3k budget, high mpg, and can carry engine?

[bp944]

The minivan bit the dust so I want to replace it. I am completely content wrenching a car and it doesn't need to be driveable immediately but would be prefered. So engine swaps, trany swap, are an option. I live in Minneapolis so anything rust prone will be rusty.

My three conditions:
good mpg or mpg potential,
3 grand or less (I'm a bit flexible)
can carry an engine.

I need to be able to haul car parts and engines (v8 ls1). This would not be often so if that means pulling out the passenger seat and putting the engine there, that would be perfectly fine.

My initial finds:
mazda mx 3
BMW 318 ti
eagle talon awd (could be fun)
crx (in questionable shape)
ford focus zx3 (looks like the mpg might be not so great)

[darcane]

5th or 6th gen Civic hatch. A VX would get superb mileage, but even a CX/DX would do well.

[vrmilionzx]

My girlfriend has a 96 Nissan 200sx se-r. 2 litre, 2 door, decent back seat, large trunk. She routinely gets around 32-34 (primarily) highway driving. I bet that could be turned into closer to 40 with some really basic adjustments to her driving. I've been considering a G20, same 2l motor, good little motor, decent cabin space, cheap to maintain.

[CAPTAIN CHAOS]

Originally Posted by bp944

.....
My initial finds:
mazda mx 3
BMW 318 ti
eagle talon awd (could be fun)
crx (in questionable shape)
ford focus zx3 (looks like the mpg might be not so great)

I had an 01 ZX3 and I can tell you with careful driving 25-30 in town is do-able and 35-38hwy. My commute is about 90% highway and county roads and I averaged about 34mpg (year round-all conditions) over the 110,000miles I drove that thing. Good conditions would have me in the 36-37 range; "fun time" would drop me into the low 30's . Not a phenominal car on gas but sporty and fun. I wouldn't, however, dream of hauling an engine in the back of it.

My suggestion, a Saturn S-series wagon with a stick (stay away from the "L" series). 38-42mpg is easily do-able with the "twin cam" being on the low end of that range. Also, their plastic so the bodies don't rust, the metal bits seem to be coated/painted well and don't rust bad (I'm in Indiana, we have the same problems here), they'll run forever (so long as you check the oil on occasion) and they can be picked up for<$2000. I wouldn't think twice about chucking car parts in the back of one as they are cheap transportation at its finest and hardly worth pampering.

[Ecky]

I feel a manual Saturn can be a phenomenal value in the sub-$1500 range, but with 3k to spend I'd suggest hunting for a used Insight or a decent condition Civic VX or HX. I've driven around with a Honda B-series motor in my trunk, and I probably could've fit the transmission too, and the B's are a bit bigger than the D series you'd find in a VX or HX. Not only that, but I was able to pick up the engine by myself, and I'm a really small guy.