You're beginning to make me rethink my Civic.

I have one of these and I love it. It would work well in S. Cali, I know it fits in Ok on South beach

Look at a Chrysler Town and Country, the shorter model.

Around here, they are very inexpensive, because the shorter model was/is less popular. Chrysler made these to replace the Plymount Voyager when Plymouth went out of business. They are much cheaper than a Honda Element.

With Stow and Go, the middle seat will fold down and your bike will fit inside (even upright), without removing the front wheel. Lots of room for luggage, etc.

Rated a "Best Buy" by Consumer Reports.

Totally agree here. I was able to cop a couple of rides in a Prius this past week and have fallen in love with this car. 50 miles per gallon and much roomier on the inside that I would have guessed.

I don't think it's roomy enough for a bike in the back seat, however, which tips the scale toward the Element if that's important to you. The ideal car might just be a hybrid Element. Do they make those? If they do, I'm gonna start rolling all my pennies...

Another +1.

Who wants to date someone who doesn't have a vehicle capable of carrying a couple bikes, camping equipment, etc

Man, you folks are defining 50+, practical, mpg a Chrysler

DG, your a single guy who wants to have fun on the beach in one of the best areas in the US. Sports car baby

Go with a 1968 Mercury Montery Fastback with the 390 engine. Where you live this will appeal to many different people.

Actually, for whatever you buy, I'd just make sure you can either get a bike in it or a bike rack on it.

NOW YOU'RE TALKING! Vintage! Although if he's going to go that route, an old convertible might be fun. I think the gas mileage would hurt nowadays, though. I sure miss front bench seats.

A Woody would by my retro car. Or an old Volvo wagon.

Hey, that looks a lot like my first car, a 1968 Ford Torino! (I totaled it in 1977 when a bread truck rear-ended me, bending the chassis.) It looked a lot like this one.

ford-torino-1968a.jpg

I wonder if I still had my 69 dodge charger daytona if saris would have made a mount to fit over the wing.

+1...Jetta TDI with a hitch mounted bike rack

3 friends drive this...they all love it, plus 600 miles per fill up

good looking car, too (they all went with black)

Sweet ride. The cars were basically the same car... one by Ford the other the Mercury version of it. You could stomp on the gas pedal and fly up the road, as you watched the fuel gauge needle move toward empty.

If I were in the market for a new vehicle today I would look at:

Toyota FJ40 - they look like they can go anywhere and pretty much, they really can. I actually DO off road a lot with my terriers.
Honda Element - they look too practical to ignore, and Honda's just don't seem to break, ever.
Nissan Murano - they look nice too, good milage and still AWD
Subaru Forester - they have the reputation of lasting forever and being trouble free on the way too.

None of the above are terribly expensive and all get reasonable fuel economy. My wife drives a Honda Pilot and loves it. I just got a new work truck, a 2008 Chevy Silverado 2500 extended cab 4wd pickup with the 6 liter monster motor. It's a very nice ride, but not very practical unless you really need a pickup truck.

Since you are on plan B how about a 1932 Model "B" Ford

1971_Enterprise_AL.JPG

So far, mind you just with some internet browsing, I'm liking the Honda Fit and Element, the VW Jetta, the Pontiac Vibe (or Toyota Matrix, basically the same), and the Subaru Forester. Oh, and possiblly the Toyota Yaris, maybe Corolla. I also want to check out what Scion has offer.

Out of curiosity, what are the advantages and disadvantages of roof mounted bike racks? Are they a hassle to use, do they bring MPG down? Or maybe are they a breeze to use and have no impact on MPG? And is there anyone here who's used a roof mounted rack on an Element? Seems like I'd need a ladder to use it!

The Prius would be the best chick magnet car for Sandy Eggo.

And, DF, the Chrysler Town and Country would probably be the most efficient chick repellent you could drive in California.

DG, I agree. You did the noble thing for your daughter last time. Though it wasn't her fault, we know that much of accident avoidance is not in just obeying the law, but in watching out for those who aren't. She may need that one rubbed in a little. Have her spend a day in traffic school so she can see what kind of people she's driving with.

It's time to give her the Avalon. It's not in that bad a shape and its a little bigger and more crash resistant than the Focus. And get something nicer for yourself.

Here's a two seater chick magnet that's probably within your range.



Lots of people come to Arkansas on these things to go camping or touring in our beautiful mountains.

Good choice to get the new car for YOU, DG! You deserve it.
See, maybe all the bad luck was just a cosmic ploy to get you into a sleek new ride.

My humble opinion would be to concentrate on a vehicle that makes bike transport, and other cargo transport, dead easy. No climbing or stuffing or tying down - just throwing it inside and forgetting about it. Not only easier on the body but more theft-proof.

Since I lived out in the boonies a good part of my life, and usually had to buy well-used cars, I've driven an assortment of full-size vans, trucks, mini-vans, and a few regular cars too. Right now I have a Grand Marquis to accommodate long-distance driving --- it has a huge trunk, is very comfy and reliable and gets 26-29 mpg ---- BUT I absolutely hate bike racks, and whenever I need to haul anything bigger than the trunk, I'm stuck. I'd gladly trade for a van, mini-van, or small pickup. Oh, for the days when I could just toss a few bikes in the back of the van, shut the door and take off, instead of fighting with the rack and trying to keep the bikes from scratching/denting each other, or worrying about somebody stealing bikes & rack in one piece....

[Edit: P.S., if you're really thinking about camping, a regular full-size van can be fitted out with lots of very nice camping extras like a real bed, stove, fridge and still have tons of room for bikes and gear. Mine got 20+ mpg around town. You can attach a retractable shade too, and even have a screen room. This sounds really decadent until you're out camping in bad or buggy weather, then you start feeling pretty good about your setup. Avoid the conversions though, they're gas hogs extraordinaire]

Oh my goodness, I'm having a huge flashback to my '68 Torino station wagon. GREAT car!

No roof rack needed:

aglassact-31fordpickup.jpg

And I'm flashing back to my '69 Camaro.

Gary, That's it! You've got to track down a 69 Camaro. Wow, can you just imagine the attention you'd get. Now that was a car... that and the Firebird, which was just a bit more popular where I grew up. Howver, I'd take either in a heart beat.

Here's a possibility and it fits my budget, too!

'64 International Ambulance!

You have bikes. Why do you need a car?

I have shared custody of a child who lives 18 miles away, for one thing. And don't say TANDEM!