Next car?

[tcbofade]

Howdy, howdy boys and girls.  Help me think.

Probably going to replace my car next year.  Can't decide what I want.

LOVED the Ford Escort when it existed.  LOVED the Focus too.  (got 12 years out of my last one...)

Neither of them exist any more. 

When my Focus died last year, DW decided that I should buy her a new car and take her old one.  (She's helpful like that. )

I'm now driving a 2013 Ford Edge which is a glorious car... but just isn't me.  We may or may not give it to DD#3 as a graduation present next year.

Which leaves me wondering what I want next.

Test drove the new Ranger yesterday and wasn't terribly impressed.

The F150 is gorgeous, too big, and out of my price range.  The Ranger is cute, more affordable, but has the same sloping hood issue that the Edge has.  (Can't tell where the front end is when you're sitting in it.)

Do I just go buy the newest used Focus that I can find?

Hmph.  Can't decide.

A little help, please?

[Adkins]

I would buy the newest, best condition Focus you can find. That's what you really want and like, why not get it?? 🤷🏽

[kilroy8]

Cars = way to get from here to there, that's it

It is the worst way to spend money beyond that, because with the exception of some collector cars, their value goes down over time.

Spend what you must to get from here to there. 

Nothing beyond that.

[coldfusion]

What is it that you need? 

[coldfusion]

I guess more specifically what is it about a truck that appeals to you vs. a SUV/crossover vs a passenger car? 

[tcbofade]

I've got a 1995 F150 that we use for yard work, moving a piece of furniture, etc...  one thought was that purchasing a small pick up truck that I could use as a daily driver would free up a parking spot. 

Don't NEED anything.

Don't LIKE driving the Edge as a daily driver.  It's a glorious road tripper, but a bit much for the daily commute.

[Anonymous]

If you liked the Focus, the Fusion is the upgraded Focus. My first car was a 93 Escort, second was a 2004 Focus, third was a 2009 Focus which I loved but totaled and ended up getting a 2009 Fusion and everything about it was better. It was roomier (compact vs midsize I would hope so lol), the V6 obviously was a huge upgrade, it handled better thanks to AWD, and it looked nicer too. The only downgrade was mileage thanks to the V6 but that trade off was worth it to me. If I were to go out and buy a car right now, 99% likely it would be another Fusion SEL. 

[pinkandgrey]

Wow....an Escort fan. Up until now, I had only read about them.

Have you looked at the new Escapes? They're beautiful. 

Otherwise, if you're bent on Ford (my parents are like that), a used Focus would most likely be attainable. 

Good luck and have fun car hunting! 

[kerplunk]

Start with:

1. Consumer Reports' reviews for cars.

2. IIHS top safety picks: https://www.iihs.org/ratings/top-safety-picks

[Schwartzinator]

The hardest part for me has always been deciding on what to buy. We know you liked the Escort and the Focus, but WHAT about them did you like? Size, MPG, styling, etc. There's a lot of really interesting car categories out there now that didn't previously exist.