I looked at some available 2002 Honda Accord models, but they all had far too many miles on them. Most were pushing 100,000 or more. I test drove a couple of 2006 and 2007 Accord SEs and they were very nice cars.
While my pathological hatred of Microsoft tends to make me shy away from anything with the butterfly icon (MSN) this site is actually very useful. I found a wealth of information available.
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I also discovered that it is possible to subscribe to the online version of Consumer Reports on a monthly basis for seven bucks.
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I looked over their used car recommendations, reliability ratings, and reviews of individual models and concluded that the Japanese branded models still have a substantial reliability edge. So, I think I am on the right track looking for a Honda Accord.
Here is one that caught my eye (watch for line wrap)
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It is supposed to be a 2007, but is actually cheaper than some comparable 2006s, with extremely low mileage. .As far as I can tell, the only things that might bring the price down are the lack of a moon roof (like a give a rat's patootie) and the fact that it is not a "certified" used car. But it should have some original warranty left. I think I will go look at it tomorrow. Unfortunately, I am still waiting for the insurance company to send a check.
Elliot Richmond Itinerant astronomy teacher