Should I know a few things before I jump?

[francois]

Hi,

I want a C-SRT-4!

I would like to wait for something newer like a Dart SRT-4 but I guess it will never come so I was looking around...
The Fiesta ST would be nice but I doubt I will find one in a lot so I could have a drive before buying one.
BRZ/FRS are sweet looking cars but vs a hatchback, it doesn`t compare well.
Speed 3...Focus ST looks to be better but is priced more the the Fiesta which is the max I would put to buy a new car.
So basically, I wouldn`t mind buying a used car and getting a C-SRT4.

I heard about front wheel bearing and front bushings. Can I have more info?
Is there anything else familiar to that model that I should look for?

A silver one would look appropriate next to my GLHT but red is the color that is more available...

Thanks in advance.

[168glhs1986]

Sell your GLHT to me then you won't have to worry about the color of the C SRT 4.

You sure we can't talk you into a Neon SRT 4?

[francois]

Hummm...

Mike, you have a wonderful GLH's and you are building a nice Consulier and you would want my GLHT? I don't get it!

I might have a peek on your Frankenstein this coming weekend...

I agree, I would rather have a N-SRT4 but those are older, higher mileage, riced up here, popular on the black market...plus I would get in a pattern of by the, F, why am I driving that car in winter?
I am single.
My '02 4 doors Civic ain't cutting it as a fun factor of driving. Life is short, Dodge is dead beside V8 cars so before they get too rusty, I'd like to put my hand on one of those nice looking C-SRT4.

Wait, you really want my GLHT?

Spiro can't stop comparing our cars when we meet each other! So funny...not!
I have a stock T1! :mad:

[168glhs1986]

I see Spiro has a driving buddy for this weekend.

Your not selling....but if you did want to, drive it down and i will pick up on Sunday :)

Seriously, for a daily you cant beat a e36 or e46 m3. Id take a look at those before making your decision. And the depreciation is over with for the e36 and almost at bottom or the e46's. Also look at the e46 ZHP package.

Im flying into Chicago to pick up a sweet e46 ZHP package with my brother on Saturday or i woud meet up with you.

Safe travels.

[cordes]

After seeing a C-SRT go round at SDAC this year and speaking with the owner I'm sold on them. 28-30mpgs on the freeway at 70mph is what I've heard from many owners. That's pretty darn good for a car with that size and power.

[iTurbo]

I heard about front wheel bearing and front bushings. Can I have more info?
Is there anything else familiar to that model that I should look for?

A silver one would look appropriate next to my GLHT but red is the color that is more available...

Thanks in advance.

I have had my '08 CSRT since buying it new in May of '09 and love it. Fully loaded with every option available for '08 and is sunburst orange. Only go-fast mod is the Mopar Stage I (ECU). I haven't had any problems with front wheel bearings, but I did have the front bushing issue. Very soon after buying the car, I would hear a loud clunk in the front suspension when I would floor it just as it hit full boost. There was a TSB on it, and it turned out that some of the cars didn't have the front control arm bolts tightened properly from the factory. I dropped it off at the dealership in the morning and picked it up during my lunch hour. Been quiet ever since. The only times I've ever had to bring the car in for warranty work was the control arm bolts issue, once to have the front rotors turned, and once again for a TPMS sensor that started acting up.

Things I like about the car:
It's FAST! I know 'fast' is a relative term, but coming from driving TI/TII/TIII cars with simple bolt-on mods, the CSRT flat out hauls; just remember to hold on. The torque steer is often hyped as a 'negative' with the car, but in my own personal experience it is only bad when you leave the traction control (ESC) on. Then the computer starts trying to fight with the engine's power output to regain traction and it can be felt through the wheel. If you turn it off, it is very manageable and quite fun to haze the tires through 1st and 2nd gear and even 3rd a bit. The top end is way better than any older turbo Mopar I've had, including my Spirit R/T. I find that when I race it, I have to be more mindful of the RPMs as it seems a lot easier to hit the rev limiter if you're not careful.

It is also a great car to take a roadtrip in as the seats are comfy and there is plenty of headroom. I don't feel have that worn out feeling after a 500 mile roadtrip at all, and I rarely stop unless I need gas. Gas mileage in mine is 21-24 MPG in town and 29-34 MPG on the highway. I got mine with the 'highline' REC radio which has the navigation and 6-disc in-dash changer, Sirius, Bluetooth w/voice control and Kicker audio package with the subwoofer in the hatch. It sounds great even at very loud volumes. Can't imagine replacing it really.

I work in apartment maintenance and often drive it to the hardware stores and load up the hatch with whatever. Plenty of useful room in the back, especially if you fold the rear seats down. Access is easy with the large rear hatch door. The subwoofer is easy to remove so you have even more room when you need it.

Another nice thing is that I have the only one in town since they aren't very common. I've only seen about 3-4 other CSRTs since I bought mine over 4 1/2 years ago.

Maintenance on the car has been a cakewalk. I change oil/filter and rotate the tires every 5000 miles and that is about it.


Things I don't like about the car:
Rear visibility is very poor. It takes some getting used to backing up out of driveways and parking lots...with a lot of head turning and glancing at the mirrors.

Even though the audio system is otherwise great, there is no audio input, USB, or any way to dock any kind of media player or phone. You can do phone calls and sync contacts via Bluetooth, but it won't do Bluetooth audio streaming. The '09 models are much better in this respect.

The navigation function sucks compared to newer vehicles. Inputing addresses into it is pure torture since it is not touchscreen. The map itself is nice and it's easy to zoom in/out in realtime, but unfortunately the data is stored on a DVD disc and is slow. Not only that, Mopar wants a horrendous amount of money for updated map discs. Again, the '09 models are much better in the respect.

The brakes are quite large and work well, although I've never been very happy with the front discs on mine. I've had to have them surfaced once already and there is a pulsating that keeps coming back. I'm not sure if it's the stock rotors at fault, or maybe the stock pads and the insane amount of brake dust they make. Thankfully there are upgrade options out there. I have a set of plain Wagner rotors and a set of Hawk HPS pads ready to install but haven't gotten around to it yet.

Expect tires to be expensive. They are 225/45/19 stock. I plan to replace mine with a set of 245/40/19 and it's likely going to cost around $1000. I have to say I have been very happy with the Goodyear F1 Supercar tires it originally came with though. I have 28k miles on them and they'll probably last up to the 35k mile mark.



All in all I'm very happy I bought the car when I did. I plan to own the car for a long time.

[glhs727]

I have had a c-srt-4 since 2008. Mine has hardly any options. We love it. 24-25 mpg around town and 28-30 mpg at 75-80 on the freeway. Hadn't done much repair, only oil changes and tires for the first 4 years, but in the last year, I did have to replace the alternator ($185), and the abs unit ($210). Car has 82K miles. I just have the stage 1 pcm, a 3.5" downpipe with cat, and better muffler. Also added a aftermarket BOV, and lowered it on eibach's. Put down 316 whp on minor mods. Car has been a great family car, and very reliable. If you get one, try to get a unmodified, or minor modded one like iturbo or mine. I have seen several with blown motors from kids that turn up the boost and don't know what they are doing... BTW I just have a stock radio and it has audio input so I can hook up my ipod...

[francois]

Thank you Jeremy and Cindy.

I want to keep the GLH and upgrade the motor so IF I do buy the Caliber, I am not gonna spend on it for upgrades. (yeah right)
Well, I might upgrade the pads and the rear sway bar because that is what I usually start with.

Yeah, I figure to stay away from modified one. Anyway, stocker last longer in that case and is what I want. I thought about the tires too. Cars went from 18'' tires to 20's...there is probably not much choice for the 19'' and my guess is that top brand, read higher cost is only available. I'll look deeper for that.

I am not into big sound sytems but it would be nice to have some decent system so I could listen to Kataklysm, Gojira, Dimmu Borgir or Belphegor at a nice level. I would like to get that radio with the big facia because I think it has the usb port.
The `09 model is what I would like to get.
Silver would look cool beside the L-body but sinister black is so tempting until I wash it!

I might go tomorrow for a test drive at a dealer. Will see how it goes.

Thanks!

[speedfreek500]

I just bought an 2005 ACR nsrt4, As Cindy stated great on fuel with a lot of power. It was hard to find a car without mods and have a decent body, When I worked at a Chrysler dealer the csrt's that came in were mostly oil changes, lower control arm bushings. All and all pretty good car for the money. I just did a 340km highway trip, I topped the gas up before I left and put in 26liters to fill it back up. I was driving it at 125km/h to 130km/h the whole time.

[francois]

I went to try one yesterday.
I am happy, I like it.

Like someone said, the visibility in the back isn't the greatest.
I notice that they don't all come with heated seat which I find is bad. Living up north...with beaver and Indians...

Anyhow. Is there a difference between heated seat and no heated seat?
Are some made of material instead of leather?

I will not buy the one I went to try because something is fishy. Both front windows (door) are not Mopar and have different brand. Bumper is weird and the underside of the hood where the top and bottom part are mated togheter are all rusted so it sounds like that car was hit but wasn't declared!
I'm just wondering if that's one of their problem or it was on that particular one.
Bottom of the doors where all fine and no rust at all...

I didn't push the enveloppe but I can feel that there is some go under the hood.
Didn`t had a chance to know if the brakes are decent because the one in the front were warped. The seller beside me told me that they would turn the disk, like it was done previously before I buy it.
I told him that it need 2 new disk. Forget the turning method.

It goes good in the curves so, all in all, I will try to find one in a better shape.

[iTurbo]

Sounds like a good idea to pass on that one. It's good that you noticed that kind of thing as most buyers wouldn't and Carfax is only as good as what is reported.

As far as I know, no Caliber ever came with heated seats. There are two options for the seats; one is the standard 'Viper inspired' seats with the large bolsters, and the other is the airbag equipped seats which have smaller side and bottom bolsters. I have the airbag equipped seats in mine. Neither came with a heated seat option as far as I know. Still, I love the seats in mine and I imagine it is probably easier getting in/out of the car with these, although they may not have the performance feel of the standard seats.

If you're interested in mods, I would highly suggest getting the Mopar Stage I ECU. You could also go right from stock to a RealTune ECU which is known as "MS1K" (MS1 Killer). It is rather expensive but the reviews are great and it will help immensely with the throttle response. These cars are drive-by-wire, and the stock ECU is a nanny to say the least. You can tell by driving the car that the throttle doesn't exactly do what you your right foot tells it to. There is a lot of goodness to be had by going to Mopar MS1 or RealTune MS1K in terms of power output and throttle response and drivability.

[banger68]

My brother has one for a daily driver. Rear vision is crap and it's a little squeaky inside like the regular Caliber. He has the regular non-air bag seats and they are very comfortable and not too bad getting in and out of them. He has added a couple things including the MS1K ... this REALLY wakes the car up. As iTurbo said the stock computer is really obtrusive at low gears limiting power and trying to compensate for not limited slip electronically. He is well over 100K and had no real problems. He was also able to slightly modify chrome 18' Caliber SXT rims to fit over the front brakes for snow tires.

[francois]

I knew there was a difference between the seats. Seems to me, the one I'm getting (yes, I am getting a SRT4) has less side bolster then the one I went to see at the garage.
They did had heated seat here as an option. Maybe Canada only?
Anyhow, no big deal because the center section is made of material instead of full leather.

The car has a performance computer. I have no idea which one. The bov was modified too. Too much PSshhhhhhhh for my taste but will see what's available.
I believe the intercooler was changed because the car has no rod to hold the hood open. It was removed because of the location of the top hose was interfering with.

Car has brand new winter tires. Will get an oil treatment for this winter.

I just can`t wait!!

[iTurbo]

If you're not sure about the visual differences between the standard and airbag seats, just look for the "SRS" tag on the airbag seats. They are on the side bolsters near the shoulder. I know the non-airbag seats on the NSRT left a lot to be desired, but the non-airbag seats on the CSRT are quite nice. I sure wouldn't give up mine.

You can probably tell which computer is installed by looking at the label affixed to it. Probably Mopar MS1, but considering it has other mods you might get lucky and it may already have the RealTune MS1K. If you want less BOV noise, you can go back to stock or even install the same 'blue plate special' that the NSRT used, although that makes some noise too. I have a BOV kit from NeedsWings for mine that I haven't installed yet. It came with an HKS valve, but I bought an adapter flange to let me run the TurboXS RFL. What can I say, I'm a fan of the RFL's 'bark'. I just don't like squeaky BOVs.

One thing you should definitely check out is the condition of the 'lower splash guard'. It is a large piece of plastic under the front bumper that prevents splashing into the engine bay. It is easily wrecked if something hits it or it's pulled too closely to a parking curb. I replaced mine with an aluminum one from Inline Carbon (formerly Gizmos Retrofits) and it fits great and is practically indestructible compared to the brittle plastic stock piece. It even has provisions for the brake cooling ducts. Inline Carbon/Gizmos and NeedsWings make a lot of cool stuff for these cars.

[banger68]

http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-auto-parts-tires-engine-engine-parts-Caliber-Srt4-Mopar-stage-1-MS1-W0QQAdIdZ502257607

Not too far from you Francois.

[francois]

Yup, seats have the SRS tag. I knew they had less bolstered then the one I went to try. Not a big deal.
So far so good. Might have to change a wheel bearing but I'll wait 'till I change the tires for winter since they kinda of drove on a tire that was loosing air. Tire might have been shaved badly.

I only have a key. I'll try to get one on ebay if possible. Will have to go to the dealer anyway.

I sure will look into more details soon. I am missing the antenna and I couldn't put back the one that was in the trunk because I thing someone had a shortened one put in the original hole.

Not sure about fuel economy as of yet but it sounds bad even if I don't boost. Might put back the OEM one because I don't see the point of that extra oomph in the snow. Hopefully, mpg will be better!
I might order a set of performance brake pads in the front because I find it need some bite. I am not impress with what's on right now. (Hard to please when I run performance pads on all of my cars) This one is probably a stocker.

No big deal but I have no Owner's manual.
I'd love to get a Shop manual.



Thanks for the link iTurbo and Banger.

[banger68]

Pics?

[francois]

Soon!

I wanted to create a build-up of my GLHT at the same time but I just meet a nice girl so...

:)

[francois]

Here you go. A really fast one and a dirty one as a matter of fact.

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab74/Francois666/P1090359_zps2c1bd22e.jpg (http://s851.photobucket.com/user/Francois666/media/P1090359_zps2c1bd22e.jpg.html)

[168glhs1986]

That color looks great on that car.

[francois]

I think so too.

When it's all clean, the metallic in that paint is amazing. Not my first choice since I would have like to get a silver to match the GLHT or a black one since I like the monastery effect...

No clue if it's different then a regular red on a Journey or a Caravan but anyhow, so far, I'm glad I bought it!
I like it better then my old TSX but then, not missing the precision of the Acura shifter...just getting the reverse is something!
I believe my GLHT, even with worn out plastic is easier to shift in reverse.
Haha!

[francois]

I have to fool around to get the reverse gear. No clue what would create that.

Also, when I went to get an oil treatment last week, I took the opportunity to look under and I saw oil dripping from the top of the tranny going down. Look like red so ATF...I thought, maybe it was coming from a charge pipe which is around but it really looks like it's coming where the 2 case joint together.
I will have to investigate on that one. Piss me right off!

I will have to order an new turn signal lever because everytime I put the left signal, lights in the dash go dimme. Now it's starting to stay dimmed when the lever goes back to the original position. I just wiggle with and it goes back to normal.
That is not a big deal beside removing the steering.

Probably a good idea to order that Service Manual at that point...

[iTurbo]

I've never had trouble getting my CSRT into reverse....although I admit I still find my self habitually shifting to 1st before reverse. It's a carry-over habit from my earlier turbo mopars and seems to help reverse sync better.

I'm almost positive the factory fill for the 6-speed CSRT trans is Mopar ATF+4 and is red.

How are you liking the car so far? I may start modding mine some more next spring. RealTune just released their 'savage' tune, aka MS2K although it sounds like it isn't for the faint of heart and requires mods like 3" exhaust and upgraded intercooler. Even with the stock turbocharger, 350 WHP would not be very difficult at all.

[francois]

I always do the 1st gear but it looks like I have to slam the lever toward the left to get the reverse gear.
Yes, they were filled with ATF. Next spring, I will look deeper because people had trouble from dripping coming from the vent which is closely related to the shift lever inside the tranny...it will be filled with high mileage Mobil1.
I am gonna adjust the shifter first and go deeper to see where all that sloppyness is coming from so I can remedy that!

This is my daily so I don't want to put too much into that one since I want to improve the GLHT.
I'm more into braking and turning then going fast straight so I will get some race pads upfront next spring because the front pads really s*cks big time!
At the speed that car can go, it's alright from the average person but once to get up to speed and need to drop the velocity right NOW, it doesn't bite like I would like.
I might consider a bigger rear sway bar but I read that I will need to reinforce the subframe ''a la Honda'' since it might rip and crack.
A BC coilover would be nice to be add but $$$

As of now, I am alright with the MP logic. I never had a car that goes that fast so for now, it serve me right.
I had the chance to do a rolling start (35 to 140mph) against a STI on the highway the other day and we both were at the same level. I was impress with the Caliber...
It would have been a different story starting from zero but ...
All in all, I like the car.
I believe it is as fast as a Focus ST (which I almost bought) but 4 times cheaper.

As much as I though it was a Dodge, I am reconsidering my thinking. It is more of a Mitsu-Hyundai car...

Anyway, it has some GLH style and flavor. Which I like.

[thedon809]

Its a dodge car that is loosely based on a mitsu platform. Same as the avenger.

[francois]

Just changed my front wheel bearing.
What a huge difference. I bought it and the car was ''humming up front''
When turning the bearing in my hand, I could hear the grinding noise. That is without load and not up to speed...
It was stuck in the knuckle. Thanks for Quebec salty road in winter.
It probably was rusted inside so the reason it was noisy. It was worst when the wheel were cramped left. I could heard a ''kong-kong-kong''
It wasn't a luxury to change it.

[francois]

I already have new disks all around and yesterday, I ordered front and rear pads.
Too bad Hawk couldn't put their HP+ compound on a backplate...so I went Carbotech.
This is what I have on the GLHT but I am going a step higher and got the XP10 for the front.
I would of like to get my hand on a set of Performance Friction but on the S2k, if the car wasn't washed at least once a week, the dust baked on the wheels and the cold bite wasn't that great so they did destroyed the disk and the CSRT4 is a drivers car so I had to choose wisely.

I have to get tires, at least for the front. I would rather find a good deal for some 18'' wheels with tires because without upgrading the 19's there is not much performance tires that deserve to be installed on.

I also, would love to get my hand on a bigger rear sway bar but it seems like I need to get or make a plate for the rear subframe because it will rip like a Honda...so that could wait because I also would like to get some BC coilover at the same time.

[francois]

Front brake are installed and what a huge improvement I did!
I am not afraid of pressing down, now!
I like the XP10 compound.
Rear will have to wait since I discovered I have to remove the hose from the caliper. I just can't remove the top bolt holding the caliper on his carrier. Mind you, I don't need to remove the whole caliper to change rear brake but since the top bolt make it difficult to move the caliper upward, it would be wise to at least add grease on the pin and since I can't find a way to remove without removing and bleeding the whole system, it has to wait.

I bought 4 new tires. I bought some Continental DW. A far better tire then my winter one but far from what I'm used to have as summer tires I have run previously in my life.
Anyway, I had to put something.

Now, I plan to use a colder spark plug. I tried different brand of fuel and I notice that it does ''ping'' whatever brand. Either 91 or 94 octane. Will see how it goes.