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By
EWAN KENNEDY
20 June 2005
Far and
away the best of the current crop of retro vehicles in the
practicality stakes, Chrysler's
PT Cruiser has done moderately well in the sales race on
the Australian market since its 2000 introduction. Sales would
probably have been considerably stronger, but the PT Cruiser
doesn’t appeal to all, as it’s styling puts off buyers who
are looking for a conservative machine.
Those who like the looks will be amazed at just how sensible
this fun machine is. As well as at how much fun they get from
the looks. Because this relative newcomer has received owner
adulation beyond that of most other current cars. To the extent
that active owners’ clubs have been set up in several
Australian states and are going great guns.
A five-seater, if the adults in the rear seat are of fairly slim
build, or a four-seater with plenty of legroom and headroom for
big adults, the PT Cruiser has very good luggage space. You can
fold and/or remove various seats to get numerous useful
arrangements. You can even carry an eight-foot stepladder or
surfboard inside.
The rear shelf in the PT Cruiser can be set into five different
positions. In one of these it acts as a strong picnic table that
protrudes from the rear of the vehicle. In another it’s set at
the same height as the folded down seats to make a large level
platform. Or it can be located at different heights according to
the amount of luggage being carried.
Power output was marginal on the original 2.0-litre PT Cruiser,
launched in July 2000. It finally received a 2.4-litre
four-cylinder 105 kW unit to replace the 2.0-litre 100 kW engine
in December 2004. That bigger engine had been available on other
markets from day one, but wasn’t installed in PT Cruisers with
the steering wheel on our side of the car.
There's understandable confusion over the power of the old
engine, initially giving the impression that the new one isn’t
the improvement we had expected. When first launched, the
2.0-litre was rated at 104 kilowatts, but later measurements of
it on Australian fuel showed it peaked at only 100 kW. But
there’s a lot more to an engine than simply power, torque is
the important number, and the new engine lifts that from 186 to
214 Newton metres. At the same time the torque peak has been
dropped from 4400 rpm to a more reasonable 4000 rpm.
Steering and handling of this clever Chrysler are competent
enough, though Australian drivers may find the steering feel to
be on the dead side, in the American manner. A special model,
the PT Cruiser Grand Cruiser, has firmer sports suspension and
17-inch alloy wheels. It didn’t arrive until the December 2004
upgrade of the vehicle so is still rare on the used-car scene.
It’s worth waiting for if you’re the sort of person who
enjoys a good drive.
Ride comfort on the standard car is good and the Cruiser seldom
gets caught out by big bumps and lumps in B-grade Aussie roads.
There's some slight loss of comfort in the Grand, but it’s not
bad.
Noise levels are generally subdued, though there is some wind
and tyre noise intrusion under certain circumstances.
Chrysler is now firmly re-established in Australia and there's a
decent spread of dealers, though they do tend to be concentrated
in the metro areas. We have heard of no real problems with
getting service or spare parts. Prices are generally about
average for a car of this size and type.
Insurance rates are normally towards the mid-range in the scale,
but there's a bigger spread of premium charges than for some
other cars so it’s worth shopping around for the best deal.
Don’t just ask about price, be sure to ask what you get, and
don’t get, in the way of coverage.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The PT Cruiser hasn’t been on the market for long enough to
build up a record on longevity, but it’s reasonably well built
and owners are generally happy with them.
Look over the interior carefully as quite a few PT Cruisers are
used commercially and may have had a rough life. Even those that
have only been used as people movers may have taken a beating at
the hands (and feet!) of uncaring kids.
Look for crash damage or signs of it having been repaired. Paint
colours that don’t quite match are a good clue, also look for
slight ripples in the shape of the panel. If in doubt, call in
an expert on smash repairs or go to your motorists’
association.
The engine should start easily and pull smoothly, but as
mentioned the original 2.0-litre unit wasn’t exactly a ball of
fire.
Gearchanges should be reasonably smooth and the gearbox and
clutch action should be light. A system that hangs up on fast
downchanges may have problems.
CAR BUYING TIP
When looking at trendy cars it pays to contact a car club and
have a good talk to members. They're often an impressive source
of detailed knowledge.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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