It is different. I like the paddy-wagon wanna-be style it has. It's roomy & the back seat splits so you can get big stuff in when you need to. Its absolutely fun to drive! My huskies can get in & out on their own.

gas mileage could be better. turning radius sucks. mine doesn't want to start periodically. original tires were pieces of S--- & had to be replaced. I've never noticed the common A/C odor, but my cigarette smoking in the car may mask it.

Lets start by saying that despite its problems, I still LOVE the car, & I know several other people who own PTs. None of them has had any problems. I wasn't looking for a speedy little sportster, or a menacing giant SUV. I just wanted something DIFFERENT, roomy, and reliable. I had traded-in a '98 VW NewBeetle for my '02 PT that I bought in April '03. (I should've kept the VW!) I had the PT in the shop (the 1st of 6 times in a year) in June '03. Two Months & it's in the shop for FAILURE TO START. In a little over 1 year, my PT has stranded me over 1 dozen times! The dealer ran it through diagnostics every time I took the car in, checked wiring, checked fuses, checked connections, etc.. Among other things, I've had the starter replaced now twice. It just turned over 41000 miles. I think of it now as an abusive relationship. The car only ends up 'hurting' me every time I'm told it's fixed, but I still love the thing. HOWEVER, despite the fact that I love my PT, it is no longer reliable to me. I'm getting rid of it. Now I have to get a 'normal car' - which sucks. I've never owned a normal car.

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~1973 VW SuperBeetle - aside from no heat & little power, my favorite car ever, still in my possesion. ~1998 VW NewBeetle- I should've kept it! but I didn't want to drive a stick shift with my knee problem any more.

Wonderful ride. Looks good and has driven really well for us.

Headlights don't seem to want to work all the time. They just go out at random. Gas milage could be better.

I just love my PT but with the problems I may have to get rid of it. My headlights go out. I'll be driving at night with the brights on and suddenly no lights. We had to pull over and shut the car off for 10 minutes. They came on then. We drove home with no more problems. When we drove during the day we would put the brights on to see if we would lose them again. In the past two months we have lost the lights 3 more times. We just can't drive it at night. We went to the dealer, he said he had to check with Chrysler to see if any problems with headlights had been reported. He got back to us and said no other reports. For $64.50 an hour they would check it but he told us he was sure they wouldn't find anything unless it happened while they had the car. So here we are, a great car we can't drive after dark. No one seems to want to help us. This could be a dangerous situation. What if the lights went out on a busy highway. My car is never driven in our Minnesota winter, we garage it. It only has 40,000 miles on it and we sure have babied it. The only other problems we've ever had was a signal light went out. Other than that and the HEADLIGHTS it's been a wonderful car. We had to pay more for it because I wanted it so badly.

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We have a 1997 Crystler LHS which we love.

Looks great stock, real nice feel when driving. Sits up high so you have a good field of view. Much more room than it appears to have. Easily customized, I could go on forever about the stregnths of this car!

Won't be hitting that 1/4 mile as fast as the other cars without some nice upgrades under the hood. Only downside I've seen.

This car is alot of things, but fast is not one of them. It is a heavy car with a small engine in it, and it isn't very aerodynamic even if it looks incredibly smooth. My mother purchased the car for herself, but I fell inlove with it. I am soon to inherit it whe n I turn 16 in a few months. The Pt is NOT a minivan even if it is called one on this site. Stock it has the look of a retro street rod, and with all of the aftermarket products you can make it look like a car that came straight out of the past, or a modern street racer. If you want a car that is going to smoke in the 1/4 mile look somewhere else, but if you want a car with a nice smooth ride that is easy to make yours, then this is a car for you. You have the ability to turn this car into basically anything you want. If you have the money you can even turn her into a racing car. The seats come out easy, and with a supercharger and a few other aftermarket upgrades it will run quickly. I rarely ever meet someone who dislikes this car, when my friends first rode in it they though they were riding on air. Even stock is has a very nice ride, the only better ride in smoothness I have been in was my friends new caddy. It has a wide turning radius so it can be a little tricky if your used to a car that can turn those corners on a dime. Lowering the car, putting new struts and anti-sway bars will help this. This will help you turn those corners sharply and with more power. This will give you the feeling that your ride is powerful. My ride is important to me, but I don't mind if I can't run that 1/4 mile faster than anyone else, but if my ride looks good, and feels good when I drive it, I doubt anyone who is with me will complain. Great car

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Numerous small fords, chevy impala.

None left. No longer spiffy. Kind of silly really, looking back.

See main text. Truly a miserable car.

Where to start? Warning to all - this car is all show and no go. Unfortunately, this was my first car purchase, and i didn't do enough research. The first mistake I made was buying a Chrysler. What junk. I bought this car mostly because i thought it looked cool. Never again. Nothing could be less cool than sitting on the side of the road in a broken down car. This car is not reliable. If you read all of the reviews up to this point, what you'll see is that there are two types of reviews. 1)"we love our PT, it's so cool and it turns heads" and 2) "I used to like it because it was cool, but now it's just a headache and a gas guzzler." I am most definitely in the second group. One stat that I wish I had when I bought this PT Crapper, as one reviewer called is, was the average age of purchaser. It's 51!!!! Holy cow! This car is, apparantly, being bought by a bunch of older folks who are trying to recapture their youth, or some bizarre thing. After fighting a dozen stupid issues with this car, I have finally come to the following conclusion: What I need most in a car is reliability. It's wonderful to look snazy, but when I'm getting 15 mpg when it's running, and when it's breaking down or presenting issues constantly at other times, what is the point? Finally, I'd advise you to closely scrutinize the positive reviews. It seems the reviews are by people who are so enamored with the looks of the car so as to be blinded to its deficiencies. I guess when you're 55 it's not as important to have a car that actually functions well. Here's a short list of complaints (I can barely remember why I bought the darn thing) - Does NOT handle well. I guess if you have only driven minivans and buicks, it might seem like a formula 1 car, but not to me. Terrible visibility. I always feel as though I'm at risk of sideswiping other cars. HORRID gas mileage for a small car. VERY cheap. Stuff creaks, moans, squeeks. Really seems like all effort went into the exterior to hook you in. Faulty design. I have had numerous engine/trans issues as well as tire and rotor/break issues. Front end bottoms out if you don't crawl over imperfections in the road. A/C heat is awful. Before I drove this car I used to see PTC drivers and think, "cool." Now I just think "fool."

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I have owned several used cars, all of which were higher quality and more reliable.

1.Short size car with wide wheelbase 2.Big inside small outside 3.FWD that don't feel like a FWD 4.LOTS of interior cargo space 5.They made too much nows dirt cheap 6.The look will grow on you. 7.Cheap to replace parts($40 a win.switch) 8. Manual is easy and engine is enough for Cruiser. Enough power to go.(manual ONLY in my case)

One complaint ONLY. It feels like a dodge. From the outside you have no clue until u 1st touch the car. everything feels cheap. Even the chrome door handle feels like plastic. Alot I MEAN ALOT(99%) of the interior comes from dodge minivan. The ride and comfort level feel like a caravan. U just don't feel like u in a different car than a caravan. THis PT feels like a tuned Caravan. in order to remind urself u have a PT u have to go outside and stare at in for a moment but the minute u open the door and see the inside of the car it'll remind u that it's a dodge a dodge and it just a dodge caravan. People keep saying it's a Neon. No it's not it's a Caravan Hotrod. O actuall I have more that I don't like about the car. quality wise it's pretty sad. The body panels are thin. windows sqeaks and leathers on the steering wheel and seats wear too fast. suspension is louder and loose.....etc...

I got this used PT Cruiser for a few weeks now and I can say it's an OK car if it's around $8000 with 60K miles on it. When I got this car I wasn't expecting much and you shouldn't because it's a used car and it's still and dodge inside. All I want was that I don't want to be dissappointed and I'm not. I got this car cause of the funny looks and the cargo space. Also it's a 2001 model so it would last for a few years of beating. One thing u have to remember is that this is not a new car and eventhough it's a special car with it's unique look it's still a dodge inside. If u ever been in a caravan u will see the familiar plastikey interior materials. Also eeventhough it looks like a hotrod but it still ride like a Caravan with shorter and wider wheelbase If you don't expect too much for this car and just appreciate it's look and function(isn't that's what cars are for) than u'll be VERY happy with it. Remember eventhough it's looks unique it's nothing special about it

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Over all it's a OK product. Boring too once u got over the look. BUT if u can get it cheap it's a very useful and good car for everyday. Also It's alot better than any minivan. Expect a caravan and u'll be happy with it. Expect it's a Hotrod u'll be screw

Nice body-style, looks good sitting in the driveway. Too bad it won't actually go anywhere.

Transmission goes out after 84 miles.

I purchased a brand new (cool vanilla)PT Cruiser on Thursday night and it had 7 miles on it. Drove it for two days, on Saturday the transmission went out at 84 miles. The dealership managers gave me a hassle when I told them that I wanted to return the car. They said "it doesn't work that way." Spent all day Saturday dealing with this situation after being stranded on the side of the road for the first half of the day. I never thought that I would buy a new vehicle and have the transmission go out two days later. I have a very bad experience with the PT Cruiser and with Chrysler. Maybe other people have had better experiences. It could have been a lemon, but either way it does not give you a good impression on the quality of this car. I am still dealing with this and will be until next week when they can get "authorization" to do something further. The reason I purchased a new vehicle is because someone slammed into my car while I was sitting at a stoplight, and totalled it. Now I am still without a car. Can you believe the dealer actually tried to upgrade me to the Limited Edition at an extra several thousand dollars after dealing with this? Yeah right...

Awesome acceleration fast and smooth Very versatile and roomy interior Small exterior makes parking a breeze High seats (but not too high) Sports suspension 17" wheels Good Looks

Gas mileage Turning radius Sports seats have high bolsters which are great in the turns, but limit seating positions during long trips.

We love Our PT Cruiser GT Turbo. Before test driving it I thought PT Cruisers were all about style and little else, but this car combines the best of an SUV, and compact car, a large car and a sports car all in an affordable package. Lots of leg room, easy to get in/out of, good driving vantage point, and plenty of room for cargo. You can fit a load of 8 foot long 2X12s in it and still close the hatch. Although it's 8 inches shorter than a Nissan Sentra (169 vs 177 inches), "Its 121.5 cubic feet of interior volume is comparable to that of large cars such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or Lincoln Town Car." http://www.automotive.com/reviews/12/2004/chrysler/pt-cruiser/interior/ "In size, it compared to the Honda CR-V, with a similar wheelbase and only 2 cubic feet less cargo volume--despite standing some 2 inches lower and measuring nearly 9 inches shorter overall." (http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/used/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/2447) Yet it's 0-60 Acceleration of 7.2 seconds (with automatic transmission) is better than a 1967 Mustang with a V8 engine. It accelerates smoothly from 50-to-70-mph in a mere 4.7 seconds which is great for passing. (sourcehttp://www.albeedigital.com/supercoupe/articles/0-60times.html andhttp://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=16&article_id=2492.) The glove box is tiny, but they make up for it with a drawer under the passenger seat and large map pockets in doors. While the turning radius is large, it's still easy to park thanks to the rounded front end. And what a blast to drive.

Fun to look at and drive, exceptionally comfortable seats and driving position. Very versatile. The front passenger seatback can be folded down to make a desk, the rear seat can be folded and/or tumbled forward to make cargo room, and the rear shelf can be raised, lowered, or made into a mini picnic table. The car has storage space galore with a big glovebox, huge door pockets front and rear, and a sliding drawer under the front passenger seat.

Engine could be a bit more powerful but it's adequate as is; gas mileage could also stand to be better. The power window switches look out of place in the middle of the dashboard and would be more convenient on the doors. The rear pillars create a blind spot when backing up.

First of all, I suggest you ignore the negative reviews from "LuVmaHonda" and "Caravan Owner" that appear in this forum. Neither has sufficient experience with the PT Cruiser to make an objective evaluation if indeed they even drove the car as they claim. Considering the rather juvenile writing style I'm inclined to believe that they're teenaged boys who are still using mommy's car to get around. With that out of the way, let me say that this 47 year old owner has found his PT Cruiser to be a very enjoyable car to own and drive. Most people buy it for the retro look, and even after three years on the market this car still turns heads. It's also a very comfortable and fun car to drive. The driver sits up and has a very good view of the road although the hood slopes away a little too abruptly for me. The engine has reasonable acceleration, even with automatic, although you aren't going to be winning any stoplight drag races with it. The gas mileage could be better but I knew when I bought the car that I wasn't going to get the mileage I had been getting with my old Saturn. The main reason I bought the car aside from looks, versatility, and comfort was the deal I got on it. Demand for the PT has cooled off and my dealer had about 20 leftover '03 PT's he need to move. With all this and the factory rebate as well as factory to dealer incentives, the PT was too good a value to pass up.

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As far as I know there aren't any "similar" products out there yet.

Pick-up; speed from stop; comfort; ease of steering. Great looking; overall a fun car to drive.

Had to get used to the blind spot. Temptation to cruise way over the speed limit.

How is someone who has only test driven a Cruiser or leased a used one from an agendy qualified to preach against them? It's the same old story of PC vs Mac. "I hate Macs but I've never used one." My Cruiser is almost three years old and I love it. Only car I had I loved better was a V8 1976 Ford Granada. The Cruiser is very, very comfortable, handles easily and gets on the very fast Dallas-area freeways better than any Honda, Toyota or Japanese tin I've faced. The pick-up for an automatic is surprising. Takes me back to my years of fun driving an MGB. Where I bought is out in the country and the guy sell all his Fords, Chrysler and Jeep products low due to his service reputation. In the Dallas area I couldn't even get one when I was shopping; everyone was on a waiting list. I'm one of those Boomers, but I'm not stupid or foolish. I'll definintely buy another one. I've put 46,000+ miles on in 30 months.

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Have driven Mercury Tracer and Sable; Ford Granada and LTD; Ford pick-ups; Plymouth Arrow; Lincoln Continental; MGB; American Motors Hornet; VW Beetle; Chevy Impala.

Love the way it looks and drives. Not to mention all the attention it gets. Love all the products you can by to modify it.

Gas mileage could be a little better, and I had to get used to the blind spots.

I have been reading the reviews on this car and I am shocked by how many people dislike cruisers. Shame on you! I have had a number of cars in the past and this by far one of the best. The five speed manual transmission has plenty of power to me. Someone compared this car to a NEON...Oh my God there is no comparing a PT with a Neon. I had a '96 neon and it sucked! The gas milage was no better, it was always needing a repair of somekind, the ride was terrible, and talk about NO power! I have a 2 year old son and he loves to ride in my PT. We can now go on road trips up to 2 hours and he doesn't fuss at all. Unlike riding in the neon or my husbands Ford Explorer. I bought my PT used with about 11,000 miles on it and haven't had one problem with the car. Every car maker has lemons that is just a fact of life. My mom owned a Mercury Topaz years ago and had nothing but problems with the car from day one, she hated that car, but many other people she knew who had one said it was the best car they ever owned. So all I can say is maybe if your having major problems with a PT and you have under 36,000 miles on it then you just got one of the few lemons that came off the production line and trust me EVERY car maker has them!!

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Neon (sucked), pontiac grand prix, ford explorer, ford mustang (another bad car), pontiac trans am, camaro, honda civic, honda crx (that is also a fun car to drive), Buick Skylark, Olds cutlass (terrible car). If you don't buy a PT get a honda, its the only other make of car I would drive besides the PT!