Reply #64: I have bought used the last two times I bought a car

[alarimer]

One was a Saturn and the last one is a Nissan Frontier. Both were very reliable. I kept the Saturn for 4 years, then got the truck. Now I am looking again. This time I am interested in the Mazda3. Pretty cool little hatchback. I will consider the Toyota matrix also but it has a smaller engine and may not be as fun to drive, though it is similarly priced as the Mazda. Those Mazdas are very popular and the hatchbacks in particular are hard to find with the options I want. Used ones are nonexistent right now but maybe in a year or so there may be more available. I have driven but rejected the Saturn Vue because of its reliability problems (according to Consumer Reports the outlook isn't good).

But the advice here in this thread is pretty good. I started a thread in the Lounge on this very topic and got good advice there too.