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Part of my job requires me to purchase vehicles for work and this is one of the latest additions. It is a 2010 Ford Fusion with just 21,000 miles. I got it for just a mere $6800 because it has a rebuilt salvage title. I’m not a fan of cars that have been wrecked. I made the mistake many years ago of repairing a car I had that was a total loss and while it was just barely outside the specifications of the insurance company I, later to a large degree, regretted my decision to fix it. One of the issues was having to replace all of the aftermarket parts the body shop used. But in the car and the parts defense I was in two more accidents later on and the rear end hit is what I believe caused electrical issues in the car. It ran okay for a couple of years after, although I had window and radio issues, then suddenly I developed problems that the dealership couldn’t figure out.

In this case my Uncle and his business partners were in agreement that this was a good buy. And it is. It is a great deal with such low miles. We don’t tend to keep cars for a really long time. When the mileage gets too high or we start having a lot of problems we get rid of the vehicle. When the gas prices went up we started unloading all of the SUVs we had and buying smaller cars. We also got rid of the Chevy Impala, Ford Five Hundred and Honda Accord. Unbelievably, the Accord was quite problematic and my Uncle made the decision that it was more of a headache than it was worth.

We are all in agreement that newer cars would be better options but the prices have went up so much. You get less car for the money now although there are some good buys out there if you are patient and take the time to find them. This is what I’m doing. All together I have to buy about seven new cars, maybe eight, if I can get good enough buys and still have a couple of cars to get rid of.

This Fusion is a great buy. One of our partners went and looked at it and test drove it first but wanted a second opinion so I went and looked at it but didn’t drive it. I listened to the engine and checked all of the fluids and they all look good which they should with only 21,000 miles.

I’ve already decided on two more Fusions. They too have low miles. Personally, I like the Ford Focus the best. They are quite roomy for such small cars and the front seats recline all the way back instead of only three quarters back like the Fusion and it doesn’t matter which one you buy. I can’t speak for the newest ones but the ones from 2010 to 2014 do not recline flat. Unlike the Chevy Impala and Ford Taurus. I really would have liked to found some Impala’s but so far I haven’t found any I’m interested in.

And I can’t go much farther than 25 miles out because I can’t leave my aunt at home alone for long and usually, like yesterday and today, a neighbor came over and stayed with her. She doesn’t have to do anything except just sit there with her and give her water or something else to drink if she wants it and make sure she doesn’t fall down if she has to go to the bathroom. I’m not comfortable leaving with her anyone else for long periods. I’ve been doing this for well over a year now and I know her routine and whether she’s having a good day or a bad one.

There are a lot of good cars out there and most people will tell you that Ford isn’t at the top of that list. Many women in my camping group also say Subaru has a high cost of ownership meaning it requires a lot of repairs and maintenance. Most say Toyota and Honda are the best and I don’t doubt it. I’ve had good luck with Ford although not every Ford I’ve driven has been the best. I had one I did a lot of repairs but it was a tough car and never broke down on the side of the road. Here’s a book that will give you information on the best cars for 2023.

Here are some more references on the best cars to buy today. Consumer Reports: Best Cars of 2021, New Cars Magazine: December 2022, Best & Worst New Cars of 2014 and Best & Worst New Cars, SUVs & Trucks of 2021.

Latest posts: 1954 Ford Customline Ranch Wagon, Old School Gaffney SC, Abandoned House in Raphine Virginia, Abandoned South Carolina, Old House in Indiana and Demon Dog Valle Crucis NC.

Until next time……..My story……..UPDATE: I’m moving to a marina on Lake Keowee, only in a smaller boat, a 1981 Yukon Delta 28 that needs a ton of work…………….I’m Rachel Xie Qi Holbert-Jones Page and this is my story: living in Iva, South Carolina (Anderson County), part time in Hartwell, Georgia on my boyfriend’s boat, a 1986 Chris-Craft Catalina 381. I was at the Hartwell Marina which doesn’t allow liveaboards so I left. He purchased a 1996 Holiday Mansion 39 Barracuda, 1977 CHB Trawler 34 (I’m remodeling), 1986 Marine Trader 54 Sunliner that I’m updating, 2018 Sunseeker Manhattan 52, 2001 Nordic Tug 37 and a 1983 Fishcraft 28 (similar to the AdventureCraft 28 I lived on and still call home). I’m also camping at various places, mostly lake campgrounds. ****************I still care for my aunt in West Virginia sometimes and hoping not to have to return to Memphis, Tennessee. We are scheduled to move my aunt to Dead Women Crossing, Oklahoma but first it’s to Georgia for the winter & Michigan in the summer. I’m still traveling for work and have been to my Uncle’s ranch in Alpine, Texas to oversee it and the cattle he retitled in both of our names, Texas Longhorns, Scottish Highlands, Brangus and show horses. He’s also added Bison and Beefalo to his ranch. **************************************************************** For my work travels my uncle purchased a 1995 Ford E-150 Econoline GT Starquest Campervan. I wasn’t sure about an older van like this but the man that owned it had completely converted it with solar power and electrical, it was a good deal. It only has 112k miles. It only has a sealed portable toilet but it is okay because I prefer a public toilet and only use a camper toilet if I’m dispersed camping, at a Walmart or Cracker Barrel. I prefer rest areas and truck stops. For short trips, I drive a car or SUV. ***************************************************************** I have an avid love for photography and capturing the essence of old, abandoned houses, allegedly haunted places, classic, antique vehicles, lakes, rivers, nature, museums, art galleries, antique shops, car shows and historical places. I’m not a ghosthunter or paranormal investigator although I’ve had people request me to lead their groups, I’m a legend hunter. I love scary podcasts and spend more time on YouTube or Audible than Peacock or Tubi. I used to watch TV or movies when I stopped for the night but now I usually go right to sleep when I stop and prefer the podcasts of Darkness Prevails, What Lurks Beneath, Swamp Dweller or Red Owl. I like to listen to scary trucker stories too, occasionally grizzly/polar bear attacks, audiobooks & Dateline Podcasts. I like google scholar, casetext, medium, wordpress, livejournal, blogger, unsplash, pexels, pixabay, pinterest, instagram, facebook, X, tumblr, amazon, eBay, shadowlands (for places that are haunted), reading, greek mythology, animal shows, National Geographic, the metaphysical, food, camping, fitness, weightlifting, nutrition, health, gua sha, face rollers, beauty, fashion, tai chi, yoga, YouTube (listening to van lifers and people living in their vehicles), road tripping, computers, internet and creating videos. I also like long drives & deserted back roads. Work consists of scouting for investment properties and rehabbing/remodeling those properties for my employer. We also remodel old boats and restore classic cars. *****************************************************************Visit my blogs at https://rachelholbertjonespage.com, https://sassygrrl32x.blogspot.com and https://youtube.com/sassygrrl32 ……………………..By Rachel Xie Qi Holbert-Jones Page AKA sassygrrl32 & Haunted Legendhunter & Bourbon Street Blogger **********************************************************Alot of people have asked me the story of my homeless situation and I’ve removed it for now and will discuss it in my blog posts. *****************************************************************#rachelxieqiholbertjonespage #sassygrrl32 #Iva #Keowee #SouthCarolina #Hartwell #Georgia #andersoncounty #Michigan #livinginacar #vanlife #nomadlifestyle #carcamping #roadtripping #boondocking #carlife #livingoffgrid #vandwelling #vanliving #legendhunter #haunted #abandoned #xieqi #sassyaftersixty #deadwomencrossing #oklahoma #westvirginia #memphis #tennessee #bourbonstreetblogger #bepositive #prayer #GodBless #rebranding #westernzhoudynasty #daxie #nanyang #mandarin #xiemei #lowbow #vitallifeforce #flowingvitalenergy #unseenenergy #taichi #davisislandersllc #rizzoreipartners #blackheart #keowee

UPDATE: I’m moving to Lake Keowee to a marina in Keowee, SC to a boat Malachi has docked there. It’s a rundown boat that needs a lot of work that I will be doing in exchange for free room and board, so to speak, but first I’m doing the inspections and will be able to move to it in a few weeks, hopefully. Until them, I’m in my car and couchsurfing and traveling with my companion. By Rachel Xie Qi Holbert-Jones BlackHeart Page