# What kind of car? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [May 15, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448 "2012-05-15T23:29:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![taylartot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@taylartot](https://community.cartalk.com/u/taylartot)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/1 "2012-05-15T23:29:45Z")
I am trying to find out what type of car would be best for me to get. Currently I drive a gas guzzler which only gets 11 mpg and that is my main reason for looking around. Each day I drive 60 miles, mainly highway driving but some back roads, on a round trip to EWU and home and am trying to find some type of car that would be better on the gas bills. My problem is that I only have about 3k to spend. I was looking at VW Jettas from the 90s, but my freind said they can be electrical nightmares? I am completely lost and have no idea what I should even be looking for. A little help please? Thank you!! ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/2 "2012-05-15T23:49:49Z")
I can’t say what to buy, but I can say that a VW of that age is likely to be quite unreliable and expensive to maintain. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 11:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/3 "2012-05-15T23:58:11Z")
What, exactly, are you driving now? ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/4 "2012-05-16T00:13:15Z")
Consider ALL the costs…not just gas. If you own your current vehicle outright…then that $3000 you spend on the better gas mileage car could buy a lot of gas for your current vehicle. What kind of shape is your current vehicle in?? How many miles?? You may not find something that’s as reliable and will cost you more to maintain then your current vehicle. These are the expenses you have to consider before you buy a different vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![mleich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mleich](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mleich)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/5 "2012-05-16T01:25:03Z")
No vehicle (not even an Expedition/Suburban/Hummer) gets 11mpg highway if it is running correctly. Caddyman and Mike have asked some excellent questions. ---
**Author:** ![taylartot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@taylartot](https://community.cartalk.com/u/taylartot)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 4:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/6 "2012-05-16T04:26:03Z")
I have a suburban that is lifted and has very large tires 🙂 lol thats why it is so aweful on the gas… It is actually not paid for as my parents are gonna let me wait to buy it until I finish college (in 2 years as I am only just turned 18) It has 248 thousand miles on it and just got a new tranny. But the problem is that I need to start buying my own gas and the bill is $600 per month 😕 ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/7 "2012-05-16T04:28:43Z")
There are vehicles that get 11mpg highway. They usually have a prancing horse on the hood, though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 4:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/8 "2012-05-16T04:44:02Z")
You might find a Geo Prizm or Chevrolet Cavalier from the early 2000s that is priced in your range. And with respect to your parents, a 1998 or 1999 Suburban with that mileage and in excellent condition is worth about $3000; probably less. What year Suburban is it? I don’t think your parents are putting one over on you, but most people think their cars are worth a lot more than they really are worth. ---
**Author:** ![MG-McAnick](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mg-mcanick/32/188_2.png) [@MG-McAnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MG-McAnick)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 5:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/9 "2012-05-16T05:17:14Z")
$600 a month for gas? Phewww. Something that gets even double your current MPG would make it possible to make a $300 car payment. For $300 a month, you should be able find something really nice. For $200 a month you can find something quite decent, even on a three year plan. For $100 a month, wellll, probably not as nice as your Burban. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 6:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/10 "2012-05-16T06:45:10Z")
For $3K you really can’t get a decent Honda (Civic, Accord) or Toyota (Camry, Corolla), these brands are great but at that price you’d be buying either very old, very high mileage, or both. I don’t care much for Dodge Neons, but you can get a decent one cheap - say $2,000. You’ll need the other $1,000 for repairs. The Neon is good on gas and anything gets way more mpg than the “Monster Truck” you have now. Shop on Craigslist, and see what is out there in your area. Chevy, Ford are best bets, but if they are too pricey fall back on a Neon. Do not buy a VW, Audi, BMW, Volvo, or Mitsubishi. All are more expensive to repair or need frequent repairs as they get older and into your price range. ---
**Author:** ![taylartot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@taylartot](https://community.cartalk.com/u/taylartot)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 8:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/11 "2012-05-16T08:23:24Z")
Ok thank you all! And I know that my Burb isnt worth 3k lol it is a 96. They werent gonna charge me that much. My problem is just that i really need a rice grinder to commute 🙂 lol ---
**Author:** ![MarkM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@MarkM](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MarkM)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 10:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/12 "2012-05-16T10:17:55Z")
Maybe you can trade in your parents. Making you feed their ancient guzzler is cruel. There are any number of perfectly good Japanese cars that aren’t as highly valued as Civics and Corollas. Consider the lowly Sentra, for one, or a Mazda Protégé (Ignore the accents my spell checker insists are proper.) Or the Toyota Echo and Tercel, predecessors to the Yaris. If you’re lucky you might even find an early Pontiac Vibe, built alongside the Toyota Matrix and based on the Corolla. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 4:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/13 "2012-05-18T04:50:26Z")
Just the fart cans will be half that price. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-kind-of-car/72448/14 "2012-05-18T17:21:45Z")
For $3 k, you really can’t afford to have much go wrong. Look for the best car and not just the best for you. That means, be prepared to buy anything that’s reliable including a compact pick up or Crown Victoria or Suzuki Sidekick or Kubota or Boston Whaler or J24 or…