A new DD

Been lurking for quite some time and just recently decided to sign up

(I was lured here because of Seth’s AMG rebuild)

In the past 2 months my $400 300k mile 99 Civic blew up, and the transmission went on my 05 Trailblazer. I need a new DD (I drive 125+ miles a day just for work so decent mpg needs to happen) Reliability and longevity is important as I can log 40k miles in a year without breaking a sweat.

I would prefer a manual as it would allow me to squeeze a few more mpg however I am not discounting autos altogether. Something fun yet utilitarian. Interesting and practical. Additionally rear seating for the average 2.2 kids is important, and above all a bargain is optimal. I also occasionally nap in the car so folding down a rear seat and laying down would rock.

Ive considered a few options:

12+ 5 speed Focus hatchback, $6-8k, 38 mpg highway, not going to happen because my bank account says no (and no way would I consider the grenade of an auto these came with)

03-07 5 speed Accord sedan, can be had in my area for $3k and about 125k miles, 31 mpg highway 

92-96, perhaps 97+ Escort sedan or wagon, $500-1500, 30 mpg highway

What I am looking for would fall along these guidelines, I am open to other suggestions and input. Budget would be up to 3k-ish

 for the right car. 

Looking for one or already bought one?

or are you volunteering to be our designated driver?

(welcome!)

ultraclyde said:

or are you volunteering to be our designated driver?

(welcome!)

Im hearing "Drink Scotch all the time!!!!" when you say that

And i like what im hearing

You should buy an AMG somethig or another. They're lovely. 

Antihero said:

ultraclyde said:

or are you volunteering to be our designated driver?

(welcome!)

Im hearing "Drink Scotch all the time!!!!" when you say that

 

And i like what im hearing

Mmmmm....Scotch...

Duplex Drive M4 Sherman?

Been lurking for quite some time and just recently decided to sign up

(I was lured here because of Seth’s AMG rebuild)

In the past 2 months my $400 300k mile 99 Civic blew up, and the transmission went on my 05 Trailblazer. I need a new DD (I drive 125+ miles a day just for work so decent mpg needs to happen) Reliability and longevity is important as I can log 40k miles in a year without breaking a sweat.

I would prefer a manual as it would allow me to squeeze a few more mpg however I am not discounting autos altogether. Something fun yet utilitarian. Interesting and practical. Additionally rear seating for the average 2.2 kids is important, and above all a bargain is optimal. I also occasionally nap in the car so folding down a rear seat and laying down would rock.

Ive considered a few options:

12+ 5 speed Focus hatchback, $6-8k, 38 mpg highway, not going to happen because my bank account says no (and no way would I consider the grenade of an auto these came with)

03-07 5 speed Accord sedan, can be had in my area for $3k and about 125k miles, 31 mpg highway 

92-96, perhaps 97+ Escort sedan or wagon, $500-1500, 30 mpg highway

What I am looking for would fall along these guidelines, I am open to other suggestions and input. Budget would be up to 3k-ish

 for the right car. 

2013 C-max SEL - $6555

2013 C-max SE - $6799

2014 C-max SE - $6999

All of these are in the same price range as your Focus example.  My daughter bought a 2013 C-max last year, and it is a damn nice little commuter car that would be great for somebody who drives a lot.  It's comfortable, roomy, peppy, nicely equipped, and she knocks off 44 mpg week in and week out.  Hers is the non-plug-in version, which is about 300 lbs lighter and offers about 3" more cargo height than the plug-in Energi version.  But the Energi would probably give you a little better fuel economy if you could plug it in regularly.

Saab 9-3s are dirt cheap, sporty, and comfy.  Bought one for my youngest daughter and couldn't be happier with it.  Looking for a decent convertible 9-3 at the moment just to add it to the stable.  

What blew up on your Civic? That would be your cheapest DD option to fix it and keep racking up miles, but having commuted in one for years I would also be ready for something quieter and comfortable.

Of your options the Accord would be a nice place to spend time. Also consider Acura TSX.

Some of it depends on where you are in the country. I'd shy away hard from 90's cars in Michigan for instance, but actively look for them here in Texas. 

Any reason to not just get another Civic? The EP3 Si is stupid cheap in most of the country right now, is one hell of a fun daily, and very nappable. 

Maybe take a look at your local craigslist and post what youve found there in your budget and post some links?

I wanted something fun to drive, cheap and getting good mpg too. I ended up with a zx2, not exactly a comfy backseat though

Gonna throw out Prius as an alternative (or hybrid Civic).  Sure, it's not a "fun" car but if you really want to jazz it up there are suspension bits out there for it.  ANd it ticks all your other boxes (utility, sleeping, etc.)

Simple logic is this - seems like money is a little tight and you travel a bunch, so difference in mileage adds up quickly in terms of $$$.

At 40k miles / year you're using ~1150 gallons @ 35MPG and 800 gallons at 50MPG.  That 350 gallons delta is worth $900-$1,000 bucks a year based on gas around where I am (and who knows, predicting gas price is a fool's errand) - and if you travel more than 40k it's worth even more.  That's like 1/3 to 1/4 of the value of the car, per year, that we're talking about here.  The risk, of course, is that the battery pack goes during your ownership, but I've seen those for less than a grand, so you take the risk of having to give back some of your gas savings.  They did come from the factory with a 10y/150k warranty and I've seen people drive them up to 250k on original battery under ideal scenarios (e.g., fairly stable temp all year round (no extreme heat of cold), frequent usage, etc.).  If you can find one from California that's used with some regularity you'll have the best chance of finding a long lasting battery.  The rest of the car is very solid - ours is at 180k and outside of consumables nothing else has been needed.  

I vote Prius, even though we love to hate the car the value doesn't lie when it comes to old used ones. 

clutchsmoke said:

Also consider Acura TSX.

TSXs hold their value surprisingly well, which keeps the buy-in higher than expected.

Also, even with a manual it's in the mid/upper-20s for fuel economy, and it requires 92 octane premium gas.

I've owned one for 14 years at this point and been DDing it for 18 months, and it is a pleasant commuter.  But he's gonna burn a lot of expensive gas going 40k a year in it.

In reply to Duke :

All good points. I was going to suggest prius, but it's not that much nicer than his blown up Civic in terms of NVH. So.... Prius plus added sound deadening?

The Fit would be my first pick, but like all Hondas, they hold their value.  The SX4 can be had with FWD for better mileage than AWD. The Vibe/Matrix is actually a decent platform with the manual, but you have to stick with the smaller motor, which helps mileage.  

Open up the Craigslist city of your choice.  Using the filters on the left side of the page choose "manual trans only".  Put in a price cap of maybe asking $3,500.

See what pops up.

Non-sporty cars with manual trans are very slow to sell.  There just plain aren't that many people willing to drive one any more.  Those who know are getting older and don't want to bother.  No one taught the younger generations how.  

Sure, in sporty cars a manual may be more desirable but in non-sporty cars like Nissan Versa, Hyundai Elantra, Pontiac Vibe, Kia Soul they are not that desirable to the general population.  As such, the sellers have a much harder time selling these cars.  You can often translate this slow sale to a significantly discounted price compared to the auto trans counterpart of the same car.

Often these cars that still have manual trans are very low spec.  Many were not offered with cruise control so if that is important to you, be sure to check.  Even check if they have AC...on some it was optional.  

Also use fueleconomy.gov to see the mpg rating of any car sold in the US since 1985.  You can compare cars.  If you dig through the info you can see what a specific car will save you in fuel costs per year. You can personalize the data also. The savings from better mpg may not be as much as you think.  Be cautious to not spend $3k more on a car with the perception of good mpg, only to find out that that car might only save you $500 per year in fuel.  In that example you'd have to own the car for 6 years just to break even.  

ultraclyde said:

or are you volunteering to be our designated driver?

(welcome!)

Yes! Have license, will travel(I prefer Southwest!)