Chrysler PT Cruiser

When it comes to autos, I'm the kind of buyer that has to have something a little unusual. I purchased the 2001 PT Cruiser shortly after its introduction. It is not a car for everyone, but it works out nicely if you need a 5 passenger auto that can be converted to haul some rather bulky items. I use it just about every day to take eBay shipments to local FedEx pickup location. You would be amazed at how many large packages it will hold. If you fold down all the seats, 8 foot ladders and pieces of lumber will fit inside with the rear hatch closed. I installed a hitch for a trailer, which allows me to transport items like 4 by 8 sheets of plywood that will not fit inside the vehicle. The seats can easily be removed but they are difficult to reinstall. There are some cute features that most people will never use such as a shelf that can be set up as a picnic table or for tailgate parties and a mesh bag to hold small items.

I have taken the Cruiser on a couple of very long trips. It is comfortable to drive and does not wear you out like some cars. Gas mileage on the freeway runs about 26 mpg. There have definitely been some problems. All were covered under the warranty (except the tires) but it is always a pain to take the thing back to dealer to have them fixed. The hood release cable broke making it necessary to use a screwdriver to open the hood. There was a noise when turning the steering wheel requiring the entire steering column to be replaced. I took it back several times for a rattle under the front end. They replaced the rack and pinion but that did not solve it. On about the fifth trip back, they finally replaced some suspension part that cured that noise. It seems that the noise may be returning and the car has less than 35,000 miles on it. I also noticed a noise when going around corners which I assumed correctly was the wheel bearings. They replaced all the bearings in the front. Even though I rotated and balanced the tires at the required intervals, the cheap tires that came on it did not last 25,000 miles. I am used to getting 50 or 60 thousand miles on a set of tires. At about 24,000 the check engine light came on and a chip had to be changed in the computer. Six thousand miles later, same thing and same chip had to be changed again. I do like the PT Cruiser but as you can see it has certainly had its share of maintenance problems.

Our trade-in was a 1995 Dodge Avenger. The PT Cruiser was an excellent upgrade. I am 6'3" and my head rubbed the headliner in the Avenger. The PT has great headroom. The Avenger had one cup holder in the front, and my wife and I would almost fight for it. The PT has 4 holders within easy reach of either of us. The PT has easy access to the back since it is 4 door, so the grandkids are easy to strap into their carseats. The access to the rear cargo area is great with the huge hatch, but my wife likes the package shelf that hides the contents of that cargo area. The flaw I noticed is the engine compartment. I can't see the belts. I can't see much at all, it is so small. If it doesn't break, that will not matter. So far so good.

THIS CAR WILL LAST IF YOU LET THE CAR DRIVE ITS SELF.DONT RUSH IT UP TO SPEED.IT WILL GET THERE,AND IT IS A GREAT LITTLE HIGHWAY CAR,GREAT GAS ON HIGHWAY.OK IN CITY

Great
I am really happy with the unique looks and performance of my turbo PT Cruiser. It has a great ride height, excellent storage capacity with useful removal of the rear seats for added capacity, trunk has a removeable shelf which I have found to be very handy, plenty of cup holders and personal storage compartments throughout, passenger seat folds into a desk, and it will seat 5 people comfortably. It is an excellent everyday car and it's FUN to drive and own. This is one of three cars out of a total of 10 cars that I have owned that I have truly loved to own. I highly recommend the PT Cruiser.
Bad
Not a very good turning radius. Rear brakes are known to squeak even under normal wear. Side pillars by the windows must be maintained to keep the shinny black luster. Headlights become hazed and cloudy with age. Oil pressure sending units are known to break and be unreliable with this car, however they are not expensive to replace.

This car is an excellent value, with a very logically arranged interior, unique exterior, good performance with the turbo engine, and is considered a reliable. Gas mileage has been between 20-25 MPG. I would purchase this vehicle again, and am currently looking for another one to purchase.

Beware of manual shifts, the cables have be replaced at $400.00. The keys are prooving to be hard or real expensive ( $100. each ) to get, if you have the sentry key ( large plastic head ). Engine seems to run "dirty " with clogged o2 sensors and plugged pvc valve at 35,000 miles. The car is not bad buy again beware of older cars.

It was a pleasure doing business with Walter. He is an effective communicator and I highly recommend him. I will definately consider doing business with him again when future needs call for an automobile replacement.

Nice car, very confortable and reliable. But this one has some minor details specially in the suspension, has make a noise, so probably needs new struts or supports.
But it is a goob buy for the price.

I LOVE THE COLOR - GAS MILEAGE - GREAT CONDITION.I DECIDED TO BUY IT BECAUSE I HAD GREAT COMMUNICATION WITH THE SELLER AND HE OFFERED TO SELL IT AT A LOWER PRICE.
IT TRULY IS A GREAT LITTLE CAR & I DEFINITELY WOULD BUY AGAIN FROM HIM.

bought used on ebay with 53k miles. had 17000 left on manufactures warranty. payed 7100 for the color and options i wanted. drove 3 hours . a little nervous but seller was great. one owner vehicle. used carfax and equinox services to confirm. needs, shocks, tie rods, timing belt and pully to be cherry. seller agreed to pay partial for parts (hopefully comes through). will be doing the work next week. Vehicle is the most awsome design. love driving it. mileage is about 23 mpg with automatic, not sellers fault, but it is great classic look with modern drivetrain.

thanks ebay

When I first saw these I was like many people "One day I will have this car" Well, just bought mine with only 66 miles and has most every option including the option to make many repairs! After driving it for only a few days, noticed terrible front end noises. After down sizing from a mini can with a few more toys than the cruiser and a solid ride, I thought I was being too critical..Ha! Drove Cruiser only 20 more miles and could not stand the front end noise and shaking of steering wheel. Come to find out; both left and right front end needed much work, worn rubber bushings, wheel bearings needed replacement, power steering leaking fluid and transmission hose leaking fluid. The entire front under carriage was soaked and the poor car was bleeding to death. With only 66,000 miles I did not think such serious issues should be happening but they are and more...very poor quality front end construction. Too much too late. After my investigation it seems to be one of the weak points of this car. Tire, brakes and all issues about front end of this car are a endless money pit. Great looks, room and overall eye-candy it what seems to be the best feature of these. I do not believe the prior owner took very good car of my car and due to noted weak points, like constant front end issues, it makes for high cost to keep up with repairs. I am glad mine is the Limited Edition and I would say if buying one used, make sure to get one with all the options! Resale is bad and if previous owner was hard on car you will be stuck. This car can not take abuse and I would not say it is a tough car. I love the looks and comfort of car for sure! So my take on this is: MAKE SURE YOU GET ONE WITH ALL THE GOODIES AND MAKE SURE YOU LOVE IT BECAUSE CHANCES OF COSTLY REPAIRS IS HIGHER THAT MOST." To love it is to fix it, to hate it is to make it a junk and who needs that? As for me and mine: "CURRENTLY I LOVE IT AND WILL ENJOY IT AS LONG AS I CAN"