Daily driver

[amtrucker22]

With all this talk about gas going through the roof, I am debating on purchasing a $2000 daily driver for my 30 mile round trip each day. The car I was looking for would have to get at least 25 mpg. Any suggestions of what type of car to get (I have a kid and tote around another one also).

Pros:

Save about $1000 - 1500 a year (insurance/gas/oil changes)
Keep the miles off the truck
Keep the truck clean

Cons:

Driving around a crap car
Day dreaming about the next time I can drive my truck
Daily driver can crap out on me and cause me more $$

I am looking for the medium point... Is a $2000 car worth it? What are some other pro's and con's?

Give me some ideas??????? Please... :dontknow:

 

[wheredwhogo?]

i would find a honda....cant go wrong

 

[BurntRubber]

2000 nissan sentra

Or put a 3.90 rear gear in...should get you close to 20 on the highway!

 

[amtrucker22]

Are the 3.90 gears a direct swap?

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

I think a carrier has to be replaced to go lower than a 4/56

but I bought a xtra cab mazda 2600 5 spd, 4wd, runs good, I have put over 30,000 on it in the last couple years, get 22-24mpg, but now the mazda a/c does suck
I bought it for $2500 and probably spent $500 in the last few years, brakes an such

 

[amtrucker22]

Is this something you sell Stink or do you have any suggestions of where to get them? Any guesstimates on costs?

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

Is this something you sell Stink or do you have any suggestions of where to get them? Any guesstimates on costs?

I dont sell Mazdas bro:dontknow: :dontknow:


I need to call him about that, DTS was SUPPOSED to be checkin on that for Griff let me call them tommorrow

oh you got a pm

 

[flchub]

paul i heard the 3:73 might be better ,someone else posted on it,you have a dana 60 rear end

 

[amtrucker22]

What kind of MPG gains can I get from 4.11 - 3.90 - 3.73

What kind of HP losses will I get from 4.11 - 3.90 - 373

I can understand losing some power to gain some gas milage. Just curious to see if it is worth it compared to getting a DD.

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

being that your truck is yellow paul, you need all the hp you can get!!!

if you go to a lower gear, your not gonna loose hp, you may loose a little inthe 1/8 mile , but most likely not alot.

but on the highway you may see up to .5 mpg increase.

but personally if it was me , I would be a pos DD, an keep theol girl garaged for sunny days:marchmellow:

 

[amtrucker22]

if you go to a lower gear, your not gonna loose hp, you may loose a little inthe 1/8 mile , but most likely not alot.

but on the highway you may see up to .5 mpg increase.

but personally if it was me , I would be a pos DD, an keep theol girl garaged for sunny days:marchmellow:

That is the way I am leaning!

Anyone else have inputs on cars to buy or steer clear of?

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

the one experience I can give ya is the lil trucks, the toyota is the way to go, they jsut work, but make sure to get an xtra cabb.

the mazdas, the a/c system didnt work inthe new ones.

the nissans are ok, but mileage isnt as good as the yotas,

stay away from the chevy s 10's, they are jsut horrible on fuel

the ford rangers are way good, decent on the mileage, but only the older ones, the newer ones get less mileag.

stay with a 4 banger, the six's eat fuel like a full size.

Cars? hell anything yota makes, the corrolla is great, but finding one in decent condition is hard

 

[LoveThisTruck]

A car for 2k just isn't gonna last you very long, but for 5-6k you can get a decent daily. Spend the extra $ now, and save the headache later... just my opinion.

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

A car for 2k just isn't gonna last you very long, but for 5-6k you can get a decent daily. Spend the extra $ now, and save the headache later... just my opinion.

he is right bo, I got lucky on mine, got it before fuel went crazy, but you should still be able to check around and find summin under 5k.

the best is to drive the backroads, keep check on the local area, the best finds are there sometimes.

do some readin too, find out which models have probsa nd which didnt

 

[amtrucker22]

A car for 2k just isn't gonna last you very long, but for 5-6k you can get a decent daily. Spend the extra $ now, and save the headache later... just my opinion.

If I spend 5-6k on the DD it would take about 4 years to get my money out of it. I am just trying to get low right now and weather out the storm...

Just wish I could drive my truck everyday

 

[ntw0rk]

Whatever you buy in that price range, make sure you get a standard. The trannys on cars in that range will be shit! And a standard is much cheaper to repair. My opinion is that the trans will be the first thing to shit on you...

Toyotas are reliable, as are Hondas. And both will get good gas mileage.

Good luck!

 

[BurntRubber]

I would say get a cheap DD.

but as far as gears go, they are a torque multiplier. if you drop to a 4.10 gear you will prolly see a hp increase on the dyno but your truck will be slower.
the same viper on back to back runs will dyno less hp with 3.55 gears than with the stock 3.07, its about a 5% loss. but the 3.55 gear viper is faster to a 125 mph (thru 4th).
dont worry about dyno hp, those numbers can be manipulated. if you drop it to a 4.10, put on headers, catless, you could pick up 2-3 mpg

 

[Wifey]

From what I understand you can hardly go wrong with a Honda .... I feel confident in saying so after seeing what my kid and his wife do and have done to theirs and they are STILL on the road