General Discussion

magical thyme

(14,881 posts)

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

Wed Mar 6, 2013, 12:25 PM

Mar 2013

(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

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Highlight:

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