So the cat is out of the bag, there's a Chrysler Sebring Convertible amidst you all.

"nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul" (nfamouscj) 08/23/2014 at 20:25 • Filed to: None

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She's a 2006 2.7L v6, originally a flat automatic but my ever tinkering ways converted the lifeless 4 speed into an Autostick (donated by a Stratus). Sure it's not manuél but I can hold gears, down shift when I need to and overall it has increased the driving fun.

I did zero research before purchase- as you could imagine. A buddy of mine a few years earlier had a sedan, we drove it on the highway and I liked it a lot so I bought one (except I wanted a convertible). It's really not that bad though. Sure she's as long as a torpedo and pretty heavy but I get 21 city and 32 hwy. The idea was that because I wasn't getting something with a huge aftermarket I wouldn't be spending my money on mods - just leave it be. Yeah that lasted a few months.

Mods are as follows: Autostick conversion, front strut tower brace (plasti dipped bright effing purple... dont ask why. It was a terrible idea but it's staying that way and no you cant see it), K&N intake, rear sway bar, Magnaflow muffler with 2 dual tips (but those are going away too, see below), carbon fiber hood (sure it's too "race car" for what it is but I like the way CF looks. My Giant TCR Advance 2 (look it up) is CF and I like it. Plus the stock hood weighed like 85lbs... ok closer to 40 but this one ways like 15. I even accidentally put a divit in my ceiling when I took it out of the delivery box), remote start w/ cell phone control - I can be in Maine, my car in Cali and I can remote start it, plus I get text message alerts when the alarm goes off. My favorite mod and most recent is the headlights. I took stock reflectors and gutted them, mounted Morimoto projectors so I can have real HID's and not plug n play. My fog lights are PnP but have cutoffs painted on the lens to keep the glare down (they look sleepy). The reflectors have UV and green demon eyes so when the car remote starts they're purple, flip a switch and they turn green, then when the headlights turn on they cut off.

The black trim pieces look like ass currently since the clear coat is faded so Im plasti-dipping them, the side bumper trim pieces, grille and license plate assembly flat black.

People ask "well why not stop spending money on your car and just get a new one, something sporty?" And I will, it'll likely be an Abarth or FiST/FoST but I have no car payment, the Sebring only has 80k miles on it and I only put maybe 20 miles on it a week. Would a new car be fun? Uh yeah, but whats the point when I'd rarely have time to drive it and my current car has plenty of life in it (plus not having a car payment is nice.)

Everyone has something snide to say when I first mention it but in the end I dont care because my car is MY car. Not yours and Im happy with that. It's a bad ass dirty old man's car as I've been told before and that works for me. Now on to the pictures!!

The stock GTC spoiler thats going on tomorrow (fwd.. spoiler.. no it isn't functional but it's an aesthetics thing) and the new tailpipe which will replace the ones seen below..

And if you don't like it here's Salmon

Victorious Secret > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 20:29

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Please tell me you don't actually use the green ones when driving...

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 20:30

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Ive always liked this gen's styling

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Victorious Secret 08/23/2014 at 20:31

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They don't actually shine green light, they're just green. The projectors throw out actual white light

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 08/23/2014 at 20:36

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I never realized how big the tail lights were until it was taken off to change the bulbs. It's huge, like 30+ inches ended to end.

ly2v8-Brian > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 20:37

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Gengar license plate and badge. Nice.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 20:48

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You and my friend have EXACTLY the same car.

You know, minus your modifications. But it's the same greenish/black top, but I think his is an '04.

lone_liberal > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 20:49

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It's your car and you like it. Fuck anybody else's opinion.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 20:53

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if you're gonna call it Gengar you Ned to paint it purple. Btw Gengar is one of my favorite Pokemon.

RotaryLover > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 21:04

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Dude, change the water pump and the PVC valve ASAP if you can. I had one. The water pump fails at around the mileage you have on the 2.7L, aka the sludge monster, and when they fail...that engine takes a beating too.

About the sludge issue, this is why you have to replace the PCV valve with a new OEM one. Run synthetic if you can even though by 2004 they sorta fixed the issues.

If you ever lose all the speeds except the first one on the ventilation, replace the resistance in the glove box. Search on the web and you'll find the new part number and a TSB on how to replace it.

I had to replace the diff after 81000kms on mine since I did the transmission flush at a place where they didn't have the proper machine to do it...so if you ever need to make a transmission fluid change, do it at the dealership. Ain't the transmission a bit harsh during the morning?

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 08/23/2014 at 21:04

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Ive thought about it. Originally it was just the plates, the badge didn't come til the Chrysler badge was painted. If I planned on keeping it for another few years I'd definitely paint it a nice dark purple.

mazda616 > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 21:06

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I like! I enjoy seeing cars fixed up that aren't normally modded.

Conan > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 21:26

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Plum Crazy would be cool.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > RotaryLover 08/23/2014 at 21:51

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Funny you mentioned the sludge monster but yeah, I know what you're saying. I've ran synthetic for the last 60k miles and the pcv was just replaced 1k miles ago.

Water pump... Had an issue where I wasn't getting any hot air during winter and it took forever for my engine to warm up. In reality it was actually the fact that the coolant wasn't flowing because the pump was sort of stuck. I dumped one of those coolant lube and sealant bottles in (one side is gray and the other blue) yeah it's a bandaid but was 2 years ago and has worked like a charm.

What irritates me is this thing.. the seal blows, if cracks, coolant sprays everywhere. That's why I have a spare because they keep getting replaced under warranty.

I thought about changing the water pump all together but the timing chains also have to be redone too, it's like a $1200 job if I'm lucky. I'm going to keep up with the regular maintenance and run it til it dies then get my Abarth - hell by then my down payment will be half the cost of the car itself.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Conan 08/23/2014 at 22:13

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I think a purple Abarth would be a perfect Gengar-mobile.

Just needs to be Abarth

Conan > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 22:16

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Oh definitely. When I go in to get the Crossfire looked at I like to convince them to loan me Abarths to 'test.'

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Conan 08/23/2014 at 22:19

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I almost bought a Crossfire display model (didn't have AC) but I was like so, it has windows right? But they sold it the day before I got mine.

Conan > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 22:21

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The "didn't have AC" problem is eerily prophetic. I wish I felt confident fixing HVACs by myself. I like my car (mid range manual) quite a lot. I'd keep driving them forever if the SRT-6 was available in manual too.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 22:24

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here's the purple (cell phone cameras really don't like UV light btw)

front end exploded

old headlights (hood is popped, not wannabe LFA)

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Conan 08/23/2014 at 22:33

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isn't it 'basically' a benzo SLK? I personally love the oddball styling of them.

I've learned fixing things is pretty much a YouTube and systematic approach away. Unless special tools are needed anything can be fixed with a solid YouTube guide and some patience.

Conan > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 22:40

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Almost entirely an SLK from the previous generation. Even better at the skidpad. The Crossfire forum and YouTube do help a lot with fixing but people seem pretty leery of taking apart their dashboards for some reason.

erikgrad > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/23/2014 at 23:16

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I will say this, has to be the nicest Sebring I have ever seen. Too bad Chrysler didn't have you design the headlight assembly in the first place. Have you considered doing anything with the taillights?

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > erikgrad 08/23/2014 at 23:25

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thanks for that. The tail lights I've looked at, they have LED bulbs in them right now which give a nifty light pattern. Other than that I thought about tinting them a little darker.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/24/2014 at 00:03

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How are the green lights not illegal? props for the effort you put into it, but it's not my cup of tea.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. 08/24/2014 at 00:21

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they don't really shine like a green headlight would do. It more or less looks like the projector is painted green when on. If dark enough for any light to shine out or reflect off the headlight my projectors would be on anyways.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/24/2014 at 01:12

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Pretty sure it's still illegal though.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. 08/24/2014 at 01:17

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most likely. I went with green to match the blue/green paint but also because I know blue and red are super illegal. They don't seem to care much arround here with all the blue, pink and purple PnP HIDs out there. Va is more worried about people speeding than having colored lights

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/24/2014 at 20:17

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I like how the exhausts look.

RotaryLover > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 08/24/2014 at 21:14

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Good plan then! It was a fun car fast car...when it wanted. It actually felt fast as fuck the last day I drove it.