# Car purchase decision - Help! **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 9, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909 "2008-08-09T18:44:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dkrae715](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dkrae715](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dkrae715)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/1 "2008-08-09T18:44:02Z")
I have a 99 Chrysler T&C with 62,000. Looking to trade for a more gas efficient car and $$ is definitely an issue. Hoped to keep the price under $10,000 and so far have been thinking of either a very used quality Lexus-type with 100,000 miles or a newer sub-contract such as a Versa with lower mileage. I have no special needs and will use the car for around-the-town driving. Would appreciate any thoughts on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_G](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dave_g/32/768_2.png) [@Dave\_G](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dave_G)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/2 "2008-08-09T19:50:18Z")
If money and gas are an issue the last thing you should be looking at is a Lexus. I mean in their class they’re OK, but they’re not cheap to maintain or repair if they need a repair and the fuel mileage is nothing to write home about. Don’t get me wrong they’re fabulous cars and very reliable-but they’re not economical. Around town a Honda Fit sips gas, but I don’t think they’re in your price range yet, so you’d probably want to look at a Mazda 3i, Toyota Corolla, or Honda Civic which will do very well on gas and are very reliable. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_G](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dave_g/32/768_2.png) [@Dave\_G](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dave_G)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/3 "2008-08-09T19:56:08Z")
Here I pulled a list of the most fuel efficient cars on the market that costs both under and over $10,000 to give you some additional ideas. The list is from Consumer Reports. Under $10,000 Overall mpg 2000 Honda Insight (manual) 51 2001-02 Toyota Prius 41 2000-05 Toyota Echo 38 1998-2002 Chevrolet Prizm 32 1998 Mazda Proteg? LX 32 1998-2000 Toyota Corolla CE/LE 32/31 1998-2001 Acura Integra LS (manual) 32 2004-05 Scion xA (manual/automatic) 31/30 $10,000-$20,000 Overall mpg 2004-06 Toyota Prius 44 2003 Toyota Prius 41 2006-07 Honda Civic Hybrid 37 2003-05 Honda Civic Hybrid 36 2007 Honda Fit Sport (manual) 34 2007 Toyota Yaris Liftback (base, manual) 34 2007 Toyota Yaris Sedan (base, automatic) 33 2007 Honda Fit (base, automatic) 32 2004-06 Scion xB (manual/automatic) 32/30 2006 Scion xA (manual/automatic) 31/30 2006-07 Honda Civic EX (manual) 31 2004-07 Mazda3 i (manual) 30 2006 Mini Cooper Hatchback (manual) 30 ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/4 "2008-08-09T20:56:21Z")
If you don’t drive a lot of miles around town is it really worth replacing your vehicle? Do the math. Basically how miles do you drive per year? ---
**Author:** ![dkrae715](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dkrae715](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dkrae715)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/5 "2008-08-09T21:32:02Z")
Good to know about the Lexus. I have a friend who is selling a really well maintained one and I was tempted. And thanks for the list … I’ll start hunting. ---
**Author:** ![dkrae715](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dkrae715](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dkrae715)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/6 "2008-08-09T21:34:41Z")
7-8,000 … I’m spending $180+/month on gas with my 13 mpg van. But it is paid for. ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/7 "2008-08-10T00:08:19Z")
If you truely are only getting 13 MPG then something is wrong with the engine. Normal MPG should be at least 18 MPG or better. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_G](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dave_g/32/768_2.png) [@Dave\_G](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dave_G)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/8 "2008-08-10T00:28:58Z")
How do you figure? City MPG on the vehicle is about 13mpg-a lot of vehicles do worse. Believe it or not a Honda Civic with a 1.7 motor and automatic transmission only gets 19mpg in the city. Gas mileage jumps to 40mpg on the highway though. Almost all modern cars tend to average between 10-19 mpg in the city except for the most efficient hybrids and very small cars. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/9 "2008-08-10T00:53:10Z")
Something does not add up here. Our Corolla gets 28 mpg around town and our old 1994 Sentra gets 26 mpg. That’s mixed city driving, some freeway, and both cars are garaged at night. If my mileage was what you report, I would sell both cars! Even my old 1988 Chevy Caprice V8 got 16 mpg around town. P.S. I don’t live in NYC or San Francisco. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_G](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dave_g/32/768_2.png) [@Dave\_G](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dave_G)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 1:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/10 "2008-08-10T01:07:55Z")
Doc I think the problem is everyone’s definition of around town driving. As someone who lives in the Boston area (near Click & Clack in Cambridge actually) and is used to stop and go traffic, lots of lights, and sometimes taking 15 minutes to go 1 mile, the idea of getting 28mpg in any car except a Prius is impossible. My GF for instance has a BMW 3 series that gets 36mpg when we get out of town and drive north to Vermont or New Hampshire, but around Boston she gets 15mpg at the very most. ---
**Author:** ![dkrae715](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dkrae715](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dkrae715)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 1:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/11 "2008-08-10T01:23:06Z")
I am award of the difficulties in town as I have been trying to “smooth out” my driving - timing lights so I don’t have to stop, not stopping fully at stop signs when no one is around, and taking routes with fewer lights. The highest I have achieved is 13.6 on one tank of gas and I got a photo ticket for running a red light ($100)! So much for my gas saving technique. ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 1:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/12 "2008-08-10T01:33:11Z")
I have owned a 98 and currently a own a '02 T&C. The EPA MPG rating is 17-20MPG in the city and 24-27MPG highway. ---
**Author:** ![dkrae715](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dkrae715](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dkrae715)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 3:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/13 "2008-08-10T03:41:37Z")
Good to know. Perhaps I should take it to the dealer and see what’s wrong rather than buy a new car. Thanks to everyone for all this good advice. ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 11:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-purchase-decision-help/17909/14 "2008-08-10T11:24:00Z")
> Doc I think the problem is everyone’s definition of around town driving. As someone who lives in the Boston area (near Click & Clack in Cambridge actually) and is used to stop and go traffic, lots of lights, and sometimes taking 15 minutes to go 1 mile, the idea of getting 28mpg in any car except a Prius is impossible. Ever since I moved closer to work, my mileage has dropped about 3mpg. Since my current [i]round trip/i is now less than one way(almost 7) from my old place, I’ve gotten 23mpg on my last 2 fill ups, before that, 26 was my low end on my civic. So I know I’m never gonna get really good mileage no matter what I get, since I refuse to buy something like the Prius.