fuel efficient, reliable used cars under $3k
 

I'm in the market for a used car that's fuel efficient (40+ mpg), reliable, and under $3,000. i know of geo metro's, honda civic VX... any others people could recommend for me to look at would be appreciated... thanks! :turtle:

Ford Tempo/Mercury Tracer 2.3L with a stick.
Ford Aspire
Ford Festiva
Ford Escort/Mercury Tracer
Ford Focus with 5 Speed
Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon
Dodge 2.2 Charger/Plymouth Turismo
Dodge Caravan/Plymouth Voyager 2.2 or 2.2 Turbo
Chevy Cavalier/Pontiac Sunfire 4cyl 5 speed
Mazda 323
Volkswagon Rabbit/Jetta/Golf with 5 speed
Nissan Sentra
Toyota Tercel
Saturn SC1
Isuzu I-mark

Need more?

The 2.2/2.5 family of vehicles bolded out above wotn get you anywhere near 40mpg..

About the only one that gets you close to 40mpg was a 1982-1984 Dodge Rampage or Plymouth Scamp pickup 1983 only (Based on the Omni/Charger platform)
The lightest front wheel drive Chrysler vehicle ever made..

I saw 36mpg max out of it and drove it very light to the peddle..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...T/MVC-274S.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...LET/engine.jpg

As Chrysler loving as I am, they are not very reliable..

Get the newest Geo Metro you can and you'll be set :)

That is by far the sharpest looking Rampage I've ever seen! Not that I come across many. About 4 years ago, on the commute home from work, I'd often come across the same one -- it looked like it just rolled off the showroom floor. Just a stock 2.2. Interesting that it was the lightest FWD vehicle they made...

Back to topic, 40 from an oldie is going to cost you a lot up front, now that there's a run on older, efficient vehicles. That's a tough benchmark out of the box.

It depends on how much mod and technique effort you're willing to put into it. Baseline figures for Johnny's list (except maybe any Diesels) should be in the hi 20's/ low 30's combined (except again for the minivans). With some effort, 40 can be likely be cracked.

RH77

Welcome to the site. What you driving now? No way to streach it up to 30-40 mpg?

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...T/MVC-274S.jpg
dang I saw that thing and first thing that came to mind is ... that angle is nearly perfect for a nice long boattail bed cover.

I had a turizmo, same car esentually, but at hatch back not a truck.. it had a 1.6 and a 5 speed in it and got just about 40mpg on longer trips was a great little car.

What year was your Tourismo?

I used to have the same basic car,
mine was a Shelby Automobile modified Charger GLH-S #0058 of 1,000 made :)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...HS/Image23.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...HS/Image19.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...HS/Image14.jpg


Did your Tourismo have the same front end as this..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...dflatblack.jpg

or this?
http://www.geocities.com/aaronkarpi/turismo.jpg

1994 Honda Civic 1.5L 5spd. Mid 40's MPG combined. Every year after that they chunked up and MPG took a nosedive.

cant remember the year but it had the same front as the rampage photo.. except I covered the holes for the headlights with plexi, to look cool.. probably helped a bit on MPG but i was a kid and it was cool to have headlight covers .. lol

I also chopped the springs on it to lower it too.. again to be cool.. i wasnt a mpg hunter back then.. but it may have helped too..

How on EARTH can you manage to get 40MPG out of those vehicles?

I have a 2.2L Camry and can just BARELY manage 36mpg on the highway, around town, forget it, 32-34mpg is the best I get ever.