Good paper delivery car?

Hi all,

The wife and i recently acquired a paper route and our current vehicles aren't really cut out for it (my van gets 17mpg and her Jetta doesn't get the greatest mileage either).

We're looking for a beater that can take the abuse, the budget is going to be in the neighborhood of $1000, i know it isn't much but it's what we have to work with.

So we're looking for opinions on beaters. We're thinking Civics, Corrollas, Metros and the like. Any other cars that get 30+mpg and are reasonably reliable? I was also thinking the constant starting and stopping might be hard on a clutch so maybe an auto. Opinions?

thanks!

Jacques

Corolla. Look for one with a 4AFE, like '88 to mid 90's.

P71 is made for your kind of duty.
I see a lot of Chevy Trackers in this type of service as well.

I think your answer may have less to do with brand and more to do with a condition and price equation. I sugest that you jump of craigslist, sort by max price and find what is available to you in the best condition possible. You may be suprised at the odd birds that you can find.

I suspect you will not get 30mpg because that is typically reserved for hyw estimated and your type of service will not see much travel in the big gears. I personally would focus less on mpg and focus more on overall car condition compared to purchase price.

Escort Wagon

John Brown wrote: Escort Wagon

What he said. Just watch out for the rear struts finding their way into the interior.

If you find a metro around here (I'm in Fairborn) check for rust around the front control arm mounting points.

CRX HF?

I gave one a way 6 years ago.

But it gave me 45mpg till the day it was towed away.

How many papers? I had a paper route in the 80s... it filled a big diesel cube van twice a night.

Subarus can take a pounding

Some samples from the Dayton CL that may be worth calling on.

Escort: http://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/1570399095.html
Buick: http://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/1571294492.html
Old wagon: http://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/1570346270.html
Tracker: http://dayton.craigslist.org/ctd/1570044844.html
Mercury: http://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/1566763209.html
Saturn: http://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/1557348879.html

The route will be about 100 papers on weekdays and 200ish Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

old postal jeep?

PubBurgers wrote: The route will be about 100 papers on weekdays and 200ish Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Bicycle with a nice big basket will do then :)

RossD wrote: old postal jeep?

Thought about this before but something RHD and w/sunroof so that you can be driving down, pick up paper w/ left arm and sky hook it through the roof. With RHD you are closer to your target and w/ practice, should be pretty accurate w/your throws.

pez222 wrote:

RossD wrote: old postal jeep?

Thought about this before but something RHD and w/sunroof so that you can be driving down, pick up paper w/ left arm and sky hook it through the roof. With RHD you are closer to your target and w/ practice, should be pretty accurate w/your throws.

No sunroofs, but

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/1556068612.html
http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/1561423941.html
http://desmoines.craigslist.org/cto/1556076519.html

Is there any other reason not to use the Jetta? $1000 buys a lot of gas so you might be better off throwing that money into the tank rather than buy & insure another vehicle.

Do you still have the moped? That would be good during nice weather. Would help offset the fuel costs incurred during the nasty weather.

I used a Toyota Wagon on mine eons ago. Dad would drive (I couldn't) but I got to ride with the tailigate up and toss papers. A good small truck might do the job too.

AE92 Corolla with the 4AFE is the way to go. I got mid 30s in the city and ~42 on the highway with mine.

i'd roll the jetta... at least for a while... if you plan to STAY with the job then find a junker that runs/stops well...

you're not going to get great MPG with stop go... and like mentioned that buys a lot of gas... what kind of miles are you planning with that kind of deliveries?... honestly 200 houses isn't much unless you've got large spreads between them doh

good to see you finding an extra way to meet your finacial goals though :)

BoxheadTim wrote: Is there any other reason not to use the Jetta? $1000 buys a lot of gas so you might be better off throwing that money into the tank rather than buy & insure another vehicle.

Seems like good advise.
$1,000 wont buy much car and wont buy many cars that get better mpg.
$1,000 will buy a lot of gas or may buy repairs toward a better running Jetta.

Look into www.fueleconomy.gov and use the compare feature to get a real understanding of how much (and often how little) the annual savings are between different cars.

oh that being said a slushbox 4afe rolla/geo prizm is great... not fast or anything but I'd hit 30mpg regularly delivering pizza in it... sadly don't see a lot of em anymore outside of the junkyard :(

I'd get something that doesn't chew up brake pads, or is easy to change pads on. A couple years ago I had a few customers at the parts store I work at that did paper routes. One guy had a Cherokee that needed a set of pads like every 3 months. Granted, he was getting the cheapest sets I had in stock ($10 a set) but still.

A paper route is just as bad on a car as a pizza delivery route maybe worse, imo.

a serious paper route is hell on a car. brakes, anyway. i'd save the money for rotors and pads on the jetta and gas money.

If you go Metro, get the 95+ car with a 4 cyl/5 spd. MPG is excellent, the brakes are bigger, and the car is better suspended than the earlier ones. I have customers that use their early 3 cyl. Metros for paper delivery, and they're happy with them, but I think later 4 cyl. car is a better choice.

Dodge Shadow/Sundance?? Cheap to buy and own.