Chrysler Sebring Cabrio (2001 - 2002)
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
Some people get a real kick out of owning something their friends wont have. True exclusivity comes when an in demand item is manufactured in tiny quantities. Values skyrocket and it becomes a real collectors item. The other tactic is to sell tiny quantities of something nobody really asked for in the first place.
Valuations will slump and youll wonder why you bothered. Were still scratching our heads and wondering why Chrysler decided to import fifty left hand drive Sebring Cabrios in a period between summer 2001 and 2002. The good news is that used buyers can now get a big hunk of car for citycar prices.
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When new, the Sebring featured the largest boot in its class with a handily low loading sill. The fully insulated power operated hood has a glass heated rear window and can be raised or lowered with one touch of a button. Holding the button in place also lowers all four side windows. Although the styling looks a little odd (especially in profile) the Sebring is one of the best convertibles around if you genuinely need to seat four fully grown adults.
Youll only need around £6,700 for an 02 plated Sebring with around 45,000 miles showing on the clock. Compare that to what youd expect to pay for a similar vintage Saab 9-3 2.0t Convertible (£11k) or a Volvo C70 2.0T (£12k) and youll appreciate quite what a lot of car you get for your money with the big-hearted Chrysler.
Its about what youd expect to fork out for a soft top 1.6-litre Renault Megane. Suddenly you can forgive this car a lot.
With a lot of electronic functions, its well worth checking that everything is working. The engine is a relatively unstressed 2.7-litre V6 that generates 200bhp. The four-speed auto box is also trouble free, although its well worth inspecting the hood and seats for signs of discolouration as the trim is very pale and marks up easily with stains being difficult to get rid of.
The alloy wheels tended to be protected from the worst kerbing damage by bulbous tyres. Check the CV joints for signs of wear and tear.
(Based on a 2001 Sebring Cabrio LX approx excl VAT) A replacement clutch assembly will be about £345. A new starter motor retails at around £275, a radiator is around £460 and a replacement headlamp will cost you around £195.
Lets not beat about the bush. This is no focused drivers car. Instead, the Sebring Cabrio is a very easy cruiser, wafting about gently on an engine that serves up a healthy 262Nm of torque. Youll need to rev the engine quite hard to make progress as peak power arrives at a nosebleed 5,900rpm, but thats hardly the point.
Start driving the Sebring hard and youll find that the steering, brakes and body control arent really up to the demands of fast road driving. Instead its a great place to drop the hood, crank the stereo up and just relax. In case you were interested in the figures, itll reach a top speed of 131mph and will get to 60mph in 9.5 seconds.
Fuel consumption is a so-so 26.6mpg on the combined cycle, although as touched on before, this is one of those cars that feels better the more gentle you are with the major controls.
The Sebring isnt going to be for everyone and even tracking down a used example might take some diligence and no little patience. Buyers will be rewarded with an unusual and surprisingly likeable big convertible thats a welcome antidote to most performance-obsessed rivals. If you like demon cornering, high quality plastics or widespread spares availability, this may not be your bag. Otherwise, give it a go.
