The Car Saga

Alright, so I've never been the most fortunate when it came to cars and this week has been no exception. For those of you who don't already know, my "trusty" (but not so much as of late) Dodge Neon broke down on the side of a very busy intersection yesterday right as rush hour was starting on a 90+ degree afternoon. Turns out the timing belt busted and took out a water pump and who knows what else. We're looking at a total of $600 (more when the towing bill is included) to have it fixed. Now, onto the dilemma...

I had planned on buying a nice, new car this coming May once I started my residency b/c they pay us pretty decent (for a student at least) and I didn't really have a big need for the extra inflow of cash. I've had my heart set on a Jeep Grand Cherokee since I was 15, so I thought the time would be then. I could get a new, or 1 year-old program car with all the options I wanted.

However, I can't afford that right now - but I do need reliable transportation since I travel alot and live in the city. So, we decided tonight that the neon shall be put to rest. (Well, I think dad's going to see if he can fix it and maybe sell it or keep it as a backup, but no rush on that). What that means is that I have to find a car that I can afford. So far, in the running we have:

Dodge Stratus

Its a step up from the neon, and you can get relatively sporty models for cheap. I might be able to find one with a sunroof, etc.


Dodge Intrepid

Mom has one of these and I do like the way they drive. Tad bit more pricey than a used stratus, but they look nice and you can get things like a sunroof or Autostick.


Chevy Impala

Not my favorite, but they ride nice and I might look like an unmarked police officer.

Honda Accord

Ok, I really like to stick to domestics, but this classic can't be ignored in the present situation.

Chevy Blazer

I only want the 4-door model, and will probably have to get one with alot of miles to get into my price range.

and finally...

Jeep Grand Cherokee

I could just go into some serious debt and get a older and less souped up version of the Cherokee. Of course, its gas mileage isn't that grand.

So, let me know what you think I should pick. Feel free to offer other alternatives. I can tell you that Rav4s and CRVs are out of the question - I don't like em.