Quirky Car Options

[Joenavy85]

depending on the aeromods and gearing i think you could wring 40MPG out of a 914 with a ej25, turbo it and set up a few different fuel maps like you mentioned and you could have a really fun DD. but like we've said, no back seat.

On the 40 MPG note, i got 41.5 MPG over a 135 mile stretch in my girlfriends Focus(with an auto), and that was with 4 people in the car along with luggage for the weekend, and all i had done to it was a front belly pan.

[SentraSE-R]

Well, I'm averaging over 40 mpg in my wife's AT Hyundai Elantra over 4200 miles of long-distance driving to Las Vegas and SoCal. I averaged 43.7 mpg over 3600 miles in a rental AT Kia Rio, and 41-42 mpg over 1200 miles in a rental AT Toyota Yaris - all with 2-3 people in the car. But those were all mostly highway drives. City driving with an AT really nosedives fast, and the OP wants a manual.

[livewire516]

The civic hatch would be appealing if everyone would stop molesting them. I keep coming across VX's that are dropped but the camber is not adjusted, CF nonsense and engine swaps. Can I really find an old civic hatch that hasn't been riced out?

As for the saturns I keep coming across MT5 wagons, and I kinda want haha.

[cleanspeed1]

In all seriousness, there are plenty of unmolested Civics out there. Even if they looked trashy, if you're going to go through it anyway, shouldn't matter.

One last try................BMW E30 chassis coupe, BMW 2.4L turbodiesel, 325 eta rear axle ratio. Hopped up pump, injectors, turbo, intercooler.

[cleanspeed1]

Originally Posted by darcane

AE86 Corolla?

You like hatches, it's RWD, looks cool lowered, TONS of aftermarket support since you probably enjoy customizing, and is rated at 26/33mpg with a manual:
Fuel Economy of the 1987 Toyota Corolla

The 4AC is a little anemic, but it can still be a fun car. And it's efficient enough to maybe hit your 40mpg goal.

Where can you find an AE86 these days for a decent price? The import tuner crowd kinda messed that one up. But then again I haven't looked at those things in years.

[SentraSE-R]

You don't want an old Saturn. They're poorly built oil burners (i.e. dogs). VW reliability isn't anything to write home about, either.

[darcane]

Originally Posted by cleanspeed1

Where can you find an AE86 these days for a decent price? The import tuner crowd kinda messed that one up. But then again I haven't looked at those things in years.

Yeah, there is the Initial D tax to contend with here, but they come up for sale regularly in my local Criagslist and sometimes for reasonable prices.

This one in the OP's area looks like a good deal (not sure if it's a manual):
Two Cars for $4500 or buy seperately for cheap! In great shape!

I bought my '87 SR-5 Hatch for $500 and once I replaced the timing belt ($40) it ran great.

I think these cars have enough good qualities to them that the OP would enjoy driving one and still be able to get good mileage.

[cleanspeed1]

Originally Posted by darcane

Yeah, there is the Initial D tax to contend with here, but they come up for sale regularly in my local Criagslist and sometimes for reasonable prices.

This one in the OP's area looks like a good deal (not sure if it's a manual):
Two Cars for $4500 or buy seperately for cheap! In great shape!

I bought my '87 SR-5 Hatch for $500 and once I replaced the timing belt ($40) it ran great.

I think these cars have enough good qualities to them that the OP would enjoy driving one and still be able to get good mileage.

Some of the Japanese rear drivers I didn't even mention because of the Fast and the Furious fee, the Nissan 240SX being one of them.

[cleanspeed1]

How about that, looks like someone did the diesel Porsche ( 924 )!

Here's the vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_j-c8piGn4

And the TDIClub has a thread here http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=248485

[livewire516]

@ Darcane: Thanks! I contacted the grandma corolla but unless it's an SR-5 or GT-S it's front wheel drive correct? Could an manual AE86 really acheive 40 tank average after some moderate ecomods?

@ Clean Speed: That's a crazy 924, poor girl desperately needs a hood-bulge. I agree, I'm not looking for 240sx's the rice I mean price is just to much for what I want it for.

I know VW's don't have the best reputation but my family has a 2003 Jetta 2.0 with a 5-speed, and that thing hasn't had anything wrong with it so far at 140k. Two kids learned to drive stick on that thing, the clutch is great.

I've heard that certain Saturns do have an oil problem, but I thought it was more so in the first half of the 90's. I guess I just respect the 90's Saturns, when GM actually gave them some room to operate differently. I guess the General was too busy beige-ing Saab.