I was frankly surprised that the 03s were rated poorly for reliability. Mostly engine related, I believe. And the glass rear window is a big thing to me.
The standard best buy advice is
buy the best car you can afford.
Options and color selection also require scrutiny. I had to have a 6 speed, heated seats, Carrera lites, and cruise control. And black (either metallic or not) over tan. Other options were "nice to have" or "too expensive to consider."
You said color selection was important, so hold out for what you really want. There are plenty of reasonably priced good cars out there to take a "deal" over what your heart tells you.
