efficient road trip car
 

Ive been lurking on the forum for a while now doing research on what car to buy. I have 3 ideas and i am very interested in your thoughts or other cars i may have missed. I live in Central B.C and mostly drive either 4km to the gym or long distance road trips(2-16 hour drives). I get a free bus pass around my city so i can take that so im not super fussed about city fuel economy. My current highway car is an mx5 4000rpm at 110kph

Criteria:
-non complex engine(e.g turbo cars have more parts to go wrong)
-reliable components that are easy to fix(i fix my own cars, no transverse V6's XD)
-great highway fuel efficiency
-fast warm up in winter(small engine)
-good value for money

My first option is an 07 Honda fit manual
-$6000 CAD
-good fuel economy
-reliable
-easy to fix
-low running costs
-cd of a brick

second option is an 09 toyota yarris manual
-$5000
-good fuel economy
-reliable
-easy to fix
-low running costs
-its not great for long trips(uncomfy seats and buzzy trans)
-cd of a brick

third option is 01 c5 corvette manual trans
-$12500
-good for showing off(looks like a race car)
-acceptable highway mpg(35ish stock mpg)
-not comfy for long drives
-slightly running costs, but still good
-more likely to have something go wrong
-cd 0.29

I looked at loads of small cars like chevy spark but the problem is they cost a lot for just being a small car, hybrids are bad for road trips and the batteries die in the extreme cold.

Whatever car i get im going to sound deaden it and modify it for roadtrips. My wallet says the yaris but my mind wants the corvette. Dilemma is the cheaper the car costs to drive the more i will drive it, so if i buy the corvette i will go on less road trips and live less of a life.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...rvette3qz1.jpg

If i drive like a grandma i could get the corvette upto 40+mpg(highway), yaris up to ~45mpg, and fit ~45mpg. If any one has any other car ideas i would like to hear them, or any way that could make the corvette get better mpg?

* Corvette driven like like grandma is for laugh, not showoff
* If you are on budget, look for workhorse, not a toy. Affection will come.
* I personally prefer car I can sleep in, just in case. Useful on road trips though.

I thought i would add some road trip modifications just about anyone can do without making the car look weird:

-radar detector(no speeding tickets on safe big roads with low speed limits)
-entertainment/gps system
-phone charger
-upgraded audio system(less radio volume for clear noise reduces fatigue)
-sound deadening mat on floor, wheel wells, roof, fire wall
-scan guage
-low noise/lrr tires
-grill block
-rear seat delete
-spare tire replace with tire repair can
-passenger mirror delete
-thin engine/trans oil
-tire spats and small air dam
-drl delete(canada)
-antenna delete

I will add more if i think of them

On the corvette forum people have the same attitude.
corvette = gas burning toy
What car you drive says a lot about you, people judge you a lot on what you drive. I currently have an 01 porsche 911, 08 f350 diesel, 90 miata, 06 cbr1000rr, all tastefully modified. I want to downsize and sell them all. If i got a corvette it would look better than a honda fit at car meets and when people saw my car in day to day life they would judge me as being more successful and fun.
I dont mind the higher purchase price of the corvette as long as it is cheap to run. The sleeping thing is a good idea, super handy on road trips.

You buy one tire for that Vette and no kind of mileage is going to be able to make up for that.

How many doors is the Yaris? When I was shopping I didn't consider it because the manual was only available in the 3 door, and rear doors add a lot of utility even if you're driving solo.

Who gives a flying fark what strangers who don't know you think or may not think?

How do you know if you're impressing them in the first place? For example, the jacked-up pickup/Hummer drivers think they are gawd's gift to everyone but there are more than a few of us who think "micropenis" when we see them.

Re: Radar detector: drive at or under the speed limit; problem solved. ��

That is a very good point about the tires, the problem is i say to myself "buy a yaris and a vett" but then the yaris would be like the tire in your scenario. no mater the mileage it will never pay for itself. I would go with a 3 door yaris for weight savings, and possibly cheaper to buy. Im playing the devils advocate, your point is very true and a huge consideration.

I hate that people judge others on what car they drive, if i could i would ride my bicycle locally and a honda grom long distance. Even though i dont like it it is still a factor. If you have a nice tasteful car you get a lot of benefits, a few include: higher perception of you by your boss= more likely to get a promotion, higher perception of you by women= choice from more and better looking women(im 24 :D) = better genetic children. Some people with no taste get huge lifted trucks and gold wrapped lambos that look vulgar and give a negative view of the driver. I think i have a good taste in cars so i would avoid this problem. If i saw the woman below looking at me i 110% care what she thinks of me. I think spending some alone time with her is worth a few less mpg and higher running costs? Again im playing the devils advocate and your point about not caring is spot on. Form a pure transportation stand point you are spot on
http://i.imgur.com/OWhIdgR.jpg

I have seen the scenario several times where a homeless guy out of prison ends up with that girl. I used to work with one in fact that then proceeded to become employed after finding said girl.

I doubt very much the car helps with a decent girl that would stick around longer than an evening.

Good point, The man makes the cloths the cloths dont make the man.


I see some people have picked "other" car, any suggestions?

Hey, I didn't give you permission to post pictures of my wife! :p

I've been to prison, driven crappy cars, and still had great relationships with wonderful and attractive women. Sure, I've had a girl ask me "you want me to ride in that?" Just tell them to get in the car, and then proceed to show them the most fun that can be had in that vehicle.

I chose to buy a Prius plug-in with a reconstructed title because I wanted something that could do EV for short trips to the gym and to the grocery store, get good fuel economy on the highway (low Cd), and be able to sleep in. I'm 6'2" (1.88m) and can sleep in the back of a Prius.

The most fun and possibly most economical and practical car I've owned was a 1996 Subaru Legacy. It never needed any work (except plugs and wires), got about 28 MPG, and could go anywhere. I did a ton of sleeping in the back, sometimes with a girlfriend. It was finally retired at 240,000 miles after being rear-ended.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y26...nt/Work018.jpg

EDIT: Buy a motorcycle if you want a fun vehicle that gets the ladies attention. My bike is faster than just about any car that costs less than $50,000, and it can be had for $2,500.