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AndrewJ -
I vote Vibe/Matrix. Ask trikkonceptz how much he can carry in his (for sale!!!) Vibe. The rear seats folded-down should be great for doggies with the proper carpet/mat. Without a mat, the hard plastic floor would lead to sliding doggies.
The Focus wagon is definitely intriguing, but I don't know enough about it. It "looks" like it has a lot of interior space.
I would get another 1999+ SW# if I had the space/time/money. From what I have read, 1999 is a "good year" in terms of quality. They are not as efficient as the Vibe when it comes to the rear fold-down seats. The Vibe is designed to become a mini-truck-bed. Some of them, like mine, definitely burn oil. The pistons don't have oil-drain-back holes, so when the oil gets into the chamber, it's more likely to burn off than seep back down. If the previous owner was negligent, they might have let the oil get too low, which can put the timing chain at risk. It's an interference engine, so monitoring the oil to keep the timing chain healthy is a must. If the previous owner was a hot-rodder, they might have loosened the diff-pin in the tranny, which can also lead to very unhappy events. If you find a cheap one with low miles, join saturnfans to learn what to spend to make it run right.
My friend has a Honda Element, which is great for his doggies and landscaping business, but I don't know what the prices are on those right now.
The Element makes me think of a Scion Xb. Too small?
A Honda Fit would be cool, but probably not on the market long enough to find used ones for $6K.
CarloSW2
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