What was your first car, and first eco-car?

[robbiewt]

My first car was an eco-car; it was a 2001 Hyundai Elantra. I got it used in 2004 from the Saturn dealership(R.I.P.) that I was working at. Keeping up with traffic gave me a horrible average of 24 mpg. Once I slowed down I brought that average up to about 34 mpg. While working on the brakes I discovered that the previous owner was in an accident that was not reported on the carfax report. Over the few years I had it the electrical system had so many problems it was hard to keep up. I got $500 dolars for it when I traded it in for my Yaris.

[dremd]

1966 typeII VW deluxe 13 window red and white. Got it when I was 13.
I finally got it driveable when I was 16. Best mpg I ever recorded was 15. I didn't care much because the only thing I didn't pay for was fuel. I had tons of stereo gear onboard and I would kill an alternator everytime I used it for more than a few minutes with the engine off even with 2 monster deap cycle batteries.

91celica gts (5sfe) auto wasn't bad pulled in many 35 mpg tanks

Mkiii supras were all over the chart, had a leak once and had a single digit tank. Turbo 5 speed lifetime was around 19 which was much better than any of my muscle car buddies got.

95 accord wagon (free to me)was around 24 mpg

And the golf is in my signature.

[Serafina_tikklya]

Unfortunately I don't have an eco car but my very first car was a 1967 2 door Plymouth Satellite, kinda of a coppery gold color. I loved that car. It had a 318 engine and a torque flight in the floor automatic transmission. Heavy duty shocks leaf springs so she sat up high - we called her the "Amphicar". Her Minnesota license was 2UC 318, which I said meant "2 barrel carbeurator (you see) and a 318 engine" which is why I remember it. She died a slow death in California.
My next car was a 1959 Morris Minor 1000 with a "home-made" sunroof which never went above 45 mph. Then I had a wonderful 43 mpg 1970 Honda 600 sedan. Great on gas mileage, terrible on space! I wish I still had the old 600 - I think she'd make a great eco car!

[RH77]

My first car was a 1977 Olds Cutlass Brougham 4-door 350 (with a blazing ~160 hp).



Oh yeah. Pillow-top plaid velour seats and a soft top. It was as old as I was, with 70K original miles. Great rolling couch until the transmission quit. The Beretta age began.

Most efficient:
1997 Honda Civic DX Coupe. No A/C or PS, 5-speed, 106 hp 1.6L. The lack of extra options made it a light, fun car with the benefit of about 30-40 mpg. The horsepower wars began and I enlisted (1999 Civic Si Coupe).

-Rick

[diesel_john]

1951 Plymouth Concord 2 dr. fastback. Flat head 6. Three on the tree, with a 4 sp. mounted backwards behind the three speed for three over direct. Caution: do not place on jack stands and floor it in three/one or the tires will explode.

[ecoxantia]

Bear in mind I live in England...
First car was a 1970 Austin Mini, 850cc petrol. I got about 40mpg (US)

Next car, and the most economical, so my best "eco car" to date was a Peugeot 205 XLD. It had a 1.8 litre diesel (non-turbo). I got 57mpg (US) from that, on freeways. It was one of the first decent small diesel cars.

My aim is to make my current car, with about twice the weight, and a more modern diesel, to match this...

[Bicycle Bob]

My 1st was an almost-new '64 Morris Minor with the 1100 A engine. Sort of a go-away present from dad. The back seat could be re-arranged to make a decent bed, feet on the trunk floor. I rode a bike for most of my adult life, and thought my >2 litre '81 Celica beater grossly oversized, but I liked the classic hotchkiss drive train, and got it tuned for decent mileage. I find these Metros are still more car than I want, most of the time - I might have to build a cabin scooter.

[Ford Man]

I bought a new '77 Buick Regal with a 350 2bbl. automatic which was my first car it got about 15 mpg combined city/highway and my first eco car was a '78 MG Midget bought in '81 with a 1.5 liter four speed it got about 25 mpg combined city/highway. The funny thing is my first economy car got about the same mileage as most of the current V8's in the full size cars, Cadillac's, Mercury Grand Marquis, Ford Crown Victoria etc.

[Matt Herring]

My first car was a 1985 Chevy Monte Carlo...beat it up badly in college.

My first eco-car I just purchased...2009 Toyota Prius

[aerohead]

My first was a 1958 Morris Minor 1000. I got her in running condition from a local hot-rodder for $80 US.She got around 30-mpg and would have probably qualified in the 1960s as an eco car.My grandfather was very frugal and that rubbed off on me.My dad was the first hyper-miler I knew.He was drafting semis in the mid-1970s,getting 28mpg out of a small-block Chevy 400.