# Used car recommendation **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** used\ **Created:** [February 28, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108 "2009-02-28T17:41:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vashon\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ba8739/32.png) [@Vashon\_Driver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Vashon_Driver)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/1 "2009-02-28T17:41:59Z")
Can anyone suggest a reliable vehicle for \< $10K that gets good gas mileage and also has 4 wheel drive (AWD also OK)? ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/2 "2009-02-28T17:46:09Z")
Definately NOT any Volvo. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/3 "2009-03-01T00:21:01Z")
Do you want a car, SUV, or pick-up truck? ---
**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:** [March 1, 2009, 1:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/4 "2009-03-01T01:39:10Z")
define good gas mileage. If you’re expecting 30+MPG, it doesn’t exist. 20 mpg is stretching it ---
**Author:** ![Vashon\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ba8739/32.png) [@Vashon\_Driver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Vashon_Driver)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 2:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/5 "2009-03-01T02:04:05Z")
I’d prefer a car or SUV since we already have an old truck that we use when one is needed. We used to have an AWD Suburu that got excellent mileage, so I’m not sure why 30+ mpg is unrealistic. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/6 "2009-03-01T02:35:57Z")
Subaru. Take your pick among models. Their AWD system is the same no matter which model you choose, and it’s the best in the business. Expect gas mileage around 25 mpg overall. If that’s not good enough you will have to forgo AWD. ---
**Author:** ![americar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/americar/32/42_2.png) [@americar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/americar)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/7 "2009-03-01T02:48:02Z")
A Suzuki Aerio if you can find one. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 2:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/8 "2009-03-01T02:59:00Z")
You won’t get 30 MPG in a Subaru. The EPA estimates are accurate these days. The Impreza gets 20/26 without the turbo and 19/24 with the turbo and auto transmission for both. Manual transmission gets another MPG at most. The Escape hybrid (Mariner or Tribute, too!) get an average of 28 MPG (29 City/27 Highway) - They are the best you can hope for with AWD or 4WD. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 5:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/9 "2009-03-01T05:11:44Z")
My stand by recommendation for a used SUV is a crv…It’s a true FWD until needed in the older models. Check CR and you’ll see how reliable the used are. No 30 mpg but will be at least as good as a Subaru. Not as effective in awd, but more reliable used. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 11:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/10 "2009-03-01T11:48:35Z")
Do you want that AWD for off road driving? ---
**Author:** ![Vashon\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ba8739/32.png) [@Vashon\_Driver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Vashon_Driver)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/11 "2009-03-01T16:39:32Z")
No off-road driving for us–unless you count getting in and out of our gravel private road when it snows! Since we need a new commuting car anyway, we want something that will do better during our rare snows than our Nissan pickup and our minivan. Even with cable chains, we had a very hard time getting out to the main highway during the snow we had in December–and then, of course, we either had to remove the chains or go 25 miles per hour! ---
**Author:** ![twotone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@twotone](https://community.cartalk.com/u/twotone)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/12 "2009-03-01T22:53:10Z")
Most Japanese cars are reliable and get good MPG – lots of $10k choices. Most people think they need AWD when they really need good snow tires (all season tires are NOT winter tires). I suggest rather than spending your money on AWD you get four extra rims with real snow tires. My RWD BMW with four snow tires does better in Colorado snow than the Audi A4 Quattro with all-season (i.e. three season) tires. Twotone ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/13 "2009-03-03T17:12:01Z")
AWD is not suitable for off road; 4wd is I commuted for years with a small 2wd pick up…in the snow belt. 2 wd trucks can be excellent in snow because of added clearance and very good on ice if… 1. 4 winter tires 2. lots of weight (200+ lbs of tube sand) over rear axle. A 2wd truck with a limited slip is even better. Small Toyotas/Nissans can push 30 mpg highway at sane speeds. 65 or less. If you don’t add weight, they are terrible. If you do, they are transformed into good handling vehicles with very good winter traction. Used Toyota/Nissans trks 2wd are CHEAP. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/14 "2009-03-03T17:20:21Z")
Why don’t you put winter tires on your AWD? It needs them just as much for safety (wife’s car ?). Then you (she) would travel much more safety than you do with either car now. ---
**Author:** ![twotone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@twotone](https://community.cartalk.com/u/twotone)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/15 "2009-03-04T04:28:38Z")
Divorced the wife, sold the Audi. Twotone ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-car-recommendation/27108/16 "2009-03-04T21:33:16Z")
Oops…I defer to your then.