Chrysler PT Cruiser Final Thoughts - too awful even for HubNut?

[@Rjhs001]

"So bad even Hub Nut hates it" Gotta get that on a tee shirt!

[@patrickjones5518]

Can honestly say I’ve never had any Chrysler products plenty of Ford and GM and lots of BMC products. And i live in Canada

[@nicklowe536]

Wonder if the new owner will buy one

[@chrisyeates9995]

🤣

[@waitwhat-qg9bc]

People will think the t-shirt refers to you. Is that really what you want?

[@Thecrazyvaclav]

As clarkson said "all those bongs and chimes are to remind Americans that they're in a car"

[@tlds83leonard12]

@freepieanchipsgarage he’s a multi millionaire, doubt he cares but good try haha

[@DetroitMicroSound]

Clarkson. The lovable moron, who's also frequently an asshole...Yet somehow we forgive him. Right, I don't feel that way about you at all, however.

[@waitwhat-qg9bc]

Clarkson is a plunty.

[@kingedwin]

I'm sure this conclusion surprises exactly 0 of your American watchers.

[@darwinskeeper421]

I think this PT Cruiser is in need of new shifter cables. My PT Cruiser's shifter was serviceable if uninspiring. The only time the shifter was really horrible was when the ends of the shift cable had worn from excessive use, it was very difficult to get the box into certain gears when that happened. Changing the shift cables cleared that problem right up. That said, the shift feel of my 2019 Kia Soul astounded me when I started driving it. The PT Cruiser uses a pair of push pull cables to connect the shifter to the transmission. I didn't think my Cruiser's driving dynamics were that bad, but I'm an American so I'm used to cars with flaccid suspensions and numb fingertip power steering. Anything with halfway decent suspension feels sporty to us. My impression of the PT was probably helped by the fact that I live in Kansas where most roads are flat and straight. The only place where I can get some serious cornering action is the freeway on and off ramps. Oddly enough, in my 16 years of owning my PT Cruiser, I can't recall the warning chime going off so much. It may be that my car was one of the better ones and never accused me of not having my seat belt on when I turned the key.

[@leftyjaysmith]

you could just replace the cable bushings ($20-25) if the gear shift does work well. no need to buy the actual cables. a set of lowering springs helps the suspension and handling. To each his own

[@howardkerr8174]

"...a horrible gear change..." Most of these PT Cruisers, at least here in the 'states were sold with automatic transmissions, in fact finding one when they were new with a manual transmission was near impossible. We also got different engine choices than the rest of the world got. We had the choice of a naturally aspirated or turbocharged 2.4 liter, so no peakiness...or at least not like you are experiencing. Finally, as I am sure you are aware, roads and car parks are wider in the U.S. so maneuvering isn't as difficult on the roads here as it would be in Europe. I am not defending this car, but merely pointing out that it (probably?) was not engineered with Europe in mind, or at least RHD.

[@gosportjamie]

We did get the n/a 2.4 in Europe too. It was much the same as the 2.0, but noisier and even less economical. They also cost a fortune to road tax...

[@gosportjamie]

@freepieanchipsgarage Different horses for different courses, though I have to say that basing it on GVW does rather seem to make sense as the heavier a vehicle is then the more damage it does to the roads. Of course, I don't think anyone labours under the misapprehension that what they spend in registering or taxing their vehicle actually gets spent on the roads...

[@My-Opinion-Doesnt-Matter]

@freepieanchipsgarage In most of Europe a >3000cc car costs more than $1000 to register for a year ^^ And don't me start about gas prices...

[@My-Opinion-Doesnt-Matter]

@freepieanchipsgarage Ha ha, ok, take care... kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4WTZIeti9eqbZo

[@My-Opinion-Doesnt-Matter]

Ok boomer.

[@ferrumignis]

An American friend used to call these a "Sport Hearse", quite apt really.

[@winandd8649]

Where's the "Sport" then?

[@jonnycando]

@@winandd8649 poetic license perhaps……🤔

[@GryphLane]

@@winandd8649 I mean, it goes above 30mph...

[@ferrumignis]

@@winandd8649 It's sportier than the average hearse to be fair 😁

[@paulday6875]

Always said that pt meant "portable toilet" 🤣

[@kyle8952]

hubnut: the suspension is bad, the steering is bad, the gearchange is bad, it makes annoying noises, it's hard to fix, and the interior is cheap. it is good at nothing, and makes roads i like to drive on unpleasant. also hubnut: i don't know why people hate it

[@grenvillephillips6998]

Less of a road test, more of an allergic reaction!

[@jefferysmith3930]

The horrible turning circle was included in the USA spec PT Cruisers too. “No problem whipping in that spot... no wait, won’t make it, have to backup” ....every bleeding time! The LWB Chrysler Town & Country van we replaced it with turns sharper and is easier to park than the PT.

[@adrianduffen600]

I work for a major car manufacturer, and we had an American Engineer working for us who used to work for Chrysler USA. He stated Chryslers were good cars but not built to last.......

[@660einzylinder]

'...the children hate the PT Cruiser...' Clearly Miss Hubnut has endowed her kids with a modicum of taste! Retro styling a car either works, or (usually) flops monumentally, the PT Cruiser in my eyes fits the latter, and always has.

[@drr1071]

Americans bought these in droves due to the styling which ironically everyone hates now. Most went from larger more powerful cars and then disliked the lack of power and poor build quality.

[@Okanagan48]

Same in Canada. Disposable cars.

[@davew4066]

I've had 2 PT Cruisers, One was a 2001 2.0lt petrol....hated the lack of power , 28 mpg and electrical faults, only had it 2 years. Then some years later bought a second generation 2007 2.2diesel (the 150bhp version) and loved it, loads of power, 50 mpg, and nothing ever went wrong with it. It felt better made than the first one. I've regretted selling it ever since. The difference between the two versions was night and day.

[@harry-james-books]

Most of the 2ltrs have the timing belts changed by monkeys and put on one cog out. Runs fine, but is ultimately gutless. Agree on the diesel 2nd Gen - and (ahem) tweaking the turbo is a piece of pee... seats out, add lightness - first gear for 10 yards, straight into second and floor it - glorious for leaving "hot hatches" at lights

[@Mitch-Hendren]

Loved the look of these when they came out . Even took one on a test drive . Was ok for 30 mins or so tootling around the town . Then we hired one later on in the year for a weeks holiday in and around Waterford/Cork.. thankfully we did or I'd have bought one. Underpowered, squeaky plastic, windows that stuck down, very very thirsty and hard to navigate sharp twisty rural roads ...lesson learned before buying a new car hire one first , live with it . (Ended up buying a 2 yr old x type which i still drive 12 years later .)

[@peterking3202]

I had an x type (lovely green) and now a convertible cruiser. This thing is fun but wouldn't have bought a hard top.

[@jfv65]

With these US cars just locate where that bong speaker is and disconnect it. No more agrivation/iritation.

[@frglee]

Some of the early luxury BL Austin Maestros had voice synth warnings, quite 'futuristic' for the early 1980s. They succeeded in being rather annoying, and I understand that many were disconnected a few months after delivery, often by main dealers. They were removed as a feature of later versions of the car within a short time.

[@philhealey449]

Wouldn't that activate the bong failure warning bong?

[@JerryBeatFreak]

Did you sit in the backseat while someone else was driving? Because if memory serves me right, That's an experience. You can't see anything but the headliner if you're normal height and the sensation of body roll is amplified massively.

[@dj_paultuk7052]

In 2009 I had a Dodge Nitro SXT 3.7 V6. All part of the Chrysler family. They could not sell them in the UK and so they ended up on insane £120 a month leases, so i grabbed one. It was actually a hoot to drive and pretty quick. Certainly about the only SUV i know that you can power slide. It was fairly nice to drive, had an awesome Infiniti sound system. Downside was the super cheap interior designed by Playmobile, and the MPG which was, wait for it...... 16 to 22mpg. 22 Being the absolute best. It was horrific on fuel so was happy to see it go at the end of the lease.

[@vwestlife]

In American cars -- especially Chryslers -- it is normal that you switch on the dome light by turning the dashboard brightness dial past its maximum setting. Even the Italian-made, FIAT-designed Jeep Renegade follows this design.

[@commentmachine1]

The AU Falcon he had in NZ works in the same way

[@ninooooo2128]

Yep I’ve owned quite a few Chrysler grand voyagers which I think all had this. In my 2012 Grand voyager it used to turn on all the lights in the car.

[@ajfurrell3744]

My Aussie Chrysler valiant is the same.

[@trabantadmirer9881]

My 2012 Chrysler 200 (Sebring) has it too.

[@jasonk7072]

Back in the early 2000s someone looked at a low spec Focus or Golf and though no, I don’t want comfort, refinement, economy, a modicum of performance and handling prowess. I don’t want any of these things, I want a Chrysler PT Cruiser. I’m all for being different, but this is like hammering nails into your testicles and running out into the street with your trousers round your ankles shouting ‘I’M QUIRKY!’ I don’t like the PT Cruiser either.

[@MetalTrabant]

Focus and Golf are for the average boring citizens... not everyone is a middle-aged German dad in mind.

[@Mr8erg]

Best comment so far, unfortunately the opinion will upset people with pony tails who dream of being American…

[@jasonk7072]

@@MetalTrabant Not everyone is quite so judgemental. The Focus and Golf in 200x were excellent choices, the PT Cruiser a rather perverse one.

[@MetalTrabant]

@@jasonk7072 Yeah, great choices, if you're okay with blending in the crowd... I'm not. I love "perverse" cars, and can't be bothered with boring ones. Though the look of the 1st Focus was quite revolutional back then with the New Edge design language, I liked it.

[@jasonk7072]

@@MetalTrabant The only reason they blended in was because they were rightfully popular. As you say, at the time the Focus was a brave, daring design and a great drive, the Golf was a return to form after the disappointing Mk3 and brought a high quality, premium feeling interior to a relatively mundane section of the market. There was plenty of unsalted porridge around in the early 2000s, the Vauxhall Astra and Nissan Almera immediately spring to mind, in that context I would maintain the Focus and Golf are worth more than a ‘German dad’ dismissal.

[@robertlambert8719]

Totally agree with you on this car! I am a mechanic of many years experience and even with full workshop equipment I really struggled with these cars. Quite like the retro looks, but not the driving experience. Must try harder, Chrysler! Just a suggestion, if you want a REALLY awkward job, try fitting a water pump to a Chrysler Voyager diesel! The air was blue in our workshop that day!

[@harry-james-books]

Pish. Take the radiator out (30 minutes uncluding a cuppa) and everything - everything - is accesible.

[@DetroitMicroSound]

My sister had the two-tone silver and blue Dream Cruiser. It went pretty damn good. Too good. Scary at over 110 or so, mph.

[@renes9966]

Get your hands on a Dodge Caliber, for a laugh. I wonder if that might be worse. I Drove one with a CVT and it was like a bad practical joke!

[@elonmask50]

My neighbours daughter bought one it was her first ever new car purchase, she owned it for less than a Month and traded in. Muricans don’t know how to cog swap so I’m surprised it even came out with a manual box. 💩 💩 💩 from fan to flywheel. P.S. it won’t be the oil pressure switch, it will be the loom or the computer and yes Ian, other than my neighbour, you’re the only one who likes the look of it.

[@paulbennell3313]

The Matiz is going to be like a little go-kart after driving the PT Cruiser!

[@AaronSmart.online]

Something to consider with "moderns": They may have sensors on every seat (or at least the front seats) to warn about seat belts, so any heavy load on the seat can set these off - though if it's that heavy, it might be a good idea to secure the load with the belt anyway. Better designed cars will tell you exactly which seat is not buckled (on the MFD or individual warning lights).

[@Markcain268]

Just disconnect the buzzer

[@1Haloninja]

MFD?

[@AaronSmart.online]

@@1Haloninja multi-function display

[@carlreading9916]

Aaron. Not just moderns. My Triumph Stag (1978) has a dashboard warning light when there is a person in the seat and the belt is not fastened. Always lights up when there is a passenger in the car with belt fastened. Perhaps my wife is too light to trigger the sensor in the seat? At least it doesn't "Bong" or "Buzz"!

[@rich_edwards79]

@@carlreading9916 yep, and of course the Volvo 240 and 740 which had a somewhat less annoying rapid click tone and a flashing light seatbelt warning.

[@sbomorse]

I had a 2007 Facelift model and it was indeed awful. Went wrong so many times and the 2.4 auto I had was gas converted and still only did 17-19MPG.

[@TheKnobCalledTone.]

The Hublets have good taste.

[@niallsommerville9941]

Turning circle of a supertanker and a steering wheel designed for Pirates, wonderful. For once I'm in styling agreement with the Yoof.

[@BReal-10EC]

The engine compartment access issues are really what killed these off as used vehicles. Garages hated to work on them. I think the Chevy HHR had a similar issue with similarly retro lower fenders and hood bulge up front. Also, I remember an owner somebody saying something about the gear oil years ago. Allegedly some of these were shipping with regular ATF instead of proper gear oil in the manuals, and that can make the shifter really balky and stiff, especially when cold. Many of these compact based wagons also suffer from excessive suspension wear as the platform was not originally designed for such a heavy vehicle (Even the Mazda5 had this issue).

[@SoLDMG]

I remember talking to a teacher in middle school and one of these drove past. I said “wow that is one of the ugliest cars I’ve ever seen” and the teacher said “that’s my wife, we’ve got 3.” Most awkward thing I can remember.

[@Pfirtzer]

Well I had a awkward moment a few weeks back, I went to a grocery shop and said:.'' excuse me sir where do you have honey or something like that'' It turned out he was a female, Once outside in my car I had a laugh so hard people must have thought I was mad. Shit happens.

[@silversubaru590]

@@Pfirtzer getting harder to know what gender people are .

[@MrAshleydickens]

I used to have a silver PT Cruiser - loved it, very comfy, awesome stereo and just good fun, although awful turning circle

[@fk4515]

Well the chimes are the law here in the US most of us don't like them either. As far as the gear change maybe 10% in the US had a stick shift it wasn't a priority for them. It was a Sister to the Dodge Neon built on the same platform.

[@ricknel76nelson54]

Sad. I've always liked the look of the PT. But you are right, we tend to judge this by how they look, not on how they actually perform. The AU Falcon is the perfect example.

[@antw3565]

The PT Cruser, "I'd hoped for a bit more really". Surprised that wasn't their advertising tag line

[@IngramCars]

Imagine being in the dire situation of having to choose between driving a PT Cruiser or a CityRover.

[@MillerCorner]

For me, it's a characterful, likeable car because of, not in spite of its flaws! If it had decent lock and a normal gearchange, it'd be unremarkable

[@frothe42]

I see these vehicles all over where I am here in upstate New York. It must be said, this is made for US roads. Another thing I must emphasize is Chrysler, which Daimler owned at the time, is labeled as a truck to avoid car EPA fuel requirements, where the fuel requirements were lower for trucks. Weirdly, the convertible was considered a car, which is on a similar chassis. You have blame Daimler Benz for this! As for rust, well, we do NOT have the stringent standards as you do in the UK 🇬🇧, where most I see would NEVER past inspection and would be (and some should be) scrapped. Personally, I am a GM fan (Vauxhall, Opel, US GM).

[@marcusdamberger]

The reason they labeled it a truck was to lower Chryslers average fuel economy fleet vehicle consumption for their trucks. Or Corporate Average Fuel Economy, CAFE standard that was enacted after the Arab Oil Embargo in 1975. So manufactures don't just produce gas guzzler's for their entire range of cars and trucks. They have to be compliant with the standard as it increases fuel economy over time, so sometimes the manufactures will take a vehicle that is clearly more a car and label it a truck to help their average trucks dismal fuel economy they offer pass the CAFE standard. A stopgap or shortcut is to take a vehicle like the PT Cruiser and say it's a truck instead of a car.. Surprising considering the underpinnings of the PT Cruiser is the Dodge Neon. Considered a compact car in America at the time.. SUV's are the same, they are considered a truck, so they can get shitty gas mileage, and now Ford is dropping all their sedans for SUV's except the Mustang. Must be why they classify the Mach-E a Mustang to boost their Mustang lineup's average gas mileage economy since it will be the only car in their lineup. i.e. no small cars to help with the average fuel economy of that class, but an all electric car takes that average way down.

[@niklaswejedal463]

Now that was a brutally honest conclusion for the Pitty Crusier... And you even like the looks - no wonder people who does not even do that, feel what they feel about it...

[@SorryIwasntListening]

Right.... I had one in candy apple green about 4 years ago.... the kids called it "the pimpy car"...smelt like somebody had either had an animal accident or had spilt milk and left it in the sun and the gearbox was indeed truly dreadful. Parts were relatively difficult to get hold of, it kept stalling at roundabouts and the plastics creaked when you went round the corner. But it annoyed the hell out of the kids ....so I kept it for 6-months.

[@OhioPeteS2k]

I’ve never liked them nor their looks. My stories revolving around these is that one of my aunts ordered the first one in her area, and still has it today. The last time I was in England, 18 years ago, the owner of the company I was visiting was very excited that he ordered a PT and was getting rid of his Jaguar X type. The last time I drove one was supposedly the best one they made: a turbo convertible. It was an auto but could barely chirp the tires from a stop.

[@JamesG75]

I like the FX4-esque styling but I don't think I could own one. The PT Cruiser isn't very "me"

[@davidwarr8600]

This is too bad. I have a 2006 model and it is great. It looks great and is very practical. Lots of people don’t like it but I do and that is the only thing that matters. Chrysler sold a million of these. That must be considered a success by any measure. Compare that to the number of MGs, Triumphs and Jaguars that have been sold.

[@martinfreekie7659]

I like the way they tried to do something different instead of the usual boring styling. Shame they did to a crap car. Someone in work has a convertible one that they have souped up to look sporty. I think they are doing it ironically but I'm not sure.😄

[@PJBonoVox]

Yeah, totally get what they were going for with this. It just ended up with 'black cab' sensibilities. Probably wasn't radical *enough*.

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

I had one as a hire care in Florida for a fortnight once. I was really excited to have it. It was of course an automatic and the manual makes that seem bad so you can imagine just how hideous that was.

[@frothe42]

The US version came with a 2.4 litre 4 cylinder standard.

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

That’s the one, with probably less power with all the emissions junk added lol

[@frothe42]

@@ThatMicro43Guy the 2.4 litre 4 produced about 150 hp. The 5 speed was Getrag. 10 hp more than the 2.0 litre 4.

[@dlittlester]

They're poorly thought of on this side of the Atlantic too. I think every one we got into the shop needed lower control arms (no ball joints or bushings available), and sway bar links. The designer of this car later went over to GM and designed the HHR (Heritage High Roof) based on the Cobalt.

[@alwaysinsideout]

Love my pt cruiser diesel. I laugh looking at the sheep in the plastic bubbles. See how easy it is to be negative. I like all types of cars, but my pt is a happy car.

[@harry-james-books]

Anyone who doesn't like PT's has never owned one. See video for details.

[@adcuz]

There really is no excuse for this car to exist. Absolutely horrendous.

[@ThePowerbloke]

They tried to sell it on the 'retro' styling but the Neon engine and underpinnings shone through only too well.

[@MeDicen_Rocha]

Uh well... considering it sold very well for its 9 year run, I wouldnt say it failed

[@AnthonyEvelyn]

It sold a little bit too well to be honest. I think the Stateside auto PT Cruiser was better.

[@JunkTardis]

I've had my PT for almost 4 years, and covered 60,000 miles in it including cross the USA trips. I love it, mine is slightly modified and all the service items are up to date. She's stiffened and lowered, on poly bushings and solid motor mounts etc. The suspension should not feel jiggly, it's likely the sock absorbers need replacing. I put KYB Gas-A-Just shocks on mine, and it fixed a ton of body roll and jiggle. My only complaint is the dinging, but that's true of 99% of American manufacturers to add a dumb-dumb bong to every little action. I can get away with a larger turning circle here in the states, though I am curious how it will be when I ship mine UK side. As for the gear changes, mine is an automatic and other than it being a 4 speed I have no complaints. She sounds angry when revved and I love that. Oil Pressure switch is a common fault on these, easier replaced when it's on a ramp. And you should use a mopar replacement, aftermarket sensors are complete rubbish. I don't get the hate either though, because it's thoroughly enjoyable to own long-term. Not once did I get uncomfortable on my last 4600 mile trip. I've found other PT owners with some cringy mods to be kinda meh for the rest of us. Maybe when I get to bring mine to the UK, I'll change your mind with my 2nd gen PT Touring. It's a shame you didn't get to use the Turbocharged version, it's infinitely better. You can check out my PT on instagram, my username is 'junktardis'

[@twocvbloke]

I've never been that keen on the looks of the PT Cruiser, it just looks like someone went and designed what americans think looked like a london taxi, and then called it a retro-styled car, but forgot to actually make it a good car, even if it was intended to be an affordable transport car...

[@jmurray01]

@freepieanchipsgarage Indeed, sadly some people don't enjoy driving any car and therefore don't know what drives well and what doesn't.

[@jmurray01]

@freepieanchipsgarage I never said it did?

[@sarkybugger5009]

You know it's bad, when a Matiz is a step up...

[@channex8179]

So what your saying Ian is the PT Cruiser is the absolute dog of a car I summed it up to be about 10 years ago when I had the misfortune to drive one for about a week when my Ibiza GTI Cupra Sport was In for paint. On a side note if you want to see a cool car, I restore 2cv’s as a hobby with my dad and have been involved with 2cv’s my entire life thanks to him and have just recreated a yellow 007 special edition DM me if your interested for more information.

[@mattrooke3210]

I liked the retro looks when they first come out which soon wore off, from afar it stands out from the crowd, up close the poverty spec build quality is very evident.

[@Menticknap]

We bought ours new in 04. Sold it it for £250 13 years later. My wife loved it and it was a good family carrier. Cost us loads of cash for every service - it needed rubber bushes every 12 months.

[@davidwarren1315]

I have had the displeasure of working on these and the search for parts ie handbrake shoe backplates is hardwork

[@dunebasher1971]

It's the kind of car where you resign yourself in advance to having to get your parts from America.

[@Super5gon]

In occasions I've considered a PT Cruiser as a daily driver, but eventually the lack of aftermarket service in Europe and the difficulty of servicing the engine, as well as fuel consumption has put me off. Instead I got a 1.6 16v Xsara. But I love the style and the quirkyness of these Chryslers.

[@chrisfolkharmonicaplayer6292]

The Chrysler Dodge Promaster Van ,(Fiat ) at work gives seatbelt alarms too when you are belted .

[@dunc1958]

I had two Chryslers, not the PT but the mk2 Neon, which I believe are mechanicaly similar (and interior trim too). Mine were both automatic and between the two of them we covered almost 200,000 miles, never let us down the only relacement parts (other than routine servce items) were the suspension lower links at the front and anti roll bar rubbers and one set of track rod ends. I one drove a PT which was a manual. and didn't like it but I'm an automatic gearbox preferrer.

[@mrfairsthename7470]

Stiff gearchanges normal Pt stuff , bad Electrics and expensive parts , The diesel ones I have driven are almost too fast for the chassis when boost kicks in .Horrible things .

[@mbak7801]

ICE CREAM - "We sat and ate it in that very park". I first heard "We sat naked in that very park". After rewinding and playing a few times I can at last hear the proper words. Quite a shock the first time around. Must get rid of some ear wax.

[@offgrid7837]

Starts the video- "Overall this isn't a bad car." Apart from build quality, ride quality, ease of maintenance, gearchange, interior plastics, controls, lock, cornering, lack of torque and the kids hate it.

[@tonymaries1652]

You were driving the car for most of this video, so I got a good look of an interior which I have never seen before. What completely ruins the car as a retro artefact is the dashboard and particularly the central console module, which looks as though it was lifted straight from a modern car - presumably the Chrysler Neon. The interior of the car should actually look like a 1950s American car so the dashboard should be precisely that, a shaped piece of wood or metal (even if it is made from plastic) which has the dials and switches attached directly to it. And there should be a bit of chrome and 1950s style text graphics. Surely it shouldn't have been too difficult to use all the existing dials and switch gear and incorporate them into a 1950s-look panel. Jaguar did a much better job with their two retro cars from the same period and Nissan also did a nice job with the Figaro. The seats also look like standard modern seats. Obviously they have to be for safety reasons but they could have been in two contrasting colours in leatherette.

[@StevesMachines]

I like the styling, but they do seem to attract a massive amount of stick on tat! Bongos beep a lot too, but not as bad as that.

[@mariopizzamanmario8563]

Holy crab you are really not liking it, eh. Meanwhile I drove one. Must admit - you are right...

[@1mic3]

We recently spent a week in a dog friendly holiday cottage in aberairon, a lovely place! Ice cream was sampled too!

[@owensteele1274]

Doors-open beeping seems to be a Honda thing as well. After parking up both my S2000 and FR-V, the key always has to be removed before opening the driver's door to get out, and the driver's door always has to be closed before inserting the key to start them, to avoid that annoying sound. It's nowhere near as loud as that PT Cruiser, mind.

[@TheKnobCalledTone.]

I think it's an American thing.

[@TassieLorenzo]

@@TheKnobCalledTone. American cars also honk when locked with the remote for some inexplicable reason...

[@dglcomputers1498]

I know when mu step-mum had her '07 Cabrio my dad was driving it and had to go all the way round a mini roundabout, he had to reverse to get around it!

[@Mach_One_Photos]

a few years ago at a rental desk in Orlando l had a Ford Taurus or similar booked and the desk agent said "for only $280.00 plus tax he could upgrade me to a PT cruiser" l nearly wet my pants laughing and took the Taurus

[@erichahn1153]

This car was great in the showroom but it still drove like and had the horrible reliability of the Dodge Neon which it was based on. They are real inexpensive used for good reason.

[@seancooke4127]

I'm sorry, I still like it. It has space, pace, style and some quirkiness. Holding the revs way past 4,000 rpm does have a tendency to drain the fuel ⛽ tank I'm afraid Ian. Bye PT Cruiser, so sorry that you were misunderstood.

[@vidtech2630]

The PT is a heavy car for the 2 liter engine as well as being un aerodynamic, same engine in a a manual Neon can return 6.8 /100 driven gramps style . And around 7.5 /100 driven , faster.

[@laurencecope7083]

My cousin has 2, one for driving, and the second as a doner car. He had the ecu fail, which is located on the firewall above the exhaust manifold.

[@ryano8768]

Hairpin bends? *Laughs in Mk6 Fiesta* I'm glad you've had a PT Cruiser, you've probably scratched an itch for a lot of us.

[@KiwiStag74]

When I first saw the prototypes, I was eager to see the resulting road-going vehicle. It reminded me of a modern take on a rodded '30s saloon and I couldn't wait to try one. First interaction with one was at a motorshow. I was still wowed by the exterior looks and opened the door to sit in it. Hmmmm.....isn't it a bit placticky compared to what they were aiming for? I expected acres of leather and maybe a bit of painted tin or wood trim, along with switches made from something resembling Bakelite or at least old-fashioned toggle switches, but no. None of that was present....and while the seats were comfy even when new, I felt like I was in a Mitsubishi Chariot - the first gen people-mover of the late 80s. Not what I expected at all! As you pointed out, Ian, the tactile surfaces were just....yuck. Gear knob, indicator / wiper switch, hand brake lever - they reminded me of the feel of an indicator switch in a Lada 2104 and the gearbox had a similar agricultural movement, in that it seemed vague yet stiff at the same time. The Lada was sort-of 'stab the gear stick in the direction of where you think the next gear might be and lift the clutch to see if you were right'. While the PTC wasn't quite that bad, gear changes were laborious and the gear knob wasn't something pleasant to the touch to do it with, as one's hand did not easily change position on the knob without the movement being deliberate. Dash switches were much the same as other cars of the era - functional, but cheap in feel - but the biggest shock was under the bonnet. I opened the lid and the engine bay was full......but I could only see four cylinders. This was a good thing because that was all there actually were, but that's also the only option you got. There was no V6 and DEFINITELY no V8 - either of which would have suited that gorgeous body style SO much better.....and had they actually spent a bit of time thinking about it and making sure it was going to work ok in there. But since it appeared they hadn't done much thinking with what they DID release, the point was moot......and I let the bonnet drop on my disappointment. When I finally summed up a vague amount of enthusiasm to try driving one a few years later, I think it is still the shortest test drive I have ever had. I disliked driving it even more than I thought I would when I sat in it for the first time. Sloppy yet firm suspension with no pattern to it's ride, so much yaw and pitch through the corners I was reminded of piloting my Dad's boat in a squall on the Waitemata harbour (which is where I would have preferred to park the car) and the seat's support through tight bends was near nil. The glare off the dash in bright sunlight was horrible both in my eyes and the fact it could be seen on the inside of the windscreen, partially blocking my view. She was a right old hector to reverse into a parallel parking space without time being no object and all. I have not driven many cars that I hate with a passion, but the PT Cruiser is one of them. Whatever Chrysler were aiming at with this vehicle, they missed it completely, in my opinion. Despite its name, it was definitely not a cruiser, the go pedal's response did not match the car's looks and practicality was also low due to the near vertical application aspect of any load space. It tried to be retro-chic and cool but with all the modern conveniences.....but somewhere along the way the engineers gave up, the stylists abandoned the interior and then the accountants came in and ruined it for everyone. I have not driven one since.....and never will again if I have any other option up to and including walking.

[@sarkybugger5009]

Is that a no? ;o) Nice review, BTW.

[@peterking3202]

10:23 Just bought a convertible for a bit of fun at the weekend. Yes it's funky ..but not as boring looking as the car you drive.

[@KiwiStag74]

@@peterking3202 - I drive a Triumph Stag as my daily. I can't think of many vehicles I'd rather sit and look at than that, to be honest.....and boring is not a word I have ever (and I mean EVER) heard anyone on TV, KZbin or real life use in regard to the Stag's looks - and certainly not about the way it sounds or drives. My other two drivers are a Triumph 2500S and a Mk4 Mini running a rather tickled up 1275cc engine. All are manual (or manual with overdrive as the Triumphs are) and I'll bet anything you like that I get more thumbs ups and more people admiring any one of them (or that will happily chat to me about them) when I am out and about in one week than will ever approach the Cruiser in a year.....and that number should not include the people who stop and say that they are surprised the Cruiser is still going. The only difference between a hard top and a convertible Cruiser is that at least the convertible has a good reason when water ends up inside it.

[@peterking3202]

Good for you! Glad they are still running.

[@peterking3202]

Hmm...nice try but no cigar. You sound very bitter and upset. It's only a car, why the rant. You don't like them, others do .

[@rich_edwards79]

Based on the similarly terrible Neon. My American sister in law had one for a year or so and maintains that it was by far the worst car she has ever owned. Fortunately the Boston winters killed most of them before they were ten years old, so very few survive. Give me a first gen 300C any day... love the styling of those!

[@Ragnar8504]

Funnily enough, I know someone who wrecked at least one car a year, wild rural youth and all that. The only one he drove until it properly fell to bits was his then-girflriend's blue Neon. They had that for something like ten years until it was an utter heap.

[@MrTrundleon]

One of the best/honest automotive evaluations I've seen yet!

[@Nile9063]

I was a kid these came to market and I was quite impressed with the styling. I was always excited when I saw one... I would never want to own one though... I like good handling cars where you sit close to the ground...

[@robertmyers5269]

I enjoy watching your videos to get a take on vehicles we don't see here in the U.S.. Seeing your reaction to the PT Cruiser is enlightening. in the U.S. there is also a real love it or hate it reaction. Chrysler flogged off many limited edition models to appeal to the retro-fan market. An interesting point here (I don't know if it was the situation in the U.K.) is that since all the seats other than the driver's were removable, Chrysler had it counted as a truck for fleet fuel economy calculations. Given the hate it side of evaluation, a common U.S. nickname is 'vagina repellent'.

[@upstandingmember2518]

My old PT turned into a £42 donate to the Yorkshire air ambulance. Bought new & a money pit to boot... the boot rotted away.

[@RichieRouge206]

I kinda like these because people hate them. But Chrysler were to be applauded for being daring for making this and the many other modern retro cars that they produced at the time. Great video Ian

[@DIYPanda1]

I always liked the styling of these too, handsome car and a bit different.

[@gkjsooley]

PS - I love the Dyane’s awkwardness, and would take one over a 2CV any day.

[@michaeltutty1540]

My biggest complaint with the PT is the narrow cockpit. Nowhere for my elbows

[@hugobloemers4425]

Any other channel and a title like this (in the context of the channel) would be a mega click bait. Not here, HubNut does what it says on the tin and we thank you for it :)

[@Kuessemir]

Yes, accurate. All Americans agree with your assessment except for 89year old retiree's Donny and Doris from Tennessee.

[@peterofenback6095]

My brother drove a PT Cruiser with the Mercedes diesel engine for 10 years. He had bought the car because of its styling. The car was neither particularly reliable nor particularly unreliable. The engine was quite powerful. Every now and then, my brother would drive the car at full throttle on the autobahn to burn the diesel particulate filter free. This created a black cloud that obscured the view of following motorists. The car regularly received the prescribed service and the workshop did an average job. When Chrysler was taken over by Fiat, difficulties began with the supply of spare parts. This and the advanced age of the PT Cruiser finally led to my brother parting with the car.

[@jmurray01]

I did wonder if this would be the one car even you couldn't see the positives in! A colleague of mine had the diesel version and it seemed to put out a lot of smoke and create a lot of noise without actually going very fast!

[@stozzer77]

Don't understand the hate to be honest. I've had a PT Cruiser for 9 years and it's never broken down and given me miles and miles of trouble free driving. It's generally well equipped for a car it's age and class. Yes, it's looks are marmite but at least Chrysler tried to be unique with it's styling. I've had many cars over the years and had far worse Volvos, Audis and Rovers than the PT Cruiser.

[@GreyTheFloydianSergal]

From a styling point of view, the PT cruiser could of been a looker, but it just fails to inspire. I think there's definitely a reason why retro style cars are based on designs from the fifties & sixties rather than thirties (Beetle aside) because trying to get the look of a car with running boards & separate wings to be crash resistant & pedestrian safe is just a complete non starter. I also reckon a retro style car should be fun to look at too & the cruiser just doesn't. I've also driven one of these cars & they are so uninspiring to drive, it's utterly tragic. I think Chrysler should of gone for a modern take on something like a Plymouth Business coupe from the forties & fifties, that would of been a lot more fun

[@adamtoms2726]

You've come to right conclusion, and it's rather telling that it hardly saw any service on the fleet, you give all cars a fair chance, but yeah I don't think these were Chrysler's best efforts.

[@johnbrereton5229]

I personally have always liked the individual styling of this car, completely different to the boring Euro boxes clogging our roads. But from your test it seems that's one of its only merits.

[@coolumesque]

I've got a mint condition 2005 PT & it's freakin awesome. Everywhere I go people stare at it & say it's an amazing car. It runs like a dream & is very fast & powerful when you need it to be. It's super comfortable & holds a lot of stuff. It's a small car so it's easy to park. There's nothing wrong with PT's & people who whine about them have a mental problem. Have a nice day

[@smithp573]

When I used to play company hire car roulette I got one of the first UK petrol manual ones and it was absolutely awful. It's sole "redeeming" feature was the fact you could pretty much leave it in 3rd 95% of the time and just forget to change gear and it seemed perfectly happy with that. Otherwise, they should have gone straight from the showroom to landfill.

[@HubNut]

Yes, it's a very tractable engine. That's a plus.

[@sameyers2670]

The late Ted Connolly of Car Mechanics Magazine had 3 in a row, he always said they had a worse turning circle than the Bismark and the fuel economy was terrible

[@alansimpson835]

I can see exactly why you wouldn't like it. I know there is a Hubnut penchant to take something that is overlooked, flies under the radar but usually had some sort of endearing character about it. With this, the character seems to be all about the styling, so people do look at it, but there is no hidden depth so it's sort of all downhill from the styling.

[@philiplaskey5554]

I haven't seen one of those on the road for years. I think the first objection in the UK was their poor economy plus poor performance.

[@Pfirtzer]

I have seen a couple in the Netherlands, even one convertible. I do like these cars, the design outside I love, not sure of the inside, looks too much American, not like that much.

[@chinnyvision]

My in laws had one. For something that looks like a London Cab you'd think the turning circle would be excellent. Nope, quite the opposite. And it was also plastic overload.

[@robinjones6999]

To be fare Ian, I have never heard a good thing about the Cruiser

[@philhealey449]

So the Triumph Mayflower has finally met its match ? Edit, I had a brief glimpse a few days back of another contender, which I've now identified as a Mitsubishi Pajero Junior Flying Pug, a vehicle apparently spanning 1955 to 1995 within ten feet.

[@rrich52806]

My final thoughts in USA there are so many from 500USD to 6000USD. They made over 1.3 MILLION world wide. Pretty good car for a 11 to 21 years old. Parts available by the galore. After 60,000 to 150,000 US Miles on their clock as any older car they need maintenance to keep running. I got my 2010 Couture edition few years ago. Had 72,000 USM on it. Had tune up and timing belt replaced $$. In the 2000 I was raising a family and had a big Ford conversion van. Needed the room for travel. No regrets owning my PT. I had a used Suzuki 4WD X90 in the past so I like vehicles that stand out. Makes me wonder why the fuk did you bought the 21 YEAR OLD CAR and BITCH,

[@HubNut]

A) I didn't buy it. B) I drive 20-30 year old cars all the time, so my grumbles are valid. C) I freely admitted that some people like them, and that's fine.

[@johnkarwacki686]

I owned two of these - a petrol one for two years and a diesel version for 11 years and loved both - diesel was built in Austria though so maybe better on build quality and brilliant fuel economy compared to petrol engine.