After a bad experience with a 2005 Ford Focus we purchased a 2005 PT Cruiser in August of this year. We looked around at many other cars and have been very happy with this choice.
This was a preowned automatic 2005 Touring Edition. We paid a reasonable $12,500.
I have to haul large things sometimes for my job but need the comfort of a car because people sometimes ride to meetings with me. Style was not as important to me as was security, versatility and gas mileage. So far, I have not been disappointed.
No matter how perfect a vehicle may seem in other areas if it fails in safety it fails period. The felt PT Cruiser fared better than many other models in safety comparisons. This reassured me.
A test in security came only 2 weeks after driving off the lot. A group of teenage boys tried to steal the car by attempting to jimmie the lock. They also tried to use a coat hanger to lift the latch. All attempts failed. The paint was chipped and weather stripping damaged. Otherwise, the car was none the worse for wear - which is more than we can now say for the kids.
I continue to be impressed with the versatility of the vehicle.
Our teens feared the rear seat would be too firm for vacations. There have been no complaints uttered so far in the 12,000+ miles we've already put on the vehicle.
The window contols and sole cup holder for back seat occupants is at the rear of the center console near the floor. I was concerned that this arrangement would be inconvenient.
Actually, this is one of the features my kids have enjoyed the most.
Equally interesting is the location of the controls for front seat folks. They are in the top of the center of the dash with air handling controls just under it and radio CD controls just under that. These have taken some getting used to but now I find that I like having them there.
And for versatility, you cannot beat this car!
The rear seats can be removed, rolled forward or folded flat. The hatch becomes a cavern. You can haul tall items, long items or move small furniture pieces. In seconds, you can adapt, flip the seats and head to a meeting. It's the nearest thing to a "transformer" that I've seen.
The gas mileage is nice. On a recent family trip we managed to get 35 miles to the gallon. This was over flat terrain with air vents instead of AC for much of the trip. When we drive the almost 3 hours over mountains to get our daughter our PT usually averages a respectable 30-32 miles per gallon. Most of the time we are using the AC.
The PT is sensitive to tire pressure. Checking this and adjusting as necessary usually helps the gas mileage.
We were pleasantly suprised at the overall roominess of the vehicle. There is ample room for everyone to be comfortable. Leg space is good. Overhead space is excellent. With the seats in the normal position there is room for suitcases, sleeping bags and a large cooler.
A removeable rear deck helps keep everything secure in the hatch but still leaves room to store easy to reach items on top of it. Flip the rear deck on its side. Slide into the tracks at the back of the seats and you can hang grocery sacks or bags without worrying about having items roll out.
The PT handles well for a family style of car. The cornering and handling make it fun to drive on switchback mountain roads.If you are looking for a sports car you probably won't be happy. It cruises well at higher speeds but the pick up can be a bit sluggish.
Because of the handling and weight of the car (3200lb) I'm anticipating it to do well on snow and ice. We've not tried that yet. I'll have to update this post after the first snowfall.
I've been very pleased with every other aspect of the car and see no reason why it won't perform well then too.
Update 3/2005: The car now has 44,000 + miles on it. We've had zero repair or maintenence issues. I'm very happy to report that on our last road trip up and down mountains the car still got 31 miles to the gallon. Even though the newness has worn off my family still loves it!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 12,500
Condition: Used Model Year: 2005 Model and Options: Touring Edition
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