# PT Cruiser question **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** chrysler\ **Created:** [April 7, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pt-cruiser-question/47090 "2010-04-07T03:20:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wwefaninlouisiana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@wwefaninlouisiana](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wwefaninlouisiana)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pt-cruiser-question/47090/1 "2010-04-07T03:20:16Z")
I’m about to buy a PT Cruiser, but before I do I have a question. This PT Cruiser is a 2001 limited edition, it has 187,000 miles on it, but it looks and runs great. is there any type of technical issues with the PT Cruiser? also, if the situation came up, would you buy this? they are asking $3,000 ---
**Author:** ![mark9207](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mark9207](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mark9207)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 3:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pt-cruiser-question/47090/2 "2010-04-07T03:26:40Z")
I am not aware of any serious technical issues with the PT Cruiser. If the car has had regular scheduled maintenance done on it by the current and previous owners, the car may be all right. Make sure you continue to have the scheduled maintenance done later on, also, particularly timing belt/water pump/tensioner replacements. Expect to pay higher costs to maintain and repair the car, also. The PT Cruiser is an absolute pain in the butt to work on. It has the powertrain of a Dodge Neon crammed into an engine compartment that is half the size of the one in the Neon. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pt-cruiser-question/47090/3 "2010-04-07T14:33:56Z")
Make sure a competent mechanic checks over the vehicle carefully. Make sure you check that the timing belt has been replaced at the proper interval. The engine is not an interference engine on these models. The manual transmission versions are superior to the automatic versions because the automatics make the vehicle a little underpowered when combined with the little engine. The manual transmission adds a little zip if the clutch is in good shape. I was all set to buy one when they first came out when they promised a V6 engine but Chrysler dropped the ball on that one. ---
**Author:** ![mark9207](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mark9207](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mark9207)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pt-cruiser-question/47090/4 "2010-04-08T02:21:43Z")
If they had offered a V6, where would they have put it? In the back? The four cylinder barely fits. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pt-cruiser-question/47090/5 "2010-04-08T14:34:42Z")
In the front. I saw pictures about 10 years ago in an automotive magazine, Motor Trend I think. They even had pictures of a PT Cruiser Truck and a Coupe version. There must have been modifications because a USA Today contained this article back then: When the PT Cruiser was first put into production, it took about a day to make each one, because getting the engine in was too difficult - there was only a .6 inch tolerance, one third of previous vehicles. However, by practicing and drilling, the workers - without outside help - got that time down, within a month, to about two minutes. ---
**Author:** ![mark9207](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mark9207](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mark9207)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pt-cruiser-question/47090/6 "2010-04-08T17:55:23Z")
I was being facetious when I suggested they would put it in the back. If the manufacturer wants to do something, even if it is terribly impractical to the people who have to service the vehicles, they will find a way. The PT Cruiser could use the extra power a V6 would offer, but routine maintenance would be a nightmare. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pt-cruiser-question/47090/7 "2010-04-08T20:12:14Z")
I would have settled for the 2.2 225 horse engine they had back in the early nineties but no such luck there either. My wife wanted a PT Cruiser but they were just not powerful enough to drive in the mountains where we lived at the time. I see now that a V6 was very impractical. No use even dreaming about a V8.