Thoughts/Opinions on best potential eco car <$2K

[jcp123]

Originally Posted by ECO-AKJ

I have had good luck with the 2005-2007 ford focus, with the automatic I was getting 37-38mpg pure highway at 55mph, got about 31 fully loaded at 85+ with f350 airdam installed on the lower bumper

Man, I love the Focus. I had two, the latter of which was a SVT which I call my favorite mistake. I really like the room, layout, and good practicality, and the chassis is fantastic, but if I’m being honest, I had abhorrent reliability problems with both. I got the SVT because I liked the platform so much I decided to give it a second chance, but I could not sleep at night if I actually recommended a Focus to someone.

[freebeard]

Thoughts/Opinions....

Thoughts:
Someone, somewhere in your area, has a car they dearly love and cherish but they have to let go. Your task is to find that person.

In my case it's a 1979 VW Dasher diesel



It has a five-speed conversion and gets 41-45mpg. The big selling point of the Dasher/B2 Passat is the 'rifle-bolt' shifter. No cables.

Right-of-first-refusal goes to the son of the Previous Owner. He's been asking about it. It needs to give up room for a [half paid off] 1990 Metro XFi. It's pre-1996, but has an 'Eco-light' that trains you to short-shift up through the gears.

Opinions:
I'm glad I worked my way through college in the 1960s. Went in with $1K in savings and came out with $1K in debt I paid off the first summer.

[roosterk0031]

I'll throw out Cobalt XFE since I have one, simple as you can get in a 2009-2010 car. I'll sell you mine next summer, it will have about 320,000 miles on it by then.

Myself, if needed a replacement, I'd go 2014+ Mirage.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

By this time 90% of metros are rust buckets that need $100s of work, unless you stumble upon a barn find or someone selling one as well maintained as MetroMPG keeps his.

1st gen Civic hybrid manual and Insight manual are both often sold for cheap because of battery issues. Disable the battery and run gas only and they drive just fine if you're okay with slow acceleration. Because of the battery issues, they can be had for dirt cheap when the rest of the car is solid.

A manual Camry or Accord won't get noticeably better fuel economy than the 27 mpg you're getting unless you hypermile and ecomod it pretty seriously. Getting just 40 mpg won't recoup the cost over 27 mpg for a long time. IMO the best bet for striking 50 mpg or higher without the worry of a hybrid system would be one of the two honda hybrids I mentioned above, a manual Fit or Civic, a maual Corolla, Echo, or Yaris. The Prism is a rebadged Corolla.

[freebeard]

1st gen ... Insight manual are ... often sold for cheap because of battery issues. Disable the battery and run gas only and they drive just fine if you're okay with slow acceleration. Because of the battery issues, they can be had for dirt cheap when the rest of the car is solid.

With an Insight you could follow the lead of a member, Julian Edgar, and add fins and a spoiler on the back, air curtains on the front and a good belly pan. I'd go with Bertone B.A.T. fins but they're harder to fabricate.

With a Metro, get a convertible and make a lift-off padded Carson-style bubble-top aerocap.

[Ecky]

If you were closer I'd sell you a good running (but high mile) Insight for ~$600. Easy 70mpg, mechanically simple, generally very reliable aside from occasional battery replacement.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Ecky

If you were closer I'd sell you a good running (but high mile) Insight for ~$600. Easy 70mpg, mechanically simple, generally very reliable aside from occasional battery replacement.

Seems worth a roadtrip.

[Fat Charlie]

2004 Volkswagen Golf GLS - $1995

2005 Hyundai Accent - $1000

2008 Toyota Yaris * ( Nice Shape ) * - $2395

2007 Honda Fit - $1199

I'm a Fit guy, but in this crop I'd grab the Yaris.

[freebeard]

One of these?

[gmguy64]

Originally Posted by Ecky

If you were closer I'd sell you a good running (but high mile) Insight for ~$600. Easy 70mpg, mechanically simple, generally very reliable aside from occasional battery replacement.

Vermont is a little far for me but I appreciate the offer that would be great!