300C - great value vs new Infiniti M45

[FStephenMasek]

A new Infiniti M45 with the Journey Package, chrome wheels, and satellite radio lists for $52,600 accoring to the Infiniti web site. A new 300C with everything except the navigation, wood, and ash tray lists for $37,260, a difference of $15,340! The interior of the M45 is very nice, and is available in colors other than gray, something I wish DCX would offer on the 300C. The Infiniti also includes seat cooling. Otherwise, the cars are very comparable.

[melikemagnum]

That car is not supposed to compete with the 300. It's made to compete with the new RL's, STS, 530i crowd. Not that the 300's not a nice car, but ot is little more downmarket than that Iinfiniti.(You can probably tell I like the new M35/45).

[E8502]

But the thing is the 300C can hold it's own against cars that cost $15K more!

[TehKing]

Apples to oranges.

[beefheart]

The 300 is alot more bang for the buck.

[E8502]

Apples to oranges.To a point... But both are RWD V8 Sedans.

[Magne300Csium]

I had looked at the old M45 before ordering the 300C. It was too narrow (sized due to the minimal changes made to the car FROM its Asian version) and had frameless door glass (a pet peeve of mine) But very comfortable, lots of goodies, and very quick.

The main reason Infiniti can get a $15K premium on a similar vehicle is partially due to the product, but mainly due to the dealer experience. Everyone I know with an Infiniti or Lexus raves about the dealer and service experience. Getting a free loaner car for every service, including oil changes, is a nice deal. When one goes to a DCX dealer for service, you usually have to plead for a loaner. You are lucky to get anything.

The new M is pretty awesome. If my 300C falls apart and I REPLACE it, the new M45 would be high on the list.

[Trouble]

Yep the Infinity folks treat you very nice. I feel very dirty every time I walk out of a Mopar dealer/service dept. However, my Caddy dealer is only marginally better! Best I've ever been treated was by Mercedes. Worst was a tie between Eagle/Dodge and Ford. I walked INTO the Eagle dealer with a TSB, said my car was doing it and the service manager called me a liar. It took Ford 4 weeks to change the clutch in my truck...At one point they gave it back to me with less than 1" of travel on the pedal (non adjustable assy, so that wasn't it!) and they told me that 'they're all supposed to be that way'! We were not amused (royal we of course) ;) The auto racket is right up there with insurance, music publishers and lawyers as the absolute scumbags of the earth. Dung beetles do business cleaner than any of em.



-Trouble

[kentc1978]

Not all Dodge dealerships are scumbags. The one I go to, my family has bought 5 cars there in the past 3 years, so they know us. They treat us pretty well. I will agree that luxo dealerships kiss your ass when you go there to buy a car (free sodas, snacks, luxo couches with big TV's in the waiting room).

[Taha24]

What Luxo. Sure the Infiniti/Lexus/Acura GROUP are very well made. But they are still in the mid luxury range yet they provide such a good experience.

I mean if it was just the Mercedes, BMW, Porsche,etc.. dealers who were doing it then its something.

Domestics car companies are just stupid. They take customers for granted. Don't they realize that if you treat your customers nicely and not even customers, but people who are looking for a car. and they like their experience there, there's a big chance they may get your car. But noo, treat them like crap so next time they are pretty much forced to buy a car FROM another company.

DCX is lucky they got a car that is this good.

[Magne300Csium]

Domestics car companies are just stupid. They take customers for granted
This is very true. Most of my latest experience is with Ford/ L-M dealers. I find that if I don't know about a TSB, or have a fix for the car, it's not going to come back fixed. I rarely visit the dealer, as I do all my own oil changes.

The DCX experience should be interesting. With any of my cars it seems like i need to find the right service writer to work with. Once I accomplish this, all usually goes well. The dealer experience is more than free soda and a kid's play area. It's all about treating the customer like they matter. The domestic manufacturers simply do not understand this yet.

The dealer that delivered my car, Westoaks Chrysler Dodge, has been the largest volume seller of Mopar Performance parts in the country in the last few years. I hope the performance image rubs off in the service area. We'll see.

DCX has a great opportunity to move upmarket with the LX cars, especially the 300C. Let's see if they will seize it, or fully seize up and blow it.

[beefheart]

My Dodge dealer is great. Truly 5 Star in both sales and service. They're mostly a bunch of car freaks though which surprisngly is kind of rare for dealerships.

[hemi operator]

A co-worker has an M-45 and loves it. It's a 2004. His previous car was a 1999 I30, and his wife has a 2001 G20. They were hooked on them by the dealership treatment. When they dropped off the G20 for service, they were given an I30 for a loaner. When they dropped off their I30 for service, they got a Q45 for a loaner, etc. They always got more than they expected, and that went right down to the loaners given out (which most likely also served to get you thinking of "trading up" your current car). Last time I got a loaner FROM Ford was when my loaded F-150 XLT 4X4 went in for an x-fer case switch problem, they gave me a 3 year old beat-to-hell Escort to drive. When my wife's loaded 2002 Impala LS was in, they gave her a Crapalier. When our 2000 Grand Cherokee was in, we got a few year old Caravan that felt like it was close to falling apart and reeked of puke. They made it out to sound like we were lucky to just get any loaner at all, even though the repairs were full-waranty jobs on almost new vehicles. I've found that even dealerships that have earned their manufacturer's top ratings, such as Chrysler's "5-Star" rating, still leave that awful feeling in your stomach when you leave.

As much as I love the LX cars, and stick to U.S. automakers in general, there is no comparing the quality, smoothness, and execution of the Infinity to the 300C.

[Simon Templar]

Yep the Infinity folks treat you very nice. I feel very dirty every time I walk out of a Mopar dealer/service dept. .....



You said a mouthfull!

Greetings all! I am the proud new owner of a Silver 300C AWD. Took delivery a bare 96 hours ago. Love the car so far. But I must admit.....when I drove off the lot, my backside was sore and I wished I'd remembered to bring Vaseline.

Indeed, one option I had particular need for, the UConnect system, is nowhere to be found even though they swore up and down it was on the car along all the other options I asked for.

This now leaves me with a choice. I can refuse the car and look (far and wide) for another....I could ORDER another one....both of those would take weeks or months......or I can keep it and look INTO the add-on version or some vague equivalent. Or I can just plain do without. At the end of the day, I will most likely end up keeping the car because the other options are too much to ask (....which I am sure is what the dealer is counting on.)

Can I live without the hands-free system? Sure I can. My wife who is handicapped, on the other hand, will have to pay for their negligence and lies. They have promised to find an alternative.....but have yet to actually make any effort to do so. In fact, they had no idea whatsoever an add-on UConnect system even existed. When I mentioned it, their reaction was basically 'don't-tell-US-whats-available-and-whats-not'.

Yes, they are a Five-Star dealer.....but I should imagine they stole four of them.

Over the past 30 or 40 years, my experience has been that when a dealers' sales department behaves in this manner, their service department is usually worse. I just can't wait.

....sT

[done]

Yep the Infinity folks treat you very nice. I feel very dirty every time I walk out of a Mopar dealer/service dept. .....



You said a mouthfull!

Greetings all! I am the proud new owner of a Silver 300C AWD. Took delivery a bare 96 hours ago. Love the car so far. But I must admit.....when I drove off the lot, my backside was sore and I wished I'd remembered to bring Vaseline.

Indeed, one option I had particular need for, the UConnect system, is nowhere to be found even though they swore up and down it was on the car along all the other options I asked for.

Simon, welcome to the forum. I think you are the first 300C AWD here. There is a dealer installed U-Connect option. However, the button is not integrated INTO the mirror as is the factory install. A small pad has to be mounted somewhere. Others have had it done with success. It sounds like you should take your business to another dealer.

[Magne300Csium]

There is a dealer installed U-Connect option. However, the button is not integrated INTO the mirror as is the factory install.
I'd go for the dealer-installed item and try to get the dealer to do it gratis. FROM what I have seen (see other forums on this site), it is a pretty easy install.

With regard to the mirror switch, I find it really inconvenient. If there were a switch pad, say, on the cosole, or the back of the steering wheel, that would make a lot more sense.

Good luck.

[beefheart]

[quote=Trouble]Yep the Infinity folks treat you very nice. I feel very dirty every time I walk out of a Mopar dealer/service dept. .....



Geez Simon; mine's the exact opposite. I got to drive the Magnum's about 2-3 weeks before the unveiling. They turned off the stability control and had me doing donuts in the back parking lots. I'm allowed to walk back and talk to the mechanics. The young boys are always showing off their speed tricks etc. as well as their cars. There's a 10 second 1st gen Neon. An srt-4 that's running 13.5's. An old Dart running high 9's as well as a 70 Chevelle. I always get to CHECK out and drive the new product. Everything except the Viper and SRT-10 Ram.

Can't wait for that Charger.

[GrN4FrK]

I really wish chrysler could make it as a luxury brand sort of like infinti like nissian letme explain
Chrysler ( Be Luxury like infinti)
Dodge ( be an upscale nice normla car like nessan)
and jeep be an upscale luxury suv. I think chrysler should redesign like alls of its dealers. see if the dealer is treating them well and if they're not then fire them and new managament and stuff. if they improved their dealer treatment, and quality then i believe they can. but what i dont understand is.. how come they chrslyer uses alot of plastic... what else should they use ?? I have a '05 MB S430 and the onl y difference i notice is that the interior like the doors and stuff is all leather and wood.
what do ya'llt hknk about chyrysler moving INTO the luxury brand ?

[beefheart]

I really wish chrysler could make it as a luxury brand sort of like infinti like nissian letme explain
Chrysler ( Be Luxury like infinti)
Dodge ( be an upscale nice normla car like nessan)
and jeep be an upscale luxury suv. I think chrysler should redesign like alls of its dealers. see if the dealer is treating them well and if they're not then fire them and new managament and stuff. if they improved their dealer treatment, and quality then i believe they can. but what i dont understand is.. how come they chrslyer uses alot of plastic... what else should they use ?? I have a '05 MB S430 and the onl y difference i notice is that the interior like the doors and stuff is all leather and wood.
what do ya'llt hknk about chyrysler moving INTO the luxury brand ?

Actually they are in the process of 'weeding' out some of the poorer performing dealers.
Chrysler has to improve it's dealer network if they want to continue the move 'upscale' .

[Bobs05RT]

I always thought and still do that all Nissan/Infiniti vehicleas have a cheap looking interior. I took a test ride in a G35 Coupe and I still think the interior is cheap looking for a 35K plus so called luxury car.

[GrN4FrK]

yes i have noticed that nissan/infinti does have a cheap interior also but idk but im glad that im seeing chrysler improving quality and stuff. This morning i was getting out of my 02 intrepid and a volvo s80 was in front of me and when i opened my door i just noticed that its just a boring black but the volvo is a two tone smooth doors with crhome handles and i noticed in the 300's they're becoming more luxurious than before

[Simon Templar]

Simon, welcome to the forum. I think you are the first 300C AWD here. There is a dealer installed U-Connect option. However, the button is not integrated INTO the mirror as is the factory install. A small pad has to be mounted somewhere. Others have had it done with success. It sounds like you should take your business to another dealer.




Yes, I am looking INTO the Dealer-Installed UConnect version. There are a few drawbacks to it, though. It does not integrate with the Nav (REC) system as the factory unit does. Probably not an issue except I was promised the factory unit and now I am HAVING to give things up because I was the victim of dealer lies and negligence. Also, with the after-market unit I'll have to tollerate cheap-looking black plastic keypands and microphnes stuck to my light coloured headliner.

Thanks for the welcome, though. How do I get an avatar posted? The system won't let me do it no matter which way I attempt?


....sT