PT Cruiser Turbo

CoolWhiteDude

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2000
Location
Elburn,Il,USA
TDI
Jetta GL, 1999, Cool White
Just traded in my gas guzzling 97 Chevy Tahoe for a PT Cruiser Turbo. Why? Because I like the way it looks. The engine has quite a bit of zip and the overall fit and finish seem to be pretty good. It rides a bit stiff with the 17" wheels but is quite comfortable on the highway. As my second car it will see limited use. My primary driver is the Jetta TDI. I wish D-C would put a turbo diesel in the PT but that is very unlikely. So far I've been getting mileage in the low 20's. Let the flaming begin.
 

BawlsyTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2001
TDI
jetta, someday a getta, 2001, baltic green
I drove one a little while back. Very nice car. A little tippy in the twistys and the auto trans (no manuals available) downshifted/upshifted too much, but I guess it's adaptable.

The best part about the test drive was the sales guys comments at the end. He was impressed with my driving, how the car handled. He said that he'd never thought about taking one out and "putting it through it's paces". Then he told me he'd been a state cop for 28 years.... Yeah, I'm watching out for staties now.
 

Derrel H Green

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 2, 2002
Location
Murrieta, California
TDI
An '05 MBZ E-320 CDI (W-211) replaced the '10 TDI JSW
Just traded in my gas guzzling 97 Chevy Tahoe for a PT Cruiser Turbo. Why? Because I like the way it looks. The engine has quite a bit of zip and the overall fit and finish seem to be pretty good. It rides a bit stiff with the 17" wheels but is quite comfortable on the highway. As my second car it will see limited use. My primary driver is the Jetta TDI. I wish D-C would put a turbo diesel in the PT but that is very unlikely. So far I've been getting mileage in the low 20's. Let the flaming begin.


So you bought yourself a P T Looser huh?


Wished I'd have know that you were about to do so, but it is to late now!


Having had diesels before and having one now, how could you?


You didn't know?
Chysler does build your vehicle with a TDI (2.2L) for the foreign markets, and guess where they're built?

Good luck and enjoy that little hotrod. Someone said they have no muffler. Is that true?

 

CoolWhiteDude

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2000
Location
Elburn,Il,USA
TDI
Jetta GL, 1999, Cool White
I surfed the Damiler-Chrysler international sites in the UK, South Africa and Australia(only english speaking sites I found) and the only engine those sites list is a 2.0 Liter gas engine. If DC offered a diesel I would have bought it. As for the muffler, I don't know if it doesn't have one but it does sound quite nice. The Chevy I had was good for what I used it for-heavy towing. I'm not doing that any more. I put maybe 3000 miles on it last 2 years. I drive the jetta all the time. The PT turbo does have some lag that my Jetta doesn't. Something I'll have to get use to. I've only put 500 miles on it so far. I do have a small complaint list-wheels are out of balance, chrome wheels have some pitting, radio reception isn't the best and it feels like there is a slight surge at steady speeds. My Jetta also had a small list when I got it but the dealer didn't solve any of the complaints I had with it. My radio in the Jetta clicks thru the speakers when putting on the turn signals or the brakes. The dealer made it worse trying to fix it. I'm still living with it. My neighbors have hot-rods they built and they want me to go cruise with them. Probably so they can sit in the air conditioning after baking in the heat.
 

saGhost

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2003
Location
Wilmington, DE
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS Alaska Green ESP [sold] 2012 Chevrolet Volt
I surfed the Damiler-Chrysler international sites in the UK, South Africa and Australia(only english speaking sites I found) and the only engine those sites list is a 2.0 Liter gas engine.
I don't know if it is still being offered, but around a year ago I saw a few articles talking about the diesel PT (in europe, of course...) They put a slightly modified version of the Mercedes 2.2 liter four cylinder [with counter balance shafts - the main change, I'm told] under the hood. The testers in Europe really liked the change, apparently mainly due to the torque on the highway. If it had made it here, I would have considered it as well.
Walter
 

Derrel H Green

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 2, 2002
Location
Murrieta, California
TDI
An '05 MBZ E-320 CDI (W-211) replaced the '10 TDI JSW


I don't know where you could look to find information on the factory diesels that Chysler uses.
The only reason I know about it is that the local car gerus on KABC channel 7 had a special that OilburnerBob and I took part in with our TDIs.
As part of the 1 1/2 minute presentation, Dave K. showed what had been filmed at an earlier time when Bob and I were not invited, a P T and the MBZ CDI with their diesel offerings. I think I remember seeing 2.2 on the cover of that P Ts motor.

Isn't your P T built here in the U S? It is my understanding that all P T are built here, and that would mean, and I think I heard, that some of the export P Ts leave the assembly line making the same sounds as a TDI.

Where is the final point of assembly? Should say on your Maroney.

Good luck, and enjoy your new hotrod!

 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
The current edition of Diesel Car Magazine (UK) has a comprehensive review of the turboDiesel PT Schnoozer ...
 

CoolWhiteDude

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2000
Location
Elburn,Il,USA
TDI
Jetta GL, 1999, Cool White
The PT Cruiser is built in Toluca?, Mexico, about 100 miles from the VW assembly plant. They are aslo built in Austria for the european market. I just refueled again and got only 19.3 mpg. Alot of my friends have been test driving it(test beating it) and I hope that is the reason for the poor mileage. I'm so spoiled with driving the TDI. I get a consistant 44 mpg while driving it hard and using the A/C all the time. Its fun having 2 cool cars.
 
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