Looks like we're going to have to get a used car...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

It just doesn't make sense to pump more $ than the blue book value. ~sigh~

She was such a good car. I feel like a traitor. :cry:

[unhappycamper]

1. How many miles do you drive a year & what MPG are you getting?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

2. Aprox 15,000

It's a minivan, so my mileage has only been around 22mpg hwy.

[unhappycamper]

4. A most simplistic calculation:

If you buy something that gets 44MPH, you'll save about $18K a year. (Simple calc made with a mean price of $2.40/gallon.)

The down side is your insurance, taxes (if you pay them in your state) & registration costs will go up.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

3. Here's a listing for an "87 Honda Civic with 110K for $900

Maybe?

[LeftyMom]

5. I'd try to get at least an '89

Unless you're looking at a euro or luxury vehicle, in which case earlier models may already have lap/shoulder belts. '89 was the first year lap/shoulder belts were required in the rear seat so your kids and other rear seat passengers will be much safer that way. (It may be possible to retrofit a pre-89 vehicle with outboard shoulderbelts if a reinforced mounting point exists, if you wind up with an earlier vehicle I can PM you a chart with part numbers to do so.)

Also, w/ the civic they went to adjustable headrests somewhere around then, a small but important safety improvement that also makes for a much more comfortable ride. Unfortunately '89 was also the year that the civic went to a new body style, so if you have import tuning street racers in the area there may be a bit of a jump in price, although it should be less for the sedan or the wagon than the coupe or the si model.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

6. Thanks for the tips!

[yellowdogintexas]

7. my 2cents: I have a Chrisler SEbring, 2001 which I bought used

I love this car. I can drive all the way from Fort Worth TX to Little Rock AR on one tank of gas.

I also know that they are fairly safe cars, since the SEbring replaced an identical Stratus, which was totalled by my daughter. She walked away from an accident that should have killed or maimed her. Damn good airbags and belts in those cars.

and now back to our regularly scheduled programming.