Trade for Caliber SRT-4??

[mjb457]

I test drove a Caliber-(Burnt-Orange) Caliber SRT-4 with a 6speed gertrag stick(FUN) & 285hp & was truely impressed! 23MPG in local driving.... Im sure highway is close to 30MPG & it handles and flies! It takes me back to my Roadrunner days but with handling,comfort & MPG!Ok my PT is paid for, & ,, (I can afford to do it),,,,is it worth it? thoughts>? I think this 2.4 Mopar is way ahead of our PT...?? Comments welcome.

[ucantcme]

SRT-4 Caliper would be an amazing upgrade from the PT. If I could afford it - I would go for it!

[bobs turbo pt]

they are nice cars !!

[CREWZIN]

I bought the PT CRUISER at a time when I needed a 4 door vehicle and fell in love with the looks. I didn't buy it for speed, traction or MPG, those things didn't matter, and they still don't. The Caliber just doesn't do it for me, but to each his own.

[careyk]

The Caliber certainly looks cool but I like the looks of the gt better,

[THS_Cruiser03]

Hey MJB,

Man you really got the itch to dump your PT don't you! About once a month it's another "should I buy this or that post".

Remember these correspondences we had in past?:

BUY OR NOT BUY???

BUY OR NOT BUY???

The Caliber is a serious performance machine, but I've yet to know ANYBODY who got 30 MPG out of a turbo car. Don't forget also that the fuel tank is significantly smaller on the Caliber's at 13.6 Gallons vs. the 15.5 on the PT - it may get better mileage but your range is going to be about the same. I also understand the ride quality isn't so great (pretty stiff compared to a PT) and the sport seats are stiff as hell, but if you're willing to accept it, then you'll be happy.

I've told you this before, but basically you have to do what FEELS right to you. If you really aren't happy with your PT anymore I can understand the desire to dump it for something spiffy and new. No financial numbers will sway your "new car vibe" feelings. Believe me I've been there dude.

You'll never see the financial benefit of the better mileage the Caliber will give you (3-4 MPG better) over your PT, that I can guarantee you because you'll be paying $300 per month (payment + insurance) for the new ride that you're not paying now. Plus you'll probably rack up some tickets with the Caliber SRT *laughs*, I know I would!

Hope it all works out for you no matter what you decide.

Your PT friend, Tom

[Mean Green]

Originally Posted by THS_Cruiser03

Hey MJB,

Man you really got the itch to dump your PT don't you! About once a month it's another "should I buy this or that post".

Remember these correspondences we had in past?:

BUY OR NOT BUY???

BUY OR NOT BUY???

The Caliber is a serious performance machine, but I've yet to know ANYBODY who got 30 MPG out of a turbo car. Don't forget also that the fuel tank is significantly smaller on the Caliber's at 13.6 Gallons vs. the 15.5 on the PT - it may get better mileage but your range is going to be about the same. I also understand the ride quality isn't so great (pretty stiff compared to a PT) and the sport seats are stiff as hell, but if you're willing to accept it, then you'll be happy.

I've told you this before, but basically you have to do what FEELS right to you. If you really aren't happy with your PT anymore I can understand the desire to dump it for something spiffy and new. No financial numbers will sway your "new car vibe" feelings. Believe me I've been there dude.

You'll never see the financial benefit of the better mileage the Caliber will give you (3-4 MPG better) over your PT, that I can guarantee you because you'll be paying $300 per month (payment + insurance) for the new ride that you're not paying now. Plus you'll probably rack up some tickets with the Caliber SRT *laughs*, I know I would!

Hope it all works out for you no matter what you decide.

Your PT friend, Tom

Well, you've just met your first person who has gotten 30+ mpg out of a turbo car. Two of them actually. Both my '03 PT GT and my '05 Neon SRT-4 got 30+ mpg if I stayed out of boost. The GT was running 280 hp and the SRT is running 348 hp. The SRT is a 12 second car. Even if I continually got on both cars they both delivered 24 mpg. The Caliber SRT-4 will, too. There's nothing like having a car that will perform and get good mpg, too.

[THS_Cruiser03]

Glad to meet ya'! That's pretty impressive mileage from turbo cars, but I will repeat what you said which was "..if I stayed out of boost" which is not easy to do. I know in my '88 Rx-7 Turbo it was almost impossible as the acceleration was glacial if you kept it out of boost. But then Mazda rotaries are terrible for gas mileage regardless. Best I ever got on the highway was about 25 and I babied the hell out of it. My '85 Rx-7 GSL SE didn't do much better either. I also knew a guy who had an '87 Conquest 2.6 and an '88Lancer turbo 2.5 and those both got crappy mileage (sub 25 MPG).

Keeping it out of boost is probably much easier in a light weight Neon than in your PT GT, and the Caliber weighs in about 3,200 + lbs with fuel and driver aboard. So MJB, I stand corrected that if driven like a grandpa you may get to that 30 MPG mark.

But I also know a few folks who bought NA 2.4 Calibers and Jeep Compass/Patriots who can't get 30 MPG highway - so just FYI.

Tom

[CREWZIN]

OK Tom/Tom,

You both made your points. The bottom line is MJB is looking for another car besides his PT and he's asking on a PT forum so most answers are gonna be pretty bias.

The bottom line, he's gonna half to make up his own mind to either keep (and it doesn't sound like he wants to) or dump the PT, get a poor return on his money for a trade in and take on new payments. (does that sound bias? )

[Mean Green]

Originally Posted by THS_Cruiser03

Glad to meet ya'! That's pretty impressive mileage from turbo cars, but I will repeat what you said which was "..if I stayed out of boost" which is not easy to do. I know in my '88 Rx-7 Turbo it was almost impossible as the acceleration was glacial if you kept it out of boost. But then Mazda rotaries are terrible for gas mileage regardless. Best I ever got on the highway was about 25 and I babied the hell out of it. My '85 Rx-7 GSL SE didn't do much better either. I also knew a guy who had an '87 Conquest 2.6 and an '88Lancer turbo 2.5 and those both got crappy mileage (sub 25 MPG).

Keeping it out of boost is probably much easier in a light weight Neon than in your PT GT, and the Caliber weighs in about 3,200 + lbs with fuel and driver aboard. So MJB, I stand corrected that if driven like a grandpa you may get to that 30 MPG mark.

But I also know a few folks who bought NA 2.4 Calibers and Jeep Compass/Patriots who can't get 30 MPG highway - so just FYI.

Tom

Easy to stay out of boost if you have a boost/vac gauge and that's not driving like a grandpa either. That's driving normally as you would to get better mpg. Just like driving a non turbo car.
As CREWZIN has stated asking about a Caliber SRT-4 on a PT forum is not going to get you a lot straight forward unbiased answers. Your PT is paid off and a new car will give you payments. Big wooly deal. That will happen with any new car you buy whether another new PT or not. My wife and I just put $2k into her paid off '04 PT because it just went over 100k miles and it's cheaper than new car payments. Sounds like you'd rather put money into a new car. If you want to know more about the Caliber SRT-4 then look here. Dodge Caliber Forums - Powered by vBulletin