To add on, the "floor position" for the rear shelf is useful because the other side of the shelf is hard plastic to hold wet or muddy items. Just flip it over.
I had one of these PTs as a long term 3 month rental car when I lived in the US. When I saw I was getting a PT Cruiser at the rental company, I was dismayed as I didn't really want one, even as a renter! After living with it for 3 months, including swallowing 7 assorted suitcases and bags as we drove to the airport relocating back home, I had become fond of its amazing practicality and the fact that it was happy being thrashed! It's a great little car that everyone loves to hate.
It is true we need to applaud or even laud manufacturers who dare to think and develop a product that stands out. Not only for prototype purposes, but actually for production purposes. Well put! And yes, I rather like them. Have a nice weekend.
ive had 3 diesel pt cruisers and loved all three and they have a strong following...........fantastic cars.....and the battery on the diesels are under the passenger front seat...
Finally got your mitts on one, eh? You'll be amazed at how useful these things are. Mine's brought home everything from 8 foot lumber to Buick V8s. The tie down points you pointed out are for the rear cargo net to keep your shopping from moving about. Or you can get creative. If it's not too late, get rid of this thing before you fall under its spell. If you keep it long enough you'll find one of its tricks that you just can't live without. I won't have anything else until I find something that is as easy to get in and out of as these are....
when it came out the design was just slightly off- but after a while too many examples had stupid modifications- like a fake spare wheel on the back with airbrush on it- white wall tires- flames- chrome roof racks- eye lashes- animal skin vinyl on the roof.... and over time people compared it to the Fiat Multipla and it basically got killed by its image- and because it wasn't a very good car and people here tend to stick to VW Golfs...
We bought one new and had it for years, loved it. Nice metallic red 2.2 diesel limited all the bling 😄. Nothing broke, utterly reliable, perfect in the back, our kids were small at the time and no other car has a nappy changing shelf 😂 Seats were really comfy, only car my crumbling back has never suffered in. Criticisms, lights were poor and the diesel lump made it far too front heavy but over all it was a tremendous car, many happy memories. Quite emotional actually thinking about it our first holidays as a family were all in the PT 👍
Yes lots of people slagged that car off when it came out, but I know a friend who had one for 3 years and he said it was a great car. Their just a Marmite car I suppose. You love or hate them.
Personally I love the PT Cruiser. Just to confirm that the wipers were replaced on the wrong sides. Not a fault of the car. The Engine sounds very strong. The gearchange should present a challenge if it is a bit awkward.
Was once a passenger in PT Cruiser. I approached the car thinking to myself "This is going to be awful" However, I couldn't have been more wrong.. I loved it. It was so different, yet simple and uncomplicated. Still see the odd one knocking about. Sadly, they are usually pimped up with lots of tacky chrome and a dodgy paint job.. Great to see an original example👍
Good to see you back doing reviews, missed the car reviews. I can see the Primera going up for sale and this replacing it and I honestly think the PT Cruiser would suit you.
The plastic tray on the back of the front passenger seat is there because, as in a lot of other people carriers, the back of the passenger seat can fold flat forwards to allow the back to be used as a picnic table ot writing surface if the vehicle is being used for work...
Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder. I quite like it, but I have been (very moderately) drinking. Would I have one? Hell no. But I do appreciate car manufacturers trying something different.
@@julianevans9548 I actually don't mind the design, daft as it seems and didn't know it was a 'marmite' car. I have to say I don't see any hotrod look to it and I live on a main road and saw a black one at some traffic lights and really did at first glance think it was the revamped version of the London Taxi. Being a US car it probably will have those nasty plastics and stupidly large engines. But there aren't many cars that I'd not bother with (other than Fiats..lol!) And would take one at the right price or if given, Are they what used to be called a hairdressers car?
@@julianevans9548 and NO retro isn't the way forward. Especially when they bastardise old drsigns. Also how has the Fiat 500 ever had anything to do with the Ford Ka, one a Car built years ago in Italy toward the end of 50s and the other built in in the mid to late 90s and both nothing at all to do with eachother. Yet now they are the same cars with a different coat & jacket on. Meaning that the Fiat 500 is just a money making boring skateboard, like most other cars today that are all just brothers and sisters of eachother. But if a car was really a retro design it would be its own thing and not used as the base of another car.
@@abingleyboy I don't really get your point. To paraohrase 'If it were really retro it would be its own car'?! The 500 is based on the panda platform, as was the Ka. The karmann Ghia was based on the original beetle. A classic car is considered a classic based on age and how well remembered it is, that has nothing to do with platform sharing. And neither have retro looks.
We live in the USA now and have a 2006 PT Cruiser in the family, it’s the non-turbo engine and I can tell you this car just runs and is super reliable whatever you throw at it. Folding the rear seats down makes them surprisingly large inside and I have filled ours numerous times in the past with construction tools and materials. We have found it to be incredibly cheap and reliable motoring.
Had a petrol one from new, my wife loved the styling, I made the mistake of towing a small caravan with it and knackered the gearbox. Otherwise it was a comfortable car, bit thirsty so I had it converted to LPG, this worked very well but meant that the boot was full of a gas tank.
That's the first time I have ever seen anyone excited to be driving a PT Cruiser. I cannot imagine your reaction if it had been the convertible version.
I always wanted one of these, i loved the look myself, i love retro styling, i only ever drove one to move it round an idustrial estate, was the first auto id ever driven. if they were still made id still want one
Hurrah, my uncle has owned one since new from 2005 i think, still runs well, sloppy gears though, but he loves it, and ill admit, i think its a pretty little car too, very distinctive, i have trouble identifying cars built from the end of the 1990s onwards anyway, but this is such a design classic now, maybe people will be more kinder to it now the years have rolled by.
I loved the shape of these when I first saw about 30 of them driving up the motorway. I did not know they are based on the Neon but that does make sense.
While I love the tinkering, mailbag, and etc. It us good to see the car reviews again. It was the reviews and road trips that first got me interested in Hub Nut Watching today with my brand new Hub Nut mug of tea 🍵
I owned one for 4 years, I want something different from your normal Japanese car, I enjoy the experience and loved the different look. By the way the gearbox was not the best, but got used to it.
Rented one in Germany many years ago for a family holiday, got used to looks from passing Merc drivers but our small son loved the high back seat which gave him a great view! Quite enjoyed the experience, another advantage was it was easy to spot in the car park amongst a sea of VW etc
I had a 51 plate Ltd with the leather interior and the chrome wheels, I loved that car - great fun. The appalling turning circle was the biggest downside, you'll notice that when you get to driving around your welsh villages with tight turns! I think the lever you found on the back seat was to remove the back seats, which turned the car into a decent sized van with the additional benefit of side access through the rear doors. Though much maligned - usually by people who haven't driven one - the PT is a fun and hugely practical family car. I bet Miss HN and the kids will adore it.
If memory serves me, every one of these that came into our shop required front lower control arms. Ball joints and bushings were not available separately. I never saw one on this side of the pond with a manual transmission. There may very well have been though. The person who designed it was spirited away by GM and designed the HHR (Heritage High Roof).
i drove two of them ! Both turbo diesels . Nice cars !Very reliable with the Mercedes 220 engine in it ! If there was no problem with the euro norm ive still drove one !
I subscribe to car mechanics magazine this car was part of buying a car for less than £1000 feature and cost about £150 plus the auction fee. but cm replaced all the parts that could fail and repaired the hole in the sill, I think this would be a good buy and could be major problem free and is very much a hubnut type car
Neighbor across the Road from me has two one is the 'Full Dresser' with Metallic Brown Paint,Woodgrain side Panels,Whitewalls on Chrome "Smoothie" Steel Wheels and Metal Chrome Bumpers. The other one is light Blue. LOTS of 'em in the Scrapyards for bits around here. And nothing rusts over here.
I wonder if Chrysler realised their styling inspiration was the E493A Ford Prefect ? You'll have to get hold of a Multipla as well, that would make a fascinating comparison !
This is the first time that I know more about one of your test cars than you do. I purchased my PT Cruiser in 2003 and sold it to the neighbors after buying a new Kia Soul in 2019. While looking at cars I drove every 2 box utility car I could find with a stick shift, including the Toyota Matrix and the Honda Element and chose the PT cruiser because I loved the driving position (I am fairly tall so the PT's extra legroom was a major factor) and the base level 2.4 liter normally aspirated four had lots of low down torque, I was towing and launching a 1000 lb sailboat at the time and figured the PT would handle boat ramps better than a Toyota Matrix. I generally liked the PT a lot, she was heavy, and thirsty but fairly reliable. She was unfazed by gusty cross winds and had little trouble towing my West Wight Potter 15 and the extra interior space was handy when I temporarily relocated for contract jobs. By the way, the plastic on the back of the seat makes a nice place to store maps and other thing when you're driving alone. bush the upper part of the passenger seat back forward and the seat back becomes a nice horizontal tray. The shifter on PTs was never that great and they do get worse when the car gets older. The gear lever is connected to the transmission by a pair of push pull cables and when the bearings at the transmission end wear out, it becomes much harder to shift. I had the cables replaced around 80,000 miles or so and it brought the shift feel back to what it was like when the car was new. On the whole I liked my PT and enjoyed the 120,000+ miles I put on her. I never really had any complaints about her until I started driving my new 2019 Kia Soul. It was better than the PT in every area but cargo space (and probably towing capacity). The shifter feel alone was a revalation. Up until that time, the PT had served well. Good car.
I'm with you Mr Hubnut. I like it when a manufacturer produces something that looks a bit different and it certainly gives a lot of space. I bet Miss Hubnut will get most excited by the cubby under the passenger seat. Shame the gearbox is a let down as the shifter looks the part. Could be a good machine for you especially if Car Mechanics have sorted it out
11/13/23 I own a Red 2002 PT Cruiser with manual shift that is now 22 years old and used as a daily driver. Over the years I have had the standard issues in owning it, but money wise it is no more than any other car of this class. If you really get to notice the design inside and out you'll see lots of oval shapes that repeat themself adding to the looks along with the classic parts like retro door handles and body deign similar to a 1938 Ford Wagon. For me it bridges the gap between a modern car and a retro hot-rod car right from the car dealer without have to spend a fortune to making it retro. The car itself is well built and mine is in great shape for the year, it has heated seats, a radio with AM/FM , cassette and CD ROM along with it stereo speakers front & back, plenty of seating for up to 5, lots of cargo space when needed, great in snow with the right size snow tires. With regular check up hoping to keep my PT on the road for many years to come.
I hated these when new, but now I like, if only because its not a boring box. I don't hate the styling, but nor do I love it. Looks practical and spacious if a bit low rent in areas. Seems a tidy one too.
I had one for 4 years. Same colour. I enjoyed driving it, although the mpg wasn't anything to write home about. Lots of room inside and the solid parcel shelf was great for changing the nappy of your child on. The auto box failed in the end,which was the only failure I had with it.
I don’t even mind the oversized wipers. As long as they sweep glass, and not trim, and as long as they don’t hit each other, or go off the glass, oversized wiper blades are acceptable. Your previous PTC owner did it to compensate for uncleared areas of the glass. This is what we did at the dealership when customers complained repeatedly about undersized wiper blades on Chrysler and Jeep products. PTC is not a great vehicle, but it’s not terrible. Have a nice day. Cheers.
A friend of mine bought one of these new as he thought it looked really cool. Wasn't long before he tired of it though, mostly due to the driving experience. He traded it in for a Ford Focus and rediscovered some motoring pleasure.
Hi Ian, the PT cruiser can have gearbox troubles and as low as 130.000 miles covered, around about £ 1000 for gearbox rebuild, i think there quirky and the Gt Turbo would be fun and some people have supercharged them , still good to see a review.
My mother had a PT cruiser in that colour for 15 years, and we absolutely loved it. Sure, it handled like a piano, but it was very comfortable, and you have to love the car that ferried you to university and your own place for the very first time. I can say that the gearbox was terrible. You're right in not finding 3rd easily - they're all like that! I'd happily have my own in a heartbeat. .
My wife had a 2003. A slightly reddish purple with wood grain sides and chrome wheels. It looked quite striking when it was cleaned and polished. She loved the thing. The early ones are much better inside than the later 2006 and up refresh. They really cheapened the interior, if you can believe it! The turning circle was horrible and noisy brakes, but otherwise quite good. We traded it for a 2005 LWB Chrysler Town and Country van shortly after the 2 nd. Child came along. We still have the van now with 263,000 miles on the clock. Fantastic vehicle!
I ran one as a taxi for a couple of years as it made a change to the usual choice of Xsara Picassos and Renault Scenics at the time, cover around 40,000 miles in two years without major issues.
i had one for almost 12 years...amazingly nothing broke on it....only replaced the normal stuff due to wear like tyres,filters etc...ill prolly get another one if i find a good one somewhere
When these were first introduced new in the US, dealers where getting two to three thousand over sticker price and people payed it. A friend bought a new model and said the gas mileage was terrible around 22 mpg. Getting fairly are to see here anymore.
I hired one of these in B.C. Canada for a bit of touring about when they were new, an auto and was quite thirsty, never felt the need to rush home and buy one. It was something different for a holiday car and other PT cruiser drivers waved! I'd consider one for a few hundred as a cheap runabout.
Good to see this vehicle road tested. The gear shifter seems the main let-down, otherwise, It looks mostly good, providing the wiper action can be sorted out. I do like the high seating position, great for long journeys.
Eardisland? On the route through Leominster home? If so I stopped there two years ago, before the plague when we could travel freely, at a lovely little tea shop.
Like the look of the outside of the car, like the look of dashboard- fits the retro look, heater controls look like they chucked it in from the parts bin - doesn’t tie in with the retro look
Funny you just took on this vehicle as the other day I saw a red one, a "Woody"! These are still popular, still see them on the road even though they have been discontinued for quite some time! The PT Cruiser was categorised as a truck here in the US, with the convertible an automobile! Controls are very Chrysler of that decade. I think you might like this enough to make it part of your fleet.
had a 2004 canadian neon (sx 2.0) with that platform and motor but auto box. 110,000 miles in 7 years, looked after they go for ever, bad reputation mechanically usually stems from lack of maintenance, only issues I had were solenoid pack on box and transmission cooler/rad failure. They were cheap cars built cheaply but the bones were solid. There were 2 variants of the 2 litre, the HO one had dual intake runners, those breathe well, maybe the spirited performance is due to that.
I had a PT cruiser in the 2003, we had gone to the US for a holiday and the hire car was one and we liked it so much that when we got home went out and purchased one. The US one got a higher MPG in US gallons than the smaller UK engine variant did in UK gallons, about 33 mpg US and 24 mpg UK the UK ones are also rather under powered for a car that is nearly two tons. Kept it for nine years though as otherwise it was a very good car although it did go through front bushes a little faster than I would wish for and they turned out a tad expensive to replace (new arms) . The next time we went to the US (Arizona) we hired a convertible version which turned out to be very good off road in thick snow, yes it snows in AZ well it did when we were there, the first time in thirty years in Phoenix we were told.
The plastic on the back of the passenger seat, folds flat and becomes a table, the key button on the ignition was meant to be anti hijack feature ahah. I owed one for 3 months. My gear box felt like a bowl of porridge 😁. I still have fond feelings for them but don’t often say that out loud. Great video as always Ian keep it up 😁👍🏻🚘🚗
I believe the handle you found on the bottom of the back seat will move the seat forward and backwards. The plastic on the back of the passengers seat is accommodate long cargo. the seat folds flat allowing long cargo to go from the hatch to the dashboard. I believe that the rear seats can be folded several different ways to adjust passenger and cargo needs.
I just realized how much I have missed these HubNut car reviews! You have a natural talent for this sort of thing, Ian. Hopefully this review is a sign of things to come! 😁
Church! Everything you said is spot-on. I had one from new 2000 to 2004 (£16,000) when they were 'exotic'; It was practical, pleasant to drive, and reliable. I'd seen them in the States in early 2000 - the rental companies invented a new category; 'XE' for 'EX'otic because demand was so high and they were unusual. In November 2000 people gawped at it open-mouthed a traffic lights. An old spud creaked up to me as I got out and said tearfully 'It's like an old Ford from the thirties!' I kinda miss it, although I always wondered why they didn't do a stupidly inefficient V6 engine; I'd have put up with the 17MPG just for the V6 badge.
Your Rover 75 is retro done right. This is a great example of it done wrong, IMHO, but I think we can agree it ticks a lot of boxes that makes it very Hubnut
I never understood the 'push a button to get your key out' idea. I had that on an old Chevette though I had a few old Fords with barrels so worn you could pull the key out whilst they were running, dodgy if done while driving and the steering locked!
I have a few hours wheel time in one of these. Went from Nevada to California and back in 2010 in one. To this day I remember it being a spectacularly adequate vehicle. Wouldn't buy one, would drive one if given to me.
Knowl hill garage is still going as a dealer of very high end specialist vehicles. I can go back to when it sold British leyland / austin rover, then isuzu, which is where I bought mine from. To chrysler/jeep, which is where yours comes from.
A polarizing car indeed. I had a 2005 convertible here in the States and my friends either appreciated its '30's vibe or derided me for my deplorable taste. I knew I couldn't afford a classic convertible from the era but this was the next closest (and much less expensive) option. The look was great but the Neon underpinnings were not robust. There were many front suspension issues during the time I had it, and yes, the interior finishes were cheap. Over here the engine options (in 2005 at least) were a base 2.4 liter, a turbocharged version, and they offered a higher-output turbo powertrain for the GT model. Only the GT version offered both a turbo and a manual trans, because their base manual gearbox couldn't handle the hp that the turbos delivered. The extra weight of the reinforced convertible body made the base engine struggle, so I wanted some boost. But only the GT offered an upgraded manual gearbox option and being unwilling to hand over extra money for all the GT trimmings I just got the turbo and settled for an automatic trans. It handled well enough, and the turbo delivered some spirited performance, but there was never any mistaking that this car was built to hit a low price target. But for those 20 days a year that having a convertible is worthwhile in New England, it was great fun. Carry on Mr Hubnut, I love your content.
I thought your review was spot on, I never liked them initially but I've got a soft spot for them now. I spotted one only the other week, fitted with spot lamps!
I'm in the Vancouver area of Canada and I literally can't go a day without seeing at least one or two PT Cruisers on the road or in parking lots. A couple of months ago, in a supermarket parking lot, I saw three of them parked in a row -- one white, one silver, and the third one red in colour. Considering that it has been over ten years since any new ones were produced, their build-quality can't be as bad as advertised, or there wouldn't be nearly so many still in use.
Nice road test! Snow again, eh? We had that on April 1st, but yesterday and today it's 80 degrees, and I broke out the shorts (you should have a tee-shirt w/ "Knees Alert!" on it, for us older folks w/ rather knobby knees!). This model was a 1997 intro in the States; I recall my vanpool mates and I would go, "Oh, WOW!" when we first saw them, but after about three, it was rather "Meh!" Still, it is (and was) different-looking than much else on the road at the time. Amusingly, I went used car-shopping w/ my Mom in 2002; she was 71, and the sales person tried to talk her into a PT, to which she scornfully replied, "Why would I want something that reminds me of the Depression?!" (she got a Chevy Prism/Toyota Corolla instead)
The plastic on the back of the front passenger seat is because you can fold it flat and use it as a tea tray.
To add on, the "floor position" for the rear shelf is useful because the other side of the shelf is hard plastic to hold wet or muddy items. Just flip it over.
I always expect The Ant Hill Mob to disembark:))
I had one in 2003 metalic blue always turned heads a great car upgraded to voyager 2 years later
Had a lot of these over the years, we love them! New one in 2002. Had 3 convertibles to date too. Now looking for another fir the summer.
I had one of these PTs as a long term 3 month rental car when I lived in the US. When I saw I was getting a PT Cruiser at the rental company, I was dismayed as I didn't really want one, even as a renter! After living with it for 3 months, including swallowing 7 assorted suitcases and bags as we drove to the airport relocating back home, I had become fond of its amazing practicality and the fact that it was happy being thrashed! It's a great little car that everyone loves to hate.
I too hired one in the US and was pleasantly surprised. It was really fun to drive.
It is true we need to applaud or even laud manufacturers who dare to think and develop a product that stands out. Not only for prototype purposes, but actually for production purposes.
Well put! And yes, I rather like them.
Have a nice weekend.
I love these cars Americana styling looks different to all the other Bland cars out there
ive had 3 diesel pt cruisers and loved all three and they have a strong following...........fantastic cars.....and the battery on the diesels are under the passenger front seat...
Finally got your mitts on one, eh? You'll be amazed at how useful these things are. Mine's brought home everything from 8 foot lumber to Buick V8s. The tie down points you pointed out are for the rear cargo net to keep your shopping from moving about. Or you can get creative. If it's not too late, get rid of this thing before you fall under its spell. If you keep it long enough you'll find one of its tricks that you just can't live without. I won't have anything else until I find something that is as easy to get in and out of as these are....
I enjoy reading and watching actual families doing actual real world road tests of vehicles.
An I the only one along with hubnut who likes these PT Cruisers?
Love one
I think you might be. For me it's wrong on all levels and has no redeeming features.
I like their appearance. I like cars with good fuel economy though. These don't.
Probably.
when it came out the design was just slightly off- but after a while too many examples had stupid modifications- like a fake spare wheel on the back with airbrush on it- white wall tires- flames- chrome roof racks- eye lashes- animal skin vinyl on the roof.... and over time people compared it to the Fiat Multipla and it basically got killed by its image- and because it wasn't a very good car and people here tend to stick to VW Golfs...
Yes
We bought one new and had it for years, loved it. Nice metallic red 2.2 diesel limited all the bling 😄. Nothing broke, utterly reliable, perfect in the back, our kids were small at the time and no other car has a nappy changing shelf 😂 Seats were really comfy, only car my crumbling back has never suffered in. Criticisms, lights were poor and the diesel lump made it far too front heavy but over all it was a tremendous car, many happy memories. Quite emotional actually thinking about it our first holidays as a family were all in the PT 👍
Well that’s Mercedes for ya the old 2.2 Mercedes cdi engine are bulletproof👍
Yes lots of people slagged that car off when it came out, but I know a friend who had one for 3 years and he said it was a great car. Their just a Marmite car I suppose. You love or hate them.
@@matty6848 it’s the same with the ford Scorpio or the Fiat Multipla
Personally I love the PT Cruiser. Just to confirm that the wipers were replaced on the wrong sides. Not a fault of the car. The Engine sounds very strong. The gearchange should present a challenge if it is a bit awkward.
I'm with you on these, looks-wise. I think they look great!
There aren't many cars I would consider a downgrade from a matiz but credit to you you have done it 😂
Downgrade from a City Rover
Was once a passenger in PT Cruiser. I approached the car thinking to myself "This is going to be awful" However, I couldn't have been more wrong.. I loved it.
It was so different, yet simple and uncomplicated.
Still see the odd one knocking about. Sadly, they are usually pimped up with lots of tacky chrome and a dodgy paint job.. Great to see an original example👍
nearly bought one of these a couple of years ago i have to admit it i quite like them.
I don't mind it. Most SUVs these days remind me of a chest freezer on wheels. Australian ones were 2litre
You are abseloutely right, and people buy them, they must be blind. My MGB 1970 looks better and better. Cheers
Good to see you back doing reviews, missed the car reviews. I can see the Primera going up for sale and this replacing it and I honestly think the PT Cruiser would suit you.
I think your right unfortunately, its totally appropriate for Ian me thinks ,🤦♂️👍 the colour is nice 🤷♂️
@@Jaxs2 yeah the colour is always good on car that is on loan.
Agreed- its much more HubNut than the Primera
The plastic tray on the back of the front passenger seat is there because, as in a lot of other people carriers, the back of the passenger seat can fold flat forwards to allow the back to be used as a picnic table ot writing surface if the vehicle is being used for work...
A fantastic tea shelf... oops wrong channel.
@@tonys1636 Indeed...
On both counts...
Or folded flat for long objects, like a ladder or something similar.
The Plastic on the Passenger seat for use as a table. That seat should fold flat forward.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, is the phrase that springs to mind.
Looks only a mother could love is another...
Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder. I quite like it, but I have been (very moderately) drinking. Would I have one? Hell no. But I do appreciate car manufacturers trying something different.
Yes very much a Marmite car.
@@Zadster yes they took a risk so you’ve got to give them credit for that. The car wasn’t a total disaster so fair play to them.
When in a dark colour they look less like a hotrod and more like the renewed London Taxi Cab.
But without the dynamics and reliability of the Taxi cab...
Although modern car design seems largely disastrous, retro-pastiche is not the answer in my book.
@@julianevans9548 I actually don't mind the design, daft as it seems and didn't know it was a 'marmite' car. I have to say I don't see any hotrod look to it and I live on a main road and saw a black one at some traffic lights and really did at first glance think it was the revamped version of the London Taxi. Being a US car it probably will have those nasty plastics and stupidly large engines. But there aren't many cars that I'd not bother with (other than Fiats..lol!) And would take one at the right price or if given, Are they what used to be called a hairdressers car?
@@julianevans9548 and NO retro isn't the way forward. Especially when they bastardise old drsigns. Also how has the Fiat 500 ever had anything to do with the Ford Ka, one a Car built years ago in Italy toward the end of 50s and the other built in in the mid to late 90s and both nothing at all to do with eachother. Yet now they are the same cars with a different coat & jacket on. Meaning that the Fiat 500 is just a money making boring skateboard, like most other cars today that are all just brothers and sisters of eachother. But if a car was really a retro design it would be its own thing and not used as the base of another car.
@@abingleyboy I don't really get your point. To paraohrase 'If it were really retro it would be its own car'?! The 500 is based on the panda platform, as was the Ka. The karmann Ghia was based on the original beetle. A classic car is considered a classic based on age and how well remembered it is, that has nothing to do with platform sharing. And neither have retro looks.
We live in the USA now and have a 2006 PT Cruiser in the family, it’s the non-turbo engine and I can tell you this car just runs and is super reliable whatever you throw at it. Folding the rear seats down makes them surprisingly large inside and I have filled ours numerous times in the past with construction tools and materials. We have found it to be incredibly cheap and reliable motoring.
Had a petrol one from new, my wife loved the styling, I made the mistake of towing a small caravan with it and knackered the gearbox.
Otherwise it was a comfortable car, bit thirsty so I had it converted to LPG, this worked very well but meant that the boot was full of a gas tank.
That's the first time I have ever seen anyone excited to be driving a PT Cruiser. I cannot imagine your reaction if it had been the convertible version.
I always wanted one of these, i loved the look myself, i love retro styling, i only ever drove one to move it round an idustrial estate, was the first auto id ever driven. if they were still made id still want one
Good colour for it, Wasn't really a fan of these when they1st arrived. Look better these days :)
Hurrah, my uncle has owned one since new from 2005 i think, still runs well, sloppy gears though, but he loves it, and ill admit, i think its a pretty little car too, very distinctive, i have trouble identifying cars built from the end of the 1990s onwards anyway, but this is such a design classic now, maybe people will be more kinder to it now the years have rolled by.
Great report, Ian. The holy trinity of testing, tinkering and talking is back in balance!
I loved the shape of these when I first saw about 30 of them driving up the motorway. I did not know they are based on the Neon but that does make sense.
While I love the tinkering, mailbag, and etc. It us good to see the car reviews again. It was the reviews and road trips that first got me interested in Hub Nut
Watching today with my brand new Hub Nut mug of tea 🍵
I owned one for 4 years, I want something different from your normal Japanese car, I enjoy the experience and loved the different look. By the way the gearbox was not the best, but got used to it.
It's a Getrag.
I remember reading about a 1200hp version- the "PT Bruiser" dragster.
Rented one in Germany many years ago for a family holiday, got used to looks from passing Merc drivers but our small son loved the high back seat which gave him a great view! Quite enjoyed the experience, another advantage was it was easy to spot in the car park amongst a sea of VW etc
this is so you and so practical....
I had a 51 plate Ltd with the leather interior and the chrome wheels, I loved that car - great fun. The appalling turning circle was the biggest downside, you'll notice that when you get to driving around your welsh villages with tight turns! I think the lever you found on the back seat was to remove the back seats, which turned the car into a decent sized van with the additional benefit of side access through the rear doors. Though much maligned - usually by people who haven't driven one - the PT is a fun and hugely practical family car. I bet Miss HN and the kids will adore it.
My grandmother has the turbo convertible. She is 96 but still enjoys a blast up the mountain
If memory serves me, every one of these that came into our shop required front lower control arms. Ball joints and bushings were not available separately. I never saw one on this side of the pond with a manual transmission. There may very well have been though.
The person who designed it was spirited away by GM and designed the HHR (Heritage High Roof).
I drove up one these from BC in Canada to Montana in the US so I’m sure you can make it back to Wales. Great review as usual Ian
A great video as always. I am not really a fan of the pt cruiser but Its great to see a roadtest back and look forward to more roadtests.
I think one of these in a diesel might be the most depressing car ever. Fantastic to have you back reviewing cars again, though!
And a non-turbo diesel O_o
i drove two of them ! Both turbo diesels . Nice cars !Very reliable with the Mercedes 220 engine in it ! If there was no problem with the euro norm ive still drove one !
I subscribe to car mechanics magazine this car was part of buying a car for less than £1000 feature and cost about £150 plus the auction fee. but cm replaced all the parts that could fail and repaired the hole in the sill, I think this would be a good buy and could be major problem free and is very much a hubnut type car
Neighbor across the Road from me has two one is the 'Full Dresser' with Metallic Brown Paint,Woodgrain side Panels,Whitewalls on Chrome "Smoothie" Steel Wheels and Metal Chrome Bumpers. The other one is light Blue. LOTS of 'em in the Scrapyards for bits around here. And nothing rusts over here.
I wonder if Chrysler realised their styling inspiration was the E493A Ford Prefect ? You'll have to get hold of a Multipla as well, that would make a fascinating comparison !
I had one of those and that's exactly what I thought as Ian was going round it, particularly the front right quarter view.
YES!! Mu uncle had a 53 Prefect and this, to my mind, is a smoothed out version.
The car was also classed in Canada as a MINIVAN
I think the styling was based on (or derived from) the Chevrolet Suburban from the late 30s to the early 50s.
@@eefjuh5533 yes that’s the official statement….and Chrysler was never above nicking other makers ideas to jumpstart one of their own.
@@jonnycando i looked at some Ford Prefect pictures , and i have to say, the simularaties in namely the rear are huge
This is the first time that I know more about one of your test cars than you do. I purchased my PT Cruiser in 2003 and sold it to the neighbors after buying a new Kia Soul in 2019. While looking at cars I drove every 2 box utility car I could find with a stick shift, including the Toyota Matrix and the Honda Element and chose the PT cruiser because I loved the driving position (I am fairly tall so the PT's extra legroom was a major factor) and the base level 2.4 liter normally aspirated four had lots of low down torque, I was towing and launching a 1000 lb sailboat at the time and figured the PT would handle boat ramps better than a Toyota Matrix.
I generally liked the PT a lot, she was heavy, and thirsty but fairly reliable. She was unfazed by gusty cross winds and had little trouble towing my West Wight Potter 15 and the extra interior space was handy when I temporarily relocated for contract jobs. By the way, the plastic on the back of the seat makes a nice place to store maps and other thing when you're driving alone. bush the upper part of the passenger seat back forward and the seat back becomes a nice horizontal tray.
The shifter on PTs was never that great and they do get worse when the car gets older. The gear lever is connected to the transmission by a pair of push pull cables and when the bearings at the transmission end wear out, it becomes much harder to shift. I had the cables replaced around 80,000 miles or so and it brought the shift feel back to what it was like when the car was new.
On the whole I liked my PT and enjoyed the 120,000+ miles I put on her. I never really had any complaints about her until I started driving my new 2019 Kia Soul. It was better than the PT in every area but cargo space (and probably towing capacity). The shifter feel alone was a revalation. Up until that time, the PT had served well. Good car.
I'm with you Mr Hubnut. I like it when a manufacturer produces something that looks a bit different and it certainly gives a lot of space. I bet Miss Hubnut will get most excited by the cubby under the passenger seat. Shame the gearbox is a let down as the shifter looks the part. Could be a good machine for you especially if Car Mechanics have sorted it out
11/13/23 I own a Red 2002 PT Cruiser with manual shift that is now 22 years old and used as a daily driver. Over the years I have had the standard issues in owning it, but money wise it is no more than any other car of this class. If you really get to notice the design inside and out you'll see lots of oval shapes that repeat themself adding to the looks along with the classic parts like retro door handles and body deign similar to a 1938 Ford Wagon. For me it bridges the gap between a modern car and a retro hot-rod car right from the car dealer without have to spend a fortune to making it retro. The car itself is well built and mine is in great shape for the year, it has heated seats, a radio with AM/FM , cassette and CD ROM along with it stereo speakers front & back, plenty of seating for up to 5, lots of cargo space when needed, great in snow with the right size snow tires. With regular check up hoping to keep my PT on the road for many years to come.
My wife wanted one of those once upon a time. Luckily I managed to steer her down a different road.
I hated these when new, but now I like, if only because its not a boring box. I don't hate the styling, but nor do I love it. Looks practical and spacious if a bit low rent in areas.
Seems a tidy one too.
I had one for 4 years. Same colour. I enjoyed driving it, although the mpg wasn't anything to write home about. Lots of room inside and the solid parcel shelf was great for changing the nappy of your child on. The auto box failed in the end,which was the only failure I had with it.
Hey from Canada I work for Magna we used to produce the b pillar s for the PT cruiser where I work.
Magna on Snidercroft Road? I work on the same street
@@randolfo1265 lol that's the one, small world
@@Covert-0ps - Wow yeah. Two people on the same street watching the same video from the UK. The far reach of UA-cam!
@@randolfo1265 first ever highlighted comment from a UA-camr as well stumbled upon his channel a few years ago and can't stop watching
I don’t even mind the oversized wipers. As long as they sweep glass, and not trim, and as long as they don’t hit each other, or go off the glass, oversized wiper blades are acceptable. Your previous PTC owner did it to compensate for uncleared areas of the glass. This is what we did at the dealership when customers complained repeatedly about undersized wiper blades on Chrysler and Jeep products. PTC is not a great vehicle, but it’s not terrible. Have a nice day. Cheers.
Also, even weirder seeing you drive past the black and white house I grew up in out in Pembridge. Such a beautiful area.
A friend of mine bought one of these new as he thought it looked really cool. Wasn't long before he tired of it though, mostly due to the driving experience. He traded it in for a Ford Focus and rediscovered some motoring pleasure.
Love these car reviews. A very enjoyable video about a car I know nothing about 🙂
Brilliant video Ian 👍 I knew it would end up on the fleet brilliant I used to have a jeep grande cherokee I'm a fond fan o chrysler even had a voyager
Hi Ian, the PT cruiser can have gearbox troubles and as low as 130.000 miles covered, around about £ 1000 for gearbox rebuild, i think there quirky and the Gt Turbo would be fun and some people have supercharged them , still good to see a review.
A special drawer for the bits that fall off!
My mother had a PT cruiser in that colour for 15 years, and we absolutely loved it. Sure, it handled like a piano, but it was very comfortable, and you have to love the car that ferried you to university and your own place for the very first time.
I can say that the gearbox was terrible. You're right in not finding 3rd easily - they're all like that!
I'd happily have my own in a heartbeat. .
Love your videos, Autotrader should sponser you as I can't be the only one just been looking at pt cruisers but with leather!
My wife had a 2003. A slightly reddish purple with wood grain sides and chrome wheels. It looked quite striking when it was cleaned and polished. She loved the thing. The early ones are much better inside than the later 2006 and up refresh. They really cheapened the interior, if you can believe it! The turning circle was horrible and noisy brakes, but otherwise quite good. We traded it for a 2005 LWB Chrysler Town and Country van shortly after the 2 nd. Child came along. We still have the van now with 263,000 miles on the clock. Fantastic vehicle!
I ran one as a taxi for a couple of years as it made a change to the usual choice of Xsara Picassos and Renault Scenics at the time, cover around 40,000 miles in two years without major issues.
good review >I like it. quirky thing ! dying to see under bonnet !
i had one for almost 12 years...amazingly nothing broke on it....only replaced the normal stuff due to wear like tyres,filters etc...ill prolly get another one if i find a good one somewhere
Iv always loved these my dad had a late 2.4 manual as a courtesy car for a while and I thought is was great.
When these were first introduced new in the US, dealers where getting two to three thousand over sticker price and people payed it. A friend bought a new model and said the gas mileage was terrible around 22 mpg. Getting fairly are to see here anymore.
I hired one of these in B.C. Canada for a bit of touring about when they were new, an auto and was quite thirsty, never felt the need to rush home and buy one. It was something different for a holiday car and other PT cruiser drivers waved! I'd consider one for a few hundred as a cheap runabout.
My grandmother had 2 of these with the Mercedes diesel engine, Followed by a Kia Ceed automatic diesel which runs on fresh air.
Good to see this vehicle road tested. The gear shifter seems the main let-down, otherwise, It looks mostly good, providing the wiper action can be sorted out. I do like the high seating position, great for long journeys.
Eardisland? On the route through Leominster home? If so I stopped there two years ago, before the plague when we could travel freely, at a lovely little tea shop.
Like the look of the outside of the car, like the look of dashboard- fits the retro look, heater controls look like they chucked it in from the parts bin - doesn’t tie in with the retro look
Made me sad to hear you telling us about those beautiful villages that you had put the PT in...
Funny you just took on this vehicle as the other day I saw a red one, a "Woody"!
These are still popular, still see them on the road even though they have been discontinued for quite some time!
The PT Cruiser was categorised as a truck here in the US, with the convertible an automobile! Controls are very Chrysler of that decade.
I think you might like this enough to make it part of your fleet.
had a 2004 canadian neon (sx 2.0) with that platform and motor but auto box. 110,000 miles in 7 years, looked after they go for ever, bad reputation mechanically usually stems from lack of maintenance, only issues I had were solenoid pack on box and transmission cooler/rad failure.
They were cheap cars built cheaply but the bones were solid.
There were 2 variants of the 2 litre, the HO one had dual intake runners, those breathe well, maybe the spirited performance is due to that.
I had a PT cruiser in the 2003, we had gone to the US for a holiday and the hire car was one and we liked it so much that when we got home went out and purchased one. The US one got a higher MPG in US gallons than the smaller UK engine variant did in UK gallons, about 33 mpg US and 24 mpg UK the UK ones are also rather under powered for a car that is nearly two tons. Kept it for nine years though as otherwise it was a very good car although it did go through front bushes a little faster than I would wish for and they turned out a tad expensive to replace (new arms) . The next time we went to the US (Arizona) we hired a convertible version which turned out to be very good off road in thick snow, yes it snows in AZ well it did when we were there, the first time in thirty years in Phoenix we were told.
I like the push buttons on the door handles . takes me back to when I was a kid , but tha'ts all I like about it soz.
The plastic on the back of the passenger seat, folds flat and becomes a table, the key button on the ignition was meant to be anti hijack feature ahah. I owed one for 3 months. My gear box felt like a bowl of porridge 😁. I still have fond feelings for them but don’t often say that out loud.
Great video as always Ian keep it up 😁👍🏻🚘🚗
I believe the handle you found on the bottom of the back seat will move the seat forward and backwards. The plastic on the back of the passengers seat is accommodate long cargo. the seat folds flat allowing long cargo to go from the hatch to the dashboard. I believe that the rear seats can be folded several different ways to adjust passenger and cargo needs.
WHOO HOO!
I like aso love the prowler had matchbox toys of both.
I love cars people hate.
Video liked
I just realized how much I have missed these HubNut car reviews! You have a natural talent for this sort of thing, Ian. Hopefully this review is a sign of things to come! 😁
Church! Everything you said is spot-on. I had one from new 2000 to 2004 (£16,000) when they were 'exotic'; It was practical, pleasant to drive, and reliable. I'd seen them in the States in early 2000 - the rental companies invented a new category; 'XE' for 'EX'otic because demand was so high and they were unusual. In November 2000 people gawped at it open-mouthed a traffic lights. An old spud creaked up to me as I got out and said tearfully 'It's like an old Ford from the thirties!' I kinda miss it, although I always wondered why they didn't do a stupidly inefficient V6 engine; I'd have put up with the 17MPG just for the V6 badge.
Your Rover 75 is retro done right. This is a great example of it done wrong, IMHO, but I think we can agree it ticks a lot of boxes that makes it very Hubnut
Always wanted a PT cruiser...had the Neon..loved that car,should never have sold it
hope you don't have a bad back, you will though after taking the heavy back seats out to convert it a van. does make it useful for moving things .
Always liked its design . Drove one on loan and liked it .
I never understood the 'push a button to get your key out' idea. I had that on an old Chevette though I had a few old Fords with barrels so worn you could pull the key out whilst they were running, dodgy if done while driving and the steering locked!
Had one Turbo Model Looked Good Till Turbo went Boom and then it Lost its Luster Love your Videos
I have a few hours wheel time in one of these. Went from Nevada to California and back in 2010 in one. To this day I remember it being a spectacularly adequate vehicle. Wouldn't buy one, would drive one if given to me.
Knowl hill garage is still going as a dealer of very high end specialist vehicles. I can go back to when it sold British leyland / austin rover, then isuzu, which is where I bought mine from. To chrysler/jeep, which is where yours comes from.
Hope you enjoy the ride. Waiting for the in depth road test.
Maybe gear shift cables are binding
My mate whose a biker used to grumble about PT Cruisers as they were apparently hard to look round when approaching it from behind when over taking
A polarizing car indeed. I had a 2005 convertible here in the States and my friends either appreciated its '30's vibe or derided me for my deplorable taste. I knew I couldn't afford a classic convertible from the era but this was the next closest (and much less expensive) option.
The look was great but the Neon underpinnings were not robust. There were many front suspension issues during the time I had it, and yes, the interior finishes were cheap.
Over here the engine options (in 2005 at least) were a base 2.4 liter, a turbocharged version, and they offered a higher-output turbo powertrain for the GT model. Only the GT version offered both a turbo and a manual trans, because their base manual gearbox couldn't handle the hp that the turbos delivered. The extra weight of the reinforced convertible body made the base engine struggle, so I wanted some boost. But only the GT offered an upgraded manual gearbox option and being unwilling to hand over extra money for all the GT trimmings I just got the turbo and settled for an automatic trans.
It handled well enough, and the turbo delivered some spirited performance, but there was never any mistaking that this car was built to hit a low price target. But for those 20 days a year that having a convertible is worthwhile in New England, it was great fun.
Carry on Mr Hubnut, I love your content.
I thought your review was spot on, I never liked them initially but I've got a soft spot for them now. I spotted one only the other week, fitted with spot lamps!
I'm in the Vancouver area of Canada and I literally can't go a day without seeing at least one or two PT Cruisers on the road or in parking lots. A couple of months ago, in a supermarket parking lot, I saw three of them parked in a row -- one white, one silver, and the third one red in colour. Considering that it has been over ten years since any new ones were produced, their build-quality can't be as bad as advertised, or there wouldn't be nearly so many still in use.
I used to really dislike these, then crossovers happened, like the Puke. Now these are really quite good looking.
Nearly bought one of these, in the day. My wife hated the interior, but loved the exterior styling. We got a subaru legacy instead
Nice dont see to many about now, heard they are popular among the hot rod type I like the front end in particular & the colour is really nice
Nice road test! Snow again, eh? We had that on April 1st, but yesterday and today it's 80 degrees, and I broke out the shorts (you should have a tee-shirt w/ "Knees Alert!" on it, for us older folks w/ rather knobby knees!). This model was a 1997 intro in the States; I recall my vanpool mates and I would go, "Oh, WOW!" when we first saw them, but after about three, it was rather "Meh!" Still, it is (and was) different-looking than much else on the road at the time. Amusingly, I went used car-shopping w/ my Mom in 2002; she was 71, and the sales person tried to talk her into a PT, to which she scornfully replied, "Why would I want something that reminds me of the Depression?!" (she got a Chevy Prism/Toyota Corolla instead)