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Posted (edited)

I see some driving around and wondered what happened? Their all gone. Seems like there would be something to replace them? The new (?) Mustangs, Chargers and Challengers seem to be in an entirely different class.

(I had some pictures here, but they weren't allowed, wrong extension, couldn't figure out which one of the three.)

Never really could figure out what these cars (trucks?) were supposed to be? The all looked like something other than the what the company made. Pt Cruiser looks more like a '37 Ford,HHR, a mini Suburban? SSR, The Car Craft Dream Rod ? Prowler, hot rod that should of had a V-8 !

Edited by Greg Myers
Posted

They ran their course and are out of production now..some for quite a while. As far as unconventional looking niche models, the Cube, Juke, Leaf and Soul are out there now...

Posted

Saw a yellow SSR in traffic the other day...was an unusual truck/convertible/thingy.

Never understood that one. Take the worst elements from the El Camino and make them worse. Then price the thing at about 40 grand. Yeah, that'll sell. :lol:

Posted

Greg, I see many HHR's and PT Cruisers here . I even saw a Prowler at a Used car dealership a couple of weeks ago. The Cruisers and the HHR's seem to be driven by medical supplu companies . That's just my obsevation ............. Ed Shaver

Posted

The PT and HHR were pretty high volume w/ relatively long runs (esp. the PT), pretty much mainstream 5dr hatchback compacts w/ retro-modern styling. The SSR and Prowler OTOH were pretty low volume and short run models.

Posted

The PT an HHR were also practical cars- once the 'cuteness' wore off, you were left with a practical, economical car that just didn't look like every other hatchback in the parking lot. A lot of the other 'niche' cars were more or less just driveway jewelery which did nothing but look cool, though I guess that depends on personal taste.

Posted

I saw a Prowler in a supermarket parking lot the other day. Lots of black brake dust on the wheels, generally kinda ratty looking and dirty... aside from the styling, just another car. I have to wonder why the owner wouldn't have taken better care. I know a Prowler may never become a "real" big bucks collectible, but still... it's a unique car, not being made anymore. I would have expected it to be at least washed! :blink:

Posted

I guess when the new wears off and you're left with a car even less practical than the Dodge Neon that was cannabalized to built it you probably wouldn't wash it either.

Posted

I guess when the new wears off and you're left with a car even less practical than the Dodge Neon that was cannabalized to built it you probably wouldn't wash it either.

Nobody ever bought a Prowler because it was practical. It was never meant to be practical any more than a Viper, Corvette or Fiero were meant to be practical.

Posted

Nobody ever bought a Prowler because it was practical. It was never meant to be practical any more than a Viper, Corvette or Fiero were meant to be practical.

True enough...I see plenty of worn out Corvettes running around, and used to see worn out Fieros (I haven't seen a running Fiero in ages)...seen a couple battered, tattered Vipers also...so it happens to some examples of any car sooner or later...

Posted

They ran their course and are out of production now..some for quite a while. As far as unconventional looking niche models, the Cube, Juke, Leaf and Soul are out there now...

I agree, my friend.
Posted

Nobody ever bought a Prowler because it was practical. It was never meant to be practical any more than a Viper, Corvette or Fiero were meant to be practical.

But it doesn't have the performance of the Viper or Vette to make the impracticality worth it. The Prowler has been out of production since '02, how many ten year old dailly driven Dodge products in good shape do you see in a day, probably not many. If that Prowler has been driven daily it's most likely just a clapped out ten year old car to its owner.

Posted (edited)

When I first saw a Pontiac Fiero, I gave it some serious consideration like how does one pull the plugs , where is the water pump ? I was actually considering buying a new car that year kids . Couple of years later , I was handed the job of helping to do a Clutch R & R on one. We put it in a Front end alignment pit , rigged a A frame over the engine to support it and dropped the sub frame out of the bottom, ala Chevrolet Cavilier . I decided right then, right there to go on a campaign of "Never Ever buy a car built after Elvis Presley died. ".............. That's my story an I'm stickin to it ! Ed Shaver

Edited by Eshaver
Posted

When I first saw a Pontiac Fiero, I gave it some serious consideration like how does one pull the plugs , where is the water pump ? I was actually considering buying a new car that year kids . Couple of years later , I was handed the job of helping to do a Clutch R & R on one. We put it in a Front end alignment pit , rigged a A frame over the engine to support it and dropped the sub frame out of the bottom, ala Chevrolet Cavilier . I decided right then, right there to go on a campaign of "Never Ever buy a car built after Elvis Presley died. ".............. That's my story an I'm stickin to it ! Ed Shaver

Yeah, and your point is? Wasn't the sub frame designed for quick unbolt and drop for ease of access? If I want to pan the Fiero, there is other reasons besides that. Like, the engine will convert to a unique BBQ pit... weather you want it to, or not.

Posted

Yeah, and your point is? Wasn't the sub frame designed for quick unbolt and drop for ease of access? If I want to pan the Fiero, there is other reasons besides that. Like, the engine will convert to a unique BBQ pit... weather you want it to, or not.

Just hope you have some meat on hand to cook when that happens :lol:

Posted

I think that if the Prowler came with a 5.7 HEMI instead of a MITSUBISHI V-6 :angry: they would have been so much cooler. That fact could also keep it from being taken seriously as a collectible later on. If it looks like a hot rod it should also SOUND like a hot rod!

The PT Cruiser should have been a 2 door with suicide doors (that suggestion came from my Mom who owned a PT Cruiser).

Posted

I think that if the Prowler came with a 5.7 HEMI instead of a MITSUBISHI V-6 :angry: they would have been so much cooler. That fact could also keep it from being taken seriously as a collectible later on. If it looks like a hot rod it should also SOUND like a hot rod!

The PT Cruiser should have been a 2 door with suicide doors (that suggestion came from my Mom who owned a PT Cruiser).

One of the main problems with most of the cars listed, is quality, and the lack of it.

Posted

I see many a PT Cruiser running around Southeast Michigan and Northwest Ohio . I also have watched many a Pontiac Fiero being pulled from the storage location and being sold by the road. They are also driving them also . Just wonder if they never went up in value so people started to sell them .

Posted

Just did a quick search and, in my area, for a 2010 PT Cruiser, $16,000, lowest was $2,000 for a 2002. For the Prowler, well there were non in 100 miles of me, so went to 500, and there are two for sale, both 2001 going for $25,000, and $27,000

Going by Kelly Blue Book, for 2001 Prowler in excellent condition, for private party sellers, is at $18,295, down to $15,345 for one in fair condition

Posted

I think that if the Prowler came with a 5.7 HEMI instead of a MITSUBISHI V-6 :angry: they would have been so much cooler.

The 3.5 SOHC V6 was not a Mitsubishi design, and was probably the best choice they had. The 5.7 HEMI was released after production of the Prowler ended, while the 5.9 probably wouldn't work out.

Posted

I think that if the Prowler came with a 5.7 HEMI instead of a MITSUBISHI V-6 :angry: they would have been so much cooler. That fact could also keep it from being taken seriously as a collectible later on. If it looks like a hot rod it should also SOUND like a hot rod!

The PT Cruiser should have been a 2 door with suicide doors (that suggestion came from my Mom who owned a PT Cruiser).

The 3.5 SOHC V6 was not a Mitsubishi design, and was probably the best choice they had. The 5.7 HEMI was released after production of the Prowler ended, while the 5.9 probably wouldn't work out.

I don't think that transaxle could handle the power of a V-8, don't count that 3.5l out though, especially the later one! My kid sister's '06 Charger has a variation of that one and for a big heavy car, it gets up and goes pretty good. My 4.0l Cherokee can get it off the line (it is a bigger, torquier, I-6 in a lighter 4wd truck....shouldn't be a shock), but once the two hit 45, that Charger is gone. Not sure how those compare to my Pentastar equipped 200.......seriously doubt that either will stand a snowballs chance against it

Posted

Prowlers were meant for show, not go. They were meant for cruising around town and being seen (and being seen in), not flat-out performance.

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