Compare mpg vs. price?
 

I am looking for a website or your knowledge on cars vs. mpg. I want something really efficient, but I don't have the money for a prius. Let me know. Thanks.

Please tell us your budget and level of skill with mechanics tools, if you could. A very affordable car that gets great mileage would be a 1992-1995 Honda Civic VX. If you want something newer you can go with the 1996-2000 Civic HX.

My favorite site for baseline info is fueleconomy.gov. Some will do better depending on how you drive or mod them. Others not so well, but it's a good starting point.

A price vs MPG savings calculator by one of the members

https://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=6239

First, I have to refer you to this page on the CleanMPG site:
What if you cannot afford a “new” fuel efficient automobile? This may help.
I recognize it's not very pc to refer you outside this site but... It's a good article addressing just about exactly the topic you raised.

I suggest you post a blurb promoting standard transmissions for drivers who can drive a standard or are willing to learn. It's a decision a buyer makes only once and then must live with. Many are very unaware of the fuel economy penalty that comes with an automatic transmission.

I have to point out that much of the discussion on this site is on the topic of "adjusting the nut behind the wheel". That is, driving technique. The other major topic here is vehicle modifications. There are quite a few things one can do to help increase fuel economy which are both legal and safe.

Yes - Honda Civic VX and HX very good candidates. I'm considering an HX for my next car - though my current '89 Volvo may well go another 50 - 100 K miles before it gives up the ghost. The VX/HX were versions of the Civic that were tweaked for better fuel economy than the others. HX ('96-'05) was always a coupe, and the VX ('92-'95) was always a hatchback.

There will be other cars that are just about as fuel-thrifty as a Civic - but most of them will sacrifice something in safety or reliability. Or they're priced much higher, as in hybrid. Corollas might be a contender but there's more activity in modifications and do-it-yourself with Hondas than Toyotas. I think that's why you'll see lots of Civics discussed here.

Another truism is that the car you own now could well be the most economical - because you already own it. When you need to replace it for whatever reason, the fuel economy of the replacement can be a major consideration. Using the calculator in the previous post you can see how/why you might save only a few hundred $ a year by buying a gas sipper. Of course if your current vehicle is only getting 15-20 mpg and you're driving a lot of miles, then the calcs will come out to more savings.

You can use the calculator to compare keeping your current car with buying another. Just enter the current car's mpg and the "initial cost" as zero.

[Edited by BP for brevity - you should see how long this post was originally!!]

Thanks to you all for your replies. You have all been most helpful.

The 96 to 2000 Civic HX are easy to maintain but the engine gets more complicated in the 01 to 05 versions [but these have cruise control whereas the 96 to 00 ones don't].

If you're shopping for a car you might use this advanced function:

https://www.cars.com/go/criteria/crit...l?aff=national

I find it funny that you gave no guidelines of what you were looking for.
I've found a handful of cars for friends that cost less then $300 and got 45+mpg, all sold to kids who have very little mecanical exprince, but have been able to keep them going useing just the basic chilton book.
between www.kbb.com and www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm you should be able to find the best gas mileage of any car made in the last 20 years, and figure out it's value.

I've never seen $300 cars in Craiglist or ads unless they were back in '87!

I think most of them usually contain 'doesn't run' in the ad text. Half the time they just never bother to check the battery or fuel level and just want it out of their yard.

He's my pitch for overall low cost: an Escort Wagon. I've got two, now (one is a Tracer). The 95 Escort was 950$ over a year ago w/109K miles, and it is great - 35-40 mpg, reliable, comfortable, dirt-cheap to purchase. Room for wife and two small kids. It's also my hunting truck.

The other was a 94 Tracer Wagon, 65K miles, for 1500$. Great, even nicer than the Escort - the Tracer has a tach and power windows. It's the one the wife uses with the kids. I'll keep them both for a loooong time, though wife is whining about wanting a minivan.

Escorts much better with 5spd, wagon is by far best value. Prizms, Corollas, and Sentras are good, too, though more expensive.

I gotta say I'm liking the Escort Wagon I started driving this last month. I'm not getting economy that is that good, but I'm taking really short trips of under 3 miles on a cold motor with the defogger blowing most of the time. I expect significant improvement with some dry and or warmer weather though.

Yeah, all those you named will kill mpg. Right now I'm getting mid/low 30s - most recent tank was 36mpg, I was pleased. I checked tire pressure yesterday for firt time in a few weeks, they all were low 30psi range. No they're 40 - and I'm gonna go up another couple pounds - I've changed the oil, and look forward to next couple tanks. 40mpg, here I come...