Which beater should I buy? Help...
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Lexus Fanatic
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From: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Which beater should I buy? Help...
Guys,
I am wanting to pick up a beater to drive to work and back. I drive 50 miles per day round trip so the Suburban just isn't cutting it. So, I have my SC for speed, my Burb for comfort/hauling. So for this beater I need nothing more than good gas mileage.
My 3-car garage is already full of cars so this beater will be parked outside. The neighborhood I live in is very nice so I don't want some rusted POS sitting in the driveway - I don't think my neighbors would approve.
Anyway, here are the 2 car choices.
1. 93 Honda Civic LX. Black with grey interior. 254k but runs and drives very well. Good condition overall but there is some serious paint fading on the roof, hood and trunk. Gets 35-40mpg and needs nothing apart from some paint. I figure a $500 Maaco paint job so I can park it in the driveway
Thankfully does not have an exhaust but is lowered with some black wheels.
Buyers lowest = $1400. $500 paint job = $1900.
2. 92 Honda Prelude Si. Red with grey interior. 168k, been very well taken care of, just had tb/wp done. Good condition apart from the hood (see picture.) Gets 25-30mpg. Radio was stolen from it and AC needs recharged. Previous owner was very **** about service so has been well taken care of. Needs about $400 in work. Buyers lowest = $1800. $400 in work = $2200.
Prelude obviously looks better, and worth more. Been very well taken care of. However, it gets at least 10mpg less than the Civic.
Whichever one I get I will fix the problems. Will not be doing anything to them and will drive it into the ground. Insurance for either is $4 per month so that isn't too much to worry about
Which would you go for and why?
Jonny
I am wanting to pick up a beater to drive to work and back. I drive 50 miles per day round trip so the Suburban just isn't cutting it. So, I have my SC for speed, my Burb for comfort/hauling. So for this beater I need nothing more than good gas mileage.
My 3-car garage is already full of cars so this beater will be parked outside. The neighborhood I live in is very nice so I don't want some rusted POS sitting in the driveway - I don't think my neighbors would approve.
Anyway, here are the 2 car choices.
1. 93 Honda Civic LX. Black with grey interior. 254k but runs and drives very well. Good condition overall but there is some serious paint fading on the roof, hood and trunk. Gets 35-40mpg and needs nothing apart from some paint. I figure a $500 Maaco paint job so I can park it in the driveway
Thankfully does not have an exhaust but is lowered with some black wheels.Buyers lowest = $1400. $500 paint job = $1900.
2. 92 Honda Prelude Si. Red with grey interior. 168k, been very well taken care of, just had tb/wp done. Good condition apart from the hood (see picture.) Gets 25-30mpg. Radio was stolen from it and AC needs recharged. Previous owner was very **** about service so has been well taken care of. Needs about $400 in work. Buyers lowest = $1800. $400 in work = $2200.
Prelude obviously looks better, and worth more. Been very well taken care of. However, it gets at least 10mpg less than the Civic.
Whichever one I get I will fix the problems. Will not be doing anything to them and will drive it into the ground. Insurance for either is $4 per month so that isn't too much to worry about
Which would you go for and why?
Jonny
Last edited by Dx3; Jan 18, 2008 at 07:51 PM.
Quick math:
If you go from 15mpg to 30mpg for example, your work round trip goes from 3.33 gallons to 1.67 gallons for a savings of 1.67 gallons per day or around five bucks.
So if your purchase and fix up cost is $2K it will take you 400 work days to break even, or a little over 18 months.
That doesn't factor in possible increase in insurance costs, registering the car, and other maintenance costs, possibly high on a car with 245K mi. on it!
Getting a car with better gas mileage isn't the greatest economic move unless you plan to keep it a good long time. Personally I couldn't stand driving a Civic with faded roof and 245K mi. on it. Probably loud and uncomfortable with a lousy stereo and no power. Apart from that it's great...
If you go from 15mpg to 30mpg for example, your work round trip goes from 3.33 gallons to 1.67 gallons for a savings of 1.67 gallons per day or around five bucks.
So if your purchase and fix up cost is $2K it will take you 400 work days to break even, or a little over 18 months.
That doesn't factor in possible increase in insurance costs, registering the car, and other maintenance costs, possibly high on a car with 245K mi. on it!
Getting a car with better gas mileage isn't the greatest economic move unless you plan to keep it a good long time. Personally I couldn't stand driving a Civic with faded roof and 245K mi. on it. Probably loud and uncomfortable with a lousy stereo and no power. Apart from that it's great...
Thread Starter
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (13)
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 10,681
Likes: 9
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Quick math:
If you go from 15mpg to 30mpg for example, your work round trip goes from 3.33 gallons to 1.67 gallons for a savings of 1.67 gallons per day or around five bucks.
So if your purchase and fix up cost is $2K it will take you 400 work days to break even, or a little over 18 months.
That doesn't factor in possible increase in insurance costs, registering the car, and other maintenance costs, possibly high on a car with 245K mi. on it!
Getting a car with better gas mileage isn't the greatest economic move unless you plan to keep it a good long time. Personally I couldn't stand driving a Civic with faded roof and 245K mi. on it. Probably loud and uncomfortable with a lousy stereo and no power. Apart from that it's great...
If you go from 15mpg to 30mpg for example, your work round trip goes from 3.33 gallons to 1.67 gallons for a savings of 1.67 gallons per day or around five bucks.
So if your purchase and fix up cost is $2K it will take you 400 work days to break even, or a little over 18 months.
That doesn't factor in possible increase in insurance costs, registering the car, and other maintenance costs, possibly high on a car with 245K mi. on it!
Getting a car with better gas mileage isn't the greatest economic move unless you plan to keep it a good long time. Personally I couldn't stand driving a Civic with faded roof and 245K mi. on it. Probably loud and uncomfortable with a lousy stereo and no power. Apart from that it's great...
My calculations put me at 39 weeks to break even
Phil - I know - I wanted to pick up a beat up F3 but Oklahoma doesn't allow riding all year
Jonny
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: MA
I hate to be *that* guy, but have you looked into neons? the SOHC with the taller 3.55 gears will give you similar MPG and at a good price as well. Just something to add into the equation. You would be able to find one with much less mileage. I drove mine for 40k+ with not one issue.
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Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
I'd say forget the Civic with 254K miles. Despite its "not needing" anything right now, even if you get it cheap, it's probably close to the end of its useful life......and then you are right back to Square One.
Since you already have other vehicles for speed, luxury, and utility, if you are willing to give up some crash protection, I'd look for a good used 3 or 4-cylinder Chevy/Geo/Suzuki Sprint. The 3-cylinder XFI version with the manual transmission gives outstanding gas mileage without the complexity of a hybrid. So does the old Honda CRX carburated high-mileage version, but they will be hard to find....and perhaps too old to consider.
Since you already have other vehicles for speed, luxury, and utility, if you are willing to give up some crash protection, I'd look for a good used 3 or 4-cylinder Chevy/Geo/Suzuki Sprint. The 3-cylinder XFI version with the manual transmission gives outstanding gas mileage without the complexity of a hybrid. So does the old Honda CRX carburated high-mileage version, but they will be hard to find....and perhaps too old to consider.
Last edited by mmarshall; Jan 19, 2008 at 03:03 AM.
Jonny, I would get a 240SX or MR2 just for the fun of it still save gas... ( 240 sucks at gas though )
Miata is another good choice...
Integra is cheap now too, can you believe I sold my GSR to Type R converison one for 5K.
and My 240SX SE for 5K too.
Miata is another good choice...
Integra is cheap now too, can you believe I sold my GSR to Type R converison one for 5K.
and My 240SX SE for 5K too.
Lead Lap
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 694
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From: Beautiful CA
DO NOT GET THE CIVIC! I drove my cousin's 97' Civic and it sucked(No offense Civic guys). No power at all when going up any type of hill. My cousin's Civic was a manual, and it had absolutely no power when going up a not so steep incline(i had to keep it in first gear and even then it was losing speed!). I think you would be better off with the Prelude since it has more power than the civic, and it looks that much cooler too.
DO NOT GET THE CIVIC! I drove my cousin's 97' Civic and it sucked(No offense Civic guys). No power at all when going up any type of hill. My cousin's Civic was a manual, and it had absolutely no power when going up a not so steep incline(i had to keep it in first gear and even then it was losing speed!). I think you would be better off with the Prelude since it has more power than the civic, and it looks that much cooler too.
Anyway, for a daily beater I'd get the Civic. Maybe not that one since it has 245 miles, but one with say 120K or less. The whole idea of a beater car is so you can get the best mileage, its cheap so if something happens to it you pretty much just throw it away. That is what my 89 Civic was. Bought it for $800 with 99K miles on it, used it for 2 years between my dad and myself and put 20K miles on it. Donated it to Kindney Cars and got $500 toward taxes for it.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,521
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Miatas, while a lot of fun in nice weather and sharp-handling, are certainly not gas hogs in the classic sense of the word, , but, on the other hand, their short gearing (for acceleration) and relatively high engine RPM's at cruise speeds, even in 6th gear, are more sport-oriented than for max gas mileage.
They ARE reliable, though. You generally can put a lot of miles on one.....if a thief doesn't slit through the soft fabric top and steal it.
They ARE reliable, though. You generally can put a lot of miles on one.....if a thief doesn't slit through the soft fabric top and steal it.
Lead Lap
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 694
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From: Beautiful CA
Something must have been seriously wrong with that Civic. Granted Civics don't have a lot of power, but for day to day driving it is more than enough. Up until last year I drove a beat up 89 Civic as a daily driver. Going up the mountain hills I had to floor it most of the time to keep it at 60, but that was enough since the speed limit was actually 45. Other than that I can't imagine why your cousins 97 Civic with more power than my 89 and a manual to boot couldn't make it up hills unless in first gear.
Anyway, for a daily beater I'd get the Civic. Maybe not that one since it has 245 miles, but one with say 120K or less. The whole idea of a beater car is so you can get the best mileage, its cheap so if something happens to it you pretty much just throw it away. That is what my 89 Civic was. Bought it for $800 with 99K miles on it, used it for 2 years between my dad and myself and put 20K miles on it. Donated it to Kindney Cars and got $500 toward taxes for it.
Anyway, for a daily beater I'd get the Civic. Maybe not that one since it has 245 miles, but one with say 120K or less. The whole idea of a beater car is so you can get the best mileage, its cheap so if something happens to it you pretty much just throw it away. That is what my 89 Civic was. Bought it for $800 with 99K miles on it, used it for 2 years between my dad and myself and put 20K miles on it. Donated it to Kindney Cars and got $500 toward taxes for it.
