This car has the best ergonomics and looks of any car I tested in its price class. I first fell in love with the comb-like plastic-chrome grill gleaming in the sunlight with a twinkle. The premium hubcaps looked better to me than the aluminum wheels, so rather than spending another $700 for power leather seats and upgraded stereo, I stepped down in packages.

Inside, the cockpit looks very good - everything is clear, easy to manipulate and where it should be. The back seat back comes down flat, without a hump between the trunk and passenger side. I can actually sleep on it if I am too lazy or late to pitch a tent. I put my 200 cm skiis in the back with room to spare. I probably could fit a bike in, since the passageway is quite big.

The car had a collision with a deer, taking only $1100 damage. The side mirror took much of the body blow with no damage at all. The windshield was low angled enough that bambi's dinner did not end up in my face. She rolled right over the roof.

Many people have noted the repairs. I expected this. Why shouldn't I, if I am paying less compared to the competition. What I did not expect was the eagerness of the company to recall its vehicles and make good the repairs. Warranty repair was equally good. Overall I am paying less for repairs than my previous Toyotas and Honda at this point in vehicle life. Perhaps the Japanese can't admit their quality problems when it happens???

The steering is very good and flat. Acceleration is excellent with the Mitsubusi V6 engine. I don't actually know what the top end speed is, but it is more than the 182 km/h rating of the tires - too fast for me. The car is aerodynamically nervy to drive over 140 km/h, anyway. Anything less is a Sunday drive.

The brakes wear out too fast. I only got 40000 km before my first big repair bill.

I would recommend this car. Overall the quality is comparable to all the Japanese cars that I have owned in the past, and the cost of ownership is lower. The included options, good looks, feel, and performance are a bonus for me. This car is perfect for a sports minded person who wants to hit the highway with the gear, and wants a nice passenger car in the city.

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I test drove the following to lesser satisfaction:
Toyota Camry - the small interior passageway sucks, the options cost too much. Controls felt less comfortable to use.
Honda CRX with V-Tec Engine - What a weird feeling engine! Road noise was way too much for me.
Honda CRX - Wow this thing is stable on gravel and ice! A really nice feeling ride for a Ute, but how guttless in traffic.
Grand Am - Yucky GM plastic on the inside. Under-engineered. The nose pulls you down on tight turns. Too much money for the quality.
Sunfire - brakes on gravel like a hockey puck.
Jimmy - Feels like a house on wheels. Need to feel the road is alive.
Bonneville - big car feel.
Jetta - fun, roomy, possible
Subaru - the cars are fantastic climbing the ice hills and handle nice. The price is high, however, and the controls layout makes me wonder "what were they thinking??"

Styling

Mechanical Disatster! Biggest piece of junk I've ever had the misfortune of owning.

DO NOT BUY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT! This car was the most unreliable automotive blunder ever created. The brakes fried at 15,000 miles..$300.00. One month later the engine light comes on...$200.00 sensor..While pulling it out of the dealership the light comes back on....It was the airbag sensor...$180.00...One month later, the ignition switch goes out. Once again as I'm pulling out of the dealership the engine light comes on again! It was another sensor!
At 45,000 miles and after a Chrysler mechanic told me "That's about the time the glue lets loose." I traded the peice of junk for a HONDA. After my experience with CHRYSLER I have sworn off american cars. I now own a Honda and a Toyota and have not yet had one bit of trouble. I WOULD RATE CHRYSLER and the CIRRUS -10!

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This car only compares to a junk heap!

Stunning design - had many fantastically positive comments and remarks on the look and style of the car. Interior was also very plush and roomy - felt like a grand, luxury car. Held the road nicely, had the feeling of strong, powerful engine (but quiet).

I leased the car - and was thankful for that! I couldn't wait to get rid of it, hoping as the months passed that nothing ELSE would go wrong. Virtually everything was under warranty, so the expense wasn't the issue. It was the total sense of uncertainty that I had on the reliability of the Cirrus. Starting with the "check engine" light...the car went to the dealer nearly every month for something. Ranging from quick fixes to total disaster. How amazing to read so many people experienced the transmission issue! I have no clue how or why mine fell apart - just suddenly driving home from work one EXTREMELY cold nite, felt a slight jolt...then another...pulled over into a parking lot and found pink fluid draining. The dealer actually tried to accuse me of being at fault "oh, transmissions NEVER just fail! You musta driven thru a field fulla rocks or something!" That didn't go over well, let me tell you. Took over a week to replace. Recalls were comic - in that I'd schedule a recall repair - and find that the part meant for my car went to someone else's car. Reschedule, etc. I had a sound that one mechanic called "grampa's jalopy squeak". He, along w/numerous other mechanics over the months it took to determine the cause, drove around the dealership lot, agreed there was a strange noise. No one at the dealership could figure it out but replaced many parts in the process. It took a brake and muffler repair shop a few seconds to determine it was a loose catalytic converter - and they sent me back to the dealer with directions on how to remedy. Wish it had been otherwise in the 2 years I had this car as it looked gorgeous.

Earlier models...from my experience and what I've read - wouldn't wish it on anyone. Perhaps the newer versions have worked out the problems so that the car is totally enjoyable.

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Styling, ride, handling, cavernous interior and trunk, decent gas mileage and awesome sound system.

Very poor reliability, poor brakes, cheap materials used in interior

We bought a beautiful black Cirrus with a beige leather interior. It was a striking car that made our driveway the envy of the base (Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay), with the sharp red '94 Probe GT sitting in it too. The car rode great and handled well, although the rubber band-sound of the transmission wasn't pleasing at all. I am a professional detailer and used Zymol and Liquid Glass on the finish weekly -- the car absolutely gleamed. And we loved the sound system -- for us, there was no need to spend big money on an aftermarket system. It played great and had all the bass we needed.
Then the problems began. First, the front discs went out at 24,000 miles -- I know I drive hard, but not that hard. Then the A/C quit at 30,000. Sure, we used the A/C a lot -- it was Hawaii -- but c'mon! Then the electrics went at 34,000, requiring the dealer to keep the car for three weeks. Then the flex pipe in the exhaust system broke at 40,000. Nowadays, who breaks a flex pipe? Then the door straps rusted and made opening the doors a screeching experience. Rusty door straps were a new experience for me, but I fixed that myself with elbow grease and WD-40. The brakes were finished again at 58,000. At 58,000 miles, the brakes on my VW GTI were still going strong (now that was a hard-driven car). Then the telltale sign of impending doom -- the rusty color of transmission oil on my garage floor -- appeared. It turned out that it was a $5 part that needed to be replaced, but it would cost $800 to do it, because according to the dealer, to get to the part required removing the engine! That was the last straw; I had it with the car and traded it for a 1999 Maxima SE that my family loves (I can't say enough about that powerful Maxima engine!).
The good thing about trading it in was that since I'd religiously used Zymol on the paint, the car looked better than new. The Nissan dealer made me verify that it was actually a 1996, because they claimed they had never seen a trade look so good at that age. And they gave me $2,000 more than what we owed on the car, because they knew they'd get it back when they sold it!
Despite all those problems, we still actually liked the car. It was gorgeous and a great cross country cruiser and all, but we needed a car that wouldn't drain our bank account. Dangit, we're trying to buy a house and don't need to be spending a bunch of money on car repairs.
I would recommend this car only if the buyer gets an extended warranty. Usually, I think extended warranties are for idiots, but in the case of Chrysler, it's a necessary evil, it seems. I wouldn't recommend it as a used car. I hope whoever got mine doesn't have the problems we did, but I think the brakes are going to always be a problem with that car. Why do manufacturers cheese out on the brakes so much? BMW does it right, and so does VW/Audi. All cars should have more braking power than necessary, not less. I see that Chrysler has now given the Sebring sedan four wheel discs. A step up, but are they good brakes? Time will tell.
Pity. I love how the 300M looks and drives and the room and the booming sound system, and I was going to upgrade to that, but the Maxima has dashed that for now. Maybe by the time they make the 300M rear drive, I'll be ready to try a Chrysler again. Not now, though. Although that styling is calling my name...

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Honda Civic, Nissan Maxima SE -- Both these cars smoke the Cirrus in reliability, and in the end, that's what counts. The Maxima's V6 blows the Cirrus V6 away.

I love the looks of the car. The stereo system is nice, and the vehicle seats are very comfortable. The car is very spacious inside, and the cab forward design lends the appearance of even more room.

I have had nothing but problems with this vehicle. I have been forced to keep this vehicle because of family medical problems that preclude "getting rid of the thing". I have purchases two new computers, two distributors, had a water pump literally "blow" which, of course, created many, many problems with the motor. Simply speaking, I had to have it literally rebuilt. The dealer only shook his head. At this time, my keyless entry system does not work, the air conditioner is on the blink and must be replaced before summer, knobs have fallen off and have been replaced, and the inside trunk release has not and still does not release/open the trunk. I am no longer going back to the dealer. It is costing me a couple of thousand dollars each time I drove in the service area. Again, the dealer would just shake his head. I have an oil leak that no one can find and a "check engine" light that no one has been able to repair. Some garages check the engine and charge me a couple of hundred dollars, but the light is back on is a couple of days. Some garages just tell me it is a "quirk". I have transmission problems that have not been correctly repaired by the dealer or garages. Sometimes the transmission simply will not shift. The dealer has told me I have electrical problems that are creating a problem with the transmission, but neither he nor other mechanics have located, identified, or repaired the problem. I can be driving down a freeway and the car will suddenly down shift. I have literally replace the transmission once, and the problem continues. Even with new computers and a new transmission, I am still having the same problem. I have also had many brake problems and each repair job is more expensive than the last. This vehicle's "under the hood" stuff is situated is such a manner that the dealer says to make a repair, it is necessary to take this and this off, hence, labor hits the roof. Some garages simply tell me that cannot get to what they need, and they have literally "refused" to do a job....back to the dealer I go. Parts are terribly expensive. The dealer apologized for the cost of one particular part saying when he saw the invoice it "took his breath away". Imagine what it did to my breath and my checkbook! This vehicle is an "money drain" that I cannot get rid of yet, but the day will come and my beautiful car will be outta here. If looks was all that counted, this vehicle would rate 5 stars, but since the motor, transmission, etc. also count in this rating, it is a "no star". (NOTE: This rating system does not let me give a "no star", hence, the lowest rating is a 1 star. While I have given a 1 star, there needs to be something below even that!) I simply should not have purchased a car first year out, but I did and I pay dearly and often. This vehicle is the most expensive car to maintain and repair that I have ever owned. I wish it was ugly!

I have read rave reviews from other owners, but I cannot concur. My 1995 Chrysler Cirrus is simply too expensive to repair and there are just too many problems. Something is always "breaking down", and my dealer shakes his head. Parts are out of sight. Due to placement of various items,labor also is extensive. My battery is under my left wheel. Simple battery replacement requires that a mechanic remove a tire! I just replaced a battery and was charged extra because of location! Whew! Bottom line....please read my "weakness" section...I would not recommend this vehicle.

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Prior to this purchase, I owned a 1965 Mustang....it was cheap and maintenance cost was nothing compared to my Cirrus. I also owned a plain little Chevy sedan and again my out of pocket expenses was peanuts. I drive my vehicles for years and years, but this Cirrus will not make the finish line. I am ending my 6th year and I simply cannot afford much more.

Great looks,rides and handles very well,control and gauge layouts easy to read and access,excellent sound system,seating very comfortable,nice trunk size. Heated side mirrors are great in ice and snow.

Headlights are weak and could be improved but if you use the fog lights it helps alot.

I would without hesitation highly recommend the cirrus. Purchased in Nov.98 it has been an excellent car,flawless with no problems at all. Fit and finish is above average.It is a fun car to drive and is very family friendly.I purchased this car despite the not so good reviews and have not regretted it one bit. Ride and handling are above average,interior layout including controls,gauges and seating are superb. Great stock sound system. Also the heated mirrors that work in conjunction with the rear window defogger are fantastic in ice and snow. Air conditioning is very good. Good brakes. Overall a great car. I would not hesitate to buy this car again.

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Everything; it came loaded with accomodations that cost thousands more in all other makes. great power from 2.4 i-4, roominess and luxury. This car screams "Classy"!

none at all

I would definatley recommend this car to others. This car is a huge improvement to previous cirrus models. Chrysler has tweaked out all of the bugs in this car(from research) and personal experience- a friend of mine has a 96' cirrus and has commented on how much better my car handles and drives compared to his, even when it was new. This car has the roominess of a mid-size sedan, but the handling of a sport/luxury car. Hats off to chrysler for making autos that represent works of art that are functional as well. This company has been working on their line-up in the last few years and it shows. This car is for individuals that want value, luxury and class all in one.

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71'Dodge Dart, 90 dodge omni, 98 plymouth neon [yuck:(do not buy a neon ]The cirrus is the best mopar that I have owned!

Had the car for 5 years and it was the most reliable car Ive ever owned.
Nothing but a set of brakes and a small part for the a/c. It had excellent
handling and great gas mileage with the six. 70,000 plus on it and it
drove and looked like new still. Great looking and comfortable seats
too. Still had the original tires when I sold it and they were still good
as well.

The recalls, many recalls, but they were taken care of and didnt affect the
way the car drove. The resale value sucked too.

I have heard good and bad about the car, but mine was great and I wish I had kept it. Never had a car that felt new so long and it really could
take hard driving! I may get another someday, but I love my new Cherokee too!

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Honda Accord - Good engine, wierd transmission and lots of little nagging
problems. Something was always not quite right with it. Very expensive
to fix and maintain. Boring as hell too.
Mazda Protege - Fast, fun and expensive since it broke down alot. What a lemon that one turned out to be!

Nice styling, adequate fuel economy, excellent steering, roomy, vry comfortable, quite reliable.

Auto transmission shift latency is a little long, brake pads wear out quickly,

Okay, everyone needs to disregard all of the posts that offer one-star reviews. Those cars were purchased USED and were most unlikely not cared for very well. Here's the real story...

My father purchased my silver '95 Cirrus LX for about $17,000. The first thing that we noticed was the nice styling and the gutsy engine. Yes, there were some recall notices, but they were handled without hassle and were never a threat to normal operation.

I must admit that the car's A/C compressor failed after three weeks, which sounds common for this model year. Replaced once under warranty and is still going strong six years later.

The brake pads are another issue...they've been replaced twice and my car has only 71,000 miles on it. But the brakes do work well, and any reports of wiggling or rocking when trying to brake the car are due to warped front rotors, easily fixed for about $60.

I don't know where people are coming up with the unreliability issue...the only major parts that have needed replacing are the battery and an O2 sensor, the total costing about $300. The fuel injectors had to be cleaned once, but that is due to the poor quality of gas in my town.

Other people have alluded to a rust-colored leak coming from the vehicle, and mine unfortunately suffers from this as well. Dealers haven't been able to find any leaks, and the car runs just fine (never has stalled, died, or otherwise quit on me, in motion or otherwise), so I can't help but wonder if it's one of the "quirks" of this vehicle.

I love the seating position and steering response. The steering is light and balanced but doesn't communicate road information excessively. While the tranny can be a little slow in shifting sometimes, it's all because Chrysler designed the car for smooth driving rather than my preferred speed demon antics. When necessary you can, indeed, coax the car into some major accelleration action...

This car is reliable. If you take care of it it will work wonderfully for you. If you're looking into a used Cirrus, if you can try to find out about its prior owner, whether they took good care of the car or if they didn't. ALL cars will break down if you never change the oil, for example, so the truth applies for all consumables. Have the used car you're looking at get a full inspection BY A CHRYSLER DEALER---they're supposed to know their stuff and the ones I've gone to certainly do.

I like Chrysler vehicles and would recommend them any day. The Cirrus is no exception. A fine car, a good value, and while the resale value isn't that great you WILL find the Cirrus to be a smooth driving machine.

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1999 Ford Contour (ick...), 1992 Isuzu Trooper (read: tank)

Looks Cool - Fun to Drive - Able to seat 4 - Classy Interior

Small problems: False alarm "Check Engine" light - lousy remote (panic button) - Door moulding issue.

I can say that we really lucked out purchasing this car. It is a 1999 model, and we bought it in early September 1999. It was the last 1999 on the dealers lot, and the dealer recommended we go with the 1999 considering that the 2000 was not really different (just more expensive.)
So we ended up getting it a great price - around $16,000 - remember that it is the LXi model. After an investment in a clarion CD changer, (considering that this car had the lousy standard audio system,) we were pretty much set at $17,000.
The first thing I noticed is that the remote is not to great. It locks and unlocks just fine, but the panic button is finicky. Sometimes I can stand 3 ft. in front of the car pressing the button, and it won't work! Considering that this is supposed to be a safety feature, it is a bit of a let down.
Recently I experienced a terrible ordeal. The problem began after I filled up at a certain Exxon. I started the car, and could feel a distinct vibration. I started down the road, and the car stuttered in its acceleration. Other than that it worked fine. A day later, the infamous "Check Engine" light came on. I called the dealer, and he told me to check the gas cap... come on! Well after bringing it in, he was not able to find any problem! The error codes were blank, so the mechanics did not know what the problem was. They reset the light, but of course, it came back on a few days later. Same deal at the second visit; they did not know what to do. The third time, we demanded that they investigate the problem, which they finally did. The discovered that there were traces of metal in the fuel system. They ended up replacing the fuel tank and some other fuel system related parts, and the problem has not reassured. I'm disappointed because although the problem was not due to a defect in the car (it was the bad Exxon gas,) it took much too long for the Chrysler mechanics to discover exactly what was the problem and how to fix it!
Other than that incident, I LOVE THIS CAR! It is a joy to drive, especially considering that our other car is a Jeep (boooo!) This car is actually fun to drive, and boy does it tear through the curves. It is agile, and spirited, and, the engine will roar if you accelerate right. On the outside it is sleek, and with a monthly - bimonthly cleaning and waxing, it still looks new. On the inside, the leather seats are great (considering that they were at no extra charge.) The speakers are good, but as I said, the standard audio system did not include a CD player. The drivers seat moves all around, and you can drive in a very comfortable position. It has only been only a year though, and I've been to the dealer a few too many times. The old Volvo which this car replaced ran without mechanical problems for 12 years - I'm not sure that this car will do the same. Nevertheless, it a cute car with a great spirit, and if you enjoy driving, and don't want to be caught dead in a Honda, this is the car for you.

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Volvo 240 DL (1988) Hehe!!