Well, yesterday a wreck killed my '93 Pathfinder - one of the handiest vehicles I've ever owned.
I'm OK besides being angry and sore from neck to waist, but the problem is finding something equally adept.
Not looking for new cars or complicated tech, but something in a small SUV/wagon/hatchback kind of thing.
Doesn't have to be a Mopar (yes, heresy to some), and to me the architecture of a small/medium wagon is optimum.
Won't see much snow - like the Pathy did - now that I'm in the suburbs, and a FWD deal like my old Breeze 5-speed was fun, FWIW.
I'll guess my budget at maybe $15,000 max, but I'd prefer $10,000 or less.
Whaddya think ?

There's a few clean, used '93 Pathfinder's out there have you looked for any?

Yeah, haven't found any nice ones though.
Cruised CL, local ads, and several used-car sites & broadened my search to sedans, hatchbacks & small PUs (Dak/Ranger/etc).

If you like the Pathfinder type of vehicle, then a Toyota 4 Runner should be on the list to look at. I have a 2017 I bought new and it has 196,500 on it with ZERO issues. I drive it through my pastures and have taken it to off road parks and had fun with it. It is also my rolling office during the week, which is why it has so many miles already. It has even hauled 440's in the rear cargo area to the machine shop. I realize you are probably looking for something a little older with your price range, but even the older 4 Runners are a good option to look at. Heck, some of the older units came with V8s!
Just my 2 cents!

You might have to drive a bit to get one but I think if you keep up with the Internet searches you can find another Pathfinder with reasonable mileage.
Good Luck!

You can get a 4th gen 4runner for that budget and it's the same type of vehicle as the older pathfinders. Or if you want another Pathfinder look at the rebadged Infiniti version called QX4

Durango?

Jeep Cherokees roundabout 10 years old seem OK & viable.
4Runners are spendy around here unless they're piles.
Actually considered a Focus until I read about their litany of problems, and a buddy had an Edge that cost him dearly in repairs.
Found an '01 Grand Cherokee I kinda like - 130K for $7995 & looks clean - any problems with them ?

Grand Cherokee too maybe a little closer to the same size as the Pathfinder?

Colorado seems to have a lot of them, rent a econo car drive out there drive the new one back. Fly out and drive back.

If I had the time and not a bunch of balls in the air, I could travel, but can't any time soon.

Seems like a good option IMO (if '01 still had the 4.0 or 5.2). Plenty of parts and aftermarket support available.

4Runner, clean XJ Cherokee (I loved mine), clean ZJ Grand Cherokee.

Apparently, '01 V8s were the 4.7, and I've read enough about those here to be leery.

Jeeps are popular around here so they have good resale generally. Pay more, but then you don't really loose too much later. Kinda always been that way.

Most the Durangos and Dakotas have a lot of miles and bad clear coat issues. The last of them can still be had with good cosmetics, but the engines in them can be trouble so I have heard. Met a mechanic a few years ago who worked for the local GMC dealer tell me when they got anything 4.7 as a trade-in it went to the auction. That dealership offers used car warranties and had a few in that needed major engine work/total replacement so the sales manager decided they were not worth having on the lot. I think if you found one that has been taken care of you may be ok?

Toyotas are popular and priced that way.

Lady at the bank I talked to a few years ago said it's possible to save quite a bit of money by traveling outside the area and driving something back home instead. C-19 made prices on the sought after stuff go way up and that is where it has stayed.

FaceBook Marketplace has become the go to classifieds for buying and selling. You may not agree, like it or have an account- but the fact is they have taken over as the place to find vehicles and sell vehicles. But here's a video of a repair shop owner in Kansas. He does "Buy this not that" videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5KxRIqDcds&list=PLh3LJqzACNaPK0nX3wIypD0FBUd8rILQE&index=13

First off, it's good to hear that you are OK after the accident!

Now to turn to selecting a replacement vehicle. An XJ Cherokee would be my first choices. Those have fewer electrical gizmos than the Grand Cherokee and better transmissions. The XJ's were also more likely to have a manual transmission. The XJ's have some issues, but most of those can be fixed cheaply. For the most part, there is adequate room to access stuff under the hood. There are many aftermarket parts available for the XJ's. There also also a number of parts that can be swapped from other vehicles to upgrade the XJ. The brake system would be the first upgrade to make! Look for an XJ with the Chrysler 8 1/4 rear axle. I like the transfer case that had option of 2 wheel drive along with part time and full time 4 wheel drive. (The hard core off road guys would disagree with that choice.)

I had an XJ years ago. It had the handling package with front and rear sway bars. It was a nice driving vehicle! The XJ's without the handling package did not drive nearly as well on the road. My XJ was the "country edition", which was the top of the line model. It was comparable to a base model Grand Cherokee. I was very happy with that XJ!

I've never had a Durango or a Dakota, but have heard a LOT of good things about the 1990's Durangos. The biggest issue I've heard of with these is transmission problems. I can't recall exactly when the body was changed, but some of the later ones had rust issues along with the engine issues already mentioned. If you want to do any towing, a V8 Durango would probably be the best in it's class.

The Grand Cherokee is probably comparable to the Durango in many respects. I'd prefer the Durango because it has a frame. (That is better for towing.) On the other hand, the Grand Cherokee could be had with the 4.0 engine.

The S-10 Blazers with the 4.3 engines were reasonably good. The older, square body style did not seem to hold up very well in an accident though. The later ones were better....but that's not saying much. They were a bit cramped under the hood. So, working on them could be a hassle. Some people have had problems with the S-10's. The transmission and the axles were not real strong. If one can be found that has been well cared for rather than abused, it might be a decent vehicle.

Some people love the small imported SUV's. I don't have any experience with those and can't offer any thoughts on them.

Good luck with whatever choice you make. Around here, used vehicles have become EXPENSIVE!!! I've seen some absolutely crazy asking prices!!! You may find a better price if you can wait until spring to buy. This time of year, 4 wheel drives bring a premium price.

Appreciate the input, gentlemen, and maybe I can give more parameters:
Towing is my Dually's job, fooling around & certain trips are Mustang stuff, and the Road Runners are the rolling monuments
Wagon architecture is to me the Swiss Army Knife for weather, tasks, and general life stuff.
The XJs are pretty likeable, but are (to me) a bit more crude than my Pathfinder.
By the same token - see the "weirdest driving" thread - I'm NOT digging the high-tech robotic driving experience of the new cars.
My philosophy is to find the nicest used example of something reliable and I guess I'd say enjoyable.
At the moment, I'm kinda drawn to the Cherokees & Mazda CX-5 of the 2000-2015-ish era, but certainly open to alternatives.
A buddy of mine loves his Honda Pilot...

Pop top 4Runner.

If it has the 4.0 ltr straight six I'd say good. I think last year for them was '06.