Another "What Car" - family hauler

Sold my truck and now I'm serious about getting a more family friendly car to replace the BMW 328. Normally, we use my wife's Camry when the whole family needs to go somewhere, but I want a DD that also has the same capacity. I'm about 6'2" and have to put the seat all the way back on many cars to be comfortable. My wife is relatively tall too. We have two children, one 5 years old and one not quite 2 so they both can ride in forward facing seats.

Here are the requirements, besides rear seat room.

1. Reasonably reliable as it's a daily driver. My E36 328 has held up quite well, and I'd probably do most of the maintenance on its replacement - I just don't want to be doing that maintenance all the time.

2. $6500 maximum budget.

3. My wife is worried that a subcompact is not as safe as something bigger, and I have not seen a subcompact that's interesting enough to bother arguing that point.

4. Needs to be, well, less boring than my wife's Camry. Manual transmission is strongly preferred, but willing to make exceptions if the car is otherwise an excellent fit.

Here are the models I'm currently looking at, in alphabetical order.

• BMW 5 series. Preferably with a six. I've had the E36 work out pretty well except for the overly complicated convertible top and not enough rear seat room, so I'd consider a bigger BMW.
• Cadillac CTS. Manual transmission ones are rare but sometimes pop up.
• Chrysler LX platform cars. Preferably with the Hemi. Yeah, I know, no stick shift, but they're a nice cruiser.
• Ford P71 Crown Victoria. Another automatic-only car, but used cop car pricing at auction is low enough that I can overlook that.
• Honda Accord, either the '98-'02 or the '03-'07. Wife used to have a '05 and it had really annoying, grabby brakes and uncomfortable seats, not sure if those were something wrong with that car or if that whole generation is that way.
• Nissan Maxima or Altima. B15 Sentra SE-Rs also turn up in that price range, but they seem to have a troublesome reputation.

Thoughts? Any particular gotchas on the cars I'm considering? Anything I'm overlooking?

BMW 7s are for the most part probably still smaller than CTS/LX/panther, but manual will be hard to find. Might consider looking at 7s too (and back seat room will be AWESOME).

Also, I'd check into saab 9-5s. They come in manual and wagon (and even BOTH), and with a range of engines. You can buy a LOT of saab right now for the money so worth a look.

If you want less boring than your Camry, the Accord/Maxima/Altima won't be it.

$6500 will buy you the nicest, cleanest, lowest mileage detective-spec P71 you can imagine.

Mazda 6 Wagon with no stick shift: http://columbia.craigslist.org/ctd/5483365409.html

Stick shift CTS: http://columbia.craigslist.org/cto/5502730981.html

Stick shift Forester (throw a clutch and a/c in it. it's way under budget): http://hiltonhead.craigslist.org/cto/5481233884.html

Mazda 6: http://savannah.craigslist.org/cto/5503423065.html

Ford Fusion: http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2017&zip=29201&transmissionCode=MAN&maxPrice=7000&transmissionCodes=MAN&showcaseListingId=416318825&mmt=%5BFORD%5BFUSION%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&modelCode1=FUSION&startYear=1981&makeCode1=FORD&showcaseOwnerId=100005810&firstRecord=0&searchRadius=200&listingId=405549977&Log=0

Mercury Milan (fusion's twin): http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2017&zip=29201&transmissionCode=MAN&maxPrice=7000&transmissionCodes=MAN&showcaseListingId=0&mmt=%5BMERC%5BMILAN%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&modelCode1=MILAN&startYear=1981&makeCode1=MERC&showcaseOwnerId=0&firstRecord=0&searchRadius=200&listingId=424413391&Log=0

Legacy Wagon: http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2017&zip=29201&transmissionCode=MAN&maxPrice=7000&transmissionCodes=MAN&showcaseListingId=0&mmt=%5BSUB%5BLEGACY%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&modelCode1=LEGACY&startYear=1981&makeCode1=SUB&showcaseOwnerId=0&firstRecord=0&searchRadius=200&listingId=421580014&Log=0

Saab 9-5 stick wagon: http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2017&zip=29201&transmissionCode=MAN&maxPrice=7000&transmissionCodes=MAN&showcaseListingId=0&mmt=%5BSAAB%5B9-5%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&modelCode1=9-5&startYear=1981&makeCode1=SAAB&showcaseOwnerId=0&firstRecord=0&searchRadius=200&listingId=391746333&Log=0

2004-2008 Acura TL? It's FWD, but very nice, about the right size and budget, and available in MTX.

Mazda 3 hatch
Mazda 6
Accord

Forgot the Mazda 6 / Fusion / Milan. They were also on the list. Do the Ford and Mercury versions have different "personalities"?

If you want less boring than your Camry, the Accord/Maxima/Altima won't be it.

Actually, i came in here to recommend an Altima SE-R.

I'd vote for the Saab 9-5, enough euro personality to be interesting (suspension that allows you to feel the road and control your car) and enough GM influence to be reasonable to maintain.

B6 Passat? Nicer than you'd suspect, not quite the "instant ka-boom" that the interwebz would have you believe. Big back seat, wagon version has enough room to lay down in the back of.

Maxima SE/Accord V6 MT/Mazda6/Mazda5/X3/528/

Mid Size Sedan is your friend with car seats. The compact cars listed would be more friendly once you are too a booster only stage.

I'll second the 9-5 Wagon with a stick. I had one with the 2.3t and a Stage 1 tune. Thing was a total sleeper and HUGE inside.

After a bit of consideration, I ended up getting a Buick Regal with the 3800 supercharged motor. Belonged to an accountant who was very meticulous about getting it maintained regularly. The price and condition were good enough that I'm not too bothered that it has an automatic, and it's got decent power for a big family sedan.

Those Regals are nice. A friend of mine had one back in high school/college and it was a comfy highway cruiser.