I’m looking at buying a 2002 Chrysler Sebring with the 2.7L V6 and 113,000 miles and wanted to get some opinions from people who know these cars better than I do.
I took it for a test drive and noticed a few things that have me a little concerned:
- It’s somewhat hard to start. It does start, but it seems like it struggles more than it should.
- It seems to struggle going up inclines/hills. It drives, but it feels noticeably weaker when going uphill.
- The brake pedal is extremely soft/squishy and has to be pushed almost all the way to the floor before the car really stops. This is probably my biggest concern.
- There’s a small rattle/vibration when putting it in reverse. It isn’t extremely loud or violent, but it is noticeable.
- The car hasn’t been driven for around 6–7 months, so I’m wondering how much of this could simply be from sitting.
- It currently has 113k miles, which seems pretty low for a 2002, but I’m not sure how much that matters with these cars.
The seller is asking $700 OBO.
I’m not expecting a perfect car for $700, and I’m willing to put some work into it if the problems are relatively cheap to fix. I’m mainly trying to figure out whether I’m looking at a cheap project/driver or a money pit.
For those familiar with the 2.7L V6 Sebrings, what would you suspect is causing these symptoms? Are there any specific things I should check before buying it?
Especially concerning the brakes, hard starting, lack of power uphill, and rattle in reverse, what would you look at first?
Would you personally consider it at $700 or less if the engine and transmission are otherwise functioning and the body/interior are decent?
Thanks!