Repairing A PT Cruiser: Do They Deserve The Hate?
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- Timestamp: Skip to 6:30 for my opinions of the PT cruiser, before that mark I am just doing the brake job.
Had a PT cruiser in the shop, so I figured I would see if they deserve the bad reputation that they have! - Авто та транспорт
Skip to 6:30 for my opinions of the PT cruiser, before that timestamp I am just doing the brake job.
At 10 years and 110000 miles it was too unreliable. The engine would stall randomly, the lights and wipers would go off and on by themselves. Front bushings needed replacing every 8 - 9000 miles. The air conditioning went out for the third time. Seat controls broke. It ran ok but was very slow. This was a Route 66 special edition. Also the chrome rims leaked badly and had to be replaced with after market rims. This car was very poorly built, but it did look really cool.
I love my PT cruisers, had my for 22 years only money I put in. turn ups oil change and tires. Maintenance a important factor. One Love ☮️
Had one that never let me down..knowing issues like water pump changing was apparently a nightmare..never found out. The retro look was there, yet it got slammed for so much. Personally found it to be very useful, the rear seats folded flat in the back...never fast, but it was never supposed to be a drag car.....My partner was using it one day, got distracted, and parked the thing outside leaving the engine running...it ran for 9 hours, never overheated, nothing went wrong.....lol....That proved one thing...it was a pretty robust little car...Still like them...
How would idling for 9 hours show how robust a vehicle is police vehicles end up having over 5k engines hours when they get retired.
@@Back_door_bandit_98 yeah but 9 hours in one spot without moving? If anything it knocks the idea of them having overheating issues...sorta
Lol holy crap. I would have just Seafoamed it and changed the oil after that
The timing belt broke in my '06 and it had an iffy head gasket, so I'm paying $3000 to replace the engine with another used engine (but with a new Gates timing belt and water pump). For months I considered buying a different used car, something newer, but their prices are so astronomical now, it was worth the money to fix my PT Cruiser! I really, really like driving it; the seating position is nearly perfect, it has lots of room, the fold-flat (and removeable) rear seats... the engineers did a lot right when they designed this car from the user's point-of-view. And, since mine is a Florida car, the body has virtually no rust at all... even the sunroof still works perfectly! Love my Cruiser, in many ways, even more than my 2000 Jaguar XK8. The Cruiser is a great traveling vehicle for road trips! The MPG is a little disappointing for a 2.4L engine, but still, it's a great car.
Around what mileage did the belt go? I have an 06 with 82,000 miles on the original belt
Umm... hard to remember... but I think it might have been at about 120,000 miles.@@tylerc7037
Yup same here. My 07's timing belt broke last year. It took a while to rebuild the last engine. But at least, it is almost a new engine.
I can remember when those first came out. There was a waiting list to get one and people were paying over the sticker price. The problem is, they are just mechanically junk. Course, no one knew that when they were new. They were just in love with the way it looked. I also remember the convertible version. Everyone said they looked like a bathtub on wheels!
No different than a Dodge neon a Honda Civic a Toyota Corolla any of that except for the awful place they put the computer module that controls the engine right in the engine bay instead of under the dash away from the heat where it belongs otherwise they were mechanically just as good as any car designed in the 90s I drive a 62 corvair by the way...but also have a 2001 m/t pt cruiser that I refuse to get rid of it sits broken in my collection of cars
You are right i baught this car and it has so many mechanical problems when i baught it i have to change battery timing belt water pump i changed after 2 months in extream cold heater core burnt coolant leaking then spend another 1000$ to fix heater core then breaks rutors tires exuast then i thought it will be ok . for a while car was ok then winter came again so rediator start leaking car over heat . so i spend another 450$ to fix rediator fan and 600$ to fix rediator . now car is doing good i love pt cruiser but who have that much time and money to waste i like to keep the car its 2001 body is in good shape now engin oil leaks
@My Pronoun is WTF You are right i baught this car and it has so many mechanical problems when i baught it i have to change battery timing belt water pump i changed after 2 months in extream cold heater core burnt coolant leaking then spend another 1000$ to fix heater core then breaks rutors tires exuast then i thought it will be ok . for a while car was ok then winter came again so rediator start leaking car over heat . so i spend another 450$ to fix rediator fan and 600$ to fix rediator . now car is doing good i love pt cruiser but who have that much time and money to waste i like to keep the car its 2001 body is in good shape now engin oil leaks
@@taylorsopko5807 You are right i baught this car and it has so many mechanical problems when i baught it i have to change battery timing belt water pump i changed after 2 months in extream cold heater core burnt coolant leaking then spend another 1000$ to fix heater core then breaks rutors tires exuast then i thought it will be ok . for a while car was ok then winter came again so rediator start leaking car over heat . so i spend another 450$ to fix rediator fan and 600$ to fix rediator . now car is doing good i love pt cruiser but who have that much time and money to waste i like to keep the car its 2001 body is in good shape now engin oil leaks
The reliability is average. The fuel economy is not a strength.
The PT Cruiser was my first car. I picked up an original inferno red 2000 model (with the spoiler) in 2021 with ~140,000 miles on it during the pandemic in Colorado on the cheap. I still have mixed feelings about it, though I only owned it for about 6 months before moving on to something else, because I moved up to Ottawa and needed something that could handle the snow.
The good:
+excellent forward visibility thanks to the high seating position.
+unique looks
+extremely comfortable interior
+very spacious for such a small crossover
+rear seats can be removed to make it the ultimate budget road-trip vehicle.
The meh:
+- so-so fuel economy for a period car (~25 mpg on the highway, 21 city)
+-underwhelming acceleration
+-cheap construction with lots of cheap plastic (most noticeably the dashboard)
The bad:
--mechanically unreliable (I spent ~5000 dollars over 6 months replacing the brakes, calipers, engine mounts, shocks, struts, windshield wipers, spark-plugs, and the power-steering hose after it tore on the transmission)
--engine burns oil on long trips on high mileage examples
--basic maintenance is difficult due to the cramped engine bay; the headlights are accessed through a panel in the front wheel well and are a very tight fit for even people with small hands; the fusebox is under the air intake.
Miałem i był ok.
Bought a 2006 new still going strong. And looks good also keep your maint up and they will last for years
I really liked these when they came out. My Mom even rented one for us to take a day trip in and I liked driving it. A few years later, I bought one dirt cheap that had some body damage and enjoyed it as well. I’d love to have another at the right price, especially a convertible. My biggest hang up is the timing belt/water pump which I understand is fun due to no room. But then again, what’s new with cars these days that you basically have to disassemble half the car to fix something……
I love mine I got from an elderly lady when I was doin H.Health.500$,low miles and 💜.Love it.The mechanic hates it and calls it the PT Bruiser!But I love it!!
PT Cruisers are awesome and actually fun to drive with a manual! Keep up the videos!
I currently own a 2002 base model with a 5sp. It has never failed me. It's been from NY to Ohio several times and to WV a few times. I get 23-25 in city and 29-30 on the highway and It's my daily driver with about 134,000 on the ticker.
We have 3 PTs in the fam still, 200K, 185K, 80K. Easy to maintain, hauls stuff like a Tardis, and the GT hauls ass.
Always impressed how you just know how to do all this . Sharp guy !!
I have a 2004 almost 3 yrs ago with 76,000 miles and I've had to replace the water pump at about 100,000 miles and today it's on 176,000 but do a control arm on both sides. Great car overall 👍
Ours is 20 years old now. A Florida car with absolutely no rust. Close to 200,000 miles now and nothing done but routine maintenance
My mom had one of these around the time I was a Jr in Highschool, and didnt get rid of it until later in my college life. it was a 2002 and the issues we had with it were the tie rod ends went out once a year, the rims were never right. However what I will say for it is I am 6'5" and there is a TON of leg room in the PT cruiser. If you are a taller person it is great for comfort.
I found them to be kind of crude but ultimately comfortable and decently reliable "IF" maintenance is kept up... Most people didn't do fluid changes regularly and these cars are not Toyota's so they require more frequent fluid changes and general "looking after" to be reliable... And they have a horrible engine bay design for the sake of style which makes them hard to work on due to not having any room, especially when changing the timing belt/water pump which are preventive maintenance items. Otherwise I think PT's aren't too bad. Gas mileage sucks in them though.
Honestly they are reliable cars. Although they are a pain to service and the mileage is definitely pathetic. But as cheap, basic transportation? It'll work just fine.
When the car was first introduced it reminded me of a Bonnie and Clyde gangster car and I thought that they were pretty cool. I am not sure but I think that the Chevy HHR was inspired by the PT Cruiser. The PT was introduced in 2001 and the HHR was introduced in 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2006 model. To me they look a lot alike in the styling.
With the success of the PT GM Hired the guy who designed it and he designed the HHR, so yes inspired and designed by the same guy. You can thank him for almost any retro look today as he did it first. many design studios did it in concept cars, but he was the first to design one that made it to production, and the Mustang, Camaro, Bronco, thunderbird, and Charger made now all may not be around if they had never been sold.
The HHR was inspired by the late 1940s Chevy Suburban.
Both had the same designer, but the PT Cruiser was more popular. I never see the HHR. Many like the PT Cruiser, nice ones are becoming collectible, just like nice 1st gen Neons are keepers for many.
Great video!
I have had several pt cruisers and they held up very well!
@@Sonoma_Coast never had any issues with that Tom.
That almost sounds like a leaking heater core ,which could happen to any vehicle at anytime.
When these first came out, I wanted one. Loved the looks and utility. Then, I test drove one. End of love affair. It just felt cheap and insubstantial.
@My Pronoun is WTF Yeah at the time when these came out in 2000 they felt like virtually any other economy car, so if he didn't like it on a test drive then that meant he wanted to spend more money on something a couple classes above an economy car.
I've owned 2 PT's and they were great vehicles for use.
Had a teacher with a silver one …… it was in the shop every other week. Later on told us she hated the car and couldn’t wait until I think her lease was up on it lol
Had an 05 convertible one of my favorite cars.
I bought a new 2005 PT Cruiser convertible base model out the door for $15,800. Base engine with 5 speed manual. In ten years all I repaired was an alternator and a battery. Hint: replace them both at the same time to avoid electrical problems. I got 26 city and 32 highway mileage. Mobil One synthetic oil and premium gas with regular maintenance is the key to success.
Always so interesting to see what your next project is, you definitely have a great passion In life. Take care and always stay safe.
i had a pt was the best car i ever owned had 0 issues with it and when i traded it it had 300k on it
As far as I can say, outside of it's retro/think outside of the box styling, it was a pretty normal small-to-midsized car from Chrysler. It shares the same powertrain (minus the turbo-4 variant) as the Sebring/stratus/avenger (successor of the stratus version). Semi-gutless power, less than great mpgs, but could still be a fun and mostly reliable car honestly (I have an '05 Sebring (same 2.4l i4 with 151k miles) and outside of my own stupidity, it's been a very trusty little car). These cars don't deserve the hate, they're just different enough to stand out, that's my opinion. :)
PT Cruiser: Because loose tie-rod ends put hair on your chest. ;-)
I drive one, a 2003 that was my wife's before she upgraded out of it at the same time I retired an older Grand Cherokee due to severe rust (I also drive a Dodge Dakota.) I actually like the PTC, but I've been strictly trucks/4x4s for like 35 years, so a "car" is a nice change, especially after a 12-hour shift driving an ambulance.
I agree with the "appearance" comment. It's definitely safe to assume that the first buyer of any PTC wasn't motivated by "practicality", but by its style.
A few years ago, I was checking out this girl's Grand Am, but she wanted too much for it. She said she wanted to get rid of the car, then she pointed to her PT Cruiser and told me that she had recently "upgraded."
Lol
They also made a convertible edition - that car with a manual transmission would be fine - also - I often wondered what a PT would be with a neat little V6 would be like (to hell with gas mileage) - lol- down here in Florida you come accoss fine examples with little/no
rust at all
They're a styled econobox. They do like to rust out. Nothing else particularly wrong with them though. The GT versions with a turbo are actually pretty quick too. I'd say about as fast as an EJ20 WRX in a straight line, though they definitely don't handle as well. Suspension is more on the comfort side and at least they can hold a fair bit. Not my first choice, but a lot of people love 'em. I see we do the same kind of car work. Best we can do for people on a budget. Good on ya.
Yep sounds about right
I keep my 06 mercury grand marquis I had it 6 years and it haven’t had any major issues with it solid cars have good power and good gas mileage and great for road trips!
Still driving my 2006 PT - Cruiser . I got it when my father could no longer drive. Good German/ USA engineering! The best thing is for a 17 year old car is that I only play $30.00/ month for car insurance! Liability only of course!
I test drove one of these with my family back in '09 our youngest and I loved it. It was a5 speed manual, my oldest, and the wife didn't. The thought it was ugly, but I likrd the looks of em.
We live in Venezuela, where I gave my wife as a gift a brand new PT Cruiser in 2006, at which moment it was considered in this country a luxury car in its category....Today in 2022 with 160.000 kms, it still runs smooth, no oil leaks, good compression, tight steering, very smooth and silent driving while making smooth gear changes....Along with periodic maintenance, had brakes done once, changed timing belt once and only spent extra money on various batteries ....Our PT Cruiser feels very stable in curves at high speed and pleasant to drive in any environment...The only defect is the poor visibility when backing up but it is compensated with the excelente view through the front.....Till this day it is still a luxury car in its category...Ours is black with a original spoiler, roof rack, sun-roof, electric seats, automatic transmission, vip vinil upholstery, A/C and 2.4 liter engine....We love this car so much that we have bought other new cars during all these years but decided to upgrade and keep the PT Cruiser forever...We love it!
Currently have two 2001 PT Cruisers with manual and one 2006 PT Cruiser automatic. One of the 2001s has 199,000miles, the other 2001 has 152,000 miles. 2006 has 74,000 on it.
My first new car was a PT Cruiser in 2005. It was a CRD Limited, so it had the 2.2 l Diesel from Mercedes with a 5 speed manual, leather interior and chromed wheels. In Europe it was more a hyped retro-car like the Mini or the New Beetle but more practical for young families . Btw, it had Disc breaks in the rear
Greetings from Germany ;-)
I've always liked them. Different from all the boring stuff.
I had an ‘09 and loved it…until I has to pay $1400 to replace the clutch!
It was comfortable and a good hauling vehicle.
I own a 2009 that looks almost showroom condition. Purchased with only 50k from an old lady.
Be prepared to replace: ignition switch, motor mounts, front rotors from warpage. The rear hatch handle/button will go bad and guess what? They don’t make them any more. It is the entire rear handle, and not a separate switch. You will replace it with a doorbell button. It is a cheaply made car made with cheap parts. It is not happy running on 87 octane fuel. We average 22.2 MPG around town. The valve cover gasket will go bad over time and leak oil. The oil pressure switch will go bad. That said, you do see these for sale used with 150,000 miles on the clock. The car can be configured to haul lots of stuff, and the looks are not bad.
Lots of headroom. Anyone who owns one of these is driving around with some of these issues. Nobody seems to repair all of them.
The Chrysler PT Cruiser and the Chevrolet HHR were designed by the same person.
I have a step father who has a red HHR I like it seems to be an OK vehicle from a quality standpoint, but the only PITA thing is the battery is in the back and the rear hatch has an electric release so if the battery is dead you either have to open the hood and power it VIA the jump points or crawl in the back to do the manual release!
It has about 102K on it an and he got it at 90K and no major problems except for the EVAP purge solenoid and some rust from all of the Vermont road salt that I'm sure you know all to well of A rural Vermonter!
I like them because when you fold the back seats down you have a lot of room for a car that’s not an suv
I've had 2 PT Cruisers. One I bought new in 2001. The other, a 2007, was originally my mothers. I got it for my son after she passed away. The 2001 was a Limited (high trim) with a 5-speed. The 2007 was a Touring (mid-trim) with an automatic. The 2001 had a nicer interior. By 2007, Chrysler had cheapened it. The 5-speed was a second and a half quicker to 60.
That's why I prefer the first generation Cruisers. They're a lot better made inside and out.
Hey there. Stopping in again. The last 5 months you’ve quit appearing on my UA-cam and in my subscribers list. Just found you again today. Not sure if that’s because of the algorithm or what. Happy to say I’ve been subscribed since 1.2K subscribers. Awesome to see your growth in subscribers. Was also happy to see Beadle (right?) a few videos ago that I just watched. Awesome seeing the duramax putting in work getting that thunderbird and to see the Detroit still being used. Looking out for the next upload!
And I wish you would’ve said you were coming through NC! I would’ve liked to say hey and show you my latest $300 VW beetle project, haha. Love seeing you still posting!
Same happened to me
Nice video, I have had two. Great cars up to about seventy thousand miles. Nice power for a 4 cyl. BUT… you will have two replace a head gasket or cylinder head because of thin metal in head and crappy radiator cooling system. that center rear axle pivot will have to be changed, bad design. Everything else is normal stuff. Solid car though.
I always loved the appearance of this car, I in general love the look of recession era Chryslers, especially the Aspen.
I always wished Chrysler wasn't so afraid and launched the Aspen a few years sooner than they did, it CERTAINLY would have been a sales success had they brought it out around 2004 when the 300C and new Durango that it was based on came out... But unfortunately they hesitated and waited a few years after the 2nd gen. Durango debuted (2007) which was too late, by then the 3rd gen. Escalade had just come out the same year and was much nicer than the 2002-2006 model which the Aspen would have actually been NICER than AND would have offered the HEMI which made pretty comparable power numbers to the Escalade's 6.0L V8 (345hp and 380lb ft torque to the Aspen/Durango HEMI's 330/370), and of course the beginning of the 2008 recession made them a hard sell on top of that. Hindsight is always clearer though.
Ahh good ole recession days, living on nothing because I couldn’t find a job.
Theo Vonn has a pretty funny take on the convertible.
' Little people vs cats. ' stand up for reference.
I think they would have been better as a panel van.
I only know two people that have them and both cars are inoperable due to blown headgaskets.
They may have descended into the realm of "KLEENEX" cars meaning use them up and then dispose of them but you see them providing inexpensive transportation to people everyday.
Not everybody can afford to pay a lot for a car and just need something to get them from point A to B. I think people dislike them just because of their dated looks. Back when they were newer they were popular rental cars and on vacation I rented a couple they were hardly the greatest car in the world but they weren't bad. If a Honda or Toyota looked like that people would be raving about them. It's just popular to bash on American cars but look how long it was in production. It obviously appealed to enough people to keep them in for production for over a decade.
I live in a large city with 25 MPH speed limits,traffic lights every quarter mile some cases even closer. My gas mileage is 16.8 mpg in my cruiser without the AC on. It's the wrong car for the city. I do get 24 on trips though on my 07
Yes, city MPG is particularly bad for a small car with a 4 cyl engine. I have an 06 auto and get the same fuel economy #s as you.
I have owned 2,of these great 🚗cars.I wish they would return!
Rural Vermonter is so underrated keep up the great work
Do more videos! I miss when you posted more frequent videos
The door panels always remind me of croc shoes. 😆
when they first came out. they were all sold! i like the looks of the pt cruiser and chevy hhr, retro look.
I really enjoy your videos. I like you buy and sell inexpensive cars. Good job.
Those are words you never heat "CHRYSLER DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB"
I hate that the bearings are press fit instead of being able to get the whole hub assembly. I recommend removing the knuckle and taking the new bearings and old knuckles to a garage and have them pressed in. Also if doing your front bearings might as well do new lower control arms with new bushings and lower ball joints already in I the control arms. I have one at 136 ish. I like it. But previous owners beat it up pretty bad. I have no ac. Cracked windshield. Headlights are hazy and need cut buffed and polished. Also for a new double din sound system you have to modify the trim to fit. I used a Dremel. Get used trim from junkyard to go back to stock when you're ready to get rid of it. Seat trim gets fubar on drivers side from getting in and out. At 130 to 140 make sure you do front bearings like I said and lower control arm with all bushing and lower ball joint already fit in. Save time. Check your CV axle boot and maybe even go ahead and replace the CV axles as well when doing the ball joints and lower control as mentioned above. The thing cruises pretty good on the highway. Keep good tires. It also feels even better when you remove rear seats.
Heck might as well do inner and out tie rod end while your at it and sway bar ends
No doubt, the PT Cruiser is a controversial car. I wish I could redesign it a little bit. But in the same aspect, it's really cute. It reminds me a bit of Herbie the love bug. I own a good condition 09, and it runs well, especially if you keep maintaining them and take care of them. I wish the gas mileage could be better, but I'd say mine has been very reliable and capable even through the recent Colorado winter. And to me, it's a pretty cheap hatchback and can be easy to acquire a running one if you're short on cash and need a set of wheels quickly.
I love the 1950's retro look.
This was a fun video. Still waiting for your video of the Canyon Denali Thanks Buddy
My wife’s 01 had 165k on it when we got rid of it. Always enjoyed the car. Only problem is it went through control arms on a regular basis.
I had a '05 with 5spd manual.... used. Had to replace the ECU. Other than that, it was quick and sporty and it rocked the wing over the lift gate
PT Cruiser or Pontiac Vibe. I'll take any year or options of the Pontiac Vibe. As a professional mechanic I despise the PT Cruiser and doing the timing belt is nightmare. The center engine mount in strut tower just blows.
My dad had one. They loved it.
RV, I remember my father had a Falcon station wagon ...stomp on the gas and the car made a lot of noise, but didn't go any faster!
My buddy in high school had one of these. He did zero maintenance for 3 years and it still ran and drove fine. I don’t even think he got an oil change.
I love the way it looks.
I had a 2001, with a 5 speed manual. That car was a blast.
Decent, basic, transportation. Replace the timing belt and water pump, together. Easiest clutch I've ever changed. Don't listen to the haters out there, they even hate themselves! LOL!
They are hated because they are based on Dodge Neons when people expected these to drive like hot rods.
Exactly! I got these for rental cars a couple times and had to almost stomp the gas pedal through the floor to merge on the highway.
not very rusty, looks nice.
I drove a pt cruiser once with 215,000 miles. They are basically neons that look fat. They can run and run for awhile if you maintain them and they actually drive decent. All Chrysler vehicles I’ve been in the transmissions shift so nice and smooth when they work. That’s what a luxury experience in a cheap car is like. I wouldn’t buy a new Chrysler product if I had the money with the exception of the charger and challenger because in a long run the other cars don’t hold up once you slack on the maintenance. The chargers and challengers though, people rag the hell out of em and they seem to last the longest out of everything else…..
I love this car because it was my first car on GT4 and did the $1000 race with it until i saved enough to get a viper lol
My family had 2 of these cars. Spacious interior and decent mileage.
A better comparision would have been PT cruiser to the chevy HHR.
Is the discussion over the PT Cruiser’s appearance a metaphor for how we treat people who look different from the norm?
Should we celebrate the Cruiser for its originality or ostracize this unique vehicle for looking different than all of the competitors?
I vote for the PT Cruiser!
I own 2..love them my only complaint is its turning radius sucks on u turns...as a city car its great and roomy
It was really the head gaskets and transmission that sucked on these things but they were unique
That's why it's called a cruiser it's made to go cruising it's not made for speed I always like them I remember when they first came out does that one have the table in the back
1 have a 2005 5 speed manual trans 172000 miles original clutch no major issues other than wear and tear still going strong
The PT Cruiser Turbo is a really good sleeper car! Unfortunately the basic slushbox versions like that one are just crappy. The transmission is horrible, the engine is underpowered. That one is also the base of the base, having manual mirrors. 26mpg is not very good! Then again, Scotty Kilmer said the PT Cruiser was classified as an SUV so they can get away with having only 26MPG. And yes, I don't like the placement of the power window controls. I can understand if the doors come off, like a Jeep, but it's just a wagon.... it's not meant to be rugged.
In 08 at 47 I bought my 1st brand new car I bought a Ford Taurus and in 09 I bought my 1st brand new truck a Chevy Silverado 1500 v6 I loved those vehicles and had both until a year ago
Very unique when they first came out, then came the durability problems.
I have found if you take a picture of it before you take apart it helps.
Since The Lovely Bride and I moved back home to South Carolina I've seen a number of PT Cruisers on the road in our area but only during the Spring and Summer months. Those "retro" vehicles, and their GM counterparts which also show up in the Spring and Summer months, promptly disappear around mid to late October. To be honest NONE of the "retro" vehicles are what I would call anything close to nice looking what with peeling paint, mismatched wheel covers or none at all, and monked up interiors. I've only known two people who owned PTs. One a young lady who received one as a High School graduation/college commuter and a then middle-aged gent who just liked the looks of the car and the blue paint job. The red PT lasted about three years until it was t-boned by a drunk driver. The blue car is still around but has become a bit of a money pit from what I've heard and rarely sees the highway anymore. the last time I saw it the owner was driving it in a parade. I never drove one myself, but I recall hearing that one of the big reasons people traded them off was turning radius or lack thereof.
I remember a girl that I was dating her mother had one of the first peachy cruisers I think it was a 2003 model and the girl that I was dating told me that I know what PT's stands for and at the time I really wasn't in the cars so I said no I don't what does it stand for she told me it stood for picnic table that there was a picnic table in the back I took her for her word and thought that that was a pretty unique selling point for a car to have a picnic table in the back of it later on I started getting into cars and working on cars and stuff and I found out she was wrong that it stood for personal transportation I always got a kick out of that story though that she thought that there was a picnic table in the back of the PT cruiser
Had one as a hire car when I flew into L.A. I'm from the UK so used to gutless wonders but this was on a whole new level. Made up an intermittent fault do I could get something else.....anything else. Now considering I liked the late 80s Buick Century that's saying something sonething
Honestly I owned 2003 an loved it great on gas
Fun fact the neons and pt cruisers share a lot of the same drivetrain parts and the 2.4 motor is the same motor as the srt4 neons just without a turbo
@My Pronoun is WTF yea I know I actually own a neon trying to do the 2.4 turbo swap
@My Pronoun is WTF yea I know I actually own a neon trying to do the 2.4 turbo swap
@My Pronoun is WTF yea I know I actually own a neon trying to do the 2.4 turbo swap
I remember when there was a waiting list to get these things. The look was totally unique at the time. But man, the performance sucked! Total pooch.
My dad has one which I often work on, every single job I have done on it has been a PITA!! The interior is also terrible ergonomically!!
New England repping!! Do you plan to do full panel replacement on the duramax? like welding in new rockers/corners and even professional paint work? IMO with it squared away you easily have a 15k truck with the miles, i've even heard of people swapping those to SRW easily and throw on a non dually bed to make it more desirable to general buyers
Respectfully disagree. But instead of just saying 'you're wrong!' here are the reasons I'll never own another one. The PT Cruiser does deserve the hate they get. Do a timing belt or a water pump service on one of these 2.4 motors in a PT Cruiser. They use the dreaded water pump being driven off the timing belt which personally, I absolutely hate. Getting everything taken apart and then put back together is a either an all day job or a 2 day job. One day taking it apart, the other putting it all back. The crankshaft positioning sensor is a chore to do as well. But what really turned me off was the fuel mileage. For a small car, they are actually quite heavy. The 2.4 really has to rev to get all that weight moving in stop and go in town driving. Did like the looks of it and all the quirky features though.
VT247
The school I went to uses the pt cruiser engine as a tear down and rebuild. I ABSOLUTELY HATED the timing belt. It has to be so tight in order for it to be accepted
Yes the hate came from the nightmares these caused the owners (on the opposite of the universe would be the Toyota Corolla) looking at this pt cruiser on a beautiful sunny day in Vermont, how can this little rascal have caused any trouble? Secret: it did.
Wait. Your dad had 200k on a chevy cobalt! That's the story right there.
pi cruiser and chevy hhr, were built in mexico.
i have an 06 cruiser i have had it 10 yrs or so and i dont get the hate. i will admit they are a pain in the ass to work on when you need to get in the engine. but they run good and has served me well and was a home for me while i was homeless. and i have always loved the style and looks but i love old 30s-40s cars
my 3rd grade teacher bought one when it was brand new. Coolest car in the parking lot at the time but quickly fell off. Never really liked them but it had a cool look
The PT Cruiser is actually a pretty comfortable car to ride in. They look goofy and are gutless. I put a timing belt and a water pump on my mom's PT Cruiser years ago, not very fun cars to work on.
A good comparison would be the pt cruiser and the chev HHR
I have one its a fine car no trouble runs and drives good!