2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser consumer reviews

I bought my cruiser gently used at 2 years of age with 20,000 miles. I have taken care of her and she has taken care of me. I have not had any of the previously mentioned issues and the car is very comfortable and easy to drive. I definitely feel like I got my money's worth out of this car.

I have replaced the fan 3 times in 3 years. And the transmission once. It has gone out again and the motor is gone too.

I bought my 2002 PT Cruiser Limited Edition for $5200, used, from a Toyota dealership who didn't even have it in stock from the original owners for 24 hours (I saw the paperwork and they weren't lying). This short time period didn't given them enough time to be able to really check it out. It drove fine for the first month or so. Then it started running a little hot - checked the fluids and everything was fine in that regard. Then a few days later it nearly overheated all of a sudden. Pulled over, cooled it down, checked it out again - nothing could be found. Well, the final result was that it started to do the overheating thing all of a sudden a second time - I pulled it over on the side of the interstate, and smoke began coming out of somewhere deep inside the engine - couldn't see where. No fire or anything, just white smoke. Then, after cooling, it wouldn't even start. Had it towed. Mechanic's diagnosis - long-term wear and tear on the engine had damaged the head gasket(s) and related assemblies (I'm not an expert on this stuff!!), and they all require replacing. After 1 week in the shop, and the bill being up to $1,900 so far, it's still not fixed because he has found other damage that this issue caused over time. He's a 5-star rated mechanic and a trustworthy guy. All I can say is BE VERY CAREFUL buying these very cute and fun cars - if there is engine damage it is VERY HARD TO GET TO IN ORDER TO REPAIR - everything is down very low underneath lots of other stuff on top of it. DON'T DO WHAT I DID AND BUY IT WITH ONLY A BASIC LOOK-SEE, especially if it has more than 80,000 miles on it as mine did.

Advantages/Disadvantages: * Easy to get in and out of * Handles well * Plenty of power * Comfortable to me, my wife says the seats are a little hard * Jerky when braking * Gas mileage not for a 4 cylinder * Front end scrapes easily (low to ground) * If you drive with your headlights on in the daytime, the speedometer is hard to read

I went from a mazda miata to my pt crusier, I love this car more then I thought I would. It is so comfortable and handles great. Easy to park and great for shopping. While I still own and love my miata, I would have a difficult time giving up my PT. Draw backs are the gas milage is terrible and I had a problem with my radiator and fan which I understand is a common problem. All in all this is a great car, awesome to haul your kids or grandkids around in.

My '02 Limited PT is AMAZING! It takes 25mph turns easily between 40 & 60 miles an hour. Acceleration for its 150 horses is very responsive. I wish the shocks were a little stiffer for a more "sporty" ride, but comfort is top of the line in this car. A few changes of the brakes, tires, wipers, many oil changes, and 65 thousand miles after the original purchase, this PT is holding up as though it were still just off the assembly line. The leather seats, ability to tighten the lap belt VERY tight, and the stance on the country roads takes me back to my childhood driving go-karts! I have a lead-foot, it likes to go fast; my PT & I are meant to be together!!

watch out chrysler has a bad rep for shocka and struts/suspension its a cute car and it works but watch out dealers will try to fool you and you will not notice if its bad at first

The 2002 PTC is better than I expected, but I was coming off a 1995 Eagle Vision TSi so perhaps my expectations were low. The PTC cruises quietly and comfortably at highway speeds in 5th gear. Power is reasonable though not quick with the manual transmission and it feels very substantial and solid. The doors close with a nice "thunk". The flexible interior is roomy for all sorts of cargo and the optional roof rack has come in handy many times. The short length makes it easy to park and the upright seating is pleasant without being overly high. When cold, the engine stumbles and surges and sounds like a 1950 Soviet tractor; once it warms up all is fine. Mileage around town is not great (maybe up to 20 mpg); highway mileage in 5th gear is between 25 and 28. Removing the larger 2/3 rear seat is not an easy task due to its weight but once both rear seats are out, you have a small panel truck. The gray bumpers are discolored in places and this appears to be a factory flaw for some models. Overall - a nice little car that is comfortable and roomy inside with styling that is certainly different than most alternatives. Liking the looks of the PTC is probably an acquired taste.