OK, I KNOW this si a Mercedes forum, but...

My son, the musician finnaly got a (parttime) teaching job, so now he needs a better car. He's been driving a hand-me-dowm '96 geo Metro. He says his budget is $11,000. Remember, he is a Tuba player and need to trandsport his horn, and often a passenger. He drives in downtown Philly and NYC to various gigs.
His list pasic parameters:
30+ mpg
reliable
< 30,000 miles
model year 2003 or newer
Sedan vs. Hatch back--either body style has some advantages and other liabilities, so thats a wash.

OK, what would you fine members of the mercedesshop Open Discussion suggest?

Thanks for any help. ( Anxious to see how this thread gets hi-jacked....)

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags