2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser

Rating from Trained Technician

(4)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"When I was 5 years old I told my parents that I would design a car like the VW that had the engine in the front and the gas tank in the rear, well Chrysler did it for me, My brother owned a panel van that he drove to go surf in and I use to be envious of because of all the room inside. The PT designers incorporated some of its style from the delivery panel van. PT (panel truck) Mitsubishi made the Dodge/Plymouth Colt Vista Wagon that is really popular still in Japan Some know it as the Expo or Space Wagon Well that is still a very popular design here in the States because it is such a great all around vehicle . In Fact they were designated as a MPV Multi-Purpose Vehicle but Chrysler designated the PT Cruiser as a Truck for help with their Cafe standards, The PT is actually more like the Expo than any other vehicle I've seen except it has more Style. The PT is extremely aerodynamic and they suffer very little in any windy road conditions. The engine is one of the longest stroke gasoline engines that were in production, and it has a tremendous amount of torque, but it is hard to match a transmission to an engine that has this type of power band ratio, and without forced induction of intake air to match the compression ratios (turbocharger) the engine got a reputation that no one on the road wanted to be behind one especially driving up a hill. The combination of a turbocharger and the Autostick transmission the PT turned into a Porsche in 0 to 60 in 6 seconds The Autostick transmission was like something used by VW also but with the PT the transmission has a failsafe built in that doesn't let the driver go over redline and will protect the engine by shifting for you in manual mode if the maximum RPM is met in the gear you have chosen. Another safety feature that Chrysler gave the 2004 PT Cruiser GT was equal length drive shafts and traction control, this controls torque steer, a physical characteristic of FWD vehicles that you feel during acceleration because the drive wheels are also the wheels used to steer the car, and without this feature you feel a noticeable difference in the ability to hold on to the steering wheel in a corner while using the gas pedal at the same time. The PT cruiser also has an advantage of being a car that was produced in record numbers. Many models of vehicles that if they are discontinued have a limited supply of their specific Model replacement parts, and the PT shared its production assemble with other Chrysler models. The point being there will be replacement parts available for these cars for a long time."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from G man

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		3 out of 5

"I bought it use on 06 with 32,000 miles, great Overall is a great car. Poor mileage for being a small car, but great to drive. Response great, I have a heavy feet I have never been disappointed on the performance I have race vs mustangs and wana be racers and have smoke them, also a great head turner having that said the cons about the car is checking the oil levels as the turbo wil eat the motor oil and lead to head gasket problem I can't blame the car its the owner fault. I'll definitely keep my car forever I love this car. I have own other cars before and they can't compared to this car I use this car for going to work and local commute just check ur oil levels every month and u will do great"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from BEAR

(4)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"Roomy and comfortable, handels great, peppy,nice ride,love the body style. Interior is ergomomic, Coontrols are well placed and easy to use. Only one negative and that would be the music system. There is room for improvement in this catagory."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from car for college student

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I have had 2 great experiences in looking and finding a car using cars.com. The dealerships and the personnel were very helpful and made you feel very important. I would use this site again when I am looking for another car. The car drives really well, has great features, and is very good on gas which is important for me as the car is for a college student"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from 04 pt owner

(3)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		1 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		1 out of 5
Reliability:		1 out of 5

"I bought this car with 8k miles on it in 2004, kept it regularly maintained and less than a year later I had to change the brakes and rotors and the mechanic said I had a small oil leak. A year later I had to replace the tires and the oil sending unit. The car had barely been driven all that time and had less than 20k miles on it! Now it barely has 90k miles on it and the engine has failed, I just replaced the head gaskets, timing belt, plugs and wires, thermostat, and it just had an oil change less than a month ago. I've put more money in this car than its worth. DO NOT BUY ONE!!! Look up the PT Cruiser forums and you will see how many people have had problems with them."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from PT Owner

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"This is one of the best cars I have owned in its class. I have had no issues with it and have kept it maintained. It has been driven on lots of trips and is enjoyable to own. The gas mileage is not what some people expect (22mpg), but it handles very well in sand (Florida) and in snow (Michigan). The body style makes it easy to see traffic and there are no real blind spots. I would buy another one in a heartbeat; I have owned this car from day one."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Transporting family

Rating from CRJ Driver

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"Great car. The 2.4L turbo high output engine has all the power I need. It is faster off the line then most other cars. The only draw back is the High Output 2.4l Turbo requires premium fuel. 91 octate is recommended. The book says you can run 87 in it, but they don't recommend it. I sometimes put mid-grade 89 in it, but if you "floor it" and get the turbo spinning fast you can hear the slightest "ping" from the engine. Therefor I mostly use premium."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Bluesman

(4)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"2nd Cruiser! GT PT Turbo model! Under hood repairs not bad for do it yourselfers. Replaced the coil module under the intake, and replaced plugs and wires at the same time. Had all new brakes put on, and new tires at about 75000 miles. Other than that, no probs and it is a little beast! Everyone who rides in it claims it is comfortable, and it "really gets up and goes!" I get about 20 mpg town and 23-25 mpg highway. I can live with that for now. I love the auto-stick tranny and it will get you into traffic on the on ramps to interstates very quickly! Without the turbo the performance is fair, but the turbo is excellent, the reason for the 4 star rate on the performance is the turning radius. Was needed by design to fit it all under the body on the small chassis. Interior leather is still looking good at almost 90,000 miles. Storage space is great, the folding/removeable seats are the greatest design I have seen! Able to pack all my Blues gig materials in the back and room for me and my sweetie in front! Have joined cruiser clubs and they are ENTHUSIASTIC about these little Cruisers!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from Stylin Cruiser

(4)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"The car is great! It runs smoothly, takes tight turns, and has great acceleration. The seats are comfortable and the inside is roomy for its small size with plenty of cargo room. The only downside is that they have a record of having problems with coolant and the head gasket; both of which are pretty major components. However, if you treat your car well, get regular check ups, and service it when needed, you'll be fine."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from Dino

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I love my PT, it's is my far the most comfortable car I have ever owned. I maintain my PT and really take care of it and so far after 56,000 miles not one problem. Somebody I know has one that has over 300,000 miles on it. The PT also has a huge following of enthusiast that have clubs and forums. It's amazing if you have a problem someone will have an answer. The gas mileage could be better but I get around 23 mpg and will get 29mpg on highway trips which is what my Toyota used to give me without the smile factor the PT gives me. I really enjoy driving again. I will be sad to see the end of the PT cruiser."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting