Year:    2010
Make:    Mazda
Model:   3i
Bought:  July 2009
Sold:    July 2010

I bought this during the Cash for Clunkers craze back in 2009. I had a Lincoln Mk VIII that was falling apart and would have been worth maybe $500 used, I couldn’t pass up a $4500 voucher for it. The Mazda 3i with the 2.0l engine and 5 speed manual was the only Mazda that qualified, so I jumped on a base model that the dealership was happy to get rid of. I walked out the door for $10,000 flat and sold it a year and 15k miles later for $11000. The car itself was reliable, comfortable, and reasonably fun to drive. I just couldn’t stand the monthly payment.