The Beginning of the End is Almost Nigh for Our Beloved '96 Jetta?

The check engine light coming on (this time) simply meant that the catalytic converter is shot.  Expensive, but not a big deal in terms of the car actually running for a while longer.  The doors no longer lock properly from the outside, so we lock them from the inside before shutting the the doors (they unlock just fine).  That's how all cars worked when we were kids, so that's just an annoyance.  Still, it's time to more seriously start assessing candidates for the next family car, so we went to http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ and started poking around.  The big requirement is that I fit in the front (driver and passenger) and back seats**, so, for example, the Altima is right out despite the good things we've heard about it.  It also must be reasonably fuel efficient, have at least as much trunk storage as the Jetta, and a way to plug in an mp3 player (usb or audio line in; we don't actually *own* an mp3 player, but consider that one of the costs of buying a new car).  Desirable features include cruise control (probably generally available on most cars), continuous variable transmission (so far I just see this ), seat memory, and better outside noise reduction (the latter two probably still luxury car features).



So, I'll be going around sometime to sit in a Honda Accord, Honda Civic (hybrid and regular), VW Jetta (diesel, wagon, and regular), VW Golf (diesel and regular), Audi A3 (diesel), Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry (hybrid), and Ford Fusion (probably just for yuks).  Fortunately all the dealers are on a 5-mile stretch of US 7 just south of town.  I was thinking about going and sitting in the Lexus Hybrid sedan, but the closest dealer is 130 miles away in Manchester, NH.



** when I got my first car in '89, the guys at the Honda dealership laughed when I walked through the door and told my mom to put me through the wash and hope I shrank in the dryer.  I ended up in an Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais, and Phil made fun of me for being the only 17-year-old who'd choose to drive a businessman's car.  :-) The Hondas are bigger now, but I still need to go sit in them first.