Good MPG Daily commuter cars?

C

CHARGED

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Joined
May 24, 2001
Well just found out my 5 minute trip to work will be a 50min-1hr(1 way) trip thanks to a relocation:mad: Great timing with these gas prices....

Will need something that gets VG gas milage(probably 4cl)30+ mpg and dependable, it will be all highway miles.

Looking for something small, sporty, and fairly comfotable for around15-19k. I never owned a small,effecient car before so this will be new for me.

Some of my initial thoughts looking through local autotrader are: (used)
Mazada Miata, RX8
Chrysler Crossfire
Pontiac Solstice
Mits. Eclipse
Hyundai Tiburon
Honda Civic
Chevy Colbalt SS
Acura RSX
Toyota Camry
Older Porsche Boxter

Anybody that has experience with these or others let me know. Probably about 30k mi a year. Maybe leasing options on new cars?
 
Leasing isn't an option unless you're willing to pay $10k a year in mileage overages.

If you're going to put 30k miles a year on it, I'd look at things that are known to go for a long time as well as get good mileage. I'd also look at something that isn't expensive. I have a Talon TSI, and while its a fun car, it doesn't get real good gas milage. If I'm lucky I can squeek out 28mpg on the highway. At 70-75mph it is running 3500 rpms... not fun. My 6.0L GTO gets just as good of gas milage on the highway as my 2.0L Eagle. Not sure what the newer ones get for milage. Wouldn't want a miata on the highway all the time. The RX8 is a gas hog. The cobalt might not be bad, the ecotek motor is supposed to be good. Never ridden in one. My sister has a econo RSX she bought new, its a nice car, but feels like a tin can even compared to my Eagle. I wouldn't buy any german car for highway commuting especially a used one. The solstice is nice, but they're $30k brand new. Don't think they're dropping in price too much. I wouldn't want to spend $20k on a used car and then 2 years later it has 100k miles and is worth $3500.
 
i like my 04 prius, the hatch back with folding seats allows for more space to hawl stuff.

50mpg+ doesn't hurt either, neither does a touch button AC/NAVI/MP3 screen, neither does HID's for lights, not getting tailed by coppers is relaxing too. I havn't changed anything for 80k except filters and oil, she runs great!

I have loved every mile of my 80k prius! Gas was around $2 when I bought it, just a hair over and in 4 years its more then doubled. Hmm seems like we're paying extra because others have a debt to pay.

just my 2cents; btw if you can wait till 09' the new 4th gen prius will have 100+mpg!
 
Sh!tbox

My little sh!tbox civic gets great gas mileage. 350 miles give or take on a tank of gas. I think it only has a 10 to 12 gallon tank. A/C will freeze your a$$ out of there too. I don't really like driving it, much rather be driving my truck, but I would prefer to put sixty miles a day on the civic than my truck. Saving quite a bit of cash on gas aswell. 1998 Honda Civic EX 1.6 automatic. Best 500 bucks I've spent recently.
 
I bought a '03 Ford Focus ZX3 for gas mileage and love it. 2.0L 4 valve with 5 speed manual. Get 30mpg pretty consistently combined city/highway. Best so far has been 44mpg at 55mph and 36mpg at 70mph. Decent power from 3500-6000rpm, handles very well, and I can stuff a ton of cargo in the back if you fold the rear seats up. Haven't had any problems with it either (other than that deer :mad: )
 
99 Toyota Camry 4cyl. I fill it up once a month. I don't drive very far a month. It gets great mileage.
 
check out 05-06 honda accord ex 4 cycl, nice car, not too small. I find it comfortable compare to the 97 I used to have, no issues, gets around 23-24 around town and over 30 mpgs highway
 
I wouldnt even spend that much on a commuter car. I would go older - at least thats what i did - easy to work on - dont care if i rack up the miles, insurance is cheaper, etc.

I picked up an 84 cavalier that needed an engine rebuild. I rebuilt the engine - new tires and wheels, new convertible top, rebuilt engine with new PS pump, alternator, water pump, radiator, etc - and I am only in $1500 total, including buying the thing.

I drive it to St Louis and Cincinnati often, as well as every day and have parked my Jeep, except for special occasions.

With the convertible, I find I drive slower, dont care about only 92hp under the hood. Without an overdrive trans, it doesnt get as good highway MPG as it could - but now after 2500 miles on this vehicle - I average 23 around town average and 28 when its all highway at 70mph and 3200rpm. (3 speed 125 with a lockup converter).

I highly recommend the J-body cars from 82-92.... Very reliable, cheap, etc. And the convertible is lots of fun.


CHARGED said:
Well just found out my 5 minute trip to work will be a 50min-1hr(1 way) trip thanks to a relocation:mad: Great timing with these gas prices....

Will need something that gets VG gas milage(probably 4cl)30+ mpg and dependable, it will be all highway miles.

Looking for something small, sporty, and fairly comfotable for around15-19k. I never owned a small,effecient car before so this will be new for me.

Some of my initial thoughts looking through local autotrader are: (used)
Mazada Miata, RX8
Chrysler Crossfire
Pontiac Solstice
Mits. Eclipse
Hyundai Tiburon
Honda Civic
Chevy Colbalt SS
Acura RSX
Toyota Camry
Older Porsche Boxter

Anybody that has experience with these or others let me know. Probably about 30k mi a year. Maybe leasing options on new cars?
Click to expand...
 
The Chevy Cobalt is a nice car. My dad has one. It gets 31 mpg on the highway going 70+. He flies on the highway so its probably usually running around 80mph. His is a stick.

We just bought an '08 Cobalt this week. Auto trans. Don't know the mpg yet. I'm sure it will be good.

I drive a '96 RM Wagon. I've seen 20mpg setting the cruise at 70mph. I usually get just under 20mpg because I can't keep my foot out of it. Not too bad for a tank with a V8.

I miss my '04 VW Golf TDI. I crowded that thing all the time and it was always in the 40mpg range.
 
My 08 Prius is averaging 48.9 MPG.
When Gomes a I drove it to Norwalk we got 45.5 average
going 80MPH.
 
CHARGED said:
Well just found out my 5 minute trip to work will be a 50min-1hr(1 way) trip thanks to a relocation:mad: Great timing with these gas prices....

Will need something that gets VG gas milage(probably 4cl)30+ mpg and dependable, it will be all highway miles.

Looking for something small, sporty, and fairly comfotable for around15-19k. I never owned a small,effecient car before so this will be new for me.

Some of my initial thoughts looking through local autotrader are: (used)
Mazada Miata, RX8
Chrysler Crossfire
Pontiac Solstice
Mits. Eclipse
Hyundai Tiburon
Honda Civic
Chevy Colbalt SS
Acura RSX
Toyota Camry
Older Porsche Boxter

Anybody that has experience with these or others let me know. Probably about 30k mi a year. Maybe leasing options on new cars?
Click to expand...

Stay away from the boxter $$$$$ for repairs.The camry is decent. make sure you pull a valve cover and check for sludge. common problem. Rsx is good. Cobalt is fair. to many problems with power steering systems on the newer gm cars. Civic is best on the list. If your going to buy a hyundai get a new one.they have a great warranty 10 year /100,000 but that is for the original owner only read the fine print on a used one. I like the new sonata.The mitsu is good.The rest of the list is junk.I have done 6 timing chains in the last year on ecotec engines all under 30,000 miles. did a saturn vue with 17,000 miles.all the cars were out of warranty by time.Dont lease.You will be thowing your money away with the miles your going to be driving.The hybrids are nice but expensive and when it comes time for repairs no one wants to touch them:confused: they are not hard to work on.The new nissans are not to bad.My friend bought a 2006 altma and the they have 158,000 miles on it and no repairs except for maintenance.Not too bad .Just my 2 cents. good luck
 
C5 corvette with a 6 speed, 32 mpg hwy, & it don't get much sportier than that. we have also been looking for a VW tdi for another beater, average of mid to upper 40mpg.
 
Something else you need to calculate is the actual cost of ownership ie; tax, loan payment and insurance. Sure you save on the fuel but that money spent can be much less than the extra money you spend on taxes, loan and extra insurance on a new car. You actually be using less money driving an older car that you know the repair history and are comfortable in.
 
TurboIndian said:
C5 corvette with a 6 speed, 32 mpg hwy, & it don't get much sportier than that. we have also been looking for a VW tdi for another beater, average of mid to upper 40mpg.
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X2

My dad swears his '99 SS Camaro gets 30 MPG. It's a 6-speed, too. For some reason when I drive it, it gets 15 MPG? Something to do with my right foot.

Jim
 
turbojimmy said:
X2

My dad swears his '99 SS Camaro gets 30 MPG. It's a 6-speed, too. For some reason when I drive it, it gets 15 MPG? Something to do with my right foot.

Jim
Click to expand...
I had a new 96 Z28 and on a trip i could pull off 28 on hte highway,Dont remember what the average was though
 
The company I work for has a Smart car. It doesn't get good gas milage for that small of a car, and I sure as heck wouldn't want to be driving it on the highway. The only thing it really has going for it, is that you can pull strait into a parallel parking spot and park two side by side on one spot nose in.
 
I saw one going down the interstate the other day. It looked scary. I think I would feel safer on a bike.
 
From your list, Civic is the only logical choice. Maybe not near as much fun as the other choices on your list, but rock solid and dependable!
 
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