Compact sedan

[statisticsnerd]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Jetta TDI - Drivers wanted,,,
Good economy / service life
No dinosaurs / OPEC required
Pretty safe too! (Jetta is what my rural Trauma Medical instructor puts his wife and kids in)

Try it... you might like it. and YES VW dependability is not high...

I had an '03 Jetta TDI. Here is the list of everything that went wrong with it by the time it hit 120k miles (when I got rid of it):

• brake light sensor went out @ 40k miles
• glove compartment wouldn't shut @ 50k miles
• rear wheel bearings shot @ 60k miles
• interior paint peeling all over the place @ ~80k miles
• electrical cord running from alternator to battery shorted out and fried the fuse box sitting above the battery @ 80k miles, leaving me stranded on the freeway
• air conditioner stopped working while idling @ 90k miles
• intake clogged up @ 90k miles
• coolant leak @ 100k miles
• transmission went kaput @ 120 miles (that is when I traded it in)

TDIs do have excellent fuel economy and are fun to drive, but everything else about the car is junk. You'll eat up your fuel savings in repair bills, and VWs are NOT cheap to repair.

[Vinsanity]

Anyways, I think a Chevy Cruze might be a good bet. It's comfortable, fairly spacious, and seems to be well-made...although reliability track record is unproven and it is quite slow.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by sailordave

Still about a year before ready to replace my 2003 Malibu. Looking at compact cars. If the price is right, might get midsize sedan.

Might be able to find a good deal on a 2012 Malibu or Fusion, if you decide to go the midsize route.