2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser

I've had my 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser for two years now and, while I do enjoy the space it gives me, more and more I'm ready to change cars.

I leased my PT Cruiser because, at the time, I had a 1-year-old daughter and found it difficult carrying everything I needed for her in my 2-door Chevy Cavalier. Overall, I do love the space the Cruiser provides, especially since I can take the back seat out and create more carrying space if I need it.

I also like the visibility the car provides. Unlike my last car, the Cruiser sits higher off the ground and that makes it easier to see around other cars and obstacles at intersections.

But, when it comes to gas mileage and performance, the PT Cruiser leaves a lot to be desired.

I don't have a long commute to work, only about 2 miles. And, since my daughter was born, I have made it a habit to drive home at lunch. Between those drives and my normal daily errands, I put on maybe 100-150 miles a week on the car. Yet, every Friday, I have to add gas to the tank. I blame this on the fact that, despite its size, the car only has a 4 cylinder engine that needs to work harder to pull the weight.

Calculating the gas mileage, I'm averaging roughly 18-19 miles per gallon. At the current rate of $2.60 per gallon, it becomes a pretty big chunk of money to budget each month.

In addition to the poor gas mileage, the PT Cruiser has been giving me questionable performance since I leased it. Whenever it rains, the car seems to struggle a bit and I feel like I have to keep the gas pedal down to keep it from stalling on me. I believe this is because, like most Chrysler and Dodge products, the spark plugs are near the front of the engine and get wet in the rainy weather.

It also isn't a very reliable cold weather car. Typically, when the temperatures get below zero (something that isn't uncommon in Wisconsin) I will have to go out and start the car a couple of times during the night to keep the battery from going completely dead by morning. I'm debating buying a block heater for it before next winter.