The good news: I need a car for occasional work trips, but have otherwise engineered a largely carless lifestyle. Yay! The result is that I need, at most, 6,000 miles/year, and the vast majority of those miles are compensable.
The bad news: my college car has finally given up the ghost, so, to avoid flak from my employer + make it to Costco next month, I should replace the car within the next few weeks. Additionally, due to my hatred of cars, I know jack-all about the process of buying used cars and most of the advice I read online is geared toward non-Mustachians. My general thought is that I should spend $8,000 or less on a car that will last me ten years/until it is irreparably defaced by my future toddler(s) some day :). Then I can replace it with a vehicle with a bit more storage for family travel/retirement DIY projects.
So, the question: if you were buying a new-to-you car this month, what sorts of cars would you look for? MMM’s article on the subject seems a bit out-of-date in terms of specific models… so I guess I’m looking for recommendations regarding specific models to look for that are particularly mechanically reliable. I don’t have cargo needs to speak of and parking is tight in my midwestern neighborhood (Indianapolis, Indiana!). I’ve heard, anecdotally, that Subaru, Honda, and Toyota are the manufacturers to look for—but I want more knowledgeable/frugal input than I’ve received.
Thank you!