Car buffs, a question

[Syn_Dem]

For my first car, I'm conteplating getting a Mazda 3, or a Honda Civic LX. For the subcompact class, they have very good gas mileage though I think the Civic gives a little bit more. Both around the same price, but both are little lacking in saftey features, I guess thats what you get with a 15k car. But which one do you guys and gals think I should go for?

[XNASA]

1. Either one is a fine choice.

Hondas, of course, are very reliable. Mazda's a little less so, but have some added safety features that the Honda does not.

About a year ago, I was shopping for an econo-car so I drove all of them. I discounted a Civic, because frankly, there's just too many of them and I wanted something unique.

We ended up getting a Mazda Tribute, because we got a great deal. But I love dealing with Mazda and I really like their cars. Zoom-zoom.

[TNDemo]

2. The safety thing.

I'm going to show my old lady side here. I am all for good gas mileage but the thought of someone in a little Honda getting hit by a big ass SUV is pretty sobering. I had a good friend's son get killed two weeks ago in California. He was in the smallest Toyota and someone in a big truck hydroplaned in the rain and hit him and he didn't have a chance. Guy in the truck walked out. They had a picture of the car in the paper that was pretty awful.

$15,000 can buy you a really good used car that would be more structurally sound but of course the bigger you get the more gas you will have to pay for. We have three Jaguars (the sedan kind). The most we have ever paid is $8,500 because we buy them pretty old. I feel my kids are pretty safe in them. The problem with an older Jaguar is you have to know how to work on them, which my husband does, because they have little quirks. Repair bills have been very small through the years because my husband knows how to do it. Not everyone has the built in mechanic who thrives on tinkering with the cars. How about a used American car that is bigger?

I know, I am an artifact and I am raining on your parade but as a mother figure I just had to say this!