PT no longer made sez Chrysler Dealer

Why don't you ask the dealer? why would we know?

There could be many reasons, but two I favor are

1) There was something else on the lot that the salesman wanted to sell that day.

2) Salesmen (and in fact almost any employee) these days seem to feel that since they wont be held accountable for anything they say (if its not in writing it is worthless) then they can say anything that comes into their heads. As consumers, we have let them get away with this and companies refuse to honor the offers made or information provided verbally by employees. Anyway, it gets the employers off the hook with that painful and expensive thing they used to have called training.

The other possibility is that the salesman didnt say it. In all my experience of reporters and the press, the events that occur and the things that are said are much less important than the story that the reporter wants to write.

Boy, did someone push my cynical button on this topic.

Dominic

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Ya know, your answer would apply to at least 95% of the questions asked in this group. I take it this is your only reply to questions.

She was telling the salesman what she wanted on or in the Cruiser (color, seats, accessories, etc.). He told her that she might not be able to get exactly what she wants because they're not making them anymore. He meant, "They're not making 2006's anymore." But he didn't say it, he just said they're not making them anymore.

"Case closed, I'm coming home. Wonderful girl that Mabel."

Boy did I have fun with a dealer parts guy today. My wife and I have been avoiding getting additonal keys made for our GM car because the dealers charge unconscionalbe fees for new ones. I did a little research over the weekend and found out the following: (1) The little "chip" in the GM keys is - get this - simply a resistor of a certain value - the BCM looks for the right resistor value - one of

15 values used in the blanks - IOW - only 15 unique blanks (ignoring the cutting). (2) There are two easily accessible wires going from the steerign column to the BCM that inject a current into the "magic chip" thru physical contacts in the cylinder - all you have to do is read the key's resistor value with a multimeter, and buy a resistor at Radio Shack and splice it across the two wires, and get the "chipped" key edges copied to an otherwise identical non-chipped key for $1.50 at WalMart (might have to talk the key cutter at WalMart into copying a "magic" key to a regular blank - took me all of 20 seconds to do that).

So then, out of curiosity, on my way home from work today, I stopped in at the local dealer and handed the parts guy the original key, and asked how much $$ for an additional key. He rolled his eyes way up into his head and said, "Oh boy - these are expensive because they are cut on

*TWO* sides *AND* they have a *CHIP* in them!!" He pulls out a special aftermarket "key code reader", plugs the key into it and says "That's a no. 6 blank" - which I already knew from reading it with my multimeter (1470 ohms) and looking up in the 15-resistor value chart that's all over the internet, including ebay actions for the blanks.

I then said "Well first of all, the "chip" is a resistor, and you can get the double-side cut key cut at WalMart for $1.50 - I did it yesterday. Resistors are cheap. The $40+ price for the blank is a rip-off. Thanks - I just wanted to know how much I saved by buying a resistor at Radio Shack and splicing it across the two 'magic' wires."

So yeah - I'm cynical too.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Bill Putney wrote: .

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Would the same be true of the "Security Key" for my 2001 Cruiser?

It's entirely possible the dealer is so stupid that he has confused the PT vehicles with the PL vehicles. Or perhaps she misunderstood him. The PL (Neon) has ended production. The replacement is the Caliber on the PM platform. The PM platform also supports the re-designed Sebring, which is just now starting production.

The PT got "freshened" this year, but the basic vehicle did not change.

Sorry - I don't have the Sentry system on either of my Chryslers, and so have never had to delve into that. Most such systems are much more sophisiticated than what's on the '99 GM I have - GM's current systems are more sophisiticated now too - no simple bypass with a resistor these days.

The key cost situation is really getting out of hand. In researching the GM, I came across a discussion on a VW forum where they were trying to figure out a way around $200 keys from the dealer, and someone there mentioned that Nissan Infiniti owners pay $500 for a key copy.

It's great to have anti-theft security, but there's no way that $500 or even $50 is justified for the cost of a key.

Why do business who raise prices during hurricanes get charged and fined for "price gouging" but the car manufacturers and dealers can get by with this scam of a captive market? It's insane.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')