“Custom” PT Cruisers – Dude. Really?
PT Cruisers – Way Over Done
So far, MyRideisMe.com has resisted the occasional urge to say anything negative about anyone else’s ride. After all, to each his own and all that. But, in the words of Clint Eastwood, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” And I hit mine at the 2009 Cruisin for a Cure show in Orange County with the PT Cruiser club that rolled as the fog still hung low early in the morning.
Love’m or hate’m, (you can say which at the end of this story) the PT Cruiser came on the scene 2000 and were immediately popular as one of the first of many, “throw back” cars. No doubt the Chrysler company wanted to spring board off the relative success, or at least show room traffic, of the Plymouth Prowler. The story about how it was a “light truck” to help the Dodge boys meet CAFE compliance is another, boring story… With the PT Cruiser, however, Chrysler clearly targeted the main stream, family buyers in the minivan market Chrysler invented. I wonder how surprised they were by the following they found with PT Cruiser, even now when in July 2009, the last PT Cruiser rolled off the assembly line.
At some point in a PT Cruiser owner’s life, they need some kind of intervention. Enough is enough! With the money they’ve spend to add every piece Pep Boy’s offers, they could have had a real 30’s Panel truck, not a wannabe throw back.
Finally, when every accessory is in place, painted or chromed for effect, then highlighted by some flickering light or mirror, it gets worse! The only thing left is custom painted murals! YES!!
So what happened that Foggy morning?
I’ve got the power!
Neon as an accent to the bottom of anyone’s ride enjoyed about 1 week of being cool, and never had a place as an accent except in a Christmas parade. Seeing the faint glow through the fog in September at what I expected to be an awesome California car show, I immediately investigated.
Rolling in 2, 3, 5 at a time, the first of the line were these two neon covered, flickering style violations. I struggle how to describe them because they hold several of the qualities a show car might have. They were clean, detailed and the owners were obviously enthusiastic since they arrive to claim the prime PT Parking spots at about 6 AM. From there, it went all wrong.
It’s hard to see that the pinstripe flamed but stock colored PT Cruiser shown above has just about every removable part on the inside and on the engine painted either florescent purple or green. The owner proudly pumped Snap’s “I’ve Got the Power!” on the custom stereo. It got worse.
Only slightly out neoned, but still a gross offender, this also stock except for the wheels PT Cruiser used bolt on or maybe glue on accessories to make it “custom”. Really?
Keeping with the mural theme, the “Lil’ Red” PT was disturbing on so many levels. You can just catch the custom add on spot light above the faux Buick port holes out done only by the fake Walmart spinners and skinny whites. I could have let all that go except for plain wrong gigantic mural of the big bad wolf in bed with Little Red Riding hood at his side. What the heck is that?
I guess the owner of this PT is into trains. Right on. I like trains, but I wouldn’t paint a huge mural of one on the side of my car. Is this some kind of theme? Do those wheels say, “train” to you or does the classic locomotive color of maroon? How about the chrome wheels? Dude, I don’t get it.
I wish I had video, but by now you’ll believe me about the absolute worst offense. The hopped up, lopey V8 engine idle plumbed through speakers from the back for all to hear. Did that guy say, “Now that puts the Cruizzz in PT Cruiser!”? Is there anything more lame? Or you tell me, was the actual, functioning waterfall worse? Yes WATERFALL! The Tiki themed PT had that “flowing” for his ride. Did anyone get a picture of that?
I don’t hate the general look although they’re not for me, but these PT’s went too far. Am I right?
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Dude! What the Hecht!? ha ha
What the? I think a train on a falcon would look way better…with flake of coarse
If they like it I say leave them alone. It takes all kinds. I visit NSRA shows as well as Hot Import Nights. Nostalgia drags and NOPI drags. Doesn’t mean one is better than the other, just different.
Ususally I have no problem letting whoever do whatever to there cars, and if they want to show them off, so be it. However……. these are wrong. The loud stereos being annoying to all and the fake V8’s out of the speakers…yikes! leave them home please!
I live in Salem Ma, the halloween capital of the world, just imagine what these people did to their car/van/trucks when they had a show on halloween weekend in downtown Salem. Blech!
LOL, You have to remember where it is coming from.
There has and always will be that element that thinks “customizing” means getting every chrome doodaa from JC Whitney, Western Auto, Pep Boys, Auto Zone, or WalMart and sticking it on their car. There are photos in my dads boxes of photos of his buddy’s car in the late 30’s with chrome air horns on the side of the hood and every chrome add on piece that the local purveyor of chrome doodads had at that time. Poor taste in automotive modifications or add on items isn’t a new thing and will never end.
My sympathy to the car dealer’s detail guy when those cars get repo’ed or traded in and have to be dejunked before going on the lot.
Luckily the Cruiser club here locally is mainly a group of retirement age people who have pretty tasteful cars and outside of the wives penchant for crybaby dolls and stuffed animals.
If you can find any of the old photos with over doodadded (just made that one up..) 30’s cars, I’d love to see them!
PT Loser
It was a nice novelty car that should’ve lasted one year. Suitable for FIAT.
From an artistic p[oint of view, with enough innovation and creativity, even the lowly PT Cruiser can be transformed into something cool: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ratrodpt/3132011378/
Ratty,
That’s a cool PT Cruiser! From the post, I hope you would have seen that I don’t dislike PT’s in general. The PT in that photo is customized, unique and most importantly, not over done. I dig it!
Hey to each their own, I have a 2002 Dream Ser 1 Cruiser. I bought in Aug. ’02. This car still gives me the same thrill of ownership I had when I first bought her. Sure, The Cruiser has it’s short coming but it is NOT a ‘me’ too car like a Honda. Toyota, Nissan. Subaroo, etc.A person can spot a PT from a goodly distance. Can you truthfully tell the Japanese cars apart from the same distance? Or a Chevy from a Ford? That is what make the Cruiser great….. it’s NOT a cookie cutter car.
Insult the PT all you want, everybody is entitled to their own ridiculous opinion. Pick on my Cruiser, and I’ll pick on your Civic.
I believe you build what you like.The only ones who trash talk anyones ride are those who have SHORT COMINGS and FEEL THREATENED. I believe builders should be proud of what you build and even more proud to be man enough to build what you like and not follow the crowd,I have a PT that has won over 200 trophies and YES some from NATIONAL SHOWS including HIN. Like they say if you have 20 haters you wanna build that number it means someone feels threatened.To all PT owners— Congrats for having spines.
I LOVE my customized 2005 PT Drop Top Convertable….and get a TON of complements that it is “a sweet ride” or just the “thumbs up” sign.
Why are you sooooo against the Cruiser? Oh, and be careful when criticizing in print the “lameness” of others that you don’t show your own ignorance: (closing sentence of your text – “I don’t hate the general look although they’re not for me, but these PT’s when too far. Am I right?”
No moron, grammatically, logically and short sightedly you are WRONG!
Who and the hell are you thats makes your opinion worth anything!! My 11 trophys in just three years says differant.
You broke the cardnal rule. Never talk bad about anyones car. You not only broke this rule, you wrote and posted a story. You went ever farther and posted pictures of cars and pointed out what you thought were wrong with them. For a writer of a magizine that relies on advertizement from companys that sell parts for these cars you are not very smart. Not only that they sold over 1 million PT in the first 5 years. You just made a whole lot of people angry. On another note this show was for charity and you just sunk that ship.
Hey Einstein, your way off………..I got my PT in Jan. 2002, had no intention of tricking it out……then i saw one that had $3000 paint job, 18″ wheels, etc., I figured, why not..tired of going too shows envying others…….159k miles later, flame job, powder coating, neons, leds, stereo upgrade, (my car is the one in first pic on the right, lit up!), I was the first PT too take “Best of Show” in ’03 at a mixed car show with hot rods, rice rockets, woodies, many car clubs over 150 cars!!!! Met many wonderfull people along the way, many compliments on my color scheme, look of car…………..Besides winning “Best of Show”, I recently won the only trophy at a Show and Glow Show for all Mopar cars, and I was the only PT there…………so before you open your mouth again, check your info, do some research, get some responses of locals at show, you might be surprised what you might hear…………My Plate says “PT GLOWS” and that says it all!!!!!
The writer of this story has no class and was being hurtful to people who are true to the car they love. It was like saying that the people that build rat rods are crazy for not painting thier cars, after all most of them look like they have been sitting in a field for 20 years. No its just what they want. Its not for everyone its just what they enjoy. I would never sayl they are crazy or stupid for doing it because that would be wrong and show no class.
I posted on here three times and now I see they have been deleted. Your site is called my ride is me. That means you are being hurtfull to these people on a personal level. You call yourself a fan of hot rods and custom cars and those who create them. I say your should change the name of your site to my ride is what others think it should be, I went of your personal page and saw what you drive and was not impressed. Its ok but would disappear at a car show. If you ment what you said on your about me page, I would say you owe these people an appolige. But we both know that won’t happen because you have already showed us you have no class.
Emailed to Terry when he was complaining about his comments not being shown:
Hey Terry,
Keep your shirt on!
Much like most blogs, I approve all new comments from new people to avoid spam and comments with language or other various BS nobody wants to read. All of your comments are online along with another guy’s who’s PT is pictured in the story.
When you say I should keep my opinions to myself… sorry man, but that’s just stupid. If you and the many others who like PT Cruisers have a different opinion, make your own website, share your opinions and live free baby!! I’m not going to change my opinion or website for one guy or even one group of people who probably won’t visit again anyway… In other words, feel free not to visit anymore.
This is “My Ride is Me” and I do allow for every kind of variation of styles and especially car types. As far as I’m concerned, anyone can own anything they want. But, as I said in the story, I reached my limit with the PT Cruisers at the Orange County Cruisin’ show that year. It probably won’t make you feel any better to know that this group of cars, your beloved PT Cruisers is almost the ONLY cars I’ve criticized. The only others was, “What Sucked at SEMA”.
It appears as though I’m wrong about you guys though… polling results show that between the “To each his own” votes and “Right on” that I’m in the minority. Go crazy! Enjoy your rides and we’ll see ya the next show.
Terry: “Sunk that ship”? What does that mean? The Orange County Cruisin show is still alive and well and supported by MyRideisMe.com. Thanks for helping charity,please continue to do so as long as that’s in your heart. Saying I’m bad for charity because I don’t like your cars. Isn’t that quite a stretch?
So true,its not for me,however that is the world of cars. I have to give the Cruiser culture a tip of my hat ! That is what makes the car club culture great! And might I say its a WHOLE lot better than the Jersey Shore programs hahahaha
To each is their own yes but I don’t understand throwing large amounts of cash into a low budget daily driver type vehicles and then take it to a show. I do have my daily driver 1986 Nissan hardbody pick up and yes it is lowered with shiny rims but know my limit and stopped there. Yes I have taken it to Nissan and import shows and won trophys but I know my place and when its a car show with a majority of classic and antique vehicles I then will take my 1930 Model A tudor. There is a time and place for said vehicles and the newer vehicles need to recognize this and try not to invade certain shows and cause a scene. I do not shove my Nissan down others throats I know where its accepted and the PT cruiser owners should do the same and respect what the majority is at said shows.
“Sunk that ship” means this story is from three years ago and most of P T community is just now hearing about it. How many of those who have gone to this or are thinking about going to this event that you have pointed out have bad taste ,(in your opinon) are not going to go any more because you have publicly criticized them? What I see is somewhere along the line you changed from a car fan to a critic. I don’t want or need you to change your opinion. You have the right to it. But to publicly announce that opinion on a magizine website while posting cars owned by people that have put time, money and thier own artistic flavor pointing out what you think is wrong shows poor judgement,no class and goes against everything about being a true car fan.
Terry, like you said, everyone has a right to their opinion. I recognize the time, money and effort it takes to customize any car. I’ll give you that. But you think my opinion, no mater how public it might be (best day ever for this story was yesterday!) would cause a custom PT Cruiser owner to stay away from a show? No chance. Any custom car owner, (especially ones with NEON on the bottom blasting “I’ve got the Power” on the radio at 6AM), are in some way enjoying the attention they get. If they think everyone who sees their car will like it, they’re delusional. So then in hearing a negative review, PT Cruiser owners crawl into a cave? Not a chance!! PT’s were a minority at the OCC show anyway!
Come on Terry. You’ve had your say that I’m miserable, classless SOB for bagging on these PT’s. Fine. Why not stop there?
Fan or critic, I’m the owner/editor/janitor at MyRideisMe.com. I’m not changing.
They will stay away and do. I’m president of a P T Club and I hear it all the time. They don’t feel wanted and do stay away. Keep your opinion, state it any time or were you want. But you crossed the line by single out certian cars and picking them apart.They belong to people with feelings. I haven’t picked you apart for liking depech mode or building a falcon station wagon, (when your done it still a station wagon). I have owned show Mach I’s, Z28s, and GTO’s. and this isn’t my first picnic. And to Dennana Your stuck in the classic and antique’s. We don’t fit in that class and we know it. We fall under customs. Go pick on the gremlins and pacers.
We just bought me a 2005 PTC and I plan on driving that car to my grave. I *love* the way it feels!
Because this is (hopefully) the last car I’ll ever own, I plan on having fun with it. Spoked wheels, beautiful paint job with pinstriping, completely gutted, customized interior, etc.
Why? Because i want to, that’s why. To find a car that I like more, I’d have to go back to the 60’s.
I do see what the author was driving at: nonsense stickers, neon lights and such. But it’s just folks having fun. Sometimes you don’t have the cash or the knowledge to customize a car the way you want to, so you do your best.
Let ’em play! :-)
Thanks for your comment S. Fowler. I feel I should say it again… do your thing, express yourself in your ride! And finally, who cares what I think! It’s not my opinion that matters!!
It is funny that so many grown people have nothing better to do than criticize what you are paying nothing for. Most of you probably don’t own a car.
Would you like me telling you well–your not on aNational kick Boxing MMA circuit like me -so your a wimp. How bout –you just sit on the couch instead of many dedicated hours in the gym and or on the ice playing hockey–so your just another whiny fat oaf that can only point?
My point is you wouldn’t want anyone telling you how to live or run your life. Or how to spend your time. If you like muscle cars- build one, If you like antiques-build one. If you wanna ride the bus–ride it.
Be man enough to do what you want not criticize what others do just because you have severe short comings.
Get some B*** and live your own life, stop pointing. We realize the truth on why your pointig and honestly we are all laughing at you –NOT WITH YOU!
You didn’t make a point here JP. Concluding I’m a fool with nothing to offer society because I don’t work out? (How would you know?) Or was it because I exercised my right to free speech? I’m not telling anyone what to do, but I’m pretty sure I’ve made it clear what I wouldn’t do. By the way, go ahead and say BALLS.
Pikesan. I’m on your side, don’t worry about the PT clubs. They search out articles on their car’s to come defend it.
They are hideous. Even put aside the fact that I find them incredibly unappealing visually, anyone that adds that much neon lighting to ANYTHING should be shot.
I give respect to anyone who puts actual hard work into their car even if it’s not my style.. but running out and buying every tacky glue on product on the shelves and surrounding it with neon lights gives me a headache. I’ll even go so far as to say that the flame PT with the orange lights behind the grille actually looks kind of cool.
Although at least the two occasions I’ve seen PT cruiser clubs at shows they’ve kind of just kept to themselves.. Except a guy with a 2.4L Turbo with giant TURBO stickers all over the damn thing who came over saying that his car would take anything in the parking lot, despite being stock.. but on average they all just talked amongst themselves.. and they talk a lot less crap than a lot of the civic clubs..
That said. It’s your site, I honestly have never been here (Although I’ll probably poke around now) and I just kind of stumbled upon it. Being your site gives you the right to post whatever you feel like. If they don’t like it, they can go away.
Sunshine. I realize that a lot of people don’t like the P T. But thats like any make and model some people just like certain cars, (thats why there are some many differant ones). I stopped coming on theses site trying to defend what I like to people with closed minds but some thing you wrote makes me one to speak out. Your own words, ” I give respect to anyone who puts actual hard work into their car even if it’s not my style”. You could have left it like that and everyone would have been fine with your opinion. but then in the very next line you start tearing down what other people had done to there cars.Its not for you and thats fine we understand that. Just keep in mind there are 314,000,000 people in this country and there are going to be some of those many people that are going to do things to a car that is just not your cup of tea, Just walk away and we will both be much happier.
I agree to that. Not everyone likes everything, which does make for innovation and different models. It’s really a good thing or we would have one car, one truck, one minivan, etc.
I don’t however, see that me not liking something make’s me have a ‘closed mind’. I’ve driven them. I’ve seen plenty of them, I’ve even worked on them. I’m just not a fan. I like the idea of them (retro styling) I just don’t think it was executed as well as it could have been. It’s not just the PT, the HHR and SSR fall into the same category, albeit the latter coming closer in my opinion.
I still stick by my statement. I do give respect to anyone who put’s hard work into their car. Key word being hard work. Running out and putting every 2way tape on item off the shelf is not hard work. It makes a mockery of the car customization hobby. Every second GM truck I see here has double fake hood scoops that make me cringe. All of the Honda’s have huge 3 foot wings and gaudy oversized rims. Car show’s went from being car’s people worked hard on, to looking like the fast and the furious where rich kids pay shops thousands of dollars to ‘pimp their car out’. Walk up to half the people with their engine popped at a show and ask them about it.. they have no idea what’s even in it.
Back to the point though. No, I don’t like how the car’s are done, my opinion is just as valid as yours. Pikesan posted his article, people came to disagree with him. I came to agree with him. That’s the beauty of the internet. Why can you come and disagree with his opinion, but I should walk away? If it bothered you, why didn’t you just walk away?