackle on your own. Most of all, buy the parts you need at FastLane...terrific prices, reasonable shipping, and a great supply of OEM replacement parts!
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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle 2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car 2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver 2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car |
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