Efficient, cheap beaters! Used car ads: 35 mpg highway or more for $1500 or less

[dirtydave]

I agree! I will only buy a manual. I am addicted to P&G EOC!!!

[MetroMPG]

Were all the manual Cobalts XFE's? If they were, this $1000 car is rated:

25 / 36 / 29

Smiths Falls, ON K7A 3G3, Canada
For Sale By Owner
2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
Kilometers 278000 (172k miles)
Transmission Manual

Car is and excellent commuter car. That is exactly what it is, it needs some work but over all good vehicle.
Has sun roof. Got a brand new windshield in August but got a crack on passenger side since. Needs a wheel bearing, two front tires and a radio (has aux plug in the meantime) and a good clean! Everything works.

As is.

$1000

2008 | cars & trucks | Ottawa | Kijiji

[Grim]

This thread bums me out! $1500 plus 30mpg beaters that will smog without $500+ in repairs and under 200k just don't seem to exist in the Atlanta area. I've been looking for months

Now we don't have rust issues down here so cars stay viable for a long time.

I am being a bit selective and want something fun to drive. I'd like a coupe like a civic hatch or simular that I can put some suspension tweets under it for the North Ga twisties but will still be decent form my frequent 180mil round trips to get my kid on the weekends. Been hoping to find Unmolested CRX DX or SI, they just don't exist at that price range around here with out half butt cut springs lowering jobs, junk speed parts, half a** motor swaps. That's a lot of my problem. The cars I'm interested in are also the same ones that tend to get hot rodded. In my area. I did find manual insight's pop up from time to time that could be hand with done batteries. That's seems to be not uncommon. But battiere are stupid expensive. Thats got me doing research on batteries and possible repowering if I can figure out how to get it smogged with say a 150hp civic motor so still get mid 40's or better mpg for about what the batteries would set me back.
This is what got me thinking a repower. 89-91CRX is 2200 ish lb. First gen Insight is 1800ish lb and lower drag co. This guy in FL jammed a 200+hp K20 series engine in one and gets 46hwy.
Honda K Powered Insight - Environmental Blasphemy - Honda Tuning Magazine

[MetroMPG]

You can drive an Insight indefinitely with a pack that's throwing codes, provided you're OK with ~65 hp and extra-tall gearing. (Sounds like you're not! )

Also, some packs can be "revived" with time & patience (I've done it), and put on indefinite life support with a DIY grid charger.

I've also seen gen. 1 Insights for under $1500. (Though none recently.)

[jcp123]

I have the same trouble with beaters around here. One dealer actually told me that yet are snagged quickly and sent down to Mexico...?

[Grim]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

You can drive an Insight indefinitely with a pack that's throwing codes, provided you're OK with ~65 hp and extra-tall gearing. (Sounds like you're not! )

Also, some packs can be "revived" with time & patience (I've done it), and put on indefinite life support with a DIY grid charger.

I've also seen gen. 1 Insights for under $1500. (Though none recently.)

I found your Insight post earlier and soaking it in. I would likely try to revive them first to get me down the road for a while as I collect parts. I can come up with $2k right now. I hope I'll have some tax return this year but with all that has happened my taxes are going to be a mess this year.
My big issue is I live where I have to smog yearly. If the car is throwing codes it's not going to pass. So if I can't find a car with a valid smog test I'm a bit screwed from the word go to the point of Id have to pass on the car. The lucky part is if I can find one with a valid smog right now I won't have to smog again till mid September if if it expires next month. Once the tag is registered I'm good till my next birthday.

I guess a good bit of my interest in this now is the novelty of a car that a large part of car culture looks down its nose at and making it a sleeper that will give most "muscle cars" a good run and still get some very respectable economy figures. Insight is 1800ish pounds stock and with 200ish hp like the on in the link that's 9ish pounds per Horse....New GT mustangs are the fastest under $50k production car sold in 2014 are at 8.6 pounds per horse. So loosing the battery pack, leave the spare and passenger seat and what every else you can pull out at home would get you right there. How fun would it be to take it to the local strip and do some damage to the egos of a few people? lol

[MetroMPG]

I'd be going to look at this one PDQ if I needed a beater:

29 city / 37 hwy / 32 combined - EPA

For Sale By Owner
Year 2001 Toyota Echo
Kilometers 250000 (155k mi.)
Transmission Manual

Had this car for 8 years. The engine has about 250 000 kms. The body is not in that much of gear condition but the car is mechanically sound ! Has a new clutch and brakes. Has winter tires and also summer tires on rims that come with the car. The runs great and is exceptionally cheap on gas. Tank fills for about 40 dollars and runs for about 750 kms. Everything is functional on the car.

It is an excellent winter beater or a commuter car. The body has some rust but the mechanics are very well! I currently drive the car to and from Toronto 3 times a week for work.

I'm selling as is but I don't honestly think you need anything for safety or etest.

Looking to sell asap so if interested you can come take it off my hands. You won't find a good mechanically well car for this price.

first come first serve

Asking 1000$

Great Winter Beater: Toyota echo | cars & trucks | Kingston | Kijiji

[MetroMPG]

Currently being driven! High miles though...

Year 1997
Make Toyota Tercel
Kilometers 350000 / 217k mi.
Transmission Manual

I just bought another car today. This car will be available Friday January 9 when my new one is available. It is a typical toyota, the rocker panels are rough and I have patched it in various spots throughout. I have had the car for 2 years and it runs like a charm. If interested, please txt ( identify yourself please ) or by email. I just bought 2 brand new snowtires ( size 13 ) today and have a set of all-seasons not on rims. This is an inperson cash only sale please.I will let it go for $300 without the tires

1997 Toyota Tercel Sedan | cars & trucks | Ottawa | Kijiji

[Daox]

Oooh, a 4 door, rarer. I like it and would consider it for that price for sure if it were closer.

[MetroMPG]

Another qualified candidate...



City MPG: 28
Highway MPG: 37
Compare Side-by-Side

Year 2002
Make Toyota Corolla
Kilometers 276000 (171k mi)
Transmission Manual

i have a 2002 corolla 5speed with 276xxxkm on it has four like new michlien x-ice tires alpine deck roof racks with a cargo and a fartcan for a muffler have no need for car anymore need money for summer toy

2002 Toyota Corolla Sedan | cars & trucks | Ottawa | Kijiji