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Outside of everything else, they need to do something with the engines. 150 horsepower in the base model is pathetic for the class and the 215 horse turbo is way behind the curve for a "sport" version. They need to get to at least 175 on the base engine and 250 on the turbo model just to be competitive.
Outside of everything else, they need to do something with the engines. 150 horsepower in the base model is pathetic for the class and the 215 horse turbo is way behind the curve for a "sport" version. They need to get to at least 175 on the base engine and 250 on the turbo model just to be competitive.
The class is small, tall wagons. Mine was more than fast/quick enogh for daily use. Not every car needs to be a race car. And if you havne't driven the GT Cruiser with the turbo, you'll be excused for not knowing how quick it feels. And there was always three available Mopar upgrade packages (the top upgrade gave 300 hp).
The problem wasn't in the engines, but in the transmissions. the automatic behind the 150 hp engine sucked pretty much all the life out of the engine. With a 5 speed manual, the car was over 3 seconds quicker to 60 mph, which is very noticeable.
If the new car will be as terrible as the old version, no. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I've never had such an uncomfortable, cramped, poorly styled interior and exterior, poor legroom, poor trunk space, terrible and inefficient engine on a way too heavy chassis as that car. I preferred driving my mom's minivan to that! Pretty much the only people who bought it were the ones who were dead set on it in the first place. Anyone who might have been on the fence and then driven it would immediately be repelled by how horrible it was.
If they've managed to overhaul basically the whole car, then I'll welcome it. Or better yet, make improvements to the current line of cars instead of wasting our taxpayer money by rehashing old, failed designs that are driven only by people who like being tortured in the name of "nostalgia".
If the new car will be as terrible as the old version, no. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I've never had such an uncomfortable, cramped, poorly styled interior and exterior, poor legroom, poor trunk space, terrible and inefficient engine on a way too heavy chassis as that car.
Did you rent one or own one? I had mine for just over 5 years. It carried all the lumber for our back deck (pics in my profile), it carried camping gear for cub scouts, along with the cub scouts and my wife and I. I hauled home from Lowe's a full set of 36x64 Pella replacement windows in frames (16 windows, stacked floor to ceiling) with the hatch closed. I carried home 1200lbs of bagged crushed rock in the back in one trip and the car had no issues with it. The cargo carrying ability was incredible compared to the competition, as the seats had a dozen+ different configurations, and the rears could easily come out with just a couple simple clips. The only way you could say it had poor trunk space was if you were comparing it with a horse trailer and were trying to carry a thoroughbred home in the back.
I drove mine monthly from Baltimore to Hartford, CT and back (6 hours one way), commuted in it daily, drove from Baltimore to Maine and back, Baltimore to Orlando and back, out to the Outer Banks and back, and regularly to Virginia Beach and back (5 hours one way). It was quite comfortable for long distance driving and daily use. My wife and I both autocrossed ours for a season (taught her how to race in it) and got trophies against cars like MINIs and SVT Focus's, even though it didn't have to be a good race car.
From the day we bought it with 5 miles on it in 2002 to the day we sold it in Dec. 2007, it had zero mechanical or electrical problems, no broken trim, no squeaks and rattles, and even after all theat we put it through, still looked and drove like new. This is from the ad when I sold it:
Seriously, this is not poor trunk space:
Seriously, I can't fathom where you come up with the idea that it was a horrible car. I've owned over a hundred cars in the last 30 years, from Pintos to Porsches, from old VWs to fairly new Range Rovers. I've had pure race cars and comfy street cruisers like my current 740iL. I have a point of comparison to make my claim, and I say it was one of the best cars I've ever owned, and I'd have another in a heartbeat. I didn't buy it DESPITE it being horrible, I bought it and loved it because it was as far from horrible as a practical little car can be.
I love, love, love PT Cruisers.I had a 2001 one model. Never gave me any problems. We hauled lumber in it, Christmas trees, travelled back and forth across Texas. Great gas mileage. I finally traded it in for an F150 at the request of my DH. I still regret it. I want an old PT convertible.
My '02 had zero problems in the 5 years and 80k miles we owned it.
And teh PT factory has been retooled for Fiat 500s...
Well cheers to you. Ours was/is junk. Got it 6 years ago with 30k and within a week problems. Been like that ever since. Total POS. Trading it on a Honda since those have been serving our family well since 1977. Shoulda known not to buy this thing, was our own fault.
*yep, jaded Chrysler owner here*
Well cheers to you. Ours was/is junk. Got it 6 years ago with 30k and within a week problems. Been like that ever since. Total POS. Trading it on a Honda since those have been serving our family well since 1977. Shoulda known not to buy this thing, was our own fault.
*yep, jaded Chrysler owner here*
And as a former PT Cruiser owners group member, peopel with experiences like mine were the norm, not the exception. Bet you never even checked online at the time, did you?
And you boiught it used, probably with an automatic. Dont' know how it was treated, etc.
There are many cars that I've had multiple models of, used, and I've found that there are good and bad of EVERY car. For example, the Honda CRX I bought used was stock, (not obviously abused by teenagers) and yet it constantly needed work. Should I then say that Hondas are junk? You say Hondas are fine but MY experience with that car, and an older Accord, and muy buddy's '88 Civic, all say they are junk. If I ran around here stating so, how do you think you or other Honda owners would respond? "Oh, gee, he has an opinion. MUST be true." No, you'd think anyone who said that would be an idiot.
Think about it. The guy right above you had an experience just like mine, which is what MOST owners had, which is why Chrysler sold so many with almost zero advertising. VERY high overall owner satisfaction. In fact, my buddy with the '88 Civic (that went through 4 axles, a transmission, and 2 sets of brakes in the two year he had it) scrapped the Civic and bought an '02 PT Cruiser that has served him reliably for the last 5 years. Because I had one and he liked it.
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