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Recommentations on the most dependable gas sippers out there? I need a small used beater I can drive for a million miles at 30+ mpg without regreting it. I know certain years of different makes were great cars then they lost it in the later part of the decade, etc. Seems there’s lots of little ins and outs on different models like that.
If you were looking for something fully depreciated but with plenty of life left in it for around 3k what would you look for? Little pickups aren’t a deal killer either. Much obliged 🙂
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Have you looked into any of the older nissans? I have a 99 Altima that is good on gas. Or even the smaller sentra?
Other than the 260z I had once upon a time I’m not familiar with Nissans. I was always under the impression they were expensive to work on. Anything to keep in mind with them or a year that was their best year?
Older nissans have always, in my experience anyways (granted, very few out here, and so my view might be skewed anyways) been rather unreliable cars. My old Mazda was quite nice – MX6 I bought at 165k, drove it to 255k, raced it on autocrosses and drag racing (won points twice, went to regionals a few times, went to SCCA Nat’s in KS I believe it was, back in 2008) and although it might have been an exception, the worst that happened was I broke an anti-roll bar (in 2 places … figure that one out) and the idle air pump (controls idle) broke. Otherwise, no work for 90k miles, after 165k already on the engine/trans/other hard parts, and I really wasn’t “easy” on this car. Even learned to drive standard in that thing. I found it a nice, car, granted, not today’s gas-sipping standards (my 1995 trans am got 28 hwy and 315hp to it’s 35hwy and 14xhp – even my 2011 cruze-eco gets 46hwy and same hp) but for the time, quite a nice car. Not nearly big enough for me, I wish I never sold it, though, and just modified it so I could fit, but it was getting old anyways, and pretty soon it’d need a clean-up and new interior (it was ripped/torn), but I love ’em. Cheap, too, if you can still find one.
Thats what I’m looking for…something I can pick up for peanuts but still get another 100k miles out of without much grief. I remember in one of Eric’s videos, him talking about Honda losing their bulletproof quality around the year 2000 though. That’s what I’m trying to figure out ahead of time…”this make is good up until this year…watch out for bad transmissions in isuzus…etc.
I got REALLY lucky … and I know a decent amount about cars, so I really went over that car with a fine-tooth comb before I bought it anyways (and although I abused it, I did so “carefully” and didn’t overdo anything; any car can break in 100 miles, only with skill – and luck – can you get 100 thousand miles). And, as I said, I bought one of the millions that they built, so no guarantees that any others will be as good, I just got lucky partially, and also, took good care of it, did the maintenance it needed, etc.
Remember the old rule – PERFORMANCE (or RELIABILITY), LUXURY, PRICE. PICK TWO. That’s really all you can do, you get what you pay for, and some people get better “deals” than others, but really, you can’t pick all three and expect it. Good luck to ya.
Appreciate it! But I have to disagree on the ‘get what you pay for’ thing. I had a boss drop 80k on a brand new Jaguar. It was constantly leaving him on the side of the road. My parents Cadillac doesn’t go a couple of months without ending up in the shop.
I paid 3k for an S10 with 100k miles on it and had to spend a $100 bucks once on a new alternator over the next 100k. You should get what you pay for but it just doesn’t seem to work that way.As I said, there’s exceptions. Oh, with the MX6 (and it’s cousins, the 626 and Probe) beware of the ford transmission. It’s the 4-speed auto they put in them, known to detonate after 100k, we call them ticking time bombs. The 5 speed will hold up to factory power no problem, but those auto’s … just never should’ve gotten off the drawing boards (they needed a better auto trans).
I guess everybody has different opinions on thier favoritve makes. For me personally, Nissan’s run “in the family” We’ve had nothing but good luck. My Altima has well over 200K on the clock and runs like a charm.
Yeah, car makes can be a loyalty thing. My dad was always a Chevy man and my Uncle would own nothing but a Ford. But you really get to know what to expect that way…what engines they used, their quircks, what to expect.
I’ve always driven S10 pickups and blazers but I think I’m ready to go Japanese if I want 300k out of a well engineered piece of machinery. Back when they first came around they became popular because they just flat out kicked our a$$ fair and square. My dad had an Isuzu pup diesel with well over 300k and got 41mpg. That doesn’t happen with domestics.
So now I’m just doing my homework on the ones that were the real gems.I’ll tell you now … you can’t compare a diesel engine’s lifespan with that of a gasser. They just don’t equate – there was a fella with a GM Van, 6.2L Diesel, hit one million miles without an overhaul on engine or trans. You might, once a decade, hear of a gas engine hitting a million miles, period, but the fact is, diesels regularly see 3 or 4 roll-overs on the odo, and I’ve talked with truckers who have put 10mil+ on their truck. Granted, there were exceptions (the Chevy 350 diesel was a dud, I think there was one before that, a 4 or 6 cyl, which fared even worse) but generally, diesels tend to be better lubricated, experience less wear/tear, and be built better (they’re pricier than their gasser equivs, remember that whole “you get what you pay for” thing?)
Granted, I can tear down/rebuild a chevy 350 with my eyes closed, don’t even have to pull out a book to tell you every torque spec, vacuum pressure, fuel line pressure, and can pick out the intake vs. exhaust lifters from touch. Had one helluva time helping a friend of mine with a Windsor 351, but yeah, not a ford guy personally. Also, remember, Isuzu = Chevrolet, at least for quite a while there, although I think that’s always been the case. Same thing for Geo, both were marketed as “budget” brands, same vehicles, I think even built alongside each other by the same people, same shop and everything, not until they slapped the badges and panels on did they even figure out which vehicle it was going to be.
I have no experience with them, so i couldn’t give you any honest opinions. If your interested, it may be something to look into. I mean, it wouldn’t hurt lol
I’ve heard nothing but good thing from the drivers of those wretched machines at AutoCross meets (I drove an MX-6 in G-Stock, the Mini’s took over GS when they entered it). I’d say they’re good cars personally, from what I’ve heard anyways (maybe talk to an actual owner first). Like anything else built today, take good care of them, routine maintenance and what not, and they’ll take good care of you 99/100 times.
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