Commuter car

xrayman · 03-01-2014, 01:52 PM

Hello everyone,
If you were possibly commuting 500 miles a week. What type of car would you consider? The criteria is fuel economy, reliability, comfort and safety. Lastly because the drive would be a mixture of rural, highway and city driving I want an automatic transmission. As much as I would like a new car, the car would most likely have to be a one to three year old car. Lastly the budget is max 15k

Thanks a lot.

Silverlsinva · 03-01-2014, 02:01 PM

whats wrong with the car you have now? And from your criteria a used Malibu or a accord or Altima would suit your needs.

xrayman · 03-01-2014, 02:12 PM

Dont want to drive my Camaro into the ground. Also, the car would need to be driven year round. Not risking driving the Camaro in the winter most likely I will trade my tahoe.

Fred 6528 · 03-01-2014, 02:16 PM

Toyota Corolla . I drove 154 miles a day in one and it got 36mpg with just regular maintenance and was still running good when I got rid of it at 385,000 miles.

xrayman · 03-03-2014, 07:51 PM

@ Fred nice.

FenwickHockey65 · 03-03-2014, 08:07 PM

2012-2013 Impala with the LFX. 30 MPG all day, 300 HP, plenty of room, GM dumped a ton into fleet so they're dirt cheap used, and depending on your state and your color choice, people avoid you like the plague.

Truck Norris · 03-06-2014, 05:08 AM

Those diesel VW's get killer mpg!

A Jetta TDI broke a cross country world record by averaging 58.82 mpg over 9,400 miles and a Passat TDI averaged 84.1mpg during a single tank world record where one traveled 1,626 miles one tank (they managed 64.42mpg in a previous test with the Cruze diesel but those are out of your price range)

Check carmax.com as they can send you any car in their nation wide inventory and offer an extended warranty that is better then ones offered at major dealerships. I'm not a VW fan but I love diesels and a VW diesel seemed to fit your criteria best.

trashmanssd · 03-06-2014, 07:43 AM

I would say a used Honda Civic, or Toyota Corolla if you want a small good on gas reliable worry free commuter car.

ClawSS · 03-06-2014, 04:10 PM

The wife and I work at the same place. We commute 110mi round trip together every day. Our choice of daily driver is her choice of car. Before the SRT it was a 2007 Trailblazer SS, before that was a 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood, before that was a 1996 Impala SS...before that we lived closer to work and I could drive cars that got bad gas mileage.

2009 300C SRT8 - swap out with L99 Camaro 2SS when the kid isn't with us
...switch to 8.1L crew cab 4x4 on really yucky days.

SRT = 22MPG
2500HD 8.1L = 10mpg
Camaro SS = Don't care

Drive what you want to drive not what your wallet requests. It's your butt in a seat for hours per week. Why hate it? Why dread the drive home? Why not look forward to going to the garage and driving to work or looking out in the parking lot and knowing what you are going to get to drive home...every single day? Life's too freakin short, dude! If you have to work, make it fun!

shaffe · 03-06-2014, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClawSS

The wife and I work at the same place. We commute 110mi round trip together every day. Our choice of daily driver is her choice of car. Before the SRT it was a 2007 Trailblazer SS, before that was a 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood, before that was a 1996 Impala SS...before that we lived closer to work and I could drive cars that got bad gas mileage.

2009 300C SRT8 - swap out with L99 Camaro 2SS when the kid isn't with us
...switch to 8.1L crew cab 4x4 on really yucky days.

SRT = 22MPG
2500HD 8.1L = 10mpg
Camaro SS = Don't care

Drive what you want to drive not what your wallet requests. It's your butt in a seat for hours per week. Why hate it? Why dread the drive home? Why not look forward to going to the garage and driving to work or looking out in the parking lot and knowing what you are going to get to drive home...every single day? Life's too freakin short, dude! If you have to work, make it fun!

I tried that and it didn't work for me lol. Filling up every three days was not kind to my wallet lol I had to get something more efficient

FenwickHockey65 · 03-06-2014, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaffe

I tried that and it didn't work for me lol. Filling up every three days was not kind to my wallet lol I had to get something more efficient

If I had to use the Envoy as a daily driver I would've gotten a new car by now.

JasonK · 03-06-2014, 05:30 PM

Check out Elio Motors. 6,800 bucks, 84 mpg. I'm really thinking about getting one when they go into production. I'd tint the windows of course....

Angrybird 12 · 03-06-2014, 05:36 PM

Actually an HHR is a good Choice. I drove one for 5 years to work and it was rock solid reliable and got 30mpg.

wocampb · 03-06-2014, 06:04 PM

I DD a 2012 Cruze and I get between 34-37mpg depending on how I drive it that week. I bought it new and have almost 24k miles on it and other than routine maintenance the car has been phenomenal. Just make sure you get the turbo engine or you will be disappointed with the regular 1.8L.

03-01-2014, 01:52 PM	#1
xrayman Drives: 2012 RS/LT Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 59	Commuter car Hello everyone, If you were possibly commuting 500 miles a week. What type of car would you consider? The criteria is fuel economy, reliability, comfort and safety. Lastly because the drive would be a mixture of rural, highway and city driving I want an automatic transmission. As much as I would like a new car, the car would most likely have to be a one to three year old car. Lastly the budget is max 15k Thanks a lot.

03-01-2014, 02:12 PM	#3
xrayman Drives: 2012 RS/LT Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 59	x Dont want to drive my Camaro into the ground. Also, the car would need to be driven year round. Not risking driving the Camaro in the winter most likely I will trade my tahoe.

03-03-2014, 08:07 PM	#6
FenwickHockey65 General Motors Aficionado Drives: 2023 GMC Canyon, 2023 Expedition Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 37,375 View My Garage	2012-2013 Impala with the LFX. 30 MPG all day, 300 HP, plenty of room, GM dumped a ton into fleet so they're dirt cheap used, and depending on your state and your color choice, people avoid you like the plague. __________________ 2023 GMC Canyon Elevation 2023 Ford Expedition SSV (State-Issued)

03-06-2014, 05:08 AM	#7
Truck Norris Thread Mover Drives: a Monte Carlo Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Sierra Nevada Posts: 490	Those diesel VW's get killer mpg! A Jetta TDI broke a cross country world record by averaging 58.82 mpg over 9,400 miles and a Passat TDI averaged 84.1mpg during a single tank world record where one traveled 1,626 miles one tank (they managed 64.42mpg in a previous test with the Cruze diesel but those are out of your price range) Check carmax.com as they can send you any car in their nation wide inventory and offer an extended warranty that is better then ones offered at major dealerships. I'm not a VW fan but I love diesels and a VW diesel seemed to fit your criteria best. __________________ In the market for something fast

03-06-2014, 04:10 PM	#9
ClawSS High-tech Redneck Drives: '10 CGM SS, '02 2500HD, '09 300SRT8 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 757	The wife and I work at the same place. We commute 110mi round trip together every day. Our choice of daily driver is her choice of car. Before the SRT it was a 2007 Trailblazer SS, before that was a 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood, before that was a 1996 Impala SS...before that we lived closer to work and I could drive cars that got bad gas mileage. 2009 300C SRT8 - swap out with L99 Camaro 2SS when the kid isn't with us ...switch to 8.1L crew cab 4x4 on really yucky days. SRT = 22MPG 2500HD 8.1L = 10mpg Camaro SS = Don't care Drive what you want to drive not what your wallet requests. It's your butt in a seat for hours per week. Why hate it? Why dread the drive home? Why not look forward to going to the garage and driving to work or looking out in the parking lot and knowing what you are going to get to drive home...every single day? Life's too freakin short, dude! If you have to work, make it fun! __________________ "My friends call me Chris. Are you my friend?" 2010 CGM L99 2SS/RS - GPI SS3 VVT, BTR DoD Delete, Circle D 4c, BTR springs, Katech C5R Timing Chain, MRR-228 315/275, CAI, Elite catch-can, TSP 1 7/8" Headers + offroad pipes, Magnaflow 3", Pfadt springs, BMR LCAs, toelinks, trailing arms, cradle bushings, & sway bars w/ endlinks, Vitesse paddles, heritage grille, and an eBay splitter. Power upgrades by Race Proven Perf.; Tuning by ShorTuning.

03-01-2014, 02:01 PM	#2
Silverlsinva Drives: 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth Grigio Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Manassas, Va Posts: 3,124	whats wrong with the car you have now? And from your criteria a used Malibu or a accord or Altima would suit your needs.

03-01-2014, 02:16 PM	#4
Fred 6528 Drives: 2011 ss Join Date: May 2013 Location: va Posts: 983	Toyota Corolla . I drove 154 miles a day in one and it got 36mpg with just regular maintenance and was still running good when I got rid of it at 385,000 miles.

03-03-2014, 07:51 PM	#5
xrayman Drives: 2012 RS/LT Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 59	@ Fred nice.

03-06-2014, 07:43 AM	#8
trashmanssd Drives: Black 14 2SS/1LE/RS 14 Tundra Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Plymouth, Ma Posts: 2,414	I would say a used Honda Civic, or Toyota Corolla if you want a small good on gas reliable worry free commuter car.

03-06-2014, 05:30 PM	#12
JasonK Drives: 2010 Camaro Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Topeka, Kansas Posts: 713 View My Garage	Check out Elio Motors. 6,800 bucks, 84 mpg. I'm really thinking about getting one when they go into production. I'd tint the windows of course....

03-06-2014, 05:36 PM	#13
Angrybird 12 7 year Cancer Survivor! Drives: 17 Cruze RS, 07 G6 GT, 99 Astro Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 21,546	Actually an HHR is a good Choice. I drove one for 5 years to work and it was rock solid reliable and got 30mpg. __________________ Cancer's a bitch! Enjoy life while you can! LIVE, LOVE, DRIVE... The Bird is the word!

03-06-2014, 06:04 PM	#14
wocampb Drives: '14 2SS/RS 1LE BRM, '12 Cruze LT 6M Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 706 View My Garage	I DD a 2012 Cruze and I get between 34-37mpg depending on how I drive it that week. I bought it new and have almost 24k miles on it and other than routine maintenance the car has been phenomenal. Just make sure you get the turbo engine or you will be disappointed with the regular 1.8L. __________________ 2014 - 2SS 1LE Ordered - 10/11/13 TPW - 10/28/13 4B00 - 10/30/13 Arrived at dealer - 11/12/13 Arrived in my garage - 11/15/13 SLP Supercharger, SLP headers, SLP Loudmouth Exhaust, Hurst Short Throw Shifter, 1in Hotchkis Springs, SLP Cold-Air Intake, Painted Chrome Strip, Painted Rear Valance, and more to come soon.