PT Tribute

2006 Views 8 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Jon Mopar, Sep 16, 2010

PTGnome

Discussion Starter · Jun 30, 2010

As the last PT comes off the assembly line on July 9th, the Detroit Free Press posted a photo gallery of pictures from PTs over the years. I was able to attend the event shown in photo #3. It was a blast. I hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane.

Chrysler's PT Cruiser | freep.com | Business | Detroit Free Press

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DARKPT

· #2 · Jul 3, 2010

Sad to see production end, even though I wasn't a fan of the direction Chrysler went with their changes in 2006.

VW has been making the New Beetle for roughly the same number of years without much of an update, and there is no end in sight for its production.

Both of my Cruisers are still going strong. The older one ('01 5-spd) is about to get a front end respray to eliminate stone chips. I just replaced the AC system in it last weekend.

My '05 just hit 36000 miles this Spring. Still loving that GT motor with the 5-spd!

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The Pope

· #3 · Jul 3, 2010

I looked at the show car at the new auto show before they went into production and loved the car. But it took a lot of years to get one. My parrents have had 2 and my brother had a 03 GT. This year I got my PT GT. A black one with the wing and plastic intake. It is an 05 with 23,600 miles on it and I got it dirt cheap.

To love a PT is to drive one. They don't do it in the looks for many and are treated as an old folks car. Then I stomp on mine and traction control doesn't work till 3rd gear. If more people test drove them there would be 3 times more on the road today.

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FranksredPT

· #4 · Jul 5, 2010

Great pics

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PT_Sean

· #5 · Sep 13, 2010

What a rush to scan through those pictures. My PT turns 10 this weekend. Only 71000 kms on the clock! All original parts, except the tires and battery. Nothing else needed replcaing, although the watts linkage could be if the clicking started to bug me.

10 years, lots of trips to the Falls, many waves, lots of toys. I doubt that there will EVER be a vehicle like this again.

Cheers.

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Jon Mopar

· #6 · Sep 14, 2010

While I'm all for progress, I too am really going to miss this car. As a kid, when I first saw the Plymouth Pronto Cruizer in the late 90s, and the confirmed PT Cruiser in 00, I instantly loved it (while others hated it), and have grown more fond of my trusty 2.4 powered friend ever since then. Lots has changed in the world, some good, some bad...some worse, but one thing remained the same: A little neon based Cruiser that was both simple, and as tough as a little car gets, with an engine so straight forward, many saw no need in even having a warranty. It's kinda like loosing an old friend, with the 2.4 being one of the few engines left from those simpler times when parts were cheap, easy to find and couple be replaced in your driveway. It's a sad that it's popularity and attention has dwindled, and while it's a shame that the car has been left to fade out, part of me is glad that the current versions (besides for a few plasticy dash pieces) at least remained exactly what they were a decade ago.

how can you not miss this familiar face?

we got one the moment they landed. A fully loaded 01 5spd with alloys and that "way-too-cool" cue-ball shifter

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PT_Sean

· #7 · Sep 15, 2010

Jon- about the comment "Neon based", the PT is not. The Neon is 1.5" longer in the wheelbase, so its impossible that a PT unibody would even fit onto the Neon unibody (if that were even possible). The PT and Neon could exchange parts, alternator, fuses, master cylinder, just as the Neon could exchange those parts with other Chryco products.

P.S. looks like Fiat is replacing the PT with their '500', kinda looks like a Beetle!

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Una

· #8 · Sep 16, 2010

A Dodge Rampage is longer than a Dodge Charger, but they're both "L bodies". The Rampage also has a VASTLY different rear suspension. I think it's fair to say that the PT was based on the Neon just like Chevy's new HHR is clearly based on the Cavalier/Caliber.
But yeah, it sucks to see the PT line die simply from Neglect. They needed to shake things up, toss a V6 in it to appease the 4 cylinder haters, give it a 5 speed automatic to make it competitive in the modern market. And it definitely needed an exterior makeover after 10 years of essentially the same looks.
At least they didn't stick that stupid New World motor in them with that horrible CVT automatic.

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Jon Mopar

· #9 · Sep 16, 2010 (Edited)

PT_Sean said:
Jon- about the comment "Neon based", the PT is not. The Neon is 1.5" longer in the wheelbase, so its impossible that a PT unibody would even fit onto the Neon unibody (if that were even possible). The PT and Neon could exchange parts, alternator, fuses, master cylinder, just as the Neon could exchange those parts with other Chryco products.

so much for my patriotic PT rant going unscathed

. I should clarify, what I meant by "Neon based", is that designers first looked to the neon's PL platform as their starting point, drawing from it the design basis of the new PT platform.... which is something not many people know. Ppl that don't know them, think they're both the same car, just reskinned. Ppl that are knowledgeable, think they have no ties whatsoever. But you are right in that the PL and the PT platform don't share any major structural components. The similarities can only be found on the drawing board. This is basically what Bryan Nesbitt and Chrysler's Small-Mid size vehicle Director said about PT prior to its release all those years ago.

but back to the issue at hand, we'll miss you little Cruiser! you'll always be too cool for school in my books

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