New "Used' car time

Well I at least can give you reasons for NOT buying a Scion: you'd have to explain to people why you bought a Scion, and you have to explain to people wtf a Scion is.

1 Like

So you are looking for.

  • comfort.
  • reliability
  • reasonable in maintenance
  • reasonable fuel economy.
  • enough space.

My first thought would be something from the Volvo stable maybe.
V40, V50, V60, V70, or if you want 4WD XC70.

1 Like

If you want a truck again look into mid size trucks like the tacoma

If you want a car for better mpg. Since you want to haul stuff around look into anything thats a hatchback like a mazda 3 hatch

personally I am over trucks. I have how ever found some Audis and BMWs and Mercedes-Benze and Mitsubishi vehicles near me that kinda fit the bill too. for under $15k for the most part.

Get a Subaru.

Outback or Forester or WRX or Impreza or Legacy. Any Subaru with a hood scoop has the turbo engine, which is pretty nice. I have had my Subaru for 13 years and it has been very reliable. It is a great driving car as well because the odd engine gives it a low center of gravity. The only downside is because of the permanent all wheel drive your gas mileage will suffer.

Can I ask why the preference for front-wheel drive? Auto too?

Have a look at a VW Golf GTi

1 Like

Automatic Trannies last longer. Front Wheel drive pulls you around corners and usually has better traction. It also pulls you up a hill instead of pushes you. Another fun fact is that since the engine is in the front, and the drive wheels are in the front, there is less distance between the two which lowers the performance lost between the crankshaft/driveshaft turning and the wheels turning. With my truck, (RWD) the engine turns the crankshaft which connects to the transmission which connects to the driveshaft which passes down the length of my truck which connects to the rear differential which has another set of gears that then turn the drive axel which turns the wheels. There is energy lost in that process. More than in a FWD.

Golf GTi is nice an all but kinda smallish. Remember......I'm 6'5". Im also around 275lbs so Im a big tall guy. I barely fit in my truck which is shorter than I am ( my truck roof is abound shoulder height for me). My head is brushing the roof.
If I hit a sizeable bump, I bang my head. ^_^

Eeeeehhh, tomato tomarto. I really prefer the opposite to what you do haha, much more fun!

Have you been in one before? I've had people taller than me enjoy one, although I'm 5'10" haha (i think, imperial isn't my standard measurement). I guess from what you've mentioned before about an Audi would be bigger and be more of what you're after then; Along with other suggestions above, you could also try a (Car Manufacturer) Cruze, they're branded as a Holden here, so I don't know what kind of badge they'd carry in the US - probably Chev now that I think of it. They're front wheel, surprisingly roomy, decent economy for fuel, not put together as well as an Audi.

Also, if you're driving longer distances over shorter you could consider a diesel too

The problem with diesel fuel is that the average price per gallon in the USA is ~$2.40 while gas in Mississippi is around $1.80.

How about a Volvo XC90 ?
Maybe not the coolest looking car but yeat.
Its definitely decent.

Xc90 looks sexy

Yeah, I only said it because diesel is actually cheaper per litre than petrol here mostly. You can get better mileage with and price performance with a diesel though. Maybe do some figures and see

Just financed a 2006 Toyota Highlander Limited with 73,000 miles on it. Total was only $11,400

1 Like