Desired models based on Consumer Report ratings, word of mouth, family, etc.

I didn't choose one because all of the Japanese makes (including Nissan, which you also may want to consider, but not Mitsubishi, whose quality and resale value has declined significantly in recent years) are so close to each other in terms of quality anymore that it really comes down to personal preference.  GM has also made a lot of progress in closing the quality gap with the imports...especially Buick--if you can find a used Park Avenue or LeSabre with the 3800 V-6 (a motor which has been built for over 40 years and has a reputation for being almost bulletproof, and can be found in other GM vehicles as well), that may also be worth looking into.
    I think that if you can find a used Toyota Camry or Honda Accord that has been well-maintained, you couldn't go wrong with that. My dad bought a brand-new Camry about 2 years ago for only $17,000. Granted, it only has the 4-cylinder motor instead of the V-6, but it still has adequate power, plus the car has plently of options on it, so he got a great car for the money he spent. (Not to mention it's built almost as well as a Lexus.)

My vote goes to Toyota. I consider myself to be a "Chevy Man" generally but after having owned three used Toyota Corolla's that went WELL over 100,000 miles I will be looking for the next one soon.

Well I'm not really car savvy, so I say you just go with the Higher tier of "Pre-Owned" vehicles.

Not to go off on a tangent here, but my brother recently bought a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria (with the high-performance package). I don't know how he pulled this off, but the car has just under 63,000 miles on it and he paid $6500 for it. This car is almost completely flawless and it looks like it's brand-new. He even contacted the previous owner and found out that it had excellent maintenance. Unfortunately my bro has health problems that would prevent him from driving this car for extended periods of time, so he's thinking about selling it to me for the same price. Although my present car is running fine (a 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis, which is basically the same car), I think I'd be a fool if I passed this up. 
    Civilian Crown Vics (and Mercury Grand Marquis) are extremely well-built cars and are worth looking into. They seem to have a reputation for being "grandma" cars, and it's true that you seldom see anyone under 55 driving one. But consider this: Older people are usually much better about maintaining their vehicles and drive them much more gently than younger people.
    These vehicles may or may not suit your needs, and being heavy full-size sedans with V-8's and rear-wheel drive their gas milleage is quite a bit worse than a smaller mid-sized or compact car, but I just thought I'd share my experiences with these cars and put my two cents in.

    Civilian Crown Vics (and Mercury Grand Marquis) are extremely well-built cars and are worth looking into. They seem to have a reputation for being "grandma" cars, and it's true that you seldom see anyone under 55 driving one. But consider this: Older people are usually much better about maintaining their vehicles and drive them much more gently than younger people.
    These vehicles may or may not suit your needs, and being heavy full-size sedans with V-8's and rear-wheel drive their gas milleage is quite a bit worse than a smaller mid-sized or compact car, but I just thought I'd share my experiences with these cars and put my two cents in.


I had a fully loaded Crown Vic wagon that went 250,000.  Ran great, like you say it is all about maintainence.
I still miss it sometimes and wouldn't hesitate to get another if a good deal popped up.

GM has also made a lot of progress in closing the quality gap with the imports...especially Buick--if you can find a used Park Avenue or LeSabre with the 3800 V-6 (a motor which has been built for over 40 years and has a reputation for being almost bulletproof, and can be found in other GM vehicles as well), that may also be worth looking into.
I was just looking through a Consumer Reports guide and these cars were on the "cars to avoid" list. Therefore, I retract this statement. (BTW, Ford Crown Vics were on their "recommended" list.)

(OK, I'll shut up about Crown Vics now. ;))

Out of that list I picked Saturn.  Subaru's were close behind...I just chose Saturn because they are less expensive than Subarus.  They both have excellent reputations among my friends and family.

Good luck finding a great car, Indy.

Honda or Toyota would be the best bet.  Consumer Reports is a great place to be looking.

What? No Jag?  ;)


I voted for Honda. We have a 2001 Honda Civic and never had any problems (only the usual wear and tear) and that car has been across country about 3 or 4 times now. .





Cat

What? No Jag?  ;)


I voted for Honda. We have a 2001 Honda Civic and never had any problems (only the usual wear and tear) and that car has been across country about 3 or 4 times now. .





Cat
I just traded my '92 Civic last year...it had 250,000 miles on it ;)