Need a "new" car.

[Mohawk600]

In August I got a bare bones 2014 Nissan Versa 4 dr, manual transmission, with 56,000 mi. I got it from a well known dealership in Austin for $5500 out the door...they paid TTL. Its small and basic but well built...serves my purpose as a school commuter car. I'm getting 32 mpg city. It was surprising to learn it only has a 10 gal tank.....but wtf...I fill it up every two weeks....lol.

I was looking at a hatchback Versa which I do like better, but it had 20,000 more miles, was the same price, and I was going to have to pay TTL.

Good deals are out there.

 

[oldag]

Usually hard to justify buying a new vehicle solely on gas mileage.

 

[Maverick44]

Some more info about the truck.

It's at 141,000 miles, and is beginning to develop some issues. Driving it that much for another 5 years would be really pushing it. On top of that, it's not my truck. After the focus incident, my mother loaned it to me for college. Now that I'm done and have steady employment, I need to get my own vehicle.

I'll do a little digging on some your suggestions and get back to you later tonight.

Thanks fellas.

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[Maverick44]

I looked at quite a few more cars. The cheapest car I looked at was a white 2012 MAZDA MAZDA3 I Sport with 83,663 miles on it. They want $6,900 for it. It's not overly fancy on the inside, but it's sporty, it gets great gas's milage (33 hwy), and the price is appealing. I like it a lot.

My favorite one I've looked at was a 2014 Subaru Impreza 2.0i with 65,700 miles for $8,000. It's green, but not an unGodly green. It looked almost dark grey at first glance. It's all wheel drive too and gets 36 mpg on the highway. The ad said it has a rebuild title due to a minor accident on the front bumper cover. I'm not entirely sure what all that means.

I also looked at a Toyota Corolla. it's not really doing it for me. It was a black 2011 model with 42,600 miles on it for $9,000. It's very basic. That's fine, but at that price I kind of want more.

I looked at a white 2012 Honda Accord LX with 61,000 miles on it for $9,000. I like it better than the Corolla.

I looked at a dark grey 2015 Nissan Versa 1.6S Plus, and it was ok. 58,800 miles for $7,350. I liked it better than the Corolla too.

The 2014 VW Jetta TDI I looked at was nice. It has 34,616 miles on it, and they want $8,800 for it. It's dark metallic blue and seems to be pretty well equipped. It gets 42 MPG on the highway. I do not care for it having a sunroof though.

There's a gunmetal blue 2010 MAZDA MAZDA3 S Sport with 75,000 miles on it for $7,500. It's pretty nice.

I'm going to look into the tranny issues on the focus to see if they actually got them fixed. I still like that focus quite a bit, but that Subaru or one of the MAZDAs I looked at might be better.

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[Maverick44]

This one is tempting me. It's not the most economical choice, but it looks fun to drive and I really like all that storage space you get in the back.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for...List=SUB&searchRadius=300&clickType=spotlight

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[F350-6]

My daughter had a Fusion SE (or whatever the hybrid version is called) The large battery under the trunk reduced the trunk size tremendously, and also didn't come with a spare tire. The additional weight in the rear killed rear shocks and tires fast enough that the additional savings in fuel economy were wiped out.

Just throwing that out there so you don't make a decision based solely on MPG's and look at the actual cost of ownership.

 

[toddnjoyce]

...My favorite one I've looked at was a 2014 Subaru Impreza 2.0i ... a rebuild title

Run like the plague; that vehicle has been totaled by an insurance company at some point and the repaired.

https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/buying-or-selling-a-vehicle/title-check-look-before-you-buy/rebuilt

You may have a hard time getting it insured.

 

[Maverick44]

Run like the plague; that vehicle has been totaled by an insurance company at some point and the repaired.

https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/buying-or-selling-a-vehicle/title-check-look-before-you-buy/rebuilt

You may have a hard time getting it insured.

That's what I thought a rebuild title was, but I kept seeing cars with rebuild titles due to "minor accidents" and thought I might have been mistaken.

That's a shame. My favorite choice now would probably be that loaded out Subaru Impreza hatchback then.

Guys, the MPG is important but it's not the only thing that matters to me. I want a car with a decent amount of space/storage, one that won't leave me stranded, and one that's fun to drive. I'm going to be driving this thing around 8 hours a week. I might as well get something I actually enjoy driving.

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[toddnjoyce]

That's what I thought a rebuild title was, but I kept seeing cars with rebuild titles due to "minor accidents" and thought I might have been mistaken.

The branding on the title may be irrelevant to the damage you see reported by the seller as that damage may have occurred after the vehicle was placed back in service.

Sometimes it can be as simple as a dealer get hit by a hail storm, other times it can be a Katrina/Harvey car, or just a run of the mill collision with airbag deployment or even something as minor as the sensors in the bumper were damaged and the cost to replace that system (yes, some do not have individual sensor replacement) is exceedingly high because the main harness for the vehicle has to be replaced.

 

[SQLGeek]

I had a 2012 Fusion and loved it. I miss that car. If you can get pre-2013, you'll get the older body style and they are relatively cheap for the mileage.

 

[Bozz10mm]

I also looked at a Toyota Corolla. it's not really doing it for me. It was a black 2011 model with 42,600 miles on it for $9,000. It's very basic. That's fine, but at that price I kind of want more.

I looked at a white 2012 Honda Accord LX with 61,000 miles on it for $9,000. I like it better than the Corolla.

I would take another look at one of these. They are probably the most reliable of the bunch. Hondas have slightly better engines than Toyotas, but Toyotas have better transmissions. Automatic transmissions that is. A standard in either will run forever.

Subarus have dated technology engines, the boxer engines. Have a rep for blown head gaskets and their auto trans are relatively unreliable. But they have the best all wheel drive.

VWs are not that reliable anymore and are expensive to repair.

The 2012 Mazda will probably have the notoriously unreliable Jatco automatic transmission.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Avoid ANY vehicles with salvage titles, period. You're not mechanically fit to judge them - most aren't - and as noted, insurance can be VERY difficult to obtain, and you'll play hob when it's time for YOU to sell it.

One of my favorite small vehicles was the Ford Ranger. You can find low-mileage ones from time to time, and they'll definitely carry their value.

 

[Maverick44]

Any opinions on the 2012-2017 Mitsubishi Lancers? There seems to be a lot of different trims available with low mileage for around $7000.

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[tonyt79]

I bought a Kia Optima last year for work. I was dropping 70 bucks a fill up twice a week in my wife’s suburban because it got better MPG than my truck. With the monthly payment and gas it’s cheaper than driving my other options


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[Darkpriest667]

Just want to echo the suggestion to buy a Toyota Corolla. It will probably outlive you if you get one under 50k miles.

 

[Maverick44]

I'm just really not feeling the Corolla. I've looked at them again, and I just can't find one I like enough to spend 10K on. I'll look at some in person, but I just don't think that car is for me.

I've looked into the Focus some more. The 2012-2016 had the issues with the powershift tranny. The 2017 model doesn't.

It looks like the hatchback version comes with a 4 cyl 2.0 L engine and puts out about 160 HP. The sedan has either a 3 Cyl 1.0 L engine that puts out 123 HP (SE), or the same engine as the hatchback SEL).

I'll stick to either the hatchback or the SEL sedan in I get a 2017 Focus.

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[Bozz10mm]

Any opinions on the 2012-2017 Mitsubishi Lancers? There seems to be a lot of different trims available with low mileage for around $7000.

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Yeah....NO!

 

[Big Green]

That Honda Accord is probably the best. Reliable, reasonable gas mileage, and plenty of room.

Small cars can be great for ONLY MPG, but you sacrifice room. With something like the Accord, you may give up a little MPG but you have the ability to haul people/things should the need arise.

If MPG is truly a sticking point, ensure you don’t sell yourself short by going too small or sporty, for the sake of being cool.

Take my recommendation with a grain of salt, my daily driver is a long wheelbase Expedition with a V8 and my Friday vehicle is a Jeep that gets 12.5 MPG. (21.5 miles each way to work and back.)

 

[Darkpriest667]

That Honda Accord is probably the best. Reliable, reasonable gas mileage, and plenty of room.

Small cars can be great for ONLY MPG, but you sacrifice room. With something like the Accord, you may give up a little MPG but you have the ability to haul people/things should the need arise.

If MPG is truly a sticking point, ensure you don’t sell yourself short by going too small or sporty, for the sake of being cool.

Take my recommendation with a grain of salt, my daily driver is a long wheelbase Expedition with a V8 and my Friday vehicle is a Jeep that gets 12.5 MPG. (21.5 miles each way to work and back.)

I'd agree with a Camry or Accord. Look the 4 most reliable cars of all time are the Corolla, Accord, Camry, and Civic. In that order.

Toyota and Honda make good effing cars and the cars get pretty decent gas mileage. If you aren't feeling the Corolla I concur with Big Green, get an Accord.

 

[GoPappy]

^ What he said. For the kind of miles you’re piling up, I’d look for the lowest mileage Accord, Camry, Civic, or Corolla I could find.