Nothing has gone wrong; it is a very reliable car.
The car gets terrible gas mileage.
I bought this vehicle to drive to work and save my Jaguar XJS from things like snow and salt. I know it isn't a fair comparison in many ways, but I think it is a notable point that my 6-cylinder 4 litre British grand tourer delivers a solid 26-28 miles per gallon while the Cruiser struggles to achieve 23.
Handling is mediocre, but I'm spoiled in that department.
I love the style of the little beast, though, and the interior is great.
Chrysler designed a great deal of efficient space into the Cruiser. It is very versatile.
I would stand in line to buy one with a hybrid engine.
Well, gas mileage depends on your driving habits. Yes, if you constantly drive like your're in the Indy 500, you are going to have poor mileage. If you only drive like that on occasion, you're going to have better mileage.
Best trip mileage we could get was 26 mpg (accurately checked). Disapointing.
I agree totally on the mileage issue. My PT is used for daily commutes to work of 13 miles each way (country roads), with an occasional run on the turnpike every few weeks. It doesn't matter - my mileage ALWAYS hovers around 21-23 mpg, with better mileage in summer than winter. I read the owners manual - the PT's curb weight is over 3200 pounds - which is more than likely the reason for the mediocre gas usage. But I still love my PT - I wouldn't trade it for anything!
I drooled over the PT Cruiser when it first hit the car magazines a year before production release. Wiser, cooler heads convinced me that I was not financially ready to take on payments for a new car at that time and found me a great used wagon that well serves my needs currently.
I am amazed to hear of the poor gas mileage. Now that 'hybrids' are becoming more common, it seems that the PT Cruiser body style is ideal for such a conversion.
I will be saving my pennies for the day Chrysler debuts a Hybrid Cruiser.
I love my Cruiser! Now, having said that, there are times (especially at the gas pumps) that I wish I'd never bought it. I was "caught" by the looks and feel when driving. I was driving a 10 year old van with over 100,000 miles before and it got close to 30 mpg. Imagine my surprise when I could only reach 19 mpg in country road, winter driving. True, it does better on highway driving (22-26mpg). Especially in the spring and fall when you don't need the heater or air conditioner.
I was just chalking up the bad gas mileage to the fact that I bought the car on Sept 11, 2001. Bad vibes that day!!! But that excuse can only go on for so long.
A hybrid would be interesting (and appealing) but this is the last time I splurge on "looks and feel". Next time it will be economy and practicality.
If gas money is not an issue to you, then get a Cruiser. You'll love it!
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