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Need a new vehicle for around $10k... (Oops, meant USED :P)

UglyCasanova

UglyCasanova

Lifer
And it needs to sit 5 and have great gas mileage. We are looking at some of the hatchback models out there and I think that is what we want. Stopped by the Nissan place today and peeked at some Versa's and those are nice.

Any suggestions or warnings about what to stay away from?

Edit: I'm dumb, I meant used.
 
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That's a tall order to fill. You should look at the Mazda 2, Kia Rio Sedan, Ford Fiesta, Ford Ranger Pickup, and Chevy Aveo.

Personally, I'd go with a used vehicle. You'll probably get something a lot better for that price range.
 
A used well-kept Minivan is hands-down the best vehicle to move 5 people with. Big sliding side door, plenty of cargo space for strollers/etc, good safety ratings, respectable fuel economy and reliability, etc. They're not sexy, but they really do a great job at what they're designed to do. Dirt cheap to insure as well.

Even well designed and positively tested small cars are still at a big disadvantage in typical accidents :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExQUGk12S8U
 
Arkaign said:
A used well-kept Minivan is hands-down the best vehicle to move 5 people with. Big sliding side door, plenty of cargo space for strollers/etc, good safety ratings, respectable fuel economy and reliability, etc. They're not sexy, but they really do a great job at what they're designed to do. Dirt cheap to insure as well.

Even well designed and positively tested small cars are still at a big disadvantage in typical accidents :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExQUGk12S8U
Click to expand...

We currently have a minivan so that is also an option, but the thing does drink gas and is unreliable as hell (fvcking Chrysler).
 
UglyCasanova said:
We currently have a minivan so that is also an option, but the thing does drink gas and is unreliable as hell (fvcking Chrysler).
Click to expand...

Ouch, yeah Chrysler has been a pita for a long time now. Aside from Ram, Wrangler, and Viper, most of their stuff has just been bad 🙁

Looks like some nice stuff is out there :

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...=b&num_records=25&cardist=1213&standard=false

Quest, Sienna (maybe overpriced), Odyssey, etc.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...e=b&num_records=25&cardist=923&standard=false
 
Many seem to like the Mazda 5. Reasonable space, easy on the gas.

Reality is that the bigger the vehicle, the less fuel efficient.
 
i had a versa hb from new in 07 til earlier this year. put over 60k problem-free miles on it. was a good car. just got something with a little more power lol

id recommend it to anyone if you like it, my mom bought one soon after i got one, no problems either..
 
Look for a Saturn Astra as well. Its a Opel, european car, so its very nice but came out at the drop of the car market so it died with Saturn.

EDIT
Opps missed 5 person part. The astra will seat 5 but not as easy as a minivan.
 
Mazda3 Hatch or 03-05 mazda6 Wagon...

If I had to buy mine again, I'd probably see if I could find one of these in a stick:

mazda6_large.jpg
 
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iversonyin said:
I'll second this. Also check out some used RAV-4 and CRV.
Click to expand...

The Mazda3 has a rubbish back seat - especially if the passengers in both the front and the back are 6' tall. Just trust me on this one.

In this price range, I'd consider the following:

1. Scion xB. They have a fairly good back seat, and don't cost very much used. It's boring, but it's practical, reasonably compact, and doesn't cost much to run.

2. Toyota Avalon. Getting a good'un for $10k is tricky, but if you're willing to forego the leather, you can get a very good deal - low-options Avalons are much cheaper. It's basically a Lexus with a Toyota drivetrain and interior, which means it's very quiet, very comfortable, and the '05s and later have the best back seat of anything in the known universe.

3. Subaru Outback Wagon. Once again, low specs kill the resale value on these, so buying one with the smaller (4cyl.) engine and cloth seats can make for a very good price. The back seat isn't bad, the four wheel drive system is excellent, and the reliability is simply legendary.

4. Jaguar X-type. It's 100% ford, and as such, doesn't cost more to keep up than your average Volvo. It does, however, have Jaguar-spec depreciation - I've seen some with under 70k miles for $6,500.
 
Could you futher define "great gas mileage" and what kind of 5 "people"? Car seats or boosters?

If you're looking for 30+ mpg, minivans are out. Something like a '05-07 Chevy Impala, '07 Saturn Aura, '06-08 Ford Fusion or Taurus would be decent picks. They'll get high 20's anyway have excellent reliability. You may have to search around a bit to find one in your price range. I would find one from an original owner. I'd never buy used from a dealership.


If fuel economy isn't that important, minivans will have the space, but the used value isn't that great. I'd go Tahoe/Suburban before I went minivan. A lot of times the used value is in the ballpark of a minivan compared to year/mileage even though brand new, they are much more expensive. You get less fuel economy (high teens instead of low 20's, meh), but they're built like tanks, have more interior width generally and much better powertrain reliability (I'm looking at you, Honda Odysee's and your unusually high transmission failure rate).
 
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