White (or at least was) with a scuffed front bumper and mysterious tiny dents by the back driver side window on the side that I think are from tree limbs.
I would not go with the Compass. If I'm going SUV and my cap is $25k and I'm buying new, I'd buy an XTerra. I had an '08 that I drove the last two years of undergrad and through law school, and it has 100k on it and looks and drives like brand new. I gave it to my Dad when I began work because it was eating me up in gas. If you have to drive a significant distance, I'd really consider getting a car. My car, thus far, has paid for itself in the savings in gas. If you're considering used, I'd go with the 4runner. Absolutely fantastic automobile and nicer than the XTerra.
My previous vehicle was a '94 Ford Ranger that was hunterish green with a red pin stripe. Totaled it avoiding a dog on I-75. Should have just hit the dog, but I'm a softy.
I also regret not hitting the dog because I didn't (in the moment) think of the possibility of completely losing control and endangering people around me. That didn't happen, but the potential is there when traveling at 65 mph and swerving into the median. But to be fair, there were 3 or 4 tards running along the interstate trying to catch the dog, and the whole situation was not good.
Also, for tips on negotiating: 1.) Know what the car you want is worth. Pull the KBB and Edmund's on it. 2.) If you're trading, know what your trade is worth. 3.) If you're trading, don't tell them you're trading until you already have their bottomline on what they would sell the car to you outright. 4.) Then ask them what they could give you on the trade and demand they give you bluebook. 5.) If you're not trading, search a car dealership that lists the car you want for the price you want and take it with you to another car dealership and tell them to match it or you're going to go to the other place and buy it. (The caveat is that most of the great deals on dealership websites are horseshit because "they just sold that one" or it includes some hidden catch, but the place you're going won't know that and I would pretend that I've already figured out that I can indeed buy it for that price at the other dealership.)
My Xterra got about 15 mpg when I lived in Memphis. It was terrible. It got about 17 when I began work and it was killing me in gas. And, the XTerra was a V6. There's really no difference in gas mileage on lots of those SUVs whether you have a V6 or a V8.
Go to a dealership after a hailstorm. Buy a new vehicle with a few fixable dents for an absurd mark down. That's what I did.
Be clear I was speaking of being in sales where impressions count. I have been driving a 2000 Miata since 2001. When I was selling I drove a Mercedes.
