I just want to thank everyone who’s actually contributed advice to my questions and concerns.
I appreciate some of your concerns and advice to my situation but I’m not stupid or blind, I won’t naively buy a vehicle I don’t know anything about (hence the 3 months it’s taken me to make a decision).
I’ve looked at many cars and many SUV’s, I’ve done a lot of research on repair costs and upkeep; I’ve also crunched my numbers and decided what I could afford and what I couldn’t.
With the money I’ve saved up, got from the settlement, and from my taxes, I’ve figured out my final number to spend.
The amount of $ I spend in gas already (mom’s huge truck is a gas hog) won’t be changing if I get an SUV and the pluses of having one out way the concern for gas usage.
Therefore I have decided to get an SUV, unless I happen upon a small car in the meantime, I can actually make a lil $ driving the carpool for my friends kids, which would help with gas $ and some.
In the morning I am going to test drive a white Nissan Xterra. It’s exactly within my price range and probably less. But b/c of the weekend I haven’t been able to get any info other than a price.
I’ll find out in the morning!