I’m now in the market for a car. Joy.
Currently, I’m looking for the following cars (not listed in any particular order):
- 1997-2004 Honda CR-V
- 1997-2004 Toyota Camry
- 1997-2002 Toyota Corolla
- 2002-2004 Ford Focus (ZX3, ZX5 hatchbacks preferred, but sedan OK)
These are all based on the rankings of Consumer Reports.
In case people are wondering about my criteria, here’s a list, with rankings on a scale of 1-5, 5 high, 1 low:
- Fuel economy: 3
I’m willing to sacrifice here as long as the car is reasonably reliable; the used-car market is such that I may not have much choice on fuel economy. - Price: 5
I absolutely must fit within my maximum budget for this. - Reliability: 4
- Safety: 4
Driver’s side airbags minimum; passenger-side airbags preferred - Manufacturers: Honda/Toyota preferred
- Mileage: < = 60,000 miles preferred; max 65,000 miles
We did some shopping around Olympia on Sunday and nearly found a good Ford Focus wagon, but the car had 91,000 miles on it, which made my dad and I a little nervous. Yes, there are still very reliable cars with that many miles, but we’re a cautious bunch.