I would get a gas car also unless you travel all the time. The GM 3.0 gets pretty good mileage too. The 90s buick century is probably the best runaround beater car i know of. 30 mpg and dirt cheap. A buddy had a 91 Tempo that would get 32 religiously and was dead reliable. Dunno much about the new ones, the Dart gets killer mileage.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=1998...w=1024&bih=576

my beater;
1998 mazda 626 with a 2.0 4 cyl (125 hp lol) 5 spd manual (hate this part) gets 35 mpg (my minimum) with 37 mpg (my best.love this part) peaks.

stupid cheap to run and never needs anything.it just keeps going.i had to do a few things when i first got it due to neglect,but since then,just run 'er.she burns oil but that's no big deal.requires no changes.just toss her a clean filter once in a while and good to go.
it's like driving for free compared to running a truck.it just can't do anything other than haul me of course.that's ok though.saves on job estimate running and anything personal use.saves putting miles on the truck plus saves $ for truck parts even with the additional expense of tags and insurance.

id rather be in 60's muscle car sure,but hey it's to save not cost lol.

as for just getting in and going;iv never had a diesel car before,but iv never had a gas car start as easy as my idi diesels do when it's cold.iv had lots of v8's,v6's, and now im on my first 4 cyl.i wouldn't rule out a diesel car if thats what you want for fear it may be hard to start.i suppose it's just like the 6.9/7.3l a little maintenance goes a long ways.
my gas engines iv never had any assist.no gp lmao of course and no block heaters.the gp systems is a major kick in the ars for instant starts with the diesels.fell right in love when i got my idi with the quick cold start advantage in my experience.

 

Thats what we have, a 94 626 2.0 / auto. Gets 26 no matter how you drive it, which i kinda thought was low, but EPA estimated at 18/24 so im not complaining. Parts are stupid cheap for it.

 

I got a mazda 929, 92 and it sucks. Can't find parts and 15-16mpg on the highway.

 

It's a long story with my boss and the farm and stuff. But I need a vehicle to go back and forth 80 miles one way possibly a couple times a week. Just something I won't get tired of driving. My ranger just got depressing after a while knowing my truck was not drivable. A nicer car will give me something to get out of the truck lol

 

Fox body mustang with an IDI... would have to get 30+ ... Win Win lol, i do miss my ranger also, but what a turd.

 

Make a slant 4 IDIT by cutting off one bank of cylinders, a 4 cylinder IP, a custom cam and intake. Put it in front of a 6 speed in a 65-66 fastback mustang, get 50 MPG and love driving it.

 

I say go with the VW diesel. I know for people with one, with varying years, and they love them. Great mileage and pretty easy to maintain just like any other diesel...

 

Wax content in some diesel fuel will fog the fuel, check that your hose from the tank fill connection is not cracked and letting water in to the tank. is the fuel heater in your filter head working?

 

There was never a fuel heater in 87

 

I didn't say nothing earlier, but I like my filters in the engine bay, so that the under hood heat will help control gelling

 

I agree, theres just not enough room. I would really like to have them up front.

 

maybe, build a box around them, stopping the cold air flow may fix it

 

So what is the status of your truck Austin?

The Big Bore "RD2-190" is at the shop and is rumored to be done by the weekend...

As long as it doesn't lock up on the stand, it will be ready for testing.

There are lots of hypotheticals, but on paper, it will pump as much as my RD4. The only difference between this pump and mine will be the timing mechanism. I am deleting the light load advance and just running a trimmer screw with no throttle input. Timing will be tuned with expectations of a higher inlet pressure of 15-20psi, that way we can get some fuel through the pump.

If the pump passes step one, your still in the guinea-pig game right?

 

My truck is currently just waiting for glowplugs, they should be in by this weekend. I will need to get another walbro pump and do some minor fuel system changes but nothing radical. I should be ready to go before they pump ever ships. I'm still game for being a guinea pig.