I suspect you can find something without a lot of miles for 6-7k as long as you don't mind some unglamorous nameplates.

The only things that show up in that price range with low miles have horrible repair records without the benefit of the TDI's MPG.

For some reason, used cars--esp. imports--seem to cost more in Seattle than in the rest of the country. It's most annoying.

You can probably pick up something like Ford Escort pretty cheap, they are dirt cheap everywhere. The big knock would be that can be camshaft problems with the DOHC engine, but the sedans don't have that engine.

Four doors is easier with babies - no question. That noted, Emmett was carted around in a two-door car his whole baby-life (no AC either) and it was fine. We didn't really take the baby seat out once it went in.

Dodge Neons tend to be pretty cheap too but ya gotta stick with the current generation (2001+) to avoid head gasket problems with the previous generation.

But they wouldn't be as nice as a Volkswagen TDI.

That noted, Emmett was carted around in a two-door car his whole baby-life (no AC either) and it was fine. We didn't really take the baby seat out once it went in.

We have a Snug Ride, and remove it from the base every time we use it. The base stays attached, but the seat itself comes out. What sort of weather were you looking at when he was in babydom?

Still looking at cars. Precious little available in a manual. (We don't drive automatics. Neither of us can stand them. They make us twitch.)

Precious little available in a manual.

That makes it tough. I like manuals too, and they are always in short supply. Forget the Ford Escort suggestion then, I don't then they made manuals after 1999.

What sort of weather were you looking at when he was in babydom?

Fair amount of rain. We had the El Nino winter during his toddler years. That sucked.

Factor in that the baby's size is going to make a difference. As Lily is still reet petite, the getting in-and-out is relatively easy now, but will get harder as she gets heavier.

So, I too would vote on putting off the new car for the immediate future. There are a lot of expenses that come up with babies in the first year or two and having a paid off car is a nice luxury.

I would consider also if you are getting up to 12k that you aren't all that far from the price of a new Toyota Corolla (and better financing options with a new car could bring the payment down to about the same) that can get like 32 city 41 hwy. Might be worth it to save for a bit. Around here anyways Diesel tends to cost quite a bit more than gasoline (especially E10 ethonal) and cost might come out the same. Plus you get warrenty and about the best reliability record there is.

I'm just trying to think of options, in the end get (or don't get anything right now) what you would like the most.

As Lily is still reet petite, the getting in-and-out is relatively easy now, but will get harder as she gets heavier.

We already have to do some nifty contortions to get the seat in, and her added weight will make things right special in time.

So, I too would vote on putting off the new car for the immediate future. There are a lot of expenses that come up with babies in the first year or two and having a paid off car is a nice luxury.

I tend to agree, though we'll see how well we all deal with summer and the car. The current plan is to do a gas cost analysis, and see what sort of difference per month the increased MPG would make, then subtract that amount from the added expense of monthly payments. If it's enough, it might make sense to bite the bullet this year instead of next.

Around here anyways Diesel tends to cost quite a bit more than gasoline (especially E10 ethonal) and cost might come out the same.

It's almost identical here, which is a factor. Biodiesel's more, but for the first time in ages (I think the last time this was the case, I was still driving a diesel, which puts it at least a decade ago), regular diesel's about the same as the cheapest unleaded, and less than premium.