I see a giant Dodge Neon with leather. I would skip this and go right for the late model C's with the hemi. This car was pretty good for spawning the idea for the next generation. 💙✌️
We were a Chrysler family growing up, and my dad leased a 1994 or 95 Eagle Vision for my mom. She really liked driving that car. It never gave us any problems that I remember, although it did have to go to the body shop one spring after someone (ahem) thought he would be helpful and clean the snow off of it by climbing up on it with a snow shovel. We turned it in at the end of the lease when we moved from Cincinnati to Florida, since a black sedan with gray leather seats didn't make much sense in the Florida sun. The transmission never gave us any issues in the Vision, but we did have a 1996 Grand Caravan ES that had the transmission rebuilt twice before 70,000 miles. That van, and the 1997 Sebring convertible that replaced the Vision and that had all sorts of leaks and other issues, brought the Chrysler era to an end in my family. The Sebring was replaced with a 1999 Volvo C70 convertible, and the van was replaced with a 2003 Honda Odyssey.
One of my first jobs in the mid 90’s was working at a GM dealership that dealt with Pontiac Oldsmobile and Cadillac. I detailed, washed and cleaned cars along with running errands and filking them up with gas. I remember the dealership getting a LHS in trade and then discovering what a nice ride it was. Definitely on par or better than Cadillac of the day.
The LHS was the largest LH platform variant. It wasn’t replaced by the Concorde, it was always sold alongside it. Also, Chrysler was making bank at that time, which is why Mercedes wanted it (before running it into the ground).
I did a quick look online. Apparently the LHS was discontinued in 2001 and the Concorde continued until 2004. It was "replaced" in the sense that the Concorde Limited for 2002-2004 was literally the LHS with the Concorde name. Similar to how the Chrysler Sebring was "replaced" by the Chrysler 200 despite it effectively being the same car as the Sebring.
@@staceypayton5159 The LX platform's engineering was already complete. MB injected its own steering and suspension components to cut procurement costs.
Worked great, but the 300 started cutting into Mercedes sales. Dodge had come out with a really cool looking concept Hornet and they were forced to put out the horrible Calibur instead.@@staceypayton5159
My dad had a white/gray '97 LHS just like this one, absolutely loved that car. The name 'LHS' means LH Sport, its platform mate, the New Yorker, was less Euro-inspired and more traditional with chrome trim and bench seating. The transmissions were mainly a weak point if they were never maintained. 215 hp through a longitudinal transaxle pulling 3500 lb can be rough on the fluid, so frequent ATF changes were recommended. This is why most FWD cars use transverse engine layouts, even though it can make maintenance harder.
@@FuckTrumpFuckYouIfYouVoted4HimThe difference with the LH cars is that the engine is mounted longitudinally, similar to a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, while still being front-wheel-drive. So the power flow needs to make a 90 degree turn inside the gearbox, which increases the loss between the flyweel and the hubs and that loss is translated directly into heat. The heat is absorbed by the trans fluid which causes it to break down faster than it would in a transverse gearbox, such as the Ford AX4N or GM 4T65 from the same era. Normally this isn't a problem if the vehicle is maintained regularly, but ATF changes are frequently neglected, especially by second and third owners of Chrysler products who may not be able to afford the work for the more obscure services (transmission fluid, PCV valve, fuel filter, etc.)
@@mikezobl9602 I read somewhere that when the LH cab-forward cars were still in the Development Stage, engineers hoped one day these cars'd be rear-wheel drive with an all-wheel drive option. Obviously, that didn't happen until...wait for it...the 2005 Dodge Magnum!
@@U.S.S.SOUTHSIDE8369 Correct, the initial prototype for that next generation would've been the 1999 Dodge Charger concept car. That was envisioned prior to the integration of Daimler components on what would become the LX chassis, so it retained a lot of the LH chassis dimensions, as well as using a supercharged 4.7L SOHC V8 backed by a Tremec 5-speed and Dana 44 IRS.
5:49 the New Yorker had a bench seat and suspension tuning more like you'd expect of a Chrysler. The LHS had the bench seats and more "European" handling. Wikipedia says the New Yorker was dropped after a short 1996 model run, and the LHS got a bench seat option afterward.
I bought a black one new in July 97. I loved the car ,drove nice and the interior was very comfortable. The dealer sold me the Gold extended warranty 7 years ,100,000 miles . Fortunately it was the best thing I did and Chrysler took a bath with this car, even though it cost me $50 bucks every time it was taken in better than paying thousands of dollars. Let's see 1 power steering pump, went out at 38,000 miles so the factory warranty was expired. Next the right drive axle boot went bad not once but 8 times . The steering rack, temperature control panel fan stuck on high defrost, air conditioning problems 3 tmes I believe it was the evaporator once was a recall plus 1 recall for the leaking fuel rails. Transmission stuck in 2nd gear would not shift up or down. They said it was a solenoid. Transmission wemt out while at the dealer getting the A/C repaired for the last time. The warranty was just about up that was a close one 97,000 miles. I gave the car to my son shortly after and he drove it for another 94,000 miles and the transmission went out and the only other problem was of course the A/C. It went to the junk yard The interior was in great shape and the engine was great no problems except tune up and regular oil changes. Told them at the yard about the engine but they said it will most likely go to the crusher. Great job on your video I'm glad someone still has one very rare nowadays.
This car, the first gen Intrepid, first gen neon, and 94-01 Ram are some of my favorite non-performance/classic Chrysler products from a looks standpoint (quality not withstanding obviously). As the 00's crept on things got ugly in a hurry for them though (quality certainly didn't improve either lol).
Absolutely agree! Chrysler’s design studios were hitting it out of the park! In the mid nineties (Personally I think the 90s had some of the best looking vehicle line ups across the board. Everyone had some really nice looking vehicles, but Chrysler especially)
@@dragon81heart Definitely agree with the design perfection of that decade, especially the roughly 92-97ish portion. Had a '93 Toyota Paseo with 120k that unfortunately got totalled this year. Still it's crazy that a dirt cheap dinky econo box was that pleasant looking. Similar vein to the EG Honda Civic.
1st Gen LHS owner here. More than just nostalgia, I think this is a great design and driving experience that stands the test of time. So far the core powertain on mine has held up pretty well. I'm at about 76,000 miles. I notice that the ABS and traction control lights are lit on this car. I just had that fixed a few weeks ago. The easiest way to diagnose that is with one of Chrysler's DRB series scanners. Unfortunately not too many people have those. I was fortunate to meet someone who did have one. It turned out that the ABS module had an internal fault and needed to be replaced. Those modules can be readily found through junkyards and I got one that worked on the first try. As for both turn signal indicators being on all the time, I have no idea what that means.
I bought the exact same color 1997 LHS in 2016 with 21,000 miles on it. The owners had passed on and a friend of mine who lived next to them, asked me if I wanted to buy it. It had sat up in a car port for 5 years(since 2011), but it was in excellent condition. After getting it towed to a mechanic friend who performed a major tune-up, I was in only $2400 for everything. Of course, things quickly needed addressing, mainly rubber items. I had to replace the steering rack bushings(the rack sits up against the firewall), new front subframe mounts, new tires, and the timing belt/tensioner/water pump. Front CV axles followed, along with front brakes. I was in for nearly $4000 for everything, all said and done. Great car after all that work. My wife loved it to death. I knew their track record, so I sold it in 2019 for $3,000 with just 46,000 miles on it. Ran perfectly, I had installed a Sirius radio. The beige leather interior was flawless. Somebody scored big time when I sold it IMO. Alas, that whole Company Has Recommended You Should Learn Engine Repair(Chrysler) saying kept ringing in my head. I bought the wife a brand new 2019 Ford Fusion for her birthday, and we've been very pleased, with now 55,000 miles on it.
Love this. Parents had one when I was in highschool.. I spent thousands and thousands of miles behind the wheel of this vehicle. This was the "higher" trim of the concord.
I always thought the first gen LH platforms were beautiful, but particularly the first gen LHS's. They had an understated elegance of design not unlike the radically new Lincolns were in 1961. I was so impressed by the first LHS in '94, that I rented one for a long weekend when they first came out - it looked exactly like this one in the video. I loved driving that around and put several hundred miles on it. I still have a bunch of pictures that I took of it. Absolutely beautiful car. Tom is very lucky to have this car!
I bought a new Dodge Intrepid in 1996. It was a fantastic car. Spacious, comfortable, and a joy to drive. I loved that it was wide enough to have two child car seats strapped in the back seat with still enough room for someone to sit between them. I hit a deer with it in 2006 and the insurance company totaled it.
I’m surprised you made a video on this, I’m working on getting one of these. Love this car to pieces. Edit: also, this car looks better without the two-tone.
My grandfather had this exact car! I remember going to stay with my grandparents for a week and riding around in this and helping him wash it! Thank you for posting this!
Thank you for doing this video! Brings back so many memories. My parents loved the LHS. They had 3 of them. A black 1996, a silver 1997, and a charcoal 1995. The 1995 was our last one and it lasted until maybe 2005 or so if I remember right. What did that one in was the timing chain in the engine I think. My parents even talked my grandparents into getting a burgundy 1994. Then the last Chrysler product we owned was a 1998 or 1999 white Concorde LXI.
I still have a 99 300M (build date 5/98) with almost 250,000 km (about 150,000 mi) on it. The transmissions will last if you regularly service them with ATF+4 and ONLY ATF+4.
I bought a 1994 LHS in 2004 at an auction for $1350. The trans blew on my way home…this video reminded me of that. I paid a $1000 for a swap. Yes it was super comfortable. You incorrectly mentioned no front bench seat. My 94 had that. Also the trunk looks cavernous but it’s shallow amd the seats dont fold. It was an issue for me as i used this car for a small painting business while in college and couldn’t fit anything large. My next car, a 95 civic hatchback, while much smaller yad a much more versatile trunk that i could load with ladders, planks, what not. I liked the chrysler but was glad to be rid of it
Im bummed you didn’t show the regular sized tire in the trunk. I’ve had a ‘00 deville and ‘00 Buick park avenue and I absolutely hate the small donut tires. That’s another reason why I love my Chrysler. I would have loved for my chrysler to have been in the channel but it’s getting fixed it got crashed into by some drunk at my mechanics house in vegas while visiting. Love the video and shots of these I have a 94 burgundy and silver lhs with 76k miles on it still.
There’s an old 94 LHS that sits at an inspection station near me, been there ever since I can remember some 20 years. Surprisingly once or twice a year it moves parking spaces but that’s all. Always loved the look of these cars.
I had a 95, black with tan interior, I loved the look, the ride, seat comfort etc. the wife called it my Mafia staff car. Best memories are getting a golf group together .. everybody commented about the enormous trunk that would hold four sets of clubs and the back seat with legroom like a London cab. The only downside was that fully loaded like that you could tell the engine was working pretty hard. Traded it in 2001 for a Cad DeVille which pretty much the same …. Big trunk and rear seat, etc. the Cad probably rode a little more smoothly for the long interstate trips to see the kids and the wife liked it better, but both were great road cars. Ironically it was the Cad that started to develop the transmission hiccups. AT 120k miles, with the time bomb issues of the Northstar V8 also hanging out there, I decided to put my days of driving huge Detroit barges behind me for a Toyota SUV.
This was so much better-looking than the model it replaced AND the model that followed it. On paper (ON PAPER), this was better than the same-year Town Car.
That's a bit of a wild stretch lol. Let's be real, the Imperial had an optional luxurious four corner load leveling air suspension system that embarrassed the LHS' suspension on the highway or going across speed bumps. It didn't handle very well nor was it designed to. It also had some Mark Cross ultra luxurious seats inside that would make you put them in your living room. They were better than the LHS' seats. The whole entire Imperial interior was more luxurious than the LHS' interior despite being smaller. Also, the Imperial was easier to service and maintain than LHS. It has a simpler suspension design and more room under the hood than LHS. With LHS vs Imperial, better depends on the buyer. Do they want sporty handling or traditional great American luxury. I love em both and would be unable to choose I would buy both. Better than the 2nd gen LHS, again, not so much. The 2nd gen took the LHS vs Imperial tenor to a different level. It got even bigger, more sporty, more stylish and more powerful. It would depend on the buyer, I wouldn't be able to choose between 1st or 2nd gen I'd have to buy both. I think we can both agree that the Imperial, LHS1 & LHS2/Concorde Limited are all better than the Gen1 LX - 300c in all aspects except performance. Town Car, I appreciate you highlighting the "on paper" part lol. I'm assuming you're talking about the 3.5 214hp vs 4.6 210hp. That's the only edge LHS would have over a Town Car, but LHS buyers would hardly ever use that 214hp ditto for Town Car drivers, they'd never use that 210hp because they have 275 ft/lbs torque @ 3,000rpm and can tow 5,000lbs. The Continental was inline with the LHS. One I'd have a tough choice choosing too, I'd have to buy both lol. I have owned a forest green 97 LHS and a silver 99 LHS. I can't say which one I liked better, it was equal love for both. The 97 rode better the 99 handled better the 97 had more low end torque just tapping the gas the 99 had more midrange and top end punch pressing the gas a little harder. The fuel economy was the same for both no matter how I drove em. The exhaust at low rpm on the 97 is nice and sonorous the exhaust on the 99 is exhilarating at higher rpm. Chrysler Dodge vehicles had some nice exhaust systems built from the factory back then everybody forgets that lol
@@FuckTrumpFuckYouIfYouVoted4Him Could. Not. Agree More! I'm a HUGE Fan of the 1980's boxy look like the Impala, LTD, and the Seventh, and unfortunately, Final Generation Imperial! If I had to choose between this Generation LHS and the Seventh Generation Imperial, I'd have to do some Serious research and think about it! The Imperial was built in Belvidere, just outside my hometown Chicago. But this LHS is almost a dead-ringer for the Final Gen. (1994-6) New Yorker which IS one of the Most BEAUTIFUL CARS I've EVER Seen close-up!!!!!😍😍
I'm almost 100% certain the LHS designation derives from "LH-Stretched": this was an LH platform car but the overall length was stretched longer than its Eagle Vision, Chrysler Concord, and Dodge Intrepid first generation stablemates. (I think it was something like a good 7-8 inch stretch in length, mostly in the wheelbase). Hope this helps. They also really touted these as the first "cab forward" design cars, which was a fancy jargon way of saying the base of the windshield was pulled out as far forward as possible, close to the front axle. Keep up the great work Zack, always interesting to watch your content.
The wheelbase is actually identical. The rear roof design allowed the back seat to be moved back which gave the extra room. I've owned a '95 and still own a '97. Completely love the way they drive, and comfort can't be beat.
A Chrysler service tech told me that LHS stood for the "LH Platform - Special". Which makes sense due to the fact this car and the New Yorker had a longer wheelbase and more formal roofline, as LHS was the flagship for Chrysler at the time.
For the diecast collectors out there, Brookfield Collector's Guild produced a very cool promotional model of the LHS in metal with four opening doors, hood and trunk, available in several factory colors. They made several other Chrysler diecast promo models during the era, including the Intrepid and Concorde, metal coin banks of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Plymouth Voyager, and plastic models of the Neon, Stratus, Cirrus and Viper.
You brought me back with that one. I remember having a car magazine with an ad for the die cast LHS and New Yorker. I would stare at those pics wishing I could have them but I was living in Saudi Arabia at the time and my parents said shipping would be impossible.
Straight from the Chrysler literature, LHS stands for Luxury Highline Sedan. My neighbor had a 1995 LHS and that car would haul ass and be very comfortable at the same time!!
back in its day I rode in one when my parents were home shopping. Comfy for sure and quite luxurious like the Town and Country trim vehicles. However the Dodge Intrepid still is my favorite from back in the day :)
The Last Hope. I had the redesigned Intrepid RT and 300M Special. Never had an issue with either. Both were awesome, with the exception of the battery being located in the wheel well. I still wake up in the middle of the night wondering why. 🤔 😂
The first Gen LH cars were fantastic highway cruisers, had really good styling, more interior room than I knew what to do with, an absolute blast furnace for a heater, and with the 3.5 was actually pretty quick (especially for the early 90s) I had a 1993 Dodge Intrepid ES, in gorgeous green and silver. Loved that car. Yeah it wasn’t quite to Toyota levels of build quality but was definitely better than what most of Chrysler had been doing until that point. But the Achilles heel... The transmission (Ford had the same issues in the Taurus/Sable/Continental at the time) I had mine rebuilt twice in 4 years, and was starting to go again so I just sold it I do miss that car though Oh yeah, it was an absolute tank in the snow as well lol
11:23 - I dunno about "quickly" 😁 The W body was (in)famous for its development schedule and cost. 12:27 - The irony is... The platform under those curvy, aerodynamic LH models was derived from one of the boxiest of boxy boxes on the market, the Medallion/Premier/Monaco of the late 80s.
I drive a ‘94 Concorde. The little 3.3 V6 (the good engine compared to the 3.5) makes me smile every time I drive it. It is my most favorite thing ever, the LH platform cars are awesome and very comfy. Only problem I have had is the annoying Air Bag light. I am never letting it go.😊 Also the LHS had an optinal bench seat. The Concorde and Intrepid did too.
I had this car as my company car for 3 years. I loved it and drove it almost 100K miles with no problems. I had a nice Motorola car phone installed in it. Great stereo, comfy seats, great highway cruiser. My second favorite company car big sedan right behind the 300C with a hemi.
They did some weird things with those LH cars. The New Yorker was virtually identical except had a bench seat and a squishier suspension. The New Yorker was cancelled in 1996 and I believe for 97 you could get a bench seat on the LHS. I think the S stood for sport which is funny because it's not sporty but OK. The Concorde came out a year earlier than the LHS and lived 3 years longer. When the 2nd gen LH cars came out, the Concorde and LHS were pretty identical except for the grill and the LHS came fully loaded with features that were optional or not available on the Concorde, but in 2002 they killed the LHS and gave the Concorde a facelift to mirror the LHS, and introduced the Concorde Limited, which kind of replaced the LHS.
Oh I remember when these came out and to see how progressive and euro the styling of the entire LH series cars were was fantastic. Such a departure and huge steps ahead of the stodgy square ‘Iacocca era’ cars they had been building. The cab forward design really as stood the red of time as far as design goes. The LHS being the best of all. I had a 95 LHS which I got with a trans issue. But oh what a comfortable car it was.
Hey Zack, thanks for a great review! I worked for a Chrysler dealership from 95 to 97, being a Mopar guy, I loved the styling of the LH sedans. I used to own a 97 Concorde and I still currently own a 96 Concorde, unfortunately the transmission is being replaced as I write this. It's a shame the Chrysler transmissions in these cars just didn't last long. I also currently own a 99 Dodge Ram 1500 with a 5 speed manual trans. It's been a good truck, most likely because of it not having an automatic transmission. I'd like to see reviews of the eagle brand in the 90's.
I don't know what you're smoking but I've had three intrepids didn't have transmission problems with any of them only thing is I first bought my first one It started doing funky shit at the stop sign like it would slam into gear and it started slipping I took it to my mechanic back then I didn't really know much about stuff in 2006 My mechanic said that the filter was clogged did a power flush changed out the differential fluid and that was at 97,000 miles The day I got rid of it had 250 on the clock she was still going good! Transmission fluid back then was not as designed as it is now I'm coming from a family of caravan owners too none of us had transmission problems I've had a neon I have a Imperial and Intrepid My uncle had a Concord a '93 never had transmission problems...
Man this one brought back some memories!! I had the same Key Fob on my old daily!! Except mine opened the hatch on a 1995 Plymouth Grand Voyager High top! I really do miss that car!! Thanks for bringing back those memories!!
Supercars have gotten so absurdly good and so absurdly expensive that they've become boring. They're numbers cars. Mundane cars like these that are everywhere are far more interesting and often surprisingly quirky.
I absolutely adore 80s and 90s everyday cars, especially now when they're getting so uncommon especially up here in the north where not only were they all beat on as a daily and then junked they all rusted out before they were junked and if neither of those happened they were likely an unfortunate victim of C4C
Our family in Taiwan had 1995 Chrysler Concorde built on the same platform. It was unreal to drive it in the narrows allyways in downtown Taipei. I remember that the trunk looks large, but you stack up large suitcases because they interfere with either the poorly placed support struts of the trunk cover or the protruding speaker bodies and wiring (!), making it carrying fewer pieces of luggage than midsize Japanese sedan.
I like your videos, a couple of nitpicks, you keep calling a rear armrest a console, console implies there is storage inside, and the following generation also had both a Concord and an LHS derivatives, same as this generation had. Essentially the same car with different grilles and some different styling cues. Please keep reviewing these excellent cars, we are in a time where there are so few large comfortable affordable cars and these are great to see being appreciated!
Nice vid! I had a 1995 Intrepid ES in college, traded it on a 2002 Chrysler 300M Special, and a few other cars later I’m back in a Chrysler again. Got a 2019 Chrysler 300C Hemi. All great cars.
I bought mine on vacation in Canada and got it shipped to Europe. car still exists. For a V6 and its size performance is ok, super comfortable, no rust, materials ok. Only weak points: Automatic transmission reliability (terrible!) and general workmanship
I had a ‘97 Intrepid. Two things made the “ultra drive” okay: trans cooler than came with Auto Stick and you MUST put in the correct fluid. Incorrect fluid caused a ton of failures. I put 200k miles on mine, and I towed my boat.
During Highschool I’d drive my mother’s 96 Intrepid. It was a cozy car but came with issues. It would randomly turn off while driving, the trans leaked and the gray paint was coming off everywhere. I still liked it. She had a 2003 also and it was fast and comfy.
I loved these cars (first-generation LHS) back in the day and feel they have aged well. The LH platform was flexible, and Chrysler Corp. was riding high in the 1990s. Then along came Daimler. But it (Chrysler's winning streak) was nice while it lasted. And I loved the electroluminescent instrument panel lighting they used back then, too. I miss the old Chrysler. The 2000's haven't been kind to them.
As to your comments about the console shifter/sportiness of the LHS: this car and the New Yorker of the same era are basically the same car aside from a few cricial differences: the New Yorker could come with a bench seat, often had a column shifter and had a softer, more American ride and were a little more "chromed-out" in traditional American style while the LHS went light on the chrome. In simple terms, the New Yorker was meant to be a more traditional American luxury car while the LHS was aimed straight at the European and Asian cars.
0:37 someday I'd love to have you drive my 2002 Mercury Cougar but I gotta get it fully fixed first, got some wonky suspension issues and a rough idle currently, it's not the best shape cosmetically either unfortunately 10:04 that's why I love having a Cougar as my daily despite the terrible gas mileage and some of the issues I've had limiting my enjoyment, it always brings a smile to my face knowing that I'm driving probably the only one the other drivers will see that day and maybe make someone go "oh wow! I haven't seen one of those in like 15 years!" and it's a sense of pride trying to keep another one from ending up in a junkyard
My BIL had one of these new. Comfortable car, but numerous quality issues, i.e. switches, paint. If you buy one with the smaller (I think 3.0) v6, beware valve spring issues.
I had a neighbor that had one of these. It was a nice car until she came to a stop one day with 110k miles and that stop sign is where the transmission went to heaven.
Hey I just saw one of your videos for the first time on the Chrysler LHS you did a fantastic job and I really loved your information I'm a new subscriber thanks and keep sharing
I had a 96 from 2007-201, mine was column shift with a 50/50 split buckets and no sunroof. Drove it from 102,000 miles to 230,000, biggest issue was replacing the fuel pump at 190,000 that was easy to replace.
It's disappointing that modern cars are hard and angular and sporty. American cars used to be very comfortable cruisers that looked reassuringly plain. I blame the Germans and their sporting approach to luxury for influencing everything.
My mother had one of these and drove it to 130,000 miles before the transmission went. I wanna say too she never had the transmission serviced before that. Never changed the fluid or filter. I feel like if she did it would've lasted longer.
Not likely. As much as I like Mopar I had 3 that went out on me, all around 120,000 miles. That’s what they were designed to do. Many were also ruined because garages incorrectly put DOT3 ATF in them. On the other hand, a new transmission only costs around $2000 back then.
I maintain one just like this. The seats are just amazing. It was bought new buy a engineer who was retiring from Chrysler( he got a massive discount at the time). The example I keep going has a wee power draw when off. Coming from up in the middle of the dash. Some type of module has shorted out, and the owner doesn't want to have it all ripped apart. So a battery disconnect switch(ground) was put in, on the side of the shifter tunnel. Looks nearly like factory. Of course since its full of many electronics, its having many wee unrelated issues. Overall it runs,rides,and drives very well. I hear as of late, it will crank just fine, but not fire. Then it will just decide to start ok. He hasnt wanted to tackle that one.... Personally I'd toss the car, and just keep the seats...😁
The LHS came both bench and bucket seats. I had a 1996 LHS with Bench seat. Bought new loved the car had over 250k miles sold it it to buy 2008 Helm Charger new which I still own today.
But truthfully, LH was the platform code. This was the most advanced platform Chryco ever built: all new suspension and transaxle built just for this line. So, LHS sounded cool and they were so proud of how sporty it was for a big American sedan the S was added for ‘Sport’. It was a MASSIVELY successful car for Chrysler. So why not.
i had a 300 M.... it was the fully loaded one with the spoiler and foglights, man i thought i was so cool, now mind you this was 17 or so yrs ago so this was mint AF during the tuner scene years
I miss these late 90s cars that were very comfortable, techy enough, and unexcitingly styled. I was never a fan of the rounded greenhouse on these but now I appreciate them more. It looks a lot like the Taurus-based Lincoln Continental which is fitting as it was a competitor. It's a shame that Chrysler has never really figured out reliability. It's no wonder that this is when German and Japanese luxury competitors started eating the Big 3's lunch. This car looks very nice for its age. Old Chryslers become hoopties very quickly.
I felt the LH cars were a good effort from Chrysler and a step forward from the K car variations. However I felt the LHS although the top model felt cheap inside with all the plastics. Fine for the Intrepid but not the LHS class. PS: I'm sure LHS came from being on the LH platform. My ex brother in-law owned one, so I had first hand experience riding in it. I do feel the 300M on the 2nd gen was a bit better. Although when looking for my own sports sedan at the time, I drove a 97 Intrepid, a 97 Buick Regal GS and a 97 BMW 5 Series among other cars. You could immediately see and feel the premium difference of the BMW. My father at first questioned my desire for the BMW but understood why, 2 minutes into the test drive. I saved up and eventually bought the BMW. PPS: You need to find a 97-2000 BMW 528i or 540i for a test drive. You'll understand as well....
I remember as a kid my elderly next door neighbor had a green one of these. Literally had no idea what it was called. I knew it was a Chrysler because they also had a early 90s town and country.
Good video as always. You do need to address the stability of some of your panning shots. They jitter pretty bad. Do you have heavy footsteps? Were you in marching band in high school or college? If not I have a lil tip that might help without having to buy anything. Just change the way you walk.
Saw the New Yorker/LHS in the 1995 movie Johnny Mnemonic. NY had bench seat and column shifter, softer suspension and NEW YORKER on the lower passenger side of trunk. LHS had center console shifter, "sportier" suspension, LHS on the rear lower quarter panels and fog lamps on the headlight assembly next to the grille. And yes, that 4 speed was bad.
The only LHS I've seen in the past decade was absolutely beat to hell and was rusted out with missing badge letters and faded paint but that's how all 90s Chryslers ended up here in Michigan by this point sadly
LHS stood for "Limited High performance sedan" my grandparents had a 2nd Gen and it was replaced with a 300c. My grandma still liked the LHS more for some reason
@@chrislong8986 oh wow you’re correct. My bad. The stand up good ornament from the New Yorker version along with the bench seat and wheel mounted column shifter is the version my mom had but I remember a neighbor having the lhs versus with grill ornament, bucket seats and console mounted shifter I thought was kinda sweet
The 3.5L was a SOHC, not DOHC, even in the 250hp HO versions to come later, but indeed a step away from the pushrods. The 3.5 was still impressive for its day, as you said.
Another thing that’s taking the few remaining survivors off the road is parts availability. I have a customer with a 2003 Intrepid and blown out front struts. There are no struts available, from anyone, anywhere, and I work at a dealership. No one is producing maintenance parts for these beyond brakes and wipers.
I'm shocked I've been able to find parts for my 02 Cougar especially since the only cars it shared parts with were the Contour and Mystique, two other cars that didn't sell all the well and have largely disappeared Exterior stuff has been a totally different story with me spending a year to find a single headlight without having to pay almost $200 on eBay but that's kinda to be expected I worry though for that day to come where all aftermarket parts supply dries up
The lhs (also the eagle vision)was replaced by the 300m not the Concorde as it was the entry level lh car(sorta what a plymouth lh car would have been) the lh car was also based upon the eagle premier. Fun fact according to Tom gale the lx platform was an evolution of the revised lh platform as it was made to be fwd rwd or awd (never got it except a couple concepts)with e class suspension bits.
Back when the LHS was introduced, it looked spectacular compared to the other large sedans. The backlight reminded me of some old Jags. A good look.
That’s what I was thinking. Very low and long like a Jag
I see a giant Dodge Neon with leather. I would skip this and go right for the late model C's with the hemi. This car was pretty good for spawning the idea for the next generation. 💙✌️
It's too bad that the guy who made this video couldn't get basic facts right.
I don't know why this particular LHS kinda reminds me something of a sedan from Mercury or Chevrolet. it looks good though
We were a Chrysler family growing up, and my dad leased a 1994 or 95 Eagle Vision for my mom. She really liked driving that car. It never gave us any problems that I remember, although it did have to go to the body shop one spring after someone (ahem) thought he would be helpful and clean the snow off of it by climbing up on it with a snow shovel. We turned it in at the end of the lease when we moved from Cincinnati to Florida, since a black sedan with gray leather seats didn't make much sense in the Florida sun. The transmission never gave us any issues in the Vision, but we did have a 1996 Grand Caravan ES that had the transmission rebuilt twice before 70,000 miles. That van, and the 1997 Sebring convertible that replaced the Vision and that had all sorts of leaks and other issues, brought the Chrysler era to an end in my family. The Sebring was replaced with a 1999 Volvo C70 convertible, and the van was replaced with a 2003 Honda Odyssey.
One of my first jobs in the mid 90’s was working at a GM dealership that dealt with Pontiac Oldsmobile and Cadillac. I detailed, washed and cleaned cars along with running errands and filking them up with gas. I remember the dealership getting a LHS in trade and then discovering what a nice ride it was. Definitely on par or better than Cadillac of the day.
I'm shocked that there is one still in decent running condition. I haven't seen one in many many years. Good find.
The LHS was the largest LH platform variant. It wasn’t replaced by the Concorde, it was always sold alongside it.
Also, Chrysler was making bank at that time, which is why Mercedes wanted it (before running it into the ground).
I did a quick look online. Apparently the LHS was discontinued in 2001 and the Concorde continued until 2004. It was "replaced" in the sense that the Concorde Limited for 2002-2004 was literally the LHS with the Concorde name. Similar to how the Chrysler Sebring was "replaced" by the Chrysler 200 despite it effectively being the same car as the Sebring.
how did Mercedes giving em that Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger platform work out for em' though?..🤔
@@staceypayton5159 The LX platform's engineering was already complete. MB injected its own steering and suspension components to cut procurement costs.
Worked great, but the 300 started cutting into Mercedes sales. Dodge had come out with a really cool looking concept Hornet and they were forced to put out the horrible Calibur instead.@@staceypayton5159
@@jesdadotcom Mercedes injected their discontinued components
" Luxury High Performance Sedan" is what I was told at the dealership when I purchased mine new in 1998. It was a very good car for me.
Luxury Handling Sedan was the original interpretation. Maybe they changed it when the horsepower increased from 214 to 253.
My dad had a white/gray '97 LHS just like this one, absolutely loved that car. The name 'LHS' means LH Sport, its platform mate, the New Yorker, was less Euro-inspired and more traditional with chrome trim and bench seating.
The transmissions were mainly a weak point if they were never maintained. 215 hp through a longitudinal transaxle pulling 3500 lb can be rough on the fluid, so frequent ATF changes were recommended. This is why most FWD cars use transverse engine layouts, even though it can make maintenance harder.
@@FuckTrumpFuckYouIfYouVoted4HimThe difference with the LH cars is that the engine is mounted longitudinally, similar to a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, while still being front-wheel-drive. So the power flow needs to make a 90 degree turn inside the gearbox, which increases the loss between the flyweel and the hubs and that loss is translated directly into heat. The heat is absorbed by the trans fluid which causes it to break down faster than it would in a transverse gearbox, such as the Ford AX4N or GM 4T65 from the same era.
Normally this isn't a problem if the vehicle is maintained regularly, but ATF changes are frequently neglected, especially by second and third owners of Chrysler products who may not be able to afford the work for the more obscure services (transmission fluid, PCV valve, fuel filter, etc.)
The s in the lhs stands for stretched as it’s longer than the other lh body cars like the concord
@@mikezobl9602 I read somewhere that when the LH cab-forward cars were still in the Development Stage, engineers hoped one day these cars'd be rear-wheel drive with an all-wheel drive option. Obviously, that didn't happen until...wait for it...the 2005 Dodge Magnum!
@@U.S.S.SOUTHSIDE8369 Correct, the initial prototype for that next generation would've been the 1999 Dodge Charger concept car. That was envisioned prior to the integration of Daimler components on what would become the LX chassis, so it retained a lot of the LH chassis dimensions, as well as using a supercharged 4.7L SOHC V8 backed by a Tremec 5-speed and Dana 44 IRS.
5:49 the New Yorker had a bench seat and suspension tuning more like you'd expect of a Chrysler. The LHS had the bench seats and more "European" handling.
Wikipedia says the New Yorker was dropped after a short 1996 model run, and the LHS got a bench seat option afterward.
The New Yorker was the longest name used for a Chrysler nameplate
"New Yorker Fifth Avenue Salon" lol
I bought a black one new in July 97. I loved the car ,drove nice and the interior was very comfortable. The dealer sold me the Gold extended warranty 7 years ,100,000 miles . Fortunately it was the best thing I did and Chrysler took a bath with this car, even though it cost me $50 bucks every time it was taken in better than paying thousands of dollars. Let's see 1 power steering pump, went out at 38,000 miles so the factory warranty was expired. Next the right drive axle boot went bad not once but 8 times . The steering rack, temperature control panel fan stuck on high defrost, air conditioning problems 3 tmes I believe it was the evaporator once was a recall plus 1 recall for the leaking fuel rails. Transmission stuck in 2nd gear would not shift up or down. They said it was a solenoid. Transmission wemt out while at the dealer getting the A/C repaired for the last time. The warranty was just about up that was a close one 97,000 miles. I gave the car to my son shortly after and he drove it for another 94,000 miles and the transmission went out and the only other problem was of course the A/C. It went to the junk yard The interior was in great shape and the engine was great no problems except tune up and regular oil changes. Told them at the yard about the engine but they said it will most likely go to the crusher. Great job on your video I'm glad someone still has one very rare nowadays.
This car, the first gen Intrepid, first gen neon, and 94-01 Ram are some of my favorite non-performance/classic Chrysler products from a looks standpoint (quality not withstanding obviously). As the 00's crept on things got ugly in a hurry for them though (quality certainly didn't improve either lol).
Absolutely agree! Chrysler’s design studios were hitting it out of the park! In the mid nineties
(Personally I think the 90s had some of the best looking vehicle line ups across the board. Everyone had some really nice looking vehicles, but Chrysler especially)
@@dragon81heart Definitely agree with the design perfection of that decade, especially the roughly 92-97ish portion. Had a '93 Toyota Paseo with 120k that unfortunately got totalled this year. Still it's crazy that a dirt cheap dinky econo box was that pleasant looking. Similar vein to the EG Honda Civic.
I agree, and I don't even like domestic cars, generally. Their cab-forward stuff and the first gen Neon was a good era, IMO.
I still see these around occasionally. Makes me smile every time
I drove one of these around California for three weeks in 1996 and found it to be wonderfully spacious, comfortable and smooth.
Wow! Flashback ! These were super cool back in the day
I've heard that LH stood for Last Hope as well. I always love that Chrysler radio it was put in literally everything.
Omg, this is one of my most favorite vehicles from the 90s! growing up I always loved these cars and wanted one. They're still gorgeous looking
1st Gen LHS owner here. More than just nostalgia, I think this is a great design and driving experience that stands the test of time. So far the core powertain on mine has held up pretty well. I'm at about 76,000 miles. I notice that the ABS and traction control lights are lit on this car. I just had that fixed a few weeks ago. The easiest way to diagnose that is with one of Chrysler's DRB series scanners. Unfortunately not too many people have those. I was fortunate to meet someone who did have one. It turned out that the ABS module had an internal fault and needed to be replaced. Those modules can be readily found through junkyards and I got one that worked on the first try. As for both turn signal indicators being on all the time, I have no idea what that means.
oh no.
I bought the exact same color 1997 LHS in 2016 with 21,000 miles on it. The owners had passed on and a friend of mine who lived next to them, asked me if I wanted to buy it. It had sat up in a car port for 5 years(since 2011), but it was in excellent condition. After getting it towed to a mechanic friend who performed a major tune-up, I was in only $2400 for everything. Of course, things quickly needed addressing, mainly rubber items. I had to replace the steering rack bushings(the rack sits up against the firewall), new front subframe mounts, new tires, and the timing belt/tensioner/water pump. Front CV axles followed, along with front brakes. I was in for nearly $4000 for everything, all said and done. Great car after all that work. My wife loved it to death.
I knew their track record, so I sold it in 2019 for $3,000 with just 46,000 miles on it. Ran perfectly, I had installed a Sirius radio. The beige leather interior was flawless. Somebody scored big time when I sold it IMO. Alas, that whole Company Has Recommended You Should Learn Engine Repair(Chrysler) saying kept ringing in my head. I bought the wife a brand new 2019 Ford Fusion for her birthday, and we've been very pleased, with now 55,000 miles on it.
Love this.
Parents had one when I was in highschool.. I spent thousands and thousands of miles behind the wheel of this vehicle. This was the "higher" trim of the concord.
I always thought the first gen LH platforms were beautiful, but particularly the first gen LHS's. They had an understated elegance of design not unlike the radically new Lincolns were in 1961. I was so impressed by the first LHS in '94, that I rented one for a long weekend when they first came out - it looked exactly like this one in the video. I loved driving that around and put several hundred miles on it. I still have a bunch of pictures that I took of it. Absolutely beautiful car. Tom is very lucky to have this car!
I bought a new Dodge Intrepid in 1996. It was a fantastic car. Spacious, comfortable, and a joy to drive. I loved that it was wide enough to have two child car seats strapped in the back seat with still enough room for someone to sit between them. I hit a deer with it in 2006 and the insurance company totaled it.
I’m surprised you made a video on this, I’m working on getting one of these.
Love this car to pieces.
Edit: also, this car looks better without the two-tone.
Chrysler from the 90s felt worlds better than Chrysler from the late 2000s.
Ive been waiting for you to review a lhs
Love it ❤
My grandfather had this exact car! I remember going to stay with my grandparents for a week and riding around in this and helping him wash it! Thank you for posting this!
Thank you for doing this video! Brings back so many memories. My parents loved the LHS. They had 3 of them. A black 1996, a silver 1997, and a charcoal 1995. The 1995 was our last one and it lasted until maybe 2005 or so if I remember right. What did that one in was the timing chain in the engine I think. My parents even talked my grandparents into getting a burgundy 1994. Then the last Chrysler product we owned was a 1998 or 1999 white Concorde LXI.
I can hear the creaking of the interior plastics in my head haha. Suprised you found one in as nice if shape as it is somewhere in Illinois.
I still have a 99 300M (build date 5/98) with almost 250,000 km (about 150,000 mi) on it. The transmissions will last if you regularly service them with ATF+4 and ONLY ATF+4.
I bought a 1994 LHS in 2004 at an auction for $1350. The trans blew on my way home…this video reminded me of that. I paid a $1000 for a swap. Yes it was super comfortable.
You incorrectly mentioned no front bench seat. My 94 had that.
Also the trunk looks cavernous but it’s shallow amd the seats dont fold. It was an issue for me as i used this car for a small painting business while in college and couldn’t fit anything large.
My next car, a 95 civic hatchback, while much smaller yad a much more versatile trunk that i could load with ladders, planks, what not.
I liked the chrysler but was glad to be rid of it
Im bummed you didn’t show the regular sized tire in the trunk. I’ve had a ‘00 deville and ‘00 Buick park avenue and I absolutely hate the small donut tires. That’s another reason why I love my Chrysler. I would have loved for my chrysler to have been in the channel but it’s getting fixed it got crashed into by some drunk at my mechanics house in vegas while visiting.
Love the video and shots of these I have a 94 burgundy and silver lhs with 76k miles on it still.
My dad had a maroon LHS and that thing was so sweet
There’s an old 94 LHS that sits at an inspection station near me, been there ever since I can remember some 20 years. Surprisingly once or twice a year it moves parking spaces but that’s all. Always loved the look of these cars.
Had the same one. 180K miles on the original trans when I sold it. Best seats without a doubt.
Me too. I got the same exact car. Mine has 275.000 miles. As far as I know it's the original trans
I had a 95, black with tan interior, I loved the look, the ride, seat comfort etc. the wife called it my Mafia staff car. Best memories are getting a golf group together .. everybody commented about the enormous trunk that would hold four sets of clubs and the back seat with legroom like a London cab. The only downside was that fully loaded like that you could tell the engine was working pretty hard. Traded it in 2001 for a Cad DeVille which pretty much the same …. Big trunk and rear seat, etc. the Cad probably rode a little more smoothly for the long interstate trips to see the kids and the wife liked it better, but both were great road cars. Ironically it was the Cad that started to develop the transmission hiccups. AT 120k miles, with the time bomb issues of the Northstar V8 also hanging out there, I decided to put my days of driving huge Detroit barges behind me for a Toyota SUV.
This was so much better-looking than the model it replaced AND the model that followed it. On paper (ON PAPER), this was better than the same-year Town Car.
That's a bit of a wild stretch lol. Let's be real, the Imperial had an optional luxurious four corner load leveling air suspension system that embarrassed the LHS' suspension on the highway or going across speed bumps. It didn't handle very well nor was it designed to. It also had some Mark Cross ultra luxurious seats inside that would make you put them in your living room. They were better than the LHS' seats. The whole entire Imperial interior was more luxurious than the LHS' interior despite being smaller. Also, the Imperial was easier to service and maintain than LHS. It has a simpler suspension design and more room under the hood than LHS. With LHS vs Imperial, better depends on the buyer. Do they want sporty handling or traditional great American luxury. I love em both and would be unable to choose I would buy both.
Better than the 2nd gen LHS, again, not so much. The 2nd gen took the LHS vs Imperial tenor to a different level. It got even bigger, more sporty, more stylish and more powerful. It would depend on the buyer, I wouldn't be able to choose between 1st or 2nd gen I'd have to buy both.
I think we can both agree that the Imperial, LHS1 & LHS2/Concorde Limited are all better than the Gen1 LX - 300c in all aspects except performance.
Town Car, I appreciate you highlighting the "on paper" part lol. I'm assuming you're talking about the 3.5 214hp vs 4.6 210hp. That's the only edge LHS would have over a Town Car, but LHS buyers would hardly ever use that 214hp ditto for Town Car drivers, they'd never use that 210hp because they have 275 ft/lbs torque @ 3,000rpm and can tow 5,000lbs. The Continental was inline with the LHS. One I'd have a tough choice choosing too, I'd have to buy both lol. I have owned a forest green 97 LHS and a silver 99 LHS. I can't say which one I liked better, it was equal love for both. The 97 rode better the 99 handled better the 97 had more low end torque just tapping the gas the 99 had more midrange and top end punch pressing the gas a little harder. The fuel economy was the same for both no matter how I drove em. The exhaust at low rpm on the 97 is nice and sonorous the exhaust on the 99 is exhilarating at higher rpm. Chrysler Dodge vehicles had some nice exhaust systems built from the factory back then everybody forgets that lol
@@FuckTrumpFuckYouIfYouVoted4Him Could. Not. Agree More! I'm a HUGE Fan of the 1980's boxy look like the Impala, LTD, and the Seventh, and unfortunately, Final Generation Imperial! If I had to choose between this Generation LHS and the Seventh Generation Imperial, I'd have to do some Serious research and think about it! The Imperial was built in Belvidere, just outside my hometown Chicago. But this LHS is almost a dead-ringer for the Final Gen. (1994-6) New Yorker which IS one of the Most BEAUTIFUL CARS I've EVER Seen close-up!!!!!😍😍
I'm almost 100% certain the LHS designation derives from "LH-Stretched": this was an LH platform car but the overall length was stretched longer than its Eagle Vision, Chrysler Concord, and Dodge Intrepid first generation stablemates. (I think it was something like a good 7-8 inch stretch in length, mostly in the wheelbase). Hope this helps. They also really touted these as the first "cab forward" design cars, which was a fancy jargon way of saying the base of the windshield was pulled out as far forward as possible, close to the front axle. Keep up the great work Zack, always interesting to watch your content.
The wheelbase is actually identical. The rear roof design allowed the back seat to be moved back which gave the extra room. I've owned a '95 and still own a '97. Completely love the way they drive, and comfort can't be beat.
A Chrysler service tech told me that LHS stood for the "LH Platform - Special". Which makes sense due to the fact this car and the New Yorker had a longer wheelbase and more formal roofline, as LHS was the flagship for Chrysler at the time.
For the diecast collectors out there, Brookfield Collector's Guild produced a very cool promotional model of the LHS in metal with four opening doors, hood and trunk, available in several factory colors. They made several other Chrysler diecast promo models during the era, including the Intrepid and Concorde, metal coin banks of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Plymouth Voyager, and plastic models of the Neon, Stratus, Cirrus and Viper.
You brought me back with that one. I remember having a car magazine with an ad for the die cast LHS and New Yorker. I would stare at those pics wishing I could have them but I was living in Saudi Arabia at the time and my parents said shipping would be impossible.
I loved to see the LHS running around when I was a kid. Every once in a while I still see one.
The interior of this LHS is remarkably similar to my friend's 1994 Chrysler Concorde. Same V6, too.
Straight from the Chrysler literature, LHS stands for Luxury Highline Sedan. My neighbor had a 1995 LHS and that car would haul ass and be very comfortable at the same time!!
I've always had a "normal car crush" on these as well as the slightly more "bubbly" and rounded LHS which came after it ♡
Oh btw Zach, the twin to the LHS, the New Yorker, did have a bench seat, column shift, and a even softer ride
Just a helpful little FYI
Take care!
That “Leaving the party early” bit towards the trans had me on the ground holy fucking shit😂💀😂💀😂💀
back in its day I rode in one when my parents were home shopping. Comfy for sure and quite luxurious like the Town and Country trim vehicles. However the Dodge Intrepid still is my favorite from back in the day :)
The Last Hope. I had the redesigned Intrepid RT and 300M Special. Never had an issue with either. Both were awesome, with the exception of the battery being located in the wheel well. I still wake up in the middle of the night wondering why. 🤔 😂
Worked at Chrysler in the 90"s and the joke was that LH cars stood for Last Hope. Joking aside, is a great car.
The first Gen LH cars were fantastic highway cruisers, had really good styling, more interior room than I knew what to do with, an absolute blast furnace for a heater, and with the 3.5 was actually pretty quick (especially for the early 90s)
I had a 1993 Dodge Intrepid ES, in gorgeous green and silver. Loved that car. Yeah it wasn’t quite to Toyota levels of build quality but was definitely better than what most of Chrysler had been doing until that point.
But the Achilles heel...
The transmission
(Ford had the same issues in the Taurus/Sable/Continental at the time)
I had mine rebuilt twice in 4 years, and was starting to go again so I just sold it
I do miss that car though
Oh yeah, it was an absolute tank in the snow as well lol
11:23 - I dunno about "quickly" 😁 The W body was (in)famous for its development schedule and cost.
12:27 - The irony is... The platform under those curvy, aerodynamic LH models was derived from one of the boxiest of boxy boxes on the market, the Medallion/Premier/Monaco of the late 80s.
Renault 25
I drive a ‘94 Concorde. The little 3.3 V6 (the good engine compared to the 3.5) makes me smile every time I drive it. It is my most favorite thing ever, the LH platform cars are awesome and very comfy. Only problem I have had is the annoying Air Bag light. I am never letting it go.😊
Also the LHS had an optinal bench seat. The Concorde and Intrepid did too.
Your car's Value is Rising!!🧐
I had this car as my company car for 3 years. I loved it and drove it almost 100K miles with no problems. I had a nice Motorola car phone installed in it. Great stereo, comfy seats, great highway cruiser. My second favorite company car big sedan right behind the 300C with a hemi.
Wow, your company had a lot of bucks
They did some weird things with those LH cars. The New Yorker was virtually identical except had a bench seat and a squishier suspension. The New Yorker was cancelled in 1996 and I believe for 97 you could get a bench seat on the LHS. I think the S stood for sport which is funny because it's not sporty but OK. The Concorde came out a year earlier than the LHS and lived 3 years longer. When the 2nd gen LH cars came out, the Concorde and LHS were pretty identical except for the grill and the LHS came fully loaded with features that were optional or not available on the Concorde, but in 2002 they killed the LHS and gave the Concorde a facelift to mirror the LHS, and introduced the Concorde Limited, which kind of replaced the LHS.
Oh I remember when these came out and to see how progressive and euro the styling of the entire LH series cars were was fantastic. Such a departure and huge steps ahead of the stodgy square ‘Iacocca era’ cars they had been building. The cab forward design really as stood the red of time as far as design goes. The LHS being the best of all. I had a 95 LHS which I got with a trans issue. But oh what a comfortable car it was.
Hey Zack, thanks for a great review! I worked for a Chrysler dealership from 95 to 97, being a Mopar guy, I loved the styling of the LH sedans. I used to own a 97 Concorde and I still currently own a 96 Concorde, unfortunately the transmission is being replaced as I write this.
It's a shame the Chrysler transmissions in these cars just didn't last long.
I also currently own a 99 Dodge Ram 1500 with a 5 speed manual trans. It's been a good truck, most likely because of it not having an automatic transmission.
I'd like to see reviews of the eagle brand in the 90's.
I don't know what you're smoking but I've had three intrepids didn't have transmission problems with any of them only thing is I first bought my first one It started doing funky shit at the stop sign like it would slam into gear and it started slipping I took it to my mechanic back then I didn't really know much about stuff in 2006 My mechanic said that the filter was clogged did a power flush changed out the differential fluid and that was at 97,000 miles The day I got rid of it had 250 on the clock she was still going good! Transmission fluid back then was not as designed as it is now I'm coming from a family of caravan owners too none of us had transmission problems I've had a neon I have a Imperial and Intrepid My uncle had a Concord a '93 never had transmission problems...
Man this one brought back some memories!! I had the same Key Fob on my old daily!! Except mine opened the hatch on a 1995 Plymouth Grand Voyager High top! I really do miss that car!! Thanks for bringing back those memories!!
I feel like lately theres been more and more "normal" car lovers wich is very nice to see! Btw id love to see a review of last gen tercel someday!
Supercars have gotten so absurdly good and so absurdly expensive that they've become boring. They're numbers cars. Mundane cars like these that are everywhere are far more interesting and often surprisingly quirky.
I absolutely adore 80s and 90s everyday cars, especially now when they're getting so uncommon especially up here in the north where not only were they all beat on as a daily and then junked they all rusted out before they were junked and if neither of those happened they were likely an unfortunate victim of C4C
Our family in Taiwan had 1995 Chrysler Concorde built on the same platform. It was unreal to drive it in the narrows allyways in downtown Taipei. I remember that the trunk looks large, but you stack up large suitcases because they interfere with either the poorly placed support struts of the trunk cover or the protruding speaker bodies and wiring (!), making it carrying fewer pieces of luggage than midsize Japanese sedan.
1994 Chrysler Concorde was my first car. Loved that luxurious tank!
My friend has one of those 94's. Amazing how similar the LHS interior is. I've never been inside of an LHS.
I like your videos, a couple of nitpicks, you keep calling a rear armrest a console, console implies there is storage inside, and the following generation also had both a Concord and an LHS derivatives, same as this generation had.
Essentially the same car with different grilles and some different styling cues.
Please keep reviewing these excellent cars, we are in a time where there are so few large comfortable affordable cars and these are great to see being appreciated!
Nice vid! I had a 1995 Intrepid ES in college, traded it on a 2002 Chrysler 300M Special, and a few other cars later I’m back in a Chrysler again. Got a 2019 Chrysler 300C Hemi. All great cars.
I LOVE these first gen LH cars, especially this LHS/New Yorker. Ive always wanted one but clean ones are hard to find. Maybe one day.
I bought mine on vacation in Canada and got it shipped to Europe. car still exists. For a V6 and its size performance is ok, super comfortable, no rust, materials ok. Only weak points: Automatic transmission reliability (terrible!) and general workmanship
I had a ‘97 Intrepid. Two things made the “ultra drive” okay: trans cooler than came with Auto Stick and you MUST put in the correct fluid. Incorrect fluid caused a ton of failures.
I put 200k miles on mine, and I towed my boat.
During Highschool I’d drive my mother’s 96 Intrepid. It was a cozy car but came with issues. It would randomly turn off while driving, the trans leaked and the gray paint was coming off everywhere. I still liked it. She had a 2003 also and it was fast and comfy.
I loved these cars (first-generation LHS) back in the day and feel they have aged well. The LH platform was flexible, and Chrysler Corp. was riding high in the 1990s. Then along came Daimler. But it (Chrysler's winning streak) was nice while it lasted. And I loved the electroluminescent instrument panel lighting they used back then, too. I miss the old Chrysler. The 2000's haven't been kind to them.
If Chrysler put a V8-RWD on this beauty it will change everything on this car...
For real, would’ve been another muscle car legend.
My aunt & uncle used to have one of these, (same color too) they just loved it!
As to your comments about the console shifter/sportiness of the LHS: this car and the New Yorker of the same era are basically the same car aside from a few cricial differences: the New Yorker could come with a bench seat, often had a column shifter and had a softer, more American ride and were a little more "chromed-out" in traditional American style while the LHS went light on the chrome. In simple terms, the New Yorker was meant to be a more traditional American luxury car while the LHS was aimed straight at the European and Asian cars.
0:37 someday I'd love to have you drive my 2002 Mercury Cougar but I gotta get it fully fixed first, got some wonky suspension issues and a rough idle currently, it's not the best shape cosmetically either unfortunately
10:04 that's why I love having a Cougar as my daily despite the terrible gas mileage and some of the issues I've had limiting my enjoyment, it always brings a smile to my face knowing that I'm driving probably the only one the other drivers will see that day and maybe make someone go "oh wow! I haven't seen one of those in like 15 years!" and it's a sense of pride trying to keep another one from ending up in a junkyard
My BIL had one of these new. Comfortable car, but numerous quality issues, i.e. switches, paint. If you buy one with the smaller (I think 3.0) v6, beware valve spring issues.
Having the *warning lights* on the “message center” is embarrassing when something is lit up as a warning, everyone in the car can see what’s wrong 😂
I still see those on the road out here on the looney left coast. That interior makes me want one. Swankeeeey!!
I had a neighbor that had one of these. It was a nice car until she came to a stop one day with 110k miles and that stop sign is where the transmission went to heaven.
Hey I just saw one of your videos for the first time on the Chrysler LHS you did a fantastic job and I really loved your information I'm a new subscriber thanks and keep sharing
I had a 96 from 2007-201, mine was column shift with a 50/50 split buckets and no sunroof. Drove it from 102,000 miles to 230,000, biggest issue was replacing the fuel pump at 190,000 that was easy to replace.
In the 1990s, car companies still made classy looking cars, that didn't look sporty. I miss that.
It's disappointing that modern cars are hard and angular and sporty. American cars used to be very comfortable cruisers that looked reassuringly plain. I blame the Germans and their sporting approach to luxury for influencing everything.
My mother had one of these and drove it to 130,000 miles before the transmission went. I wanna say too she never had the transmission serviced before that. Never changed the fluid or filter. I feel like if she did it would've lasted longer.
Not likely. As much as I like Mopar I had 3 that went out on me, all around 120,000 miles. That’s what they were designed to do. Many were also ruined because garages incorrectly put DOT3 ATF in them. On the other hand, a new transmission only costs around $2000 back then.
@@peterchen9763 she did replace the transmission in 2005 I think it was. Kept the car until she passed in 2016 with 207,000 miles.
i bought my '97 LHS in 2021 for 1600 dollars with 35,000kms on the odo now has 55k. Best car ive ever owned
By the 90s, the K car platform was outdated, so Chrysler replaced it with the LH platform with was more aerodynamic unlike the boxy K cars
I maintain one just like this. The seats are just amazing. It was bought new buy a engineer who was retiring from Chrysler( he got a massive discount at the time).
The example I keep going has a wee power draw when off. Coming from up in the middle of the dash. Some type of module has shorted out, and the owner doesn't want to have it all ripped apart.
So a battery disconnect switch(ground) was put in, on the side of the shifter tunnel. Looks nearly like factory. Of course since its full of many electronics, its having many wee unrelated issues.
Overall it runs,rides,and drives very well. I hear as of late, it will crank just fine, but not fire. Then it will just decide to start ok. He hasnt wanted to tackle that one....
Personally I'd toss the car, and just keep the seats...😁
Those rims were so cool.
The LHS came both bench and bucket seats. I had a 1996 LHS with Bench seat. Bought new loved the car had over 250k miles sold it it to buy 2008 Helm Charger new which I still own today.
But truthfully, LH was the platform code. This was the most advanced platform Chryco ever built: all new suspension and transaxle built just for this line. So, LHS sounded cool and they were so proud of how sporty it was for a big American sedan the S was added for ‘Sport’. It was a MASSIVELY successful car for Chrysler. So why not.
Love how it comes with a full spare tire
i had a 300 M.... it was the fully loaded one with the spoiler and foglights, man i thought i was so cool, now mind you this was 17 or so yrs ago so this was mint AF during the tuner scene years
If i recall the LHS is slightly longer than the LH sedan, wheelbase anf length. The "S" means Stretched.
I miss these late 90s cars that were very comfortable, techy enough, and unexcitingly styled. I was never a fan of the rounded greenhouse on these but now I appreciate them more. It looks a lot like the Taurus-based Lincoln Continental which is fitting as it was a competitor. It's a shame that Chrysler has never really figured out reliability. It's no wonder that this is when German and Japanese luxury competitors started eating the Big 3's lunch. This car looks very nice for its age. Old Chryslers become hoopties very quickly.
I felt the LH cars were a good effort from Chrysler and a step forward from the K car variations. However I felt the LHS although the top model felt cheap inside with all the plastics. Fine for the Intrepid but not the LHS class. PS: I'm sure LHS came from being on the LH platform. My ex brother in-law owned one, so I had first hand experience riding in it. I do feel the 300M on the 2nd gen was a bit better. Although when looking for my own sports sedan at the time, I drove a 97 Intrepid, a 97 Buick Regal GS and a 97 BMW 5 Series among other cars. You could immediately see and feel the premium difference of the BMW. My father at first questioned my desire for the BMW but understood why, 2 minutes into the test drive. I saved up and eventually bought the BMW. PPS: You need to find a 97-2000 BMW 528i or 540i for a test drive. You'll understand as well....
These were very popular back then! My folks had a Dodge Intrepid. I owned a 99 Concorde.
I remember as a kid my elderly next door neighbor had a green one of these. Literally had no idea what it was called. I knew it was a Chrysler because they also had a early 90s town and country.
Good video as always. You do need to address the stability of some of your panning shots. They jitter pretty bad.
Do you have heavy footsteps? Were you in marching band in high school or college? If not I have a lil tip that might help without having to buy anything. Just change the way you walk.
Saw the New Yorker/LHS in the 1995 movie Johnny Mnemonic. NY had bench seat and column shifter, softer suspension and NEW YORKER on the lower passenger side of trunk. LHS had center console shifter, "sportier" suspension, LHS on the rear lower quarter panels and fog lamps on the headlight assembly next to the grille. And yes, that 4 speed was bad.
My 96 LHS had a column shift with 50/50 buckets and no sunroof.
Love the fwd cars from the 80's and 90's
The only LHS I've seen in the past decade was absolutely beat to hell and was rusted out with missing badge letters and faded paint but that's how all 90s Chryslers ended up here in Michigan by this point sadly
LHS stood for "Limited High performance sedan" my grandparents had a 2nd Gen and it was replaced with a 300c. My grandma still liked the LHS more for some reason
The version of that with the bench seat that year was still called New Yorker
Nope after 1996 the New Yorker got dropped but front Bench seat option was available
@@chrislong8986 oh wow you’re correct. My bad. The stand up good ornament from the New Yorker version along with the bench seat and wheel mounted column shifter is the version my mom had but I remember a neighbor having the lhs versus with grill ornament, bucket seats and console mounted shifter I thought was kinda sweet
The 3.5L was a SOHC, not DOHC, even in the 250hp HO versions to come later, but indeed a step away from the pushrods. The 3.5 was still impressive for its day, as you said.
214 horsepower from 3.5L is quite good; that's almost exactly one *net* horsepower per cubic inch (as opposed to brake/ gross horsepower).
I remember these had lots of rear seat legroom like a checker cab.
Another thing that’s taking the few remaining survivors off the road is parts availability. I have a customer with a 2003 Intrepid and blown out front struts. There are no struts available, from anyone, anywhere, and I work at a dealership. No one is producing maintenance parts for these beyond brakes and wipers.
I'm shocked I've been able to find parts for my 02 Cougar especially since the only cars it shared parts with were the Contour and Mystique, two other cars that didn't sell all the well and have largely disappeared
Exterior stuff has been a totally different story with me spending a year to find a single headlight without having to pay almost $200 on eBay but that's kinda to be expected
I worry though for that day to come where all aftermarket parts supply dries up
@@Karmy. you might get lucky with that and have some cross compatibility with some Mazdas
The lhs (also the eagle vision)was replaced by the 300m not the Concorde as it was the entry level lh car(sorta what a plymouth lh car would have been) the lh car was also based upon the eagle premier. Fun fact according to Tom gale the lx platform was an evolution of the revised lh platform as it was made to be fwd rwd or awd (never got it except a couple concepts)with e class suspension bits.