some good ideas here, and ill start by saying i appreciate the input very much. now, to reply to a few suggestions.
mazda 5. van. no. BUT, an autotrader search came up with a protege 5. any input on that???
element. no.
versa. pass.
John RW, no i don't want one because i already have one (06 odyssey). it gets awful mileage, and i don't need two.
saturn vue. im considering it. i dont like that saturns are no longer sold. my whole family, myself included, seems to have a 'saturns are cheap junk' opinion of them. i will go drive one and see though.
i am very interested in seeing how much id like a mazda 6. are these available as MT?
vibe/matrix. no. too small for my fat ass. kids would fit, i wouldn't.
i suppose i need to take the kids out to drive a fusion as well.
accord is on the 'go drive one' list as well. i guess im thinking of my old 94 when i say 'low slung'.
no BMW's. ive had two, they hated me. just no.
subarus dont get the mileage, and the AWD means more crap to wear out. it wouldnt matter if i needed the AWD, but i dont. i also dont like how they ride. even the outback i drove, which looked perfect, was awful to me.
i should clarify, my kids are forward facing at this point.
hyundai sonata available in MT???
mazda 3 wagon was too small. uncle has one. i just cant get the seat back enough or the wheel up enough.
passat. no VWs...i should have mentioned reliable twice...
so im left with: mazda 6, ford fusion, honda accord, and saturn vue. wow. its like an auction list at the car lot i worked at. and i dont think i would have recommended to the owner to buy any of them...
i think from here im going to go to carmax. i wont buy from them, but they should have a big group of cars to look at and drive.
thanks again, and ill keep you posted if i do decide to get anything.
-J0N