What car should I buy ?

[macabethiel]

The wife basically refuses to drive my car as she says it looks like a hearse!
Some truth there as a black Chrysler 300 CRD Estate is a tad hearse like in side profile.

Anyway that aside I have owned it now for 3 years and as I do only short journey work now I am retired a 3 Litre Diesel is not really a sensible motor (Its a December 2009 on a 59 plate with under 18k miles from new). I am considering buying a smaller petrol engined vehicle maybe a hatchback but not an estate car.

It must be automatic and a petrol engine but I just don't know what to look at. Economy is not a big issue as I only do around 2,000 miles a year as the Jeep is our main vehicle. My budget is around the 7-9 k mark. I like leather trim and it has to be a 4 door as 2 doors are too large for us when trying to get out in car parks etc. I have had a Mini before but again its vetoed by the wife as she said I drove it like an idiot when I was behind the wheel.(Some truth there it did bring the teenager out in me lol).

I do not want to buy something too old or with Starship mileage and roof height means another 4x4 is out as it needs to fit in our garage. Sound bodywork is a must and I am 6ft 1" tall so micro cars are out.

Any ideas here as to what I should consider that fits the general requirements ? I have even considered some sort of usable so called Classic car but am at a bit of a loss. It must be an age thing as when I was younger I seemed to know years in advance what I wanted next.