What car to buy for a long commute

[Av8r3400]

Sorry you've gotten bad ones.

I've owned three. All have been very good little cars. '85 Golf (gas), sold with 180K miles no issues; '86 Diesel Jetta, still have it, going strong at 300K miles and an '01 TDI Jetta, 65K and it has only had one issue. That was carbon in the intake. Cleaned and re-installed in a couple of hours. Then I borrowed a friend's (VW Tech) computer and disabled the EGR. No issue since.

I would buy one again in a minute. Average MPG is around 46. (1.9L TDI with the 5-speed, avoid the automatic trans. This is where the problems are.)

Unless you are driving mostly in the city, the hybrids are a waste. Highway driving any of the little econo-boxes will do as well.

 

[v8dave]

I have a F250 Diesel and a Y2K Honda Civic DX Hatchback. My wife has an Acura 3.2 TL, we drive the TL for long trips, unless we're in the truck. The TL only gets around 27-28 mpg but is quite comfortable. The Honda used to get around 37 MPG and once in a while over 40 mpg. Then I got a speeding ticket on my motorcycle and I slowed down--a lot. We now get over 40 mpg in the Honda regularly. The small hatchback is a joy to manuver in town and parking lots. I avoid small parking lots like the plague in the F250.

One thing about small cars though. They don't get no respect. Turn on the turn signals and cars speed up to close the space you wanted to move into. Come up on somebody in the fast lane and they won't move over. Come to a stop light in the curb lane before a freeway on-ramp and I'll gurantee you somebody will pull in the next lane over and try to beat you to the on-ramp. People don't look over their shoulders, they just use their mirrors. If you're in the mirror blind spot, a big SUV will change lanes, all the time, right on top of you.

None of this ever happens in the Intimidator (as my wife calls the F250, 4wd, crew cab pick-up). Once in a while they'll try the on-ramp gambit, but they'll lose. Pull up behind some one on the freeway and that big grill fills the rear view mirror and they just move over. Turn on the blinker and they slow down to let you in. It's amazing.

Just be ready for a little more defensive driving style in a small car. If you've ever ridden motorcycles for a while, you already know the feeling.

 

[Alan L.]

I'm not surprised Lexus would be on top of the list. But I doubt seriously Lincolns and Buicks are more reliable than Hondas and Toyotas in terms of significant problems. Number of problems without scoring the severity is a silly way to evaluate reliability in my opinion.

The guy with the transmission problem is not likely to be spending his time trying to get the squeak fixed. If those little problems are the only ones you have, I'd say you are more likely to report them.

 

[Alan L.]

I bought a 1989 Toyota Corolla (with automatic) new and drove it 240K miles in 8 years. Replaced a radiator and CV joints, but had no other problems. Only got about 30 MPG but I did/do have a lead foot. It was very fun to drive and still drove and ran good when I sold it.

Now, I have sort of gotten afraid of driving little cars with all the SUVs on the road, including our Yukon XL and my full-size pickup. I drive about 120 miles a day and get about 18 mpg in my pickup. Its costing roughly $400 a month for fuel now.

I still think the beating I would take on my 2 year old truck, or the prospects of having, insuring, and maintaning 3 vehicles, still keeps buying a little car for commuting pretty much out of the question. I need the truck sometimes anyway. Maybe when gas is $3 a gallon I will be forced to do something.

 

[Egon]

Consider moving and reduce the commute?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Egon

 

[FL_Cracker]

Good idea. Move, no more traveling, no more job. Save on gas.

Oh ya, if I move it will be out of Florida and to my place in GA.....

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[gsxr1100]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ( I'm not surprised Lexus would be on top of the list. But I doubt seriously Lincolns and Buicks are more reliable than Hondas and Toyotas in terms of significant problems. Number of problems without scoring the severity is a silly way to evaluate reliability in my opinion.

The guy with the transmission problem is not likely to be spending his time trying to get the squeak fixed. If those little problems are the only ones you have, I'd say you are more likely to report them. )</font>

Most people that only spend $33K+ on a car will report any issues. Most older people in their Buicks will not ever hear the problems, let alone see them! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I again disagree since my parents and grandparents owned loved Buicks and lets say so far I am far less in the shop then the Buicks every had. Between the paint issues, brakes problems, leaky this and that etc. Lets see, 334 TSB on there Buick Century to my 66 TSB’s. Granted they are not all issues but they are design issues, service corrections etc. Issues that need corrective action.

MSN did another survey and there 1997 and 2001 Lexus got all excellent except for one area, the engine; due to the sludge issue which is not even an issue in the cars. Here is the general link.

http://autos.msn.com/home/used_research.aspx?src=LeftNav

I used to think the same way on cars until I get a better car.

But I must do agree with you on this topic. The price to maintain a spare car, yearly registration fees with the car, insurance, place to store it. To me that is about $1,300 to $1,500. So for me you better save about $1,300 a year (min) to break even. Nevermind the upkeep to save what, a few hundred? My time is worth that .

I only put on about 18,000 miles a year. My old diesel truck (Powerstroke) got 18 MPG MAX and my car gets 24 to 30 MPG (75% city) So my old truck cost about $2,600 in diesel (today’s price). Car is $1,735. Delta is $865 savings in fuel (using 24 mpg) but that is not taking all other issues in consideration. Far less oil in sump, less ATF fluid, cheaper filters, less issues, etc.

Me, if I still had my old truck, it would not be worth it to get a “beater” gas saver unless it got a min of 30 MPG to break even. Nevermind the parts to upkeep, time, etc. All this to save a few hundred, not worth my time.

 

[hazmat]

The Swedes and Germans are "known" (and deservedly so) for their safety. I had the V40 (nice car, not nearly as miserly on the gas as it could be).

Honda is the brand that has the most vehicles with 5 star front & side impact ratings. They are even listing the safety ratings on their window stickers for 2006 - not a bad choice since none have a worse rating than 4 stars... Honda Press Release

 

[Whiskey]

FL_Cracker:

Here's one for ya...Honda Element....the uglest thing on 4 wheels I have ever owned, but the most practial thing on 4 wheels I have ever owned.....

Not the best on gas by a long shot (25 city/28 hwy) but you can haul all kinds of stuff in it / fun to drive (kind of like a go-cart) / not bad on the fuel / makes a great handycap car / not a lick of carpet in it and easy to keep clean / and every body looks at you funny when at a red light.....what fun! / plastic everwhere / weird colors to choose from / and I bet it would float if the need ever arose? / for those of us that can't afford the real thing......it looks kind of like a hummer, just a hummer light, kind of like bud light but not really

 

[Jagmandave]

One last tiny bit of input, if you're just looking for a small commuter car, you might consider Hyundai or Kia, with their 100k 10 year warranties, and they each have an entry level car under $10K. Also Suzuki and the Chevy Aveo (which is a Daewoo)