bowe_knows's Full Review: 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser
After my 1995 Mitsubishi Galant broke down and was going to cost more than its worth to fix it, I decided to by my first new car. In the time my car was in the shop, I rented a base model Cruiser. It looked great, and was very roomy inside, but there was nothing special about it. I took it on the freeway, and although it cruised fine at 65, it didn't have any torque or "giddy up" to get around someone. After researching it in Consumer Reports, and looking at other cars inlcuding the BMW 3 series, Mercedes, Lexus, Toyota, and Nissan, I found the Cruiser had exceptional ratings and reliability every year that it has been produced and is a Consumer's Best Buy.
SHOPPING ONLINE!!!
I've liked the body of the Cruiser since they came out, so I went to www.chrysler.com and built my own. I initially chose the limited version, since it was the lowest model that had the sunroof and the leather. I added on a chrome package, a spoiler, chose the color, the interior color, etc... it gave me an MSRP and 5 dealers in my area to work with. Not bad! After contacting a dealer, he showed me exactly what I was looking for. He also recommended that I check out the GT model since I planned on keeping the car for a while and potentially wanted to hand it off to my son. Am I glad he did. It was a little more, but the difference was unbelievable and include:
1. All "smooth" leather seats. The limited has this suede leather on the seats which I don't like because as soon as it gets wet or my son throws his juice cup on it...it's ruined, and hard. It also is a two toned leather and apparently the GT is the only model that comes with it. The style is similar to a Mercedes with the athletic mesh look to it.
2. A Spoiler and 17" Chrome rims. They add a nice touch. As far as I could tell, the larger wheels didn't affect the turning radius that much. Some people mention the turn radius is huge, and while larger than average, it's very managable.
3. A Getrag Manual transmission (although a automatic is available), which is built in Germany and is essentially a Mercedes transmission.
4. A 2.4 Liter 16 Valve high output 4 cylinder engine. Now when you think of a fast car, you think V8's etc... but this car has 220 horses and can boogy. Just to see how fast I could go, I punched the pedal on the entrance ramp to the freeway. By the time I reached the top of the ramp, I was going 80 miles an hour in third gear and was not close to the redline! That was as fast as I wanted to go. It only takes PREMIUM gas though, so what money you don't spend on quantity of gas, you do in quality of gas.
5. Carbon fiber looking dash and glovebox, which is only in the GT.
6. Standard safety features include supplemental side airbags and Antilock Brakes.
So I went back to the website, and built the GT model with everything I wanted on it so I could get the MSRP, and had a tool for bargaining. My insurance company actually told me they would negotiate the price for me and could get me around invoice plus $500. I worked with a guy named Michael Phelan in Glendale CA, and he was excellent, gave me a great deal, and made the whole process painless. I can't recommend him enough. Apparently, if you go through the internet, you deal with Fleet managers instead of the basic car salesman, and they can give you better deals. I say all that to say, without having to haggle, he gave it to me for invoice plus $200. That was his first price.
TEST DRIVE:
This car is a gem. It handles well in the corners, sinking down instead of feeling like it is going to tip over. The GT model has a Traction Control that senses when a wheel is starting to slip and adds extra pressure. Although it seems tall, it doesn't feel top heavy at all. The shifting is smooth, and the suspension is firm, but nice... like a good mattress:) The armrests on the seats are a great and add to the comfort. When you get on open road, the car seems most comfortable going 65 to 80 miles an hour in fifth gear. At 55 miles an hour it's hovering around 2000 rpm, so when you try to punch it, the torque takes a little while to kick in, so I drop it down to 4th and I'm off like a rocket. Although people in Southern California drive like bats out of hell, I prefer not to go faster than 75, but since I went up to 80 in third gear on that first test, I'm sure 80 in fifth gear is no problem:)
There isn't much outside noise that permeates to the inside of the car. What I do hear is the whirring of the engine, but it is faint, and as soon as I turn on the stereo which is more than my ears can handle at about 50%, it is unnoticeable.
There are a couple other things that I'd like to mention which I love about this car. The first is that I can fold down, forward, or even remove both of the back seats, so if I need a lot of room, I would have just as much if not more than my Ford Explorer Sport. Another thing is that it has safety latches for car seats. I haven't seen these on other cars. My Mitsubishi didn't have them, and my Ford Explorer doesn't have them. I had to jerryrig a system to anchor the bottom down. While trendy and a looker, this car is practical and kid friendly. The last is something of a phenomenon... owning a Cruiser is like owning a Harley. There is a comraderie when you see another Cruiser on the road, and they'll wave and flash a smile...almost like they know you're having fun driving. Apparently there are even "Cruiser" clubs, where owners get together and one day a month or so, they get together and take off for a road trip together...like Hell's Angels, but a bit more civilized:) There is one such club based out of Burbank, CA that has about 60 members.
I usually feel buyers remorse on large ticket items wondering if I got it at the right time, or got the right car and model, or if I paid too much, etc... but as I drove away from the dealership and people were looking at the car at every stop light... There was nothing except a big smile on my face as I opened the moonroof, rolled down the windows, and just Cruised into the sunset.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 26,500
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: 2004 PT CRUISER GT
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