DanzBB the Blog

PT hitch

Long story short — had to buy a hitch for the PT so I can tow a trailer to pick up my pinball machine. The dealership says they’ll have it in on Tuesday. I hope so, because the game is scheduled for pick up on Wednesday.

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First impressions (PT)

Well, it’s no BMW 3-series wagon (I’m not letting go of that, am I?) but it’s fun.

The turbo gives good acceleration (even compared to the Z) although there is some torque steer. It’s fun to get on the freeway in a blast of acceleration with the turbo whine coming in through the firewall. The moderately stiff tires and suspension feel “right” even when taking corners at higher speeds. There’s some tire hum and the cabin is a little noisy, but the overall quality seems good (after only a few days) and I think that most of the design is well-thought-out.

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PT\’n

I really like to “Cool Vanilla” color. In the sea of gray, silver, and “popular” colors, cool vanilla is a standout. It’s a little more classy than white, but not too flashy.

I keep thinking about flames, chrome, and other “details” of appearance that could be added. But I wouldn’t change the color.

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PT review

Well, we’ve had the PT Cruiser for about a month now. Although I don’t drive it on a daily basis, I have been taking it to work two or three times a week, and we’ve used it to haul some home improvement materials (baseboard, closer organizers, etc.).

The Good:

• Power. I’m glad we went with the turbo. Good pick up, even compared to the Z
• Hauling. We carried a LOT of closet organizer boxes easily with the seats down
• Flexibility. I like the fold done 60/40 rear seats, the “tumble” feature, and the hard back on the front passenger seat.
• Seating position. I’d forgotten how nice it is to be able to see over smaller cars

The Bad:

• Gas milage. It looks like we’re getting closer to 20 mpg than 30, even though a good bit of driving has been freeway
• Squeaks/rattles. Ok, I know it’s not a BMW, but after 400 miles, should that LOUD rattle in the back be there?
• Gauge faces. The instrument “pod” is too recessed. By day, with your eyes adjusted to outside glare, it’s hard to see the speedometer when you glance down.
• Alarm. I hate the “arm” honk. Need to see if there’s a way to turn it off…

Overall, I am pleased. I wasn’t expecting BMW quality (and didn’t get it :o) ) so I’m not as annoyed as I might be with some of the minor failings. The car rides well, has good power (excellent for a mini-SUV) and is generally likable. The cool vanilla color is good, and the interior, while not luxurious, is also of good quality.

I think it’s a keeper

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Got the PT

Well… it seems the dream of a BMW 3-series wagon was not to be. The cost turned out to be the deciding point–even if you factor in TCO, you could buy two PT Cruisers for the cost of a wagon.

So today I spent my “lunch” time up in Burlingame, picking up a Vanilla (cream-colored) PT Cruiser Limited, with auto and turbo as the only options. Overall it’s a good car, plenty of power from the turbo, and will serve us well, I think. It’s nice to have two “good” cars again. I don’t think I’ll ever be as excited about the PT experience as I am about owning my Z3, but I’m definitely happy to see the Saturn go.

More information later :o)

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