twintornados Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfeg Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 One word. Stagnation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8-X Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 What went wrong? Same thing that is happening to the 300 and Magnum. You don't update or at least make a 1/2 a$$ attempt to refresh the vehicle, it's going to die on the vine. Used to see PT's, 300's and Magnum's all over. Now, I may see one or two a week, sometimes none. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford Jellymoulds Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 (edited) Chrysler Crossfire finished one of the tops for least warranty claim defects per car in the UK that suprised me as l thought they had overheating problems. LINK Edited July 9, 2010 by Ford Jellymoulds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68Cougar Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 (edited) f Chrysler executives had followed up on the PT's initial success, they could have turned the car into an icon for the company. Instead, they left it alone as a singular sensation that bore no relationship to any other Chrysler vehicle.” Well that's because it was suppose to be a Plymouth. I think with the style of the car, there really wasn't any place they could have taken it. Edited July 9, 2010 by 68Cougar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edstock Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Stupid decisions like producing a convertible didn't help, especially when they were already building a Sebring convertible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomcat68 Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Agree with 68 Cougar. It was a one generation car. They milked it for all it was worth, now it's time to move on. (like the last T-bird and Chevy HHR) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
156n3rd Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 (edited) Agree with 68 Cougar. It was a one generation car. They milked it for all it was worth, now it's time to move on. (like the last T-bird and Chevy HHR) OMG, what do either of you know about the PTC? And, why do you think Chrysler did such a poor job when Ford did the same thing with Contour and Mystique. Chrysler made a retro car that sold. I At the time it was the had the highest quality fo anything else they built. They did allow it do die because they were confused and didn't know what else to do. This is not my opinion, it's a well documented fact. So, now you can all piss on it's grave until the next negative stomping topic comes along. Who gives a shit? I own a 2002 PTC Touring Edition with 124,000+ on the clock and it's the best car I've ever owned. I have owned over 30 cars. Edited July 11, 2010 by 156n3rd 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted July 11, 2010 Author Share Posted July 11, 2010 PT Cruiser could have been updated with revised styling and moved to one of the many Fiat chassis currently in production....I don't understand why Chrysler/Fiat doesn't do just that....it is an iconic brand even though it hasn't been on the market as long as say...the Mustang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
156n3rd Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 PT Cruiser could have been updated with revised styling and moved to one of the many Fiat chassis currently in production....I don't understand why Chrysler/Fiat doesn't do just that....it is an iconic brand even though it hasn't been on the market as long as say...the Mustang. I've owned on for 5 years and always wished they'd do it. I also owned a Contour and Ford dropped that one too. It's a biz decisz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted July 11, 2010 Author Share Posted July 11, 2010 (edited) I've owned on for 5 years and always wished they'd do it. I also owned a Contour and Ford dropped that one too. It's a biz decisz. If Fiat wanted to, the Fiat Grand Punto 5 door would seem a natural fit for an updated PT Cruiser PT Cruiser Grande Punto 5 door Edited July 11, 2010 by twintornados Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford4v429 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 What went wrong? Same thing that is happening to the 300 and Magnum. You don't update or at least make a 1/2 a$$ attempt to refresh the vehicle, it's going to die on the vine. Used to see PT's, 300's and Magnum's all over. Now, I may see one or two a week, sometimes none. sadly the pt never had a update in 10 yrs...unlike the crown vic thats gone what 20? or the ranger thats languished also...I still say if Ford would rehash the 56 F100 body and throw it on the rangers tried and true chassis they could have a waiting line...and if it looked like a 56, it wouldnt be a 'pt copycat' like the hhr was. a cool looking 4 passenger 'panel truck' with decent mileage on a proven chassis would be something that wouldnt take much investment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomcat68 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 OMG, what do either of you know about the PTC? And, why do you think Chrysler did such a poor job when Ford did the same thing with Contour and Mystique. Chrysler made a retro car that sold. I At the time it was the had the highest quality fo anything else they built. They did allow it do die because they were confused and didn't know what else to do. This is not my opinion, it's a well documented fact. So, now you can all piss on it's grave until the next negative stomping topic comes along. Who gives a shit? I own a 2002 PTC Touring Edition with 124,000+ on the clock and it's the best car I've ever owned. I have owned over 30 cars. I did mention Ford and Gm's failure with the Tbird and Chevy's truck thing which I mistakenly called the HHR. The PT was a good car when it came out but where do you go from there? If you change the styling, it isn't a PT cruiser anymore. It was a novelty item that expired, now time to move on. PT also wasn't a car that had a history that goes back to the date the car mimics like the Mustang or the Camaro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted July 12, 2010 Author Share Posted July 12, 2010 sadly the pt never had a update in 10 yrs...unlike the crown vic thats gone what 20? or the ranger thats languished also...I still say if Ford would rehash the 56 F100 body and throw it on the rangers tried and true chassis they could have a waiting line...and if it looked like a 56, it wouldnt be a 'pt copycat' like the hhr was. a cool looking 4 passenger 'panel truck' with decent mileage on a proven chassis would be something that wouldnt take much investment... They would do better by putting a '56 F100 retro style on Panther instead of Ranger...Panther is ten times more truck than Ranger.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
630land Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 PT was a meant to be a trendy, fad car. Like an aging soap opera queen who thinks she is still 29, the PT needed to retire. It was meant to sell to younger car buyers, but it ended up a nursing home special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
156n3rd Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 (edited) So you guys know all there is to know about the PTC. You know it was dxesigned for younger people, just like the first generation Scion. You know that Ford killed the Contour while it was still hatching. You know that it was time for the PTC to go. What makes it so funy is that I doubt any of you have even driven or owned one. Therefore, you don't know what you're talking about. Opinons are like assholes and if the shoe fits, wear it. If you have never lived with one of these cars, then fuggetabouwtit. Edited July 12, 2010 by 156n3rd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomcat68 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 So you guys know all there is to know about the PTC. You know it was dxesigned for younger people, just like the first generation Scion. You know that Ford killed the Contour while it was still hatching. You know that it was time for the PTC to go. What makes it so funy is that I doubt any of you have even driven or owned one. Therefore, you don't know what you're talking about. Opinons are like assholes and if the shoe fits, wear it. If you have never lived with one of these cars, then fuggetabouwtit. And Toyota said Scions were one generation cars that will be replaced by other cars (But they did make a second XB). Yes, and Countour was a one generation car like the Tempo, Fairmont and Maverick. What difference does it make if it was designed for young people! They had a good car, it worked for a while, they couldn't figure how to update it and now it's time for it to go. Would you have rather it stay like it is the way the panther hung around or update it to the Caliber, which was one of their plans. Let the car go gracefully while people still have fond memories of it. There is no need for all the drama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford4v429 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 (edited) They would do better by putting a '56 F100 retro style on Panther instead of Ranger...Panther is ten times more truck than Ranger.... well, you may have a point there but did you ever see the bed of a 56? it wasnt much of a truck. I'd prefer a 72 gran torino(the recent movie let those too young to remember see a cool car) body for the 'vic, but aint a gonna happen- that doors already closing apparently...I still think the 56/ranger business would be a cool AND profitable one... Edited July 13, 2010 by ford4v429 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
156n3rd Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 And Toyota said Scions were one generation cars that will be replaced by other cars (But they did make a second XB). Yes, and Countour was a one generation car like the Tempo, Fairmont and Maverick. What difference does it make if it was designed for young people! They had a good car, it worked for a while, they couldn't figure how to update it and now it's time for it to go. Would you have rather it stay like it is the way the panther hung around or update it to the Caliber, which was one of their plans. Let the car go gracefully while people still have fond memories of it. There is no need for all the drama. I test drove a Caliber. Too small, too cheap and typical of the newest offerings from Chrysler. The PTC has extreme utility. It is very comfortable. Drtiven well, it's is not bad on gas, I know it ain't great. @150hp it is plenty powerful. More would be nice, but absolutely necessary. If they would have done what they planned to do in 2005, it would have been improverd enough to sell more. It was cheapend, dumbed-down and allowed to rot. BTW, that Maverick was a rebodied short wheelbase falcon and a cheao Torino was the last Maverick. I can't believe the Contour was built for one cycle. Stoooooopid. If I have an opportunity to replace my PTC, it will undoubtedly be with a mid-size sedan. The newest ones are comfortable and very good on gas. The Fusion might be too small. The Malibu is perfect as is the new sonata, size wise and cost wise too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retro-man Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 (edited) Recreational blogging - finally getting back to this thread, that I had followed for a few days.... I think the PT Cruiser could have been kept fresh. Here are some suggestions: General: 1.) With many retro exercises - especially a contrived one like the PT Cruiser - the best strategy may be to keep the same style and just add variants (like Mini has done with the Cooper, the Cabriolet, and the Clubman). In addition to the convertible, add (every 3 - 5 years) a 2 door coupe, a bustle-back sedan, a mini pickup, a delivery van...... 2.) If and when styling revisions must be done, approach it as a hotrod customizer would: try different grill treatments: - wrap the vertical chrome strips back the entire length of the cowling (ala Cord) - Try a vertical, heart-shaped grill (ala Ford Deuce) 3.) Go Chrysler Heritage and do an "Airflow" version 4.) Do a Steam Punk Goth version 5.) Alter the body, making a sharp crease between fender and body to create a natural paint line for two-tone paint schemes. 6.) Experiment with different powerplants: hybrid, 6 cylinder, all electric The PT Cruiser gave some personality and fun to an affordable vehicle. It was never for people who were too overly concerned about the status (real or imagined) that their vehicle might confer upon them, but rather for people who enjoyed a little fun and personality. I admire their verve and lack of pretentiousness. Enthusiast communities grew up around the cars (oftentimes populated by older couples who weren't so much different than the classic car enthusiast demographic - except with less money and grease under their fingernails - the kind of couples who would have matching windbreakers). It was a neat vehicle, and may have been worth refreshing. MTCW. p.s. I got a Caliber as a loaner rental. It was, without exception, the most wretched vehicle I can remember ever driving. Edited July 25, 2010 by retro-man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
156n3rd Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 In 2011, I will decide whether or not to replace my PT or soldier on for a while yet. It has 124,800 on it now and has a few issues to be dealt with. I am still up in the air about choices. But, if the PT was to have been changed: I would have hpoed for a complete front end re-do. Airflow sounds cool in design. But the steering radius is a problem that needed addressing. No V-6 is required. The 2.4 @150hp is plenty if the driver knows how to use it. Of course, a few extra ponies are always welcome, but not always a must. The dash should have been even more Chrysler retro with a faux wood and flat instruments panel of yore. The wheels could have been solid steels with hub caps for a total old school look. The rest of the body is just fine, no need to have been tampered with After such a long run, the people who originally dreamed it up should have been allowed to follow-up. Runing the front seats, hanging a towel rack on the dash and de-contenting results in nothing gained. yes, this is another case of automotive failure. While I decide how much money to invest in the ol' girl, I must say that she still does everything I ask of her. Still a comfortable, useable and a highly loveable car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retro-man Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 In 2011, I will decide whether or not to replace my PT or soldier on for a while yet. It has 124,800 on it now and has a few issues to be dealt with. I am still up in the air about choices. But, if the PT was to have been changed: I would have hpoed for a complete front end re-do. Airflow sounds cool in design. But the steering radius is a problem that needed addressing. No V-6 is required. The 2.4 @150hp is plenty if the driver knows how to use it. Of course, a few extra ponies are always welcome, but not always a must. The dash should have been even more Chrysler retro with a faux wood and flat instruments panel of yore. The wheels could have been solid steels with hub caps for a total old school look. The rest of the body is just fine, no need to have been tampered with After such a long run, the people who originally dreamed it up should have been allowed to follow-up. Runing the front seats, hanging a towel rack on the dash and de-contenting results in nothing gained. yes, this is another case of automotive failure. While I decide how much money to invest in the ol' girl, I must say that she still does everything I ask of her. Still a comfortable, useable and a highly loveable car. I'm sure you know those steel wheels are readily available for the PT Cruiser. They look great on it. Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 300C and PT Cruiser are examples of car built on a Fad, not a trend. The result was inevitable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 300C and PT Cruiser are examples of car built on a Fad, not a trend. The result was inevitable. I'd disagree. One car started a fad, the other started a trend. PT Cruiser (and to the same extent, the New Beetle) put fire to the short lived retro craze that brought about the Thunderbird, the SSR and the HHR. The 300 also started a trend of high belt lines that is still in full effect (and being copied by almost every manufacturer). Taurus anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papilgee4evaeva Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 I'd disagree. One car started a fad, the other started a trend. PT Cruiser (and to the same extent, the New Beetle) put fire to the short lived retro craze that brought about the Thunderbird, the SSR and the HHR. The 300 also started a trend of high belt lines that is still in full effect (and being copied by almost every manufacturer). Taurus anyone? Don't forget the Prowler, which preceded them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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