Hello everyone!
This is my first post here on the Forum, but I've visited a few times thanks to the helpful information given. Now I might need some more in-depth PT counseling.
Mine is a 2001 Limited Edition with 111,000 miles. I keep it regularly maintained--even having the wheel beads cleaned in the colder months to prevent tire/wheel wear. It runs very nicely, but....
Here's my story: I took it to the local Chrysler dealer last week for NYS inspection (taking a gamble on which mechanic to choose since I recently moved and hardly any reviews are available online for most places), and it failed. The reason? The advisor told me that the power steering line was leaking, I needed a--A (singular is important, here)--control arm bushing replaced in the front, and new pads/rotors. The estimate? $1900 OEM, $1600 aftermarket.
Before I go on, I'll tell you what my car does when driving:
- A slight growling noise when idle, louder when steering; higher in pitch when I increase driving speed; loudest and deepest when turning the wheel at the slowest speeds.
- A slight shuddering when turning at higher speeds (45mph and up); think of the noise you'd make if driving over tiny, evenly-spaced bumps or grooves on the highway (not like a rumble strip--a slower tempo).
Okay, back to the story. The brakes issue is an easy solution, and I've got that covered. But that much money for what the guy listed?! I looked into it--parts and the labor involved--and the cost just didn't add up; roughly, around 20% of the estimate. By then I had realized my mistake in going to a dealership service center without a warranty.
So I go back and ask for a copy of the estimate (since he only gave me a $21 receipt for the inspection), and then he refuses to give me one, claiming he already did (not), and then verbally lists the things I needed done, which suddenly CHANGED.
- Not the power steering line, but the ENTIRE GEAR. I asked, what about the line? "Yeah, that too."
- "Which front control arm bushing did you say again?" "Uhhhhh...both of them."
SO, PT CRUISER FORUM HELPERS! It's obvious to me that I've been given the ollll' run-around by these guys, so I'm hoping that YOU can help me figure out what the likely problem with my car is. PLEASE AND THANK YOU?
btw: I have since gotten a recommendation to a far more honest mechanic and will be getting my PT re-inspected in a few days. Regardless of the outcome, I would really like to have that steering problem solved and fixed before too long.
Oh...did I mention the guy in the service department refused to give me a 10-day temporary sticker? Yyyyyeah, because that's exactly what he did.
