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Travelman

(708 posts)

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

Tue Mar 5, 2013, 10:20 PM

Mar 2013

...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.

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PT Cruisers on slow ride to scrap heap - dumped into rental fleets [View all] Liberal_in_LA Mar 2013 OP

Drove a rental PT Cruiser... CherokeeDem Mar 2013 #1

Me too. My recollection is that controls weren't where you would expect them. FarCenter Mar 2013 #13

Daimler. For about a century. n/t Egalitarian Thug Mar 2013 #46

BMW Fawke Em Mar 2013 #92

Volkswagen, too, at least in the 80's. Das Deutchland engineering ist good, yes? Erose999 Mar 2013 #97

Ford Thunderbird had the power window switches on the center console AndyA Mar 2013 #105

Both my Saturns had them in the center console. Gidney N Cloyd Mar 2013 #112

That didn't bother me near so much as the crappy visibility. winter is coming Mar 2013 #138

Saab did that and the ignition switch as well. A damn good idea. GoneOffShore Mar 2013 #144

I have been happy with the GM knock off exboyfil Mar 2013 #2

Is yours noisy? politicat Mar 2013 #82

I haven't really noticed exboyfil Mar 2013 #88

Mine does the same thing... sweetloukillbot Mar 2013 #152

They were disliked by everyone I knew. bluedigger Mar 2013 #3

Hate them things. jsr Mar 2013 #4

A few small modifications... snooper2 Mar 2013 #131

Funnily enough dipsydoodle Mar 2013 #5

My Late BIL Had One... KharmaTrain Mar 2013 #6

Yup. Thought it cute, rented one, hated it. Worst blind spot ever! nolabear Mar 2013 #7

I thought they were cute. bought one. traded it in 6 months later. In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #124

Omg you owned a pt cruiser?? hahahaha! darkangel218 Mar 2013 #130

yep. even blowin' in the wind can be stupid In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #132

They've always seemed creepy to me - Morning Dew Mar 2013 #8

I've only seen a few cars I thought were that ugly. cherokeeprogressive Mar 2013 #9

But lest we forget . . . hatrack Mar 2013 #10

That's one... here's another. cherokeeprogressive Mar 2013 #11

Ahhhhhh!!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! My eyes!!! hatrack Mar 2013 #15

Buddy had Javelin AMX. Would pass anything but a gas station. yourout Mar 2013 #106

Pacer and Gremlin both by AMC Kalidurga Mar 2013 #16

Still, the best description of a bad car I ever heard was of the Chevette: hatrack Mar 2013 #18

Romney's Secret Service name was "Javelin" Freddie Mar 2013 #23

Because those were reserved for Paul Ryan? Erose999 Mar 2013 #99

See my post upthread for a Javelin AMX. Was actually a pretty fast car. yourout Mar 2013 #107

my mother owned a yellow gremlin MrsBrady Mar 2013 #35

My Sister's first car. cherokeeprogressive Mar 2013 #39

i was too young to know that it was 'bad' MrsBrady Mar 2013 #40

She was 16 so I guess '80. cherokeeprogressive Mar 2013 #43

I once saw an AMC Gremlin in a destruction derby. Codeine Mar 2013 #25

Amateurs IDemo Mar 2013 #33

Ah, memories lolly Mar 2013 #70

Oh I dunno. I like those cars. Populist_Prole Mar 2013 #14

My first car was a Gremlin X with the Javelin 304 riqster Mar 2013 #134

I thought the car my sister drove while in college was butt-ugly . . . markpkessinger Mar 2013 #47

AMC - Atrocious Motors Corporation jmowreader Mar 2013 #49

I'll see your Gremlin and raise you a Juke. Marr Mar 2013 #75

Hey now! I like my Juke! (hate the damn payment though) opiate69 Mar 2013 #156

A lot of cars from the 70s, 80s and early 90s were horrid. Drunken Irishman Mar 2013 #128

Why does everybody hate the Aztec?! It looks cool! I miss Pontiac...nt Skip Intro Mar 2013 #31

I think it was Cadillac KT2000 Mar 2013 #64

I miss pontiac too. darkangel218 Mar 2013 #79

Well,... jakefrep Mar 2013 #118

OMG!!! greytdemocrat Mar 2013 #48

Woodgrain Vega wagon, Pinto "cruiser", Erose999 Mar 2013 #102

A teabagger's wife bought one of those Vegas jmowreader Mar 2013 #149

Wow! I think that Aztec is gorgeous! Tastes differ I guess. Owl Mar 2013 #111

The "breadbox" Hondas are fugly ProudToBeBlueInRhody Mar 2013 #140

My wife had an Element and it was awesome sweetloukillbot Mar 2013 #153

I've never in my life heard of a car that was worth 12K after 80k miles. cherokeeprogressive Mar 2013 #162

I think we got a much better than normal deal sweetloukillbot Mar 2013 #164

And I think my wife paid about 25K for her Element in 05. n/t sweetloukillbot Mar 2013 #165

I'm not disbelieving... just marveling. Props to you! cherokeeprogressive Mar 2013 #166

We literally walked out of the dealership and said "did we actually just pull that off?" sweetloukillbot Mar 2013 #167

My Soon to be Wife (at the time) wrote a number on a piece of paper for my Lincoln LS... cherokeeprogressive Mar 2013 #169

My '87 Nissan Stanza Wagon was like 2 ugly cars cut up & the ugliest parts glued back together NBachers Mar 2013 #159

Ouch. Seen it. Ugly. Ugly like sin. n/t cherokeeprogressive Mar 2013 #160

My PT Cruiser performed flawlessly for 100,000 miles, then Lex Mar 2013 #12

Had one as a rental and loved it Raine Mar 2013 #17

I liked the P.T cruser I rented olddots Mar 2013 #19

Really?? grasswire Mar 2013 #20

I rented one. Those "cars" handle about as well as a shopping cart. Initech Mar 2013 #21

3 wheels want to go to the produce department Ruby the Liberal Mar 2013 #59

Yup. Shopping cart suspension, go kart motor. Initech Mar 2013 #60

I never liked them... Ron Obvious Mar 2013 #22

LOL, the DU is full of Car snobs, Food snobs, etc. Cracks me up. n-t Logical Mar 2013 #24

Oh just 'get out'...not HERE! Snobs...certainly not of what you speak!!! Purveyor Mar 2013 #27

Very if it isn't my Rolls than it whistler162 Mar 2013 #29

Yeah, a bunch of liberal elitists, sipping wine in their Volvo's. FSogol Mar 2013 #38

Don't forget us Architects in our Saabs! kentauros Mar 2013 #91

Shouldn't there be a damp canoe on the roof? Robb Mar 2013 #95

Bad photo, too - doesn't show the latte holder . . . hatrack Mar 2013 #98

well, a Prius comes with TWO Latte holders DBoon Mar 2013 #154

I was trying to find a screenshot from a Top Gear episode kentauros Mar 2013 #113

And industrial designers, too! liam_laddie Mar 2013 #117

I've never owned a Saab. And I'm not an architect. kentauros Mar 2013 #119

Those front window pillars are indeed to keep the moose out. GoneOffShore Mar 2013 #145

The only car that cursed me worse than my Saab was my Rambler- I'll never forgive Saab NBachers Mar 2013 #163

No kidding. And Car & Driver's writers are elitist car snobs Kolesar Mar 2013 #100

If I were renting and had to choose between a PT Cruiser and a Dodge Neon, I'd take the Neon! reformist2 Mar 2013 #125

Someone tried to sell me a Dodge Neon ProudToBeBlueInRhody Mar 2013 #141

Who wore it better?? Initech Mar 2013 #148

Third worst rental I've ever driven. Codeine Mar 2013 #26

They're not so bad. The phrase first world problem was made for this. Politicub Mar 2013 #28

No kidding about "first world problems".... octothorpe Mar 2013 #76

Maybe they were too image-conscious Blue_Tires Mar 2013 #89

I don't think they are talking about Sgent Mar 2013 #146

Wasn't the PT cruiser just a neon with some. Sort of retro looking sheet-metal? Champion Jack Mar 2013 #30

Exactly jmowreader Mar 2013 #51

You got it sendero Mar 2013 #151

If you don't get a PT Cruiser, it is the Chevy HHR liberal N proud Mar 2013 #32

Probably my next car Freddie Mar 2013 #34

Trust me on this one, get one from the Mercedes years. n/t Egalitarian Thug Mar 2013 #45

Easy in/out for me. madamesilverspurs Mar 2013 #36

'The vehicle equivalent of a mullet' AgingAmerican Mar 2013 #37

Chuckle...... dixiegrrrrl Mar 2013 #44

They sucked much less while Mercedes owned Chrysler. Egalitarian Thug Mar 2013 #41

thank you for the valuable info! nt magical thyme Mar 2013 #115

Thanks for the advice! Freddie Mar 2013 #120

You're welcome, That Mercedes motor seems to have been the difference. Egalitarian Thug Mar 2013 #122

Not quite as ugly as this, but almost. longship Mar 2013 #42

Awwww, come on! A HERETIC I AM Mar 2013 #50

Hydro pneumatic suspension. longship Mar 2013 #53

It's not that they're well balanced jmowreader Mar 2013 #55

Well, there you go! (edit) A HERETIC I AM Mar 2013 #56

Hey, that's a classic! Ron Obvious Mar 2013 #57

"Everyone knows the sinking feeling... that all the premium cars are taken." Nope. Silent3 Mar 2013 #52

Eh, I have a standard size rental saved on my company account. Anytime I go to pick up a car Godhumor Mar 2013 #74

I purchased a PT Cruiser brand new in 2001 and drove it for nine years. Aristus Mar 2013 #54

Had mine 10 years and for 100,000 miles and no problems. Lex Mar 2013 #68

I rented a PT and drove it in the Sierra Mountains for a week Kolesar Mar 2013 #104

1.4 million cars is a pretty successful run kwassa Mar 2013 #58

My MiL loves hers. nt MineralMan Mar 2013 #61

We always call them PT Losers, lol... Ghost in the Machine Mar 2013 #62

Very weird. Lex Mar 2013 #69

They weighed less than 3200 lbs. EOTE Mar 2013 #108

I have a PT Cruiser charmay Mar 2013 #63

Always thought they were pretty cool cars. DirkGently Mar 2013 #66

Insert Chevy Volt joke here.... Zax2me Mar 2013 #65

Can't afford one? eom Kolesar Mar 2013 #101

That's because people are full of shit. Union Scribe Mar 2013 #161

Crumby transmission, lackluster-at-best suspension... Travelman Mar 2013 #67

Worse, in my view, is the Chevy HHR which was *gasp* a PT Cruiser wannabe! Stinky The Clown Mar 2013 #71

You nailed it. bluedigger Mar 2013 #94

The one time I test-drove a PT Cruiser SheilaT Mar 2013 #72

Don't know whether to laugh or cry aroach Mar 2013 #73

""We ended up carpooling because the people who had PT Cruisers refused to use them" octothorpe Mar 2013 #77

spoiled brats :D darkangel218 Mar 2013 #80

I agree ProudToBeBlueInRhody Mar 2013 #143

I'm with Jeremy Clarkson on this one. name not needed Mar 2013 #78

Sat in one for a few seconds RedCappedBandit Mar 2013 #81

The Concept looks like something I would have bought. In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #126

I love mine! luckykate54 Mar 2013 #83

how often do you go over 46 MPH? snooper2 Mar 2013 #129

Never had any acceleration issues with mine... sweetloukillbot Mar 2013 #157

Rode about a hundred miles in the back seat of one madokie Mar 2013 #84

I had a Prowler for a while Recursion Mar 2013 #85

This was the story of my life until I stopped regular business travel MadrasT Mar 2013 #86

I had a Soul for a rental for a couple months. bluedigger Mar 2013 #96

I have been driving a Soul for over a month now Kali Mar 2013 #123

I think it was the alien green color that put me off MadrasT Mar 2013 #147

Love Mine cyberspirit Mar 2013 #87

To give credit where credit is due... aikoaiko Mar 2013 #90

Like all other Chrysler cars, built to a price point and destined to rust away prematurly 1-Old-Man Mar 2013 #93

"hardly ideal for exuding professionalism" Sam Smith can suck it Kolesar Mar 2013 #103

Had a Chevy Cavalier at one time......tin can with wheels. yourout Mar 2013 #109

I had a Cadillac Cimarron, which was a spritzed-out Cavalier with a different nameplate. NBachers Mar 2013 #168

Better than a pinto..... yourout Mar 2013 #110

They always reminded me of the Nazi cars MaineLinePhilly Mar 2013 #114

explains why they're the reserve state car of Maine magical thyme Mar 2013 #116

I don't like those Nissan Cubes LeftInTX Mar 2013 #121

(sigh) Trendy articles that start with "Everyone knows..." or "Everyone has experienced..." demwing Mar 2013 #127

This article iw FLAT OUT WRONG in every important respect BlueStreak Mar 2013 #133

Thanks for the info. duffyduff Mar 2013 #137

That recall thing is a huge problem for car rental fleets BlueStreak Mar 2013 #139

Fastest car on the road IveWornAHundredPants Mar 2013 #135

It may be the fastest car on the road jmowreader Mar 2013 #150

If they are so terrible, how come I see so many of them on the road? n/t duffyduff Mar 2013 #136

Cheap and low mileage? sweetloukillbot Mar 2013 #158

One my old bosses owned one ProudToBeBlueInRhody Mar 2013 #142

Slap it on a frame with a V-8 drive train and it's a modern-day '33 Willys Throd Mar 2013 #155