best used cars?

[PinkSander]

Okay sooo I am compiling a list of used older model cars from http://www.vhix.com. Budget will probably be nor more then $10,000. All are at least '03s and cars are sedans. I don't like the idea of people being able to see into my trunk. That's why I'm not completely sold on the idea of a small SUV.

My specs are 4 doors,Automatic trans, A/C, LATCH, lock and retracting seatbelts in at least the back seat, power locks and windows, CD player, shoulder belt for the middle seat in the back. Car must also comfortably seat a Graco Nautilusin the middle seat. Great for a college student, I'll be going to community college that is about 10 miles away, by freeway. I live in the city. I can get to all the surrounding cities with in 15 mins by freeway, but I prefer the regular roads, as the high speed (70 mph in Michigan) makes me feel uncomfortable. Safe and Easy to drive is what I'm looking for. Cars low on my list is strictly for their MPG or lack there of.

2001-2008 Buick Rendevous Low-Mid on list
2003 Ford Explorer Sport very low on my list, 16 MPG
2004 Kia Sorento last on list 15 MPG
2005 and 2009 Chevy Aveo High on list 25+ MPG
2005-2009 Chevy Cobalt mid list 24-25 MPG
2006-2009 PT Cruiser Mid list 20-21
2006-2009 Kia Spectra Mid-High 25+ MPG
2004-2009 Ford Focus Mid-High 25+ MPG
2006-2009 Kia Rio and Rio5 I still don't know the difference in these to cars!
2004-2005 Toyota Yaris Very High... I have fallen in love with it through the website, I will most definitely be Test Drive List!
Saturn Ion, I love the looks of it but can't find any specs on it.

Any other cars you may think will be good for me? Remember I'm a 25 year old first time driver and will be college student!:D

[PinkSander]

Bumping I don't want to get lost in the shuffle

[BW1426]

I'm in MI too :D I love my Pontiac G6. I have almost 200 miles of freeway driving to do to get to school and it drives like a dream.

I think the Cobalt would also be a good pick. Or, what about a Ford Escape?

[PinkSander]

I want a short bodied car, with the G6, it's a bit longer then what I want. The Escape is a bit out of my price range, in my area they are 11,000-15,0000 with over 60,000 miles on them.There is a 01 for 8,995 but the miles are 95,962. If I'm gonna pay that much I want fewer miles on the car, plus when it gets down towards 01 and 02 I want to be sure that I have at least Top Tethers. My friend said I should look at Geo Trackers.... but those I know don't have latch!

[BW1426]

I want a short bodied car, with the G6, it's a bit longer then what I want. The Escape is a bit out of my price range, in my area they are 11,000-15,0000 with over 60,000 miles on them.There is a 01 for 8,995 but the miles are 95,962. If I'm gonna pay that much I want fewer miles on the car, plus when it gets down towards 01 and 02 I want to be sure that I have at least Top Tethers. My friend said I should look at Geo Trackers.... but those I know don't have latch!

Have you checked out crash ratings?

Actually a large part of why I ended up going with the G6 were crash ratings and I ended up shelling out a little more than I originally wanted to for side curtain airbags.

I'd look into the cars you're seriously considering and glance at some numbers.

And, check out 2WD Escapes. (http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/searchresults.jsp?num_records=25&search_lang=en&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&search_type=both&distance=100&address=48823&marketZipError=false&style_flag=1&make=FORD&model=ESCAPE&make2=&start_year=2003&end_year=2010&min_price=&max_price=10000&seller_type=b&transmission=&engine=&drive=&doors=&fuel=&max_mileage=60000&color=&keywordsrep=&keywordsfyc=&keywords_display=&sort_type=priceASC&x=27&y=12&body_code=0&certified=&advanced=y&highlightFirstMakeModel=&showZipError=n&default_sort=priceASC&awsp=false&keywordsrep=&keywordsfyc=&systime=&rdm=1231140476019)

[PinkSander]

Have you checked out crash ratings?

Actually a large part of why I ended up going with the G6 were crash ratings and I ended up shelling out a little more than I originally wanted to for side curtain airbags.

I'd look into the cars you're seriously considering and glance at some numbers.

And, check out 2WD Escapes. (http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/searchresults.jsp?num_records=25&search_lang=en&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&search_type=both&distance=100&address=48823&marketZipError=false&style_flag=1&make=FORD&model=ESCAPE&make2=&start_year=2003&end_year=2010&min_price=&max_price=10000&seller_type=b&transmission=&engine=&drive=&doors=&fuel=&max_mileage=60000&color=&keywordsrep=&keywordsfyc=&keywords_display=&sort_type=priceASC&x=27&y=12&body_code=0&certified=&advanced=y&highlightFirstMakeModel=&showZipError=n&default_sort=priceASC&awsp=false&keywordsrep=&keywordsfyc=&systime=&rdm=1231140476019)
Now how is it when I put within 100 miles (I'm in Flint) Vhix still only showed Escapes for over 11,000? Also 2 doors is a total deal breaker for me. Growing up my friends mom had a 92 2 door GMC Jimmy :mad: Now then I was not as... wonderfully round:D as I am now. But I vowed that I would NEVER make anyone try and crawl into the back seat of an 2 door vehicle! lol Oh My god I hated that car! lol so what does she have now? a 01 2 door something! I looked at Vhixes top 10 safest cars and the Subaru Impreza tops in at number 1, which is a relativity inexpensive car. I looking at the Honda CRV now.

[PinkSander]

How does the 04 Kia Sorento do drive wise? is it a quiet smooth riding car?

[AYDENSMOMPLUS2]

I just sold my '02 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS for 6K. It only has 85k and I absolutely LOVED that car!!!! The only reason I got rid of it is b/c I am having twins and no way could I do 3 car seats in the back of that. Totally reliable, fun to drive, not too big not too small, love love love it!!!

[PinkSander]

I did look a little at the Impreza, I'm not in love with it. But boy will I have fun when I get my license! Car Dealer watch out because I'm going to test drive my heart out! I plan on test driving all the cars I have on my list and then some! lol

[Melizerd]

I'd skip the Aveo. It doesn't have great crash test ratings and it's a Daewoo with a Chevy label. There were a couple of threads I came across with it here searching for info about it and along with my other research it's dropped it off my list even though I could get a brand spanking new one for $11k.

The Cruiser is high on my list and so is a Malibu. Both are fun and sporty and yet you can get seats in the back of them and take people places. I'm looking at a 2007 Cruiser with 37,000 for under $8,000

Of your list the Cobalt or the Yaris (in a 4 door) would be on my list. I haven't done a lot of research on the Yaris though because it falls a little above my budget for a new car.

[PinkSander]

Yeah, I've looked around on Yahoo Answers and just about every topic on the Aveo says not to bother with them, apparently their reliability is less the stellar. But I am totally loving a lot of the Toyota's. I don't know why, I just really like them. The only thing is that the instrument panel on all the Toyota's that I looked at are in the middle of the dashboard, above the stereo settings, I'm not too sure about that. Although being a first time driver, that probably wont bug me as much as it would somebody who normally drives American vehicles.

[Melizerd]

Good luck!

I ended up with a 2008 Chevy HHR yesterday.

[PinkSander]

How do you like it? Those are quite similar to the PT Cruiser no?

[Melizerd]

It has better crash ratings then the PT Cruiser and it has about the same gas mileage.

For the front driver/passenger there is more space in the Cruiser but it's kind of wasted space for me (I'm 5'8" and super comfortable in both) DH on the other hand has to have the seat all the way back in the HHR where it's comfortable.

I LOVE the HHR, I think it handles better, it has more cargo space then the Cruiser. The interior dash is definitely plastic and looks like it where the Cruiser looks more like faux leather stuff or something (lol)

We got a good deal I think because it's a 2008 with 27K miles on it. It's fully loaded, CD player, XM capable, MP3 player jack, a great info center for the car stuff you should know, power windows/locks, AND a remote starter. We paid 10,900 and got $400 for our trade in which was a hunk of junk with over 200,000 miles on it.