Has anyone here owned a PT Cruiser?

[whodiedandmadeUSgod]

I test drove a used one this morning. I liked it. What have your experiences been with this car?

[Worst Username Ever]

1. I have heard bad things, it is build on a neon chasis

the neon being a not-so-good-car. But go with your own research on it.

[proud patriot]

2. my mom rented one and drove it to AZ from the Bay Area

she loved it . I hear that it can't corner very well
from my husband .

[Kierkegaard]

3. It's also assembled in Mexico; the bastion of high quality automobile

manufacturing practices. Steer clear...

[trotsky]

4. The fact that you see a LOT of them on the road

(at least I do)

must mean that they're doing something right.

[Kierkegaard]

6. All it means is they have a popular body style and a successful

ad campaign. Remember the Esdel?

[AndyTiedye]

I Want a Hybrid PT Cruiser!

[BigMcLargehuge]

8. yeah, marketing them...

I heard that the biggest problem with all the Chrysler lines from about 1999 to present was a problematic engine design courtesy of Mitsubishi, such that they ended up in court over it (head gasket and oil leaks mainly), and how Mitsubishi tried to cover the problems though they were known at the prototype stages. This affected ALL Chrysler 4 and 6 cylinder engines used over that time period.

As I understand it, Chrysler has a NEW engine supplier and new 4 and 6 cylinder engine designs so the most glaring of quality problems should be eliminated by now.

[kokomo]

13. Brother bought one for his college daughter, then bought one for his wife.

They both have driven their PT's for about two years, love them and have had no problems. They primarily drive them in the city and like their size and fuel economy.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. If I ever have the money...

And they either put the engine from the SRT-4 in it, or(gasp) one of them hemis...I don't think I would be able to resist.

[luxpara]

7. Hate to say it - but we call those things...

PT Losers

[whodiedandmadeUSgod]

14. Oh did you have to say that?

[luxpara]

18. Yes I did -

Unfortunatly you made me ;}

[Kierkegaard]

19. I'm glad someone did. They are rolling junkyard fodder.

No offense to any Chrysler fans. Who here would actually consider buying a car from a company like this? If you want some interesting reading, look up their track record and customer service nightmares on the Jeep lineup. Don't eat first, though. It's sickening.

[flamingyouth]

My friend has one

He's had lots of problems with little things falling apart all the time, like the interior door handles and stuff. He says he likes it but he doesn't feel the quality is too good. It's nice to ride in, and his has good storage capacity.

I had a 1994 Chrysler Concorde, and it was the worst car I've ever owned. We had to replace the transmission at 22,000 miles! :(

[annerevere]

16. We had a Chrysler Concorde too

Sold it after a year. We now own a Honda and Ta oyota. I've never bought an American car, only Japanese, after seeing all the problems my family and friends have had with American-mades. My husband, being from Michigan has never bought anything but American. But he was convinced, after the Concorde experience. Never American made again.

About the PTC, I've read it is built on an inferior chassis. Please, for the sake of your wallet. Try a Honda or Toyota.

[flamingyouth]

22. We got a Volvo after the Concorde

And I really love it. I don't drive much; only about 5,000 miles per year, all in-city. It's great for me. I'd also recommend a Toyota or Honda. My friends with those cars swear by them.

[annxburns]

9. Okay, lots of misinformation on this board.

It is not on the neon chassis - completely different parts.

It is a nice car. I have one, my mom has a convertible. Reasonably priced (especially the convertible), very roomy, decent gas mileage and reliable. I have put 40,000 miles on mine and not had one problem.


Only complaint is the convertible's trunk is hard to access and not very roomy.

[Kierkegaard]

15. More likely, you're lucky. J. D. Power has it's facts straight about PTs

and a host of other Chrysler products. You're right, it doesn't use a Neon chassis, but that doesn't make it any more reliable.

[yellowcanine]

31. With all due respect....40,000 miles is not enough to say any car is ok.

Only the real clunkers have a lot of problems in the first 40,000 miles. Don't go by anecdotes from friends. Read Consumer Reports and Edmunds to get the skinny on any car. They have a much larger sample. Any make of car can have an occasional lemon or an occasional gem (Well, maybe not Yugo). What you want to know is the probability that you will get a car that is reasonably reliable. Also, it is important to pay attention to how you will use the car, what kind of driving, etc. to know if a particular model is going to give you satisfactory service. And do you do some work yourself or not? PT Cruisers, for example, have a somewhat cramped engine compartment that makes it difficult for do it yourselfers if they don't have the right tools/experience.

[LisaM]

10. My sister rented one once

she said it's REALLY hard to see out of the rear view window if you are short (which we are.)

[da_chimperor]

11. I had the chance to test-drive one, but I didn't.

I don't like the car. I don't like the way it looks and for some reason, I get upset when I see one. Maybe that's because I think that they're really ugly, and evidently so many people disagree because I see them everywhere. Ok, my rant is over. Whew!

[whodiedandmadeUSgod]

17. If I put a Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker on it

would that make it more attractive to you?

[da_chimperor]

24. Well . . .

yeah, it would. I'd just gape and frown some while thinking "what's a nice bumper sticker doing on a car like that?" :D

[luxpara]

25. Yes, but...

it would still be a PT Loser.


(sorry if I enjoy this, my husband and I are positive that these are the most ridiculous cars ever made)

[da_chimperor]

26. I think the Aztek was more ridiculous, actually

but I feel the same way. What a dumb looking car. To each his own I guess. :shrug:

[kokomo]

21. I like the new convertible but then I think the PT's are cute......

Since I was born in 1939, my earliest memory is my folks 1936 Plymouth (see picture at link below, top row, four door).

http://www.autogallery.org.ru/ply1936.htm

I love the PT as it brings back memories of riding in a "car-car"!

But then, what do I know about beauty? I drove a VW Beetle all through college and loved it.

[da_chimperor]

28. Taste is definitely a personal thing

I think the Mercedes G-class is a good looking car, even though it is just a big block. I like those old Plymouths, and while I do see the similarity I'd much prefer to have one of the original cars.

[Blue-Jay]

12. All PT Cruisers seem to have vanity plates, for some reason.

OK, so do I, but mine is COOL!

[whodiedandmadeUSgod]

20. Great now I'll have to think of something to put on my plates!

[Rick Myers]

23. My opinion, they are GUTLESS...

Body too heavy for engine/drive train. Handle like an old Chevy Corsica!!!

Just my opinion, I like a car that will get me OUT of trouble when I step on the gas...

Otherwise, they're okay, but there are now SO many of them around...

[XNASA]

27. Edmunds gives them a pretty good review.

www.edmunds.com

We were shopping for a cute ute/wagon about a year ago and after driving and researching everything....we really took our time...we settled on a Mazda Tribute. So far, no problems at all. We're very happy with it, though it is a little thirsty. Still, it's much more efficient than a typical SUV.

Though I have to say, I really liked the Saturn Vue. I'd say a Vue is about the closest thing there is to a PT Cruiser. And the Vue really handles much better.

[whodiedandmadeUSgod]

29. Thanks everyone for your comments.

I still haven't made up my mind. I wouldn't have thought about buying one of these but my Buick with 150,000 miles needs new intake valves which will cost about $500.00 and the poor little PT (a victim of George Bush's economy) was repossessed by the bank where my hubby works. So I thought I would purchase it for a good deal and store it until my Buick really dies.

[yellowcanine]

32. Don't do that - bad idea.

$500 is nothing if the car is otherwise in good condition and is going to give you another 25,000 miles or more. If you need a second car now, ok - but there will be plenty of "good deals" around when you need to replace the Buick. Besides - repossessions are not always such a great idea. People who get their cars repossessed tend to also not take very good care of them either. So the discount had better be substantial. Compare the discounted price to what you would have to pay for a well kept used car of same year/mileage/options purchased from an individual (not a dealer). You might be surprised. Why not use the dealer price? - Because they are often "negotiable" and a dealer used car is often "cleaned up" and comes with some guarantees that you are not going to get if you buy a repo or buy a car from an individual.

[yellowcanine]

30. I rented one once - it was kind of fun to drive - but it was stick shift

and I suspect the automatic would be a little sluggish. If you live in a hilly area I would definitely not get the automatic. I would also check out Consumer Reports and Edmunds for all of the years they have been out and see what potential problems they have - then ask the salesman how any of those problems have been taken care of by Chrysler. I am a little leary of Chrysler products because it is my impression that they have had more than their fair share of lemons. So I would check them out carefully - as you should any car.