First Contact- New Owner

[03GTCruiser]

Welcome to the joy that is pt ownership.

[Hooligan]

Originally Posted by Teeter

JCWhitney has the hood lock kit. (yea)
Several places have the locking fuel cap (was wondering about the seal, still, though)
K&N (?) has a beefier air filter system.
The photo show elsewhere here for the Cloudcroft run shows one PT with the mega brake kit I saw, but I'd still like opinions on that. (it's the big huge red caliper set)
Haven't seen anything about reinforcing the suspension.
I need to call the tire store and ask them (again) what trade name the Michelin seconds go by. I've used them before. Was nice spending $62 per tire instead of $150 and tire cleaner goes a long way toward making an ugly tire pretty.
Need to ask dealership detailers how to keep an off- white car pretty. I washed it and it snowed within 12 hours! It doesn't snow here, what's up with that? Now it needs a bath again.
Wow, Slick 50 has been having problems!

Y'all are great, Thanks for all the info.

Locking gas cap from dealer will only run $15 - $18, I lost my OEM locking and bought one from Advance Auto 3 years ago and it is on our 2nd PT, never had a problem with the seal.
Hint, put the gas cap in your pocket instead of setting it atop the pump!

[Teeter]

Originally Posted by 03GTCruiser

Welcome to the joy that is pt ownership.

Is that good or bad? I'm hoping to have fun with this car. I don't mind getting dirty and greasy, what I mind is having to repeatedly get dirty and greasy for things that should last a few thousand miles.

Hint, put the gas cap in your pocket instead of setting it atop the pump

Ah, Hooligan, sage advise! Cool, thanks for letting me know about how the seal has worked for you.

Just how hard do you drive your rigs anyway...Or maybe your mechanic is selling you a bill of goods.

Yeah... not sure which way to jump on this. I'm still looking for that perfect mechanic- you know, the one who really loves cars and works on them because he (or she) believes in a beautifully tuned machine? I had one, but he retired. (hmmm, about 2.5 cars ago)

25,000 miles per year isn't extremely hard, but it's not easy and pampering, either, so it probably is partly my fault.

[03GTCruiser]

My comment was definately to how much fun the pt is. I have had mine for a little over a year and never regretted buying it.

[Teeter]

Thank you. I have resumed normal breathing.

[bobdole369]

I still don't understand the mechanics of the spare and I'm afraid to try it, in case I can't get it put back right

Having just done this a few weeks ago on the side of the road (I-95 right at the NC/VA border) - I can help.


Pop open the tailgate. Look on the right side of the hatch and take off the plastic cover for the jack stowage compartment. Inside is a nice case with an emergency scissor jack, and also a combination lugnut wrench/prybar. Its a hex tool on a hinge with a handle.

Now look at the bottom area of the hatch nearest the bumper, just to the right of the liftgate latch area. Remove a plastic cover there too. It will reveal a nut.

Use your combo tool to turn that nut counterclockwise. It will take FOREVER. Its a good 6 inches/a foot, dunno but it takes a LOT of cranking to lower teh spare. In my case, the flat was on the left rear, lowering the car so I actually had to go jack up that side to get the spare enough clearance to come out.

Its essentially a long threaded rod with a retainer on the end. Spinning that nut counterclockwise lowers the retainer, which is retaining a tire cage on a hinge. So when you spin the nut counterclockwise it brings the tire down pivoting on that hinge. (the retainer is opposite the hinge). Once low enough you can detach the retainer by hand and the cage lowers further allowing you to get the spare out.

You won't be able to stow a full sized tire, so your flat will go in the car or the hatch for the trip over to the tire place.

Now to retract the cage (you need to do that before driving again, lift the cage up and insert into the retainer, and spin that same nut clockwise now. It'll pull the cage up into position. You've done it enough when it stops.

Once the tire is fixed, repeat the process and insert the emergency spare into the cage.

Does anyone use Slick50 anymore?

Anyone who did isn't likely driving that car anymore, and anyone who recommends it is a kook. Same with zmax, or any of the other "super oil additives", snake oil, or anything else that magically makes your car run perfectly. One exception - I trust Lucas tranny additive (not due on my PT yet, it basically swells up the seals and helps keep it from leaking, while improving viscosity enough to keep the thing on the road - it did so on my 3rd gen firebird and kept her going for a long time) - and Lucas fuel injector cleaner.

[Teeter]

I'm sorry you had occasion to experience the spare contraption, personally, but that was an excellent explanation! Thank you.