Best Used Cars For Hypermiling

[Sethro]

Basically I'm looking for a list of cars that make excellent hypermilers. Like ones that have drivetrains that hold up well, easy to service starters, wheel bearings, etc. I just joined a few minutes ago and have been looking for the best used cars. I do realize that the lower the displacement, lighter, aerodynamic the better but you can't really tell without getting opinions from the web.

My current car is a $600 88 626 hatchback which is fairly slick in the wind, rolls well and runs decent at 205k miles. Its a good car and I should be able to hit 50mpg easy but there's got to be better ones out of the used box, so to speak.

[SVOboy]

Welcome to the site! What kinda of driving do you do mostly?

I would, of course, recommend a crx,

[Daox]

Hitting 50 mpg in your current vehicle isn't going to be a piece of cake unless you have a good commute. Its not a bad car to start with, but there are definitly better ones. The problem is that the late 80s early 90s had some GREAT cars for FE. Newer cars have gotten quite heavy, but are also much safer. Really, any small car from Honda or Toyota is going to give you excellent fuel economy. Some will be better than others of course. Check them on www.fueleconomy.gov is going to be the key to checking out cars that are avaliable to you. Good luck with it all!

[dremd]

Have to start by asking how much $$

My Golf's FIRST tank was 58 mpg (yes I was trying hard, but I didn't have a Scangauge)

If you want 50 in the Mazda I say you need FE instrumentation, I'd bet you could get around 40 by tweaking driving habits.

[Sethro]

hmm a list of possible four cars could get quite tedious.... I suppose you just need look at what is being the most successful on this sight and others.

I'm definetly picking up a vacuum gauge this weekend. I figure squeezing another 15mpg shouldn't be too hard if I take my efforts to the next level. IE more extreme coasting, really slow starts, better timing etc. Thanks for the encouragement and beginner advice.

[Daox]

No need to do incredibly slow starts. Slow starts aren't always the best way to go Sethro. Check out the recent post on accelerating for FE. You can get there, but make sure to read up very well on your techniques and ask questions if you can't find the answers.

[trebuchet03]

The best car for hypermiling is almost aways the one in your driveway

[Sethro]

Good point...

I used to have a 95 civic hatchback and cursed that car for its lack of, uh, balls. Next was an 88 mazda mx-6 turbo that got 21 MPG freeway but what a fun car. Then I picked up some beater trucks gave up and bought this car. Fixed a few things and have been driving it for 3 years now. Last summer, after putting new plugs and an additive called Engine Restore, the car got 36 mpg; like 6 mpg better than I had ever got. Not until I purchased an 01 tacoma (23 mpg best yet ) did I realize the real FE potential of my 626. Though what I like about the 2.2l SOHC engine in the 626 is the torque, it cruises easy and the engine never strains to go. It was derived from their trucks and in fact the block was converted to diesel without any structural changes. A testament to its durability.

on a side note...
Shortly before I sold the civic I obtained another one of same year but with the 1.6l DOCH 16v engine. So I swapped the 1.6l into my much nicer DX (1.5l 8v) and still was gutless. The civic could't get out its own way, even with the additional 25 horses and I would have burned it if it wasn't illegal and dirty. What I didn't swap was the transmissions. The 16v tranny was geared lower than the 8v and when the little 1.5l was mated to the 1.6l tranny it had way more go than before. I suppose the moral of the story is there is a possible wealth of modification on older vehicles by swapping different drive ratio tranny's from other trim level's/engine's

dang long post, worked last night and better go to bed before this gets out of hand.....

[Lazarus]

Is your driving mainly city or highway? I used to have a 626 great car but 50 MPG will not be easy.
Also you can hypermile anything all you have to do is be 20% over EPA.

Oh and Welcome to the site

[Sethro]

daily commute is fairly easy about half city half freeway and 12 miles. I have many opportunities for coasting with engine off.

After getting involved in this I am really regretting my decision to sell the civic years ago. Though at the time I wanted fast cars...

You all are right, 50mpg will be tough. I'm thinking of getting a used tranny and engine from the bone yard. Rebuild them to tip top shape then drop in the pair. Then go through and replace/repack wheel bearings. yadda yadda. We'll see. This site is full of idea's for mods.