i don't really know how to preface this post so i'll just get into it. for most of my life i've been driving a rusty old Ford Explorer from the year 2000, my family's first vehicle. in 2021 and 2022 my main car was a 1996 Jeep Cherokee XJ, a beautiful vehicle that felt great to drive, despite it nearly falling apart from under me several times. unfortunately i had to sell the jeep for money, and i was back to the Explorer in 2023. i'm telling you this so maybe you'll get an idea of the type of cars that i enjoy driving.
i hate to say it, but i think the Explorer is reaching the end of its life. i do enjoy driving it, its got nice visibility and can go off-road when i need it to. the rear interior space is also really handy for hauling friends and furniture when i need to.
i've thought about getting a later 2000s or early 2010s Jeep, or maybe a small pickup truck, but i really don't know what is most suitable for cost and reliability. one specific car i've got my eye on is a Chevrolet S10, but that'd probably be too expensive to find secondhand in good shape.
i'm barely hanging on financially, so my price range is gonna be quite low. given some time i could scrape together about $5k, which i know severely limits my options.
anyway this post is a rambling mess. if you have any advice for searching for secondhand vehicles to replace the one that i have, i'd love to hear it!
