[MRM]

I'll take 11 posts on the $10,000 car recommendation pool.

I just went through this with my mother with exactly the same situation and budget. I researched relentlessly and came up with a Ford Taurus as the best option. You can't quite get a Ford 500 for that price, but you can get a good Taurus from that era without much problem.

For $5,000 any of the better Japanese cars like a Camry will have lots of miles and be pretty beat up. A $5,000 Taurus is a much better value. The Taurus has an excellent safety record and amazingly is very reliable. Not much excitement, but reliable, safe, comfortable and within your budget.

On the other hand, what she really needs, though, is a five year old Toyota Camry. That's a $10,000 car, but much better for her needs.