i may be in a better position than most of you to answer this question. since i am a used car dealer, i buy and sell everthing. let me tell you, the hondas and nissans kick our butt when it comes to reliability,performance, and long term durability.
i buy my cars at auction and no matter how nice or new or clean, some type of repair is needed. the cost of repairs is the same at my local mechanics shop, the only difference is the price of the parts. if you take it to the various dealerships, the price of labor is generally from about 75 dollars and hour to 115 an hour. my mechanic charges me 55 an hour. i buy a lot of fords because they tend to be really cheap. especially contours and mystiques. i read this site because i have had almost every problem listed here and i have learned so much in what to look for in my next auction purchase and how much it will cost me to repair the car.
