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[viet_mom]

First of all, thanks so much for the great advice on the thank you notes. I still have to write them but at least I have a plan. I think.

So....eek, more advice if you all don't mind? I got a surprising call from Dad today who says he has to gift 60K from some investment that was realized and he will give each of us 3 kids 20K but only if we use it towards a car. My two siblings drive new cars so this contingency is geared towards me. I drive a 95 Volvo; bought it used for 17K in late 97 (for some time now, it's been fully paid for). I have been keeping up with parts and take good care of it; it has about 110,000 miles but runs fine and I just put in about 2K over the course of 2 years on various parts. I tried to convince him to give me the $$ for Vietbabe's college fund or to go towards our mortgage payments but no go. He views our car as old and insists we get a "new" car (but will consider a used tester car that has only 10K miles on it or so).

So, now I don't know what to do. Some people have said get a Camry - they're safe and the 20K could get me there. But..I've always liked the Volvo b/c I perceive it as being so safe b/c it's boxy and is so heavy and has so much steel and whatever they say about the sturdy frame. Anti-lock breaks and other "safety" features like good air bags and such are fine. But for me, the only criterion for a car is that, in the event of a major accident (like smacked by a big truck) we have the greatest chance of coming out of it alive. With that in mind, does anyone think the Volvo is still the best for that because it's supposedly so heavy and the frame, etc.? I don't know if I can get a starter Volvo for 20K (plus the 4K or so I might be able to get for my current car whose interior is hideosly stained with coffee and ground-in Cheerios and nasty nasty stuff and some interior peeling off). I might consider a wagon but have to see if it would fit in my small garage.

Thanks!!