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Wants_A_Prolwer	I love the car, and I'd love to get one, (even though it seems like I can't spell the name of the car right) but I'm becoming disillusioned with it! A throwback streetrod like the Prowler, and it only came with an automatic transmission? How're you supposed to dump the clutch, and smoke the rubber? Is there an aftermarket MANUAL transmission??? I've seen the Progears, (name?) grade upgrade, but it's not the same as a third pedal.
BeWare	The Prowler has a Chrysler FWD transaxle mounted in the rear. To switch to a manual transmission would require a new bell housing, driveline and rear end. Not to mention major modification to body tub firewall, floor and rear suspension. You are looking at serious bucks. And no there is not an aftermarket kit. The Prowler has an Auto Stick which can be shifted manually if you desire. The Prowler with the right performance mods is capable of seriously smoking the tires. But if your into dumping a clutch, the Prowler is not the car for you.
Marty Usher	I agree with you in wanting to shift gears. The Autostick grows on you over time and especially on downshifting is pretty cool in it's own right. Louisville (where I live) hosts the National Street Rod Association's National event and has had as many as 16,000 street rods here in most years. The wide majority run automatic trannys with a 350 Chevy smallblock and 350 Turbo Tranny as the most used combo. If an aftermarket 5 or 6 speed was available I would certainly want to look to at one. Marty ------------------ 2000 Black with hand painted blue faded to purple flames
CJ	Well....fact is that the Prowler was not built to be a race car........it's a cruiser. Now, many of the owners here have done some minor modifications to go faster and some have done some major modifications to go faster. They've stayed together and they've broken!! We've raced them on the tracks and some with the mods have gone pretty fast for the car. Mine are stock and I didn't do too badly at the track. Some drive them in autostick all the time and lots don't. It's all a matter of preference, but the bottom line is.....Chrysler built it the way they did and either you like it or you don't...or as Bob Lutz said....."Either you get it or you don't!"
CatDude	All I have to say is try one. In a stock prowler, even if you leave it in first gear, the rubber doesn't smoke, unless the tires are broken-in and worn. Instead, the car just takes off!! .... because there is so much rubber in contact from the rear 11" wide 20" wheels. If you truly want to smoke the tires... you will probably want to upgrade the gears... like several members have done. Mine is stock and will burn rubber, sometimes, but not enough worth mentioning.
CTProwler	You mean when i get my gears installed next thurs i can smoke my tires???? ------------------
MDProwler	? Where would you fit a clutch pedal? ------------------ Gary K
idive	Mine's a 97. When I first got it, I could smoke'em any time I wanted, and would even get a chirp going into 2nd (all while in drive) and not even trying. I just don't do it all that often. Five years later, I can still tarnish the road a little from a stop sometimes. Just a few months ago I had a dark moment when someone cut me off in mid turn. I sat still, half way around the corner, waiting for the bi*ch to move. When she got out of my way, I lit 'em up. I was still hearing squeeling after going a block and it spooked me so much I let up off the gas. Said to myself, "Did I do that???" I looked in my mirror and saw a line of smoke down the street. On the return trip, I saw the mark on the road. The only mods I have are shown below. It may not do much from a stop going straight, but it'll run right out from under you on a turn. CJ is right, its a cruiser, not a racer. You don't need to "burn rubber" to get the looks like you do in other cars. ------------------ Mickey 1997 Plymouth Prowler #156 Custom car cover Mopar front splash guards Real Rod stainless steel transmission cooler cover Mopar Trailer hitch and harness Real Rod weekender 1992 Plymouth Grand Voyager SE Longhorn scratches Boomerschlobber
Black Tie 161	idive....Smoking tires with the '97 215 hp engine! Impressive sir! I can't break the tires at all in my 01. Is it possible the earlier models have different gearing ratios, or more bottom end grunt in the engine? I'm a bit jealous right now.....LOL.
Steven R. Gary	My 2001 will smoke the tires alittle, generally if you are making a turn. But if you really want to smoke the tires like I did last night have some dumb*ss pull out in front of you and lock up the brakes. What a smell, althought I don't really know if it was from the tires or from me, grumble! grumble!!
Wants_A_Prolwer	Well, thanks guys. I suppose the only thing I can do is drive one. But, if you're used to driving a manual transmission, then you know what I'm talking about. It must be the fact that I'm 22. I just started getting interested in the car, as a bit of a present for myself. A nice summer ride for after I graduate college.
dpena	Don't know about the rest of you but my KAT has no problems doing burnouts.. I burn them up at will ------------------ Watch Me Burn Some Rubber Official POA banner Designer .. Need A Banner? Get The Details Check out Prowlerexcitement.com
dbudner	Show off! (I'm jealous). Will a gear swap help me any? This message has been edited by dbudner on 08-24-2003 at 06:57 PM
Buckaneer	If you want to buy one call Dave Dennis Inc. Dayton , Ohio. 800-429-5566. I just traded my 01 Mulholland (blue) in on a new Crossfire. My 01 had 1900 miles, Tom mills bumper replacement covers and a cat rack. I didn't like the car. Seemed like a kit car to me and the ride is rough. If you want to spin the tires buy a cross fire. It is much faster.
condor	I do not compare the Prowler with the new Crossfire. I drove the Crossfire with Auto and Manual. for sport and fast driving, specily here on the German Autobahn, the manual trans works good. But, in the all-over performance ( City + Higw. driving) the Automatic is the better deal in the Crossfire.The Car is faster than the prowler with stdt. engine( saw already 340hp version and a pilot Crossfire)and has a lot more driving comfort. But , its one from many Coupes out there . They compare here the Crossfire with Nissan´s and hundais coupes? . I saw allready some Crossfire´s around here, but there are only a few Prowler´s in Europe. I like the Crossfire, I think my sister buys one . Prowlers are Hot Rodders Toys and for most owners I now its there 3. Car in the family. I would not buy a Prowler with manual trans. I like the new Viper , but there is no option for a Auto Trans aviable. ( anyway, our SL55 has autotrans and rides better)...... -C-.
Black Tie 161	How is the 215hp Crossfire faster than the 253 hp Prowler, which is lighter? Is there less HP loss in the drivetrain of the Crossfire resulting in greater RWHP?
Buckaneer	Go on line to http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=6747&page_number=3 This tells it all. 14.8/96mph in 1/4 mile 151 on top end. The prowler can't do either stock. I think it might have something with the converted timing chain set up in the rear end that is not efficient. (???) Also a big difference in Drag on top end. Also one is built by Mercedes and the other is built by Chrysler. Big difference in quality. Not that Chrysler products are bad. I own 3 of them. I notice the Crossfire pulls harder when you kick it. It handles much better and is quiet inside. I feel there are too many problems with the Prowler to put up with. Still it is a neat car. But not for me.
Kurtis	You can't really compare a Prowler (limited production, exotic, hand-built cruiser) to a Crossfire (production-line built daily driver). Different purposes for the two vehicles.
GRROWL	I'm confused: Zero to 60 off the truck: Crossfire: 6.5 Prowler: 5.9 ???? -GRROWL
Buckaneer	Exotic??????? Come on! Look at the quarter mile times. Prowler is 15 something unless you have a gear change, nitros, or supercharger. Neither one is what you could call a rocket ship but the Crossfire is faster in the 1/4 mile and much faster on top end. I drove my buddy's 2003 Viper. That is a rocket ship!!!
condor	Yes, thats true. . The Prowler is a nice Toy that fits in my Hot Rod mind. And the Quality diffents between a Viper and a SL55 will be the same like between the prowler + Croosfire. I drove 3 days before +195 MPH from Darmstadt to Frankfurt in the SL.(safe). (Try this in the Viper) The Quality of the Crossfire is good and its made for a save high top speed. (There is a harder suspension aviable for Germany.) But I dont compare.The Prowler is a Weekend Cruiser when I drive to a (US) Car Show. Compare to my pre 49" Street Rods the Prowler is comfortabe and not so stressfull. The thing is, the Prowler is a real eyecatcher and will be for the future, the Crossfire is a new toy on this market, but only for a short time. The Crossfire techinc is based on the (old) Mercedes SLK. The new slk´s are coming soon, so DC can still make money with the perfekt tech of the pre 2004 SLK´s. The Crossfire has one of the best Roadtest´s in EU Car magazines. But the Question was manual or Auto Trans. In Europe there are a lot more manuals than auto trans on the road. On traffic lights it takes time till everything keeps moving . In the USA , were most of the cars run auto-trans works this a lot faster. ( .. we are only on the Highway/Autobahn fast). I like the relaxed automatic-trans driving in the USA a lot more than the fast/stressfull Autobahn speeding here. This message has been edited by condor on 08-27-2003 at 03:49 PM
Kurtis	Buckaneer, I guess you're intent on comparing the two. Drive both vehicles down the street in two years (after everyone has seen the Crossfire before) and see which one makes kids wave and people run out of their houses for a look. You'll understand what I am talking about. P.S. If drag timeslips are all you care about, I suggest you look into a new Subaru Forester XT: 0-60 5.3 sec., $25k.
dbudner	I tend to be with the ones that think why get something that there will be a boat load of and not particularly special. If you want to be somebody get one of these... http://autos.msn.com/as/pebblebeach2003/article.aspx?xml=veyron
GRROWL	quote: Originally posted by GRROWL: [B]Zero to 60 off the truck: Crossfire: 6.5 Prowler: 5.9 I think it was Car and Driver that said, "In Europe, they care about the top speed. In the US, the emphasis is on zero-to-sixty". Without an Autobahn, I'll stick with the above. -GRROWL P.S. - I saw my first Crossfire in the flesh yesterday - YUCCCHHH! (JMNSHO)
GUB	A long time ago I had a couple of HOT RODS...flatheads, 3 carbs. It looked good but it broke down over and over. My PROWLER is the best of all combinations! A high tech " HOT ROD!" It looks good in silver..