My New 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser is Mighty Fine!

My New 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser is MIGHTY FINE!

I have been in need of a new car for a year or so now. But alas, finances being what they are have kept me from purchasing anything. I have been driving my old 93 Dodge Caravan for about 13 years now, and although it is still going strong, my kids are older and well, I needed and wanted something new and something that was just for me!

My husband and I determined that we could afford a new car this past fall. I began shopping for the car that I wanted. I went to many dealerships and spoke with many salespeople. I finally fell in love with the cool vanilla PT Cruiser from Chrysler. It was a lovely little thing sitting on the car lot. The color of it stuck out over and above all of the other PT cruisers for me. The car lot had PT Cruisers in many colors, but I kept walking back to the Cool Vanilla one!

I took my first of four test drives of the car. The seat was comfortable and my 11 year old son was sitting next to me in the passenger seat. He was telling me how comfortable his seat was as he played with the mechanisms to move himself forward and backward. He was thrilled to be driving around in the new car. This was his first time purchasing a brand new car and he was immediately pleased by the scent of a new car. He even suggested to me that we should contact the candle companies and see if they could make “new car” a new scent of the month! We laughed as we drove thinking of what it would take to make a new candle smell like a new car.

The bucket seats are so comfortable. The console in between the seats has storage for CDs and a compartment for pens and papers. The shift is so pretty with a round ball that makes it look like a five speed even though I bought an automatic! There is an arm rest between the seats slides forward making a comfortable spot for resting the arm.

When I first suggested to my husband that I wanted a PT Cruiser he was not excited. He had any number of negative comments to make regarding my decision. First off, he thought that the car was too small for a family of five. Once he told me that I returned to the dealership with all five of us, and the dogs, and put everyone in the car. It was fine! (In fact, the first day we had it we drove to northern New Hampshire and had the dogs, the kids, and five suitcases! No problem! The hatchback is large enough and has a nice tray that holds groceries and can be used for a tailgate party! The back seats lean forward and they also roll forward for more storage.

Then my husband had more negative comments. He was sure that I would not be able to take bikes to our camp on the weekends. So armed with a couple of bikes and a couple of boys I took myself back to the dealership and showed my husband how roomy the hatchback of the PT Cruiser is. He was quieted for a few minutes.

His next concern was snow. He was sure that a PT Cruiser would be bad in the snow. So he consulted our mechanic. Our mechanic assured my husband that the PT Cruiser is a good car and that all of his customers who have them love them. His only suggestion was that the car might need snow tires during the New England winter season. My husband was quiet again!

On my fourth and last test drive, I put my husband into the driver’s seat. His six foot four frame filled the seat, and he pushed the bucket seat all the way back. He was trying hard to dislike this car I could tell, but it was getting harder and harder for him to be negative. He could hardly keep his eyes from the front panel, and he began playing with the buttons to see what they could do. He was pleased to find that he could push a button to find out how many miles worth of gas he had left in the tank. He liked the thermometer and the analog clock was a pretty addition to the front panel for him. After about 45 minutes my husband sighed and said, “well if this is the car you want lets go buy it.”

Buy it I did, I took no time in telling the salesperson ( after 4 times around he was pretty sick of seeing me) that I wanted the car. Two hours later I drove my new car off the lot. I went home with my car and of course my children all climbed into the back seat for their first official ride in Mom’s new car. Naturally, as we drove in our new car, the first thing we all began to notice was other people who were driving these cars. We were amazed as people began to smile and wave at us from the windows of their PT Cruisers . We naturally smiled and waved back. My seven year old was struck with the idea that people who drive these cars are very friendly!

I particularly like the safety feature with the seatbelts, the middle seat belt in the back is a shoulder belt just like the two on the sides. This is a nice feature for a family with three kids!

The front panel has everything I need right at my finger tips. It took some getting used to because the window wiper knob is to the right of the steering wheel instead of the left and once in a while when I go to turn on the windshield wiper I accidentally flash my high beams! I am not much for cruise control, but my PT Cruiser comes equipped with cruise control. It is standard equipment.

The air bags turn off and on in the front if the passenger does not have enough weight to keep them on. This is beneficial for me because my 65 pound 7 year old thinks he should be able to sit in the front and now he knows he cannot just because the light flashes when he sits in the front. Everyday he sits in the front hoping he has gained 40 pounds over night! This car feature has stalled many arguments between myself and my independent young lad.

Driving my PT Cruiser is dreamlike. It is smooth and fun to drive. It is easy and comfortable to drive and I love to be behind the wheel. My daughter loves to see our reflection in store windows as we drive by. She will say “Look how hot we look Mom!”

My car cost 16,000.00. It has four cylinder engine. It is the touring edition of the 2006 PT Cruiser. Which means it is the mid range for added accessories. (The limited edition has more bells and whistles). When I turn on the heat it heats up in seconds and the air conditioner cools down quickly. The vents for heat and air are round toggle like pieces in the front panel. They are eye appealing open or closed they can be turned around to point the heat or the cool air in any direction. The one frustration I have come in contact with is in fact the heat and cool functions. It is hard to keep the temperature regulated in the car. I think this is probably due to the rapid weather changes we have in New England.

The PT Cruiser is a beautiful car. I was drawn to these cars; they have a retro look that is different than other cars on the road. Being a fan of the old Waltons tv show my children think my car looks like the car JohnBoy drove. However, my students tell me I have a gangster car!

My children and I are in love with the car. We wash it weekly, and I keep a box of baby wipes for cleaning up in between washes. As for my husband, yesterday he came and asked “Do you mind if I take your car for a spin…”