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Old 08-14-2015, 12:46 PM   #10 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
Quote:
don't want to spend more than $3500 [...] My biggest fear is having to spend sizeable money on serious mechanical issues
If you're going to hang around the bottom of the food chain, you gotta be prepared to get bitten!

Quote:
Manual or auto: I have no problem shifting a standard motorcycle, but in the past was not good with a manual truck. A lot of my driving could be urban and in heavy traffic. So I lean towards an auto.
I'd strongly suggest trying a manual car again. It'll be easier to operate than a truck. You take a massive efficiency hit in sub/urban driving by going with a conventional automatic and giving up several extremely effective ecodriving techniques. You're mechanically minded... you'll figure it out.

Quote:
If I get a full gasoline Civic or Corolla, I know I'll be racking my brain trying to find a way to add one of my electric motors/wheels
An OEM hybrid would be the easiest route, but that would be FAR more interesting! And it would let you choose a manual transmission. It would actually work best with a manual if you're talking about a electric assist/push arrangement, like this:


From: http://99mpg.com/ProjectCars/TheBestHybridmix/

Quote:
It's looking like a 2nd gen Prius with higher mileage is my best option. Thoughts?
It's possible to find a decent 2nd gen for ~3500, but I wouldn't say it's easy. I spent many months searching for one around my neck of the woods and recently got a "cheap" 2004 Prius with above average km on the clock. However it needed repairs (mostly expected) to pass the mandatory mechanical inspection here.
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Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
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