Chrysler PT Cruiser (2005 and earlier)

illini4 · May 2002

Yeah, it was covered by the warranty. At the time we were at approximately 4 months/2-3000 miles. Didn't check the outside air switch. The rotary switch that controls the defrost/dash/floor outlets wouldn't work, but it wasn't the switch that failed, it was the body control module.

stoltzie · May 2002

Finally took delivery of our 2002 PT Cruiser. Very easy sales transaction with no pressure for dealer installed accessories. We ordered a light almond base model with 5-speed manual, power package and cruise which was a hard combination to find in stock in this neck of the woods.

Needless to say, we putting on some break in miles today and are looking forward fun motoring with this car. Now who is going to be at the Cruise the Falls II event this June in Niagra Falls?

S.

My almost three year old loves to stay in the garage and point at the car and yell PT Cruiser!

boaz47 · May 2002

Love to join you but I cannot get away in June. I'll have to wait till they have something on the West Coast. Hope your PT pleases you as much as mine pleases me. I'll be adding a Cold Air intake next week and start saving for a Duel Exhaust sometime after that.

revka · May 2002

and glad to hear you've finally taken delivery. Thanks for sharing the details. We look forward to hearing more about your PT Cruiser experience. Happy motoring! ;-)

Revka
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Kirstie_H · May 2002

A journalist is looking for someone who bought one "twin" over another where the manufacturer offers two or more vehicles based on the same basic platform. (a Maxima vs. an I35 (or I30) or the TL vs. Accord)
Did you know it was basically the same vehicle as the other?
Why did you choose it over the other?
Please submit your response to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than Wednesday, May 15.

boaz47 · May 2002

Looked into putting a duel exhaust on their PT? So far I have checked a few places and it looks like i can get one for about $300.00 installed. I need to get a body shop to cur the half circle for the right side but other than that things look good to have it done. I can't decide if I want it loud or quiet. I'm leaning towards quiet because even with resonators it might sound funny loud.

raven18 · May 2002

aren't dual exhaust systems for V's not inline engines? Is it just for asthetics?

txyank1 · May 2002

today aren't "true duals". Most are split after the cat. converter so are basically for looks. In most cases a single 3" produces more power. (at least on our V8's). I have seen a couple PT's here in Austin with "duals" but didn't look under them to see how it was done.

orangelebaron · May 2002

Sorry to burst anyone's bubble but I have discovered that PT Cruisers are not really good city cars (not that any really are). The taillights and rear fenders are almost begging to get damaged. I drive in New York City regularly and have noticed a few Cruisers with broken taillights and banged up rear corners.
I think it's because the rear bumper is pretty low and the lights are placed so that if an SUV is parallel parking behind you.... oh well.
It may also be a visual thing... maybe when people are parallel parking, they are going by the main part of the car and don't realize that the fender/taillights stick out further.
If any car needed "brush-guards" this would be it!
Just a warning....

boaz47 · May 2002

has a lot to do with why we buy PT Cruisers in the first place. Yes there are very few true duels anymore. California frowns on true duels and I am not sure you can get a smog exemption but I suppose it is possible. A duel chamber or Three chamber Flowmaster will still flow easier than the stock exhaust and will give that look some of us are looking for. One place I checked in with uses a Camaro muffler with the duel outlets and some resonators to mellow the tone a bit. Fours tend to be a bit buzzy. Sounds like having a nice car is a detriment if you park in New York. I would think it would keep the insurance companies pretty busy following up claims. If they bounce off the back lights of a PT they would smash the glass on a Mini or even a P-5. Would be a good reason to keep a beater to drive into town.

tommyblue · May 2002

I'm a guy and I love my PT!! I just bought it last week. But I get some remarks from people saying its a girls car. I don't get it. I love the way it looks and driving it is exceptional!

crkeehn · May 2002

Do you really care what other people say about it? The bottom line is that it's tommyblue's car and you love it. Go with that and if someone else doesn't understand, that's their problem. There are enough of us around who would agree with you.

raven18 · May 2002

tommyblue, I wouldn't worry about others calling your PT a "chick" car, yeah chicks like PT's and being of the opposite sex-this is a good thing. I own a new beetle and they say the same thing.

txyank1 · May 2002

of "Chick's" that drive Vettes and Camaros too but I wouldn't consider them a "Chick" car. Let's just call it the American "Peoples Car".

crkeehn · May 2002

they would probably be 40-60 years old and male, reliving their youth.

Frankly, If you like your car, I'm not sure anything else matters, although DC has a right to be concerned. I love driving my classic 5 speed and my wife loves driving her touring automatic. We have different reasons for liking our cars, I have bought into the PT mystique a lot more than she has, I even wave to other PT owners, where she wouldn't be caught dead doing that.

By the way. Although protocol amongst PT enthusiasts calls for waving or flashing to each other, don't be surprised if a lot of them don't. Just savor the ones who do. I find if I flash my lights at an oncoming PT, that a bit less than half will respond with a wave. I don't worry about the ones who don't and share a bond with the ones who do.

tommyblue · May 2002

I bought my cruiser a week ago and I love it. Naturally being a mechanical type guy I looked at the spark plugs. The two outside ones one each end of the motor are accessable. But how the heck do you get to the two under the intake/plastic manifold. It would be a real pain to have to remove ALL the nuts and bolts and take it all apart just to install two spark plugs. Any ideas? Anyone else wonder about this besides me? Otherwise I really love owning my PT!!

boaz47 · May 2002

of the new cars have to have something removed or special tools to change spark plugs. Many of the vehicles I looked at before buying my PT had some cover that would have to be removed before you could reach the spark plugs. It doesn't take as long as you might think but it is an extra hassle. Next time you see a wrx look under the hood. Look under the hood of many of the new V-6s and you will see things that have to be removed to get to the plugs. It is as if they are trying to make it harder and harder for the home mechanic to work on his own car. I just get the manual to see how it is done.

illini4 · May 2002

You have to remove the intake plenum to get to the plugs. See procedure at PTdoityourself.net.

tommyblue · May 2002

I've just hit 600 miles and I'm planning to do the first oil change tomorrow. I always do my own work on my cars, and I'm really hoping the filter is'nt on super tight......also I bought a floor jack and plan to raise the car up and place a jack stand for extra safety....how have the oil changes gone for any of you doing them???

boaz47 · May 2002

You must be one careful person. I will be switching to synthetic at my first oil change between 3 and 4000 miles. After that I might go as long as 7500 miles between changes and 3000 to 4000 between filters. That reminds me that I need to change the oil in my truck this weekend. With Dino oil I change it every 3500 miles.

tommyblue · May 2002

When you buy a new car, you should change your oil the FIRST 500-1000 miles. All good mechanics will tell you this. This is the break in period where the pistons are wearing in and the metal shavings are combining with the oil. It should be dumped to prevent scarring of the cylinders. You engine will last FAR longer if you do that. My Ford truck I purchased twenty-two years ago has 278,000 miles on the original engine. Never been rebuilt and it still does not burn oil. I made it a rule to change that oil not longer than 2,500 miles. Regular Quaker State oil. Synthetic additives are a waste of money. The oil is the blood of the engine and needs to be flushed out regularly.

tommyblue · May 2002

You should change your oil filter EVERY time you change your oil!! It's worth the three or four bucks. The deposits build up, and when the filter gets to capacity, the deposits circulate through your engine causing more wear and tear

karluvver1 · May 2002

I have been a mechanic for 25 years and I don't buy into this idea. You are wasting your money on all those oil changes my friend.
Engines are assembled without metal shavings and if any are produced during break-in they are quickly removed by the oil filter. Just follow manufacturers recommendations. They know more about their product than anyone else

tomsr · May 2002

My new car is due for it's first oil change at
5000 miles which should cost less than $25.Why do the dealers run up the bill to over $100 with inspections?Besides to make more money,what
other reason is there?Last time my wifes car was in for it's 15000 mile service I was told it would be $180. I made a stink so they cut the price in half.They still had the car for less
than an hour.I figute they are just making an
easy $150 if they get full price.

boaz47 · May 2002

Many services you can do yourself. The book tells you what to inspect. If it is something you do not feel comfortable with take it to someone like karluvver1 and have them do it. As long as you keep the receipts and your mechanic is certified you are covered. At least in my state that is how it works. When I had my Saturn, servicing was only $29.00 a pop. The highest was $69.00 but part of that was because I insisted on synthetic oil.

clayman1000 · May 2002

I'm thinking of buying the GT when it comes out in the Fall?
Can anyone hazard a guess of how much the Turbo will decrease the mileage per gallon?
TIA

boaz47 · May 2002

on how much you keep you foot in it. In many of the turbo cars I have had you could get pretty good milage if you drove normally. If you got a bit too aggressive with the go pedal fuel milage suffered by at least as much as the percentage of boost. I used to have a Subaru Turbo and it got 24 to 26 most of the time. a spirited drive through the mountains could return as little as 17.

tommyblue · May 2002

Well I changed the oil for the first time. What a nightmare getting the filter off the PT!! I almost broke it off. What were they thinking at the factory? Finally it started turning. By the way, I do my own oil changes and my truck I owned for 21 years has 246,700 original miles on it. Never been rebuilt. Just passed smog and they said it burns as clean as the day I bought it. And you know why? BECAUSE I changed that oil no more than 3,000 miles. Nine out of ten good mechanics will tell you changing your oil more frequently than the idiotic dealer manuals will add years to your engine life. It takes half an hour to do and is absolutely NOT a waste of a mere $20 to do.

txyank1 · May 2002

at all surprised if you could do just as well changing the filter every 3k and both every 6k and spend half as much on oil.

karluvver1 · May 2002

The problem with changing the filter and not the oil is that the oil is still contaminated with acids, etc. that cannot be fitered out. I don't know anyone recommending this.

txyank1 · May 2002

(back in the '60's) before all the Jiffy Lube's that was ithe norm. I knew one person who NEVER changed oil. Just the filter and add a quart every 3k miles. His '50 Merc had well over 100k on it. Now granted that's no PT Cruiser.

tommyblue · May 2002

Thanks to everyone regarding feedback on the oil changes, and spark plugs. I'll be on vacation out of the country for a few weeks, with my PT snuggly locked in my garage. Lets all keep this site going, as it is both fun, informative, and we can help each other out. I'll miss my PT, but I've got some nice pics to show relatives...take care everyone

boaz47 · May 2002

If you go to some of the synthetic oil sites you will see that they suggest much the same thing as txyank has. Because they recommend that you change your oil at much longer intervals they believe you still need to change your filter more often than oil. The recommendation is to use a high quality oil filter also. Not simply one that is on sale. The Amsoil site suggests that if you want to know how your oil is holding up to their recommended changes you can send it in for testing. The oils job is to lubricate and the filters job is to clean. If you get an oil that lubricates better and has a wider heat range and one that does not break down as fast you should be able to leave it in longer. Remember, we used to have to change spark plugs every 20,000 miles also. Better materials make that unnecessary. There is nothing wrong with changing your oil every 3000 miles, I have done it for years with dino oil, but is it necessary with synthetic? Lots of synthetic oil users and manufacturers say no. I would suggest that a person change their oil as often as they feel comfortable. If that is 3000 miles fine. With synthetic the oil looks pretty clean at 3000 miles and you have to wonder if it needs changing. Still, even at $5.00 a quart it seems worth it for the improved heat range. At least to me. But then, I put an upgraded K&N intake on my PT two months after I got it and plan on upgrading the exhaust next month. It depends on your priorities.

tommyblue · May 2002

Hey does the upgraded K&N make it easier to get to the plugs? What does it cost and is it hard to find an installer? Are they legal in California? Thanks, Tommyblue

boaz47 · May 2002

No it isn't any easier to get to the plugs. Yes they are easy to install. Some are legal and some aren't. The legal ones have a CARB sticker on them and run from $200 TO $300 bucks. If you go to the FIY do it yourself section in some of the Pt cruiser sites they have discussions on how to make a cold air intake. You can also see what a cold air would cost you. I am adding a duel exhaust, both for looks and better flow. If you make one yourself keep the stock air box handy, after three years you may have to put it back on to smog it. Even if it did not help as much as some of us feel it does, it sounds a whole lot better. I built mine myself and if you cannot find instructions anywhere else I could e-mail you the directions. I live in California by the way and they do make legal ones.

karluvver1 · May 2002

We just bought our PT about a month ago and the only modification I may want to make is to get a louder muffler, as I like to hear what the engine is doing. Any suggestions?

BTW TOMMYBLUE have a nice vacation.

Best regards, Lee

karluvver1 · May 2002

One reason sparkplugs last longer than they used to is that unleaded gas does not foul them like leaded gas did.

boaz47 · May 2002

The other thing about a K&N type of open intake system is you can hear what the engine is doing above 2000 rpm. It doesn't sound much different unless you are above 2000 going to 4000 and then it sounds a bit like a old carb opening up. As far as a muffler goes a flowmaster two chamber is a bit louder than a three chamber or stock. One muffler shop suggested that if I went to a louder muffler that I add a tailpipe resonator to mellow the sound a bit.

karluvver1 · May 2002

It seems to me that would deteat the purpose. I had a 88 ply. voyager that needed a new muffler so I had the shop remove the resonator when they installed the new muffler and that gave it a sound that I liked.

boaz47 · May 2002

The new tailpipe resonators are not like the old small muffler things they used to make. These are simply small tailpipe tips with cuts made in the innerlining to produce a tone you are looking for. The big can the import people are using is an extream example of how they work. You don't need them but a four tends to get a bit buzzy when you have your foot in it.

markregel · June 2002

Hello PT Owners. I've watched this car since it was a concept, and now trying to decide if it right for me. In my state (NE) the freeway speed limit is 75MPH, how does it feel at 80 mph? I don't need a race car, but I don't want to downshift or feel like I'm straining the engine at ever hill. What about engine drone at this speed (the Neon is pretty bad about this)? My Intrepid has been a great car and I like it's smooth and quiet V6 engine (3.3L). Will I by happy trading for a Cruiser? If you would like to give advice, please email me at markd@inebraska.com

Thanks!

Kirstie_H · June 2002

Do you drive a PT Cruiser or Dodge Viper? If so, and if you're willing to talk with a major daily newspaper about your car, please send your vehicle info and contact info including phone number by noon Eastern on Monday, June 10 to jfallon@edmunds.com and/or lori_f@eudoramail.com. Thanks!

stoltzie · June 2002

I think I can answer your high speed question as we just spent a weekend driving our PT Cruiser through a flat, rectangular state about 300 miles north of you. The speed limit is 70 but most drive 75 to 80 without getting the highway patrol's attention.

At 80, the tach is at 3000 rpms. The car is quiet, suprisingly little wind noise, road roar or engine droning. Also, it is very stable with little steering correction required. Seeing the tach at 3 grand takes some getting used to as our 2001 Honda Odyssey is at about 2200 RPM at the same speeds.

I think PT's power peak starts at about three grand and holds it own for passing. I didn't feel a need to downshift when passing.

Gas mileage out was 25 mpg which is ok considering a stiff headwind, a green engine with about 800 miles on it and a full load of luggage and passengers. Return MPG was 32 due to a slight tail wind. I've heard mileage will increase once it is broken in. My recommendation is to rent one and drive it from Omaha to the Colorado state line and back and see how you like it compared to your V6 Intrepid.

S.

boaz47 · June 2002

Even at 3000 rpm. Like others I was surprised that it was turning that fast because it doesn’t seem to buzz much at that speed. The car holds the road well even in good breeze and a crosswind. Could be the bit of extra weight helps and maybe the rounded design. Whatever the reason I find that it rides better than many small cars I have owned. It Cruises well in other words.

karluvver1 · June 2002

I was impressed by the stability in crosswinds. It handles and corners very well, even though it is 10 inches higher than our Acura TL. The engine is smooth for a 4 cyl. The balance shafts help in that regard.

vido · June 2002

hi all...
does anyone particularly like the tether strap that's used to hold back the rear seat? is it too flimsy? cheap? what would you rather have in place of that to keep back to seat?
thanks!

boaz47 · June 2002

What tether strap you might be referring to. Did one of the PTs come with a strap instead of a latch?

vido · June 2002

i'm talking about the tether strap that's used to keep the rear seat in place after it has been tumbled forward. it attaches to the wall of the vehicle. there's a strap located on both outboard sides of the rear seat. once the seat is tumbled, look at the strap under the cushion.

crkeehn · June 2002

The few times I have tumbled the rear seats, the tether strap has worked just fine. It does a good job of holding the seat and keeping it from rattling

vido · June 2002

crkeehn, boaz47 & all,

Would you rather it be a one step process that locks the seat into place after it's been tumbled, or is the strap good enough?

thanks for responding!

Chrysler PT Cruiser (2005 and earlier)

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