Vehicle recommendations
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I'm looking for a used car for commuting. I'm looking for something fuel efficient, but not a death trap either. My budget is about $4-6k and my only requirement is that the car has less than 100k miles.
Ive seen quite a few cars that meet that criteria, but I don't know where to start. I've only bought jeeps and trucks before. What does everyone recommend?
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VW, Jetta/Cabrio (same thing, Cabrio is a convertible Jetta)! Even better, they made the 70mpg diesel motors for those, so you could get lucky and find one of them. If not the diesel, the standard gasoline engine still gets ~36mpg if you drive like I do in a 5 speed.
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@travisdh1 said in Vehicle recommendations:
VW, Jetta/Cabrio (same thing, Cabrio is a convertible Jetta)! Even better, they made the 70mpg diesel motors for those, so you could get lucky and find one of them. If not the diesel, the standard gasoline engine still gets ~36mpg if you drive like I do in a 5 speed.
Yeah. I'm looking for only 5 speeds. I prefer them and they are many more options in my price range for them.
Are the parts and service expensive on a jetta? I like to do a cost analysis once I narrow it down to a few vehicles. I go on advance autos website and compare prices for common parts and then read how many hours they take to service. So fo example I'll pick starter, alternator, spark plugs (or coils), and a radiator. Then I'll compare the actual part cost and the amount of time serviced on each one.
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@IRJ It wasn't bad, but the only major work I had to have done on it was replacing the alternator. General maintenance and tires were about what I've paid with the Chevy's I've had since then.
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If you can find a low mileage one, Saturns are still amazing. The best part is that since GM killed them off (still salty about that one), the resale value on them is really low. On the other hand their build quality is generally exceptionally high. My 2003 Ion has about 150k miles, and we've put almost no work into it. It is built like a tank, weighs a ton (probably more literally than figuratively), and it still gets ~30 mpg in town.
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I drive a Scion xB and get 25-36 mpg, and I've only put a wheel bearing into it, in 9 years.
Nothing else has been needed with over 100K on it.
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I had a 2011 6 speed Hyundai Accent. Loved it. Averaged 32city/42 higway, went about 85000 mi before I traded it in last spring. Just did oil changes on it ever 6 months and brakes at 45000 I think. The OEM tires were junk though, especially in snow. I got good michilens put on after the first year. Only reason I got rid of it was 2 kids = too much stuff to fit in the trunk.
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What about a little electric job like the Nissan Leaf?