Not bike related but high MPG related

[Bubber]

Since I just got back to work and have to travel 50 miles each way I have been riding the bike.

BUT.... not so good if it rains, so I am looking for a good high MPG car that is reliable and I can get at least 3 years out of. No I am not looking for new.

I just thought with all the smart people we have on here they could share their experiences and head me in a good direction.

I wanted a Honda Civic but people think they are made of gold or something .

People tell me what you drive and what you know about high MPG cars.

Thanks

Bubber

[midnightventure]

If I wasn't planning to retire before I wear out my current vehicles I would get one of these when they become available.

http://eliogenuine.eliomotors.com/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwrqieBRCln82Rgufz7I0BEiQAPNjAI56Eb9UIuthgeQQ3UrSObF3X9Bl2M_c4URSegHNIcM4aAlvG8P8HAQ

I have a friend that teaches at a college about 60 miles away from were he lives. He has always driven Geos and has had good luck with them. I knew that he was having trouble keeping one since they are getting rare so I emailed him about this when I heard about it but he had found another Geo.

[BlueSky]

Try a Suzuki. They don't have super high resale value and they last. Or a Mazda, Mitsubishi, or an old Ford Escort/Focus.

[cowpuc]

I have been a major Ford Festiva user/abuser for years.. Always had good luck with em, tough as nails, fabbed up a hitch and drug motorycles on my little flatbed trailer all over the country.. EXCELLENT ON FUEL.

I had four of them at one time cause my kids ran em while going to college, had one daughter while doing her premed and working for hospice that put well over 50k on hers in one year, just awesome little cars! Definitely 200k plus stuff!

They stopped making them in 93ish and started making the Aspire, we have had 4 of those too of which my son drives one now.. Same motor/tranny as the Festiva, little bigger car..

I found out that those cars actually came from KIA.. Due to this I bought an 05 KIA Spectra, used, had 23k on it and paid 4k for it.. That was 5 or 6 years ago.. Between the kids using it, me hauling bikes on the flatbed behind and the wife chasing around in it, it now has just under 150K trouble free miles.. Gets 34 mpg, Festivas/Aspires 44/40.

Have learned that Hyundia and Kia are sisters, would also not be afraid of them..

LOVE the Civics, daughter now drives a 97, GREAT little cars but found exactly what your saying to be true!!

If you go Kia watch the timing belt change schedule, they are interference motors and have much more resistance on the valve train than the Festiva 1.3L's.. Never did do a belt on those Festivas/Aspires and NEVER had a failure in THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of miles on em.. Kia, not so much!

Totally agree with other poster on the Suzukis, know folks that had very good luck with them but I think I may remember Suzuki car manufacturing now be defunct.. I would check that out before I went that direction for fear of finding parts. I may be wayyyy off in that Bubber but better I am proven wrong than you finding you cant get parts for your pride n joy...

Hope this helps somehow

Puc

[midnightventure]

Now that I think about it the Geos are actually Suzukis.

[wrnchjox]

VW WITH THE 1.8 L TDI great power and mileage mine ran around 40mpg and did so trouble free for over 300k miles before rustgot the best of it.

[Freebird]

Now that I think about it the Geos are actually Suzukis.

 

Some were and some weren't. It depends on the model. I think the Metro was a Suzuki, one was actually a Toyota Corolla....can't remember now what model that was. Anyway, they came from two or three different manufacturers. OK...it was actually the Geo Prism that I was thinking about that used the Toyota engine and transmission. Chassis may have been made by Chevrolet, not sure.

 

The Geo Storm was from Isuzu.

[Freebird]

OK..just found this and it sums it up better than I could.

 

Geo models were manufactured by GM in joint ventures with three Japanese automakers. The Prizm was produced at the GM/Toyota joint-venture NUMMI assembly plant in Fremont, California, and the Metro and Tracker were produced at the GM/Suzuki joint-venture CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. The exceptions, the Spectrum and Storm, were entirely manufactured by Isuzu in Japan. Geo Metro convertibles and early Geo Trackers were built by Suzuki in Japan.

[Freebird]

Cowpuc is right about the timing belts. You need to do your homework. Some engines use timing belts and some use chains. Even within the same makes and models you will find that they could use a belt or a chain depending upon the model year.

 

If you buy a used car or truck with higher miles, you need to expect to spend a good amount of money to have it replaced if you aren't able to do it yourself. Most manufacturers recommend that the belts be changed at around 90,000 miles. Depending on the car, that can cost you anywhere from $900.00 - $2000.00. That can make the good deal that you thought you got not such a good deal after all. It is important that it be done though because if you lose a timing belt, you are very likely to completely trash the engine.

 

I would look for one that uses a chain. I know that my son's Nissan Altima with the 2.5 four cylinder has a chain. I think the newer Honda engines use a chain but I'm not sure what year they started doing so. Some Toyota models also use chains but again, it depends upon the model year.

[Flyinfool]

Since you live way up nort in MN. You may want to consider giving up a little gas mileage for either 4 or all wheel drive. You know you will have to make that trip in a blizzard at times.

[BlueSky]

My wife's 2005 Mitusbishi Outlander with the 2.4L four had a 4 year, 60k mile timing belt change recommendation. We just traded it and it only had 67k miles on it with one belt change at 4 years for about $500 as I remember. The only problem we had with that car is the front right wheel bearing just before trading and it was covered by the 10 yr 100k warranty.

[buddy]

True about Honda they keep their resale vaule ! I had couple of them in my younger days and I have to say thier mtr are bulletproof with prementive maintance ! Easily 300,000 mi on each one

Two others I was impressed with are chevy lumina & Monty Carlo the Lumina was good on gas 30-34mpg Peg put over 300,000mi on that 2001 model traded it in for 2003 Monty Carlo another good car Peg put 168,000 + mi on it and ave 33-36mpg now she driving 2007 F150 Larit crewcab just rolled 100,000 mi ave 20.9 mpg other than the 5.4 dreaded spark plugs this motor can easily do 300,000

 

 

Edited July 20, 2014 by buddy

[dacheedah]

I loved a subaru I had, it was very reliable and easy on gas.

[dvuch1]

I have 2 salvage civics 2010 2001......and 2 clean title civics....2004 2000 .....I can't say enough...just the peace of mind....got them all what I consider reasonable...very reliable easy to work on cheap parts at the junk yards.. great gas mileage...not super luxurious but hey i just drive them..be patience and find the one that fits your $.....i just lost out on a 1999 with 160k for a 1000.00 original owner! Everything worked but it sold within 2 hours on craigslist.