Friends: I need your help. Nothing major - I promise!

Friends:  I need your help.  Nothing major - I promise!

I've decided that I need a car.  I have $2000 (in the bank - not on me!  Don't came at me in the alley) that I can spend.  No - not on a down payment.  TOTAL.

I realize that's not gonna get me a shiny new perfect car, but it will get me something that I'm not scared to be in.  Something that might give me a little bit of my freedom back.  Nobody wants to let me go anywhere because they worry that I might get stranded.  Shaun won't ride with me anywhere because if I do get stranded then who would come and get us?  My mom (most likely), but she's farther away and I hate doing that to her.

REQUIREMENTS:

MUST HAVE at least 4 doors and a MANUAL transmission.

WOULD LIKE TO HAVE what I will happily refer to as a "dog compartment."  I do not want a trunk.  I'd like a hatch or a wagon or tiny SUV.

I have found a few things that are OK (meaning they are sticks, but regular cars - no dog compartment) by searching Craigslist and the Buy / Sell Bulletin.  Seems like manual transmissions are hard to come by these days.  🙁

I will continue to keep an eye on the internet and buy / sell, but I would also like for you to keep your eyes and ears open for me.  It's NOT an emergency so I will give it a few months before breaking down and buying just an ok, regular car.  I thought that maybe if I was patient I could find something with a dog compartment.  I've only been looking for about a week so I am far from discouraged.  I am, however, pretty sad that almost everywhere I look the cars are automatic.  LAME.  😳