When I bought my volvo S80 it was based on having a cheap mechanic available. He no longer is.
I've got a bunch of front end work to do, plus engine mounts, plus (who knows).
The car costs WAY too much to fix.
Also, the boy's car died (we are sharing right now) and we need another.
I really do love the solidness of the volvo though, and would consider another, just not the most expensive one of the line. The boy said it was the 1st non-toy car he ever drove. He loves it too.
So, given a purchase time of 2-3 months, a cash price of between $4-$8K per vehicle, and the desire for 1 per each of us, what should I be looking at?
My goals:
Generic 4 door midsize sedan or fake sporty family car.
Automatic transmission.
Bland better than flashy.
A split bench front would not be a bad thing, so larger is not bad.
Comfy driver seat.
Decent acceleration and handling, but nothing nearing sports car quality.
Decent suspension, better for old man soft than young punk road hugging.
Decent highway mileage (25+ mpg).
4 or 6 seat.
Pretty much everything else is negotiable. I don't have to carry big loads or lots of people, I just need to move from point A to B with a bit of safety and comfort for 4 people.
On the other hand, the boy would like something both big and small. Big so he can fit (he's over 6') but small so it's a bit quicker and funner to drive.
On the other other hand, if we end up with a pair of the same vehicles, plus a parts car, that might work out.
I'd be happy with a "wagon" as well.
So, got a list of vehicles for me to research?