For Stock Rigs Only

Maybe I'll look for an Arizona car and fly out and road trip back.

 

140

 

What about a Rav4? You can fit a 6ft ladder in the back with the rear seats down.

 

Not looking for SUV.

 

The Matrix can be considered as a SUV.

How about a Subaru, like the Crosstrek, Outback?

 

Hoping to stay in Toyota family. I like the hatchback feature of the Matrix. And the years I'm looking at are right around my budget. Looking to spend around $10K.

 

I had one....an '03 XRS 6-speed with the 180 hp Yamaha engine. Was part of an online community then too. So I knew a little about them.

The 2nd gen....I don’t know much about...other than the Camry engine

 

Toyota owns a small percentage of Subaru.

In this area it's hard to find a Matrix in good condition. As you mentioned before you may have to travel.

 

I just did a little search. In the 2nd gen Matrix, the base Corolla engine was still being used. The XRS had the 2.4 engine

 

Using Cargurus....I see quite a few, mostly 2nd gens in this area. All well under $10k....most under $7k

 

I missed out on two Celica GTS’s over the years. Always liked them, never could find a decent one for reasonable money.

Not heartbroken. I like Toyota Trucks, never been an enormous fan of most of their cars. I come from a Toyota family but I’ve been the black sheep with Mazda cars since my first one.

 

I was ready to pull the trigger on a new '01 red GTS 6-speed when my wife got pregnant. That idea got shelved.

 

Right before I went to Iraq in 2004, I test drove a new one. Fell in love. Got home in 2005, had the money, got lured towards a Mazda Miata. Loved that little car, built up a nice little autocross and back roads burner. Got totaled when my wife was pregnant and we were house hunting.

Almost bought another GTS, think an 05. Black on black, needed a little love, priced to move. Signed a purchase order and handed it to my credit union the next morning, dealer sold it out from under me while I was in the office working up an offer.

I got a manual trans Mazda 3 hatch instead, in hindsight made more sense having a little one in a car seat. Sold that car a year and a half ago with 238,000 on it running like a top when I got my Tacoma. Can’t justify a third vehicle between me and the wife just for a plaything, not when I’d rather make extra payments on the truck and mortgage.

 

Road Trip! 2nd Gens are preferred?

 

I just look at a used car dealer that like used Toyota. They have a 2009 Matrix S with 66,095 miles for $9,995.

 

There's a bunch in New England. But if rust in certain areas is an issue (especially if I'm buying a 10 year old vehicle), I'd certainly consider a car from the south or southwest.

 

2nd gens are newer. All the 1st gens are pretty old. I would definitely stick with a base or XR if it's a 1st gen

 

What's the 2nd gen years? God I pray there are no turd gens!

 

This used car dealership usually only buy rust free cars. Carfax report it's a Vermont car.

 

Where are you at Kevin?