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djsamuel
Cruiser Expert
PT Cruiser Club Member
Posted: Apr 2, 2008, 9:23 AM
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Re: [Bo Blue PT] PT's Ending?
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Mini proves a retro line can be expanded and continue to be successful:
http://business.scotsman.com/business/No-more-a--retrofad.3936522.jp
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Posts: 101 | From: Clermont, FL
| Registered: Feb 19, 2008, 7:44 AM
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Dave From NY
Cruiser Buff
Posted: Apr 2, 2008, 6:14 PM
Post #27 of 36
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Re: PT's Ending?
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This may not be a popular opinion around here (naturally)... But if you put aside any emotional attachment to the car and look at it in purely logical terms, it just doesn't pay for Chrysler to keep the PT Cruiser in production. Even though I own a PTC myself and like it (except for its pathetic gas mileage), I'd probably make the same decision if it were up to me.
Big truck handling and fuel economy in a small car package is a combination that doesn't make a lot of sense in our present reality. Our economy is tanking, the dollar is shrinking, gas is likely to hit $4 a gallon and the cost of living is going up, up, up! The PTC is really a relic of a much different time, the late '90s, when the economy was strong, gas was cheap and we could afford to choose our cars based on coolness or fun factor.
Tomorrow's market demands economical transportation, not "cool" cars. People will be commuting even further to work as jobs and housing options become scarce. Besides, the PTC has become commonplace, it doesn't turn heads like it used to. 8 years virtually unchanged is a pretty good run for any model of automobile. I'd say the PTC was a total success but its time has come and gone.
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Posts: 67 | From: New York
| Registered: Feb 29, 2008, 6:04 PM
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djsamuel
Cruiser Expert
PT Cruiser Club Member
Posted: Apr 3, 2008, 2:42 AM
Post #28 of 36
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Re: [Dave From NY] PT's Ending?
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Quote:
This may not be a popular opinion around here (naturally)... But if you put aside any emotional attachment to the car and look at it in purely logical terms, it just doesn't pay for Chrysler to keep the PT Cruiser in production. Even though I own a PTC myself and like it (except for its pathetic gas mileage), I'd probably make the same decision if it were up to me.
Big truck handling and fuel economy in a small car package is a combination that doesn't make a lot of sense in our present reality. Our economy is tanking, the dollar is shrinking, gas is likely to hit $4 a gallon and the cost of living is going up, up, up! The PTC is really a relic of a much different time, the late '90s, when the economy was strong, gas was cheap and we could afford to choose our cars based on coolness or fun factor.
Tomorrow's market demands economical transportation, not "cool" cars. People will be commuting even further to work as jobs and housing options become scarce. Besides, the PTC has become commonplace, it doesn't turn heads like it used to. 8 years virtually unchanged is a pretty good run for any model of automobile. I'd say the PTC was a total success but its time has come and gone.
Dave,
I would agree with most of what you are saying. It does not make sense for Chrysler to continue with the PT in its current form, however I think its time is far from gone. If you take the drive train from the Journey, and stay with the size and utility of the PT Cruiser, I think they can sell quite a few. The Journey, with the 4 cylinder, matches the PT in mileage even though it is a bigger vehicle, and since they are built on the same line, keeping the same basic drive train would be beneficial in terms of efficiency. For me anyway, it is not just the looks of the PT Cruiser that attracted me to the car; in fact when I first bought mine, I was looking at Calibers. The overall comfort of the car (including a great ride and decent handling) as well as the styling and utility just won me over. After having mine for a year, my wife traded her Concorde in on an 07 PT and has loved it. My daughter's boyfriend just bought an 08 Sunset Blvd edition a couple of weeks ago solely based on his opinion of riding in my PT, not due to any effort on Chrysler's part.
The PT is really an entry in the small crossover market and I don't understand why Chrysler doesn't see the potential to compete with the RAV4 and other similar cars. Maybe they fear they will cannibalize the Caliber sales. But when driving the Caliber, I can't get used to those small windows.
I do disagree with your comments on mileage. I know my wife is getting better mileage than her Concorde (which I know you also had - a great car). But, the increase is not as much as one may expect. You are especially hurt since you live in a hilly area (Florida is FLAT). But, my wife averaged about 23MPG in the Concorde and she is now averaging about 28 MPG in the PT. However, there have been several situations where the usefulness of the PT has FAR surpassed that of the Concorde (and my old Stratus for that matter). For example, when it was time to move my daughter into her dorm for college, I just took out the back seats, put her refrigerator in the car vertically, and fit her entire dorm's load of belongings into the PT in one trip. Another time, I was at Home Depot, purchasing an 8' long countertop. As I wheeled it out to my PT, the Home Depot guy outside was laughing at me when he saw I was going to take that countertop home in "that little car". He was speechless after I folded down the rear and passenger seats, put the countertop INSIDE the car and shut the hatch. He thought for sure I would at least have to use my roof racks. I could go on with more examples, but in many ways, gas mileage is just one factor in the tradeoffs that come with choosing a new car. I drive 110 miles round trip for work, so gas mileage is a big factor for me, but so is comfort and utility. As I look around at other cars, I don't see too many cars that offer a better combination of economy, style, comfort and utility, especially at the price Chrysler is charging. Think of how much better they can do if the keep the concept of a small crossover, and update the PT. I will probably be replacing my 04 PT with an 08 or 09 model if the end comes.
Good post.
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Posts: 101 | From: Clermont, FL
| Registered: Feb 19, 2008, 7:44 AM
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sent1
Cruiser Expert
Posted: Apr 3, 2008, 8:15 AM
Post #29 of 36
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Re: [Dave From NY] PT's Ending?
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I really want to go on a rant here but I won't. My wife and I are happy to have our PTCruisers. They look great, and are very useful. Granted the mileage isn't great but I won't complain about 23 mpg in the city. If Chrysler wants to scrap 'em that's their problem. Maybe one day they'll get their heads out the cave they're in and do like Ford did with the Mustang.
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DC1 #1610--5-speed. Its got some stuff.
'03 Inferno Red--Its getting some stuff too!
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Posts: 424 | From: Salem, Oregon
| Registered: Apr 14, 2007, 8:56 AM
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Bo Blue PT
Cruiser Expert
PT Cruiser Club Member
Posted: Apr 3, 2008, 2:43 PM
Post #30 of 36
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Re: [sent1] PT's Ending?
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Quote:
I really want to go on a rant here but I won't. My wife and I are happy to have our PTCruisers. They look great, and are very useful. Granted the mileage isn't great but I won't complain about 23 mpg in the city. If Chrysler wants to scrap 'em that's their problem. Maybe one day they'll get their heads out the cave they're in and do like Ford did with the Mustang.
Yeah buddy!!! 
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"Just Cruisin' Lite."
  
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Posts: 241 | From: Texas State of Mind
| Registered: Sep 23, 2007, 5:22 PM
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Dave From NY
Cruiser Buff
Posted: Apr 4, 2008, 12:27 PM
Post #31 of 36
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Re: [sent1] PT's Ending?
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I think you're missing my point. I'm not saying the PT Cruiser is a bad car, I just think the decision to discontinue it probably makes good business sense from Chrysler's point of view. It was the right car at the right time when it was introduced and it was hugely successful, but the world has changed. Hey, I wish Chevy never stopped making the Nomad, but...
The only passenger car I can think of that stayed in production virtually unchanged for longer than the PT is... ummm, the Checker cab maybe?
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Posts: 67 | From: New York
| Registered: Feb 29, 2008, 6:04 PM
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Walter P
Cruiser Fan
PT Cruiser Club Member
Posted: Apr 4, 2008, 2:06 PM
Post #32 of 36
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Re: [Dave From NY] PT's Ending?
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Other long lived car models were the Ford Model T and in more recent times the Nash-Rambler/Rambler American, 1950-1955 then revived in 1958 and built through 1963, when it was totally redesigned internally as well as externally for 1964-69. But the Checker must have been the champ of them all - didn't it have almost a 30 year run in it's final design, mid 50s to the mid 80s?
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2008 PT Cruiser Conv 5-sp
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Posts: 30 | From: Southington, CT
| Registered: Jan 21, 2008, 5:43 AM
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red one
Cruiser Expert
Posted: Apr 4, 2008, 2:15 PM
Post #33 of 36
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Re: [sent1] PT's Ending?
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Quote:
they'll get their heads out the cave
A cave is not were I think they have to get their head out of.
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Were are we going and why am I in this handbasket?
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Posts: 117 | From: Santee, Calif
| Registered: Oct 24, 2006, 6:43 AM
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silvereagle
Cruiser Addict
Posted: Apr 4, 2008, 2:42 PM
Post #34 of 36
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Re: [red one] PT's Ending?
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I think the PT Cruiser is a great car for what it is, But Chrysler needs to do something with the motor. Gas mileage sucks. Plain and simple. Why would any company want to drop it's #3 produced car? Just change the engine. How hard can that be. I think that Chrysler should come out with a complete line of PT's including the newly styled Convertible, the two door coupe, and the Panel truck also the Pick Up and the stand by ,the four door Sedan. And they should make after market parts available from it's dealers.
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big jim
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Posts: 956 | From: New Castle ,Del, USA
| Registered: Aug 6, 2002, 12:00 AM
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djsamuel
Cruiser Expert
PT Cruiser Club Member
Posted: Apr 4, 2008, 9:09 PM
Post #35 of 36
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Re: [silvereagle] PT's Ending?
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I agree 100% There seems to be so much untapped potential in these cars. The very fact they are still selling the amount they are at this late stage is a testimony to the fact that the PT is a great vehicle. If they update it and ADVERTISE it, their numbers would only go up.
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Posts: 101 | From: Clermont, FL
| Registered: Feb 19, 2008, 7:44 AM
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lacounty
Cruiser Expert
PT Cruiser Club Member
Posted: Apr 6, 2008, 8:58 AM
Post #36 of 36
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Re: [djsamuel] PT's Ending?
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It seems to me that people buy cars for different reason. Some for looks, power economy durability and fun to drive. I would say the Cruiser in various models fall into all of these categories. I notice here in sunny California there are a lot of basic models being sold. I bought a 2004 GT Turbo new not for mileage but for the extra power and I liked the looks of it from the first auto show I saw it at. I think two things will kill the Cruiser. One it has been around two long with out any major changes and two the mileage is not that great. Us Americans have a problem of getting tired of things. I am having a problem with that myself. Next year we will be replacing my wifes Chrysler 300M. I have always had good luck with Chrysler products and would not mind buying another one. The thing is the Chrysler 300 is getting long in the tooth and I think they should come out with a new body style. We have become a through away civilization. I have been around for awhile and it is still hard for me to replace something just because it is cheaper to do that then to have it fixed.
Charlie
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Posts: 355 | From: Chino Hills, California
| Registered: Jan 3, 2004, 12:34 PM
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