Tips on Buying Cars: Discontinued model, best selling car, ford fusion

Question
Jeff, I'm considering buying a new (2008)Malibu or Solara. 2008 is the last year Solara will be made. Will that make it difficult to find parts in the future? Also, do you have an opinion on which is the better vehicle. I've read quite a few reviews on both. Toyota always seems to review well, but I was surprised that Malibu did quite well, too. Thanks for your time.

Answer
Most of the parts that make up a Solara are from the Camry (the best-selling car in America), so I wouldn't worry about getting parts for a long, long time.  The new Malibu is an incredible improvement over the previous model, making it one of the more competitive American-made cars.  But the Solara is a sporty coupe (and one of the best-looking cars on the road, in my opinion), as where the Malibu is a more practical sedan; they're really different cars, different markets.  If you think you'll be trading the car in a few years, then the Solara will most likely have better resale value.  If you hang onto cars for a long time, you should be able to buy the Malibu for less right now.  I don't think you can go wrong with either vehicle, but have you looked at a Ford Fusion/ Mercury Milan?  Another nice sedan with great reviews, excellent reliability (according to Consumer Reports) and very competitive pricing.