So close to getting my PT (questions)

[LawChick]

Well I am almost about to purchase my new sliver cutie. My mechanic checked out the PT and says that the only problem with it is that it was not driven much (averge 4,997 miles perr year) which has caused the car to become rusty. The exhuast is rusted but the bigest issue is the frame under the car. The dealer says that they will take a look and fix it. The car will also need new plugs and hoses.

Is this fixable and common on PT's? Also should I be more concerned than I am?

Also the chrome rims are flaking? Is this common also?



Thank you all for the help.

[RNCRUZR]

My POS is a Seattle car, so it had no rust problem. When I took it out to the Chicago area last fall, I had it undercoated before it started snowing so that it was protected from all the salt they use there. My chrome wheels showed no signs of rust after one winter there.

[Hooligan]

The rusty frame would make me wonder if it came from a flood area, Katrina and Rita comes to mind. Yes the chrome flaking is common, with it you will continue to lose air in the tires.

You should be very concerned about this car, IMHO from your description, I would run away from it. My concern would be were the electronics under water and will it give you problems later.

You asked!!!!

[CREWZIN]

If your changing the plugs and hoses, have new plug wires installed also. Once the chrome starts to flake, there's no stopping it so you'll have to live with it or buy new wheels.

If the body is rusting from the inside, I'd be learly of how they're going to fix it. If it's surface rust, no problem.

[Vengence]

well, the rust on the frame depends on how bad it is, 2nd the chrome rims did flake away on me and they bent easy due to the bad roads in buffalo, but that happened over 7years of driving it that it started to flake off, but, now i got 15in Konig rims and so far they look and do greatand they are strong against bumps in the roads or potholes. so, id say go for it, but get an estimate on how much its gonna cost to repair and then talk to the owner of the cruiser to try to get the price down a little bit. bring the estimate of the repairs with you.

[quicksilverdon]

I don't get how low miles equates to rusting... Seems to me it'd rust while moving, too....
Pull up some carpet - if there's rust under there, run - it means flood.

[mopar_man]

Where are you located? That might help us determine if the rust you're talking about is normal or not. Have you done a Carfax report on the car? As QSD mentioned, pull some carpets up and check the rust condition under them.

[LawChick]

Hi guys,

I am located in New York state just a few miles outside of New York City.( I cant wait take my PT to the new Mets stadium seems like it is an awsome car for a tailgate party)

Also I know the car was not in a flood due to a carfax check and also the person i worked with actually recognized the car when I mentioned where it was from and said that she knew the people that traded it in. These people stayed in the area and rarely drove the car hence the low millage.

I really want this car but I guess if a car is not driven much it can cause it to rust quicker from just sitting.

Im new to all this and do not know much about cars so I am happy I found this forum it has been great.

[mopar_man]

Being in New York, you probably get your fair share of salt in the winter like we do here.

Originally Posted by LawChick

I really want this car but I guess if a car is not driven much it can cause it to rust quicker from just sitting.

This can tie in with the salt. Drive it in the salt and park it for awhile. Not good for it. During the winter, I try and wash my car at least once a week to get rid of the salt. With my luck, I usually get it washed and the next day it snows several inches in a inch of salt on top of the snow.

Good luck with your car. It's good that you're excited about it.

[Candyman]

Hey their LawChick,

Welcome to the Forum!

As the guys already mentioned, the wheel chrome flaking off is pretty common. You can choose to just live with it, buy new wheels, or opt to have the wheels sandblasted, and powder coated either in what is known as Hyper Black, or Black Chrome, or a variety of other colors for around $50 - $60 per wheel plus the cost of dismounting, and re-mounting the tires which is a fraction of the cost of new wheels. Another option anyways.

As for your rust, the exhaust should be a pretty common issue with the road salt issue, and so on. If the rust, or corrosion on the frame part of your PT is just surface corrosion then it is not a big deal, however, if their is any type of more serious corrosion, then I would throw up a little caution flag, as the frame/unibody construction of your PT is part of its structural support which helps in the rigidity of the body itself. If it is compromised in any way, it could become a safety issue!

To put it in simpler terms, lets say the wheel studs that hold your wheel on your car were seriously rusted through. Even if you spray paint them to look like new, the damage is done. You can drive the car with them like that, but you could run a very high risk every time you drive over a pot hole of breaking the rusted out studs and having the wheel fall completely off the car causing a serious accident, and could hurt you, or others! Any Structural Component that has corrosion on it is just as serious, if not more so, and just to be safe, it is something that I would recommend getting checked out before you buy the PT just to be safe.

I would start by calling back your Mechanic and ask him if he thought the corrosion on the undercarriage could cause structural issues. If he confirms its just surface rust and their should be no issues in his opinion, you should be covered. If he says otherwise, or is not sure, I would big time recommend getting it looked at!

If at all possible, especially before having the Dealer repair it, I would recommend either having an outside reputable Body Shop take a quick look at it, or if you could possibly get a couple of pic's of where the rust is at and either post them here, or email them to me, I can tell you if this would be a safety issue or not before the Dealership tries to clean up, or cover over the damaged area which is pretty typical for Dealerships to do.

I don't mean to scare you, but rather as someone familiar with paint and body, I just want you to be safe, and enjoy your Cruiser for many, many miles, and many smiles! Always better safe than sorry!

Go easy, and please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or if you would like for me to look at a pic and try to evaluate the damage for you anytime.

Take Care,

Candyman