Which cars ? (Corolla, Civic, Cobalt, Sentra or Focus)
 

If we consider the FE, comfort, reliability and price.

• I heard the Corolla isn't reliable as they were.
• Civic are a bit pricey (2000$ or 3000$ higher).
• I don't know someone that drives or didn't hear good nor bad things for the Cobalt. Scared 'bout Chevrolet's quality :rolleyes:

So my choices would go for a Sentra or Focus. But which one?
The differences I see clearly is the styling and the transmissions.

darkmaxx11 -

The Saturn Ion is essentially a "proto-Cobalt" (GM Delta Platform). With that in mind, you may find this interesting :

Ion-Centric repair list? - SaturnFans Forums

In the above, the "intermediate steering shaft" seemed to be the only thing I couldn't find a solution for (this is a problem in other GM cars too). It doesn't appear to be dangerous, but it does seem to be hard to live with (CLLLLLUNK!).

CarloSW2

I personally wouldn't have any problem looking at Corollas. Toyota's quality may have laxed a bit in recent years, but its by far not bad at all. I too would avoid the Cobalt though.

If it really comes down to the Sentra vs Focus, I think both are good cars. However, if I had to choose (I haven't driven either of them, but I've ridden in a new Sentra and it is nice), I'd go with the Focus. I've heard very good things about them. Plus, the highway mileage for the Focus is quite a bit higher than the Sentra.

What about looking at a Prius or Insight/Civic hybrid?

Alittle outside of the box.......
Get a 2002 Infiniti Q45. $12k
extended warr to 100k 2k
variuos eco mods 1k
weight 3801, lots of alum and alloy
hp 340,

built in mpg screen,
rear end 2.76,
overdrive aut trans.,
Coeffecient of drag .30
epa hwy 23
eco modded 33+ w/ ac on. heat-reflecting windows.
I have 185k on mine. last major repair was at 110k.
Most 02's have been drivin by "non-aggressive, older drivers" so they are very well maintained.

for comparison:
Q45 3801lbs / 340hp = 11.18 pounds per hp
Sentra 2930/ 140hp = 20.92 pounds per hp
?????which one is working harder???????

in this type of comparison I would ask:
how may hywy miles?
how many long trips?
how many in the car (comfort on trips)

Because, if you don't drivre much it really is 'econcar'.

Does it matter? Any of them would be good cars in the right hands.

I'm still rolling my free car that I got 10 years ago, and it got 42 mpg on the last segment I checked. Happy? Darn right! :thumbup:

Are you looking new or used?
I am considering all the same vehicles (used) once I my truck sells.
My first choice is a cobalt because I can get a 05-06 for $6k with 45-60k miles because of chevy depreciation. You can't get the others that cheap with that low of miles.



I was actually considering this same thought process but with a volvo s40. If I get into grad school (will find out in Feb). my commute is going to be about 100miles a day, so a little bit more luxury would be nice, and I can get 33mpg on the highway before mods.

meh, you can do better than those.

That thinking is completely opposite what will get you good mileage. You want the engine to work harder. The harder it works, the more efficient it runs. Do a search here for 'brake specific fuel consumption' to see why.

Ok, that was a point from out of left field.
ANd I just can't grab onto the logic.......
Then why is everbody coasting and turning of the engine and stripping of accecories .......

Why is a 2.76 rear end called a highway gear
and 4.08 a race gear

The VK45DE 4.5 liter V8 makes 75.55 hp per liter
The 2.0 liter 4 makes 70hp per liter

Do you need 340 HP to go down the road?

Maybe it doesn't even matter.

What fe does it get?

Thanks! :thumbup:
the next question is (after my first set) then becomes safty. If you are driving twice as far the risk of an accident increases.
I drive 40k miles a year.


I paid $20k for the Q w/40k on it. in 2005. I've spent 10k (total) on it. That includes $4k for the body kit, tires, oil, filters, bulbs,maintainance repairs, everything but gas.
That's $0.214 per mile. add another 20 cents for gas (at $4.00/gal)
and I'm at 40 cents a mile on the high side. I write off at 58 cents on taxes.
While that 'might seem' high to some , I can't pull up to a clients home in a metro or a 15 yr old car.
I have seen two posts today that say "....I'm almost at 100k and looking...."
I'm shooting for 250k, then get an 06 Q45!!!!

I have my oil tested every so often for wear.

mark

A Prius is a bit pricey and Civic hybrid too. Insight seems a cut-corners-budget. Less efficient. If it would be a hybrid, I would choose a Ford Fusion.

I'm looking to buy a new car. I want to smell the new materials. xD
Generally, we are 2 or 3 in the car for trips.

I can't tell how many road trips, but it can happens once per week (like 120 miles).
The highest I can do is around 200-225 miles per week.

I didn't mention it, but the comfort I'm talking is that it must be equal to my Altima. Not less or I'll miss my old car.

Frank Lee, that's kinda my point/question.

this particular V8 is probalby the most effecient (total - not just for FE) V8 produced in 2002.
Then the advanced use of alum and alloy in the body. Most cars in that class weigh 4200 + lbs.

epa fe is 23 highway.
up until 2 months ago, I always got 25+ mpg on the road. avg 68mph.
with my grille block and my initial under belly (first 23") I have gotten 30.8mpg on several test drives.
That is not P&G driving. THat is cruise contol.
I am quite confident that I can get 33mpg on a round trip to texas in Feb.
That's 40% over epa.

It's all about trade off. I really have to drive a large 4 door car. I run the a/c automaticly. I would never turn it off. I can drive 5 hours straight, and get out of the car feeling great!
I can drive 129mph and still acccelerate to 150.:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: :eek::eek::eek::eek::rolleyes::cool:

Darkmaxx,
what yr altima.....they certainly improved dramaticly over the ys.?

My dad had a Matrix 2004 and its suspension sucked ass, you could feel every variation of the bumpy roads.

That's what I meant, the same road comfort or better.

Darmmaxx,

soory, just saw you have a 98 altima

Because it takes fuel to idle, and it takes power to move the accessories. Less overall power needed, less fuel burned for a given engine.

Because lower RPMs and higher loads (throttle settings) are more efficient for a given engine than higher RPMs and lower loads. (Up to a point.)

Read up on BSFC (Brake Specific Fuel Consumption) as Frank suggested, and you may start to get why we would like to see smaller engines with tall gearing.

-soD

My opinion probably doesn't have much weight since I just bought my 2009 cobalt xfe, and have just started trying hypermiling out........but...


I drove a 2009 corolla rental for a few weeks (my '98 tacoma was recalled, which is how I basically got a free cobalt, while it was processed they gave me the corolla as a loaner), and it just didn't have the same feel as the cobalt...the base model was much more expensive than a loaded cobalt LT (I got mine for $13k OTD used with 3k miles), and honestly the corolla just feels like a rental....something you'd get from enterprise.


I think the cobalt is a fantastic car in terms of comfort; my wife/kid aren't riding in some kind of spartan metal drum...the shift feels awesome - short and easy, the readouts are pretty cool too.

I think it's a nice balance between potential fuel efficiency and value.

Then again, this is the newest car I've ever bought....I usually buy deathtraps that are 8-10 years old, so I'm easily pleased.

I drove the Sentra and it was a nice riding car. I would consider it especially after getting 33.25 MPG in my wife's Rogue on a recent trip (EPA 27 highway). I think the Sentra would give you close to the ride quality of a 98 Altima.

CVT or manual?

I'll bet with some smart driving the Sentra would do 40+MPG. The wife's Rogue's CVT is really nice.

regards
Mech

It would be a CVT.

But, the choice isn't clear yet.

I think it would be a Sentra or a Focus first. Maybe a bigger or hybrid car next.

I know a Sentra 2009 did 33.6 MPG (7 liters per 100 km) on a road who have alot of hills and big turns.

CanadianDriver Comparison tests and reviews Special Feature: 2008 CanadianDriver 50-litre Challenge

According to this link, the focus and sentra did 35.11 MPG and 33.6 MPG respectively on highways.

I guess I'll have to test them out.

Hmm, the Civic 2010 DX-G is a total of 24 000$ CDN. Taxes and such. Interest not included.

the Sentra 2.0 S is 23 000$ (-1000$ with Student Diploma)
I guess the Civic goes to my choice list XD

DARKMAXX,

I would assume your going to 'ecomod' anything that you get?
Underbelly for sure and a stelth grille block?
I'd look under the cars......how clean is the underside?
maybe one car is more touble to clean up?
OR you may say.....hummmm I can clean the one w/ less epa mpg and beat the other?

I'm just thinking uot loud.......

Well, I'm not going to 'ecomod' the car, it will stay 100% stock.
It would be only habits driving.

darkmaxx1-

I would personally go for the Corolla because I'm a Toyota guy, but their reliability has been called into question recently. As far as the Civic goes, I think it's pretty comparable to the Corolla. The Civic Hybrid would sure be nice, but $8,000 more than the base Civic:( And just like you, I would stay away from Chevrolet.

So now it's down to either the Sentra or Focus. Both are around the same price at $16,000 for the base. But I think that the Sentra is the way to go because of the 6 speed manual. A 6 speed gives you more choices for acceleration rates and shift points, as well as lower rpms at highway speeds. Are you willing to buy a manual?

Nah, it would be an automatic (CVT for Sentra). I prefer to have a car that everyone can drives it... talking of my GF XD

Well in that case I would still go with the Sentra because it gives slightly better FE in the city than the Focus due to the CVT.