Daily driver recommendations
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,157
Likes: 0
From: Wichita, KS
My '95 Tracer (same as Escort) is the best car I've ever owned. Bought it new, it got a new timing belt, belts and hoses at 65k, then spark plugs and an oil pan gasket at around 90k. That's it other than oil changes. It's a 4-cyl 5-speed, 33-35 mpg in town and 38-40 on the highway. I see ones like it for sale for $1500 or so.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 445
Likes: 0
From: Prince George B.C.
My mom and Dad have a 91 Jetta turbo Deisel and they luv the thing. Very few trips into the shop. I guess they got a wed car, and not a friday car. A few people I know with newer Golf's and Jetta's have them in the shop fairly often....your call DAVE. I had an 83 non turbo Rabbit Diesel that I bought used in 85 and drove it for 6 years without a problem.
The Tracer is an awsome car as well. My wife and I bought a new one for her in 91. 0ther than Belts at 65.000 km and oil/tuneups/tires, not a single problem with it. It was great car till our family increased in size.
The Tracer is an awsome car as well. My wife and I bought a new one for her in 91. 0ther than Belts at 65.000 km and oil/tuneups/tires, not a single problem with it. It was great car till our family increased in size.
Last edited by jenral; Oct 13, 2004 at 09:53 PM. Reason: forgot something
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Huntsville, AL
Go find you a nice Toyota Tacoma. It's still a truck if you need it and at the same time it gets great mileage. My first one was a 1997 with 110,000 miles and I got it for $3,500. That thing was running great when I sold it. You can find em everywhere. The 22r isnt in production anymore, but the 2RZ that is in the tacoma is an updated version. It is bulletproof.
Maybe find a cheap Honda Civic or maybe a 89-91 Prelude for cheap. I had an 89 Prelude that ran great at 270,000 miles.
I had a 88 Celica too. Great for gas. But not a 22r. That was in the pre-1995 tacomas. When it was just the toyota truck.
Maybe find a cheap Honda Civic or maybe a 89-91 Prelude for cheap. I had an 89 Prelude that ran great at 270,000 miles.
I had a 88 Celica too. Great for gas. But not a 22r. That was in the pre-1995 tacomas. When it was just the toyota truck.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 512
Likes: 0
I have a '03 Jetta TDI wagon for my daily driver. I get around 48mpg in mixed driving. It's been a good car for the past 16 months and 34k miles I've owned it. First car I bought new. I ordered it just before fuel prices went through the roof so I got a pretty good deal on it - TDI wagons are generally sold before they even get on the boat in Germany (TDI wagon is built in Germany rather than Mexico or Brazil). Right now, dealers are getting over MSRP for them.
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 495
Likes: 0
From: Bryan Texas
i have a 98 saturn sl1 with a 5 speed it gets like 38 on the highway without air and besides being one of the safest cars they are semi cheap
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Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Omaha
Get the toyota i had a 1990 corolla the best car ive ever owned i bought it in 96. The car ran forever. Its still running now except the tranny is toast. I put over 300,000 miles on it. If you go for the toyota get a stick the autos dont last too long. The motor was great. I got 30mpg in it and it took 13 bucks to fill it up
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,628
Likes: 0
From: South...
Find yourself a 91-93 Ford Festiva - 1.3L/5spd/fuel-injected w/air conditioning... 36-43mpg - CHEAP, easy to maintain, VERY reliable. I bought my '92 in Sep 02 and have put 52k miles on it without a hitch. When I bought it, I replaced timing belt/water pump/fuel pump/fuel filter, repacked rear wheel bearings, flushed coolant and trans. In the last two years, I've replaced the tires, brake shoes/pads and the battery. It has 166k miles on it and I'm hoping to get 300k out of it.
Best (most reliable) car I've ever owned...and I only paid $650 for it!
Best (most reliable) car I've ever owned...and I only paid $650 for it!
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,174
Likes: 0
From: Near Wamego KS
Skip the Toyota Corrolla, just find a Chevy Nova, exact same car just a differant badge on it and about 2/3s the price (and it's assembled in the US). Personally I'd go with an older 2.9L powered Ranger. I put over 160,000 on mine and then sold it to my nephew, he's put another 30K on it and it still runs like a champ - averages about 1 quart of oil per oil change and 25-30 MPG. Spent $300 on the input bearing for the transmission and about $150 for the antilock value on the rear end. No other repairs other then normal maintenance.
