Quick, what was the lowest priced new convertible Americans could invest in in 2006? If you guessed “Chrysler PT Cruiser” ($19,890 MSRP) you’re suitable, but the Pontiac Solstice charge just 25 further bucks. Following that arrived the likes of the Miata, Mustang, New Beetle, and so forth, all priced down below $25,000 in their most very affordable ragtop variations that calendar year. The Chrysler Sebring was the most economical midsize convertible in 2006, with a value beginning at just $26,115 (about $39,005 in 2022 pounds), edging out the Toyota Camry Solara SE by 825 bucks. Here’s a single of individuals roomy-yet-moderately-priced Chrysler convertibles, now absolutely utilised up and residing in a Colorado self-service wrecking yard.
Chrysler marketed Sebrings from the 1995 via 2010 design decades, in a few generations. The convertible variation appeared early on, commencing in 1996 it started out on the same system as the now-prolonged-neglected “Cloud Cars and trucks” (Chrysler Cirrus, Plymouth Breeze, Dodge Stratus), then moved in 2007 to a Mitsubishi/DaimlerChrysler-created system that went underneath anything from Outlanders to Avengers. That tends to make modern Junkyard Gem just one of the newest American members of the Cloud Car or truck spouse and children tree, nevertheless GAZ constructed Sebring-derived Volga Sibers in Russia for a number of a lot more many years.
By the time it got to this position, it had grow to be a total hooptie. Rattle-can paint, duct-tape trim mend, the operates. Just 16 decades old, but it’s finished.
The baling-wire fix to the torn convertible prime displays ingenuity on the part of a previous proprietor.
Plywood appears to be maintaining the roof from collapsing.
Since so quite a few Sebrings have been invisible fleet automobiles, it is easy to forget about that a convertible even existed. In reality, the Sebring was the ideal-advertising new convertible in America in the middle 2000s.
When the 24 Hrs of Lemons race series first went to Sebring International Raceway in 2014, I utilized my huge powers as Main Justice of the Lemons Supreme Court docket to get entry expenses waived for Chrysler Sebring race cars. We acquired two Sebrings that year, both convertibles.
The foundation Sebrings for 2006 bought the 2.4-liter straight-4 out of the just-discontinued Neon, though the Touring, GTC, and Confined trim stages obtained this 200-horsepower DOHC V6 (initially made for the Chrysler LH vehicles) displacing 2.7 liters.
Early U.S.-market Sebrings could be purchased with five-velocity manual transmissions, but a four-speed automatic was required by the time this auto was developed.
This is a single of these junkyard automobiles that really needed some olfactory aid. Up coming quit: The Crusher!
The Sebring begs to be pushed.