This member has purchased a 2014 Ford Escape.
BellaBee
I moved from the California Bay Area to Western Massachusetts a year ago with several dogs and a 2011 Ford Flex Limited. When I lived in the Bay Area, I worked for a wonderful animal shelter and routinely transported dogs (up to 8 including 2 dog crates) between Gilroy and San Francisco. Now that I'm in rural Massachusetts and working from home with plenty of space and fenced-in yard, I don't need to transport dogs. When running errands (at least 20-30 minutes away), I take 1 or 2 dogs with me for fun and "1on1 time."
The Ford Flex is wonderful - visibility, decent gas mileage, room, reliability. And it's different - funky, special - my 12-year-old nephew loves when I pick him up at school and let him hook up his iPod and take over music selection. It's just too big for me and 1 or 2 dogs. When I go on my own to yoga class, it feels wasteful - one small woman, one big car. BTW - The Flex replaced a 2005 BMW X-5, which seemed like a great idea but wasn't as functional & practical (lots of wasted space), wasn't as reliable, and the interior wasn't as nice or as well-appointed as the Flex.
So, help me decide what to buy next. I want a vehicle that's a bit more nimble, definitely smaller but a hatch or wagon or small SUV so I can put the back seats down and throw in dog beds/blankets. It has to have a coolness factor - my nephew loves the Flex. My favorite pre-dog car was an Audi A4 with a 6-speed manual transmission - entering and exiting the California freeways was fun and the interior was lovely and well done. The driver's seat was perfect.
Key qualities for me include AWD, manual transmission (preferred), size (small enough to be nimble but large enough to not feel overwhelmed in a land of Ford F-150s and snow plows). Gently used is fine - I think I can get more car for the money. Thanks for your help!
Preferred Bodystyle(s): Coupe / Sedan
Car Needs: Family transporter
Need minimum of 4 seats
Will consider both new and used cars
Maximum mileage: 30000
Maximum age: 5 years
Maximum price: US $ 25000
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