Help me choose!

CTDerek

CTDerek

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Dec 22, 2011
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So I'm looking at taking a job that would require more driving, I'm looking for a lot of mpg without driving a Prius. I like swaps, I am willing to do all the work. Has to be reliable. Looking for 35+ mpg. I would even consider something non swap if it's a cool idea.
What swap in what chassis would you do and why?

Ready... Go!


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I vote that you just set your cruise control on 60 and get 20+ mpg and keep what you have. It would probably take several years to make up for the money it would take for a swap. Just my $.02
 
Thank you for the advice. It's hard to know what to do. Haha I just graduated college and have been on the job hunt for two months now. I appreciate any advice!


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Didn't mean to be a buzzkill, but do the math on it. I can set the cruise at 60 on my 20 min commute and get almost 19 mpg. Buying another car and paying extra insurance and extra maintenance just to me seems way more expensive just to gain another 10mpg. If a decent daily driver car costs 10-15K or worse 20-25K, how long would it take to gain that money back to break even if you only get another 15-20 mpg?
 
It makes since! I agree. I have been thinking of of a new vehicle once I am established, and with a two hour commute it was just weighing heavy to build a mpg cruiser.


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I think if I drove 2 hrs one way, I'd just find an old car that gets decent mpg for a few grand that is ragged. Drive it until the wheels fall off and get another junker. If it lasts two years and your job changes, then you are only out a few grand and you can get about $500 back at the scrap yard. ;)
 
Get an Accord. I had a 94 auto with 250k miles on it. Peppy, solid 30-33mpg with A/C on, cheap to insure (liability only was 300/year iirc), it lacked maintenance in a severe way (oil changes 2x a year, around 15k miles between changes), and it just kept going. MY wife got in a small fender bender with it. Other lady's fault. I payed $1100 for it, put a $100 head unit in, maintenance for 4 years, other gal's insurance paid me $950 after I bought it back, sold it to a guy at work for his daughter for $400. Ugly but reliable.
 
I've thought of those ideas but that's why I want to stay away from. I want something I can dd and it not look like ****. Looking into rcsb 12v or Dakota 4bt. I don't really care about ac. Doesn't need much power. Just look good, last, reliable, and mpg!


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Not that either will get 35+ but they drive better than an eclb. And would do better fuel wise.


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Guy that works for me has a 2wd rclb 12v 5 speed with fresh injectors and a timing bump that will get almost 28 mpg consistently.
 
Do not drive that far. You have no idea how much it takes off your life in time ect ect


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97rada said:
Do not drive that far. You have no idea how much it takes off your life in time ect ect


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Have to go where the money goes. Commuting does not bother me. Once my girlfriend graduates we are planning to build which will be about 45 minutes less commute. I'm not moving from my family and there are no jobs for me here. I commuted 5 days a week for 3.5 years an hour to school. I'm well aware of the time.

This is also about vehicles not my job choice.
 
Twenty minutes jory? Gtfo! That's not a commute! I don't really know what you should build, but I've been thinking a lot about the same thing.
 
get yourself a VW TDI and drive it guys are getting 40-50 mpg from them. You can get one for way less than building something.
 
Depends on what you want to do. I needa truck no matter what so I bought a little nNissan hard body, gets almost 19 around town and I figured if the 4cyl takes a shot I may throw in a td27
 
Go buy a 2000 or under saturn for a grand... best thing I've ever done... diesels are way to expensive anymore. I think it's funny that people do swaps all the time for mpg... for as much as it cost you will have to drive it for a long time... 9 times out of 10 the person doesn't keep it long enough
 
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The sole purpose of the swap does not lie within mpg, but that is a requirement. I don't want an old junker. A tdi is possible but not at the top of my list.


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CTDerek said:
I've thought of those ideas but that's why I want to stay away from. I want something I can dd and it not look like ****. Looking into rcsb 12v or Dakota 4bt. I don't really care about ac. Doesn't need much power. Just look good, last, reliable, and mpg!


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I DD a 94 honda del sol SI. I get 30+mpg on my 70 mile round trip to work. Mix of highway and back country roads. Good looking car that was well taken care of
 
A used VW TDI is a good choice mathematically for a commuter car. If you have the funds and are set on doing a swap and want good mileage I'd look toward something light weight, 2WD and low to the ground.
 
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