2009 Chrysler 300 SRT-8 6.1 Hemi from Australia and New Zealand
Summary:
The Jason Bourne of cars. Flies under the radar, but not to be messed with
Faults:
Silly stuff that is only to be expected on a car with almost 200,000km on the clock. All of the below items were issues I found when I inspected the car prior to buying it; since I have owned it, precisely nothing has gone wrong in the last 6 months:
- Tyre pressure monitor failed.
- Ignition relay intermittent fault.
- 2x chrome wheel nuts shredded by idiot tyre fitter (not the car's fault).
- Headlights fogged.
- Needed 2x tyres.
- Brake pads worn.
General Comments:
So, I have always been a turbo guy; I've never really seen the appeal of big V8s, when you can get similar performance from a well sorted 4 cylinder turbo, and use half as much fuel. But a 300C SRT-8 came up for sale near me, and I'd always liked the styling and the stance of those cars. I test drove it, and just fell in love. That stonking 6.1 Hemi has to be one of the all time great engines; so much power, so much personality, and the kind of torque that could be used to jump start planets into motion. I seriously cannot overstate how good this car sounds when you floor it. And for the price, it's hard to see how anything can compete. You get supercar performance, limo luxury, very respectable handling, top notch levels of equipment, one of the best soundtracks ever to accompany a muscle car, and all wrapped up in "Don't F##k With Me" styling. I've heard plenty of negative things about Chrysler group products, but my decade-old 300C with 192000km on the clock has been utterly reliable.
Things I like:
- Hyperspace acceleration.
- Hemi soundtrack.
- Tons of standard equipment.
- Excellent 13 speaker stereo with sub.
- Refined aggression of the styling.
- 20 inch forged alloy wheels.
- Fuel consumption is very acceptable at an average 12.5 litres per 100km (23 MPG).
Things I'm not too keen on;
- Dash plastics are very flimsy.
- No update on the satnav here in Australia, so my maps are stuck in 2009.
- Steering wheel is naff, doesn't suit a high performance car.
- No spare wheel, just a crappy puncture repair kit.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 28th February, 2019