 I bought a used '02 Lancer ES in 2005 for $8k. It already had almost 100k miles on it and had evidently seen some use, as there was wear on both the steering wheel and headrests. I was looking for something to drive for a couple of years and then trade up. I am so grateful I didn't get around to carrying out that plan before the crash in 2008, because after that I was stuck with every item of value I already had due to not being able to buy new ones. My Lancer came through for me in a big way! I hardly did any maintenance on it at all, spent the bare minimum, yet it lasted me until 2014 and I racked up almost 250,000 miles on it. Towards the end things started breaking and that was why I ended up selling it - if I had been able to afford the new clutch it needed, I would probably still be driving it. Things I loved about my Lancer:Gas mileage! I was getting 33 mpg in mixed driving, I swear to god. Roomy and versatile - I used it to haul firewood, used it to move with (crammed all kinds of furniture into it), drove down dirt roads, up mountains and on freeways, spent inordinate amounts of time traveling in it, and plenty of time with the seat reclined taking naps at rest stops. Ease of driving - the clutch pedal is very light and took a minute to get used to, but once I adjusted to that it was easy to drive, very forgiving. Road feel was good, handled well, and a great turning radius. Safety - as much time as I spent on the road (I travel for my job) I had to make several panic stops and the car did great, kept me safe and unharmed. Bells and whistles - the Lancer had exactly the right combination of conveniences and simplicity for my taste. It had electric windows and mirror adjustments (not bad for a base model), a/c that worked great, a decent stereo with CD player, but none of the more fancy features such as headlights that turn themselves on and off, bluetooth, etc. that I personally have no use for anyway and find aggravating.Ergonomics - the seat adjusts in several directions and the steering wheel adjusts as well. Everything is within reach and convenient. The seats recline all the way back for those rest stop naps. My only complaint is the resistance on the heat/cold adjustment knob - it was a bit tight and the knob eventually broke. Power - for a little econo-sedan, it actually had a reasonable amount of get-up-and-go, and I could pull away from stop lights quickly if I needed to, pass people, and keep up with people in bigger cars when needed. I had it up above 100 mph on more than one occasion, although I wasn't really comfortable taking it much above that. Value - let's face it, these cars don't hold a lot of value but that means you can pick up a used one cheap like I did. Expenditure-wise, mostly all I ever did was put gas and oil in it, brakes a couple of times, timing belt at 150k, and some new tires every couple of years. I think I had to buy a set of windshield wipers once. Towards the end, it needed more done to it but it was up over 200,000 miles by that point. I loved my Lancer and would buy another one.