1. Currently an 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring (May 2011 - today). Previously a 2000 Chevy Cavalier (July 2000 - May 2011; my little brother has it now). And before that a 1985ish Chevy Cavalier (May 1997 - July 2000; my other brother drove it after that).

2. I brought the 2011 & 2000 new and the 1985 was brought new by my parents.

3. I had very few problems with the 2000 Cavalier not caused by me. I think the biggest was the a/c going out in 2006. No problems so far with the Touring other than the misinstalled oxygen sensor had to be replaced.

4. I liked my Cavalier but love my Touring and would buy it again. Of course Hyundai doesn't make it anymore (they replaced it with a hatchback Elantra model) which makes me sad.

Have a 2009 Honda Fit that we bought new. It's been totally reliable, the only repair it's had was after I blew a tire and threw out the alignment hitting one of Pittsburgh's bottomless potholes last winter. I would definitely buy one again but I expect this one to last for another decade at least.

1. Currently used 2003 Ford Ranger

2. I got the truck in 2008/9 - about 5 years old and it only had about 35k miles on it. It's only other owner was a senior that didn't use it heavenly so it came to me shiny and new. I paid Blue Book.

3. The truck, virtually new when I got it, was very reliable and continues to be trustworthy. However, it is at that point where it is beginning to have issues; battery here, fuel pump there. If I had the means to switch cars every 5 years or so, It would be time to get a new/used one.

4. I wouldn't get the same car again. I am not a fan of Ford. This truck has the same specs and price as it's counter-part in Toyota however, the Toyota lasts at least twice as long. I've had Toyotas before and I guess I am kind of a fan-boy. They've always been very good to me and my family.

1. If you currently have a car, what's the make, model, and year?

1996 Honda Civic (probably an EX, but possibly the LX model). Before that, a 1998 Honda Civic EX. (The 98 was totaled when I was rearended and the 96 was hit in the front and purchased off eBay by my brother, so they both smooshed together.)

2. How old was it when you first got it?

1996. Yeah, it's old.

3. How reliable was it?

Pretty damn reliable. The Civics in that year range (which I believe is 1996-1999/2000) pretty much run forever if you change the oil in them regularly. My main issues with the 98 model were the fact that it was a junkyard car (so salvage title) and it had shitty tires on it that blew twice so I eventually bought new tires. But it ran fine until someone hit it. The 96 has a few other lingering issues (the passenger door lock rattles and there's an O2 sensor that gets testy and so it makes the car 'hunt' while driving, which is irritating, but not really an issue until you take it for emissions), but nothing obviously problematic.

4. If you had the money and wherewithal to buy again, would you get the same kind of car? Why or why not?

I love Civics. They're fairly inexpensive and as I mentioned, run for-fucking-ever as long as you change the oil regularly. In a perfect world, I'd probably buy a newer model, but the 90s versions don't look too shabby and parts are plentiful and inexpensive.

1) 2004 Subaru Outback Sport (Impreza Wagon)

2) Was new I bought it. Normally wouldn't do that, but the deal I got and the interest on the loan made it way more reasonable.

3) Has been pretty damned reliable. Only major issue I've had so far has been with a rear axle bearing that has been really difficult for my (very reliable and trustworthy) mechanic to get right. If it goes out again, I may suck it up and take it to a dealership. All other maintenance has been expected and I've been able to do most of that myself. Currently has ~123k miles. Barring an.accident or weather catastrophe, I'm expecting to get at least another 5-6 years out of it.

4) Without doing any research or anything, sure. It'd certainly be in the running. I love the all wheel drive and having a hatch and back seats that fold flat make it great for taking the dog for rides, which she freaking loves.

1. 2004 Buick LeSabre Custom

2. It was a year old, and had been a rental car in Florida before that, with about 30,000 miles on it. It was still under warranty. I paid slightly less than blue book through my credit union (it was a repossessed car)

3. On average it's been reliable. The parts and service are hella expensive when you need it though, with all the bells and whistles. I was used to $300 repairs with my older vehicles, but on this one they'd average about $650. I really like its gas mileage relative to its size. I get 22mpg in the city and 30ish highway. (used to get 34mpg but it's aging, and has 100,000+ miles on it now)

4. I think I would get another like it later on. It's got a very smooth ride and lots of room for the whole family and our junk. I had thought about getting a minivan, but after driving a few of those and then this car, the car wins hands down. I'd like it better if it were a hybrid or electric, but that's not going to be practical/affordable for a while.

1. If you currently have a car, what's the make, model, and year? We are so spoiled. We have three. My husband's GMC truck, circa 2008, my big old 2005 Lincoln Continental Town Car, and my 2006 Subaru Outback XT (turbo).

1a. If you don't currently but used to in the past, same question.

2. How old was it when you first got it? We bought the truck used a couple of years ago, the Lincoln used from my dad's estate in 2008, and the Subaru new in 2006.

3. How reliable was it? They all run like tops. I am especially vigilant about regular maintenance on "my" cars, the Lincoln and Subaru.

4. If you had the money and wherewithal to buy again, would you get the same kind of car? Why or why not? Oh yes indeed. I fell for the Lincoln and Subarus the first time I drove them. In the future, though, I'll probably look for cars with better gas mileage. They are both OK, not great, on mileage.

1. We have a Hyundai Elantra 2009, and a Honda Fit Sport 2007.

2. We purchased both of them new.

3. They have been incredibly reliable.

4. The Elantra - absolutely. It's wonderful - the only complaint was that the radio stopped working sometime last year, and we had it replaced (but we had the extended warranty that I regretted purchasing - it's now paid for itself).
The Fit - I love the Fit. I can put a lot of stuff in it, an amazing amount of stuff. However, the water seals seem kind of off - when it rains, sometimes it stays a little wet. There's not a ton of room in it - so if you have broad shoulders, or are tall, it's not a good fit. The tires and parts seem expensive - replacement key fobs for it are twice as much as they are for the other Honda models. Before I purchase another car, I'd definitely want to price out tires and such - I was really surprised when I found out how much tires were for the Fit vs. our old Saturns.

Used cars prices have been really strong the last couple years.

I briefly looked at used cars last year but I ended up going with a new Mazda3 hatchback.

We currently have a 2009 Subaru Forester as our primary car and a 2000 Honda Accord V6 as my husband's commuting car.

We purchased the Forester in May of last year (so: it was three years old) from a private seller on Craigslist after failing to find one with the exact package we wanted at dealerships within a 150-mile radius. It had 27k on it.

WE LOVE THIS CAR SO HARDCORE. Oh my gracious do we love this car. My husband told me that when he drives down the street and sees people waiting for the bus, he wants to open the door and say, "Hop in!" It is comfortable and well-designed and a very companionable car in every situation.

We live in a very wintry area that is currently all grodied up with slush. I have not slid once in this car. The AWD is great.

Re: reliability, I am told that when my parents traded in their Subaru station wagon with 200k (in, oh, 1996), the dealer said, "You could have gotten a couple hundred thousand more, easily."

I was a little worried about gas mileage. It's not super great; it's only a 4-cylinder, but it does have a bit of heft to it. But we get 21-23 or so with mostly city driving, which is actually a little more than I'd expected. It lists the mileage right on the console.

HELL YEAH WE WOULD BUY AGAIN. The Forester (same model, different car) felt good from the moment we test-drove. On the same occasion, we test-drove a Toyota RAV4 and a V6 Subaru Outback station wagon. The RAV4, four-cylinder, had a surprisingly light and quick feel in its handling -- in a negative way. It didn't feel like it had the oomph we sometimes need in slippery weather or passing, and it felt like it didn't have as much control as we liked. (I'm told that the V6 is quite good, though.)

The Forester just felt RIGHT. The "cockpit" felt really nice: we slid in and everything felt well-fit and not bouncy. The handling felt smooth and fluid, with just enough resistance to remind us that we were in control. The Outback's six-cylinder engine was noticeable (we were used to our Honda's V6), but not enough over the Forester to make a difference.

Honda Accord: I bought it when it was seven or eight years old; it's now 13 or 14. It was pretty high-mileage at the time (I think about 168k), which was part of its lower price, but they had all of the service records and it had been used primarily for highway commutes. It was in near-perfect condition. My family has driven Hondas almost exclusively since the '80s (with an exception for a Subaru...); my parents have a 2000 Accord with a four-cylinder engine, so I knew mine would hold up well. The V6 is pretty darn great.

It's given me very few problems. We passed 200k on our way to our honeymoon in 2011, and until we bought the Forester it was our "good" car. I've had one noticeable problem that is probably just a fluke, since nobody's really heard of it (there's this weird thing with the fuel lines and "winter gas" that makes the car not start up sometimes when it's one of the first warm days of the year, but all you have to do is wait like 20 minutes).

Sure, I'd buy it again. I might go with a Civic, actually, because they're quite spacious for a smaller model. But you can't go wrong with a Civic or an Accord.

1. If you currently have a car, what's the make, model, and year?

I have a 2007 Toyota Prius. The T-Spirit model, which has the built-in GPS and the reversing camera (best thing ever).

2. How old was it when you first got it?

4 years old.

3. How reliable was it?

Very.

4. If you had the money and wherewithal to buy again, would you get the same kind of car? Why or why not?

I would buy another Prius. It cost quite a bit more than a non-hybrid used car of the same year and type, but I'd read up on how reliable and economical the Prius is, and how the hybrid part, being solid state, doesn't actually wear out. The rest of the car is like any other car and needs to be maintained and repaired accordingly. The Prius feels very solid and is easy to drive. For someone as short as me, the driving position is great, I can pump the seat up high and still have no problem reaching the pedals.

I have a 2009 Hyundai Elantra that I bought new (I usually buy new unless I have someone to help me, because I am not very knowledgeable about cars). I bought it because it's small and relatively cheap and considered highly reliable by Consumer Reports and my sister. I've been very pleased with it -- it has made 4 or 5 Maine-Florida round trips and never given me a bit of trouble. The gas mileage is pretty good too. I would probably buy another, sure, although I hope someday to be able to afford a hybrid.

Non-car owner, horning in to offer this:

I understand you're living in Minnesota now. The climate is quite different from the one you left. Not Arctic levels of difference but different nonetheless. I'm guessing that there would be issues specific to that climate, such as snow, wear from salt on the roads, etc. Have you had a chance to talk with neighbors about the kinds of cars they prefer?

FYI, I live in Wisconsin, so maybe I can help on that front. We've kept our cars outdoors on city streets for most of the last 10 or 12 years.

I think the thing that helps the most is having a solid enough car to gain traction. Size alone isn't a huge deal; I had a little Honda Civic about 10 years ago, and it did just fine.

The biggest problem with moisture and salt comes around the wheel wells. My Honda (2000 Accord, top-end trim package) has exposed wheel wells, so that's where the grand majority of the rust on my car lives. It's getting pretty bad, but it hasn't affected any other parts of the car. The Forester (2009, medium trim package) has plastic wheel well guards, so I'm hopeful that those will help prevent rust formation. I'd imagine that most newer cars would have them, but who knows. In Minnesota, they'd be more or less a necessity.

OH I almost forgot...

You may consider heated seats to be a crazy luxury. They kind of are, but WOW will you love them. But you can add them after-market, so you could theoretically make the decision later on.

Personally, I liked them more for the way they made my sore back feel than on cold days. Either way, they were super awesome.

2003 Honda Accord V6, bought new.

It's been very reliable. ~130k miles and no big problems.

Accords are at a sweet spot of quality and price... you can spend twice as much and you won't get much more car, IMHO. That said, I probably wouldn't get another one, just for variety's sake.

For me the important things are reliability and pep. It's gotta have some get up and go. Acceleration is a huge thing. If you're merging or changing lanes, being able to pick spots that are ahead of you, and knowing you can get into them, is so much better than trying to merge, essentially, into your blind spot.

1a. 89 Honda Accord
2. Brand new
3. Amazingly reliable; I had it for 11 years.
4. Maybe, if I move to a city where it would be better to have a car...but I would check Consumer Reports first. When I rent, I always ask for a hybrid.

When I brought my car to IA, I was told by one of my classmates to get its undercarriage washed regularly in the winter so as to not get salt damage. Most of the self service ones at gas stations offered this.

My shearling steering wheel cover was a lifesaver--and cooler in summer too!

Oh, and if you're a member of AAA I think they can put you in touch with no-haggle dealers.

Also also, the inside design of most of these Japanese cars (and Hyundais, I guess) really makes a difference if you're a larger person. My husband is 6' and I'm 5'7", and we're both Large and In Charge, and we like how roomy both the Honda and the Subaru feel. His old Hyundai Sonata wasn't bad, either, and my friend's tall dad never seemed crammed into his 2005 Elantra.

I have been a cellist and hockey player, and my husband is a drummer, so space in general is very important to us :) The back seat of our Subaru is actually quite nice as well. I don't feel ashamed to tell my dad to get back there.

1. 99 Subaru Forrester

2. Eleven years old, but with very low mileage (75K)

3. Very. Needed some repairs over the past few years only one of which was "stranded me" type and that was a weird freak problem. Generally it started every day except when it was beastly cold and my battery needed replacing. There is nothing like a car that you can trust to start in 20 below weather.

4. I would buy this identical car. I love the damned thing. The only thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't get very high MPG (it hovers around 23-24 hwy and less in the city) but that's typical for non-hybrid AWD vehicles that aren't the ancient Subarus. Also I am short and I feel that I am sitting more "upright" in this car than I did in the Subaru Legacy and in the Hondas that I have had, though I loved them as well. It always gets me everywhere in mud and snow. Always.

2005 Hyundai Elantra. A few minor issues that were fixed under warranty. I think I had one sensor go bad out of warranty. The car rides really nice, better than any of the other compacts I test drove at the time.

For a subcompact, the new Ford Fiesta rides really nice. I don't own one, but I test drove it. Aside from the Elantra, I usually get Fords. They have the advantage of being so flippin' ubiquitous that you can get them repaired anywhere and they are common enough to not attract attention (they blend in).

I've recently had a couple of Chevy Cruz rentals. I was really impressed with them, but don't really know anything about their reliability. I expect they are probably okay.

1. I have a 2007 Toyota Yaris.

2. I got it in 2009, so it was 2 years old.

3. Incredibly reliable . It's my 3rd car, and the best I've ever owned. It is incredibly gas efficient (best mileage of any non-hybrid -we get at least 35 mpg and now I feel cheated if it's not doing that well because of a lot of city driving, or whatever!), and the costs of maintenance are exceedingly low. Since buying it, all I've done is regular oil changes, replaced the serpentine belt, replaced the battery, and gotten tires. All normal maintenance, and all very low cost because the car is small and the parts not uncommon. It has never failed to start, never let me down. Handles well, is comfortable, is very responsive, and actually has decent pickup for its power.

4. I'd absolutely and definitely get the same car again. In fact, if we get a 2nd car, we're going to get another. I also drove a lot of other similar small cars before buying this one, and the only one that turned my head was the Mazda 3 - mostly for the body styling - but since I didn't buy it I can't really compare its longevity/reliability. I drove a friend's Honda Fit for a while while I was getting a fender bender repaired on my car, and I didn't like it. I thought I would, because the Fit is cute, but I found the ride brittle and bumpy, the interior design/console awkward, and the mileage wasn't as good. The Elantra was a decent contender but just not as zippy. The American models were just shoddy (Aveo, Focus).

All I can say is that I've become a Yaris evangelist. It's such a great, efficient, flexible car for someone who does not need to show off with a car. My previous 2 cars were a Geo Prizm, which I liked pretty well, and a Subaru Forester, which I had high hopes for - and I liked the heated seats - but gave me nothing but problems and cost me twice its ticket price in major repairs. I understand 75% of Subaru drivers are happy, but I was in the 25%, and the car was no good. I'm happy to be back with a Toyota product, which just never, ever fails.

The only thing I'd note is, it's not for snow driving. It just doesn't have the weight or tough tires. Basically, I just don't drive it in snow. It hasn't been an issue, but I live in the same town where I work, and don't have to do family pickups, and winters have been on the mild side. If it's snowing heavily, I get home and stay there. That's the only drawback.

Thanks so much for all the feedback! We got a car, are waiting for the bank check to clear, and once it's in our hot little hands, will show it off!

1. If you currently have a car, what's the make, model, and year?
- 2001 VW GTI 1.8t

2. How old was it when you first got it?
Roughly 10 years old. It had 45,000 miles on it. 115k now.

3. How reliable was it?
Not terribly. I had to replace the transmission at 50,000 miles. And, I've had to constantly chase random vacuum leaks in the rats-nest of hoses on the engine. When it's running, it's a fun little car, and its hatch swallows an amazing amount of stuff without a problem. But, it seems like there's always something cropping-up that requires a trip to the shop.

4. If you had the money and wherewithal to buy again, would you get the same kind of car? Why or why not?
Nope. Basically, the dependability, as noted in #3. Perhaps the newer VWs are better, but I don't know if I'd want to chance it.

1. 2007 2.2l diesel Honda Accord estate (the hugest one - I think you call estates something different in the US but not sure what).

2. Bought it at 14 months old but quite high mileage - 22k miles. Bought from the dealer, apparently the first owner was someone who drove a lot and replaced his car every year. This means it has all the posh add-ons - parking sensors that beep when you get near things while reversing (these are great), heated seats (best things ever), leather upholstery.

3. Very very reliable so far. We've had it 4.5 years and it's needed one new battery and the air-con fluid refilling, and that's it. We take it back to the Honda dealer for servicing - probably more expensive than the local garage but we trust them.

4. Totally would buy again. We're musicians and have a baby on the way so need a roomy car, and it's been completely hassle-free.