We will be traveling through Arizona and Utah in June and noted that the rental car company has a "special offer" on a PT Cruiser for the week. My kids would love to rent this type of car instead of the usual boring ones that we opt for but I'm wondering if anyone has had any problems with these (and why are they a special offer? Hmmm). I was browsing through old trip reports from this region and came across one in which the author had rented a PT Cruiser for the vacation and said that she "later came to regret it"....but never explained why in the rest of the report! Any opinions?

Karen

Don't know anything about the PT Cruiser, but we have friends who just rented the Chevrolet version of the PT Cruiser (don't remember the name) for a vacation. They loved it.

Bare bones is the best way I could describe a PT Cruiser. No pick up in the engine and the seating is not comfortable.

I have rented them quite a few times and the biggest downside to me is the limited visibility inside the car... ditto with the HHR, 300 and Magnum.
I like these fun cars but I prefer something with bigger windows if I am going to be looking at anything taller than the car.

It's a Neon with more room. Not a very refined vehicle. And it's so 90's.

Friends of ours just rented a PT Cruiser convertible. It had the Turbo engine, which apparently makes a huge difference in accelerating and passing. I loved riding in it, and the back seat was quite roomy.

However, someone else I know felt cramped (he is overweight) in the driver's seat on a long drive.

In today's St. Pete Times, there is a review of the newest version (there are three, with only the GT and the newest one having the Turbo). The reviewer loved it, but did mention having a tough time fitting his six foot frame into the car "felt like I was riding ON the car not IN it".

So, insist that it be a turbo, and maybe even a convertible! Enjoy!

I rented one for a day trip in December, and the storage space was ZERO!! Fortunately, we flew carryon only. I can't imagine trying to put any amount of lugagge in the tiny storage space!!

It is a very small car.

I always thought they were cute until one of my daughters said they looked like hearses.

Yikes.

I've been a passenger in one and I'll say that there was no problem with comfort or visibility. I had no luggage though.

I once rented a PT Cruiser while out of town. It had looks, but no frills or basics. For example, there wasn't even a map light. Very frustrating while driving at night with a map. That was just one item. The list goes on.

Never again.

Woody

Renting one on a trip as we speak. OK little car, but very little luggage space (2 suitcases, maybe 3 max), bumpy ride, low seating and poor visibility.

For one just driving around town it's ok, but I wouldn't use for family vacation, especially with luggage and long distance driving.

I rent a car almost every week and one week was given a PT Cruiser (hadn't asked for it). I remember a flick of excitement when I saw it as I had never been in one and they are distinctive looking. My challenge with the car came when I was going thru a toll booth - - I could not find the button to put down the window! I was searching all over the door when the toll collector stepped out of his booth. He pointed through the windshield to the center of the dashboard. I found the button and paid my toll. Now when I rent a car I not only adjust mirrors and locate lights, wipers and radio. I also make sure I can open the windows!

Agree with others. Poor choice. Many merchants have a "special offer" for products or services that are sub-par. My grocer, for instance, aways has a "special offer" for meat or fish that has been sitting around for a few days...

We've rented a PT Cruiser and liked it ok ... We couldn't find the window buttons either and the toll booth person had to assist us also.

We actually enjoyed the car and ours had plenty of power. It's just the two of us with limited luggage so we had plenty of room ... but, hubby's golf clubs wouldn't fit in the back. We had to flip 1/2 the back seat down and stick them through the opening into the back seat. So in essences, depending on your luggage, it could be a 3-seater.

I have nothing good to say on this car. It is ugly, no room, no get up and go. Is not comfortable to ride in or to get in and out of, especially if you are tall. Every time I see one go by I always say, Man have they not gone to the dump yet. JMO

My mom rented one for a road trip and liked it so much she bought one. She got the turbo, which does indeed have plenty of get up and go - my mom has long been known as Parnelli Jones, so if she is happy with the acceleration and handling, then the car definitely isn't a dog. I've driven it and it handles pretty well.

We are smaller people and it fits us just fine. It is a small car rather than a large sedan or SUV, so if you need something large, then this is not the car for you.

At Thanksgiving there were 4 of us with luggage for 4 days, purses, and a couple laptop bags - everything fit in the car just fine. I sat in the back seat working on my laptop for much of the trip and had enough room. For larger items such as golf clubs, you would have to put one of the back seats down, but then I think that is true for most small cars.

It is a small car. It is a small car that feels roomy inside. I've taken 3 adults and a child to the beach in a PT and there was enough room for all of the stuff in the back. The "trunk" area has a privacy shelf that you can lower to the floor and stack luggage there. It has as much room as small rental cars I've been in. It depends on how much "stuff" you are taking. It will hold as much luggage as other small rental cars - maybe more given the "trunk's" configuration.

Tall riders have been amazed at how much headroom there is - as well as knee room in the back. You say "kids". It will seat 2 and 2 comfortably for a driving vacation - but not 5.

Turbo is available but I doubt the rental car will be a turbo. There is as much pick-up in a PT as there is any other 4 cylinder rental car.

The window buttons are in a confusing location. They are in the center of the front dashboard - not on the door or near the windows. If that's a deal-breaker, don't rent a PT. Once you figure out where the buttons are - well, no problem.

It's a fun car to drive and if your kids would enjoy it more than a Grand Am or Accord or other rental car you are considering (at the same size), go for it. If you need more room - rent a larger car.

We rented this in Florida. We rented from Alamo and they said pick whatever car you want and my kids ran for the PT cruiser. It does not have great pick up and the back seat area is small. Good for small kids, but our kids were cramped.(They did not care because we were not driving far and they liked the car). The trunk space is limited, but fit our suitcases for a family of four.
I would not choose this car again, but if you are a small family with little luggage, why not?
(My husband did say he felt a little geeky in the car and revved the engine at a light pretending to race a sports car next to us... we had a good chuckle.)

Thanks for the opinions. Hubby, I, and 2 kids are all thin people (although hubby is 6 feet)so I'll have to think about it. We usually pack pretty light and Utah in June will not require very many sweaters! We went to the Canary Islands a couple of years ago and rented a very very tiny car....some type of Renault that we don't have here, I think....so we probably would not be too freaked out about space or lack of pick-up. (my then-11-year-old daughter thought it was soooo not cool though) We've also spaced out our traveling times so that the max we'll be driving on any day is about 3 hours.

The rental company also offers a PT Cruiser convertable (which would score even bigger points with the 13 year old......we are usually the uncool cheapo parents of the year) but I'm wondering if it would ever be possible to leave the top down in Utah/Arizona in June. Anyone who lives out there have a convertible and uses it other than to see the stars during nightdriving?

You can drive top-down in June, for sure.

But keep in mind that a convertible has much less room than a regular hard-top. You may have serious problem getting all your luggage in the car. Maybe you should go check one out at a local dealer before committing to the convertible.