SlingShot, your current PITA.

    This thread may be a little disparaging to those considering the purchase of a Slingshot and to those that have just purchased one. Others will find themselves smiling at their luck. But to all, it will be information. It may add to areas to check when doing periodic maintenance, pre-ride checks, or just washing and waxing.


    Currently my PITA's are...


    Angle drive front seal weeping, again. Drive belt tension and alignment required. Clock spring failing, left turn signal becoming difficult to engage and doesn't always self cancel.

    Slingshot Flyer! Well, of course it's red... :REDSS:

    Current PITA: Not having a weatherproof sealed frame..... keeps me from driving until the salt and brine is washed off the streets.


    No but seriously other than a few headaches due to an assembler brain fart leaving shit loose or backwards when they put it together on a late friday night, I have the most reliable slingshot that has suffered NONE of the troubles y'all bitch about.





    #IProvablyJustJinxedMyself :00008014:

    Is not that I am mean, I just don't sugarcoat what I say.

    As most of us have know for years the rule is NEVER buy the first year or two of a brand new thing....bike, car, truck, boat....

    I learned that rule back in 1966 --- bought a Fiat 850 Spider convertible (British racing green) I think that was the second year they were in the USA --- 1968 had to have a Porsche 914 (year #2).

    Feb 2015 (hadn't learned much) brought home a Beautiful Red (fast) Slingshot. #2426 put 16,000 miles on it before any problems -- and in Sept 2015 (8 months)
    head light system shorted out the fused box. This was what shortly after caused Polaris to 'recall' all of the Slingshots for a head light fix. Would have all been handled under warrantee --- but my fix was trade in for a 2016 #8145. Now have 45,000+ miles on #2. My dealer takes super care of me and my Slingshot and usually find things that need attention before I find them.

    I did get the extended warrantee (3 yr for a total of 5 yr) and that has worked out well. The minor problems I've had have been covered with no hassle.

    Looking into Polaris history --- they hoped to sell maybe 3000 units in year one of production. My second unit #8145 bought in Sept 2015 says they were pushing out Slingshots much faster than they planned on. My Slingshot has never left me setting and not getting me to my destination.

    If your thinking about one just, DO IT.....

    Totally agree with you there @EjFord. Unlike you, there was a little more info out there when i ordered mine in May 2015...


    During the purchase, I turned to @Guardian_Angel and said, "This is probably gonna be one of the funnest POS's I will ever own."
    That statement still holds water... still havin' a ball!

    Slingshot Flyer! Well, of course it's red... :REDSS:

    Quote from airoutlaw

    Totally agree with you there @EjFord. Unlike you, there was a little more info out there when i ordered mine in May 2015...


    During the purchase, I turned to @Guardian_Angel and said, "This is probably gonna be one of the funnest POS's I will ever own."
    That statement still holds water... still havin' a ball!

    I knew the moment I saw the picture (ad) that the Slingshot was going to be in the Garage ASAP. Saw the picture in late Oct 2014 ... Love it more every mile I put on it.

    I bought mine with 2200 miles on it, all the recalls done by the previous owner, brakes were blead, seals replaced, swingarm recall done and I have since put over 5000 miles on mine with zero issues. The only thing I have changed is oil/filter and a tire. Oh, and lots of “ personalization” :)

    We’ll get there when we get there and not a minute before. 😎

    . Something I discovered four years ago when my AAA service got ridiculous price wise. I have had to have Good Sam come out for my wife in her car and once for my truck and the service was amazing and the price you can’t beat. Being able to have your Slingshot covered in a 200 mile tow range for this price is priceless


    I guess some folks just need to whine? :(


    Like EJFORD pointed out, we knew from the onset that we were purchasing a newly released vehicle and planned on it having some teething issues. Our SlingShot is now three years old and we have absolutely no complaints or regrets at all about the Grasshopper. The only "issue" that we may have in the future is that if it comes to need repairs the closest dealer is now over 200 miles, and four hours away, which may take some creative thinking..............


    This was our first introduction to the SlingShot when a friend shared this video: 2014 Polaris Slingshot - Bing video , this friend then had his son-in-law bring his SlingShot over to inspect, the following weekend,(May 9, 2015), Justina was riding the Grasshopper off of the showroom floor.


    Bill

    Quote from wjfyfe

    I guess some folks just need to whine? :(


    Bill

    I'm a pretty good natured fellow and can take a joke...


    But, the truth of the matter is...


    Just because you are not having "issues" doesn't make it any less truthful that others do. The fact that we do have issues makes it easier to help others who have not experienced the issue.


    Information does not make it a whine.


    So, we just gonna leave it lying in the floor where you dumped that pile and move on...


    Hope you never have an issue...
    Or that your mechanic has dealt with the issue before.

    Slingshot Flyer! Well, of course it's red... :REDSS:

    Edited once, last by airoutlaw ().

    I haven't tried it, but I believe Eastwood offers a frame paint that can be sprayed inside the frame tubes for enhanced rust protection. Rust Stopping Products: Treatment & Removal - Eastwood

    I've seen some "quirks" that I'll pass along. (2016.5 SL, bought new, owned for 1 year and now at 15,000 miles)

    • Twice in one day the clutch pedal/friction point dropped almost to the floor instead of being at the top where it normally is. Fixed by just pulling the clutch pedal back up. Never happened again. Probably air in the system.
    • For about a week my brakes were feeling soft and spongy. Fixed it by doing a couple of (safe) hard stops that engaged the ABS. Again probably air in the system (I'll get it purged at the next service).
    • Several times the EPS (Electric Power Steering) doesn't work when starting the engine. This not the normal disabling after sitting idle with ignition on. But turning the ignition off/on a couple of times has fixed it each time.
    • A few times the turn signal wouldn't self-cancel. Makes a clicking sound when turning the wheel. Fixed by toggling the signals left and right and back again.
    • Sometimes the radio doesn't start up properly or is locked up when the car starts. Turning the ignition off/on fixed it each time.
    • One day the console screen was full of distortion/noise (although the backup camera video was still clear). Turning off/on did not fix it. But it worked fine the next day and since then. Probably moisture.
    • Turning the ignition from the Accessory position to Start/On usually generates an undocumented check-engine code (0520230-31). Clears by turning the ignition off/on.
    • Often the drive belt is really noisy when I first start driving, especially if it is cold or wet, and especially at lower speeds. Fixes itself after a few miles.
    • I scrape the front chin spoiler more often than I'd like (on steep driveways, ramps etc). Wish it were just 1 inch higher... clearance on the rest of the body is fine.

    I'm not looking for any explanations of these... they were all just annoyances that could surprise someone if they're used to a more reliable car. But they pretty much fixed themselves. Good thing because the dealer is 3 hours away and I wouldn't want to drive there every time.


    But I wouldn't trade my Slingshot in for any other vehicle. Soooo fun! :thumbsup:


    Oh yeah... I'm also using up rear tires more quickly than I expected. :00007555:

    Bought my Sling in April of last year. a red 2016 SL. It was the demo slingshot for Malcolm Smith Motorsports. Drove it home and it hasnt been back. I have just under 10,000 on it as my daily driver and the only thing that has come up is the stupid break failure light. it only comes on when I break really hard so I havnt worried about it. Checked the online site for recalls and it seems all of them except the grommets in the swing arm were done before I bought her. I have checked and the grommets and they are there so like the break warning light it just isnt something I have worried about.


    Every morning it starts and runs great, I have absolutely zero complaints the few little things there just are not important enough to worry about

    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies

    Quote from sssfjet

    Tube and fabric small aircraft builders have used hot linseed oil to coat the inside of tubing on aircraft. You can buy it at hardware stores.

    The Eastwood aerosol product would hopefully reach more of the tubing surfaces. I'm assuming the hot linseed oil would need the frame to be rotated to ensure coverage of the inner tube surfaces. I know I'm not strong enough to rotate my frame to ensure any coating would coat the insides of the frame tubing. :D

    Quote from BKL

    I haven't tried it, but I believe Eastwood offers a frame paint that can be sprayed inside the frame tubes for enhanced rust protection. Rust Stopping Products: Treatment & Removal - Eastwood

    .


    ACF-50 has a fogging kit used for aircraft frames that would be perfect to corrosion proof the inside of the Slingshot frame ......


    Its widely used for anti-corrosion certification so you could probably get this done at many small airports .....




    ....... nerd-squared


    .

    :REDSS: The ghost of SLingshot past ......

    Edited once, last by Orangeman ().

    Neat product. I like how that is designed to spray inside enclosed areas. I'm not familiar with the ACF-50 product, but I assume it's designed to combat corrosion on aluminum. Eastwood claims their products encapsulate any rust already present and might be better-suited to the Slingshot.

    Quote from BKL

    The Eastwood aerosol product would hopefully reach more of the tubing surfaces. I'm assuming the hot linseed oil would need the frame to be rotated to ensure coverage of the inner tube surfaces. I know I'm not strong enough to rotate my frame to ensure any coating would coat the insides of the frame tubing. :D

    Could put the linseed oil in a small pump spray bottle or a Overview - Preval