1 Sweet! I'll have to "meet" your new baby soon!

2 I swear I saw a PT Cruiser today with "You can BUY me!" on the windshield and I thought of you. . .

3 The base and Touring levels came standard with a 150-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. The GT got a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine, good for 230 hp. There was also a 180-hp version of the turbo engine as an option for the Limited and Touring models. The legend "2.4 Turbo" is printed on the tachometer (there is no boost gauge) and is on the rear gate, in small chrome letters: No need to open the hood. In the PT Cruiser, accessing trouble codes is particularly easy. Just put the key into the ignition, then push in the odometer reset button while turning the key to RUN. You will first see the car's serial number (the last six digits of the VIN), then fault codes (which now start with the letter P) in the odometer. For a complete list of codes, you can visit ptcruizer.com. Hidden features abound, and not just in the usual areas of flexible seats, clever storage compartments, and that sort of thing. You'll discover, through a quick read of the manual, that you could shut off the horn-honking that normally accompanies locking the door with the key fob; could shut off the automatic door locks that takes effect when you hit 15 mph; and alter other functions of the Cruiser without visiting a dealer. Another cool feature is the adjustable roof rack, which was a terribly overpriced option. However, it allows you to easily slide the roofrack supports so that, when not in use, it looks like a rear spoiler and not a roofrack. It also makes it more adjustable to carry different size loads.

4 Yeah--I saw that thing about the "quiet locking" function in the manual last night. And I discovered that it has a compass. I still haven't figured out if I'm at 150 or 180--either way, it's well-engineered. A benefit I hadn't thought of until we bought it: I'm driving from a higher position, and I can see more. Not quite "SUV high," but enough to help visibility for a short girl. Those Saturns ride low.

5 The bill of sale will only confirm the 2.4 thing, but nowhere does the car or the paperwork mention "turbo," so I think it's just the 150 hp--presumably, the CarMax people had it tuned to the nines. I'm dusting it off at least once a day. Sometimes I dust it, get in, start the engine, and run the windshield wipers front/back. Occasionally I'll go out and rearrange the cargo area, maybe place some extra lint-free cloths in there--or add another CD to the box of 'em I have in the back seat. I insisted on driving to church today. Because I could.