2005 Cruiser - good deal but paranoid about gas mileage

[BuckeyeMark]

spent time reading the "gas mileage doesn't suck" thread and others ... some reporting 13 mpg just terrify me.

we've found an 05 with 25K miles on it that is pristine condition and the price is right. but what if it is one of these 13 mpg gas hogs?

I can handle 18-19 mpg in city - that's what our minivan is getting. 13 would be hard to swallow.

someone tell me that the 13 mpg cars aren't 2005s or that they are all turbos or lead foot drivers or both! help me out here - am I gonna get 13 in this 2005?

[skylinekin]

my modded 03 GT gets an average of 26mpg mostly city, and on long highway trips ive gotten 30mpg.

[CREWZIN]

I haven't read all the threads about gas mileage because it doesn't interest me but how many are actually complaining about such poor mileage as that.

It seems terribly low and you have to wonder how accurate the drivers measurements are. How they were driving and if anything was wrong with that particular PT.

[Hooligan]

I have a 2008 NA with 5,000 + miles, I have gotten as high as 31 on a trip, in 55 and 45 MPH zones. Around town I have a heavy foot and get 17-19 MPG. The first thing I did was to change plugs and plug wires, the other possible is a Airaid air intake. I got about the same with my 2006 before I sold it. Drive normal and you you should get 17-19 also.

[snowbirdIN]

I have a 2006 non turbo and since May I have averaged 25.84 MPG. I have a high of 28.41 and a low of 23.48 I live in the country and drive pretty easy seldom over 60 mph. I have very little interstate mile, most of my miles are running back and forth to town, about 13 miles away with several stops. I think the ones getting that low gas mileage must have a heavy foot. Good luck in what ever you decide.
You can click on the GasSavers.org link below and see every tank I've run since May.

[Ghosthawk]

I had originally looked at a PT vert before I bought my Sebring but after less than a year of dealing with the Sebring vert over-flexing chassis and tempermental 2.7 V6, I traded it for PT anyway. I had many resrvations just like you concerning my mileage and I'm still a little OCD about checking it every tank. Granted the PT is not doing as well as the Sebring was but not by much. I have an 07 Turbo Lite with a K&N drop-in and magnaflow exhaust. I also went to full synthetic oil as soon as I purchased the car.

My driving back and forth to work consists of some hi-way and some stop-n-go...based on traffic levels it can be more city like than hi-way. I wouldnt call myself a leadfoot but I do like to accelerate and feel the turbo come on and zip up to 60-70mph when merging and such. On weeks when my driving has been quite lively I still average 19-20mpg per tank. On a week of midnites when traffic is light and I can "cruise" the average will climb to 23 and occasionally 24. I've yet to take an extended hi-way trip so I'm not sure how much it would go up but 26-27 seems realistic.

Driving style does have lot to do with your results but if someone is only getting 13mpg there must be something seriously wrong in my opinion. I think you may find the car is just plain fun to drive and that has way of offsetting how much you worry about the mileage. I'm getting about 3mpg less than I did with my Sebring but I call that a good deal for the fun factor and the much more rigid chassis.

[mjb457]

I have 2003 PT=Automatic -non Turbo which I bought new. Its well maintained-only add on is a K&N drop in.It normally gets 17.5-18mpg in short comutes to work-9mile drive.I drive sensibly.If you use it & do longer comutes it will get much better-up to 24-26mpg highway as long as you keep it under 80mph.It is what it is! Mine has almost 65K on it.For some time I had borla-mopar duals & the highway MPG went up but the city dropped to 17 or so.( I removed them-too loud at highway cruising)The car needs the back pressure for better low end torque-especially the automatic.Good luck-& have fun! MJB

[BuckeyeMark]

well we bought it so we'll see how she does at the pump. it is a delight to drive and we already love it!

[DIYPTGUY]

Sweet! Have fun with your new PT! Its a blast to drive. Plus they are reliable for the most part. As for gas mileage, its really got a lot to do with how you drive it. If you drive with a real heavy foot, consistant fast take offs, etc. you will get some bad gas mileage, maybe around 16-18 city. If you drive normally however, you'll get with the predicted gas mileage is easily. Just keep up with

[teahead]

Get one w/a stick shift. Period.