Newbie questions on car purchase
 

The last time I purchased a car was 1993, and the technology has
changed so much since then I feel like a total "newbie" at this. I'm
not even sure if they had SUVs back then, for example.

Also, my circumstances have changed. I had a car accident about a
year ago, and am still suffering neck problems from the whiplash.
(Total aside -- if anyone knows of a support group for chronic pain in
the Washington, DC, or suburban Maryland areas, please e-mail me at
the e-mail address below....)

In any event, here are some basics on what I am seeking, followed by
some questions. Anyone who takes the time to reply, your input is
much appreciated.

1. Part of the reason I think I got hurt as bad as I did in my
accident (rear-ended while stopped at a light) was that my car was so
lightweight, not enough mass there to absorb the shock. (I was
driving a Geo Prizm.) So I want a somewhat heavier car this time,
something that holds up better in an impact.

2. Due to this neck thing, I also need more headroom, and I need it
to be easier to get into and out of the car. Along with the extra
headroom, it would help if the windshield is higher in relation to the
top of my head. (This all has to do with some limitations on neck
motion I now have.)

From what I've read, it seems to me that an SUV or Minivan is the way
to go, both in terms of more car mass, and in terms of more headroom.
However....

Q1. In my price range ($20,000 to maybe $28,000), are there any
standard four-door sedans with greater-than-typical headroom, and cars
that are simply heavier than most 4-door sedans? In other words, any
four-door sedans I should be looking into?

Q2. Assuming I go the Minivan/SUV route -- I get the sense that
Minivans tend to be even bigger than SUVs, possibly too big for my
needs. (I don't have kids or anything.) And I hear that both
Minivans and SUVs have a higher risk of roll-over. Between the two,
would an SUV tend to give me the extra headroom I need, and the
greater ease of getting in and out of the car, but without as much
rollover risk as the Minivans? In general, what is the recommendation
between SUV and Minivan for my needs?

Q3. Safety, reliability, and a smooth ride are crucial. With that in
mind, anything else I should be asking here, or looking into?

Thanks in advance for all replies. Any suggestions for particular
vehicles to consider would be welcome. (Right now I'm looking at a
Consumer Reports review of the Honda CR-V, and that looks promising,
except they say that it is noisy, but I can probably live with that.
Any comments on that vehicle?)

Steve O.

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Use 'steveqdr' just as written, and you can figure out the rest.