fell in love with PT (have questions before purchase)

[Sharkstooth]

I just purchased my first PT two weeks ago,a 2007 and i absolutely love it.It runs really smooth and gas mileage is great for me because i am used to getting only 8 miles a gallon before with my Camaro Z-28 that was modified.Try to find a newer one and you will have less miles and less maintenance issues.Good luck.

[Travis2k7]

Originally Posted by LawChick

I just found a black PT limited edition 2001(auto tran) with leather seats, chrome tires, tinted windows and other goodies. It has 61,000 miles with an asking price of 6,450.

That seems a bit high for a 2001.... Back in March I bought a 2006 Limited with 45k miles for $9400. It books around $11k so I did well.

There are a few cosmetic differences inside and out when you compare the '01 to the '06 but it's pretty much the same car with slight modifications between then and now.

Here's mine...

Originally Posted by CREWZIN

Welcome to the forum Lawchick,

The first thing you might want to do is a tune up with new plugs and wires and a transaxle flush (not just drop the pan) but a complete flush.

I totally agree with this... I did this within a month of buying my car... I've had it for 6,000 miles now and it has been perfect. The only issue I've had was replacing a $25 downstream O2 sensor.

Have fun.

[mopar_man]

Every car has it's flaws. If anybody thinks otherwise, they have their head in their ass. As for the PT, get your mechanic to give it a good once over. From what you've said, he's trusting. If you're concerned about fuel mileage, get a manual transmission. The autos get in the mid-20's on the highway, high teens/low-20's in the city. The timing belt and water pump should be done between 90-100k miles (or sooner if it really concerns you) which can cost anywhere from $700-1000 so keep that in mind if you find something that's higher in miles. You can use it as a bargaining chip to get the price down. As mentioned, get the trans flushed if you get an automatic and do a tune-up (plugs and wires). You may consider looking on your local Craigslist and eBay sales that are nearby. That can save you quite a lot of money over buying from a dealer. I lucked out on eBay and got a 2002 with 95k miles for $3500 in Dec. of '07 from Florida that I bought sight unseen. The one that you're looking at seems a bit high on the price. Check with kbb.com to get an idea on what it should be worth. Don't rush your purchase as you'll end up paying more than you want or more than it's worth. Take your time and find a good deal that you're happy with.

[Vengence]

i have 2 2001 PT cruiser, both Navy Blue Limited editions and i have had minor problems with it. Brakes, tie rods, watz Link and the front rotters. but other than that nothing. my one Pt Cruiser i used this tornado season for storm chasing had a bunch of modifications done to it, and it now has 164k miles on it. the other PT Cruiser i baby, has 93.5k miles on it and the problems listed above happened with this PT. but the PT cruiser is in fact a good reliable car in my opinion.

as for the one you want to buy, i would do what everyone else told you and check out the trans to see if it will work for a while and if not then probably not get it as transmissions cost a lot. so make sure your mechanic checks out everything to make sure everything is fine and will last you a while.

[LawChick]

Thanks for the responses. I actually found a 2001 silver limited fully loaded PT with 40 thousdand miles on it today and I am taking it to the mechanics on tuesday to have it checked out.

It is the same price as the black 2001 I was going to get but I like this one more because I think the silver looks nicer and it is from a car dealership with a good reputation in the area.

They want to sell me a 1,700 dollar warranty but I am not sure if I should get it or not. Do you all think a warranty is a must with these cars. From what I hear for the most part they get are reliable and have few issues.

Thanks everyone for all the help and when I get my new PT i will post pictures. It will not be as tricked out as most of yours but it will be cute looking.

[CREWZIN]

Warranties are Peace-of-Mind kind of things. Like any kind of insurance. You'll hear different views from everyone. Keep in mind your buying someone's used vehicle and you don't know how it was treated. Hopefully only small things will go wrong but if the transaxle goes, can you afford a new one. The computer, compressor bearings and the rest of the suspension isn't cheap either but like any insurance, you may never need it (except for life insurance ).

Also look who's selling it. The dealer or is he selling an aftermarket company. How long will they be around? It happened to me when the one I bought went chapter 11. I lost the policy and then they started selling new ones.

[quicksilverdon]

Originally Posted by LawChick

I think the silver looks nicer

Got that right!!
Your decision, but with the mechanic you have, I'd skip a warranty - $1,700 will buy you LOTS of repairs, and with 40,000 miles, you shouldn't be needing many for a long time.
I would get the plugs & wires changed, transmission flushed, and an oil change.

[Travis2k7]

Originally Posted by quicksilverdon

Your decision, but with the mechanic you have, I'd skip a warranty - $1,700 will buy you LOTS of repairs, and with 40,000 miles, you shouldn't be needing many for a long time.
I would get the plugs & wires changed, transmission flushed, and an oil change.

Exactly.

As said, bought mine with 45k, and didn't get a warranty. Haven't needed one either.

Plugs/wires, tranny flush, oil changes are what I have done, in addition to a tire rotation.

Car has performed beautifully.

[Windancer]

Originally Posted by LawChick

Hi everyone im new here. I'm new to all this and this will be my first car.

Welcome Lawchick,