Last week my wife and I took our first trip to Tahoe in our 2007 PT Limited turbo. I knew that it would do pretty well (stock except for the K&N intake) but i was really stunned how it performed. Leaving Sacramento I set the cruise on 68 and it stayed in overdrive until I had to slow down coming into downtown Placerville (about 2000 ft) leaving Placerville Hwy 50 gets a bit winding so as we climbed into the mountains I kept the cruise off. Once or twice I got behind slower traffic and that made me drop into 3rd but otherwise we only used 4th gear. We had several people pass us going 75 or so at lower altitudes (we were on vacation and in no hurry) but by 4500 ft those same people were wheezing along in the slow lane (an older hemi Ram, early 2000s Focus and a couple of Accords) as I moved to pass the Ram, the dude nailed it and was amazed how fast we smoked him up the hill. The V6 Accord did a bit better but he moved over so we could get around him at around 6500ft.....he just did not have the oooomph to climb at that altitude. We flew on up the hill and even at Echo summit (7000+ft) the PT still felt fine. About the only difference was that there was more noticeable lag before the turbo spooled up. I remember climbing those same grades in lots of other cars including my 400+hp 72 Torino and none of them did as well as that little PT. I have owned it since October and it still makes me smile every time I get in it.
The MPG was 20.5 on the way up and 35 on the way home....
The MPG was 20.5 on the way up and 35 on the way home....
