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Turbo224
02-25-2008, 08:46 PM
So I have decided that I need to get rid of my Grand Cherokee. I just spend too much on gas and I never use it to tow anything. So I have been thinking about what I really need in a daily driver, and what I dont need. Obviously it has the be a Mopar, it has to get decent gas milage (20+), needs to be able to haul parts, needs to be fun to drive, and needs to sit higher than a car. (I am tall and dont like getting in an out of low cars ALL the time)

So I have thought about this a lot and I narrowed it down to a GT cruiser. My buddy Dave (xdig) has one with a 3" exhaust and stage 1 on it that he let me drive and it was a blast! Obviously it's not the fastest car, but for a dd, I thought it would be great. So I have been looking into them and decided that I would probably want the 5 speed. I am not so concerned with the stigma that would go along with a young straight male driving a chick/old person car, but I am curious about how reliable they are and how they do for a daily driver. Anyone have any experience with one of these? Im sure someone has to have bought one of these for their wife right?

ShelGame
02-25-2008, 09:20 PM
If you think the PT is a girl's car, you obviously havn't seen this

http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showpost.php?p=222446&postcount=52

You have to check that bad boy out. It made me want a GT instead of an SRT-4. It looks really bad a$$ with the centerlines on it...

iBorg
02-25-2008, 10:37 PM
I have a Cruiser Convertible. I've had it since January. Overall nice car although I find the seats a bit lacking. I'd try to find an 06 and try out its seats. Handling doesn't compare to your Daytona. AS for finding a five speed GT, be prepared to look they seem to be a touch on the rare side.

Mike

Turbo224
02-26-2008, 01:13 AM
If you think the PT is a girl's car, you obviously havn't seen this

http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showpost.php?p=222446&postcount=52

You have to check that bad boy out. It made me want a GT instead of an SRT-4. It looks really bad a$$ with the centerlines on it...

Oh believe me, thats the PT that made be start thinking about them. If that PT can be so bad ---, then why cant I have one thats half decent?


I have a Cruiser Convertible. I've had it since January. Overall nice car although I find the seats a bit lacking. I'd try to find an 06 and try out its seats. Handling doesn't compare to your Daytona. AS for finding a five speed GT, be prepared to look they seem to be a touch on the rare side.

Mike

I have driven a GT, and I thought the seats were okay. As for handling, it cant be worse than my Jeep. I have been browsing quite a few web site to figure out what it is that I want, and what I am going to have to pay for it. Once I decided to buy a Jeep, it took me six months to find exactly what I wanted, so I am okay with looking for a long time as long as it's what I want.

Darkwolf
02-26-2008, 01:41 AM
My 60 year old mom has had one for almost 3 years :). I can't remember them having any problems with it.

Turbo224
02-26-2008, 04:14 PM
My 60 year old mom has had one for almost 3 years :). I can't remember them having any problems with it.

Thanks......I think. :(

rich tideswell
02-26-2008, 11:52 PM
So I have decided that I need to get rid of my Grand Cherokee. I just spend too much on gas and I never use it to tow anything. So I have been thinking about what I really need in a daily driver, and what I dont need. Obviously it has the be a Mopar, it has to get decent gas milage (20+), needs to be able to haul parts, needs to be fun to drive, and needs to sit higher than a car. (I am tall and dont like getting in an out of low cars ALL the time)

So I have thought about this a lot and I narrowed it down to a GT cruiser. My buddy Dave (xdig) has one with a 3" exhaust and stage 1 on it that he let me drive and it was a blast! Obviously it's not the fastest car, but for a dd, I thought it would be great. So I have been looking into them and decided that I would probably want the 5 speed. I am not so concerned with the stigma that would go along with a young straight male driving a chick/old person car, but I am curious about how reliable they are and how they do for a daily driver. Anyone have any experience with one of these? Im sure someone has to have bought one of these for their wife right?

must be nice to live in an area that is more manual trans freindly.... detroit = stick shift death......my left knee hurts just thinking about it.

neoned
03-02-2008, 03:17 PM
My in-laws own a 03 auto gt. Seems nice enough but the 03's don't come with LSD, just trac control. I know the SRT's only did in 04-05 but I'm not sure about the PT's. The thing has nasty tq steer. My Srt has less tq steer and makes way more power. Also they have a rear beam suspension right out the stone age and I don't like the body roll from the tall pt. If you do, def get the 5 spd. Their's has held up but I've heard of others going boom.

Some people may think it's ugly but if it's in your budget, the new Caliber SRT is out. They aren't nearly as tall in person as I expected (they are about 5 to 5 1/2' tall), and you may find a happy medium there. Good luck.

rich tideswell
03-02-2008, 03:59 PM
Some people may think it's ugly but if it's in your budget, the new Caliber SRT is out. They aren't nearly as tall in person as I expected (they are about 5 to 5 1/2' tall), and you may find a happy medium there. Good luck.

if he were to buy a caliber, you'd think he would want an AWD R/T as opposed to an SRT-4; no premium gas, no insurance hammering, AWD for the winter, 5 speed trans.

Turbo224
03-02-2008, 04:26 PM
My in-laws own a 03 auto gt. Seems nice enough but the 03's don't come with LSD, just trac control. I know the SRT's only did in 04-05 but I'm not sure about the PT's. The thing has nasty tq steer. My Srt has less tq steer and makes way more power. Also they have a rear beam suspension right out the stone age and I don't like the body roll from the tall pt. If you do, def get the 5 spd. Their's has held up but I've heard of others going boom.

Some people may think it's ugly but if it's in your budget, the new Caliber SRT is out. They aren't nearly as tall in person as I expected (they are about 5 to 5 1/2' tall), and you may find a happy medium there. Good luck.

PT's never came with an LSD, which sucks, but this would be a daily driver, so it wouldn't much matter. I thought about the Caliber SRT, but insurance would rape me, and I dont want to send that much. I would really like a 5 speed if I get one, but at the same time I almost think the auto would be more fitting for me since it will be a daily.




if he were to buy a caliber, you'd think he would want an AWD R/T as opposed to an SRT-4; no premium gas, no insurance hammering, AWD for the winter, 5 speed trans.

Exactly!

neoned
03-02-2008, 08:22 PM
if he were to buy a caliber, you'd think he would want an AWD R/T as opposed to an SRT-4; no premium gas, no insurance hammering, AWD for the winter, 5 speed trans.

But by the some idea, wouldn't he want an ordinary pt then GT = premium gas and insurance anyhow. From what I have heard about the Srt 6spd, it's pretty good. And with LSD in the SRT I've had no trouble winter driving, and I do a lot of it.

c318cuin
03-02-2008, 08:44 PM
No a Gt does not need premium gas however for max performance it does and the butt dyno tells me that is true. It is cheaper for me to insure than my 99 Ford Escort was. Mine does fine in the summer on 89 and in winter it will not ping or knock on 87. But it only gets 20 Mpg. :( I have an Electric Blue 05 GT with 45000+ miles on it. I absolutely love my car. However like some SRT4 ppl I have found it to picky on the brand of gas and rough on plugs. (when it was under full warranty it got nothing but plus and still killed the first set of plugs at 19000) When I put the set in it has now they are copper and not the plats the factory put in and no probs with name brand 87... I think big name gas actually matters with the GT. That crappy Escort ran (slowly) on anything.

Just my .02 cents :) :D

rich tideswell
03-02-2008, 08:44 PM
But by the some idea, wouldn't he want an ordinary pt then GT = premium gas and insurance anyhow..

true true... and you make a valid point. that's where dodge dropped the ball on the CSRT-4, no AWD, and yes I know it was to keep the price point low. subarus and evos are awd, and more expensive, yet they seem to sell fine

GLHNSLHT2
03-02-2008, 09:40 PM
Caliber SRT doesn't have a True LSD

neoned
03-03-2008, 12:00 AM
Caliber SRT doesn't have a True LSD

Oh snap, I knew that my bad.


But it only gets 20 Mpg.

Ouch. Are you saving any money? I get 22-23 mixed and 30-31 at 70-75mph on the hwy. Buy the good stuff, cheaper in the end. I run ordinary coppers 1 range colder and just change them, they're cheap. And I'm no light foot.

Turbo224
03-03-2008, 12:47 AM
Well, let me clear things up a little, I dont like Calibers at all. They just dont appeal to me. The SRT's look a lot better, however I still dont care for them too much. But I can put up with something not looking the best as long as it is fun to drive. Thats sort of why I am even considering the PT, it fits everything I need, and I can still have it with a turbo and a five speed for a decent price. If it can get me 20+ mpg average then I am already 6-7 mpg better than my Jeep.

cleven
03-03-2008, 01:25 AM
I got a Grand Cherokee 318. Came with a 360 :) If the 318 ever go out witch wont be no time soon because of how good it runs the 360 is going in :) But towing wise i sort of looking for a trailer to carry around the gts

c318cuin
03-03-2008, 11:52 PM
Heck my moms touring edition doesn't get any more the 23 mpg. How in the world you getting 30+? sorry to thread jack but I had to ask.

Least it isn't this bad.....
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/19035.shtml

Turbodave
03-04-2008, 12:00 AM
Heck my moms touring edition doesn't get any more the 23 mpg. How in the world you getting 30+? sorry to thread jack but I had to ask.

Least it isn't this bad.....
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/19035.shtml

I think neoned is referring to his SRT-4, it's a big lighter and more aerodynamic than a PT.

My wife has an 03 PT touring, 2.4 5speed. It averages 23/24 around town and 29/30 on the highway. I'm not in love with it's styling, but the utility of it is great. Lot's of room and configuration options for a small vehicle.

Turbo224
03-04-2008, 04:32 AM
I think neoned is referring to his SRT-4, it's a big lighter and more aerodynamic than a PT.

My wife has an 03 PT touring, 2.4 5speed. It averages 23/24 around town and 29/30 on the highway. I'm not in love with it's styling, but the utility of it is great. Lot's of room and configuration options for a small vehicle.

Thats great to hear. I actually like the styling on them. But I guess to each his own. I am 99% sure I am going to buy one. Worse come to worse I can always sell it if I dont like it. I was thinking about buying a brand new Nitro R/T, but then I would be committed to it for while. And I hate debt. Now does anyone want to buy a Jeep? :D

Turbo224
03-05-2008, 03:59 AM
Anyone know if the PT's share anything else with the SRT4 other than motor and trans? Is the suspension totally PT unique?

bansheenut420
03-05-2008, 06:27 AM
absolutly no offence to anyone that owns one. But, Tyler ditch the grandma car idea and get ya a wrx. Great in the snow, reliable, fun as hell. wrx>pt crusier :D I know you are looking for a dd and not another toy... but wrx = 14s stock, awesome handling, and as long as you dont get one of the brand new ones, the look SOOOOOO much better. :thumb:

gti_7
03-05-2008, 10:16 AM
absolutly no offence to anyone that owns one. But, Tyler ditch the grandma car idea and get ya a wrx. Great in the snow, reliable, fun as hell. wrx>pt crusier :D I know you are looking for a dd and not another toy... but wrx = 14s stock, awesome handling, and as long as you dont get one of the brand new ones, the look SOOOOOO much better. :thumb:

If you want a compromise, try the forester XT :D but the PT GT is not a "grandma" car.. its just as fun to drive and more versatile than the "wrx" :D

Clay
03-05-2008, 10:36 AM
my parents bought a "Dream Cruiser II" GT turbo a few years back. My dad liked the looks of the PTs, and liked the color and turbo factor, so he bought one. He test drove a manual and didnt care for it to much, so he got the autostick one. I think it only has like ~7K miles on it today as its only used as a backup vehicle, and very rarely.

Ive driven it quite a few times and it is a great little car. LOTS of room for me even, and man can you stuff the back end full of stuff when you lay everything down. I put my complete entertainment center (which is BIG) into the PT one day when I laid the pass. front seat down. It all fit and this is one of those large oak tower on each side of the TV type things. (granted, it was disassembled, but it still fit!). Plenty of power when you want it, and good fuel economy, plus I still think they are fairly neat looking vehicles.

I would drive one!

Turbo224
03-05-2008, 01:43 PM
absolutly no offence to anyone that owns one. But, Tyler ditch the grandma car idea and get ya a wrx. Great in the snow, reliable, fun as hell. wrx>pt crusier :D I know you are looking for a dd and not another toy... but wrx = 14s stock, awesome handling, and as long as you dont get one of the brand new ones, the look SOOOOOO much better. :thumb:

Ha ha, believe me Cory, I have thought about one. However you must not have read the first post very closely. Must be a Mopar, and must be able to haul a lot of crap. :) I have thought this over a thousand times and considered many different brands and models, but I always drift back to Mopars, and I really want to play with one of these 2.4's that I hear about so much. And if you think about it, I drive an Omni, so all sense of pride and manlyness is gone in my life anyways....

Turbodave
03-05-2008, 03:17 PM
The rear suspension on the PT is similar in design to what's under your Daytonas, with the exception being an improved design on the track bar. It's much different than what's on an SRT-4 back there.

Up front things look a lot more similar, but I've never played around with ours enough to see what would interchange.

bansheenut420
03-05-2008, 07:56 PM
Ha ha, believe me Cory, I have thought about one. However you must not have read the first post very closely. Must be a Mopar, and must be able to haul a lot of crap. :) I have thought this over a thousand times and considered many different brands and models, but I always drift back to Mopars, and I really want to play with one of these 2.4's that I hear about so much. And if you think about it, I drive an Omni, so all sense of pride and manlyness is gone in my life anyways....

lol No, I missed the must be a dodge. But, the wrx does have a HUGE trunk and the backseats fold down. :p After driving my buddys wrx, when the time comes for me to buy a "new" car it will be a wrx or sti. They are also way easy to work on with the exception of changing spark plugs. :confused:

Turbodave
03-05-2008, 08:03 PM
Tyler I think you can't go wrong with a PT GT, their resale is in line with the regular PT's so you can find them for a good price, much less than a similar mileage SRT-4. I've thought more than once about upgrading my wife to a turbo one.

I've also seen some of the Magnum R/T's coming down in price (around 15-20k). They would meet your utility needs, but may fall short on fuel mileage compared to the PT.

gtcvnt90
03-05-2008, 09:04 PM
Wife has had a PT GT since '05...nice car, she drives very conseratively, and still only gets about 18 mpg in town. Has made 30 on the highway. Tons of room, and the thing does haul azz for an automatic daily driver. We test drove a limited first, thinking we could get away with the 180 horse turbo, but even that seemed too much for its suspension, seemed floaty, so we got the GT, which is much more tied down.

Insurance is MUCH cheaper than a WRX, and it will surprise people at stoplights....

Turbo224
03-06-2008, 03:58 AM
lol No, I missed the must be a dodge. But, the wrx does have a HUGE trunk and the backseats fold down. :p After driving my buddys wrx, when the time comes for me to buy a "new" car it will be a wrx or sti. They are also way easy to work on with the exception of changing spark plugs. :confused:

Well, there are a few reasons why I didn't look much into an SRT4 or a wrx, or any other sports car for that matter. I get REALLY tired of getting in and out of a car because they sit so low. Im not huge, but I am pretty tall, and I dont like getting in and out of any of my cars. I realize all seats fold down now, but I like the option of being able to carry larger stuff if I need to.


Tyler I think you can't go wrong with a PT GT, their resale is in line with the regular PT's so you can find them for a good price, much less than a similar mileage SRT-4. I've thought more than once about upgrading my wife to a turbo one.

I've also seen some of the Magnum R/T's coming down in price (around 15-20k). They would meet your utility needs, but may fall short on fuel mileage compared to the PT.

I have been watching them for a little while now and they seem to be reasonable priced. There are certainly plenty of them around, although the 5 speeds are a little harder to locate. I did consider a Magnum because I think they look pretty cool. Obviously I couldn't afford an SRT8 (which I would love) but none of them really get that great of gas milage, and I am still left with getting in and out of a car.


Wife has had a PT GT since '05...nice car, she drives very conseratively, and still only gets about 18 mpg in town. Has made 30 on the highway. Tons of room, and the thing does haul azz for an automatic daily driver. We test drove a limited first, thinking we could get away with the 180 horse turbo, but even that seemed too much for its suspension, seemed floaty, so we got the GT, which is much more tied down.

Insurance is MUCH cheaper than a WRX, and it will surprise people at stoplights....

Yeah, insurance would probably be half the price compared to a wrx, or any other sports car.

bansheenut420
03-06-2008, 05:59 AM
Insurance is MUCH cheaper than a WRX, and it will surprise people at stoplights....
Only thing a PT Crusier is going to be suprising off the line is a honda :p I would love, LOVE to see a pt suprise a wrx. :amen:

Turbo224
03-06-2008, 03:20 PM
Only thing a PT Crusier is going to be suprising off the line is a honda :p I would love, LOVE to see a pt suprise a wrx. :amen:


The purpose of this car is to be reliable, comfortable, and affordable. Im not really buying it because it's fast. Now a turbo PT would be MUCH more fun to drive daily than my Jeep, so th turbo is just icing on the cake.

rich tideswell
03-06-2008, 10:00 PM
suspension wise, the only thing that the SRT-4 and the GT-Cruiser share are the front control arms, sway bars, and the brakes. different struts/ rear suspension/ k frame, ect....

....and who ever suggested WRX should be banned ;)

gtcvnt90
03-06-2008, 10:08 PM
I said it would surprise 'people' at stoplights, since there are a million PT Cruisers on the road and they don't flaunt their performance with additional appearance enhancing stuff.

I'd pit my stock automatic PT GT against any stock automatic WRX. Wouldn't win, but the WRX driver wouldn't expect such a close race, probably not more than 2-3 car lengths. And they would be surprised. They weigh within a 150 pounds of each other, and the PT has more HP, and doesn't have to overcome the inertia weight of AWD.

Other than the R/T turbos and Shelbys, show me another Dodge Turbo car from the 80s or early 90s with automatics that could match a Turbo PT GT.

From Edmonds on the WRX:

From a standing start, the automatic amplifies the engine's sluggish low-end response. Step on the throttle after coming off the brake, and the WRX dribbles forward. In our first acceleration run, we recorded an unimpressive 0-to-30-mph time of 4.0 seconds on the way to an 8.7-second 0-to-60. Better results can be obtained by using a brake torque launch technique. This technique (for an automatic transmission only) is done by placing the transmission in drive, firmly applying the brakes with the left foot and applying ever-more throttle with the right. The brakes keep the car immobile while the engine spools up until it reaches the transmission's stall speed. Results vary depending on the type of powertrain, but the WRX responds quite well. Done this way, the WRX winds up to about 3,000 rpm and then shoots forward vigorously once the brakes are released. Our best acceleration run gave us a 0-to-60 time of 6.7 seconds with the quarter-mile occurring in 15.1 seconds at 89.0 mph.


Then on the 2003 PT Cruiser GT, which had 215 hp vs. the '05's 230:

We measured a 7.3 seconds with the automatic 0 to 60....

Dealing with a bit more than a half second, on the street, that's a drivers race.

bansheenut420
03-06-2008, 10:32 PM
....and who ever suggested WRX should be banned ;)

:p:D I know, who keeps letting the riff-raff in. :evil:

bansheenut420
03-06-2008, 10:38 PM
I said it would surprise 'people' at stoplights, since there are a million PT Cruisers on the road and they don't flaunt their performance with additional appearance enhancing stuff.

I'd pit my stock automatic PT GT against any stock automatic WRX. Wouldn't win, but the WRX driver wouldn't expect such a close race, probably not more than 2-3 car lengths. And they would be surprised. They weigh within a 150 pounds of each other, and the PT has more HP, and doesn't have to overcome the inertia weight of AWD.

Other than the R/T turbos and Shelbys, show me another Dodge Turbo car from the 80s or early 90s with automatics that could match a Turbo PT GT.

From Edmonds on the WRX:

From a standing start, the automatic amplifies the engine's sluggish low-end response. Step on the throttle after coming off the brake, and the WRX dribbles forward. In our first acceleration run, we recorded an unimpressive 0-to-30-mph time of 4.0 seconds on the way to an 8.7-second 0-to-60. Better results can be obtained by using a brake torque launch technique. This technique (for an automatic transmission only) is done by placing the transmission in drive, firmly applying the brakes with the left foot and applying ever-more throttle with the right. The brakes keep the car immobile while the engine spools up until it reaches the transmission's stall speed. Results vary depending on the type of powertrain, but the WRX responds quite well. Done this way, the WRX winds up to about 3,000 rpm and then shoots forward vigorously once the brakes are released. Our best acceleration run gave us a 0-to-60 time of 6.7 seconds with the quarter-mile occurring in 15.1 seconds at 89.0 mph.


Then on the 2003 PT Cruiser GT, which had 215 hp vs. the '05's 230:

We measured a 7.3 seconds with the automatic 0 to 60....

Dealing with a bit more than a half second, on the street, that's a drivers race.

Who in there right mind would buy an auto wrx :confused: I cant even believe they made an auto wrx. Thats totally pointless. Obviously the mag testers need to learn to drive as well. :nod:

Turbo224
03-07-2008, 03:21 AM
Well I am glad I can cause such a great debate. However I still haven't changed my mind about the PT. Sorry Cory, but is has been a valiant effort. :thumb:

bansheenut420
03-07-2008, 04:23 AM
Well I am glad I can cause such a great debate. However I still haven't changed my mind about the PT. Sorry Cory, but is has been a valiant effort. :thumb:

meh, what can I say. When it comes to buying a car, I think we all buy them for different reasons. I buy a car for performance. If I need to haul somthing (besides --- lol) I will take my truck. In my mind, a car is for performance. And I just dont like anything about pt's. They dont look good, everyone of em I have seen at the track is dog slow (even a couple modded ones) and I bet they are to big a pig to make a decent auto x'er. My buddys suby has been so reliable, its quick, and will handle it own on a auto x course. Plus, the trunk is HUGE. He has no problem hauling my slicks around for me. :D

JohnnyLightning86
03-07-2008, 11:24 AM
I don't understand why a car that stands out in the crowd like the PT does is such a bad thing. I love the way the PT looks and is the very reason I bought one. I like cars that are different and I think it's the WRX that's ugly. As for the PT being a girl car, nothing could be farthest from the truth. I joined a local Cruisers club of which the majority of the owners are guys - and most of them are not that old either.

Though I would have preferred a GT, my PT is a N/A 5 speed. However, I find the performance decent and the handling is very good - in fact, rather surprisingly good. It does have a little body roll, but you get used to it and don't think much about it. Plus, you can always upgrade the suspension and part of the handling comes from tire choice as well. Gas mileage is very good at 30 - 31 mpg hwy.

BTW, I drive mine almost 100 miles every day. I've had it almost a year, put over 20K miles on it (had 42K miles when I bought it), and have had zero problems. It has a very nice smooth ride, the engine is quite even at speeds above 70mph, and I love driving it.

bansheenut420
03-07-2008, 11:58 AM
I don't understand why a car that stands out in the crowd like the PT does is such a bad thing. I love the way the PT looks and is the very reason I bought one. I like cars that are different and I think it's the WRX that's ugly. As for the PT being a girl car, nothing could be farthest from the truth. I joined a local Cruisers club of which the majority of the owners are guys - and most of them are not that old either.

Though I would have preferred a GT, my PT is a N/A 5 speed. However, I find the performance decent and the handling is very good - in fact, rather surprisingly good. It does have a little body roll, but you get used to it and don't think much about it. Plus, you can always upgrade the suspension and part of the handling comes from tire choice as well. Gas mileage is very good at 30 - 31 mpg hwy.

I agree, to each his own. And I dont agree with it being a girls car either. But I just dont like them much, and would take a wrx over it. Gas milage is just as good in the wrx. But, again to each his own. :thumb:

gtcvnt90
03-07-2008, 08:41 PM
I am right there with you Banshee, performance is a HUGE priority when I look for a car. But, I am loyal to the cars of the Chrysler corporation. I'll always go for the top of the line performance version of a car. I drive a Neon R/T daily because it's the top of the line performance model of the 1st Generation Neons (and it's been paid for since day 1). Got the wife a PT GT because she needs the room for her job of taking care of children and it's got easy access to the car seats in back for the kids. And when she's not hauling children, she's got a car that can get out of its own way. And she can't drive a manual transmission. Got a 90 Chrysler GTC-VNT, other than the Phantom R/Ts, probably the fast Lebaron ever made. I'd love to drive a WRX, don't get me wrong, and Subies are excellent buys. But brand loyalty and buying domestic means a lot to me. In 5 years of daily driving, the Neon has only required tires, battery, oil changes, spark plugs, shifter bushings (boogers) and new plug tube seals. Head gasket was done under warranty at 26K. In return, I've gotten 28-30 mpg in town driving for every tank of gas for the last 35,000.

For what PT Cruisers are, they offer great utility, durability, style, lots of options, a fun to drive factor, and decent performance for their size and price. The wife actually disliked them until two things happened. They came out with Cool Vanilla, a color she fell in love with, and looks really rich and elegant when cleaned up, and she drove one. We traded in an '02 Eclipse for it, which she just had to have at the time (Flash Blue), and she hated the Stratus R/T, which I wanted her to get (and didn't come in Flash Blue).

Turbo224
03-08-2008, 05:01 AM
I am right there with you Banshee, performance is a HUGE priority when I look for a car. But, I am loyal to the cars of the Chrysler corporation. I'll always go for the top of the line performance version of a car. I drive a Neon R/T daily because it's the top of the line performance model of the 1st Generation Neons (and it's been paid for since day 1). Got the wife a PT GT because she needs the room for her job of taking care of children and it's got easy access to the car seats in back for the kids. And when she's not hauling children, she's got a car that can get out of its own way. And she can't drive a manual transmission. Got a 90 Chrysler GTC-VNT, other than the Phantom R/Ts, probably the fast Lebaron ever made. I'd love to drive a WRX, don't get me wrong, and Subies are excellent buys. But brand loyalty and buying domestic means a lot to me. In 5 years of daily driving, the Neon has only required tires, battery, oil changes, spark plugs, shifter bushings (boogers) and new plug tube seals. Head gasket was done under warranty at 26K. In return, I've gotten 28-30 mpg in town driving for every tank of gas for the last 35,000.

For what PT Cruisers are, they offer great utility, durability, style, lots of options, a fun to drive factor, and decent performance for their size and price.

Very well said. Brand loyalty means a lot to me. And what ever model I drive I have to feel like I have the best performing one. Even though I could probably afford an srt4, srt8 charger, or maybe a caliber srt if I really dug deep in my wallet, I dont really need to have something thats blazing fast for a daily driver. I have come to learn that the more a car is modified, the worse they are as a daily driver. I know a lot of people dont think that way, but thats just me. I love getting into my jeep everday and never thinking twice about any potential problems or watching my oil pressure gauge like a hawk. Like I have said before, needs to be comfortable, reliable, and affordable, and none of my turbo dodges fit that catergory right now. :D I certainly appreciate all the help and oppinions everyone has offered. About a year ago I went through the same thing thinking about an SRT4. Obviously I couldn't talk myself into one of those.

cdd
03-18-2008, 02:04 AM
I bought the turbo lite auto and added the S1 and some other things. Still miss the T3 Daytona but trying to get the PT somewhat close. Here is a 1/4 mile run link. http://www.4shared.com/file/39595945/3b39c9b1/1486at9216mph.html?

Turbozcs2003
03-21-2008, 02:40 PM
Get a Gt and you wont regret it.

I have an 03 GT stick the wife drives. has stg1 computer, dynoed 227WHP and 254WTQ.

Car gets about 26 mpg day in day out, tad better on all highway cruise.

Slap a good set of rubber on it for summer and some snows in the winter and you will have a nice car.

Only known problems are LCA bushings go and front wheel bearings. I had all replaced courtesy of extended warranty. Mine has 72K miles on it and other than that no problems.

Get a 5 spd, if you look around you can find them. Unlike a WRX or SRT4, the PT will not be beaten into a pulp by some kid. Also insurance is a lot cheaper dueto the demographics of the owners.

Lastly you can buy all kinds of stuff for it, if you want to put on kits for the body that look good, suspension, and stg 1 computer. Very solid car and parts will be plentiful down the road as millions show up in the yard in another 5-10 years :)

BTW the trans is a getrag 288 in the GT, different than the SRT4. Car also has a trailing arm rear suspension with watts linkage, you will be at home since it is very similiar to the Daytonas. Front suspension is a k-frame with struts, again son of K-car :)

cordes
03-21-2008, 03:05 PM
Darn it, you guys have got me thinking about getting one of these now. Would I get the lifetime warranty with a PT GT?

Clay
03-21-2008, 03:17 PM
You have to buy it new to get the lifetime warrenty, but it applies to everything except SRT and cummins vehicles.

Turbozcs2003
03-21-2008, 03:52 PM
Darn it, you guys have got me thinking about getting one of these now. Would I get the lifetime warranty with a PT GT?

They stopped making the GT version in 2007. so no more turbo stick cars.
If you could find a leftover you could.

You can still get the Touring with the auto and 180 HP turbo lite flavor and put a stg 1 computer which will boost it up to the 240 HP or so, and get the lifetime warranty.

cordes
03-21-2008, 07:47 PM
They stopped making the GT version in 2007. so no more turbo stick cars.
If you could find a leftover you could.

You can still get the Touring with the auto and 180 HP turbo lite flavor and put a stg 1 computer which will boost it up to the 240 HP or so, and get the lifetime warranty.

Oh, I would really want the stick. I guess I will have to hold out for something else.

Turbozcs2003
03-21-2008, 07:57 PM
Oh, I would really want the stick. I guess I will have to hold out for something else.

Buy a used one, new they were around 26K but come loaded. If you look around you can find them for about about 12K for a 2-3 yr old model with less than 30K on me.

I bought mine for 15K when it was 11 months old, had about 12K miles on it.
Bought a 8/80 DC bumper to bumper warratny for 8/80, cant go wrong for 700$, in 2004.

cordes
03-21-2008, 08:07 PM
Buy a used one, new they were around 26K but come loaded. If you look around you can find them for about about 12K for a 2-3 yr old model with less than 30K on me.

I bought mine for 15K when it was 11 months old, had about 12K miles on it.
Bought a 8/80 DC bumper to bumper warratny for 8/80, cant go wrong for 700$, in 2004.

Wow, that is not much of a resale at all. I might have to give those a look anyway. Thanks!

Turbo224
03-21-2008, 10:06 PM
Thanks for the additional input. I am planning on buying one for sure. I promised myself that I would get the Omni back on the road for a dd before I sold the Jeep. Then after the Jeep is sold i will have as long as I need to find a GT 5 speed with low miles.

WickedShelby88
03-27-2008, 07:37 AM
No a Gt does not need premium gas however for max performance it does and the butt dyno tells me that is true. It is cheaper for me to insure than my 99 Ford Escort was. Mine does fine in the summer on 89 and in winter it will not ping or knock on 87. But it only gets 20 Mpg. :( I have an Electric Blue 05 GT with 45000+ miles on it. I absolutely love my car. However like some SRT4 ppl I have found it to picky on the brand of gas and rough on plugs. (when it was under full warranty it got nothing but plus and still killed the first set of plugs at 19000) When I put the set in it has now they are copper and not the plats the factory put in and no probs with name brand 87... I think big name gas actually matters with the GT. That crappy Escort ran (slowly) on anything.

Just my .02 cents :) :D
Yeah, uh if you get one and it has the plat-no-spark plugs toss them overrated pieces of crap.. The only thing platinum tipped does is last longer as they DO NOT produce a better spark in fact they make the coils work harder which is why you see guys replacing their wires more ofter than they should have to. Also I can definitely vouch for the roominess of a PT. They didn't look it on the outside but when I rode in one I was sold. My wife even likes them. Perfect future replacement for the mini as a DD for me. The rear is SOOOOO much more beefy than than at least the neon SRT variant. I don't know about the crapaliber, but the neon based control arms and the box back that are pretty flimsy if you ask me compared to the older TD cars. Just my experience from curbs and other abnormalities VS the chassis... Raccoon 1-NEON 0.

Turbozcs2003
03-27-2008, 02:47 PM
Wow, that is not much of a resale at all. I might have to give those a look anyway. Thanks!

resale on the stick GT's sucks because no one knows how to drive a stick :)

Local dealer had a nice 06 GT vertible 5spd. sat on the lot from March 06 to OCt 07 before it was sold. It stickered for like 29K, probably sold for invoce of 25500 or so less another 3500$ rebate for 22K out the door.

You can always wheel and deal on a stick car because dealers cant sell them.
Just dont go in and wet yourself that you want the stick.

87patrick
03-27-2008, 10:43 PM
I bought a 2003 PT GT 5-speed new, and it was one of the neatest cars I've ever owned! It does not have the fuel cutoff on it, so I've had it all the way up to an indicated 131 mph - a little weird in a car like that, but it did it!

It was a great car - until the car started popping out of gear! It would pop out of Third and Fifth, and Chrysler couldn't fix the problem. It started at around 18K miles. The 5-speed in the GT is unique to that car - another manual from a non-GT will not work, according to the Chrysler geniuses. All they had to do was replace the damn transaxle, but they kept screwing around with the car, replacing everything BUT. They had the car in the shop for 57 straight days, and another 20 of 30 days afterwards, and couldn't (or wouldn't) fix it. Chrysler bought the car back and we ordered a new '06 PT ragtop, this time with an auto transaxle. Wife's car, 23K miles now, she loves it, I'm happy.

J&H Ryan
03-29-2008, 07:59 AM
Mom is just about to turn in a 04 GT. With 50k miles, its been a good car with no issues, but is starting to show its age in the steering and transmission dept. I got her a 06 Mazda 6 with the GT package (18" wheels, ect) and it makes the PT's handling seem weak - wheras before I thought it was almost perfect.

Through my dealer licence, I can get an 07-08 GT for under 15k - thats depreciation!

91DSX
03-30-2008, 04:22 PM
A few months ago I was able to find a Tangerine Pearl 2003 PT "Dream Cruiser" Edition 5-speed w/only 41 Kms after months of searching!!!!! I can say this car is more fun than my old 89' Auto Turbo Minivan, the car peels out in 2nd gear and is totally stock (still has the paper air filter LOL).

I too am a Mopar guy so this purchase just made sense, lots of mods coming this spring;):thumb: