PT Cruisers on slow ride to scrap heap - dumped into rental fleets

[Liberal_in_LA]

I had no idea this had happened to PT Cruisers.




Everyone knows the sinking feeling of arriving at a Hertz or an Avis or an Enterprise, only to learn that all the premium cars are taken. Inevitably you're stuck with a plum-colored PT Cruiser, those odd little Chryslers that for the past decade have populated rental car outlets across the country.

"They're just so awful," says Stephanie Springer, a former research associate at a large biotech company in Boston. Springer and her colleagues once visited Los Angeles and were issued a whole fleet of PT Cruisers. "We ended up carpooling because the people who had PT Cruisers refused to use them," she says.

They briefly considered the possibility that the office administrator who'd booked their itineraries despised them. "I mean, think of 'The Office.' Michael Scott (the hapless boss played by Steve Carell) was driving a PT Cruiser forever," she says.

Marketed as a playful, sporty wagon, the PT Cruiser was a top seller for Chrysler when released in 2000. The company went on to sell more than 1.4 million of them during the Cruiser's 10-year production run. The car owed much of its success to its retro-kitsch design - those distinctive flared fenders, that tapering hood.

But eventually the novelty wore off.
Dumped into fleets

"At first, customers liked it because it was so interesting-looking, but Chrysler was never able to keep the sales momentum going with the mainstream buyer," says Maryann Keller, an industry expert who serves on the board of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group. So, like many surplus cars, hundreds of thousands of unsold Cruisers got dumped into rental fleets and became the albatross of the business traveler.

"You couldn't see out of the PT Cruiser. It was dowdy and uncomfortable and had a grating power train," says Sam Smith, executive editor at Road & Track. It was often painted a dark-lipstick shade of purple, hardly ideal for exuding professionalism. It was also dangerous, faring poorly in frontal crash tests and suffering from sluggish acceleration and a wide turning circle.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/PT-Cruisers-on-slow-ride-to-scrap-heap-4304573.php#ixzz2MhqpSczW

[CherokeeDem]

1. Drove a rental PT Cruiser...

on a business trip...it was everything mentioned in the article...

"You couldn't see out of the PT Cruiser. It was dowdy and uncomfortable and had a grating power train," says Sam Smith, executive editor at Road & Track.

Thank goodness, the one I was given was white. I was only offered one once after that and I refused, they gave me a different car.

[FarCenter]

13. Me too. My recollection is that controls weren't where you would expect them.

This is a problem in a rental car.

Who thought putting the power window switches in the middle console (or dash?) was a good idea?

[Egalitarian Thug]

46. Daimler. For about a century. n/t

[Fawke Em]

92. BMW

My husband's former POS Beemer had power window switches in the middle console. Ugh.

[Erose999]

97. Volkswagen, too, at least in the 80's. Das Deutchland engineering ist good, yes?

[AndyA]

105. Ford Thunderbird had the power window switches on the center console

from 1958-1960, moved them to the driver's door panel for 1963, then back to the center console from 1964-1967. On that car, it worked as the console housed a lot of other controls.

I have a friend who owns a PT Cruiser, and she likes it pretty well, but they were inexpensive cars and she just uses hers for driving around town. She hasn't had any trouble at all, but she probably has low expectations and as such isn't unhappy with her purchase.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

112. Both my Saturns had them in the center console.

[winter is coming]

138. That didn't bother me near so much as the crappy visibility.

I've been known to go to a car dealership and sit in a car on the display floor before asking for a test drive. If the rear visibility is crap, I'm not interested. For some reason, a lot of Chrysler cars have very poor rear visibility.

[GoneOffShore]

144. Saab did that and the ignition switch as well. A damn good idea.

They found out that in a lot of collisions people's knees are damaged by keys in the dash or in the steering column.

[exboyfil]

2. I have been happy with the GM knock off

HHR though. Just enough room to get to dog agility trials with the kids and border collies. Small enough to not intimidate the wife from driving. Biggest headache is the blindspot for the roof supports on the front. Some minor repair issues (still much better than prior Chevy Lumina or Ford Escort). Almost as much car as an Equinox at a much lower price.

[politicat]

82. Is yours noisy?

My grandmother has one, and I swear her transmission sounds like an Everglades fanboat winding up. She says it has always sounded that way. It drives me batty, hearing what sounds to me like a transmission about to drop.

[exboyfil]

88. I haven't really noticed

Seems quiet for a low end auto. Not a Lexus by any stretch of the imagination.

[sweetloukillbot]

152. Mine does the same thing...

Loud whirring when it starts up, until its warmed up.

Hate the car, but I got a good deal on it with low mileage at a time when I needed a car for a low price. So I'll drive it into the ground until I can replace it.

It's comfortable to sit in, and I like the looks, but it has a horrible turning radius and even worse gas mileage. And it's got a gargantufuck gas tank that takes $50 to fill right now. The hatch won't stay up in the cold, the radio arbitrarily doesn't turn on in the cold, it surprisingly doesn't have good storage space...

My previous car was a Honda Fit that was practically a Tardis for space, got great gas mileage and handled like a champ. Unfortunately I lost my job and couldn't afford the payments...

[bluedigger]

3. They were disliked by everyone I knew.

All the contractors for FEMA got rental cars in New Orleans and avoided those like the plague.

[jsr]

4. Hate them things.

Ugly, impractical, poor ride.

[snooper2]

131. A few small modifications...

and you have a real ride

[dipsydoodle]

5. Funnily enough

the used values in the UK have kept up well and have even increased. Its the retro looks which has caused that.

[KharmaTrain]

6. My Late BIL Had One...

...and he loved it when he got it. As stated, it was a fun looking car and with two small children he thought it'd be easier to drive and maintain than an SUV...then came winter. That thing would get stick or slide all over the road. Sadly he died suddenly and one of the first things his widow did was to get rid of the Cruiser...she hated driving it and seeing it brought back painful memories...

[nolabear]

7. Yup. Thought it cute, rented one, hated it. Worst blind spot ever!

[In_The_Wind]

124. I thought they were cute. bought one. traded it in 6 months later.

Why did it take so long for me to wise up.

[darkangel218]

130. Omg you owned a pt cruiser?? hahahaha!

Sorry, its funny

[In_The_Wind]

132. yep. even blowin' in the wind can be stupid

[img][/img] [img][/img] [img][/img]

[Morning Dew]

8. They've always seemed creepy to me -

they remind of a German staff car.

[cherokeeprogressive]

9. I've only seen a few cars I thought were that ugly.

Here's one:

[hatrack]

10. But lest we forget . . .

[cherokeeprogressive]

11. That's one... here's another.

[hatrack]

15. Ahhhhhh!!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! My eyes!!!

[yourout]

106. Buddy had Javelin AMX. Would pass anything but a gas station.

1974 Javelin AMX.

[Kalidurga]

16. Pacer and Gremlin both by AMC

I got to ride in a Gremlin once. After that I decided walking wasn't so bad.

[hatrack]

18. Still, the best description of a bad car I ever heard was of the Chevette:

"An engine surrounded by four pieces of drywall."

Of course, I'm speaking as the proud former owner of a powder-blue 1973 Dodge Dart four-door. Talk about a babe magnet!!

[Freddie]

23. Romney's Secret Service name was "Javelin"

--possibly a reference to his dad running American Motors--and my first thought was, not Pacer or Gremlin?

[Erose999]

99. Because those were reserved for Paul Ryan?

[yourout]

107. See my post upthread for a Javelin AMX. Was actually a pretty fast car.

[MrsBrady]

35. my mother owned a yellow gremlin

when I was a kid.

[cherokeeprogressive]

39. My Sister's first car.

My Dad teased her about getting her a car. Said he'd bought it but wouldn't tell her what it was. Kept needling her, telling her how much she was going to love it. It was in the shop being prettied up, made mechanically sound, etc...

One weekday he drove it home to give to her. He rounded the corner in a root beer brown Gremlin with no hubcaps, a 4-speed, and an AM radio.

She ran into the house screaming and crying and wouldn't go NEAR it for about a week.

[MrsBrady]

40. i was too young to know that it was 'bad'

it was just a small yellow car for all I knew.

how old was your sister, and what year did she get that car.

[cherokeeprogressive]

43. She was 16 so I guess '80.

She finally started driving it because her friends MADE her. She was the only one with a car.

Oh Gawd I'll never forget the day my Dad brought it home...

[Codeine]

25. I once saw an AMC Gremlin in a destruction derby.

No shit. All this 60s and 70s big-ass American iron smashing and crashing and a little lime-green Gremlin dodging around like a featherweight prizefighter.

[IDemo]

33. Amateurs

The 1962 Valiant, the King of Ugly:

[lolly]

70. Ah, memories

My grandmother had a Valiant station wagon. My mother called it The Silver Toad.

[Populist_Prole]

14. Oh I dunno. I like those cars.

It has nothing to do with 70's nostalgia. I liked them even then. The Gremlin X looked cool, and some had 304 V8's.

[riqster]

134. My first car was a Gremlin X with the Javelin 304

I could carry all of my stone-age amps and a bass in the back, and still had an absurd amount of power available. That crappy little crate sneered at passing zones.

I was never late for a gig.

[markpkessinger]

47. I thought the car my sister drove while in college was butt-ugly . . .

. . . a 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger -- and it was the same shit-brown color as this photo!


http://image.moparmusclemagazine.com/f/25078683/mopp_0906_abod_07_z+1969_dodge_dart_swinger+.jpg

[jmowreader]

49. AMC - Atrocious Motors Corporation

This is a company that made cars so bad, getting bought out by the French only improved the line.

And Mitt Romney's father started the company. Which explains a lot.

[Marr]

75. I'll see your Gremlin and raise you a Juke.

And that's the PRETTY end.

[opiate69]

156. Hey now! I like my Juke! (hate the damn payment though)

[Drunken Irishman]

128. A lot of cars from the 70s, 80s and early 90s were horrid.

[Skip Intro]

31. Why does everybody hate the Aztec?! It looks cool! I miss Pontiac...nt

[KT2000]

64. I think it was Cadillac

or was it Lexus, that copied the Aztec.

My brother has one and it has the coolest features for handling and storing things in the back - sliding shelf, lots of secure hidden storage.

[darkangel218]

79. I miss pontiac too.

My first car was a grand am. Awesome memories. I once got caught doing 114 in a 55 in my grammy

[jakefrep]

118. Well,...

..the styling isn't for everybody. But I did test drive one - it was spacious, drove reasonably well for a minivan-based crossover, and had some really neat interior features. Those I knew that had them, loved them.

[greytdemocrat]

48. OMG!!!

The Aztek!!!! Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

[Erose999]

102. Woodgrain Vega wagon, Pinto "cruiser",

Vega:


Pinto:


Whatever this is:

[jmowreader]

149. A teabagger's wife bought one of those Vegas

She brought it home and showed it to her husband...who went to the garage, got a crowbar and pried all the paneling off.

"It looked better in the crate."

[Owl]

111. Wow! I think that Aztec is gorgeous! Tastes differ I guess.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

140. The "breadbox" Hondas are fugly

What's it called....the Element?

[sweetloukillbot]

153. My wife had an Element and it was awesome

Lots of cool features that made it great for hauling and camping. And it held its value something fierce - we traded it in at 80,000 miles and got 12K for it. They're in demand, esp. since Honda stopped making them.


Got better gas mileage than my PT Cruiser actually.

[cherokeeprogressive]

162. I've never in my life heard of a car that was worth 12K after 80k miles.

Don't know about cars like Mercedes' or Jags... but wow. I didn't know Elements even SOLD for much more than 12k.

[sweetloukillbot]

164. I think we got a much better than normal deal

They had just announced they were discontinuing Elements and we were looking to get a hybrid. There were no Elements to be had in Phoenix and ours was in really good shape despite its mileage (actually may have been 70K - I misremember). We made what we thought was a ridiculous offer and they took it.They were desperate and we had what they wanted. Frankly, I'm in awe of the deal we got - I'm so used to getting reamed by car salesmen - especially after buying my damn PT - it felt good to come out ahead.

[sweetloukillbot]

165. And I think my wife paid about 25K for her Element in 05. n/t

[cherokeeprogressive]

166. I'm not disbelieving... just marveling. Props to you!

[sweetloukillbot]

167. We literally walked out of the dealership and said "did we actually just pull that off?"

I've never seen a car salesman so desperate!

[cherokeeprogressive]

169. My Soon to be Wife (at the time) wrote a number on a piece of paper for my Lincoln LS...

No.
We walked toward the door.
WAIT!
We walked back.
No.
We walked toward the door.
WAIT!
We walked back.
Maybe, let me talk to the Finance Manager...
No.
We walked OUT the door, and down the sidewalk. We were almost to our car when we heard the salesman yelling to us as he ran in our direction.
We walked back.
Our price +1,000.
We went home.
Two days later, we got a call. Our price. My STB Wife said Our Price -1,500
When we signed the papers, the Finance Manager asked me "is Your Wife is always this mean?"

[NBachers]

159. My '87 Nissan Stanza Wagon was like 2 ugly cars cut up & the ugliest parts glued back together

But what a great excellent car it was. Comfortable as all get-out, roomy, 2 sliding rear-seat doors and a hatch in back, 28 mpg on the highway. Huge visibility all around, and easy as pie to park.

The big problem was the 13.5 mpg in the city on a four-cylinder motor.

I thought the ugliness of it actually added to the appeal. I still miss that car. I kind of assumed it's quirky identity.

[cherokeeprogressive]

160. Ouch. Seen it. Ugly. Ugly like sin. n/t

[Lex]

12. My PT Cruiser performed flawlessly for 100,000 miles, then

I traded it. It was 10 years old. Had no problem with it.

[Raine]

17. Had one as a rental and loved it

I think they're cute, they look like 1930s gangster cars.

[olddots]

19. I liked the P.T cruser I rented

it performed very well off road in the woods .

[grasswire]

20. Really??

I love them. Every time one goes down the street I wonder if that's the color I would choose were I in the market for a car.

But then I have a fondness for old VW wagons, too.

[Initech]

21. I rented one. Those "cars" handle about as well as a shopping cart.

[Ruby the Liberal]

59. 3 wheels want to go to the produce department

and the 4th wants to go back to the parking lot?

[Initech]

60. Yup. Shopping cart suspension, go kart motor.

[Ron Obvious]

22. I never liked them...

I heard this story on NPR the other morning, and I've certainly noticed them in the rental fleets.

I always referred to them as Clown Cars.

[Logical]

24. LOL, the DU is full of Car snobs, Food snobs, etc. Cracks me up. n-t

[Purveyor]

27. Oh just 'get out'...not HERE! Snobs...certainly not of what you speak!!!

Thanks for posting, ...indeed!

[whistler162]

29. Very if it isn't my Rolls than it

ain't not no gooder!

[FSogol]

38. Yeah, a bunch of liberal elitists, sipping wine in their Volvo's.

[kentauros]

91. Don't forget us Architects in our Saabs!

[Robb]

95. Shouldn't there be a damp canoe on the roof?

Let's get our lib'rl cred goin' heah.

[hatrack]

98. Bad photo, too - doesn't show the latte holder . . .

[DBoon]

154. well, a Prius comes with TWO Latte holders

so there

[kentauros]

113. I was trying to find a screenshot from a Top Gear episode

where they had a tall, skinny, older gentleman in a turtleneck and small wire-rimmed specs, presumably an "architect", and he was just getting out of his Saab.

I guess if he also had a latte in one hand and his latest iProduct in the other, the image would be complete!

[liam_laddie]

117. And industrial designers, too!

Simultaneously owned two of the beloved five-door SAABs, a '78 99 and a '79 900. Great packaging; only recently have carmakers returned to the basic concept: four-door convenience and hatchback (van-like) practicality. They both had sunroofs, to which I became addicted. I recall being told that the low height of the windshield was designed by the Swedes to keep moose, elk or reindeer, just struck by the car, from being thrown through the windshield and into the passenger compartment. Maybe true, maybe not, but a useful tale explaining the low "brow."
See Mazda 3, Audi A5 Sportback, Chevy Malibu Maxx, Honda Accord Crosstour, 2014 Acura RLX. IMO, the five-door is the best all-around basic design for the one-car owner. Maybe not as sexy as a cramped two-door coupe, but allows for family growth, dog-hauling, even sleeping when rear seatbacks are down.

[kentauros]

119. I've never owned a Saab. And I'm not an architect.

However, I am a draftsman, and have owned two veedubs and now a Civic. My favorite car (other than my father's 1964 MGB) was my 1988 VW Fox Wagon. Best car I ever had. Too bad I wrecked it

Thanks for the info on the Saab. It's interesting what goes into the design of a vehicle, especially with regards to the practicality of certain features

[GoneOffShore]

145. Those front window pillars are indeed to keep the moose out.

Saab even had a "moose crash" test rig. Steel cables to approximate the weight of a moose, swathed in carpet, hung at moose belly height over the crash track.

[NBachers]

163. The only car that cursed me worse than my Saab was my Rambler- I'll never forgive Saab

[Kolesar]

100. No kidding. And Car & Driver's writers are elitist car snobs

I seldom find useful information in car magazines.

[reformist2]

125. If I were renting and had to choose between a PT Cruiser and a Dodge Neon, I'd take the Neon!

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

141. Someone tried to sell me a Dodge Neon

It was the greatest Jedi mind trick ever, because he shows me the Neon for 6,000, then shows me a Honda Civic for 12,000, and you can guess how hard that decision was. Price was not a factor.

[Initech]

148. Who wore it better??

[Codeine]

26. Third worst rental I've ever driven.

The worst was a Ford Festiva or something like that -- maybe a Fiesta. All I know is that it was just god-awful; under-powered, bad headlights, poor visibility, and rode like a skateboard.

Second-worst was a Toyota Echo. Squirreliest handling I've ever encountered on a car.

[Politicub]

28. They're not so bad. The phrase first world problem was made for this.

I actually liked driving it when I needed to rent a car.

[octothorpe]

76. No kidding about "first world problems"....

I wouldn't buy a PT-Cruiser for myself, but if I given one as a company vehicle, I wouldn't refuse to drive it. What the hell is wrong with these people?

[Blue_Tires]

89. Maybe they were too image-conscious

Pulling into other company parking lots and seeing nothing but Bimmers or Benzes...

But I agree; it's a lazy, bullshit story to begin with (or at least the sourcing is awful)...It reads a lot like "Why can't my billion-dollar biotech firm stop pinching pennies and start leasing/renting REAL cars??"

For all the bitching from Ms. Springer, I heartily suggest she try working for any state government and get a taste of THEIR fleet cars (not counting the governor's office)...

[Sgent]

146. I don't think they are talking about

"company" cars. They are talking about car rentals when traveling -- when often you don't have a choice and get whatever the rental company has at the airport.

I agree its a "first world" problem, although that being said many of the developing countries I've been to have a plethora of Mercedes and BMW's to rent.

[Champion Jack]

30. Wasn't the PT cruiser just a neon with some. Sort of retro looking sheet-metal?

[jmowreader]

51. Exactly

[sendero]

151. You got it

And the drivetrain was crap. This car had the finesse of a chainsaw.

[liberal N proud]

32. If you don't get a PT Cruiser, it is the Chevy HHR

Last time it was a Fiat 500.

[Freddie]

34. Probably my next car

DH is a backyard mechanic and we save $$ buying "vintage" used cars and driving them for years; he's got a 97 Saturn that runs great. Always thought PT Cruisers were cute and you now find them for well under $5000. Hmmm...lipstick purple or gangster black?

[Egalitarian Thug]

45. Trust me on this one, get one from the Mercedes years. n/t

[madamesilverspurs]

36. Easy in/out for me.

Surprised with that when I drove my BIL's cruiser. Also very easy for the elderly parents to get into and out of. It was actually quite comfortable to drive. I sure wouldn't turn one down if it were given to me.

[AgingAmerican]

37. 'The vehicle equivalent of a mullet'

n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

44. Chuckle......

Good one..and apt.

[Egalitarian Thug]

41. They sucked much less while Mercedes owned Chrysler.

I used to drive rentals 99% of the time when I was embroiled in my career, so I got these oddballs fairly often. When they first came out I just hated getting them. They were noisy, vibrated like a tweaker at a caffeine convention, were horribly underpowered, took forever to heat up, and had the second most uncomfortable seats I've ever been subjected to (GM still holds the title as the chiropractors best friend).

Then in 2003 somebody screwed up and let my usually reserved Nissan go and all they had was a dark blue Cruiser. It was a whole new car. Suddenly, the tiny four-banger get get down the highway with the rest of the traffic and my kidneys stopped threatening to dig themselves out of my body through me back. The instrument cluster was suddenly visible and the controls were within reach. When I got the the gig, I actually popped the hood in the parking lot to see if I might have got a six-cylinder I didn't know existed, it wasn't, but that was when I saw the almost-a-peace sign stamped into the valve cover.

Of course after only a couple of years, Mercedes sold out to Cerberus and the quality fell off the scale within seconds, but for couple of years Chrysler products stopped sucking so much.

[magical thyme]

115. thank you for the valuable info! nt

[Freddie]

120. Thanks for the advice!

When we need our next affordable used car I'll look for one 2003 or younger.

[Egalitarian Thug]

122. You're welcome, That Mercedes motor seems to have been the difference.

[longship]

42. Not quite as ugly as this, but almost.

[A HERETIC I AM]

50. Awwww, come on!

Old Citroens have a certain je ne sais quoi, no?

I read once that some models were so well balanced that you could change (edit) A tire without using a jack.

Not sure how, but there you go!

[longship]

53. Hydro pneumatic suspension.

You put a post in to keep it balanced, and pushed a button. The wheel would lift off the road so you could change it. (AFAIK)

[jmowreader]

55. It's not that they're well balanced

The Citroen DS has "hydropneumatic suspension." It doesn't have springs or shocks; rather, the wheels are connected to hydraulic actuators. Each wheel can be adjusted for ride height individually.

To change a tire, you adjust the flat tire to its highest ride height. Then you stick this little stand in a receptacle next to the flat (there's one receptacle per wheel). Readjusting the wheel to its lowest ride height picks it right up off the ground.

[A HERETIC I AM]

56. Well, there you go! (edit)

Never drove one, never hauled one but had a neighbor years ago that had one of these, and he told me something along those lines;

[Ron Obvious]

57. Hey, that's a classic!

Hey, that's a European classic!

I once saw some strong lads lift up the rear end of a 2CV that belonged to their teacher, letting it go, and then watching as the car bounced down the road like a super ball.

The teacher thought it less amusing than I did.

[Silent3]

52. "Everyone knows the sinking feeling... that all the premium cars are taken." Nope.

Even when it's on someone else's dime, like a company trip, I usually go for an economy car that gets good gas mileage.

Of course, in that department, a PT Cruiser would be a disappointment for me too, but not because it isn't a "premium" car, but because it's fuel efficiency isn't all that great.

[Godhumor]

74. Eh, I have a standard size rental saved on my company account. Anytime I go to pick up a car

I always ask, "Do you have something fun to drive?" Most of the time, if they have a Challenger or Mustang around, they'll just hand over the keys.

Last time I asked the question the guy responded, "No Mustangs right now, but I do have a Hyundai Sonata."

We, apparently, have very different definitions of fun.

[Aristus]

54. I purchased a PT Cruiser brand new in 2001 and drove it for nine years.

Longer than I've ever owned any other car. I loved it. I got it mainly for the styling. I had a few problems with it after the warranty ran out, but those problems resolved when I stopped taking it to the dealer for service. I sent it to a local guy for service, and it ran like a dream after that. Qualified dream: It had no acceleration, but for a four-banger, it had a fair amount of power after it got up to speed. It had a nice, tight turn radius. And the cargo potential was awe-inspiring. When you removed the rear seats for cargo hauling, the rear compartment was cavernous. It seemed larger on the inside that was possible for a small car like that.

I gave the car to my step-daughter and S-I-L 2 years ago, and it still runs well for them.

I'm sorry others don't like the PT Cruiser. I was happy with mine.

[Lex]

68. Had mine 10 years and for 100,000 miles and no problems.

Just normal maintenance stuff. And no car payment for 6 of the 10 years.

[Kolesar]

104. I rented a PT and drove it in the Sierra Mountains for a week

I thought it was fun. It didn't roll in turns.

[kwassa]

58. 1.4 million cars is a pretty successful run

Was the design unchanged for ten years?

Most models are changed every three years.

[MineralMan]

61. My MiL loves hers. nt

[Ghost in the Machine]

62. We always call them PT Losers, lol...

I mean, seriously, wtf were they thinking putting a 4 cylinder engine in a car that size? It could hardly get out of its own way! My aunt had one... went through 3 engines in six years.. finally scrapped it when scrap was high, with cars bringing $18/100 lbs

Peace,

Ghost

[Lex]

69. Very weird.

Had no problems with mine.

[EOTE]

108. They weighed less than 3200 lbs.

That's only slightly above typical compact weight. And with 170+ hp, it certainly wasn't underpowered. The turbo models got well into the 200 range and did 60 in under 6 seconds with the stick. The GT will stand its own with the great bulk of cars on the road. Remember, size is not the same thing as weight.

[charmay]

63. I have a PT Cruiser

Has run great for 8 years. My tall friends can sit comfortably in the back, and I can haul a lot of over-sized stuff with the seats folded down. Perfect for me.

[DirkGently]

66. Always thought they were pretty cool cars.

Wide-opening doors, chair-height seating, great cargo room, tailgate picnic table. And reasonably priced. Great utility in a compact package. America's People's Wagon. Sorry to see them go.

[Zax2me]

65. Insert Chevy Volt joke here....

Oh, wait. don't have to.
Joke is all too real -
In a report released this week by Gregory Friedman, inspector general at the Department of Energy, some LG Chem workers were discovered to have spent their paid work time during the last three months of 2012 watching movies and playing board, card and videogames.
http://www.wired.com/business/2013/02/chevy-volt-battery-factory-cranked-out-video-game-high-scores-but-no-batteries/

[Kolesar]

101. Can't afford one? eom

[Union Scribe]

161. That's because people are full of shit.

The public talks a big game about wanting electric cars, but as usual they don't put their money where their "beliefs" are.

[Travelman]

67. Crumby transmission, lackluster-at-best suspension...

...but the real curse of the PT Cruiser is the tactile: it feels CHEAP when you're sitting in the thing. It feels like and looks like it was put together in a half-assed fashion, and I don't mean just the assembly line: it feels like some automotive engineer tried to find a way to just cheap out on all the parts, the quality of the plastics, the fit-and-finish, etc. It feels like the 1980 Chevy Citation that my father owned: the pieces are all there, but none of them seem to really fit together like they're supposed to. I've driven a few as rentals and though I didn't really have TOO much difficulty seeing out of them and such, I'm a pretty average-sized guy. I can certainly see my tiny ex-wife not being able to see out of one at all.

Kind of a shame, because it had the potential to be a really great, ground-breaking car. Had it been actually really well-engineered and built with the proper tactile surfaces, it could have been a really great utilitarian car for the everyday user who needs a combination of everything: people-hauler, pickup truck, gas-sipping commuter, and long-distance road-tripper. It could have been like some of the really great mid-size hatchbacks/estates that one gets from the European marques, but they blew it.

[Stinky The Clown]

71. Worse, in my view, is the Chevy HHR which was *gasp* a PT Cruiser wannabe!

Driving it was like looking out the mouth of a cave from 20 feet inside.

[bluedigger]

94. You nailed it.

I had a rental HHR for a week until it decided it couldn't go over 40mph. I'm 6'3" and the only way I could see overhead stoplights was to stop about three car lengths before the line. I'm used to having to duck a little to see them in small cars, but the HHR was friggin' ridiculous.

[SheilaT]

72. The one time I test-drove a PT Cruiser

it was the most fun car I'd ever test driven. Very lively. But then, it was a stick, because I only drive a stick.

The main reason I didn't get it was because there was a ghastly blind spot, really terrible. I do pay attention to details.

That was about eight years ago. I drive a Honda Civic. Stick, of course.

[aroach]

73. Don't know whether to laugh or cry

I drive a purple PT Cruiser. I think it's a 2002.

[octothorpe]

77. ""We ended up carpooling because the people who had PT Cruisers refused to use them"

"Springer and her colleagues once visited Los Angeles and were issued a whole fleet of PT Cruisers. "We ended up carpooling because the people who had PT Cruisers refused to use them"

I understand that they are ugly cars and why someone wouldn't want to buy them, but WTF? Seriously?

[darkangel218]

80. spoiled brats :D

Pt Cruisers are aweful to drive, I know because I rented one. They shake even at very low speeds. But they sure beat car pooling.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

143. I agree

If the company's paying for it, STFU.

[name not needed]

78. I'm with Jeremy Clarkson on this one.

[RedCappedBandit]

81. Sat in one for a few seconds

never felt the need to repeat the experience.

They can be done up to look kinda cool, though.


They should have made this, instead.

[In_The_Wind]

126. The Concept looks like something I would have bought.

[img][/img]

[luckykate54]

83. I love mine!

This is my second PT. My car is very dependable and cute. I've had it for six years and it runs great. Only problem was a dead battery, and living in Arizona that goes with the territory.

[snooper2]

129. how often do you go over 46 MPH?

[sweetloukillbot]

157. Never had any acceleration issues with mine...

It just turns badly and is a gas guzzler. I expect a four cylinder to get more than 15MPG.

[madokie]

84. Rode about a hundred miles in the back seat of one

and I felt like I'd scooted my ass on the pavement the whole distance. No padding in the seat and the car weighs very little so it bounced over the tar strips. I swear I would have felt as good if I'd went the distance in a go-cart

[Recursion]

85. I had a Prowler for a while

Always figured I would buy a cruiser when I got older, but probably not now.

[MadrasT]

86. This was the story of my life until I stopped regular business travel

Everyone knows the sinking feeling of arriving at a Hertz or an Avis or an Enterprise, only to learn that all the premium cars are taken. Inevitably you're stuck with a plum-colored PT Cruiser, those odd little Chryslers that for the past decade have populated rental car outlets across the country.

"OH NOOOOOOOOOO NOT THE PT CRUISER!!!"

If it wasn't that it was the HHR.

They have an awful blind spot and they just feel like they are cheesy, cheap cars.

I don't need "fancy" when I have a rental, my own car is a Toyota Corolla, but geez I do not like those Cruisers.

At my regular destination airport, the Avis folks knew to not give me a Cruiser. Ever.

The other rental I hate is the Kia Soul in alien green. Blech.



I rented one in Pittsburgh once, the Avis guy was like "I have a brand new one, only 18 miles on it, you're gonna LOVE this!!!" and we walk out to the car and my heart just sank when I saw it. It was only for 1 day so whatever, I drove it anyway. But geez. Blech.

[bluedigger]

96. I had a Soul for a rental for a couple months.

In "Dusky Rose". Well, that's what I called it. It wasn't too bad, other than the whistle at 56 mph.

[Kali]

123. I have been driving a Soul for over a month now

and I freaking LOVE it (of course my normal vehicle is a broken down pick-up so I am easily impressed )


took it to Baja for 12 days and have needed to re-up the rental for extra weeks due to broken down trucks. love the clearance, handling, ease of getting in and out, 6 foot 4 son says back seat is fine!

wish they would just let me have it - I think the rate I am renting it for, combined with paying insurance on a 78 chevy PU and using a visa for the rental is actually cheaper than buying and paying registration and insurance on a new car - and I have to admit no car I own ever ends up with any resale value anyway...maybe I will just keep renting it!

[MadrasT]

147. I think it was the alien green color that put me off

I know what you mean about no resale value on anything you own. I drive cars til they are way over 200,000 miles... basically until I crash them or they blow the engine or the bottom rusts out or something.

When I am done with a car I have to PAY SOMEBODY to tow it away. (Or... "What is this 'resale' thing of which you speak?")

[cyberspirit]

87. Love Mine

I love my PT Cruiser! I think it drives great and I can pack up everything I need including dog to go to the beach every weekend. There are lots of PT Cruisers in the town where I live so other people must agree.

[aikoaiko]

90. To give credit where credit is due...

...the one thing I liked about the PTC is that it was an attempt at bringing some sense of style back to low end cars. The 1990s were pathetic decade of boxy or tear drop cars for the masses.

[1-Old-Man]

93. Like all other Chrysler cars, built to a price point and destined to rust away prematurly

It is no coincidence that Chrysler cars are pretty and built to a price point and that they rust away faster than they can be paid off.

[Kolesar]

103. "hardly ideal for exuding professionalism" Sam Smith can suck it

I suppose he lives on a trust fund and can buy anything he wants to. I hate automobile writers.

His magazine has been a lie factory for the oil industry for as long as I can remember.

[yourout]

109. Had a Chevy Cavalier at one time......tin can with wheels.

[NBachers]

168. I had a Cadillac Cimarron, which was a spritzed-out Cavalier with a different nameplate.

The Cimarron is regarded as the Bronx-cheer of automobiles.

I enjoyed mine for the years I owned it. So did anyone who rode in it. It's the only car I've ever owned with electric exterior mirror adjuster motors. Unfortunately, once they're adjusted, there's no need to play with 'em again.

[yourout]

110. Better than a pinto.....

[MaineLinePhilly]

114. They always reminded me of the Nazi cars

My best friend is Jewish and she and I both agreed that the PT Cruiser reminded us of those cars the Nazi's drove. ::shrugs shoulders::

[magical thyme]

116. explains why they're the reserve state car of Maine

(with Subaru outback being the official state car here )

I always thought they looked cute, hold a lot of dogs, and are priced right. But the mileage didn't look so good on paper.

Good to know the upsides and downsides. Subaru outback is still my likely replacement of choice when my '97 civic goes belly up, but I won't rule out a used PT from the Benz years. Happily my mechanic says my old wheels still look pretty good from underneath.

Other than that, the article is kind of silly. Years ago my Cozumel vacation was spiced up with an ancient, hippy-painted, topless convertible VW bug that I ended up stuck with when all the new SUVs were taken. Luckily I have no pride, and that "car" brought smiles where-ever I chugged with it. I still remember it with a smile

[LeftInTX]

121. I don't like those Nissan Cubes

Too low
Look like they don't handle well
Part of the rear window is covered

[demwing]

127. (sigh) Trendy articles that start with "Everyone knows..." or "Everyone has experienced..."

and then lists some activity that only people without income issues can relate to make me feel seriously tired of first world problems.

[BlueStreak]

133. This article iw FLAT OUT WRONG in every important respect

Last edited Wed Mar 6, 2013, 05:39 PM - Edit history (1)

No major car rental company has had ANY Cruisers in its fleets for years. Other than the 14-month period following the Bush meltdown in 2008, none of the major car rental companies have had any significant part of their fleet more than 3 model years old, and most of them have returned to a twice-a-year cycle -- with cars leaving the fleet long before the factory warranty expires.

This article is complete bullshit.

They also have the recall thing all screwed up. All the major companies act quickly on any recall that would endanger their customers. The issue is that there are thousands of minor recalls. In general, those are attended to when the equipment is next serviced for oil change and tire rotation -- usually every 5,000 - 7,000 miles, which is a lot faster than the average consumer gets around to addressing these minor recalls.

That doesn't put any customers at risk, but this legislation is written such that it would be extremely disruptive to fleet managers to have to stop renting a vehicle IMMEDIATELY as soon as ANY recall is issued. There might be a recall, for example, that says the GPS sometimes blinks or that a muffler bracket has worked its way loose on 3 cars out of 100,000. There is absolutely no reason a car rental company should have to ground those vehicles the very day the recall is issued, but that's what the legislation does.

Back in 2006, there were great incentives to car rental fleets for Cruisers, and a lot of fleets loaded up on them, but those cars have been out of fleets for 5 years now because the incentive was to flip them as soon as they hit 12,000 miles. They haven't even been offered to car rental fleets for 3 or 4 years now.

[duffyduff]

137. Thanks for the info.

I suspected this article was full of b.s.

[BlueStreak]

139. That recall thing is a huge problem for car rental fleets

I know this from first hand experience. Nobody wants to endanger their customers. Regardless of the morality, that would result in much higher insurance costs. It makes no sense to keep unsafe vehicles on the road. But likewise it makes no sense to force a fleet to group every vehicle the day any possible recall is issued.

A key thing to understand is that even the worst recalls involve vanishingly small numbers of problems in the field, and those are usually only experiences under really unusual conditions. And when there is a major recall, such as the Toyota braking or acceleration issue from 3 years ago, the dealers are backlogged for months working through those recalls. You cannot expect a car rental fleet to ground its vehicles for months waiting for the dealership to get the vehicles serviced -- especially when we are talking about a situation that is extraordinarily unlikely to happen to the rental customer.

The car rental companies work closely with the manufacturers. Quite often the manufacturer will give the fleet specific instructions so that they can do a quick test to see if the recall condition is indicated on any vehicles. Of course, if a serious safety indication were found, any of the major car rental companies would ground THOSE SPECIFIC VEHICLES immediately.

My comments only apply to the major car rental brands that you are likely to find in the airports or on the major sites like Orbitz and Expedia. In any city, there may be lots of little car rental operators and you never know what they might do. Some of them actually buy wrecked cars at salvage prices and do the minimum work to get them back on the road. Others buy cars at auction as they come out of the big car rental fleets, then they put another 90,000 miles on them with minimal maintenance. I'd never get into any of those vehicles.

[IveWornAHundredPants]

135. Fastest car on the road

None faster. Shame to see them put in the hands of rental customers - what are they going to do with all that spped, that raw power.

[jmowreader]

150. It may be the fastest car on the road

Because those things are so bland looking, you can speed with impunity.

If you own a Ferrari you keep to the speed limit because the cops watch you like a hawk.

[duffyduff]

136. If they are so terrible, how come I see so many of them on the road? n/t

[sweetloukillbot]

158. Cheap and low mileage?

At least that's why I got it. And I like the retro style.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

142. One my old bosses owned one

Big huge former state trooper pushing 75 years old. It was kinda funny.

[Throd]

155. Slap it on a frame with a V-8 drive train and it's a modern-day '33 Willys

Could be a cheap source of retro fun.