Help me find my mom a car!

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa) 07/08/2014 at 22:02 • Filed to: None

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My mom is wanting to buy a newer used car to replace her PT Cruiser GT which chugs gas like a pubescent buy chugs energy drinks, requires premium, and isn't cheap to insure.

Her requirements:

35 or more highway MPG

Cheap to insure

four seats

Newer than 2000

Runs on regular unleaded

No huge known issues/recalls/expensive fixes such as apex seals

Would really like:

Convertible

Leather seats

Sporty handling

I have come up with zero cars that meet all of the 'required' criteria. Do the encyclopediac minds of Oppo have any ideas?

Here, have a hot wheel.

lone_liberal > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:04

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Mustang convertible V6?

scoob > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:04

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Not sure about sporty handling.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:05

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If you can give up fuel economy, V6 Mustang.

If you can give up convertible, Skyactiv Mazda3.

If you can give up seating for four, Miata.

MAXIMUMVRM > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:05

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a4 convertible

MAXIMUMVRM > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:05

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vw eos

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:06

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nissan crosscab

jkm7680 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:06

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Volvo C70!!!

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > lone_liberal 07/08/2014 at 22:07

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It gets 30 highway, which is 'meh', and since it's a 'sports car' our insurance would hammer us. Though I have considered it.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > MAXIMUMVRM 07/08/2014 at 22:07

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except out of warranty repairs on those could get expensive depending on the generation

lone_liberal > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:08

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I could get 30 on the highway with my GT and they really aren't expensive to insure because the parts are cheap. Get a quote and you'll see what I mean.

MAXIMUMVRM > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:08

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maserati Chrysler thing I kid

My citroen won't start > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:08

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I hope SAAB going broke isn't a "huge issue"

9-3 convertible is my answer.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > jkm7680 07/08/2014 at 22:08

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Pretty awful fuel economy, sadly. Because dat Swedish convertible shoebox :3

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:09

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What about a VW Eos/Cabriolet/Beetle Convertible?

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > My citroen won't start 07/08/2014 at 22:10

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Aren't those turbo'd?

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 07/08/2014 at 22:11

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Beetles were considered, but we'd like to stay below $20k, though the EOS could be a possibility if we could even find one of the damn things around here used with a TDI. Because TDI gas mileage = much yes

My citroen won't start > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:12

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Yes. Yes they are.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:12

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I didn't realize you could spend over 20k on a "new Beetle".

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > My citroen won't start 07/08/2014 at 22:13

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That jacks up insurance ridiculous amounts here. And I don't forced induction engines require premium? That's the issue we're trying to get away from with the PT Cruiser.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 07/08/2014 at 22:14

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Are you referring to the early-to-late 2000s "New Beetle"? She's nixed that because, frankly, they're hideous and interior build quality is utter shit. The latest generation is much better looking, but I haven't heard fantastic things about the build quality in those either.

My citroen won't start > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:16

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I hadn't thought of that. Hm, back to the search then.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:17

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You never told us what her budget is. I think the MPG requirements with a convertible just doesn't happen, so something's got to give.

I say either a Mercedes CLA or a Toyota Corolla. Seriously.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:17

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I always associated New Beetles and PT Cruisers with a similar crowd, so even though I don't like it, I figured someone might,

Build quality in the current VWs is fine, but it will be slightly more costly to maintain than a Cruiser. What about a...No, there is nothing that gets that MPG and is sporty and is a four seater convertible that is cheap-ish, and anything else I might suggest would a) not fit the bill, and b) make me sound like an asshole.

chuck07 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:21

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My 2007 v6 Convertible was cheaper to insure than my 1998 S320

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 07/08/2014 at 22:25

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Right now I'm considering an early-2000s convertible Camaro or Firebird, though the badges on those cars alone might make the insurance company rub their hands together. V6 firebirds can get, so I hear, 31mpg highway, and I can find those for $5000 or below.

Case in point

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 07/08/2014 at 22:26

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This is what I'm looking at right now.

Doesn't quite meet the MPG requirements, but it's "cool" (which she likes) and can get 31mpg highway, which I can easily believe given it has the same poweplant as my much-heavier and less-aerodynamic Buick which gets 30mpg highway.

zeontestpilot > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:27

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Wait, 35 mpg is a bit high. A cruiser gt should at least get 24/25 mpg. Can it be >25 mpg? Pick up where her current car left off?

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:27

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That would work. Also, perhaps a V6 Mustang.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > zeontestpilot 07/08/2014 at 22:28

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She is barely getting 23mpg highway in her car right now. I'm looking at this beauty right here since it hits most of the points except gas mileage, but it's so inexpensive that it doesn't really matter.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 07/08/2014 at 22:30

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I also found this.

I don't know anything about it, but on the surface it seems to fit the bill assuming that's a second row of seats there.

CRider > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:31

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Get a used current gen Ford Focus Titanium.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:35

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There is a second row of seats, technically. I might also recommend an old BMW convertible, though those are slightly pricier to maintain. Or a Toyota Solara.

dogisbadob > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/08/2014 at 22:43

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By far the most important question. I am assuming she wants automatic, right? Or does she want manual transmission? All of my numbers below are for the automatics.

The 2001+ Toyota Echo and subsequent Yaris meet the requirements, but not the would really likes. The 2006+ Civic also meets the requirements. The 2001-2002 Corolla work, too.

01-02 Corolla, 36 mpg highway (but only with the 4-speed auto on the higher LE and S models. The base Corollas at the time used a 3-speed auto which means lower highway mpg bc no overdrive)

The 03-04 Corolla only gets 34 mpg highway. It went back up to 35 starting in 2005.

The Echo debuted in 2000, but it only got 34 mpg highway in its first year. In 2001, its rating went up to 35.

The 2006+ Civic gets 36 mpg highway.

I saw your reply to another post that said the budget is 20k. In that case, she should just get a brand new car. She can probably get a brand new Fiesta with leather, and they have sporty handling.

zeontestpilot > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/09/2014 at 09:10

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Well, 24/25 mpg is MAX you can get in a cruiser, ever, period. I know cause I own a '08 base, :).

Honestly, I'm going through the same ropes with my wife, she wants a car that meets every bullet point she wants, but finding a car that meets all of these requirements is near impossible. Especially if it has to be an "American-made" car *sigh*.

Your mom might have to take a dive somewhere. Her requirements are pretty reasonable though, except the high mpg. That is going to be an issue.

I might be on the market soon for a used car as well, and I've been eying the Ford Focus or the Dodge Dart. Maybe check those out?