Reasonably fun, cheap 90's-00's cars with shockingly good gas mileage

I think I've finally settled on a new-generation Soul Red Mazda 3S Touring as my first-ever financed vehicle purchase. Unfortunately, they're still so new that they sell at or above MSRP, finding one is tough, and they are on the expensive end of the compact field so I don't have as much saved up to put down as I'd like. So while I sock away some money towards a down payment for the next year or so, I'm thinking of cashing out on the E39 because a) it's long, wide, and a royal pain in the ass to squeeze into my city alley garage, and b) it's not nearly as efficient as I'd like considering I drive alone 90% of the time and no longer need the hauling capacity. So, I'm looking around at cheap ($2k-ish), potentially fun cars from the 90's and 00's that return fuel economy that'd be considered pretty excellent even today:

'98-02 Corolla/Prizm 1ZZ: 32 city/41 highway (!!!)

'94-99 Dodge Neon: 28 city/39 highway

'91-97 MX-6 (or Probe, I guess) FS-DE: 26 city/34 highway

It amazes me that the Corolla/Prizm in particular was able to knock back mileage in the late 90's that would be considered above-average today, in the era of CAFE standards and nearly $4/gal gas. Nobody would consider them a sports car out of the box, no doubt, but with some proper rubber, a RSB and a set of struts/springs, I bet it'd be more than entertaining to drive! Same goes for the Neon, and I know the MX-6/Probe already handles pretty well out of the box.

What other cars can you guys come up with that haven't all but rusted into the ground, that have some fun potential while being surprisingly efficient? Sadly CRX's and the like are basically nonexistent around here these days, while cars that should get good mileage in theory like the 318ti are actually on the dismal side. I know it's typically easy to beat EPA numbers, but if the EPA is already rating some cars this high, then it should be possible to return some nearly diesel-like economy with the right vehicle choice, right?

So what else can you guys think of that would meet these criteria?

88-92 MX6 GT with a big turbo. 40mpg highway.

Swank Force One wrote: 88-92 MX6 GT with a big turbo. 40mpg highway.

This.

Prelude? Mine always got good(ish) mileage. Though I rarely see any that haven't been thrashed or any with a stick,

I had a '98 Corolla for a while. I got 30-32 mpg all the time. Possibly under ideal conditions easing it along at 55 you could get 41 but it was so pitifully underpowered that I drove it like I'd just pulled a bank job all the time just to keep up with traffic.

Between that and ergonomics that I never liked (no right elbow rest) I decided to pay more for gas to drive a car I enjoyed.

This.

http://columbia.craigslist.org/cto/5189575672.html

Thanks for the serious responses, everyone.

I was being serious. I have legitimately pulled those MPG numbers out of my car.

I just found this one local to me, not the best MPG but decent and GRM had one as a project car NMNA.

https://peoria.craigslist.org/cto/5158871920.html

Asking $900.

SlickDizzy wrote: Thanks for the serious responses, everyone.

I'm just playing with you

redhookfern wrote: Prelude? Mine always got good(ish) mileage. Though I rarely see any that haven't been thrashed or any with a stick,

Not a 5th gen Prelude, mine drank premium and I could never get it above 26 mpg (calculated). How about a last-gen Celica GT instead of the Corolla/Prizm?

Acura Integra GSR?

The_Jed wrote: I just found this one local to me, not the best MPG but decent and GRM had one as a project car NMNA. https://peoria.craigslist.org/cto/5158871920.html Asking $900.

Do this.

Should do north of 30mpg easily, and it's a better car than the base model FS-DE powered MX6.

Haha.

Get a Neon. If you get something reliable than you will get to your goal faster.

What's the difference between the 2013 skyactiv 3s and the 2015 one your looking at? My girlfriend just got a CPO Mazda 3 hatch for $13k and it's awesome.

In reply to Swank Force One:

Right, but I also didn't ask "What difficult to find 80's turbo cars can I spend money doing engine mods on to get great gas mileage?" I don't want to search far and wide for an 80's turbo vacuum line nightmare, spend money flying across the country to get it, then spend even more money putting a new turbo on it to get "40MPG" some guy on the internet says he got from his car once so that I can ruin it in the Wisconsin salt.

I'm looking for an out-of-the-box solution I can throw suspension at to drive while I sock away money for a down payment. NOT a project.

My 2000 XZ2SR was always in the mid 30's, hit 40 a couple of times.

What about the Acura RSX? Those hit the newer, fun, and decent gas mileage buttons. Looks like they average around 28. I wanted one so bad back in college, but ended up with a 4 door 2002 civic instead (not as fun)

In reply to Coldsnap:

The 2015 is a top-to-bottom redesign with what is considered the best interior in any car short of $30,000. Massive, massive difference from the previous generation.

SlickDizzy wrote: In reply to Swank Force One: Right, but I also didn't ask "What difficult to find 80's turbo cars can I spend money doing engine mods on to get great gas mileage?" I don't want to search far and wide for an 80's turbo vacuum line nightmare, spend money flying across the country to get it, then spend even more money putting a new turbo on it to get "40MPG" some guy on the internet says he got from his car once so that I can ruin it in the Wisconsin salt. I'm looking for an out-of-the-box solution I can throw suspension at to drive while I sock away money for a down payment. NOT a project.

Fair enough. They'll still do over 30mpg stock, and there's not really a ton of vacuum lines on them. They're extremely reliable.

What i'm getting at is that there's not a single advantage a 2nd gen MX6 has over a 1st gen. Not one. Unless the looks are that important to you. 1st gens are more reliable, have better brakes, get better gas mileage, are built better, etc etc etc.

But if you don't want one, that's fine. The 5th/6th gen Celica is a good idea too. Even the GT models with the 2.2 should do over 30mpg. ST models maybe 2-4mpg better.

Pretty much anything Mazda BG chassis would also be the droid you're looking for.

Didn't someone here have an early '00s Hyundai Accent that they autocrossed? Maybe that?

... you've never spent any time with an F2T, have you. This isn't like a Starion or some 2.2 turbo Dodge.

I was going to suggest one but SFO beat me to it. I also like the Honda EG Civic's.

SlickDizzy wrote: In reply to Coldsnap: The 2015 is a top-to-bottom redesign with what is considered the best interior in any car short of $30,000. Massive, massive difference from the previous generation.

Whoa, from the outside it looks exactly the same to me. Though I haven't looked at much Mazda3. I gotta read this review because I don't see how they could make the best even better, did it get more expensive?

The neon is your answer here. Get a DOHC non R/T and enjoy 150+ HP, Fantastic handling, Light weight, and 35+mpg (I once got 42 in mine). Disadvantages are looks, interior quality, and finding one. Don't get the shorter geared trans it kills MPG.

I actually really like those Celicas but they have pretty short gearing and were not rated as well as I would have hoped. Combined cycle below 30MPG even before the revised EPA figures, and Fuelly backs that up :(

Hell no on an Integra GSR! Not only are they expensive these days, but they are stolen like CRAZY in this city. At least the RSXs have an immobilizer but they suffer from a crazy Honda tax (hard to find one below $4k).

Re: the Neon...SWMBO had a '98 R/T for a while. I liked it, but it actually had a lot more mechanical problems with consistency than I ever would have expected. Much of that was likely PO's monkeying around, though. I think the short gearing killed the MPG but I did like the way it drove.

A festiva if you can find one and don't mind being made fun of .