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Thread: Rich's KN of DOOM was: Rich's 2016 FiST of d00m

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  1. #1
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    Rich's KN of DOOM was: Rich's 2016 FiST of d00m

    On May 1 it will be five years since I brought her home. In that time I have driven her 47k miles and troubles have been virtually nil. Yesterday I replaced the OE Bridgestone Turanzas with a set of Pirelli P7s(205/60-16). The 'stones might not have needed replacing but I feel that at near 50k miles they are getting close to their expiration date. I've had the cooling system flushed and the power steering fluid changed. I should have the tranny/front differential and rear axle oil changed by the end of the year. When it close to -20F a few days in January, she started without a hitch.
    As of right now the only problems are an air bag light(recall due to a faulty passenger seat air bag switch, waiting on dealer to get the part(s)) and a chirpy serp belt. Come spring/arctic thaw I plan on having the belt replaced and probably replacing the front pads/rotors as well.
    Of the last three cars I have owned(including this one) I have kept them an average of five and a half years. I plan on trying to get an even ten out of this one.

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  3. #3
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    Ten years shouldn't be a stretch on a modern car, especially with the mileage you're doing. I've had a damned XR4Ti for ten years, and it was almost 20 years old when I bought it. If I can keep a Merkur alive that long, a Suzuki should be a cakewalk!

  4. #4
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    Sometimes I wonder how the Civic(75k miles) and PT(99k miles) would've held up if I had kept them.

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    I've got some first-hand experience on the PT... bought at 130k (IIRC) and now at just shy of 160k. Seems like the real weak link is the transmission - it's nearing the end of its life.. shifts are getting rougher. Otherwise, it's been mostly just normal car repairs, nothing special or expensive and not bad considering what it could be. From what I've read & learned, sure seems like the '02 and '03 are the cars to have. The '01s have some first year specific stuff that is a slight pain. '04 and '05 are also decent, but started suffering from bean counting. The '06+ cars started getting really cheap. Given what I know now, I wish I'd gotten an '02/'03, but the '01 has really, all things considered, been fine.

  6. #6
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    160k and the tranny is just now getting funky? I've heard a lot of horror stories from other PT owners on other forums where the tranny just suddenly died with maybe 60k miles. I guess the key to longevity with the automatic was changing the fluid/filter religiously. Mine was a stick and it was a very useful car. VERY roomy inside.

  7. #7
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    Amen to transmission maintenance. It's overlooked by everyone these days and positively essential. I think the PT is scheduled for 50k fluid/filter intervals. It's not a great tranny, but not a total POS, either. It should last with maintenance.

    It is a very useful car, capable of carrying a lot. That's working against me, though, since its driver feels compelled to fill up every nook and cranny in her life with crap. Her PT carries mountains of useless crap... the kind of stuff I would take with me on a road trip, figuring I might end up jacking the car up and working under it on the side of the road, but stuff that is not useful to her. She's not taking it on a road trip, and she certainly isn't jacking it up on the side of the road. If it breaks, she's going to panic, cry hysterically, then call AAA. The only possible reason to fill up the trunk with crap, near as I can tell, is insanity.

  8. #8
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    Speaking of mountains of useless crap. The other day I spotted an early-00's F150 crew cab. The entire back seat was loaded up to the headliner with all sorts of crap. The dash was completely covered and the passenger seat was full as well but not to the point that it would restrict the driver's vision. Hoarder much?

  9. #9
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    I knew I needed front brakes. After a visit to Advance I had my pads(Wagner Thermoquiet) and rotors were ordered for tomorrow(Wearever Silver). After I got home I talked to my neighbor to see when he could do the work. Then I came home and visited Rock Auto and a few minutes later I had ordered front calipers, rear pads and rotors. At Advance the calipers were $120 a side plus a $45 core. Rock had them for $49/ea plus $56 core. So if the calipers need replace I will have them. It might be overkill but at least I'll be prepared.

  10. #10
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    It's really hard to beat rockauto's prices on most stuff. I have definitely started using them for pre-emptive stocking. Sometimes I waste a little money or have a leftover part, but I never end up with an immobile car. That right there is worth it to me.

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