Here’s how the Chrysler PT Cruiser went from retro cool to retro weird
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- čas přidán 15. 10. 2021
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** Apologies for the unusual edit at around 6:27 - I had to remove a portion of the video due to a copyright claim **
In this episode I provide the history of the Chrysler PT Cruiser, a 4-door retro-styled tall wagon that was a huge hit when it debuted in 2000 for the 2001 model year. Earning several automotive awards including North American Car of the Year, the attraction of its retro styling started to fade over the next few years, and sales slipped each year, despite the addition of a higher-performance GT version in 2003, and a convertible in 2005. It ended production in 2010, with its once-loved retro look now largely reviled, and often being on lists of the worst cars ever made. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
It might've looked like a little lump but it was quite unique. Something you can't say today about every Crossover SUV on the market today.
I kinda hate this car, but when you compare it to the sea of crossovers now, it's not so bad!
@@rushnerd It's like the Pontiac Aztek. Because car standards have been set so low and bland we want to have these back again. Art is never appreciated in it's own time. I want a new version of the Chevrolet Avalanche or the Ford Excursion. Preferably not in EV form like the new Hummer.
@@larrylaffer3246 This reminds me that both the Aztek AND PT Cruiser were the point of heavy jokes in Breaking Bad. They weren't wrong!
The avalanche also aged poorly, but I think the heavy plastic look would never age well.
I agree with car standards being set low. Cars today look pretty damn good, but with extreme homogenization while having more power than ever. They don't have anything striking.
100% in love with my 88' Supra I got this summer. Nothing on the road looks REMOTELY like it, design perfect. I would argue the seats and interior are one of the best of ANY car.
@@rushnerd Well other than that whole "heavy body cladding" thing. The Avalanche was cool in the sense it was a modern UTE but with the drivability of a large truck. You also had plenty of space for storing things. That's what I really want back. Variety of options and style.
Almost every crossover is nothing more than a minivan without sliding doors. But no one seems to understand this.
Oh it was crazy how hot this car was at launch! Crazy markups, huge gatherings… and then how quickly it became ‘uncool’
My neighbor at the time was on a wait list for one in 2001 and they laid well over sticker! It was insane!
The styling couldn't overcome the fact that the important bits were all Neon so they didn't handle well and weren't reliable
@RichardoBrit , very much like the Plymouth Prowler during its first model year.
@@Noah_E it's just ugly my girlfriend always tells me it looks like a nose and I agree
A Nash Bridges, CBS character: late 1990s had a "woody" PT model. Isp Harvey Leek. The convertible format looked cool but the engine, size & bad PR made Cruisers ⬇️.
I owned an 01 PT cruiser, from about 2008-2010 when my wife totaled it. It was a really nice car for two broke early 20 somethings. It actually had a story behind it also. We got it from car max for about $8k with 19k miles on it. There was a note in the owner manual from the previous owner (we were the second owners) that she sold it before going in to hospice. The note went on to say how much she kept up on the car and with her being older it made sense why the car had under 20k miles at 7 years old when we got it. Honestly despite its gas milage being horrible it was a really good car that we had next to no problems out of.
oh my god. thats heart breaking. thats like adopting an animal whos owner died.
Thats a unique story. Reliability wise, you only had it two years.
That's sad the original owner went through that, but getting a vehicle owned by elders is the best you could ask for.
Both my Camry and Supra were previously owned by grannies who were METICULOUS about services and keeping the car nice. It really pays off.
@@djkenny1202 he said it got totaled….
@@djkenny1202 Yeah keep one longer and their turd-tendencies form pretty quick. I flip cars for a living and shockingly bought and resold a couple of these PT's in the last year (I typically look past them altogether), and even though both were well kept and only had right around 100k when I acquired them (102k and 106k I believe, both 2006's), they BOTH needed repairs for me to sell them (although to be fair, none were serious or expensive), and neither generated much consumer interest even as cheap transportation. I could sell a 25 year old Honda Civic with no options for top dollar quicker/easier/for more money than I could sell a loaded 10-15 year newer PT Cruiser.
In 2008/2009 a local dealer had some he couldn’t get rid of. He advertised if you bought a car from him, you got a PT Cruiser for $1.00. I shit you not.
For a dollar extra I would have gotten one.
I'd buy that for a dollar!
@@kutter_ttl6786 I watched the original Robocop for the first time in a long time about a month ago, love that movie.
Lol that sounds like my local Mitsubishi dealer saying if you buy an outlander they’ll give you a mirage for free which I wouldn’t take for anything but I would however would’ve bought a pt cruiser for a buck
My late wife had a 2007 cruiser. I only sold it after she died as it was hard for me to see it with her gone. The car was reliable and not a bad ride.
My condolences; may she rest in peace.
The Pronto actually looks good and has, arguably, aged much better than the PT.
If it had been produced and as popular as the PT Cruiser, I’d doubt you’d say that.
It might be an unpopular opinion but I don't give a f***: I actually like the design. Not the best, but certainly not ugly to me.
The drive train is straight out of the Neon so regardless of the body styling they are junk. Plus they had terrible build quality/fit and finish and NVH
Same
@@Noah_E Actually the 2.4L engine in the PT Cruiser is the same engine that was used in the Chrysler Cirrus, Dodge Stratus, Plymouth Breeze, Chrysler Sebring, Plymouth Voyager, and Dodge Caravan and is actually a pretty decent engine. The only truly bad engine Chrysler made at the time was the 2.7. Can't really speak for the transmissions, but I know people with 200K+ miles on their PT Cruisers on the original engine and transmission. The overall quality and NVH isn't great though.
Honestly same here, I’d definitely rather drive around in a PT than something like a CH-R. And I 100% agree with the reply directly above this
The convertible is hideous tho.
When I was a kid this was my dream car. My mom rented a red and black one for my 9th birthday and had it for the week. I loved it! Now not so much lol
That's okay. I used to love the Geo Metro in the early 90s when I was a kid.
Back 2001 I bought a 2001 PT and it was actually one of the best cars I ever had. The only problem I had was that the timing belt went and I had to replace it. I had that car for 6 years
I saw a 1937 or '39 red 4 door Ford sedan at a fancy California auction on TV, where you drive the car up a ramp on to a stage in front of a seated audience, with two good-looking blondes driving, and I thought holy heck it looks exactly like a PT Cruiser! The PT has a slantback grille, and its body dimensions and shape look pretty much like a 37-39 Ford. People who think it's ugly don't know their antique car history. I bought a 2005 pt made in Mexico by Daimler Benz, and I haven't had a thing wrong with it and no recalls.
It would have been great if the cargo truck version had been made. And, also I love the completely unnecessary Always Sunny reference.
I rented one once and used it for a cargo hualer for a weekend. I pulled the rear seats out it was pretty utilitarian.
i had a rental once for a few days, i was quite surprised how well it drove and rode.. the thing just glided down the highway. only draw back imo it's just funky looking!
My brother got a used one as his first car back in 2007/2008. I’ve heard stories that these were crazy unreliable, and my brother’s somehow lasted 300k miles before he sold it.
The bigger question is who would buy one at 300k miles
@@yprbprbppy3044 don’t remember if he sold it to a junkyard or an actual person
Wow! 300k on a Chrysler! That must have been an excellent day at the plant when that one was put together!
He was able to sell one with 300k miles? ..kudos to him
@@tommynelson8674 it was either to somebody who works on cars or to a junkyard
Im glad to see this channel blowing up. Easy to watch and I learn a ton from it. Totaly need to do a video on the mid 80's toyota pickups since they are argued to be the best compact pickup ever made. MY very first car was a 2wd 86 toyota 22R with a 4 speed and manual everything aside from brakes. 13 years later I bought an 87 toyota pickup for pure nostalgia reasons. Except this one is fully loaded but still sporting the 22R with a 5 speed. love these little trucks
PT stands for Part Time. Part Time Cruiser. Part time in the shop.
Pretty accurate lol
You won the internet today. 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Are you sure it doesn't stand for "Parts Time", as in, it's time for parts to be fixed replaced, because it never stopped rattling or breaking?
Not really I have a 2001 PT cruiser got it for $2800 it had 107,000 miles on it it runs just fine I am the second owner of the car everything works perfect on it
@@BadKarma714 get back to us in two years
'80's subaru wagons would be a good option, used to be absolutely everywhere and now it's rare to see one on the road (let alone sitting in a yard)
Except in Oregon. The relatively small town I lived in had at least half a dozen still on the road.
They all were swiss cheese after 2 new england winters. That's why.
Pre-84 Subarus with the pushrod engines were great off road. I still have 3.
They rusted to crap.
@@mikeperry6794-- Because they performed very well in ice & snow, which exposed them to road salt.
UK viewer here, my dad had one of these when I was a baby, absolutely loved it. Had a Mercedes S class afterwards, then when that failed, he bought a Voyager (Caravan)
Bought one new in 2000 (yes they were available before the calendar year change). We owned it for about 12 years and put about 180,000 miles on it. It was a very practical and reliable car.
I had a 2002 PT cruiser for several years, did alot of work on it. I did love it though even though it was a grocery getter. It had a manual transmission and shifted wonderfully.
Manual transmission equipped ones are relatively hard to find. I believe that some parts like synchos might be hard to find now.
Please do the legendary Pontiac Bonneville next!
Pontiac Bonneville has gotta be one of the ugliest cars i have ever seen
James May :( to each his own
I second this!
I had a 78 2 door and a 96. Great memories of both.
2 Corinthians 4:7-11 i love my ssei!
It's just goofy that these things became a punchline years later. They were HUGE when they first came out. Everybody wanted one.
Agreeing w/ @Frank Burns ... I remember when I first saw the PTs at the LA Auto Show ... my friend just _HAD_ to have one!
The PT was a bold, original idea that had its thunder stolen by the Vibe/Matrix, XB and Element.
Yeah, the square body "cube" vehicles did it better for the younger crowd. I used to want one, but I think they have honestly aged awful. Not to mention all those models being of questionable quality and not easy to work on.
@@rushnerd Questionable quality? They're Toyotas and Hondas that easily get to 250k miles with just regular maintenence.
None of the cars you mentioned stole the PT Cruiser's thunder... Particularly the Element and xB which both sold in paltry numbers by comparison. This outsold all 4 of those vehicles even after its 4th year on sale in the U.S... Chrysler and the PT Cruiser itself are what killed it, ultimately.
Great video. Not a bad car based in my experience. My wife and I had a Plum colored ‘03 woodie PT back in ‘06. It had a great paint job the sparkled like a gem. She loved it. It did have the worst turning circle of and small car I’ve ever driven. Kind of harsh over expansion joints and horribly noisy brakes. It was a car built to a price and it showed. Amazing that they made the interior look even more cut rate on the face lifted cars. We still enjoyed it though. I still like how the look. And those cheap interiors seem to wear like iron. I see beat up examples in the junk yard all the time that still look pretty good on the inside.
The fact that the PT Cruiser is so divisive bodes very well for its future collectibility. A good past example would be the AMC Pacer. If you collect cars, you’d be wise to find a good, clean example of the PT Cruiser while you can.
nah
Love it or hate it, it was a tremendously successful car. You still see them around now.
In 2021, I swear I saw a custom "Ghost Busters" 👻 ECHO1 version, Orlando FL. Around 200am lol... orlando.gov
I can remember that the Chrysler dealer by me couldn't move these off the lot in 2007/8 attempting to sell the base model for $7,000 or getting one free when you bought a loaded 300c or Aspen.
I own 2 PT Cruisers, a 2009 and a 2005 convertible with a turbo. The 2009 has had 2 airconditioning compressors replaced and new brake pads...that's it. The convertible has been mechanically sound and very fast. The top is still in good condition with no leaks. Electronics have been a problem. This year the computer telling the car when to shift was replaced and the alarm camputer kept telling the car that is was being 'stolen' and would quit in the middle of the street. Repairs were very, very expensive. PT Cruisers would be perfect without all the computer garbage. They handle well and I've hauled a lot of stuff around in the 2009 model. I drove the convertible up Hwy 1 from Santa Barbara, stopped at Hearst's Castle, and continued on to Monterey...with the top down. Wonderful trip! Top down again to Death Valley and then on to Las Vegas (in January) with clear air, cloudless skies and beautiful desert scenery. Both cars have been great, still in good condition and paid for. An occasional 500 dollar repair bill is cheap next to my daughter's monthly payment for her new Audi.
I have a 2001 PT I bought about a year ago. It's been pretty good to me besides a couple minor issues. I bought it with 116k and put about 4k on it since I got it. I love the styling Idk why people hate it so much.
Wow. For a 19 year old car that's really low mileage. You really lucked out.
@@kutter_ttl6786 there’s some good cruisers out there. Many people buy them as a rec car, not daily, so you can find low mileage easier. I bought my 2003 Cruiser with 89k miles in early 2019. It now has 110,000. I drive it often. I love it.
@@kutter_ttl6786 , people sell them , because the Timing belt Job is so expensive. But, I do my own and it's really not that hard. Just have the right Crank Pully Puller. Also, buy the Kit that comes with the Belt, Water Pump, Tensioner and Idler Pully's. Plan it about every 110k Miles.
While it was just a Neon underneath, a few enterprising individuals managed to convert it to rear-wheel drive and shoehorn a 426 Hemi into it. They called it the PT Bruiser.
And the Prowler should have had a V-8.
Prowler, smacking forehead, "I should'a had a V-8 !"
That's a hoot. I had two 1983 Plymouth Scamps. A silver 5-speed I bought new and a red automatic I bought used. I ran the silver one until 2001. I kind of "gave" the red one to my brother a few years earlier. Then, I bought a 2001 PT Cruiser, silver 5-speed, new. And just a couple of years ago bought a 2001 PT Cruiser, red automatic. I never realized the PT Cruiser could be the namesake (Plymouth Truck) of the Scamp. No plans on retiring the Cruisers.
The PT Cruiser was actually one of the first small crossover vehicles, and a highly functional one at that.
I don't find it's styling off putting at all - and as a matter of fact - I still like it and think it aged very well.
It's a very clean design.
Compare it to so many of the odd, and very busy styling that has plagued the design of so many recent vehicles.
Where Chrysler messed up, was that they just let the car carry on for some 10 years with no update.
The refresh actually decontented the car.
Nah, the rav4, crv, and others were already around long before these surfaced.
These look fun as woodies with steel wheels, chrome trim and hubcaps, exterior visor, chrome rear view mirrors, and white wall tires.
My mom had a 2007 PT in yellow, the only year that color was offered. Car got totaled after she had it only two months by a red light runner. Thankfully she wasn’t hurt.
I had a buddy with a PT Cruiser. He was about 60 at the time. He was fairly eccentric (in a good way) and his purple PT was a perfect fit for him. He kept that thing so clean and waxed that "rain drops were afraid to fall on it". (His phrase). RIP, Frank!
Nice job! First I've seen to mention that the Neon was PL (platform low) and the PT (platform tall), and then Chevy called theirs "Heritage High Roof (HHR)". In the 4 door variety, they're quite versatile mini SUV's similar to a Soul or RAV4 or CRV. Both the PT and VW Beetle 1.8L T, have nasty 100K timing belt service jobs that surprise used car buyers who don't do their homework.
I was a kid when these came out and remember people getting on waiting lists and paying over sticker for them. BEFORE they started making factory convertibles some owners had their 4 doors made into ragtops and they got a lot of attention. I remember by the time they came out with factory convertibles the whole PT fad was pretty much over.
Yup had Chrysler been ALOT quicker to bring out all the bodystyles and performance editions then it might have saved the PT's image a little. But the Turbo models and drop top were "years" too late (2005), because by '02-'03 the PT Cruiser became a ubiquitous has-been with a reputation that kept getting worse year to year.
I still remember when my dad bought his PT cruiser, I thought it was a real luxurious vehicle. I've ridden in the front and in the back and soon enough I was no longer interested in the car. Even today my dad talks about how much crap that car was and how glad he was to have sold it.
My wife had an off white 2005 PT Cruiser which I called "The Egg". She would say "It does NOT look like an egg!" until one Sunday morning when I drew the features of a PT Cruiser on an actual hard boiled egg. After that, she started calling it "The Egg" as well.
I had a 2008 PT cruiser as my first car, it had 55K miles when I got it and had almost 200K by the time I sadly let it go. Never gave me any engine or transmission problems until it started reaching 200K. I loved it, had plenty of power and drove great. Made a ton of memories in it and wouldn’t trade it if I had the chance to go back in time.
My first car was a 1989 Pontiac Firebird. I got mine used in 1994. I loved driving it. It had a 2.8 liter v6 and while it was slow by todays standards, it was exciting for my young self. I loved the pop up headlamps and it had T tops which made it exceptionally cool at my high school. I hope you do a video on the Firebird sometime. I just watched your Pontiac Grand Prix video and enjoyed it. My uncle had an early 90’s Grand Prix and he babied it. The video brought back a lot of memories. You almost never see these cars on the road today.
I've always love the design! It's pure funky and unique just like other retro-inspired cars and the Juke. Ugly design is what BMW designers did to their latest models.
It is such squishy car
I rented one once and honestly I loved it - it was a fun car to drive, and for the time it had great cargo capacity and handling. Hating on the cruiser seems to be a hobby, but it was a fun car to drive especially for the price.
Well, for me, a good design, when came up the retro trend in the late 90's. But something wonders me: What exactly does mean "worst car"?. Hostes from BBC "Top Gear" , giving not so justice opinon, in the end, doesn`t matter so much to me at all. Just look the entire UK car industry: It`s colapsing. Was that model a potential firing ups, highway rolls, tires blasts isues (as Explorer did with its tires), or they were the models rattling and throwing away its components in normal driving situations?. To be selling 100k per year before market trends changes, are good numbers. I like this wagon, retro style was a very dare and cool design job.
They weren't actually that bad. But they were hard to work on. And all those tiny things that domestic cars are known for breaking got old quickly!
January 2003 turned out to be the right time to buy a 2001 PT Cruiser, a five speed manual Limited Edition in Inferno Red. Drove it for fifteen years with normal sort of maintenance costs; usually enjoyed 27-28 mpg with a mostly freeway commute. Handling was never exciting: predictable but never other than good enough. The car was quite versatile, provided good headroom for rear seat passengers and a decent amount of cargo space. Though the Chrysler PTs had a rather bad reputation for unreliability, mine was a daily driver/commuter car until I retired in 2015. A couple of years later, in 2017, my guy (did the regular maintenance and got the car to nearly 180,000 miles) suggested that that the car was brain-damaged and that it ought not be driven out of town anymore.
On the issue of appearance: the PT was an absolute standout, head, shoulders and high-roof above the eye-wateringly hideous explosion-in-a-protractor-drawer shapes that have proliferated, produced by the astigmatic atelier of 21st century car design.
I bought a brand new 2005 Touring convertible with the detuned 2.4 turbo. I really enjoyed it. I've owned 4 other convertibles, including an Infiniti G37. I've owned all kinds of cars from two seat sport coupes to tuned and big turbo'd station wagons. I've owned cars built in the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, 2010s, and currently own a 2020 Kia Stinger GT2. That PT was a great beach car. I took it to New Smyrna Beach almost every weekend from May to September. I drove it to California and numerous multi-state road trips in the eastern half of the country. I had it for five years. In that time, I only had to do scheduled maintenance. I never had a problem with it.
The reason they have a shit reputation with people who weren't driving when they were being made is that they've encountered them as 10, 15 or more years old used cars that are bought by people who can't afford to maintain a 10-20 year old economy car where most major repairs are more money than what you paid for it.
If I can find one that isn't beat to death, I'll probably buy a GT convertible as a nice weather weekend cruiser in the next few years.
Was a longtime Mopar motorhead...owned a "real" Challenger with a built 340, Dusters, a Satellite and a bucket load of Dodge pick ups. Bought a 2003 PT new. 7/75 warranty. Well maintained and regularly serviced. Car was generally useful as a small station wagon. Transmission exploded at 75426. Haven't been on a Chrysler lot since.
My mom bought one the very first year. It was advertised for about a month before she settled on it. My dad had passed away leaving her with some cash to basically kick start the rest of our lives. I thought at the time that it was the worst idea ever because she had been contemplating between the Cruiser or a Jeep Wrangler. Obviously I wanted the Wrangler at 11 yrs. old but hey it's mom's decision. But here we are in 2021 and the thing is still kicking. Hard I might add. The car has had several leaks, power steering issues, heading and cooling issues, starting and cranking issues, just about anything and everything you could think of. I did most of the repairs myself because that's just me. I'm the mechanic of my family and I can almost safely say I am an expert on this car, at least the 01 model, the car didn't change much but still, small things. Anyways what I'm trying to say about it is. As long as it's kept up, oil changes at close to right intervals and follow recommendations closely, this car is great. The only thing over 20 yrs of working on it I have a rough knocking or clunking nose coming from rear suspension but I could never figure it out. I replaced the Watts link twice all bushings twice over time and still can't figure it out. But I actually love this thing man. 20 yrs in the family. Don't know what I'd do if my little fat baby died on me. Honestly, it depends on the depth of the damage but either way is probably rebuild it. It's so not technically worth it and I've really only just started to like mine this much but you gotta admit 20 yrs with one car. It's great. All engine seals have been replaced some a couple times. New head gasket water pump and timing belt. But hey it was fun and a learning experience
2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser just now fixing to hit 200k. A lot of this car is original.
My grandmother had one of the few manual gt models, purple with flames. She had the dash painted to match as well. (This woman grew up driving a 63 impala, 4 speed with the 409), and this was her retirement car. She picked it up a few weeks before the release of the first Cars movie, by Disney. Talk about feeling like the coolest 5th grader, going to watch the premiere in a car with flames, lol!
Sadly this car is long gone, and she resorted to driving a Rav 4, but the pt cruiser gt will forever be one of my most cherished cars from my childhood… even if I absolutely hate them as an adult lol!!!
Ever seen a PT Cruiser police car? In my home town they had a purple 2001 PT with flames on it and it was a active duty police car. It was bought to be a promotional car for the D.A.R.E program. It was cool for about 2 years. Then everyone kinda realized how corny a purple PT with flames really is. The police dept sold it around 2009 and I saw it around a neighboring town off and on. And I actually happened upon it at the local junkyard in 2014.
I have a cousin that absolutely loves his PT Cruiser, he wanted one ever since we were kids in the early 00s and got one in the early-mid 2010s. Still drives it to this day.
To those who say PT Cruisers are “junk” I can only relate my own experience with them. I drive about 20,000 miles per year and have driven PT Cruisers exclusively for the past 15 years. I currently own three PT’s (two convertibles and a sedan). Each has well over 100K miles on the odometer. My longest owned convertible has a quarter million miles. None of the engines have ever been apart, other than for routine timing belt maintenance at 100K miles. None are burning oil today. I find them to be fun and reliable cars. I have not had mechanical issues any more or less frequently than with any other make I’ve ever owned. As for design weaknesses, every car has something. With the PT, I’ve needed to change front wheel bearings more often than other makes, and the first year turbocharger bearings have burned out a couple times (generally after 80,000 to 100,000 miles). Otherwise very trouble free. I have to think all the online hating of this car is based on the styling. It dared to look different. Personally I dig the retro styling.
The turbo PTs have thicker head gaskets, and don’t blow them nearly as much. My wife had the non-turbo and it blew two of them!
My fiance inherited a 2003 PT cruiser with only 5k miles on it from her uncle in 2011. We figured we would give the car a proper shot since it was practically brand new and only lightly driven and well maintained. This car would go on to be an absolute nightmare. it had been in the shop countless times by 15k miles. It even had an issue where we couldn't get the check engine light to turn off and it turned out to be the gas cap. We bought a new gas cap, the light went away. The issue returned 6 months later. WTF? The adjuster switches for the side view mirrors stopped working at 10k miles so you always had to adjust the mirrors manually with your hand on the glass. It had numerous electrical issues causing the headlights to stop working several times and the turning signals would randomly die and come back. The AC died, the Speedometer stopped working, the rear windows would no longer roll down, or if you did roll them down, they stayed that way. The fader knobs died on the stereo leaving sound coming only from the right side of the car. This is getting too long, lol EVERYTHING died but the engine. Good engine in these cars I guess? We fixed all the issues numerous times and In 2019 my fiancee after many, many failed attempts managed to sell the PT Cruiser with 40k miles on it (we couldn't even get any takers with just 40k miles). She took that money and purchased a used 2012 Ford Mustang 3.7 with a 6-speed manual transmission at 53k miles. She has been driving that car for 2 years problem free. The one good thing I can say about the PT Cruiser is that it was pretty good for hauling drums and guitar gear around, except that one rehearsal I drove home from at night and the headlights died. Oh and one more thing. You have to pull out the air intake, filter, shroud and all to change the battery. I do not miss that car.
My grandma has been driving one since 2001, it was the last birthday gift she got from my grandpa. She's been keeping it maintained since. It's needed 4 engine rebuilds, 3 new transmissions. The suspension has needed 2 rebuilds, 3 new wheels, and 2 new doors. She's never left anything on the car go unrepaired
I have sold dozens of these over the years. From a 2004 model with only 197 miles to countless 10+ year old versions with 6-digit odometers.
The best choice is the non-turbo with the 5-speed. Those can easily last for the long haul with just regular maintenance.
The automatic versions are usually hit or miss with the higher miles since most owners don't bother to change their transmission fluids. The PT was heavily leased later in its life and most of these vehicles never had their fluids and filters replaced. These also populated a lot of the buy-here pay-here lots. Although you can get a surprising number from retirees who didn't rack up the miles. I still buy many from Florida that have less than 60k miles on them.
Finally, the turbos were a mistake. An enthusiast could keep one running well but these days a PT Cruiser enthusiast is a bit of an oxymoron.
These also aren't a good fit if you live in the rust belt or a part of the world where potholes are common. The suspension is overstressed in this type of environment since the vehicle is heavy and comprised of parts that don't have a heavy duty focus.
Overall I like them. If you live where it's sunny and the roads are smooth a PT Cruiser is perfectly fine. Feel free to Google Long-Term Quality if you want to see how well these vehicles have performed for their owners.
The turbo engine is similar to those used in SRT-4, with major different parts.
I saw a picture of one that was in a single car accident and knew from then on I didn't want one. Thanks Pat.
I got a 2003 Cruiser ten years ago. (My 93 Mustang convertible was on its last legs and I needed something with more room, but I didn't let the salesman know that)
It's still my daily driver. LOADS of room for a single guy. I live in Florida and don't have to lash my 8-foot surfboard to the roof.
Okay neither the fastest nor most reliable thing on the road, but mine's still kicking at 172,000 miles.
I bought an early production PT from an exotic car dealer. It was a trade in with every option including a stick and i got the impression the stick was why the original buyer didn't want it. I loved that lil bastard! I fit a 32 inch TV, in the box, in the back no problem, and at 6'2" I fit in the front nicely. My buddy had just bought a Audi TT convert and He had a hard time loosing me in at and mouse. Kids dug it! They would walk up and tell me they thought it was cool.
I own a 2009 PT Cruiser and I LOVE it! I have had no problems with it and drive it everyday. Mine is white with a black grill,black flames on the side with a black hood scoop(not functional) sitting for all to see. I also put "CRUSIN" at the top of the windshield. I like the roomy interior and it is a very comfortable ride. I don't understand why people think it is such a bad car.
GM B-BODY Please! It's basically the same frame from 1977-1996. It had the same body styling from 1977-1991 I think. The 1992-1996 Caprice, Impala SS, and Buick Roadmaster had basically the same LT1 as the Camaro and Corvette. The only differences were the B-Body cars had iron heads instead of aluminum, and an intake manifold and camshaft that was tuned more for torque than horsepower. These are great cars. My first car was a 1977 Impala and I currently drive a 1996 Buick Roadmaster sedan. I've owned a bunch of different models on this platform and I loved every one of them. Please do a video on them. I know it would take awhile to put together and it might be a longer video. But it would be worth it. These cars are loved by many. Heck, they even have/had a magazine dedicated to them. Donk and Bubble magazine. I love your videos and even if you don't use my idea, I'll still watch and enjoy your channel. Thanks again
I had a '05 with some mileage on it but in really good shape. No problems, gas mileage wasn't bad, I thought it was a little anemic, the seats could have been better and it would've been nice to have cruise control but a very utilitarian car. Overall I liked it.
I bought a new one in 2003. It was a heavily optioned base model. I added 16 inch aluminum rims I bought from an owner who changed them out for aftermarket wheels when he bought it. They were absolutely new...paid $150 for all 4 and made an overnight trip to get them. I drove that car for 8 years and put 106k miles on it. Mine was dead reliable except for front steering and suspension bushings that I had to replace. F I really loved that car. I sold it to a young girl that drove it to 140k when the timing belt broke (I told her it would need to be changed when I sold it to her...). Although the belt was replaced, she said it never ran right after that. The last time I saw it it was listing to the driver side and the rockers were rusted through.
I know that many don't like the car (and I'm not a fan of the rag top version). However, I do have one I bought in '04 and modified it to around 265 hp for a daily driver. Must say it has been a fun car to drive and after 17 years, it still looks brand new and runs great.
6:08 can u imagine your phone giving you the weather forecast like this lmfao.
Might as well of said-
Me: "Weather today?"
Phone: 👾👾Y·E·S👾👾
LOVE THAT YOU DID THIS VIDEO. We just had our 02 red cruiser towed last month because the timing belt went out and the value of the car was not worth it.
I will always recommend the Kia Sephia 😂🤷🏻 (another I had)
I'd like to see an episode about Kia's rise In The United States. The Sephia, those had a short shelf life.
@@kingkat8080 I’ve recommended that too. The history of Kia in America why it was failing and what made it to change to what it is now
@@GaemerJosh Kia's are pretty nice now. Hyundai bought them out of bankruptcy. I had a 08 Kia Rio and it wasn't anything fancy but it was pretty reliable.
WOW Kia Sephia PT Cruiser ? Your just batting 1000 huh?! 😅
You’ve had it rough
I bought my 2008 PT cruiser in 2011 and I still have it. At this day, it has 182 000 km. It is one of my favorite car with also the Plymouth Sundance (1990).
As you mentioned the problem with doing a Retro car is you can't update a Retro design 4-5 years later. It just loses its appeal. I actually remember Consumer Reports magazine used to give the PT Cruiser and very good rating in the early 2000's so because of that I thought they were decent cars.
An old boss of mine used to own a black 2000/2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser. Leather, Sunroof, Standard Transmission, but the A/C had blown out in 2011. He got rid of it in 2012 for a 2012 Ford Focus SE Hatchback.
A 2006 PT Cruiser was my first car. It belonged to my grandmother who bought it used in 2008 and only owned it until early 2010 when she passed. I drove it until late 2013. I of course loved it early on but I eventually moved on from it. It wasn't a bad car, but Chrysler has certainly built better. It is funny to see how this came from the same era as the Prowler, IMO one of the coolest cars ever made and of course the Dodge Viper. I think the 2006 refresh did a lot for the PT Cruiser in some ways, such as making the bumpers flush with the car instead of looking slapped on, but it also took away a few things. I also think the refreshed interior dashboard looked so much better than the originals, but these never should have been made a convertible.
My 2001 is still going. Only 95 K miles but really trouble free in all these years. Worst car? Nuts.
I have a friend who had a PT, and really liked it! The paint was "Electric Blue," and it held up really well-even when the car was 10 years old, it still looked good.
early model pt cruisers were the B O M B even for someone that doesn't drive. I remember one being up for raffle by the knights of columbus group here locally and I remember climbing inside and shutting the door. Immediately I forgot I was in a noisy crowded mall with people and life outside. I also loved the 30s/40s esthetic. All around it was a beautiful neo traditional car. Something Chrysler, Ford, and GM barely had at the time in the mid range end a nice unique auto that was surprisngly spacious, and roomy and quiet. Which is what everyone wanted was roomy and quiet(unless you introduced noise). They don't make many like that anymore. IF you find even a "hot hatch" or crossover with ample seating for front an rear passengers and decent cargo room you don't have a vehicle. YOU HAVE A UNICORN!. A DRAGON A BEAST OF MYTHICALITY NOT SEEN TODAY unless you buy a van, certain suvs, pickups or luxury cars. Even there though again same as I just said. Rare.
I was really taken by the design of the PT Cruiser, and was seriously considering getting one. Then I rented one back in 2003 or 2004 when I went on vacation, and it left me less than impressed with its performance. It felt like it couldn't get out of its own way. That cooled me off on the idea, and instead got a car with a little more pep: a Saturn Ion (which I also drove as a rental later the same year).
The car still looks good to me at least you could tell them apart from other cars, i love our 04.
As a current PT owner, I actually laugh back at all the haters. My '03 Limited has been super reliable and when it does need some maintenance or repair, it's very easy to work on - although the engine compartment is very cramped. I have it customized to my taste and am very comfortable with it right now. I'm recognized almost immediately since there are no other PT's, or other cars, out there that look like mine. Honestly, I would not trade it for any other car on the road. Literally.
This video is a great birthday gift, thanks haha.
I seriously do not understand why people hate PT Cruiser..i like it..i like the unique design..
A buddy of mine went from a old Volvo 240 series wagon to the POS cruiser. The Volvo was twice as long, twice as heavy, and had of turning radius that was half as large as the POS cruiser.
I have a dark blue one . I have worked very hard to keep it nice. It still got side swiped..twice now . One person was asleep, and the other one was angry ....
I am still trying to fix some minor body work on it . It is an 01'. It has a 2.4 liter Lotus engine . And dual exhaust ! It is VERY quick . It was called a sleeper by a Boeing Engineer here, where I work ...
Someone at Boeing had a nice thing to say about a chrysler vehicle
I only know 1 thing for sure, working on 1 of those PT's is that absolute thing of nightmares...especially the turbo cars.
My parents had to rent one of these things when they went to Maine to look for a summer house (yes, white boomer problems, blah blah blah, deal with it). At the time my mom drove a twelve year old '98 Subaru Forester that she thought very highly of and still owns. When they drove the PT they were shocked at how crude the interior was compared to her car, being loud and thrashy-sounding, badly put together (interior trim came unglued, rattled, fell off, etc) and just dull to drive. At the time they thought they might replace the Subie, but that week long experience convinced them to keep it 'till it falls apart. To be fair, it had to have a head gasket replaced (sadly a problem with those millennium-era engines) and now that it's nearly 24 years old, if the other one goes it will cost more to fix it than it's worth. It's too bad, as that Forester is the best car she's ever owned and she loves it.
Don't be ashamed of being white.
I finally drove one, a rental car, in 2008. The seats were unsupportive, the car made strange noises, and I was lucky to make it over the Grapevine from Northern to Southern California. I'm not surprised that this was not a well liked car.
I always wanted a 5-speed GT Cruiser. Get rid of the GT and Turbo badges, keep the exhaust as quiet as I can while still breathing well, no blowoff valve, stock wheels, and build it to REALLY run. It’d be hilarious for a regular-ass-looking PT Cruiser (PARTICULARLY a woody!) to fairly quietly smoke your Mustang, haha! I may very well actually get an HHR SS. Way less stealthy, but a faster, better-handling, more reliable car.
Surprised at how many of these I still see on the road today in 2021…
They made just over a million of them in the 10 years.
I love my PT, passed it down to my son now.
Lovely car.
I was always curious to know about how Yugo came to be, and what happened to it. The PT Cruiser was not a bad design, siting the information given in the video. The downside is, the retro inspiration may look good on paper, but doesn't translate well in person.
My great aunt had two of these. The first was glittery silver, the second was purple. She loved them to the grave.
I had a 2003 PT Cruiser GT and it was a crazy amount of fun to drive. I always thought the 2 door look would have been better, but not as a convertible, a two door wagon, like a Chevy Nomad.
Those old Nomads ('57 especially) were a GREAT looking car.
I had an 01 that I bought brand new as soon as they were on the market. High trim with leather, later we got an 07. Yeah, they were super fun to drive and I thought had a kind of ugly-beauty. Comfy and quiet, and a good hauler. I hated the maintenance costs, though, and eventually got out of both of them. The 01 had paint tape marks that appeared on the bumper as it aged. I hated that. The facelift was cool, and I loved the moon pearl looking blue we had. Still miss those cars.
People who call it the worst car ever made obviously never owned one. I had it for 7 years and love it. They prefer to same jellybean like cross over SUVs. This car was way ahead of it's time with the interior space design.
The PT cruiser GT was awesome. So was the convertible version. The regular PT cruiser had a lot of room inside but the gas mileage and performance were extremely poor.
How it went from retro-cool to retro- weird: the whole damn car.
Great video.I own one now. I enjoy it.Bought it cheap and gets good gas mileage(5sp).There is great cargo space.Its like driving a milk truck.Its slow,but gets me around.Remember this IS the 1st crossover SUV.
I second the Subaru wagon from the 80s like the Loyale .... Love what you do!!!
I remember seeing the Plymouth pronto cruiser concept at the international auto show. The PT cruiser is the car all the moms had in the early 00’s. I remember the turning radius was awful and had very little power steering.
I love it when I see a PT Cruiser sitting outside our local junkyard because it means that we will seeing one less crappy PT Cruiser on the road
I got an 04 high output turbo new. Still have it. It still surprises fools that think it can't move, news flash, the high output means what it says.
The PT totally bypassed the younger driver demographic not only with the styling, but the PT both drove and handled like a standard minivan despite its size.
I got mine from my mom when she could no longer drive. The only reason it had no accidents was because my distracted lead-footed mom couldn’t speed or make sudden maneuvers in it.
My son’s learning to drive, and the PT is an utter bog on the road with lousy acceleration fits perfectly
I bought one for my mother in law. It did what it needed to do. And at one point I had to borrow as my Audi was unreliable garbage. 😂
thank you, I had a teacher in elementary school with a beat up Acura Integra, and she traded it for a PT cruiser convertible.. I bet that Integra is still on the road and the PT cruiser isnt lol
I don't know why, but I've always wanted to take a PT Cruiser and highly modify it. Make it a V8 rear wheel drive, put steel bumpers on it, just basically make it like a car from the 40s.
There was one Chrysler model that I often still find it curious and that is the crossfire that even I didn’t knew it existed till recently