![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyspriteI just got the call from my insurance company; my car has been officially declared totalled.
RIP Little Silver Saturn. October 2001 - January 2014. You lasted almost forever, you drove nearly 200,000 miles with me, and you gave your life to protect me. You were the first treat I bought myself after graduating from vet school, and the first car I bought that wasn't an ancient death trap.
I miss you.
Coincidentally, I now find myself in the market for a new car, having not actually paid any attention to cars for the past decade-plus. In a perfect world I'd just go on driving Saturns forever, but sadly that's not an option.
So, anyone out there who knows more about cars than I do (which is likely most of y'all), advise me. I'm not looking for brand-new; I know that's kind of a sucker deal. I want something small - not Smartcar small, but I don't need or want an SUV. Easy to take care of and good fuel efficiency are important; I'd like a hybrid if I can but I'm not sure how they fare in the used market. And affordable is a plus; I've been out of work for 4 months and I'm not going to be getting huge amounts of money back for my poor lost baby.
Advice? Suggestions? Spare vehicles you have lying around?
RIP Little Silver Saturn. October 2001 - January 2014. You lasted almost forever, you drove nearly 200,000 miles with me, and you gave your life to protect me. You were the first treat I bought myself after graduating from vet school, and the first car I bought that wasn't an ancient death trap.
I miss you.
Coincidentally, I now find myself in the market for a new car, having not actually paid any attention to cars for the past decade-plus. In a perfect world I'd just go on driving Saturns forever, but sadly that's not an option.
So, anyone out there who knows more about cars than I do (which is likely most of y'all), advise me. I'm not looking for brand-new; I know that's kind of a sucker deal. I want something small - not Smartcar small, but I don't need or want an SUV. Easy to take care of and good fuel efficiency are important; I'd like a hybrid if I can but I'm not sure how they fare in the used market. And affordable is a plus; I've been out of work for 4 months and I'm not going to be getting huge amounts of money back for my poor lost baby.
Advice? Suggestions? Spare vehicles you have lying around?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2014-01-22 11:51 pm (UTC)I've got a Prius now. Things I love about it: it's very roomy inside, reminding me of a Tardis. It gets between 40 and 50 mpg, has fascinating touch-screen info on engine use and mileage, has buttons on the steering wheel, you don't have to get your key out of your pocket (you just touch the door handle to unlock it then sit and push the 'on' button, then drive away,) and it is so quiet inside, even when driving, that conversation is easy. It's easy to park, it seats tall drivers, its fold down seats allow large things inside (if you don't have passengers,) its such a pretty misty pale green color. Things I dislike: its rear view is cramped, even with a back-up video. It doesn't have a roof rack.
Herooftheage (Vis) just went through your situation (their Saturn was totaled,) and they bought a plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt, which they love. He's talking about it here: http://herooftheage.dreamwidth.org/93272.html#comments