Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong.

General Comments:

Docile when I want it to be, quick when I want it to be, surprisingly good cornering and surprising large and versatile interior. Really love it. Just wish the GT came with the body-colored dash panels instead of the cheesy faux carbon-fiber - and that it used less gas.

Faults:

I bough my PT Cruiser in January 2003.

At 87,000 miles, the transmission failed. It began to stutter between 1st gear and 2nd, and then took a minute to pressurize from park to reverse.

The radiator fan went out at the same time also.

It takes me a while to get the speed I need to pass a car or move to another line. It is so dangerous when I have to merge with the flow, when I know my car takes a while to get there.

Faults:

The car has a known issue for flickering lights. When you press the brake pedal (and make the tail lights engage) the headlights and interior lights will flicker. This is also true whenever you engage any electronic equipment in the cabin (including the windows). However, you grow accustomed to it after a few months.

In addition, the engine had a stutter when you opened the throttle past 5,000 RPM. This was resolved for free with a Technical Service Bulletin.

The light in the rear cargo area had a faulty connector. This was fixed under warranty.

The engine belts whine sometimes on a cold morning. Dealer could not fix issue

General Comments:

The car is unbelievably fast when you need to pass or just want to rev it up. The turbo lag is small relative to other four bangers from imports. Usually the real kick hits around 3,000 rpm where you get the real "wow" factor. he engine is has significant torque as well. In my trips to the mountains, I am able to continue to accelerate up almost any grade and the thin air does not affect the turbo. The engine is unreal, but eats up premium fuel at a moderate pace even during conservative driving.

The Getrag transmission is a little heavy at first, but you get used to it after a while. My wife has trouble remembering that the reverse gear is up and to the left. This placement also makes some people nervous when shifting to first since they worry they will hit reverse instead.

The outside look is very clean and not differentiated from other PTs other than the lower grill, 17" rims and the GT badge on the back. Usually, the import car doesn't realize what's hit it until they see the GT sticker on the back. Preludes, Integras, Celicas and of course Civics do not have a chance in straight lines. Cornering is another issue. There is significant under-steer, especially when you try to power out of a long corner.

The 17" tires make you feel confident and do not squeal until really pushed. The tires are not very good when it is raining though. I live on the west coast of Canada where it rains for 6 months a year. The tires lose their grip when pushed even a little. I have tried to open up the throttle in second to pass another car and spun the front wheels wildly after the traction control turns off (around 55 km/h). The tires however handled compact snow and slightly icy conditions confidently. The other major complaint I have is the turn radius. The radius is really small making tight parking spots and parallel parking a real event sometimes.

The interior is built tightly and very functional. The removable seats are easy for a man to do, as they weigh around 50 lbs and are a little awkward. I have not had issues with the build quality and feel the interior leather, and ergonomics are well thought out.

All issues have been handled quickly by the dealership. However, they are not proactive at solving the problems. I have had to research many issues myself to ensure the TSBs and other updates are implemented on my car.

Overall, I would buy the car again.