what's up CEG, I've been away (as far as posting) for a little while now, and I have my reasons. I've been working a lot lately, saving up for a replacement for the tour. with 187k on the clock, and all sorts of minor issues that I'm tired of trying to fix, it's time to move on.
my goal is to be getting a new-ish (2003+) car by december. the contour was my first car, and I've had it for over 3 years now, and I bet I could get 1-2 more out of it if I wanted to run it until it died, but I want something new.
now on to the point of my post. I haven't test driven anything yet, but the budget is in the vicinity of 16000. the tour had everything I wanted in a car, nice interior (leather, sunroof, most option boxes checked), a little pep in it's step, and a manual transmission. I was looking at Altimas, but the good ones are pretty rare and a bit more pricey, so I've turned my head in the direction of the Mazda6. here's my dilemma
while my parents in no way have the final say in the car I buy since I will be paying for it in full (obviously), their opinions do have some influence. crash test ratings being their biggest concern, they told me "4's or 5's, nothing less". well, the mazda6 meets that except on driver's side impact, in which it gets a 3. I'd like to know just how "bad" one three is, and what exactly the different numbers really mean.
I'm afraid I wont be able to find anything in my price range that meets these requirements, any suggestions? the biggest thing I need is a manual and a v6. I can re-do the interior, but I also would like a car that has a decent selection of aftermarket parts, in case I decide to upgrade in the future. opinions?
man, if you're still reading this, you're a great person, and I appreciate any feedback.
