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  • curtis73

    Aug. 29, 2009 9:46 p.m. curtis73 HalfDork

    How many of these threads are there now?

    Anyway... Wife had a Tercel for years, totalled it. I bought her a cherry 99 Mercedes E300TD which she loves but its not quite suiting her current needs. She sings in an acoustic group so she's frequently hauling small PA systems and she always has our two dogs going somewhere. She needs a more utility-type vehicle.

    Requirements: small on the outside, big on the inside, fuel efficient, diesel a plus but not required, manual tranny highly preferred, insanely reliable, fuel efficient, somewhere around $10k slightly used. So far we've looked at CR-V, RAV4, Scion xB (and its cousins like the nissan cube). We both dislike SUVs, but they would work well for her. I love wagons, but...

    She hates station wagons, and most of the small wagons that are currently available are either audi, volvo, or VW, none of which are really viable options given their reliability and cost of ownership, but if you can think of a viable wagon-type vehicle that would fit the bill, offer it up. Maybe even a mid-size hatch?

    Edit: one more little thing... as much as I love a project, she doesn't. So suggesting things like a classic Scout with a diesel swap isn't gonna fly. This has to be a buy-and-drive kinda thing.

  • Tommy Suddard

    Aug. 29, 2009 9:51 p.m. Tommy Suddard SonDork

    Early CRV, Volvo wagon, E46 wagon.

    That's all I could come up with off the top of my head.

  • Aug. 29, 2009 9:52 p.m. midknight Reader

    Sorry....I thought it said Car or the Wife....back to my regularly scheduled lobotomy.

  • Aug. 29, 2009 10:20 p.m. jlaph

    matrix or vibe

  • Trans_Maro

    Aug. 29, 2009 10:29 p.m. Trans_Maro HalfDork

    Car for the wife = good trade!

    Shawn

  • ddavidv

    Aug. 29, 2009 10:39 p.m. ddavidv UltraDork

    Subarus FTW. Forester or Legacy/Outback. The Foz doesn't look like a wagon to most women, apparently, but blissfully does not drive like a SUV. Mid 20 mpgs and excellent resale value.

    You'll pay a premium for the perceived quality of the RAV and CRV. The XB is, IMO, a flimsy piece of crap. Not my thing, but a lot of people love their Hyundai Santa Fe's.

  • neon4891

    Aug. 29, 2009 10:44 p.m. neon4891 UltraDork

    How out of the question is a mini van? Not much larger on the outside than a mid size car, Mid 20's, while not great over all, is considerable for the interior volume.

    Hmm, find a way to factor mpgpv(miles per gallon per volume)???

    Insurance would be low. Depnding on your local dealers, it is easy to find a 2-3 year old model with 30K for $8K.

    If you can cope with the fact that it is a mini van, you can get probably get the most for your money.

  • Josh

    Aug. 29, 2009 10:53 p.m. Josh HalfDork

    I can't imagine that a car could be better, overall, than my parents' '03 CR-V has been for them. In about 125k it has required no maintenance expenses aside from a set of brakes front and rear, a set of shocks and struts, and an oxygen sensor. The thing is bulletproof and after the shocks were done at about 110k, it drives just like it did new (not that that's such a wonderful thing, of course). Ok, so it could maybe use a second set of front brakes at 125k.

  • junkbuggie

    Aug. 29, 2009 10:54 p.m. junkbuggie New Reader

    Ford focus. My dad ran his plumbing business out of a focus for a few months until he found a van he liked. With the rear seat folded down it had lots of space and got about 32mpg full of tools and plumbing stuff. He still uses it for small jobs.

  • jpaturzo

    Aug. 29, 2009 10:57 p.m. jpaturzo New Reader

    You're going to be hard pressed to find one for $10k, but I have heard of it happening........

    Honda Fit. It swallows my PA and all my keyboards no problem.

  • TJ

    Aug. 29, 2009 11:41 p.m. TJ HalfDork

    I was gonna say Fit as well. Not sure about the $10k price limit though.

  • HeavyDuty

    Aug. 30, 2009 12:11 a.m. HeavyDuty Reader

    Suzuki Aerio wagon?

  • Lesley

    Aug. 30, 2009 12:12 a.m. Lesley SuperDork

    How about a Mazda5? Mini-mini van.

  • Hasbro

    Aug. 30, 2009 1:57 a.m. Hasbro HalfDork

    curtis73 wrote:

    Requirements: small on the outside, big on the inside, fuel efficient, (not) a diesel, manual tranny highly preferred, insanely reliable, fuel efficient, somewhere around $10k slightly used. So far we've looked at CR-V, RAV4, Scion xB (and its cousins like the nissan cube). We both dislike SUVs, but they would work well for her. Not a wagon or SUV.

    ^ 02-05 Civic Si hatchback. Great in the twisties, dependable (duh), around 8-12 K.

    I traded my 04' CR-V for my Si. Great little SUV, 28-32 mpg,drove like a Honda car.

  • Capt Slow

    Aug. 30, 2009 2:05 a.m. Capt Slow Reader

    I have heard that you can get the mazda5 with a manual trans...

  • curtis73

    Aug. 30, 2009 5:14 a.m. curtis73 HalfDork

    Ok... all good stuff.

    Won't be able to sell her on a minivan. Not only is it too big for her to be comfortable driving it, its bigger than she needs... but great idea. Matrix/Vibe is a great idea. She has turned up her nose at the styling before, but maybe if she likes the utility of it she can be swayed. Many of the European makes are out. Most of them are focused on luxury and don't have quite the reliability of some of the Japanese models on her dance card. I also run an import repair shop and the European repairs are enough to make me want a Fiat. She wants a car with A/C, an iPod dock, and vere few options

    Suby is a GREAT idea. I like that one. Mazda is out of the question. Like I said, I work at a foreign auto shop and I have fortunatey talked her out a Mazda.

  • Feedyurhed

    Aug. 30, 2009 6:09 a.m. Feedyurhed Reader

    All the good ideas have already been mentioned. I say Subie Forester which I also am in the market for as a winter vehicle. It will be my 5th Subie and they have all been completely reliable and fun to drive. Technically I still have one but my college going son uses it for his vehicle so I don't see it much. Again, completely reliable and of course great in the winter with the AWD. I would also add an Outback as a choice but it's a wagon so I guess it's out.

  • Wally

    Aug. 30, 2009 6:15 a.m. Wally UberDork

    Be careful, my wife got a car and she spends far less time with the nice stove and washing machine I gave her.

  • jcanracer

    Aug. 30, 2009 8:29 a.m. jcanracer New Reader

    +1 vote for the matrix. get her an 03-08 5spd manual (1ZZFE) which is the economy trim, the 6spd 2ZZGE is more peaky and probably not suited for her commuter needs, plus more expensive. You needn't spend more than $8000 unless you're buying from stealership.

    I have an '03 5spd and even after I/H/E+cams and emanage, i still get 34 mpg on the highway when i behave myself. Plus the the rear passenger seats fold forward completely flat and are lined with plastic on the back so with them folded down its a very practical cargo area. I've been able to fit up to 6 suitcases in the back of mine (4 large and 2 overnighters).

  • ignorant

    Aug. 30, 2009 8:49 a.m. ignorant PowerDork

    I'd go with a wagon, basically any utility type vehicle, will require your wife to lift her PA up a good foot or two higher than a wagon. Which can be a total pain. I have a rav4 and it gets a solid 26mpg around town with baby gear in it

    If you want a diesel, look at a CRD liberty. Hard to find for less than 10k, but if you delete the EGR, through an ECM upgrade or by other easy means, you'll get 30+mpg from it and good p0wah. They'll also be reliable. The biggest issue beyond that is trans cooling and the timing belt changes.

    or this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1981-Datsun-Maxima-Wagon-Diesel-LD28-UNMOLESTED-Bio... for grins.. :-)

  • JFX001

    Aug. 30, 2009 9:02 a.m. JFX001 Dork

    Ford Transit Van?

    My first thought was an '03-'04 TDi Passat Wagon.

    Maybe a Honda Element?

  • dxman92

    Aug. 30, 2009 10:48 a.m. dxman92 New Reader

    Might be hard to find an Element in your price range. Probably would be very hard to get at least 25 mpg with one. I would recommend an 07+ Yaris or 06+ Accent hatch. Both can be had for sub $10k all day long and you can get ones with minimal options. Both will swallow alot of cargo. I've seen three bikes in the back of a Yaris hatch (no wheels on of course). I'll throw out Focus hatch and Protege 5 wagon into the mix as well..

  • jrw1621

    Aug. 30, 2009 1:34 p.m. jrw1621 HalfDork

    Wagon-like but not a wagon....

    Would she go for a Focus 5 door?
    Mazda 6 with 5th door hatch?
    Mazda 3 with a 5th door?
    Kia Spectra 5 or the Hyundai version?

    PT Cruiser.

  • fiat22turbo

    Aug. 30, 2009 4:03 p.m. fiat22turbo UltraDork

    Odyssey? Try it, it isn't van like to drive.

    IPod docking is available for most factory radios and many aftermarket. Crutchfield.com is your friend there.

    There's the Caliber and the Pacifica, but they've not been well received.

    The trick with the Europeans is to not keep them that long and to try to find one built in Germany. After ten years be ready to move on or pay for the big ticket repairs (like Audi baljoints and front of engine service, etc). The excepting seems to be the Volvo wagons which seeme to hold up well for the most part.

    Good luck!

  • curtis73

    Aug. 30, 2009 5:48 p.m. curtis73 HalfDork

    I love European cars and being in the automotive repair business I don't hesitate to dive in. I've had two E30s and this W210, plus a couple A2 VWs in my time, but she doesn't share that passion. She would rather give up the luxury/performance aspect in favor of the sewing machine reliability of Japanese cars. Plus, my European adventures were all during a bit more affluent times, so the slightly higher parts prices didn't bother me. Now that we're pinching a few more pennies...

    Plus you can often get a little more "car" for $10k from Asia than you can from Europe. I have an opportunity to break even with an insurance claim on her E300 so it might be time to go a bit more practical. Put it this way... $10k buys one heck of a nice Japanese sewing machine, but there is a fair chance of getting a money pit from Europe in that price range.

    Ok, here are my thoughts on everything you've mentioned so far... actually these are Kim's thoughts too. She listens to my advice on cars, but ultimately this is her car. These are still open to discussion, but here are a few we can rule out:

    • Mazda is a no go. Not only do they not excite either one of us, I don't like the nature of the repairs I keep seeing in our shop.

    • American cars are 90% out. I can talk her into a Liberty since I can find her a diesel, but she's still holding on to the old notions of American cars being so much less reliable.

    • VW and Audi are 100% off the list. Of the 46 cars currently in our shop, 12 are VWs and three are Audis. Proprietary software, confusing electronics, and reliability knock them off her (and my) list. Great cars, and I love to drive them, but working on them is an absolute nightmare.

    • Suby. Great car, love the idea of the turbo, fun to drive, but living in central Texas we have zero need for AWD and she brought up a good point; why take the complexity bump and mileage hit for a feature that we don't need at all?

    • Minivan is an option, but just way too much vehicle. Its not so much about how they drive, more of how they park, how much space they occupy, etc. She has one eye that is only about 70% vision, so her depth perception is pretty poor. Shoulda mentioned that before.

    • Matrix/Vibe.. excellent ideas. We're looking into them.

    • Element/xB/Cube/etc... all viable options that she really likes but as someone mentioned some of them are kinda crap.

    • Yaris is a good idea. Might be a touch small, but maybe that's just my perception. We'll check it out.

    I really love my wife, but her dislike of wagons is bugging me. She hates the idea of the MPG hit with a small SUV like the RAV, but she really doesn't want a wagon. Something in her brain is a little crazy. That's why she really seems to like the xB; it has the space of an SUV but the lower profile of a car. Its like a wagon that she actually likes.

    Keep the ideas coming, including discussion on why I should reconsider the ones I just ruled out.

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