Good MPG, Cheap, Safe. Help.

[rockin86ranger]

I am looking at getting a vehicle for a friend of mine as a wedding present, she is a fulltime student in a bit city and needs a car that will get good gas mileage, be safe, needs to be cheap (I am pretty good at getting deals but the cheaper the better), deffinately needs to be reilable, and needs to be able to take her down the interstate safely occassionally, she also is in a band and carries large items everynow and then but it is not a fundamental need for her at this moment. I am looking for suggestions

I was thinking something along the line of an early Saturn Wagon (she can't drive a stick/is in town so wouldn't want to anyways) I wasn't sure how the autos in them held up or how badly they affected mileage. I know a common problem on saturns is oil consumption/leaks. Is there anything else to look out for.

I also considered a Focus Sedan, I have limited experience with them but not enough to know a lot about them. I know were one is that has some body damage (which I would repair, I am a certified auto collision tech).

Then I considered a Volvo station wagon, not the greatest on gas but excels in all other categories. There is one local for a decent price but it won't start, supposed to have drove to where it was parked and wouldn't start next day. Problem is I know nothing about Volvo mechanicals, If something should happen I would not be able to help her over the phone figure it out.

Her current car is an AWD RHD Subaru Wagon, she likes it but it isn't her car. Also being such an uncommon car if anyone knows her on here don't mention anything about this post, not sure if it is going to happen yet.

I am looking for advise and suggestions, She mentioned a Metro but I don't want to get her an auto metro and they aren't exactly safe in a crash. Festivas are imposible to find here, and if I find one for cheap I am getting it for me, and they also aren't the best in a crash. Unfortunately cheap and safety usually don't go hand and hand especially with good mpg.

Any help is appreciated.

[rockin86ranger]

http://jonesboro.craigslist.org/ctd/3273935201.html

I think these cars just look cool, It is a little more than I want to spend (But don't worry to much about that, I have ways of getting 2000 cars for significantly less). I just don't know a lot about early saturns, I freind of mine has like a 1999 or 2000 4door with a 5speed that he likes and he said his dad might have a couple of saturns out at his house he would sell, so i should be able to pick one up cheap but keepign options very much open.

[cway1319]

Honostly had a focus wagon greatest car ever totaled on a huuuuge moose kept mesafe n I drove it home!ecent gas an in the year I had it only replaced pads nothing ever broke on that car!

[Bert]

Up this way Toyota Corolla and Echo are sure-fire reliable used cars. Hondas are always over-priced. Mail and parts couriers gravitate to Focus and Cavaliers as beaters. Any notions of trying to operate a Volvo cheap will quickly be dispelled.

[neanderpaul]

Under 4K? under 1K?

[Tommychu]

Re: Good MPG, Cheap, Safe. Help.

Try to find a Tercel. They're not as common as corollas but they're a bit tougher to kill in my experience.

[htchbck]

If the battery is good on the volvo, try jumping the starter so see if it will crank and run. The autos are notorious for having the PRNDL switch go out on the shifter inside the center console. Not too hard to take apart and fix, replace or bypass altogether. My wife had a '95 Volvo 940 sedan all throughout highschool and we got it back from her brother a couple of years ago. Averaged 22MPG (auto) and in the 60k she and her brother put on it, that PRNDL switch and a water pump (at 230k) were the only real repairs it needed besides general maintenance. That said, we are loving her 2000 Focus sedan now, wish it was a wagon, but it still does a great job getting the family around in comfort with decent fuel economy (27town, 33hwy). Just be warned, stay away from the SOHC ones. They like to drop intake valve seats on #3 and/or #4 and when they do they chew up pistons/heads/cylinder walls in pretty short order.

[zoom zoom]

auto aspire!

[DriverOne]

Re: Good MPG, Cheap, Safe. Help.

auto aspire!

Nope. I put a triple-ball trailer hitch through my radiator and pushed the engine into the firewall in a 25-mph collision.

[getnpsi]

saturn wagon 5 speed, 35-40mpg. Panels do not have the rust problems. Most you find for sale on classifieds are the owners are having issues with the electric windows. I myself have not owned one of these YET but if its a few trips to pickapart with a battery to test windows power pieces then thats all you need to do.

A paseo or tercel would be a car i would get for myself, but not nearly as versatile as a hatch or wagon of any make

[neanderpaul]

Good MPG, Cheap, Safe. Help.

Protege5

[neanderpaul]

Good MPG, Cheap, Safe. Help.

Corolla wagon, Camry wagon, Tracer wagon, escort wagon, 323 wagon.

[sketchman]

escort wagon, 323 wagon.

One of each is my goal.

I second the notion. Fazda or Yota + wagoniness = winification.

Personally I'd even take another SOHC CVH if I'd find another one. Didn't expect to, but I'm really liking the engine as a DD machine. Just use ball joints, tie rod ends, and the head needing replaced as POWERFUL bargaining tools.