Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46
Convertible top leaks.
Brakes have gone bad and have had to be replaced 3 times.
The calipers and rotors have had to be replaced.
The engine sensor that enables the car to start had to be replaced.
The battery has gone bad.
The motor mounts have all broken.
The valve cover gasket went bad.
The interior digital readouts appear when they feel like it.
The gas gauge works when it feels like it.
The stereo controls all work intermittently.
The car will not always go into gear. Sometimes it will go into reverse and sometimes it will not.
All 4 struts went bad.
The plastic speaker covers broke.
To sum up my feelings I could say that the 2 happiest days were/will be the day that I bought it and the day that I sell it.
Since taking ownership, I have invested more money into the car than the book value of the car itself.
Initially, I noticed that the roof leaks. It will cost $1200 to replace.
Directly after taking ownership, both the passenger and driver side speaker covers were broken. They are made of plastic and positioned right where the foot exits the car. I call this planned obsolescence. You pay $80 to replace them and being made of plastic, someone will eventually put their foot through them again.
It is really fun when you drive down the street and the car is clanking in clacking on the inside, and then you roll the window down and hear that it is squealing and making ungodly noises on the outside too. That was when I first noticed the brakes had to be replaced. It was a shock to hear that it would be almost $700 to have them replaced properly since the brake pads, rotors and the calipers were all bad.
Less than a year later I am replaced the brake pads again, and here we are - less than a year following that experience and they are in need of replacement again. This time-the calipers are sticking again and need to be replaced as does the rotors since they are glazed and grooved.
I noticed approximately 2 months into taking ownership that the vehicle has a mind of it's own when it comes to the digital readouts. Sometimes I can tell you the mileage and sometimes I cannot since the digital readouts are not lit all of the time.
The gas gauge likes to dance. It will tell me it is full and then the light will come on the gauge will drop to empty, then register full again and drop again and raise... you get the point.
I can listen to a CD in the car, which I always found was at least one good thing, until I realized that the buttons to the stereo decided that they were tired and needed a break from working so hard too. Now when I want to advance to another song, I need to depress the buttons 10 times or so and hope that one of those times it will catch and change.
I just took it to the mechanic who advised me that the loud rumbling is due to the 3 motor mounts being broken which will run approximately $500 to repair.
The engine leaking oil, however will run me $600 to repair so far. Until they repair what is damaged so far, they cannot tell me an accurate price to repair all of the leaks.
Not long ago, I was backing out of the driveway- I could not reverse. The stick was in the reverse position, however the engine just revved. I put the car back into drive and it snapped into drive and then I was able to reverse. Now that problem is evident a lot.
I also need to replace the struts all around. But with all the other repairs, who can spare an additional $700?
This morning I went outside to pull the car into the garage to wax it, and the car battery is dead. That will be $300 to replace since the battery is not visible and the car has to be disassembled to a point to replace.
But why shy I be surprised when I was in need of the belts to be changed and was quoted $313 for that too. You see, they are in a nice tight hidden spot too.
Even something simple like a tune up was almost $200. The spark plugs in the rear are not accessible. The intake manifold has to be removed in order to change the rear plugs.
Why would a car manufacturer make a vehicle that is so costly to maintain? Every mechanic that I take the car to laughs when they hear the make and model of the car. Then they explain how Chrysler subbed out to Mitsubishi and the parts are just "so much more expensive" and the labor is also "so much more" due to how the car is engineered and designed. Who can blame the assemblymen when they are following the plans as stated.
The end result is depressing to me, because even as I pay for all of the repairs and suffer the shock of the high priced repair costs and the endless times I go to start or drive the car only to discover a brand new issue that will undoubtedly bring me to a near zero balance in the bank... I still get to deal with the stench of mold and mildew from the ever dripping convertible top.
Maybe you should not beat the crap out of it when you drive it.
I too have had problems with my 96 convertible. I only have 20K+ miles on the car and have had to replace the tires 3 times, the brakes at least every 2 years and rotors every 3. My roof only leaks in really heavy consistent rainfall, but I did end up with water in my car because of all things the drain holes were clogged. After 9 years of owning the car I had never heard to this.
The newest thing is struts. $600 plus dry rot tires for an additional $200. After all the repairs the money I am spending is coming out to be more than the car is worth...
300 for a battery change= = you got screwed!= = should be 50-60.
I own a 97 Sebring and I feel your pain. Knock on wood - I haven't had all that much trouble. But I certainly do have the epileptic speedometer and a disappearing digital display. I have plans to open up the dash and find that loose connection and solder it something fierce. It's turning over to 100,000 miles soon and I don't want to miss that!
Luckily, I found a Mom & Pop upholstery to replace my top for $750.
I am from the UK we drove a sebring convertible on holiday and loved it. We shipped a 99 version back to the UK and even paying import and shipping its cheap compared to similar cars here. The battery is the only fault so far and even though the uk is expensive (remember we are paying almost $7 gallon for petrol/gas) it only cost equivalent of $85 for the battery and I took two plastic covers off under the car and wheel arch and fitted it in fairly easily myself. No other problems so far and it's a great car. I suggest you question whoever is doing your work. You seem like you are paying a huge amount for labour and parts.
I just got a 1996 sebring convertible and I love it! Its nothing like my mustang was, but its not meant for that. It rides smooth and is always reliable. Being 10 years old it will need a new top soon. Where did you find a shop to replace yours for only $750?
You just can't fix foolishness and stupidity. If you paid those outrageous prices then you should add a comment concerning the idiotic car owner. This may be news to you, but cars do need to be maintained!! A 10 year old vehicle is going to incur a certain amount of costs, but a little common sense goes a long way to curbing those costs. It seems as if the common sense fairy passed by your house and vowed never to return.
Oh, I feel your pain as well. I have a 97 sebring convertible with 105,000 miles on it. Transmission has been replaced once, and then rebuilt once. Brake job every single year, and the rotors are warped due too bad calipers I've been told. Ungodly squeaking and grinding noises that no mechanic can put their finger on. Top leaks and mold spots all over the interior. The tachometer and odometer work only when they feel like it, and never when needed (like at the oil change place when mileage is needed). The CD player is moody as well. If I go to skip to another song the CD player will shut off and go to radio. The volume knob needs to spin and spin and spin until it feels like working as well. All in all a pain in the butt, BUT its always started even on the coldest Chicago days, and its quite pretty! Oh, and my mechanic charged me $90 in labor to change my battery because its hidden and a tire has to be removed. So, $200 is pretty accurate adding in the price of a decent battery. And yes the speaker covers!!! Mine broke after putting my size 10 (womens) foot through them during the first week of ownership! Its 9 years old and still quite peppy and runs well though, so I guess I'm lucky.
I can also feel your pain! I purchased the car back in 2000 and since then, I have had to replace the brake pads every three to six months. I have no working radio, the drivers side window switch refuses to operate while the others work well. Rain inside the car is a problem and I am now experiencing a knocking when I make a hard right turn. The digital display also works whenever the mood suits. The A/C also does not want to cooperate.
Luckily, I used to date a mechanic who fixes my car for me even though we no longer date. With all that constantly needs to be repaired, he only charges me for the cost of parts. Still, it is a hassle to constantly have to get so many repairs done.
I truly like the car, but I'm not sure that I will purchase another.
I also own a 1996 Chrysler Sebring Convertible. It is registered as a lemon and a percent of repairs can be deducted from my taxes. The engine and transmission have been very good in 130,000 miles, but I think just about everything else has been repaired or replaced.
Some more interesting lemon stuff on this car.
Drivers side floor mat will jam up steering wheel linkage.
Door hinges break constantly... causing doors to snap.
Eats front brakes for breakfast.
Side windows are scratched from poor window tracks.
Frront sway link bushings need replaced about every 40,000.
Eats tie-rod ends for breakfast.
Eats the made in china front and rear bearings constantly.
Headlights are very dim... cannot turn on interior light manually.
Seats have no memory and need to be adjusted every time some exits the back seat.
Still being recalled for a shifter problem after 10 years on the road!
Dash LED for shift indicator and odometer went out... replaced with one from a Chrysler Cirrus.
This will be my last Chrysler product!!!
So, I have a 1996 Sebring JXi Convertible with 61K miles!!! (pics if you want the proof).
I like the way it drives, but I just had to replace the rotors and pads.
Top is very bad, the elastic that keeps the inside taught, it's all dry and stretched out.
The radio buttons also have decided to take a break for me.
Rattles a lot! OH!!!... the front windows both have scratches in an up and down line towards the mid-front of the window.
Trunk struts both broke, a golf umbrella works well to keep the trunk up while working in it.
Fog lights have stopped working, the bulbs are good, but there must be some electrical problem.
I'll keep it and put money into it though. After all, it was a FREE car for me, as my Great Aunt gave it to me!
My daughter has a 97 Sebring convertible that has been dead reliable and I don't think twice about her riding around Atlanta and back and forth to college in it. The car is 9 years old and does suffer it's normal share of regular maintenance items like brake pads. I read this thread by accident, but I couldn't help, but respond to the top post. If I was your mechanic and I could get you to come back once a year for $700.00 dollars worth of brake work, I'd stick the cheapest set of pads in there too. After all, if I put in a decent set of pads (calipers and rotors), it might take a couple of years before you came back for the next rip-off! Dump your mechanic; you are being ripped off! I replace my daughter's battery, and although it's a pain to get to, I had it done within a half hour the very first time. The next time, I should have it down to under 20 minutes. As for the dash, I had to replace my daughter's too. I bought one for $20.00 off of Ebay and as the mileage is stored in the computer, it was accurate as soon as I plugged it in. I don't understand all of you complaining about having to replace normal maintenance items. If you want a new car, you should buy one. Of course, they too have issues and the warranty is often for 2-5 years. Your cars are 10 years old; get real!
"The brakes went bad" "The battery went bad". I love it! You mean to tell me it's NOT Fred Flintstone's car? Next time get one of those 240 month batteries.
Agreed, the back of my window is coming apart on the bottom. The glass is detaching from the material.
Anyone want to buy mine?
PS~ I'm glad I'm not the only one who has a radio like that.
:)
I don’t see the problem with this car. The scratches on the windows is an actual problem, my fuel sending unit went out also and had to be replaced, the price of replacing the back 3 spark plugs is indeed a killer, but they are platinum so mine have never been replaced.
You think you car is a lemon because someone kicks the speaker covers, the battery and brakes and struts on a 10 year old car wears out? I don’t get it. Even a bicycle needs attention and is susceptible to abuse.
I have put over 165,000 miles on mine and here is what I have found:
You need to keep it up just like any other car. Change the oil, air filter, brake pads, the antifreeze yearly, change the transmission fluid when the owners manual states….just like any other car, and it will work just like it is supposed to.
THE TOP: True the top does shrink in hot parts of the country (I live in the deep south) if you park on the street where rain and sun can work on it. Mine starts to whistle at about 75 or 70 W/side wind or maybe 65 with a strong side wind. Most of the newer tops are not canvas and not prone to shrink as much, but I don’t like the look at all. I’ve found that if you let the hot sun dry your canvas top it Will shrink, but a rag top is a rag top and that is just the cost of driving a rag top. Personally, I’m willing to pay that price, to be able to drop the top and enjoy the ride.
Power: This is not a 400 HP Corvette, but it will pass someone on these back roads in a flash and my car still gets great gas mileage. There is a sticker under the hood where the Chrysler Dealer changed (an authorized change) the pollution settings, so maybe that has something to do with it, but even with those high miles on it, the 2.5 engine still gets 29 city and 32 hwy (33+hwy if I keep the RPM under 2400)
Handling: With just me in the car it will corner better then any other car I have ever owned, but on the mountain curves I can sure tell the difference in handling with a passenger in it.
Mechanical: The plugs and plug wires have never been changed, the calipers have never been changed, the struts have never been changed, the front end has never been re-aligned, the transmission has never been worked on (just the fluid changed once), the valve cover gasket started to get a smear of oil around it so a very slight /light tightening of the bolts cured that. No work at all, except the fuel sending unit, has been done to it except the factory recalls that have been done by the Chrysler dealership.
My problem and why I’m on-line looking for a car to replace it with? I’ve enjoyed it so much I’m wearing it out much faster then I ever thought I would so now must think about what I’m going to replace it with when the time comes.