2002 Sebring LXI - A Classy Coupe

I bought my Sebring LXI Coupe in May 2003. It was a brand-new 2002 that had been sitting on the lot for some time. Apparently, the 5-speed version wasn't a big seller for this dealer. The car MSRP was $25,300 but I got it out the door for $18,500 + tax etc... This car is a fully loaded bright red LXI with leather, sunroof, 17" chrome wheels and a 5-speed. I did a lot of research on reliability and performance and was favoring either the Chrysler or the Toyota Solara. While the Toyota earned higher marks in reliability, the drop dead gorgeous looks and value of this car won me over. It is absolutely stunning to look at. These days, most new cars look pretty much the same but this Chrysler is definitely unique. You just don't see too many on the road and people constantly compliment me on how beautiful it is. The body styling combines a flowing ellipsoid theme to the rear. The beltline flows up and thickens in the rear giving an aggressive stance, which ends abruptly in an angled 300M style rear end. No spoilers, cladding or "ground effects" spoil the flowing lines and contours. I'd like to meet the designers and compliment them on a truly stunning and understated piece of automotive art. My only complaint is the grille color/material. It is a Ferrari inspired egg-crate ellipse. The form and shape blend perfectly with the body styling but in a cheap-looking grey/black plastic. It is a sin to put such a tacky-looking grille on such a beautiful body. It's like seeing Catherine Zeta-Jones with braces. I'm looking to get mine chrome plated to complete the perfect modern coupe. The color is an almost blindingly bright red they call "Indy Red". Combine that with sparkling 17" chrome wheels and you really stand out. Forget about keeping a low profile in this one. OK, enough about the looks. Here are my opinions after 4 months of driving this car:

Styling: See above

Acceleration/Shifting/Clutching. This car loves to run. Mine has the 200hp V6 and 5-speed manual. It is by far the easiest and smoothest shifting manual I have ever driven. The clutch uptake is just right - smooth and progressive. The shifter has short throws and is notchy enough that you never miss a shift. It is a little tricky to get a smooth transition 1st to 2nd if you're shifting in the lower rpm ranges. It takes a light touch of the gas as you release the clutch to avoid a nose-dive. This is standard procedure with a manual but this one has a pretty small "window" where you get a nice smooth transition. Not enough and you get a nose-dive, too much and you over rev and "leap" forward. If you really get on it and wind up the engine to redline, the shifting and clutch uptake is perfect. The engine revs freely and doesn't wind down too quickly. I can definitely feel the powerband of this engine between 3000 and 4500 RPM. It really pulls hard in this range. If you time your shifting as it just passes 4500 RPM, you find yourself whisked up to 85+ in a heartbeat.

Suspension/Handling/Braking. This car handles extremely well. The fat 17" tires and taught suspension really handle curves well. The power-steering is just-right and I don't notice any vagueness or null area in the center. It is tight and precise. You can feel some torque effects in the wheel under hard acceleration but not excessively. It soaks up bumps and real-world things like train tracks, potholes, cracks etc... without bottoming out or serious thumps. On long highway trips it is equally adept and has that favorable ability to hold straight and not drift around. It stays where you point it. There are no squeaks or rattles - period. The whole car feels and sounds very solid. Braking is really strong with 4-wheel discs and the big tires.

Comfort/Convenience. Mine has the leather bucket seats in front and a split-back rear bench seat. There are 3 shoulder belts in the back, which is a nice touch. The driver's seat is firm rather than plush and the leather is somewhat stiffer than the "glove-soft" leather you see on high-end cars. I don't know what breed of cow gave his life for my seats but it is somewhat stiffer than you'd expect. It seems to hold up well and the driver's seat has a lot of adjustments - including a manual "lumbar" adjustment with 3 positions. On long trips, it is pretty comfortable and in sprited driving, you are held in place well. The rear seat has enough room for 3 average sized people but they will be cramped. Two adults are comfortable and more realistic. 3 kids (like mine) fit fine. The rear seat folds flat and allows pass-through access to the trunk. I've carried 6 foot long lumber in there with no problem. The trunk is very big. Flat and deep, it can accommodate quite a load. My only complaint related to comfort is the noise level at highway speeds. You get quite a bit of road/tire noise from the rear of the car. I suppose this has to do with the fold-down seat and lack of structure between the trunk and seating area. While it isn't too bad, it is louder than you'd expect from a Chrysler. Also, the sunroof makes a lot of noise at high speeds if it's open. Too bad, I had a Toyota Celica with a sunroof that was pretty quiet all the time. The A/C works fine though and the Infinity CD/Cassette Stereo is impressive in its sound quality

Finish/Quality/Features. I'd give this car high marks for assembly, the paint job and interior assembly. Some have complained about the interior materials, but my dash looks great. I did have a treatment to the interior as part of an extended warranty that gives it a permanent shiny look. It has every power option available and a nice touch is that you can raise the windows and close the sunroof after you turn the car off - that is until you open the door. The headlights also stay on for 30 seconds after you close the doors, illuminating the area as you walk away. Mine has a "Homelink" system on the sunvisor that allows me to open the garage door without a separate remote. That is really nice. The controls for everything are simple and functional. The remote control keychains are nice and I especially like the remote trunk opener. The only complaint is the window seals around the door. Water gets down in the door when you wash it and it smears the windows if you lower/raise them too soon. You'd think they'd have this kind of thing figured out by 2002.

Mechanical Details. One thing that really attracted me to this car is that the powertrain is actually a Mitsubishi product from Japan. I'm confident that this will hold up a lot better than the Chrysler-built drivetrains. The engine is silky-smooth throughout the RPM range. The normal servicing things are right in front and easy to access. Things do seem to be pretty hot under there, I think I saw a catalytic converter right up front under the exhaust manifold which no doubt contributes to a big heat build-up in front. The radiator has two big cooling fans and it is pretty noisy outside the car at idle with those running. It has never ran hot even in 90 degree heat and stop and go traffic.

Summary. I am very happy with my Sebring Coupe. The car is stunningly beautiful and ball to drive. I highly recommend it. These cars were slow sellers, especially with the manual transmission. Bargain hard for a deep discount - you can't beat the value.

UPDATE - 4 AUG 04
I now have 21000 miles on my Sebring after a year and half of ownership. The car has held up beautifully. Apart from oil changes and tire rotations, it has needed no servicing or repairs. The car is still tight and solid and everything works like new. I bought a Chrysler bra for the front-end and it looks great. I have taken a lot of longer trips and enjoyed the performance and comfort. My only concern is I have begun to notice some fluttering in the pedal when I step on the brakes - I may have to have the discs replaced or turned. That will be under warranty so no worries there. Otherwise the car has been perfect.