PT Cruiser Convertible Trunks

"I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker" (qaaaaa)
11/13/2020 at 12:12 • Filed to: PT Cruiser, Trunk

Since everyone else is reposting their old stuff, here’s my first ever Oppo post, three years ago today. Enjoy. Funny how I now own a car quite similar to this one, in terms of doors, seats, engine style and orientation, rollover protection design, and trunk...

Original post, 13 October 2017:

Whatup. I’m sure that like many of you, I’ve been walking or driving somewhere and seen one of these abominations.

Looks like one of those dumb clog/sandle thingies that the weird kid would always wear in middle school, right?

Then we see the rear.

Ooh baby. Look at that trunk. How do you fit anything in there? How do you even open it? Does it open like a hatch that’s too low to the ground to get anything into it? Does it open like a tailgate? If so, why are there disappointingly few PT Ute converstions? (PT Uters?)

Turns out...

Turns out it’s not such a granny car after all, what with needing to bend over ridiculously to get anything inside.

Now you know.

DISCUSSION (18)

CB > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/13/2017 at 20:17

You know, I never thought about this, but holy crap is that an awful design.

Urambo Tauro > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/13/2017 at 20:23

That pic marks the first time I’ve ever seen one with the trunk open. I don’t know what I was expecting (barn door, maybe?).

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/13/2017 at 20:26

I take at one with the srt4 engine, then build it.

dogisbadob > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/13/2017 at 20:38

They should’ve made it a tailgate that goes down, or opens to the left, or both.

The best part is if you can find a PT GT manual convertible with the Neon SRT4 turbo (yes, they do exist!)

Steve in Manhattan > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/13/2017 at 20:39

Chrysler could have spent that money designing a small car Americans wanted to buy. Instead, we got shite ...

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/13/2017 at 20:47

They should have made the hatch swing open like a RAV4

ranwhenparked > Steve in Manhattan
11/13/2017 at 20:50

For a brief period between about 2001 and 2003, it was the small car Americans wanted to buy.

Kind of a brilliant move, really. They took the Neon platform that they already had and stuck a retro body shell on it and had a vehicle that commanded a higher profit margin than the Neon, while simultaneously helping their CAFE light truck score. It was a huge hit when it came out, dealers had lengthy wait lists even in domestic brand averse California, and the media was criticizing DaimlerChrysler over botching the launch - they finally had a product people really wanted, and didn’t have the ability to make enough of them.

The trouble was, as a lifestyle/fashion accessory vehicle, the novelty value wore thin as everyone that wanted one eventually got one, and Chrysler didn’t do any sort of follow up or make any real meaningful changes or improvements and just let it whither away for years.

Bob Lutz, in particular, was crazy jealous of it, since an internal GM study in the ‘90s had identified a market niche for exactly that sort of vehicle, but GM management at the time believed the market potential too small to be worth pursuing. Its why he pushed for GM to make a totally unashamed rip off with the HHR.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > dogisbadob
11/13/2017 at 20:51

Just avoid the automatic ones like, the plague. I asked a salesman once if the PT GT they had was any fun. His exact words were, “I could be fun, but that trans is made of silly puddly.”

Tristan > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/13/2017 at 21:00

I still like the PT Cruiser...

I still wouldn’t own a PT Cruiser.

I’m just glad it’s a thing that exists. Without it, the S197 Mustang, the Challenger and the retro Camaro might never have happened.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > dogisbadob
11/13/2017 at 21:33

Or you could have the Neon SRT4.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/13/2017 at 21:57

With the pass through it fit my bike case when I rented my first car at 24. I was mad they gave me a pt cruiser convertible but I had always heard how hard it is to rent a car under the age of 25 so I didn’t say anything and just drove away...

Steve in Manhattan > ranwhenparked
11/13/2017 at 23:24

I remember when people waited for them, then I recall when every other rental car offered me was a PT. We’ve made bigger mistakes as a country, and I’ll leave it there.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/14/2017 at 22:32

kill it dead

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > Urambo Tauro
11/15/2017 at 00:27

I was half-expecting something between the BMW Z1 and magically disappearing doors ...

Kinja'd!!!

wafflesnfalafel > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/13/2020 at 12:47

worked with a guy that daily drove a black turbo one of those for quite a while - kind of a love it or hate it vehicle

Stef Schrader > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/15/2020 at 06:02

Whoa. Today I learned how the trunks work on these. I don’t know why I never thought of it before.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Stef Schrader
11/15/2020 at 07:19

Mk1 and Mk3/3.5 VW Cabriolet/Cabrio is the same way!

Stef Schrader > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/15/2020 at 14:30

Neat!