Car totaled - time for replacement

[DiabloTX]

Eagl, all wheel drive minivan for...?  The icing D/FW gets in the winter?  Rains?  Off road muddin' Texas style?  Surprising the pimply faced teen in his Civic CRX with a fart can sticking out the back?

[moot]

Eagl why not an extended BMW or Audi?

[Masherbrum]

Thanks, Superpug, sounds like a good pirep on the Five Hundred.  If I go practical, I'm more interested in the Regal, but that Ford looks easy to install a computer in w/ the big compartment on the dash.  A test drive would, of course, be a big deciding factor.

The 500 is a VERY well built automobile.   The wife was looking at one and we took one for a test drive.    The interior was great except one thing, less hiproom then her old 1997 Taurus.   The car is wider, longer and higher than the 1997, but the console is larger.   

She ended up getting a Certified Used 2006 Sable for $13,000 (it only had 9,000 miles on it).   It was the dealerships loaner (not to mention I've known our Salesman since the 7th grade).    What is great about that?   The Dealership is a Lincoln/Mercury dealer with the clientèle being well over 40 years of age (meaning not ragged on).

The Regals are nice, I was considering a GS back in 2000.   

I currently have this: (this is my car)



The Quality numbers are through the roof on the entire Fusion/Milan/MKZ (formally Zephyr) platform.    The majority of the platform is done by Volvo and the FIT and FINISH on my Milan is 2nd to none.   I have the 4 cyl and get 30mpg on the freeway.    The trunk is ALMOST as large as the 500/Taurus.   Superpug1 claims the AWD 500 gets 30+ at 75-80, no way in hell.   25 would be about right in real world conditions.   

I'd sincerely recommend you substitute your 500 for the Milan.   I have airbags, including the safety curtain.   There is room for 5 adults with MORE THAN enough legroom.   I live in Michigan, but have been to Portland, Or twice.   I am well aware of the "Black ice" you guys get (as our Wedding was in Dec.) and it isn't fun to deal with.   

[mg1942]

Eagl why not an extended BMW or Audi?

don't these cars usually require premium grade fuel?

[mandingo]

Get a bicycle.  Cars are a drain on the environment. 

[eagl]

Eagl, all wheel drive minivan for...?  The icing D/FW gets in the winter?  Rains?  Off road muddin' Texas style?  Surprising the pimply faced teen in his Civic CRX with a fart can sticking out the back?

I like to go skiing sometimes, and AWD really helps.  I had to use my elite fighter pilot driving skills a few years back when I took my trans-am to Vail, and the several other times I've driven in the snow have convinced me that AWD just can't be beat for that sort of thing.  Also, I don't know where my next assignment will be so I'd be dumb to assume I will always be somewhere warm.  I rented an AWD chevy caravan one time when up in Alaska doing simulator training, and it was a very nice feature since the weather was about 10 below zero.

[eagl]

Eagl why not an extended BMW or Audi?

Those would be good options for Chairboy, definately.  They're safe and good quality.  The only consideration is that a used BMW or Audi in his price range might be old enough that they don't have the safety features he wants (side airbags, etc).

[LePaul]

I've always wanted an Accord V6 based on the reviews Ive read...plus the great comments my friends who own them have shared.

The "problem" is that they keep their value...so buying one used might cost more than you would expect

I have a friend who frequents the auctions, if you like anything the rental fleets have and are not concerned about resale value, you can get some deals there.  I got my 04 Dodge Stratus for $9k with less than 10,000 miles on it.  I figure I'll drive this thing into the ground, I usually got 5-9 years on my cars.

[superpug1]

another interesting note is that the Ford 500 is built on a Volvo platform. really safe. Oh and i said the FWD gets 30 to 33, not the AWD. that was on the way up to OU from dallas with 3 people and no luggage. Loaded full of junk itll get 26 to 27 at 74ish.

[FrodeMk3]

Live a little and at least test an RX-8. If you get it, remember it's not you sitting in the back.

Chairboy, I tried to make 2-door sedans' work for a long time. Finally had to give up. Kids' get bigger, Or you have more, or they get friends, etc. I wouldn't even consider a 2+2, in your situation.

The 500 Looks' like a good choice. Shopping around, you might find a really good deal. I personally don't even consider Minivans' or SUV's, but everyone has their own preference. It made me eventually go with a Charger, Although the Magnum SXT I looked at almost went home with me.

Anyway, sounds' like you've got your work cut out for you. Good Luck 

[JB88]

My dad rode on a bus in South America in the 70s that started its life as a schoolbus before moving south and being turned into a cross-country mass transit (w/ chickens and everything).  He described it as having a Virgin Mary figure glued to the dashboard with a lightbulb in it that was wired to the brake pedals.  Whenever the bus used its brakes (usually when crawling down the narrow single lane dirt roads with sheer cliffs beneath them in the jungles) the statue would illuminate as a signal to start praying.

I've often felt my car was missing something...

 

[LTARGlok]

I'll sit in an Accord.  Used to drive one, and it was great, but if I'm getting a lightweight car, I'd kinda like it to be a super mileage car.

The Honda CIVIC is quite economical, and a real fun to drive car.   And it gets super ratings on everything from safety, to fuel economy, to reliability.  You should be able to get one of them very well equipped for under $20,000   

So if you stop by your Honda dealer, do test drive a CIVIC also. 

I would eco the concerns expressed earlier on VW quality, now that so many of their models are using so many Mexican made parts and being assembled in Mexico.  CIVIC's are still being built in Japan.   Diesel fuel is also getting incredibly expensive these days.





The leather interior on them is really nice:





The dash is also quite impressive, and very easy to view:

[LTARGlok]

Insurance company confirmed that the car is totaled, so I'm looking for a replacement.  I'd like to spend less than $20k, and I'm not interested in buying a newnew car.  2002-2006 is my target range, and I'm looking for:
1. Leather seats
2. Side impact airbags (after what I saw a week ago, yikes)
3. Reasonable maintenance costs/reliability
4. Can fit both kids in the backseat on occasion.

I did not read your original post in detail, so I did not realize that you were only considering used cars.

The problem with some popular cars like Hondas and Toyotas is that they can be rather hard to find used, as people simply tend to keep them.  And they hold their re-sale value so well, that they are not as good a value price-wise.

You could buy a brand new Honda CIVIC for less than $20,000, though.   Even a new leather equipped EX model would run about exactly $20,000, after a dealer discount is applied.

Another car to consider would be a Mazda 3, one of the CIVIC's competitors. 

[SD67]

Mazda have brought an excellent product to the table VW's here in Oz don't seem to have the same issues you guys in the US have been having. The new Mazda 6's would also be an excellent choice, though traditionally (at least here in Oz) Mazdas have been expensive to maintain.

[LTARGlok]

Mazda have brought an excellent product to the table VW's here in Oz don't seem to have the same issues you guys in the US have been having. The new Mazda 6's would also be an excellent choice, though traditionally (at least here in Oz) Mazdas have been expensive to maintain.

Do you VW's say Made in Mexico all over the vehicle's information sheet??