<$5k beetle or mini?

Don't buy a $5k MINI with an auto. MmmKay.

Even a $5k MINI with a std will likely cost you lots in repairs, but as said above the CVT is not good and the auto in the "S" has lots of issues too. Their fuel economy is not all that either. I vote Mazda 3 or just get a Civic like everybody else does.

You could even grab an issue of consumer reports where they list used cars to avoid and show that to the wife. Women in my life think consumer reports is THE thing to base all consumer product purchasing decisions on. I've tried to convince them otherwise. Sigh.

heck the answer with an autotrans is a better answer than beetle or MINI

I agree with the xB.. and if she has to get a weird little car, friend of mine has a Kia Soul that has been boringly reliable

mad_machine wrote: heck the answer with an autotrans is a better answer than beetle or MINI I agree with the xB.. and if she has to get a weird little car, friend of mine has a Kia Soul that has been boringly reliable

Yes I was going to say Kia Soul too. Xb, Soul, Cube, Element. You get the weirdness/cuteness factor, good mpg, room for friends, more safety (maybe?) and basically stellar reliability.......well compared to a MINI or VW anyway.

I like the Mazda 3 but a rust free one <$5k is rare here, Element not good enough MPG, she's not a fan of the Xb. She's luke warm on the Soul, (plus <$5k?) and I hate the Cube. She's had a Civic it was fine but not to keen on another, 2 x G20s - no rust free ones w/in 500 miles, CRV cool but not good enough MPG, Volvo 745t -never again. I drive a 318ti and do I want to be a 3xBMW household? No.

Cool, reliable, fwd, <$5k, ~25 MPG city, keep it coming....

I saw a 2011 fiesta with 150k miles on Craigslist the other day for 5k. Probably overpriced at that. I think that might be another decent option to through in there. The auto will suck in snow so budget for some winter tires.

A high mileage mazda2 should be getting down there. I loved mine and should have kept it and sold my wife's focus instead.

I saw a very cool looking last gen Saab 9-3 today.. I had forgotten how nice those cars were. Not sure on how the parts situation is, but without saab around, their values have hit rock bottom

Age old answer... Camry or Honda accord/civic for cheap mpg. I liked my old dodge stratus with the 2.4l. It never left me stranded. Cheap and if your daughter wrecks it.. meh.. dime a dozen.

I feel repairs on both vw and mini would be pricey. Both probably would need "special" mechanics to work on. Unless you do all the wrenching.

http://appleton.craigslist.org/cto/4993601393.html

2000 Toyota Solara SLE - $3990

Pontiac Vibe
Basically, a Corolla wagon.