Need a commuter car...
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Federal Way, WA
Need a commuter car... Just as the title says... just looking for a reliable commuter car to get me to and from work. Anyone have suggestions, don't want to pay over $3,000, 35mpg and above. I've just been doing some searches through Geo, Nissan, Kia and Honda... and I told myself I'd never own a honda 
but I need something more practical to drive to work, plus I'm uneasy parking my car at work, we have to park down a side street and I'm just waiting for someone to back into it or break into it. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks!
but I need something more practical to drive to work, plus I'm uneasy parking my car at work, we have to park down a side street and I'm just waiting for someone to back into it or break into it. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks! 
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: buckley WA
go with somthing like a nissan 200sx se-r or a 240. the 240's are cheap and you can put a couple hundred k on them and still run strong. but a 96 200sx se-r is a very good choice also dohc 2.0 140hp 140 tq and the stock block is good to 400hp if you ever wanted to mod it a little!
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 749
Likes: 18
x2 for craigslist
I have a 90 Ford Probe with the four banger and five speed that just hit 250k miles. From what little I have looked over the engine, it doesn't look like it has ever been pulled apart, even the clutch when it was replaced last winter still looked like the factory clutch. Consistanly get about 33mpg out of it. Been a good little car, wife bought it I think for $1200.
I have a 90 Ford Probe with the four banger and five speed that just hit 250k miles. From what little I have looked over the engine, it doesn't look like it has ever been pulled apart, even the clutch when it was replaced last winter still looked like the factory clutch. Consistanly get about 33mpg out of it. Been a good little car, wife bought it I think for $1200.
12 Second Club
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,923
Likes: 0
From: Lynnwood, WA
I found one I thought would be fun on craigslist earlier this week but it already sold (old Subaru GL 4x4 hatchback with a 4" lift hehe for $850). A good honda civic or toyota corolla should get ya the price/mileage you're looking for. As far as the Kia's go I wouldn't get anything earlier than the Hyundai merger myself. I miss my 04 Optima, got good gas mileage and was roomy/comfortable/reliable. But some idiot had to run a red light and t-bone my dad the one time I let him borrow it lol.
When I first met my wife, she had a little 91 camry with an auto that would get between 30 and 36 mpg. It was a good car while we had it.
I also had a 88 Subaru GL as a commuter. I don't think'd I'd buy one of those again.
I also had a 88 Subaru GL as a commuter. I don't think'd I'd buy one of those again.
