Comments on: The Sun Sets on the PT Cruiser

By: rtz

rtz — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 05:08:22 +0000

thetopdog, I drove the living hell out of a rental PT and gave it a good endurance run and didn’t experience any of the problems you had. Next time your in one, give it good doses of full throttle blasts, attempt to lock the brakes up on stops, and also attempt burnouts on every take off and best of all, get the tires to howl when you take corners at full speed. That’s the only way to get any good driving excitement out of a vehicle. I’m one of those jackanapes who speeds and peels out in my daily beater Ford Ranger. I’ll admit it, I don’t care.

By: Johnster

Johnster — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 23:50:13 +0000

According to that consumer magazine, the tired old PT Cruiser rates higher than the new Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass, which is disappointing considering how much older the PT Cruiser is. Chrysler had what? Six years to come up with a replacement and then when they bring it out it’s a step backwards.

By: sykerocker

sykerocker — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 20:08:00 +0000

I can see it now, the Norma Desmond Edition . . . .

By: Martin Albright

Martin Albright — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:01:55 +0000

Uh, wasn’t “Sunset Boulevard” the movie about the has-been actress who was once admired but who clings to delusions of popularity?

Is someone at Chrysler being funny here? Or sadly prescient?

By: thetopdog

thetopdog — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:59:05 +0000

P.J. McCombs:

If the PT is more pleasant to drive than the Caliber/Compass/Patriot I dread to imagine how poorly those 3 car/suv/whatever triplets drive.

Back in March when I was getting a new car I sold my old one privately instead of trading it in. There was a period of about a week when all the paperwork for the new car had to be completed, so the dealership rented me a PT Cruiser to drive around so I wouldn’t be totally without transportation

I can say that the PT Cruiser is unequivocally the WORST car I have ever driven in my entire life. It is the only car I’ve driven that actually made me feel like I was putting my life in danger by driving it. The (non-independent) rear would step out of line over the tiniest of bumps and throw the car around every which way. I was doing about 65mph on the freeway when I hit an elevated expansion joint and the car switched lanes on me with the steering wheel pointed straight ahead. I later went over that same joint in a Chevy Aveo (I had some the ‘opportunity’ to drive some real stellar cars while I was waiting for my new arrival) and the Chevy’s composure over that bump was S-Class-esque in comparison.

The PT Cruiser I was driving was a 2007 model with no more than 20,000 miles on it too. That car disgusts me

By: Nemphre

Nemphre — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:07:25 +0000

“Definitely a underrated car. Guess if it would have been built by Toyota, it would have gotten a lot more positive acclaim.”

Toyota already built something that was better, the xB, and it didn’t have to have lousy fuel mileage or a nasty looking interior.

By: gfen

gfen — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:27:32 +0000

The original PR pictures looked awesome, the original car not so much. However, I apprechiated the times I was in one for its space. I didn’t apprechiate it for its gas mileage or power, when shopping for a new car, though.

A shame to see it go, it was distinctive.

By: N85523

N85523 — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:23:13 +0000

The PT was a band-aid for Chrysler on a wound requiring stitches. It helped out for a while, but it was not enough and because of its nature, it wouldn’t last forever. Probably one of the better products in Chrysler’s line-up, but it’s hard to update something that’s supposed to look classic. Oh well, I won’t lose sleep over it.

By: sykerocker

sykerocker — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:32:44 +0000

Having just gotten back from visiting the in-laws in Maine, and having lived with one of them for a week, it’s a pity they can’t update the car. I found it to be a nice driving (although bland, then again, it IS just a plain old sedan under all that styling), well built, and comfortable. Only disappointment was being unable to get better than 25mpg.

My mother-in-law drove it for a day – she’s now looking at getting rid of the Explorer.

Definitely a underrated car. Guess if it would have been built by Toyota, it would have gotten a lot more positive acclaim.

By: Ryan Knuckles

Ryan Knuckles — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:56:04 +0000

This is one of the ugliest cars in current production. Now, if Cerberus would just stop whoring out Jeep with all its CUVs, I might be able to like Chrysler again.

By: jerseydevil

jerseydevil — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 11:54:45 +0000

i thought that the interior packaging was great – but i never liked the outside. I like retro tho, when are we gonna retro some tail fins? That I’d like!

By: Frank Williams

Frank Williams — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 11:23:06 +0000

The PT feels higher-quality and is far more pleasant to drive than the Caliber, Compass, and Patriot that kinda sorta take its place. Why, oh why didn’t they share the PT platform instead?

The PT was (is) based on the Neon platform. It was long in the tooth when they introduced the PT and it’s even more outdated now. If anything, they should have developed a totally new platform for the PT and the Caliber independently of Mitsubishi and kept it at that instead of bastardizing Jeep in the process. They could have differentiated them by style and market placement like they’re attempting to do with the Sebring and Avenger – but a lot more successfully, I would hope.

By: Mirko Reinhardt

Mirko Reinhardt — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 06:25:39 +0000

@taxman100
In Europe, we get the PT Cruiser with a Mercedes 150hp diesel engine. More grunt and better economy than the gasser.

By: italianstallion

italianstallion — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:52:11 +0000

interesting observation about the difficulty in updating the PT and the new Beetle when the model is defined by its styling. a shame because (unlike the Beetle) the PT is an incredibly sensible and practical vehicle – albeit in a totally goofy-ass package. IMO this over-emphasis on style is what leads to abortions like the PT convertible. similarly, scion ruined the Xb by emphasizing “box style” over “box utility”. . . .

By: P.J. McCombs

P.J. McCombs — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:40:36 +0000

What a shame. The PT feels higher-quality and is far more pleasant to drive than the Caliber, Compass, and Patriot that kinda sorta take its place. Why, oh why didn’t they share the PT platform instead?

Chrysler seems determined to rid itself of competitive products. The Pacifica will also go the way of the dodo in 2009-2010. What takes its place? The Nitro?

By: Hippo

Hippo — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 04:47:55 +0000

Plans for the end of 09?

By: edgett

edgett — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 04:23:08 +0000

I thought the Dodge Caliber was the lame answer to “What do we make after the PT Cruiser?” Or was that the HHR, GM’s Me2 Cruiser?

By: dean

dean — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 04:00:16 +0000

When it first came out I thought the PT Cruiser was great looking. Now I gag at the sight of them. Why not a major refresh in ‘05?

By: SherbornSean

SherbornSean — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 02:31:23 +0000

It is completely beyond me why Chrysler didn’t update the PT on the Caliber’s platform. Chrysler is desperate for a sophisticated fuel efficient vehicle, and it has been staring them in the face for years.

Instead, they built the Aspen and dilly-dallied for 3 years over whether to build the Imperial.

Rudderless and ridiculous.

By: taxman100

taxman100 — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 02:24:31 +0000

I seriously consider one if the gas mileage was better.

By: Blunozer

Blunozer — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:24:12 +0000

Too bad.

The PT is practicle, affordable, and stylish (or was anyway).

I guess Chryslerberus is over saturated with this type of car however, what with the PT, Calibur, Patriot, and Compass all providing the same basic package.