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I'm looking for assistance in choosing a High MPG used car for my daily commute.

My driving profile is..

Drive 1/8th of a mile to the freeway.
Drive 64 miles to work on an flat un-obstructed freeway.
Drive 1/10th fo a mile from the freeway to work.

Returning on the same track 12 hours later.

Any help would be appreciated,

Brian in Atascadero, CA

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byclass.htm

What are your safety requirements and budget?

I'd like to spend about $5000-$8000 and have an air-bag.

Brian

Your best bet would be a Honda Insight - you should be able to find a decent one in that price range, but be prepared to look hard and travel to get it. Keep your speeds as low as feasible and you should be able to easily commute for a gallon each way... 70-80mpg+ easily reachable.

Other options in that price range are used Corollas, Echos, and Civics. Any of these should be good for 40-45mpg with some practice.

Here are some suggestions for reliable vehicles from Consumer Reports, which I've whittled down to what I'd expect to be the more fuel-efficient models. This should help keep the total cost of ownership down. To compare the fuel efficiency of the various models, go to http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/sbs.htm .

$4000-6000:

99-00 Chevrolet Prizm
02 Ford Escort
97 Honda Accord
97-98 Honda Civic
97, 99 Nissan Sentra
99 Saturn SL
99 Saturn SW
97-99 Toyota Corolla
00 Toyota Echo

$6000-8000:

01-02 Chevrolet Prizm
98-99 Honda Accord
99-00 Honda Civic
00 Honda Insight
04 Hyundai Accent
02 Saturn SL
00-01 Toyota Corolla
01-02 Toyota Echo

Note that the 00 Honda Insight is the only hybrid on the list; it'll have the best fuel efficiency. If you need space for hauling stuff, the 99 Saturn SW is probably your best bet.

On the Corolla/Prizm, it should be noted that Corollas typically go for ~$2K more than an equivalent Prizm, even though they're essentially the same car. In the price range you're talking about, that may make the difference between having variable valve timing or not, which nets another 1 MPG EPA. (Unfortunately for me, it was first used on the Corolla/Prizm in 2000.)

Getting a stick will help keep cost down, as there's less demand for them, and it'll totally blow away an auto for hypermiling. From what you've mentioned of your commute, you probably won't be doing much shifting unless you're stuck in traffic or doing pulse and glide.

Thanks for the Help!

It looks like the 5sp Insight is going to be the ticket!

Are there variations to look out for?

Brian

some options are only post-purchase.

after you track down a Insight ( will take some digging ) look around for ways to improve your driving for mpg.

only options for a Honda Insight I know of are:

stereo upgrades
AC or no-AC
Manual or CVT ( manual getting better mpg CVT is easier on driver for in-city driving )
MIMA ( waiting list )
Look for the stock tire: Bridgestone Potenza RE92 165/65R14 ( it has the lowest rolling resistance ) [ look to keep the tires properly inflated ]

the insight will be WAY out in front of the pack in terms of highway mileage. and there is actually plenty of storage room in the back. 1 person, mostly highway, none better!

i have been averaging 70 mpg, including the steep learning curve. last two years averaging 73 or so. on the plus side i have MIMA. on the minus side i give away 8 mpg due to my choice of tires and another 3% running E10. so 80+ mpg should be easy.

If you could find one locally with HOV stickers that would be the real ticket... unfortunately, I think the ones with HOV stickers tend to cost a fair bit more.

And I wouldn't want to have to go quite so fast in the fast lane personally! Talk about a mileage killer.

Good luck and keep us posted with what you ultimately choose.

When I purchased my 2000 Insight I had to settle on purchasing one from another State and having it transported back to Texas as there were no decent ones locally during a 6 month hunt. However, my persistence paid off as I love my Insight and am currently averaging 80+ mpg for my 40 mile round trip commute.

65 miles? As this has come up in a previous thread... move closer to work, or get a different job :)

65 miles? As this has come up in a previous thread... move closer to work, or get a different job :)

My mindset has always been that you need to live where you plan on spending the most time. If friends and family are important, I'd rather drive 65 miles to work every day than drive 65 miles every time I want to see them.

Although, find a different job is always an option in that case too, right? :)

Price was a big deal to me when I bought my Prizm. Found a dealer that works through a dealer auction, he charged 600 over the auction price. So when I picked out a manual transmission Prizm, he ended up being the only bidder (nobody wants a manual). So I got the car for less than 6K just over 3 years ago. Not sure how many Insites show up at auction, but it may be a place to look.

Sadly, an Insight at an auction may be cheaper, but they are no longer covered by warranty once they have a salvage title.

That's a big deal, considering battery replacement is covered until 150k.

Thanks a bunch. I'd love to move closer, but it's just not an option, and the pay is much better at the other end of the commute!

I have noticed the value if an Insight drops dramatically after 150k/mi if it hasn't has the pack freshly replaced. This may not be an issue for me, given the lack of non-freeway miles. I may even look at doing a non-hybrid conversion to save weight.

BF

Thanks a bunch. I'd love to move closer, but it's just not an option, and the pay is much better at the other end of the commute!

I have noticed the value if an Insight drops dramatically after 150k/mi if it hasn't has the pack freshly replaced. This may not be an issue for me, given the lack of non-freeway miles. I may even look at doing a non-hybrid conversion to save weight.

BF

It has been demonstrated that you can remove a failed battery pack, disconnect a certain connector, and drive the vehicle as a normal non-hybrid. The DC-DC converter will keep the 12v system topped up like an alternator normally would.

It's just really slow.

I'd love to move closer, but it's just not an option, and the pay is much better at the other end of the commute!

I know exactly what you mean! Just 2 months after we bought a home 3 miles from my office I got an offer out of nowhere for a 50% higher salary and 3x more comprehensive benefits along with a full time position rather than a long term contract, but it was 27 miles away and over a mountain.

I soon went from being a bicycle commuter to a mountain driver. :p

Even if we were willing to relocate again so soon the area my current office is located in is quite expensive, has many less amenities and sees lots more snow (it's on Lake Tahoe, about 2,000 feet higher than the Reno valley). As such I see myself commuting for a long time to come.