Chrysler LHS

Price Paid:  $17300.00 from Goodson/ Houston, TX

Year / Model Reviewed:
2003 Concorde Limited

Summary:
The Concorde Limited replaced the LHS in '03. Same car cosmetically and functionally (interior, body, 250HP V-6, ect.) Just an amazing vehicle for the price. List in '03 was abt. 33k; I bought this one 8 mos. old & 16k miles for $17,000! A LOT of car for the money if you can avoid the crippling 1st year depreciation. MUCH nicer day-to-day driving car than my wifes '00 BMW 325i, just not as sporty when one wishes to drive that way. Great highway/ long distance car. Very attractive, practically a show car! Looks much more expensive that it really is.

Strengths:
Roomy! Much nicer materials and fit 'n finish than I expected. I think DiamlerChrysler has made real strides in quality in these cars over the last 5+ years. Power is good, pretty smooth engine. Ride and handling are a revelation to me for such a large car. Paint & build seem to be on a higher level than Ford or GM. No rattles or harshness over ruts and potholes. Very solid build.

Weaknesses:
Tranny could shift smoother, but it's not too bad, but not as good as GM products. Radio/ CD good quality, but non-infinity speakers are junk. Replaced with Alpines. As usual for this platform, road noise is noticable. I think a different tire would be a real help. I'll be in touch with Tire Rack when the time comes.

Similar Products Used:
Taurus..no comparison, a real plebian car Linclon LS...the best American large sport sedan, but too expensive BMW 325i...super car, but cramped for a family, and not as many amenities.

Price Paid:  $25000.00 from Clarkston Chrysler?j

Year / Model Reviewed:
2001 LHS

Summary:
Overall, this has been the best vehicle I've ever had (I'm 56 years old, so I've had many cars by this point in my life). Most important, it's been extremely dependable. In 18 months and over 44,000 miles, I've only had it back to the dealer once for warranty work (bad rear speakers-no problems after they were replaced). I'm a demanding person so this dependability has been extremely important to me and very much appreciated. I spend 30-45 minutes each way commuting to work and actually enjoy (except for traffic jams) my time in the car. This car is the most fun to drive I've ever owned and I spent 20 years driving a 1975 Corvette. The LHS has excellent acceleration, fuel economy (24 mpg overall), crisp handling, excellent braking, firm and confident ride. It feels very nimble for a large car. It has many luxury features (auto temperature control, heated leather bucket seats, excellent stereo w/CD and steering wheel controls, keyless entry w/2 driver memory, center concole, rear armrest, rear seat pass through for skis, etc. It also has a very large trunk. Topped off with eye-catching styling, this car is a great value at this price. For 2002 the LHS has been dropped but the Concorde took over the body style. The 300M has many of the same features but has a smaller body, most notably the trunk area.

Strengths:
Styling, engine performance (acceleration, dependability, and MPG), interior comfort and convenience features, and dealer service.

Weaknesses:
Haven't had any significant issues with the car in the 18 months (44,000 miles) I've had it.

Similar Products Used:
Several Buick LeSabres. This car exceeds them in all aspects.

Price Paid:  $17500.00 from Roys Grand Chrysler

Year / Model Reviewed:
2001 Chrysler LHS

Summary:
Smooth, comfortable ride. Great for long distance driving. Excellent fuel economy (~27mpg). Plenty of on-demand performance. I love how the cruise picks up smoothly and slows you down when you're going downhill - prevents a speeding ticket at the bottom of a steep downgrade. Audio is fantastic. It's AM/FM radio gets better reception than any other vehicle I've owned. That's nice when you're driving thru the midwestern states. Overall a very pleasant experience.

Strengths:
Price. It's all pure driving enjoyment.

Weaknesses:
No biggies. The cruise control buttons could use a click that you can either hear or feel to make it easier to tell that the button is actually pushed. The traction control right-left-right pull takes some getting used to. It's not 4wd, but it's definately better than 2wd.

Similar Products Used:
1998 LHS, Lincoln Towncar

Price Paid:  $30000.00

Year / Model Reviewed:
2001 LHS w/ Luxury Package

Summary:
I whole heartedly recommend this Chrylser. You can't beat the price for what you get. For more agile than the Town Car, and just as powerful as the Deville. Amenities are abounding, and for a fraction of the cost of the Town Car and Deville. The dealer experience was wonderful. This car is great for couples getting older, as you will experience heritage dating back to the 50's.

Strengths:
-The design is sensational!
-The price is just right.
-No luxury forgotten.
-Powerful and responsive engine.
-Agile and refreshing supension.
-Engineering is beautifully executed.

Weaknesses:
-There is nothing not to like about this car.

Similar Products Used:
-Cadillac Deville (experienced 2 very problem plagued Deville's).
-Lincoln Town Car (owned 5 consecutively with no problem's what so ever).
-Buick Park Avenue (after several bad experiences with GM products, I have a hard time even thinking about them).

Price Paid:  $30000.00 from Hayward Chrysler

Summary:
I think the general design of the car is excellent, even though I borugh an updated 2002 Toyota Camery for my wife, I still think Chrysler LHS''s interior desigh is better executed. It is simple, elegant and functional. I particularly like the automatic client control system and the driver informational display, it allows you to set the preference you like and it does not take you a lot efforts to find out the information while you driving, it is just a very user friendly car.

Strengths:
Good interior execution, good exterior design, car rides nice and quite. Over 30000 miles, no problems so far, Car is very solid with no appreciable squeaks and rattles after all these milage.

Weaknesses:
The engine is not that smooth, sometimes, you feel that it is not that powerful as it is rated for 240+ horser power, I also think the engine sounds a bit loud for the price and performance class it is competing against.

Similar Products Used:
2002 Toyota Camery - better engine but bland and not interesting 2002 Maxima - terrific engine but with less interior amenities.