After looking at many, many websites and other reports, I've concluded that, due to good old capitalist competition, there are very few truly bad cars out there (not counting used cars that have been abused). If I needed a car today in the $13000 to $16000 range, I would buy a used Honda Civic or Accord with a MANUAL transmission (5 speed automatics have had some problems), a Toyota Corolla or Camry or a Nissan Altima. If I had a bit more to spend, I'd seriously consider the new Hyundai Sonata with the V-6, which for some reason strikes me as a beautiful car. And yes, get as much info as possible about a used car! Just my 2 cents.