Shopping

Here's what I drove:

1) 2008 Toyota Corolla (I guess the one complaint I had was it was a little hard to see out the back (when I was backing) with the head rest in the way. I also had a passenger in the back but that person wouldn't normally be with me) Powerful little bugger!!

2) 2006 Hyundai Accent (I was shocked to see it had crank windows!! but that might not be so bad - unfortunately I didn't have any time to consider this one because the moment I got back from my test drive I learned someone else had bought it.)

3) 2007 Ford Focus Hatchback (I only got to drive it around the parking lot because they were closing but I could have driven it around all day!!! hehe) It also had a moonroof and six disc CD changer.... not something I need, but would be cool. This car is still up in the air because I attempted to drive a regular older Focus (trunk rather than hatchback) and noticed it was a little on the small size and I'm a little on the tall size! The car I attempted to drive had obviously not been well taken care of by its previous owners. There were quite a few rust spots, scratches all over it, several parts in the interior were either broken or falling apart. When I went to start it, it turned out the battery was dead. Real winner of a car there!! They were asking $9,000 for it - a little bit much if I do say so myself.

I've also been looking at the Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable (my parent's drive one) and the Honda Accord. I sat in one Accord but didn't get around to driving one. My dad asked me what I thought I'd like to get and told me I need to narrow down my list.

What do you guys think? Any bad things I should know about any of the cars I mentioned?? or any other cars I should try out that are extremely reliable, good on gas, not too expensive and cute as a button? Okay so they don't have to be cute as a button.....but I'd prefer a nice looking car for a young professional -one I don't have to hide behind people's businesses.

I noticed a couple of the dealerships had the 'back lot,' - those cars that are beginning to disappear behind the weeds growing up around them. Probably just as well for some of them.