I’d suggest a slightly used Ford Flex, it’s funky, it’s roomy and look it can be a brown wagon! The Ecoboost version would be cherry on top but I’m not sure it would be within budget.

Writer has a decent budget and wants something funky, and unique.

The people ND’ing this don’t have any concept of the current used car market or the value for preowned 4Runners. Even if we weren’t in a used car price-pocalypse, it would probably still be worth $7k at Cali prices.

wish they could create a system that makes the signal louder the longer you drive with it tuned on

I can’t recall the details, but there’s a good reason why they can’t. It’s a rail bridge. I think the slope approaching it is already at the limit or something.

I’m sure it’s been pointed out already, but it’s really awesome (and amazing) that we’ve finally reached the point that the hybrid is the cheapest option. That’s a BIG deal.

Dunno, if I were buying one I’d jump at the hybrid in a heartbeat.  40mpg around town?  Sign me up!

Lol are you kidding me? My Mini Cooper trunk holds 6 bags of groceries. A 4'4" bed is a CAVERN to most people not used to a full-size truck bed. Heck, it’s only about a foot shorter than the beds most truck drivers are used to (since crew cab short beds are the most commonly sold truck).

Partial answer, against the other Ford options:

Wanna know what makes comparisons easy?  Charts/spreadsheets.

Yeah, i thought of the sport-trac as well but i think the world has changed since then. Not sure its an apples ot apples comparison. Basically, the Maverick is Fords econobox car replacing the fiesta/focus w/a form factor that Americans love.

“It’s the principle about it.”

prepayment penalties are pretty rare these days. There are a lot of states that forbid them 

Yup, Mazespin just beat Lewis Hamilton in a race they both finished. He’ll always have that!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand you just jinxed yourself.

Neutral: rental companies actually can make money. Apps and hailing companies are jsut vaporware burning through VC money by the billions in the hopes that they will put everyone else out of business and make their money via monopoly on the back end.

It’s a non-mandatory life saving device and you can go ahead and just pay $800, which is what all the other options on the market cost. 

I’m the farthest thing from a “pay cash for everything” guy, but even I run into my limits at “How can I get a loan of over 100% of book value for a 25 year old Honda?”

Yes gas is expensive in CA relative to the rest of the country

I had a CX-5 rental for a family beach to the OBX from Norfolk Airport and even though it was just two adults and a baby in a car seat, I found that while there was generally good headroom, the leg room is not where it needs to be for taller adults. With the car seat installed behind my wife’s seat, we had to move her…