What is the ulimate commuter car?

[skimsucka]

I know its a manual trans. the only thing I wonder is he said neither headlight works but taillights and turn signals do so I'm wondering if it is just a bad relay? I'm sure its nothing major and nothing that will stop me from rolling in tiny car pimpness. Maybe I could duct tape two maglights on the hood and use my fuel savings on batteries

Manual trans A great step there are many rare options with these cars one is A/C power mirrors and many others. Yea its prolly a relay or maybe bulbs or the stalk switch any of them will be a 15$ fix !


im going to be throwing a hitch on mine to get my 45mpg dragging my jon to all the lakes in FL and thats a Lot!

 

[wasilvers]

I have a 95 saturn that I bought years ago for one dollar that gets 44 mpg city(when I push it) mid to high 30's all the other time. I treated the car like crap for years and it has NEVER let me down. If I could find another in decent shape, I'd definitly buy it.

 

[baseball_guy_99]

I drive a '99 Civic. 5sp 1.6l 4 banger. Bought it with 65k miles 4 years ago and now it has almost 170k on it. Still runs the way it did when I bought it. Casual driving I get 37-38mpg and around 42 on the highway. I paid 7k for it and it still books for around 3k. So they also hold their value really well.

 

[Deadmeat]

I'm on my third Civic and just love it. I had a 1985 Civic that had 186,000 miles on it when I traded it in after 18 years to get our 2003 one. And my wife had a 1989 Civic that we sold just last year with almost 190,000 miles on it. All three have been bulletproof and on a trip I usually get 40-43 mpg on the 2003 one. Here in Knoxville where traffic isn't bad, I usually get about 35 mpg around town. Oh, and the 2003 Civic also hauls around my G3 1544 just fine.

 

[LonLB]

Search E-bay for a Rust free Chevy Chevette with a Diesel.
They have Isuzu diesel's in them, and they run FOREVER. They don't have much power but they get 50+ MPG.


If I had the $$$$ and time for a car project it would be a Chevette. I would actually build it into a little performance car. They actually have a phenomenal suspension design, and has better suspension geometry than the majority of cars built today.

 

[Oldgeek]

Search E-bay for a Rust free Chevy Chevette with a Diesel.
They have Isuzu diesel's in them, and they run FOREVER. They don't have much power but they get 50+ MPG.


If I had the $$$$ and time for a car project it would be a Chevette. I would actually build it into a little performance car. They actually have a phenomenal suspension design, and has better suspension geometry than the majority of cars built today.

+1 on the Chevette! When my daughter graduated HS I bought her one. It had been owned by the service manager at the local Chevy dealer. It was an ugly purple and had been in a hail storm, but mechanically it was like new. She drove it back and forth to college for 4 years and a year afterward. The first thing my new son-in-law did was sell that ugly piece-of-dung! His words, not mine.
The Geo Metros made a big comeback a couple years ago, but it is hard to find one cheap any more. It is hard to go wrong with a Honda Civic. My son has a 1991 with 180,000 that you can barely hear run.

 

[Outdoorsman]

I notice you are in MI. I would consider a small SUV...with 4 wheel drive..

Outdoorsman.

 

[PartsMan]

I had a S10 with the 2.2L four and a five speed.
Hated getting rid of it.
They will get 30mpg all day long and have a bed too.

 

[moberg12]

1984-1988 BMW 325, 325e, or 325es with a 5 speed!!

 

[LonLB]

1984-1988 BMW 325, 325e, or 325es with a 5 speed!!

Another good option. Conservative driving and regular maintenence, including timing belt changes and you should be able to get 300,000 miles without any problem.

I had an 88 IS and I only got 24-26 mpg though.

 

[Crankworm]

I notice you are in MI. I would consider a small SUV...with 4 wheel drive..

Outdoorsman.

I have a Jeep Liberty I just don't want to put 150 miles a day on it if its not pulling a boat.

I had a S10 with the 2.2L four and a five speed.
Hated getting rid of it.
They will get 30mpg all day long and have a bed too.

I also have one of these a 94 that I bought with 25,000 miles on it back in 96 it has 240,000 on it right now. She took a puke a couple years ago and I can't bring myself to give her up. I plan on fixing her up when I get the time and using her as my commuter but it may be awhile. How many people can say they still have the car they bought when they were 19.

 

[lswoody]

Don't know what to suggest but I hope you find a good efficient one.

 

[Hanr3]

Best commuter car is one that is paid for. If your making payments, you'll quickly get upside down on it. My commuter car is a '00 S10 Blazer, actually its my DD. Sure I only get 20mpg, do the math. How much money are you saving by maintiang two vehicles, dont forget tax, insurance, and maintenance costs.

 

[moberg12]

1984-1988 BMW 325, 325e, or 325es with a 5 speed!!

Another good option. Conservative driving and regular maintenence, including timing belt changes and you should be able to get 300,000 miles without any problem.

I had an 88 IS and I only got 24-26 mpg though.

The e version that I recommended has a different version of the M20 engine which is tuned for efficiency. They will return 30+mpg highway easily, and be a lot more fun to drive than almost anything else listed here. I'm sure you know what I mean if you used to own one.

 

[skimsucka]

Well ill be looking for another commuter car I have been delivering pizza for 5 years with no problems it was only a matter of time :x

 

[Jim]

At least you're here to talk about it. Could of been worse man.

 

[skimsucka]

At least you're here to talk about it. Could of been worse man.

I know that im glad i walked away just fine seat belts work!

One of these chevettes sound pretty awesome

For now

I notice you are in MI. I would consider a small SUV...with 4 wheel drive..

Outdoorsman.

I have a Jeep Liberty I just don't want to put 150 miles a day on it if its not pulling a boat.

I had a S10 with the 2.2L four and a five speed.
Hated getting rid of it.
They will get 30mpg all day long and have a bed too.

I also have one of these a 94 that I bought with 25,000 miles on it back in 96 it has 240,000 on it right now. She took a puke a couple years ago and I can't bring myself to give her up. I plan on fixing her up when I get the time and using her as my commuter but it may be awhile. How many people can say they still have the car they bought when they were 19.

For now i still have my jeep Cherokee I bought day after turning 18 (first car) super reliable have put 70,000 on it hope to keep forever ! but im only 23 so far it has 260,000 on it all power all operational