Thread Starter
#1
It is said that -
If you don't look back at your car after you park it, you've bought the wrong car!
~ Prologue ~
I had migrated to Dubai in 2014 and in these 5 years, I had made 3 vehicle purchases (all pre-owned) in the below order -
I used to drive the Mustang for my office commute. Eventually I got bored of it as even the Premium variant was bare bones and devoid of the modern tech and safety features. I casually put it up on sale in the local classifieds not expecting any buyers, but Mustangs are a favourite among many buyers here in the UAE and quickly found a buyer for the price I was looking for. The car was thus sold in December 2018 and my search for a new car began.
I was driving the Fusion in the interim and though it is a very nice car with a very comfortable and peaceful cabin and excellent driving manners, I started missing the power of the Mustang's V6. Overtaking maneuvers had to be planned carefully and was not just a push of the throttle (as the average road speed in Dubai is quite high and the heavy Fusion with 175 bhp simply could not keep up). My wife is a sedate driver and thus is very satisfied with that car!
As always, I was only looking at pre-owned options. My search began with the below list of cars:
But this time I wanted a car which is rare and unique. This was very important to me and I did not mind buying an unpopular car for this very reason. Out of nowhere one day, I was going through the classified and filtered for V8 options in my budget except the Dodge duo and Ford Mustang, I saw this really nice option - a Chrysler 300S with a V8 Hemi. Read a lot of reviews and realized that this car fit the bill, it was rare, had power and was comfortable too. I wanted to have a look at the car and contacted the seller after 4 days, but the car was sold!
But this car grew my interest in Chryslers. I have seen a couple of Chryslers on the road, it is not a popular choice. Most of them were 300C, which looked like an old Bentley! But the 300S sparked my fantasy as the car was totally de-chromed, had delicious alloys and looked smashing in the pictures. So my search for a 300S began. I saw nothing in the classifieds. Visited the local used car market and saw nothing except a 300C.
Then I casually called the local Chrysler dealership to check if they have a used 300S and luckily they had just received a car in stock, a day prior to my call. Immediately went and saw the car and though it was dusty and not cleaned, it looked dope! It was a black 5.7 Hemi 300S Alloy edition (comes with bronze 20" wheels perfectly contrasting the black color).
During my discussions with the dealer, he informed me that the 300S was on sale in the UAE for only 8 months (which explains the non-availability in the used market) and the Alloy Edition was even rarer. Anyways, long story cut short, fixed on the price and the car was delivered to me within 6 working days.
Let me begin with an opening shot of the car under discussion -
What I like:
Specifications:
Engine - 5.7L Hemi V8
Power - 371 hp
Torque - 534 Nm
Transmission - 8 speed automatic
Drivetrain - RWD
Fuel Tank - 70 lts.
0 - 100 kmph - 5.8 seconds
Comfort Features:
Dual zone climate control
Adaptive Cruise Control
Panaromic Roof
Memory seats
Electrically adjustable seats, steering column, pedals and mirrors with memory function
Heated front, rear seats and steering
Heated and cooled cupholders
Electric rear window sunshade
Keyless entry and start
Remote start
Technology Features:
Uconnect touch screen system with 8.4 inch display
Navigation
Beats Audio with 10 speakers
Safety Features:
4 wheel disc brakes with ABS and ESC
Automatic Adaptive Bi-Xenon HID headlights with DRLs
Automatic high beam
Blind Spot indicators with warning beep
Front, curtain, knee and seat-side airbags
Brake Assist
Forward Collision warning with Active Braking
Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist
Front and rear parking sensors
Rear View Camera
Rain Brake Support
Tire Pressure Monitoring system
If you don't look back at your car after you park it, you've bought the wrong car!
~ Prologue ~
I had migrated to Dubai in 2014 and in these 5 years, I had made 3 vehicle purchases (all pre-owned) in the below order -
- Mitsubishi Lancer GT - 2.0 V4
- Ford Mustang Premium - 3.6 V6
- Ford Fusion - 2.5 V4
I used to drive the Mustang for my office commute. Eventually I got bored of it as even the Premium variant was bare bones and devoid of the modern tech and safety features. I casually put it up on sale in the local classifieds not expecting any buyers, but Mustangs are a favourite among many buyers here in the UAE and quickly found a buyer for the price I was looking for. The car was thus sold in December 2018 and my search for a new car began.
I was driving the Fusion in the interim and though it is a very nice car with a very comfortable and peaceful cabin and excellent driving manners, I started missing the power of the Mustang's V6. Overtaking maneuvers had to be planned carefully and was not just a push of the throttle (as the average road speed in Dubai is quite high and the heavy Fusion with 175 bhp simply could not keep up). My wife is a sedate driver and thus is very satisfied with that car!
As always, I was only looking at pre-owned options. My search began with the below list of cars:
- Cadillac ATS 2.0 Turbo - Rejected evenutally because I need a V6 or V8
- Jeep Grand Cherokee V6 - Rejected as V6 did not make sufficient power for that girth and V8 was out of my budget
- Chevrolet Impala - Came close to buying this car as the interiors were very luxurious and comfortable. But it felt like a grandpa's car and I needed some thing sportier!
But this time I wanted a car which is rare and unique. This was very important to me and I did not mind buying an unpopular car for this very reason. Out of nowhere one day, I was going through the classified and filtered for V8 options in my budget except the Dodge duo and Ford Mustang, I saw this really nice option - a Chrysler 300S with a V8 Hemi. Read a lot of reviews and realized that this car fit the bill, it was rare, had power and was comfortable too. I wanted to have a look at the car and contacted the seller after 4 days, but the car was sold!
But this car grew my interest in Chryslers. I have seen a couple of Chryslers on the road, it is not a popular choice. Most of them were 300C, which looked like an old Bentley! But the 300S sparked my fantasy as the car was totally de-chromed, had delicious alloys and looked smashing in the pictures. So my search for a 300S began. I saw nothing in the classifieds. Visited the local used car market and saw nothing except a 300C.
Then I casually called the local Chrysler dealership to check if they have a used 300S and luckily they had just received a car in stock, a day prior to my call. Immediately went and saw the car and though it was dusty and not cleaned, it looked dope! It was a black 5.7 Hemi 300S Alloy edition (comes with bronze 20" wheels perfectly contrasting the black color).
During my discussions with the dealer, he informed me that the 300S was on sale in the UAE for only 8 months (which explains the non-availability in the used market) and the Alloy Edition was even rarer. Anyways, long story cut short, fixed on the price and the car was delivered to me within 6 working days.
Let me begin with an opening shot of the car under discussion -
What I like:
- The 5.7 Hemi engine - pulls like a locomotive and sounds sweet!
- Looks - Looks smashing in black, especially with the matt bronze alloys
- Infotainment - Easy to use and great touch response
- Seat comfort - Very accomodating, equipped with Nappa leather
- Steering feedback - Has adjustable modes, I have set it at Sport (more direct and heavy)
- Audio - 9 speaker 600W Beats Audio
- Safety Equipment - Detailed list mentioned below
- Handling - Straight line champion, heavy and ponderous around bends!
- Exhaust note - Sounds good, but muffled inside due to the noise insulation
- Ride height - Should have been a tad lesser to give it that stance, excessive gap visible between the tyre and wheel arches
- Rear Seat - Legroom is tight for such a large car, centre tunnel makes it impractical as a 5 seater
Specifications:
Engine - 5.7L Hemi V8
Power - 371 hp
Torque - 534 Nm
Transmission - 8 speed automatic
Drivetrain - RWD
Fuel Tank - 70 lts.
0 - 100 kmph - 5.8 seconds
Comfort Features:
Dual zone climate control
Adaptive Cruise Control
Panaromic Roof
Memory seats
Electrically adjustable seats, steering column, pedals and mirrors with memory function
Heated front, rear seats and steering
Heated and cooled cupholders
Electric rear window sunshade
Keyless entry and start
Remote start
Technology Features:
Uconnect touch screen system with 8.4 inch display
Navigation
Beats Audio with 10 speakers
Safety Features:
4 wheel disc brakes with ABS and ESC
Automatic Adaptive Bi-Xenon HID headlights with DRLs
Automatic high beam
Blind Spot indicators with warning beep
Front, curtain, knee and seat-side airbags
Brake Assist
Forward Collision warning with Active Braking
Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist
Front and rear parking sensors
Rear View Camera
Rain Brake Support
Tire Pressure Monitoring system