I’ve got a Vibe and I love it, but even when I bought mine in ’07 the prices on used ones were higher than I expected (so I bought new.) I keep getting things in the mail saying that my car is in “high demand” by used car dealers. No idea if that’s actually true, but it’s probably not helping the price. As I noted above, mechanically a Vibe is a Toyota (all Toyota parts underneath a GM shell) which is probably why they are pricier used than one would expect for an American-made car.

My boyfriend has a Scion xB and it’s also a great car. If I remember correctly it performs something like 3x better than most cars in rollover testing. Also, depending on how tall your son is (my BF is 6 foot) the Scion is extremely roomy on the inside. My boyfriend’s 6’3″ brother can comfortably sit in the back seat behind my boyfriend.

I narrowed my search down to 3 vehicles, and finally chose a 2006 Scion Xb (Toyota, and no history of recalls for this model). It has low maintenance issues and fees, and according to Edmunds, is the most popular 4 dr sedan under $15k. I don’t know how it ranks with Consumer Reports.

I *love* this car! Now I know why there is such a first generation Xb fanclub! I get around 33 mpg on the highway, and it has great pick up for a 4 cylinder, plenty of passenger and storage space, and amazing visibility out of the windows. And hey, according to Edmunds, it can hold a cargo of 32 cases of beer. What’s not to love about that?

It won me over when I was shopping by being nearly equivalent in MPGs, quietness, and comfort as similar Hondas and Toyotas for much less cheaper. Not sure how they compare now as I plan to drive this one until it drops, but I know I like the look of the newer Sonata miles even more than my ’06.

I like getting more opinions, which is why I asked.

Not too sure about the Crown Vic, but I do realize the advantages!

At that price and age range I’d consider a Crown Victoria / Grand Marquis. Indestructible and lots of street credit.

Unless of course you think something fundamentally changed about the stock market that makes it impossible to do what it has done for another century.

Returns from 75 years ago (or 50, or even 20) are irrelevant when discussing investing as it relates to auto purchasing.

Theres about 114,000 BTU in either a gallon of gasoline or in 33.7 kWh of electricity.

Other reviews are biased toward what that reviewer (or reviewing staff) likes – which may or may not be what you need.

http://www.deathbycar.info/2012/03/mpge-scam/

Car’s we’re considering:
anything Subaru (but 2002 was a bad year)
Vibe (but they’re pricey used)
Ford Escape
Volkswagon Golf
we’ve found Hondas and Toyotas pretty pricey overall for their condition

Hyundais are very good little cars for the most part. Likewise Kias. Hondas and Toyotas are often overpriced.

I’ve never bought an American car. Probably never will, either. I’d like to, but they have made crap for as long as I’ve been alive.

Why do you think 4% is a stretch knowing that?

I see a lot of 96s and 97s on the road. Highly recommend this car!

I bought new because the price difference at the time wasn’t significant between new and used and I wanted to get everything I wanted feature-wise in the car, since I knew I’d be keeping it for a long time. Four years later I’m still really happy with it.

I’m surprised to see that both vehicles listed under the small cars category though. Small crossovers, yes, but one of the things I love about my Vibe is how much space there is in it.