$12K, what car

matrix, newest one you can get (you can probrably get a year old or 2 year old) in good shape. very very practical car

Could you be more specific?

Criteria? Comfort, reliability, performance, roominess, handling. standard equipment, looks, type?

Don't buy your girlfriend a car, buy your wife a car.

Maybe a 1963 Lincoln Continental?

If she is young, one of those Scions.

I should have said, "unless you are already married."

civic

It just depends on what you/she likes. I'm a big fan of buying used - you get so much more for the $.

I bought a lightly used BMW 323iC w/ 56k miles for $10k. The only issue is it had been in an accident and had had "frame damage," which was enough to scare away most buyers even though it was perfectly repaired, met manufacturer's specs and is in great shape.

You can probably find all kinds of make/model sedan w/ 80k miles or less for $12k. Mustangs, BMW's, Civic's, whatever.

I have the same price range for my car, and I'm looking on ebay for one. I've found various BMW's and Honda Accord Coupes that I like, but what really caught my eye, was the scion tc's. They're great little cars, and get good gas mileage. You can probably find a scion on ebay for that price range, but definately not on the lot, those never go below 16,000.

Brand new they retail for 16k. Used you should easily be able to find a tC, first year one. The other Scions are good value cars too. I used to own a Limited Edition xB (Yellow one, 2060 of 2500) it was a good round town car but sucked on the freeway. Also is she looking for a Manual or Auto? The xB is best with an auto. Mine was a 5 speed and I hated the gearing on it, too close ratio. Personally I love the Yaris (more love the Vitz RS but we cant get those in the US), great cars, light, handle well and have a better interior than the xA. I also suggest maybe a 2003 or newer Toyota Corolla S with a manual trans. They can get around 40mpg and have plenty of room and power. If you want to go a bit older you can easily get a Lexus ES300 for that price. Something like a 1st to 2nd gen should be easy to obtain for even less than the 12k you have. My only strong warning is to get the car checked out at a good shop. Toyota Dealers will do a free basic inspection if you make an appointment and would charge maybe $50-70 for a full 150+ point inspection. Also, not to sound like a jerk or anything, but be extra careful if the seller is Russian. Not to kind of take down a nation of people, but in my area they are notorious for rebuilding totaled cars, although anyone of any background can do the same. Some can be rather severely wrecked autos that should not be road worthy even with a fair amount of repair. If they are extra shady they will not even get it inspected or tell you that it was a minor wreck but was fixed. I helped a friend find a car this summer and 90% of cars in her price range were "in a minor wreck, but fixed." Most of these cars looked great on the outside but on closer inspection you could find bondo spots under the paint, twisted or missalligned seams on the unibody (some even patched up with Caulking to keep water from getting in the car) or other hidden damage.

Talk to your mechanic, if you have one. Ask him to recommend something that fits whatever aesthetic criteria your girlfriend has. Pay him to inspect the car before purchase. Ask for his opinion of the seller's asking price. It's well worth the fee. Do not trust the seller's inspection ... there is an obvious conflict-of-interest there.

Years ago, we bought a used BMW 325. I believe the dealer was asking 12.9K. We paid the mechanic about $70 for the inspection. He caught all kinds of minor cosmetic damage that we did not see - scratches etc. He said it was a good car and something to buy. He said the tires were badly cupped (not something I would have notice) and crap quality. We asked his opinion of the price. He looked in the little book, scratched his head, and told us to offer $12K. He said we could pay $12.9K and be happy though.

We took the car back to the dealer. We said we noticed these scratches. We said the tires need to be replaced immediately. The salesman shook his head yes. We offered $12K and the offer was immediately accepted.

We love the car, too. Best $12K I ever spent.

Used Honda Accord.

One more possibility - 7th generation Toyota Celica GT 2002 onwards (or the GT-S if you don't mind the stratospheric power curve and the fact that it wants premium unleaded). But make sure it is a manual - especially for the GT-S, the slushbox slows the car down tremendously. Reliable and good to look at, and lots of fun on twisty roads - light and nimble. But make sure you can live with the compromises (lack of noise insulation, blind spots, small rear seats). Diorshoe will back me on this choice (yes I am biased). Lots of engine components shared with the Corolla XR and Matrix XR (or XRS if you go for the Celica GT-S), typically reliable, mechanical parts are not scarce and lots of room in the boot as it is a hatchback. The Accord is an easy choice, too. Even the Accord coupe. You may be able to find a Scion TC near that price range but I am not sure. Edit: Even with the 17" wheels on my Celica and exclusively in-town driving I average over 29 mpg (and I don't always shift under 3k rpm, heh).