Yesterday I picked up my new RT-S and said goodbye to my faithful yellow RS.
These first few miles are a revelation of contrasts in going from one model to the other, and from a 2009 to a 2011.
Contrasts:
Boy is the power steering different! It's really there, not just a little assist but big time power making parking lot maneuvers a breeze but not adding any extra squirrelly feel at speed. I really like it.
Boy is it heavy- it feels pretty slow compared to the RS. BUT - it seems to be drive by wire(?) and has a very smooth throttle take up which fools you a bit. It always bothered me when my Dodge Stratus and a couple of other Chrysler products I owned had jumpy throttles- the first half inch you pushed the accelerator seemed to open the throttle quite a bit and made the car jump forward, very hard to make a smooth take off at a light. Frankly it was just a way to try and hide a lack of horsepower. Perspective owners would road test the car and feel it jump forward and think wow this thing is peppy, when really it was a dog with a crummy accelerator linkage. Credit to BRP for making it so you have to whack open the throttle to make it jump, while a little twist gives very smooth take off. It will never be as quick as the RS but I think it will be OK.
Boy does it seem refined. The thumb shifter feels like a quality piece, the gauge cluster is awesome, love the power windshield, cruise control, etc. I am not really one to listen to the radio, or mp3 etc. while driving so I don't really care about that- nice that you can mute it though.
It handles better than I thought it would. wider track? Improved suspension? whatever it is I find it seems to handle as well as the RS so far.
I didn't have the very best first day- took it out in the evening when the temp cooled to 85, tried the cruise control, checked out the lights, and then as I was rolling along it lit the DPS light, then the VSS light, then went into limp mode and gave me a lousy ride 10 miles home, but I got there, just worried a bit. I took it into the dealer and they immediately went over it, hooked up the BUDS, refreshed a few settings and pronounced it OK. I got about a mile and it all came back on. Went back, left it, and they replaced the steering angle sensor and gave it a 25 mile road test. All seems well now.
I'm not mad about it. I didn't expect it as my RS never had any problems. It did get the new DPS and a recall or two but it never betrayed me. The guys a 3a Motors know their stuff and they paid attention- and had the parts. I was out a little downtime but it was 103 here today and I was in the pool, wouldn't have ridden much anyway.
Next week I'll begin putting on some miles. It seems like a completely different vehicle than the RS was and much as I liked the RS I am liking the RT more. I look forward to many happy miles.
These first few miles are a revelation of contrasts in going from one model to the other, and from a 2009 to a 2011.
Contrasts:
Boy is the power steering different! It's really there, not just a little assist but big time power making parking lot maneuvers a breeze but not adding any extra squirrelly feel at speed. I really like it.
Boy is it heavy- it feels pretty slow compared to the RS. BUT - it seems to be drive by wire(?) and has a very smooth throttle take up which fools you a bit. It always bothered me when my Dodge Stratus and a couple of other Chrysler products I owned had jumpy throttles- the first half inch you pushed the accelerator seemed to open the throttle quite a bit and made the car jump forward, very hard to make a smooth take off at a light. Frankly it was just a way to try and hide a lack of horsepower. Perspective owners would road test the car and feel it jump forward and think wow this thing is peppy, when really it was a dog with a crummy accelerator linkage. Credit to BRP for making it so you have to whack open the throttle to make it jump, while a little twist gives very smooth take off. It will never be as quick as the RS but I think it will be OK.
Boy does it seem refined. The thumb shifter feels like a quality piece, the gauge cluster is awesome, love the power windshield, cruise control, etc. I am not really one to listen to the radio, or mp3 etc. while driving so I don't really care about that- nice that you can mute it though.
It handles better than I thought it would. wider track? Improved suspension? whatever it is I find it seems to handle as well as the RS so far.
I didn't have the very best first day- took it out in the evening when the temp cooled to 85, tried the cruise control, checked out the lights, and then as I was rolling along it lit the DPS light, then the VSS light, then went into limp mode and gave me a lousy ride 10 miles home, but I got there, just worried a bit. I took it into the dealer and they immediately went over it, hooked up the BUDS, refreshed a few settings and pronounced it OK. I got about a mile and it all came back on. Went back, left it, and they replaced the steering angle sensor and gave it a 25 mile road test. All seems well now.
I'm not mad about it. I didn't expect it as my RS never had any problems. It did get the new DPS and a recall or two but it never betrayed me. The guys a 3a Motors know their stuff and they paid attention- and had the parts. I was out a little downtime but it was 103 here today and I was in the pool, wouldn't have ridden much anyway.
Next week I'll begin putting on some miles. It seems like a completely different vehicle than the RS was and much as I liked the RS I am liking the RT more. I look forward to many happy miles.
hyea:
