Convertable turbo engines

[taterbug]

I am going today to buy a 2005 convertable for my wife. It is red with

black top. It has a turbo engine. This car is not the GT model.

The car only has 22k miles on it and is in immaculate condition. At $12,900.00.
This looks like a good deal to me. The question I have is that I think this

might be a turbo lite engine in this car? How do I tell the differance?

[uxb2001]

only the GT model has the Higher Output Turbo Engine.

[Mean Green]

A GT model, when automatic, always has the autostick. The turbo lite just has the automatic and no autostick. There is no 5 speed for the turbo lite.

[taterbug]

The car has enough zip for my wife to drive. We pick the car up yesteday
and she really loves it. It does look like this one is the turbo light. It
is automatic and does not have the manual shift option like the GT.
What are the horsepower differances of the Turbo Lite vs the standard
engine? Will I see any peformance differance depending on the type of fuel
I use?

[CREWZIN]

The Turbo Lite was made to give the PT a little extra HP (180 vs 150) but can still use regular grade gasoline. With the High Output Turbo you have something like 220hp but to maximize that HP you need to use premium gas.

[taterbug]

My wife loves the car. I would have loved to have a GT but I could not pass up getting a 2005 convertable in immaculate condition with 22k miles for
$12,600. I have been reading some about the stage
one upgrade that the dealership can do. Is this safe to do to the car.
Will it affect the lifespan of the engine?

[CREWZIN]

Chrysler beefed up some of the internals of the engine for the Turbo models which included both the GT and the Turbo Lite so your engine is as strong as the 220hp PTs. For your model, which already has the larger injectors, the stage 1 consists of a computer upgrade only. It has to ordered from the dealer using the VIN from you PT and does nothing to take away from whatever warranty you already have. You can install it yourself or let the dealer do it. There is a learning process that you/your PT must go through but from what I've read it's pretty easy.

If used correctly (not racing) it will not hurt anything and last as long as any other PT engine. A couple things you do want to do to expand the life of the engine is use premium fuel and switch to a synthetic oil with regular oil changes.

Some might say that using less than premium gas won't hurt and I don't thnk it's been proven either way but you'll certainly cut down on maximum performance and that's why you would upgrade with the stage 1 in the first place.

[taterbug]

Thanks for the info. The idea of having 220hp sounds good. I followed my wife
home from the dealership yesterday ( about a 100 mile trip )
She said the car was snappy in performance. I am going to drive the car today. I am attaching a photo of the car.

[340X2C]

I bought my 2005 last month for $12,500. It is the GT in Lava red. It had 20,000 miles on it, Turbo HO engine, Auto Stick and after about 1000 miles I get 24 MPG. Very pleased

[vtmdsm27]

Does anyone know why a Stage 1 is not available for the '08 2.4 Turbo ?