Car shopping frustration / What car $5k for the Mrs's edition

Well, just watched the Mrs's 175k mile '01 Jetta leave with at least one bent valve for the paltry sum of $1000. No biggie. Paid $3000 for the car in '06 and got, 85k miles out of it, depreciating $2000, with minimal issues up till now. Time to go shopping for the another mommy beater. It would be nice to get something a little nicer this time perhaps, thinks I, so I set the shopping budget at $5k. I seem to remember an era not long ago when $5k buys a 5-year-old no frills car with 50k miles. Apparently those days are no more. Actually, the selection of cars in the 3-5k range don't seem all that much nicer than the cars available in $1k range. They've all got the better part of 200k, over 10 years old, and weren't that great a car to begin with. Starting to wonder if selling the Jetta was a bad idea. It seems like there's a hole in the used car price spectrum, and everything available under $5k might as well be $1k.

So, what Car? - the Mrs regularly hauls the 3-year old 4 miles daily. 3-4 times a year the car will have to make a 100+ mile road trip with the 3 of us and luggage. The Mrs does not much like enormous cars, but insists on a back seat capable of comfortably transporting adults (I already tried to sell her on a 94-96 Buick Roadmaster wagon with wood paneling, no go). She drives stick, and I prefer stick, but truth be known, she doesn't drive stick well. She'll happily cruise down the highway at 60mph in 3rd gear and roll her eyes at me when I suggest she upshift. Maybe the next car should be an auto. She also lacks what you might call mechanical sympathy.

She has in no uncertain terms stated she does not want a minivan. Truck-based or truck-looking SUV's are out. Her first car was a 3-cylinder Geo Metro, and I think she has been slightly uncomfortable with the size of everything she has had since. I've got enough car projects, I don't want to have to be fixing whatever it is all the time. She likes Kia Soul, Honda Element, but not available in the price range.

Protege5?

Protege

Suzuki Reno

Hyundai Accent

Kia Rio

9-3?

Four Crown Vics

I'll second the Protege5

There was a day when you could find nice 4 door integras for that price. Somewhat more rare now due to the rice factor.

Volvo? 5k could buy several 850s around here

In reply to 92CelicaHalfTrac:

Not first time suggested, Protege5 is on the watch list. I like them pretty well. Hard to find one in the price around or under 100k miles. I've found lots of uber-cheap Kia-Rio's with hail damage around here. Apparently a serious hail storm hit a Kia dealer. Is it a decent car to drive?

Crown Vics, yeah she already vetoed the cop car.

sporqster wrote: . I've found lots of uber-cheap Kia-Rio's with hail damage around here. Apparently a serious hail storm hit a Kia dealer. Is it a decent car to drive?

I don't have a ton of experience with the previous gen Rio, but I've test driven one or two over the years. It's very non-descript. Best way to put it is "It's a car". To me, it was a fine point A to point B car. Good on gas, fairly reliable.

Protege5 would be great; a Ford Focus might not be a bad call either.

Obviously I'll vote for the Protege 5 since I suggested it over on FB too, and I just did the hunt for one for my dad. They are out there in that range but you do have to hunt around since they were only a 2 year car. He picked his up with 100k on the clock for $4k

Mazda 3 wagon is similar and nice but hard to find.

BMW wagons are getting in that price range but you need to ask if you want to deal with the maintenance and upkeep.

I know what you mean about SWMBO and driving stick. Mine is just the opposite, with her its like a race to see how fast she can get it in 5th gear, actual traveling speed be damned. She's got her sights set on a Ford Flex for her next car and I'm quite thankful it doesn't have a manual option.

Subaru Impreza/Legacy wagon, Volvo wagon, Mazda 3, BMW wagon?

I know it doesn't help being in Atlanta, but this is what I was talking about. Wasn't as hard to find as I thought.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/3262324184.html

I have found these interesting as of late.
They are really just stretched Geo Trackers with a small V6. I am not sure if that is too truck-like but they really are not that big.
http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/3247715473.html#.UE4uElLyC70
http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/3205226424.html#.UE4uLFLyC70
http://evansville.craigslist.org/cto/3217951277.html#.UE4soVLyC70
http://bgky.craigslist.org/cto/3180928957.html#.UE4teFLyC70
Yeah, a little over budget but few people really go looking for these and I suspect they sell slow.

Before Scion told us the xB box was cool, there was these boxes and they were not cool.
http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/3179050739.html#.UE4ujlLyC70
http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/3247032923.html#.UE40IlLyC70

Focus Box:
http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/3256414874.html#.UE4101LyC70

The original box
Volvo 240 wagon, nice! '91 w/ 118k is darn near new!
http://evansville.craigslist.org/cto/3244178894.html#.UE4wb1LyC70

Vibe/Matrix. My gf ALSO has a lack of mechanical sympathy, and has happily beaten the crap out of her '03 Vibe for two years and 40k with no major issues. See also P5, but get ready to replace headlights frequently if you go that way.

Ford Focus, Vibe/Matrix

Some sort of Kia or Hyundai may be cool also. Probably too early for the Mazda6 to be in that price range.

Boring, but wives and kids should be in Accords.

My wife loves her GS300 and it was well under $5k but needed some TLC. It seems to be a little tough to find them in good shape for $5k.

I like the Vibe suggestion. Those are readily available around $5k.

Tonight the Mrs. had enough of driving my E250 windowless pedivan to the preschool. She decided on and bought a 2000 Kia Spectra with 175k on the clock. Why? Because $1000. You just about can't go wrong with a $1000 car with no obvious issues.

Congrats - sounds like a good find at that price.