[drgonzo8000]

Hello everyone! I'm new to this site AND to the whole ecomodding/hypermiling community, and want to say that it's awesome to see people implementing mods for something more useful than the typical street racing crap.

Right now I'm driving a '93 Camry that needs work and gets about 18-25mpg while I search for a 90-95 Civic--which is MUCH harder than I thought! It seems that more people want to buy them than sell them. It's also hard to find a Civic that isn't modded for max hp. I was hoping I could ask a few questions to help get me started:

Does a particular body type get better mileage? I'm looking around for a hatchback (lighter?) or coupe (better aerodynamics?).

I found a really nice 1993 Civic SI hatchback (near mint, 173K), but was wondering if the "sportier" engine would significantly offset max fuel efficiency. I think the EPA gives it 25-33 mpg. Could the engine be swapped for a VX, CX, or DX (I have a couple mechanic friends)?

I also found a 1998 Civic DX coupe--would that be better than the '93 SI hatchback?

Does anyone know how many mpg's would be gained by converting power steering to manual on a civic hatchback?

Sorry if I'm asking questions that belong in another thread, I still haven't thoroughly explored the forums yet. I appreciate the help, and will let everyone know what I choose.