Maxima's are good cars.
Passat's are good (do a little reasearch on their problems first)
Not to bust your bubble, but you can get a program Taurus fully loaded for way low. I had one for a month while they fixed my Tour (wiring recall) and I loved it! But considering your Ford Contour experience I can understand why you're shy on Fords.
A good idea, go to your local libray and look at the consumer reports car buying guide. They have the listing for reliability and I believe tests on most cars. They give a good honest review of pluses and minuses.
In short, research!
Good luck!
