I purchased my Aspire from a cousin. I had long bugged him to sell it to me, and finally he relented! The motor has been replaced at 193K. I found a motor with 22K on it. I have practically rebuilt the car. But it's been a work of love. I like the styling. The gas mileage is great! (averages 32mpg). It is a 5 spd with AC. I have achieved 41 MPG with the Aspire by not running the AC … and keeping speed to 55mph. The mechanics of this car are simple and it's easy to work on when necessary. With that said, it has been an extremely reliable car! I don't know what I would have done w/out it during the "gas rush" of Katrina! I wish Ford would bring this back! Just the way it is!