I need to find a used small car to go back and forth to work. gas is killing me i paid 113.00 dollars this week and only have a half tank left to show for it (ouch). I need something good and have little experience with cars (always owned trucks). I am looking to spend 8-10 grand for something that gets at least 25 miles to the gallon and need your input on some decent cars out there. I drive 700-800 miles a week and can not keep driving the ol f-150 each day (except winter) back and forth. Thanks in advancve for your input..

 

The Ford Focus seems to be a very reliable car. A friend of mine that is a dealer tech bought one because he said all they ever do to them is maintenance.

 

escort zx2 my bro just bought a 95 hyundai elantra for 500 bucks and that thing runs like a top and is in great shape if your gonna be payin 8-10 grand and insurance on it you will have to drive it a ton for it to pay for itself in gas savings i mean thats 8-10 grand you could use for gas in your truck not counting the insurance

 

A used mini.
I would pay 10 bucks just to see the video of buckdropper trying to "shoe-horn" himself into one

 

with that kind of driving I would recommend a diesel Jetta or Golf. You will spend more than 8 to 10 grand, but the difference will be made up in the fuel savings alone.

 

Dropper, I would say a Ford Farcus. I owned one for a couple years. They are good little cars that ride rather well and have a suprising amount of room. My 6 foot son could ride in back with out his knees jammed into the front seat. Mine got a consitant 30mpg. Just get the bigger 2.2 and a stick. The auto is a real dog.

Sled...

 

I know what you mean Buckdropper. I am driving my truck for work and I spending over a $100 a week in gas as well. Thank god for them paying me .30 cents a mile. I am suppose to get a company car soon though, but somebody else is still driving that car as he is waiting on a van. They are driving Ford Focuses now but soon the company is switching to Chevy Cavaliers

During my training, the guy that was training me made me drive for about the last two weeks, so I got to drive his Focus. It really feels different than driving my truck. It was the auto and it had ok power. Definitely not anything you are going to be racing with,but not too bad. The one thing I noticed about their cars is that they had to stop at a gas station almost daily too. But they would only hold like $15-18 dollars at a time compared to $35 for my truck. But of course for us, if we have a company car, then they give us a gas card.

 

I see Buckdropper in something like this........

 

Thats great!!

Can't help much with the small car issue. We have owned several different "commuter cars" but they have all been used vehicles that we paid under $1000 for. I did rent a Focus once, for a small car I was impressed. Seemed like it had a decent amount of zip.

 

I don't understand, why all this Ford Focus bashing.
The Focus is an outstanding car.
My brother has one and I am driving it occassionaly.
I think it's super, so smooth.
Maybe because it's European built, I don't know.

I just don't understand.

 

Hi F150Europe,

I just re-read the thread, but I doesn't seem like anyone is bashing the Focus...if anything it seems to generally being recommended. From everything I've heard, it's a decent car, just a lot smaller than the trucks most of us are used to driving. I'm 6'6", so most cars seem too small to be comfortable for me...

John

 

Sorry then, maybe not in this thread.
But I do read things about the Focus on this messageboard.
Most of the time not very positive.
It still is a Ford and I think it's great.

29 MPG

I must have been confused by momalle1's reply.
I thought he meant that sarcastic and that the focus needed maintenance all the time.

 

I've been driving a '96 Chevy Cavalier since '98. It's got 163,000 miles now. The money I save on gas and insurance makes about 1/2 of my Lightning payment. You can find a used one CHEAP. I'm looking at a '99 Convertible right now. I hope to get it for about 2200 bucks. BTW, my Cav gets 40 MPG highway and 28 city. It has been a great car. Or if you want to stick to Ford, the Foci are good cars too. Just stay away from the 2000's(first year model).

 

Well if you find something that get 30 mpg and that saves you $56.00 a week in fuel just be sure monthly costs are less than $224.00 a week . This would include fuel, maintenance, payments(?) and insurance. If more than that then you will be losing money.

My truck is paid for , I can buy a lot of fuel for what it would cost to buy a new/used economy car.

Something to think about.

 

Lmao. Way to help the guy out. My Vette is paid for also.