Why are PT Cruisers so CHEAP???!!! what am i missing?

[belvedere]

So my girlfriend really wants a new car and I've been pushing her towards a subaru, I'm a loyal subaru junkie. She has between $4,000 and $5,500 for her new car and yesterday we went to a used car dealership in Los Angeles. No subarus, but tons of PT cruisers and the prices we insane!!!!

2001-2004 PT cruisers with less than 70k on them going for 5-7k.

I thought they might be beat up, but they were clean.

I went home and hopped on Craigslist and there again, several very nice PT cruisers from 2001-2004 with less than 100k for under 5 grand!!!!

I see 98 honda civics with 120k go for $5-6k. I see 99 subaru foresters going for $7,000.

So my question is: WHY ARE THESE CARS SOOO CHEAP???

I'm test drove a 2003 with 68k miles and it drove like a dream. The dealership was looking for $6,000 and when I went to walk away the guy asked if I would give him $5,000 to make the sale today.

Did they make too many of these cars and now there's a surplus and no one wants them???

I don't typically see one on Craiglist with over 100k on it, do they blow a head gasket at 100,000 miles on the dot? Is there some mystical PT cruiser junkard with thousands of 2000-2008 PT cruisers with 110k miles on them because they detonate?

I'm kind of at a loss....

Please talk me out of buying one because if you don't I'm going to go buy one this weekend. These prices are ridiculous.

Love,
subaru man

[soonercruiser]

What you are seeing........
It's talked about by Consumer's Report and others.....
Poor Resale Value.....period!
You'll find that the PT is like other cars; either you like the retro style and utility; or, you don't.
When you like the car, you will make excuses for the little problems.
A word of warning - if it hasn't already been done - at 80K, you can plan on replacing the timing belt, tensioner, and water pump. Plan on it! Otherwise, an auto tranny needed service every 30-50K.

[belvedere]

Thanks for the input.
Has anyone taken one of these over 200k miles?

We're looking between 2001-2004.
Of course the 2004 has less kinks than the 2001, but anything we should look for in particular when it comes to specific years?

Water pump and timing belt is pretty standard change for any car between 80-110k. Are their any other issues? common oil leaks etc?

[Vengence]

My Sisters 01 PT Cruiser has 279,546 Miles on it and it still runs like new. She only replaced the brakes 3 times, engine belt once, multi function switch once and the Exhaust once. those are the only repairs she has had done on the cruiser besides wiper blades, oil, dash lights, headlights and tail lights. other than that, nothing out of the ordinary. but mine only has 86k an runs the same as i bought it. a lot of people say that the engine noise pisses them off but it relaxes me as i love working with cars an hearing the engine roar. so all in all i think the PT Cruiser is my Best Buy and will keep it till the day i die. and if i have to replace the engine, transmission or anything like that i damn well will cuz the Cruiser is awesome and its a shame Chrysler is getting rid of it this year. real shame.

[PTPatrick1985]

Originally Posted by soonercruiser

auto tranny needed service every 30-50K.

What is an auto tranny?

I'm up to 44K and most likely will need one

[garyerrol]

Originally Posted by PTPatrick1985

What is an auto tranny?

Automatic Transmission!

[quicksilverdon]

Originally Posted by PTPatrick1985

What is an auto tranny?

I'm up to 44K and most likely will need one

At 50,000 miles, have the auto transmission flushed and refilled with ATF + 4 fluid.
Not every shop has the machine to do a flush - the other method is to drop the pan on the transmission, but that only gets 1/2 the fluid or less.

[quicksilverdon]

Originally Posted by belvedere

So my question is: WHY ARE THESE CARS SOOO CHEAP???

All domestic cars are cheap. And, even if you look at Mercedes, and compare what they cost new to resale, there are bargains out there.

[spinner]

I for one am glad you ask the question, I didn't know about the timing belt at 80,000 my wife has 67000 on it now so I guess I have a little time to get ready!!

[Hooligan]

Owners manual recommends by 100K, some have went that far, others not..