Used 2013 Chrysler 200 Limited Convertible FWD for Sale near Palm Desert, CA

I wanted to love this car. I like the retro art deco-esque styling of Chrysler vehicles, and it is a very nice looking car with a solid high-end look that most American cars dont have...but, that is the end of the positives for me. The elelectrical system/computer modules on this car have been a nightmare. I purchased it used last year. It was a nine year old car, so I expected it to have some quirks, and parts that were wearing down and due for replacement. Thats a given, but I expected to replace an alternator, maybe a starter, or fuel pump. The first thing I had to replace? The rear bumper shroud...because it fell off at 65mph on the freeway. I have never had a vehicle panel fall off before, but thanks to YouTube, I discovered that I was not the first Chrysler 200 owner to lose a bumper cover on the freeway. The convertible hardtop does not open, but I was aware of that when I bought it and the price was discounted accordingly. From what I have read in the forums, having a 200 with a hardtop convertible that is still functioning at 9 - 10 years out would put you in a very small majority. I dont hold that against Chrysler. Convertible hardtops, are sort of like gull wing doors, hideaway headlights, and Fieros. They were a cool idea and they look awesome, just not great in practice. If it were just the covertible top and bumper I would still be in love but those were just the start and it went from bad to worse fast. It started with the AC randomly shutting on and off. Then the car started spitting out random warnings like passenger door ajar Convertible top not secured and random alert tones that are clearly intended to be a warning but there is no discernible pattern to when they occur and there is no accompanying explanation (oh, and none of the events it screams out warnings about are actually occurring. Next to go was the dash lights, which work fine as long as you dont turn the headlights on. You can have dashlights or headlights but not both. Then the passenger side window stopped halfway down and would not return to closed, a week later the passenger door stopped opening altogether. My favorite so far though has to be the alarm system which occasionally, (at the most inopportune times) suffers panic attacks and percieves an attempt to start the car as an attempted abduction worthy of an ear splitting alarm and every single light inside and outside the car flashing on and off for a VERY long time. Long enough for me to try all the secrets tricks that are supposed to turn it off, get frustrated, go inside, boot up the computer, search the now bookmarked 200 owners forum, and learn that this is another extremely common 200 quirk, and that the alarm system is controlled by the TCPM directly, and designed to be tamper proof so there is no fuse or plug to just pop out to disconnect it, and I learn from my fellow 200 owners that the cars overactive imagination will only get worse from here. Once the random alarm symptom starts up the cars computer will soon start interpreting hard braking or an abrupt lane change as a catastrophic crash and it will cut the fuel supply immediately so we dont explode.....or continue driving. So apparently the car just shuts off randomly, usually when maneuvering through traffic at freeway speeds...perfect. I have not experienced that one yet, so thats something to look forward to. But it is the battery that prompted this review (and car shopping). The battery is either fine (as in normal voltage on the OBD2 and the car starts) or it is so dead it cant even power up the OBD2. There is no in between. Replacing the battery is the obvious next step, but there are personal stories in the forums numbering in the double digits that do not inspire any confidence that a battery replacement is the solution ( Everyone started with the battery, there were no success stories). The battery on the 200 earns its very own WTF?! category. The lowest price economy option starts at $225 and the premium batteries that will last more than one AZ summer are around $400 and thats not the end of it, all the autoparts stores have it labeled as requiring professional installation... yep, a battery swap requiring a trip to the mechanic, why?! Because, you have to dismantle the front of the car to access the battery, thats why. The battery is located behind the front driver side corner of the front bumper shroud, in front of the wheelwell. Proper procedure requires the removal of the front wheel inner wheelwell, and front bumper shroud....just to change the battery....I have decided that Chrysler execs were clearly upset about the Daimler merger and launched a diabolical plot to sabotage the Chrysler line up by brainstorming the worst possible design for every feature and then incorporating all of them into the 200. Its really the only explanation that makes sense...