New to smaller cars. Need advice.

[meccasurf]

I am new to the forum, but I wanted to start out by saying thanks for all of the great posts! I have been looking for somewhere like this for a long time.

A little about me. I currently share a 2005 chevy colorado 2wd truck(27mpg) with my SO. I also own a 2001 ninja 500(67mpg). I also own a 1968 Chevy Impala SS convertable(8mpg) that i built from the ground up when I was 14. My SO drives the truck about 14 miles a day and I ride the bike about the same. The Impala gets driven about 12 miles a month.

I have been looking into selling my truck for around $9500 and buying a 89-91 civic crx or hatchback. My only problem with the CRX is that I have a rather large dog(75lbs) and im not sure he will fit in the back. Does anyone have experience with this?

Also, I will want to do an engine swap, but I dont know alot about honda's. I would like to find either a new engine or a quality refurbished one, so I can rebuild the car from the ground up, focusing on Fuel economy. Any links for engine/tranny suppliers?

Thanks for the help, and sorry for the long post--Kevin

[Raysp30]

Originally Posted by meccasurf

I have been looking into selling my truck for around $9500 and buying a 89-91 civic crx or hatchback. My only problem with the CRX is that I have a rather large dog(75lbs) and im not sure he will fit in the back. Does anyone have experience with this?

I have a CRX and I have a largER dog weighing in at about 145 lbs (she's still just a puppy). Anyways, my wolfhound would fit in the back of the car, as long as she wasn't ansy and wanted to stand up. Could cause quite a bit of damage if she was hyper. A small 75 lb dog would have no problem roaming around the back of the car. Heck, the CRX is big enough that your dog should be able to play fetch back there.

[jamesqf]

My old dog was about 105 lbs, and she loved riding in the back of my CRX (and later the Insight). I think she thought of it as her den. I also took my ex's 140 lb Akita for rides back there, with no problems other than him wanting to stick his head out the window on my side :-)

So there shouldn't be any problem with room, as long as the dog likes it. My current one (about 50 lb border collie) insists on riding in the front with her head in my lap, though.

[metromizer]

My daugher raised several 'Guide Dog's For the Blind' puppies. I put an eyebolt in the floor of the wife's van, and we used a short 'collar-to-floor' lead for the dogs, so they would always stay put. Guide Dogs made that a requirement for all their puppy raisers who traveled by car with the puppies, for everyone's safety.

[petty]

Talking about small car, I love Xing coz it's a very practical car and very common on roads. Second was Zen, fresh but you might lack the extra space.

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[MetroMPG]

Hey Kevin -

Have you seen SVOboy's VX - into -CRX engine swap info? http://www.crxmpg.com/crx-d15z1-civi...my-swap-guide/

If you're going to be tackling a swap, that's unquestionably the way to go. The mileage potential is startlingly good, and you don't have to be an extreme hypermiler to achieve it. Just monitor lean burn and take it easy with the right foot.

Anyway, welcome to the forum.

[Peter7307]

Welcome from me as well and enjoy your stay.
Cheers , Pete.