Fun and fuel efficiency?

Jason C · 04-16-2005, 05:12 PM

(Something that I've wanted to post here for a while but never got around to it :P )

TD had a thread here some time ago asking for help jogging his memory. His overall criteria was about finding new or used cars that were cheap, reliable, and daily-driveable but avoided fat-pig syndrome enough to have some semblance of fun-to-drive. Now with the price of gas in the news so much, let's run the same kind of thread again, only this time take gas mileage into account as one of your high priorities. What cars can you think of that get excellent gas mileage, but come stock with the kind of *feel* that carmudgeons like (or can be easily/cheaply modded to achieve said goal)?

I'm not naming any hard mileage cut-off points, but figure at least 25 city (and realistically, try to shoot for 30+ city MPG and more than 35 highway MPG).

rumatt · 04-16-2005, 05:16 PM

E30 318is

Or did you mean new?

Roadstergal · 04-16-2005, 05:19 PM

Miata. Duh.

Z3 1.9 is fun with suspension mods.

What kind of mileage does the Elise get?

Jason C · 04-16-2005, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rumatt

E30 318is

Or did you mean new?

I said "same kind of thread" so used is on the table as well.

It's interesting that the Elise was brought up. After going away to do something for a while I thought back to this and recalled that the Elise had some high MPG figures IIRC.

lemming · 04-16-2005, 08:39 PM

acura RSX?

MCS?

(elise, of course).

BahnBaum · 04-16-2005, 08:47 PM

My candidates would have to have a useable back seat and rear wheel drive.

Alex

Jason C · 04-16-2005, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemming

acura RSX?

MCS?

(elise, of course).

From the lotususa site: 23 City - 27 Highway. I thought I recalled a highway MPG topping 30.

I thought about both the RSX and the MCS, but unfortunately picking the higher-up engine options in both models result in a mileage penalty.

Still reasonable though.

Edit: Damn, Type-S takes a 4MPG hit in the city compared to the regular model, 3 on the highway. That and a required switch from regular to premium.

lemming · 04-16-2005, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BahnBaum

My candidates would have to have a useable back seat and rear wheel drive.

Alex

guess we'll see when the 1 series comes. that would appear to be your ticket, especially since bmw, with the exception of M models, has a rather tall rear end on all of its models for fuel efficiency.

dan · 04-18-2005, 02:42 PM

lotus elise

but actually the real world MPG numbers aren't that great. even the EPA stickers were a lot lower than what people were saying before the cars started arriving.

I only seem to be getting about 20 mpg

JST · 04-18-2005, 03:04 PM

330i--gas mileage in the upper 20s at 80+ on the highway. Not going to win any Greenpeace awards, but not bad. Better than the WRX, actually.

MC/MCS, obviously.

Skystice

Probably the new GTI

Mazda3

Focus (SVT or the new 2.3)

I wonder how the Neon SRT does when driven off-boost

04-16-2005, 05:12 PM	#1
Jason C Carmudgeon Join Date: Jul 2004 Carmudgeonly Ride: Invalid Carriage Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 1,932	Fun and fuel efficiency? (Something that I've wanted to post here for a while but never got around to it :P ) TD had a thread here some time ago asking for help jogging his memory. His overall criteria was about finding new or used cars that were cheap, reliable, and daily-driveable but avoided fat-pig syndrome enough to have some semblance of fun-to-drive. Now with the price of gas in the news so much, let's run the same kind of thread again, only this time take gas mileage into account as one of your high priorities. What cars can you think of that get excellent gas mileage, but come stock with the kind of feel that carmudgeons like (or can be easily/cheaply modded to achieve said goal)? I'm not naming any hard mileage cut-off points, but figure at least 25 city (and realistically, try to shoot for 30+ city MPG and more than 35 highway MPG).

04-16-2005, 05:19 PM	#3
Roadstergal Butting in. Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 4,553	Miata. Duh. Z3 1.9 is fun with suspension mods. What kind of mileage does the Elise get? __________________ The question is not whether I've treated you rudely, but whether you've ever heard me treat anyone else better. -H. Higgins

04-16-2005, 08:39 PM	#5
lemming Western Anomaly Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: White Orca Posts: 16,612	acura RSX? MCS? (elise, of course). __________________

04-18-2005, 02:42 PM	#9
dan redefined Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 14,896	lotus elise but actually the real world MPG numbers aren't that great. even the EPA stickers were a lot lower than what people were saying before the cars started arriving. I only seem to be getting about 20 mpg __________________ "There's a freedom you begin to feel the closer you get to Austin, Texas." -Willie

04-16-2005, 05:16 PM	#2
rumatt Mugwump Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: E46 330i, Chevy Colorado, Tesla Model 3 Location: NY Posts: 17,475	E30 318is Or did you mean new?

04-16-2005, 08:47 PM	#6
BahnBaum Tilting Rocinante Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Havre de Grace, MD Posts: 6,244	My candidates would have to have a useable back seat and rear wheel drive. Alex

04-18-2005, 03:04 PM	#10
JST 195 Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 24,611	330i--gas mileage in the upper 20s at 80+ on the highway. Not going to win any Greenpeace awards, but not bad. Better than the WRX, actually. MC/MCS, obviously. Skystice Probably the new GTI Mazda3 Focus (SVT or the new 2.3) I wonder how the Neon SRT does when driven off-boost