View Single Post
Old 04-25-2018, 11:23 AM   #14 (permalink)
Ecky
Master EcoModder
 
Ecky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 5,005

ND Miata - '15 Mazda MX-5 Special Package
90 day: 42.54 mpg (US)
Thanks: 2,866
Thanked 2,501 Times in 1,547 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by j99civic View Post
Thanks for those details. Are you saying to pass on 2009-2014 insights due to the CVT, or don't keep one past 150k miles?

What cars do you feel would be the best choices?
I've heard of some CVTs lasting as long as 300k with gentle use and frequent fluid changes, so it's possible, especially for a hypermiler. I just would not count on it. I have no data on whether Honda's newer CVTs are more reliable than their older ones. You'd think they would have improved though?

Sub-$5k, I'd be looking at a Gen2 Prius, or perhaps a Scion or Fit hatch. The Fit has a wonderfully tall automatic transmission which I'd trust to fairly high miles, a great engine, and you can probably stuff a pool table into it and still close the hatch. It has a rather high CdA due to its shape, but still easily breaks 40mpg with an average driver. Looking at fuel logs here, several have more than 50mpg averages with a few having some tanks above 70.

If you're feeling adventurous or can find one with a new battery, a manual transmission Insight is still the king of the hill. There are still clean ones with low miles. I would not get an automatic G1 Insight. It stands to reason that one with ~100k miles would still have many good years left in it, but you're looking at potentially 20-40mpg more from the manual and that's a hard sell for me.

In the 6-10k range, I think the Volt would be my first choice. I don't think a Gen3 Prius is a bad choice and it does better on gas alone than a Volt, but a Prius doesn't put a grin on my face like a Volt does, and those all-electric miles are certainly sweet. Both have proven to be highly reliable vehicles.
  Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Ecky For This Useful Post:
j12piprius (04-25-2018), Xist (04-28-2018)