MIL vehicle suggestion $8000

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My MIL and FIL were victims of hit and run of parked cars.(pic below)They did locate a commercial 1 ton truck abandoned so covered.

She needs a $8000 vehicle(cash) and prefers to sit higher and hatch with decent MPG. One that cropped up was a Mazda 5 hatch and another she is not excites at all about is 2012 Corolla. She is open. Her typical is running the vehicle 6-8 years with little trouble which her previous $6000 VUE with 40k now at 200k did.

Suggestions?





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Ford Escape, maybe about 2008 - 2010 model? They seem well built. My son drove his 2008 w/ the 2.3 engine for 3 miles with zero oil in the crank case (road hazard impact took off the oil filter). That was at 67,000 miles. It's still purring along at 150,000 now as a backup vehicle since he finally recently bought something else.
 
Kia Soul?
It is a hatchback, sits upright (but not real tall) and is surprisingly easy to get in and out of.

My mom currently drives an '07 Saturn Vue, and she has said her replacement vehicle in a few more months will be a Kia Soul (her budget is $10,000 though).
 
We have a 2015 Chevy Sonic we have been pretty happy with . 24 - 26 MPG in town , depending on A/C . 30 - 35 MPG highway @ 75 MPH , ahain , depending on A/C .

Also , a 2006 Buick Lacrosse that we like for a road car .
 
I drove a rental Hyundai Sante Fe last summer for a work trip. It seemed fine and got over 30 MPG at 75mph over 200 miles. Might start looking there.
 
I think the Mazda5 would give her good service, but it won't sit up high like an SUV. Also if she wants AWD or 4WD, she'll have to look elsewhere. I think a used Hyundai Santa Fe may be the answer if she can find one she likes. Try www.edmunds.com for valuations in your area.
 
I would look for a RAV4 if I could find one for a reasonable price. The grandmas in my family really like their ‘06 & ‘07 Matirix XRs, though, and they have a higher seating position than a Corolla, and are even available in AWD.
 
Vue doesn't look too bad. Bang out the dents , paint a big band aid over them and keep driving it. An 8K$ budget will just buy an AWD Vue-like car with yet to be discovered problems
 
Originally Posted by andyd
Vue doesn't look too bad. Bang out the dents , paint a big band aid over them and keep driving it. An 8K$ budget will just buy an AWD Vue-like car with yet to be discovered problems


Hatch and door won't close. Every panel(plastic) is slightly broken or misaligned. It was parked head in from road and thrown sideways unf.

AWD not important as VUE was FWD albiet terrible without traction control.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
I would look for a RAV4 if I could find one for a reasonable price. The grandmas in my family really like their ‘06 & ‘07 Matirix XRs, though, and they have a higher seating position than a Corolla, and are even available in AWD.


Hummmm ... my new wife has a 2008 RAV that only has 150,000 miles on it and it's pretty clapped out. Rattles galore, and recently has started having torque converter shudder. We're selling or trading it soon.
 
Originally Posted by LoneRanger
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
I would look for a RAV4 if I could find one for a reasonable price. The grandmas in my family really like their ‘06 & ‘07 Matirix XRs, though, and they have a higher seating position than a Corolla, and are even available in AWD.


Hummmm ... my new wife has a 2008 RAV that only has 150,000 miles on it and it's pretty clapped out. Rattles galore, and recently has started having torque converter shudder. We're selling or trading it soon.


Mine's been great. Bought it last year at 95k, @ 140k now. The serpentine belt pulleys are noisy and the suspension creaks a little (no more than my new KIA.) Mine is the V6, 2GR-FE, is yours the 4?
 
Originally Posted by LoneRanger
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
I would look for a RAV4 if I could find one for a reasonable price. The grandmas in my family really like their ‘06 & ‘07 Matirix XRs, though, and they have a higher seating position than a Corolla, and are even available in AWD.


Hummmm ... my new wife has a 2008 RAV that only has 150,000 miles on it and it's pretty clapped out. Rattles galore, and recently has started having torque converter shudder. We're selling or trading it soon.


A RAV that's clapped out at 150K isn't the fault of the car, it must have led a harder than average life.

We looked at Mazda 5s (but she liked a RAV better) but in researching found mention of rear wheel bearing trouble in some years of the Mazda 5. I liked them, a mini-minivan.
 
my 2014 toyota yaris l a/t hatchback was $9600 from hertz at 47k miles. i added a $150 plug n play cruise control kit because i do a couple of day long highway drives per year. simple, reliable, tossable around town, average 32mpg suburban. although not high off the ground, high roofline makes for easy entry/exit and great visibility. not huge but ive handily fit 3 persons with overnight bags.
 
Mazda5: please try 2010-2015. They should have fixed the back suspension problems. Rust still posible in your area...
She will sit tall because the driver seat can seat tall.
Carefull with front plastic mask as it sits kind of low.... (parking curbs....)
some had 16" tires, not the (more expensive) 17"

if Toyota, instead of corolla or Camry why not Venza?

Can you run a search on car or autotrader dotcom for 250 miles around you for 6,500-8,000?
try by price and by lowest possible miles....
 
Originally Posted by pandus13


if Toyota, instead of corolla or Camry why not Venza?

..


I really wanted to like a Venza but you sit low and the high center console makes you feel surrounded. Unique textures on the soft interior surfaces.
 
Get a 2015 or newer Sonata. Mine has been rock solid, has almost 89k miles, the only "repairs" have been replacing the headlight bulbs if you wanna call that a repair. Also, the original battery at 3-1/2 years which is a record here in AZ heat. Mine was also a prior rental.

2016 Hyundai Sonata, 83k miles, $8,300.

AutoTrader Link

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2016 Hyundai Sonata, 84k miles, $9,000

AutoTrader Link

[Linked Image]
 
I mentioned that a SUV is a $2500 premium it appears over roughly equivalent sedan. It's really unfortunate wagons don't exist for her.

She has never owned a sedan in her life.

Suburban->Dodge conversion Van->Caravan x 3 -> windstar minivan -> VUE. All costing under $6000 but lasting her 100-150k with oil changes and small repairs.

She raised budget to $8k and some things cropped up but not a great price range.

She would fill the cargo area in her VUE to hilt often and take a few kids to the family ski home she owns for weekend trips. I don't think a sedan would work.
 
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