Dude, that's my car!

Professor Bainbridge has traded in his beemer for a PT Cruiser. OK, he hasn't actually traded it in, it's a rental while his beemer's in the shop.

As the owner of a 2002 PT Cruiser (limited edition, inferno red), I was interested to read his brief review.

I agree with him that it's roomy and has great visability. I think the engine could use more pep, but I don't know if the one he had was a turbo or not (I bought mine before the turbos came out, and I think they may have upped the HP a little on the normaly aspirated ones as well since I bought mine).

As far as his complaints, I don't really find the seats uncomfortable, but then again I don't drive a beemer like him either (and the only other car I've ever owned was an '87 K-car). I do agree with him on the cupholders - as someone who drinks a lot while on the road, they are horrible - the front as one middle cupholder in the console, and two smaller combination cupholders/eyeglass holders further forward near the radio. Worst of all, they are all fixed width and don't hold really big cups.

This always struck me as strange for Chrysler, a company that knows better when it comes to cupholder design. My parents have a 1998 Plymouth Voyager, and it has the world's greatest cupholders. They pull out from the dashboard, they are adjustable, and they hold a 44oz Big Gulp. Why Chrylser didn't find a way to adapt them to the Cruiser is beyond me.