Econobox cruiser

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Oldboy

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 25, 2013
Messages
85
Location
Pine bush, ny
Hey there
Anyone have a proven econobox formula?
I live out in the sticks, but make a high mile trek each day to the city. Have been running Saturns for years now, as they are cheap, easy to maintain, and return 35mpg.
The supply will slowly disappear, at least for the cheap low mileage beaters.
Anyone got something in mind that will hold up, return great mpg, and last 250k + ?.
What works for you?
Im thinking a 2.3 turbo ford, in a small body, geared for mpg.
Any thoughts? Thanks
 
Older diesel Vw. Friend has a jetta that gets around 50 mpg.

I'm sold on 12 valve cummins two wheel drive trucks. Low 20s mpg with them.
 
Crown Vics and Gran Marquis. I had a 2000 GM that easy got high 20s and even low 30s a few times. I wouldn't drive a little crap box to squeeze out another 5 mpg. They are built like a tank and will run 250,000 easy with any care at all. And they are granny cars so pretty easy to find with low mileage. The diesels are fine but cold starting and warm up time takes the desirability down. Most of the Dodges in this country barely warm up when you drive them and can idle for hours and never thaw frost off the windshield.
 
21willys said:
Older diesel Vw. Friend has a jetta that gets around 50 mpg.

I'm sold on 12 valve cummins two wheel drive trucks. Low 20s mpg with them.
Click to expand...

Until my jetta was smashed I averaged 47MPG out of a 2000 1.9L TDI. Best it got was 58MPG non stop 70MPH 350miles. It was comfortable, but 0-60 in ten minutes. You could chip it and play around a bit and make them pretty quick, but mine was slow. I loved my little car. Always started no matter what temp, would tow my quad like a champ and still get 40MPG. I would own another in a second. Trying to find another replacement/donor to put mine back together.
 
I agree on the VW diesels. We bought a new 83 Rabbit, put well over 100,000 miles on it, only thing we did was have the valves adjusted once and two glow plugs. Wife gave it away trading it in, she has never pulled that trick again. When I showed her how bad they screwed her on the trade, she about died. She no longer will even attempt to buy a vehicle without me.
 

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