I've been in love with my 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage, I average close to 50mpg at 60mph without even trying to eco drive, If I drive flat highway at 55mph I can even push 55mpg. Its almost all stock as well, the tires are at 40psi with some tein lowering springs but stock otherwise. I started using it for uber driving, there are a lot of hybrids but some other gas hogs running around my uber area, I started searching for a car 8 years or newer that could get decent mpg and not tear up my Mirage. The Mirage does ride rough with the springs and short wheel base although it is more roomy inside than the cobalt ironically.
I wasn't sure what car to buy, I wanted to keep things under 1,000. I found a 2009 Hyundai elantra with 270k miles on it $1100, a 2009 Ford Focus with 250k on it $1300. Then I found this 2010 Cobalt 5 speed with 107K miles on it. Of course it had been through the ringer, not sure how someone could abuse a 2010 this bad but they did. Thankfully the interior is the simplest interiors I've ever worked on in my life, its all apart now. The engine has a blown head gasket and rod bearing rattle, I sourced a used engine for $400 with 60k miles. I drove the car home with the bad head gasket and it still had some kick in the higher rpm, 3rd gear syncro is shot but if I double clutch it no grinding. I might source another XFI transmission if this is too expensive to rebuild. The exterior is awful, just as the interior, but I am planning on plasti diping or a cheap diy paintjob. I hope to have 2,000 total invested but with a $600 purchase price $400 engine (comes with automatic tranny). I don't have much left, I hope I can get $100 for the old engine, or scrap it for the aluminum, then sell the automatic transmission as well to add some money for paint, carpet, front bumper cover, hood, bondo, tires, hubcaps, clutch kit, ect. (damn there is a big to do list... this car is shot)
Once I get this car very road worthy, mpg mods will be needed to try to keep up with 50 mpg highway I am used to now.
