I'm considering becoming a slave to a PT

[Goldmember]

Welcome

I love my Cruiser I have owned it for 1 year without any problems.
I love the GT which came out a month after I bought my PT

[CTFrank]

My wife took delivery of an '01 Touring in April '01. I liked it so much I bought an '02 Touring in Oct '01, no regrets at all, love both of them.
As some of the others have said, you might be able to buy more car for less money if you go for a low milage '02.[8)]

[wclark48]

We all know the gas mileage sux and the turning radius is, well, it's a lot. But it is still the greatest car on the road at this time. I would not give up my 02 for anything, within reason.

[ZZRain]

Welcome ....... both my wife and myself love our PT's ..... Along with the PT you get to know tons of great people !!! One big family !! Happy Cruisin !! [8D]

[Dalite]

quote:Originally posted by links

which one do you or would u miss the most giveing up on this list ?? you will give up:

-One of the two horns that were on the 2002
-Fold-away outside rearview mirrors that were on the 2002
-Heated outside rearview mirrors that were on the 2002
-Illumination in the rear window switches that was on the 2002
-Deadman's Pedal (foot rest pad) on far left of pedals.
-Some seldom seen protective plastic on the inboard sides of the front seats that was on the 2002
-Driver's Front seat height adjustment.
-Rear Sway Bar that was on the 2002
-Vibration limiting tubing that was on the 2002 Hood Prop Rod

This is my lament list - in order of importance to me.

1. The extra horn is first and foremost. This is a safety issue; you can't hear the one horn of the intended 2 horn set (high note/low note) in the lane next to you at highway speeds.

2. Sway bar - I get a lot of flack about this, but I felt something different the first time I drove the GT, after driving the '02 TE to the dealership on the same roads. It felt "odd" in the corners, and I didn't (at the time ) know why. The increased power while changing lanes just about got the best of me coming home, when the car just didn't respond as stable as the '02 would have. The factory sway bar on the '02 models may not have been a Goliath in size or flex, but it did make a difference in the handling.

3. Fold-away putside rear view mirrors. At appox $125.00 a copy, mirrors are an expensive sensor for "Accoustical Parking". By the time one of the '03 mirrors sound off - Cha-Ching!

4. Heated outside rear view mirrors. I live in the humid south; even in the winter, it is a "damp" cold. Believe it or not, the heated mirrors on my '02 were a blessing in drying the dew that was always on the mirrors in the morning. Things like that - you never miss them until they are gone.

The other things are just annoyances; I wouldn't even have a gripe if I hadn't had them as standard on the '02 model. On the GT and '03 models) there are trade-offs, just as in almost every aspect of life.

It is a shame that the industry tends to move progressively backwards in some respects while we are conditioned to expect better things with each coming year.

[PTRobert]

I have an '03 base model and since not having experienced the items that are now "missing" from the vehicle, I have not missed anything. I only paid less than $15k out the door for my PT (brand new) and as a base model it had everything I needed for my commuter car. I've not had an issue with the mileage, in the 24 - 26 mpg range, which to me is good (I used to only drive small pickup trucks until I had a family).

I've read about the issue relative to the anti-sway bar and have also read Chrysler's response, which seems reasonable, though I'm not a mechanic and did not drive an earlier model PT. I've had no problems taking corners, but then I don't take corners quickly. The car has always handled well on So Cal freeways and has performed admirably when I've had to react to other irresponsible motorists driving like maniacs.

I wish it had a bit more power but 150 HP with me alone in the car for the commute is acceptable - a little sluggish with the entire family and all our gear, but still performs fairly well. The vehicle weighs in around 3100 lbs, which makes the vehicle feel more stable in high winds.

If you choose a PT Cruiser, I think you'll be pleasently surprised. There is a less-expensive, lower power turbo to be available for '04 (180 HP). There are "hop ups" that can be added to the base 150 HP to increase power and throttle response (open air intake and aftermarket exhaust), though to what extent, I do not really know but hopefully will find out in a short while. The PT has a lot of space and I've found it also has good visibility all around, making for more confident lane changes. I also like the small foot-print of the vehicle - makes parking much easier.

My $0.02

[aka_zelda]

I've have my PT for almost a year now and love it. I bought it for the following reasons:

1. New addition. I just had a baby and needed to buy a 4-door car. I loved the feature of the back doors opening further than most 4-door cars. and the front passenger seat folding down and being totally removable.
2. Affordable. My other options were 4-wheel drive cars; however, I really think they were worth the money.
3. Roominess. I come from a very tall family and I wanted to make sure people sitting in the front and back were as comfortable as possible.
4. Visability. I am able to see the road rather well and I really like how I sit in the car. I don't feel I have to crawl down into the seat. And coming from driving a Jeep Cherokee, that was an important feature.
5. Peppiness. I was leary going from a car with a straight 6 engine to a 4 cylinder motor but was again pleasantly surprised at the PT's performance. I do have a manual transmission and I think that has something to do with it's acceleration.

Good luck making your decision. I'm sure you won't go wrong with purchasing a PT.

[PToholics Anonymous]

"Right now our main motivation is my love for PT's"

Does there need to be more motivation?

Pick and choose the year and model as you desire but you will still have a PT (to love) no matter.

Wally and wife (Two identical 2001 Patriot Blue Limiteds-original owners)

[jojopet]

I'm a little lost as a newbie with the 02' Touring model. Did the 02' Limited model have the same goodies? I thought they were all the same basic car then, with "goodies" added as you went up the ladder of models: Base---> Touring---> Limited. So is this to say the Touring had good features on it that the more expensive Limited didn't?

[Dalite]

quote:Originally posted by jojopet

I'm a little lost as a newbie with the 02' Touring model. Did the 02' Limited model have the same goodies? I thought they were all the same basic car then, with "goodies" added as you went up the ladder of models: Base---> Touring---> Limited. So is this to say the Touring had good features on it that the more expensive Limited didn't?

The Touring Edition could have options added to make it similar to a Limited Edition in it's build up.

The Touring Edition came with a stiffer suspension than the Limited Edition. I think this may be the reason some ordered it with the options that were generally associated with the Limited Edition.

The Limited Edition was at the top of the tier.