I have a 2006, bone stock, 300C that needs tie rod ends, torque arm bushings and rear wheel hub bearings. The car is out of warranty (74,000 miles), but I felt that for a babied car that was all stock, these parts failure goes beyond “normal wear and tear” and asked the factory to participate in repairs. They, of course, say no, it’s normal. Do you agree and have you seen these parts wearing out in similar situations? If it is normal, I guess that’s the way it goes, but if not I will fight with the factory to help with the repairs.
That is the trouble with parts that are sealed and “lubricated for life”. The life they are talking about is only the life of the lubricant. I know someone with a 300C that replaced all that plus ball joints at 34,000 miles. Don’t know who paid for it though.
I once had these exact numbers available to me but I can no longer find the link to them, so in round figures this is what I recall:
In 2006, Toyota sold twice as many vehicles as DaimlerChrysler (what Chrysler was back then). Yet in that same year Chrysler spent 3 times as much as Toyota did repairing cars under factory warranty.
I gave these figures to anyone asking my advice about a Chrysler car, as in “Hey I can get a good deal on a new Chrysler. What do you think of them?”
Your Chrysler, while fun to drive and a very good looking car, is simply not as mechanically durable or reliable as others in its class. Depending where you live, I don’t know that I’d find anything unusual about those parts needing replacement, though a second opinion from a local reputable independent shop wouldn’t hurt.
Not to scare you, but hopefully you wont have troubles with the electrical/electronic system on your car.