Recommendations for a gas saver DD?

[Hunter79764]

I can vouch for the smaller Mazda being fun to drive.

I just started looking into the Mazdas, I think I'll have to dig into them a little and compare them. The 3 seems like it might be what I'd go for. I know they aren't as efficient, but I think the MPGs are good enough to go along with the increased utility of a little bit bigger car.

 

[75gmck25]

The “hot hatchback” of the Mazda 3 was the MazdaSpeed 3 version (sold through 2013). They also made a bigger MazdaSpeed 6.

 

[77Dmax]

New mazdas seem ok. Anything older than 3-5 years seem to be total garbage and king of the buy here pay here lot...

 

[Mogulmasher]

If you looking for something that gets good mileage and is still fun Mazda is a great choice. Another to consider is a 3 series BMW. We've had several in our family and they've been outstanding cars. Don't know how they make them so quick and fun to drive but still get great mileage. Currently my 20 yr old daughter has a '16 320i with xdrive. Car has been fantastic shes had it a few years and put about 65k miles on it with no issues. She gets about 29 mpg with mixed driving and a heavy foot. You likely wouldn't need awd in TX, so probably would see low 30s easy. She stays up with their maintenance schedule and does her oil changes at half of BMW recommended 12k mile interval.

I've got a Caddy CTS 3.6 with awd and it is a decent car. I have a similar commute as you and it gets 23.5 mpg. But I will say her BMW is smoother, more quiet, more sporty feeling, and just overall feels more solid....even with more miles on it than my Caddy.

 

[CountKrunk]

I had gas savers until my 4runner. Even that gets 20mpg though.

2016 camry, my favorite of the gas savers i had. Got 28-32mpg. Big enough to fit a lot stuff if need be.

2004 mini cooper s. 29-36mpg. 6 speed supercharged and was a blast to drive. Very small ofc.

2005 mazda 3 hatchback. Gorgeous red sparkle paint. **** ac. Like 24-28mpg. 5 speed manual. Was fun to drive and the hatch could be loaded up with the rear seats down. Lotta space.

 

[YakkoWarner]

New mazdas seem ok. Anything older than 3-5 years seem to be total garbage and king of the buy here pay here lot...

Mine is 2011 and has been really good - I had to have a lot of suspension work done a few weeks ago, but that was with 230000 showing on the clock so cannot be mad about it. The only real failure has been the radio - known issue with cold solder joints but well past any recall or remedy period. May be a cooler weather project to get it out and try to get it working again.

 

[Doppleganger]

We have to take a 2500 mile trip next month - was looking at something with crazy mileage like a Prius or something to rent. Found a 2017 Camry hybrid - 53mpg and a nice ride to boot.

 

[Grit dog]

When I’m looking for a nice used vehicle that is on the cheap end of the spectrum and only for transportation, not fun, fast, cool or able to tow anything, I search the words “grandma” and “grandpa”.
Has yielded a couple cream puffs.
In the older category and decent mileage, a later model GM sedan with the 3800 series 2 is a good buy for comfort decent mileage and reliability/simpler to work on. And not a cop magnet because you look like your great aunt Edna driving to church to the causal observer.
Anything in good condition and lower miles and good mileage is fetching a premium right now. Just like every time the gas prices go thru the roof. Makes it harder to make the numbers work vs something that costs more at the pump and less at the bank.

 

[CountKrunk]

New mazdas seem ok. Anything older than 3-5 years seem to be total garbage and king of the buy here pay here lot...

My 2005 mazda 3 and my brothers 2007 mazda 3 all did great. Might be a your locality thing.

My wife has a 2021 mazda cx9 touring (awd and turbo among other options) and that thing is a bad bitch haha. Just gets around 19-22 mpg though.

 

[Hunter79764]

In the older category and decent mileage, a later model GM sedan with the 3800 series 2 is a good buy for comfort decent mileage and reliability/simpler to work on. And not a cop magnet because you look like your great aunt Edna driving to church to the causal observer.

I've been interested in some of these, but I haven't been able to dig in the entire way and nail down the right year/make/models to get the bulletproof stuff without intake manifold issues and spider injectors and other holdover 90's stuff on the older end, but not the newer DI valves covered in carbon and whatever else. And maybe I'm just mixed up on it all too. 3.8, 3.6, 3.5, are those all the same engine but different generations? Minor tweaks, or major infrastructure changes? I wish I knew more about the cars vs trucks...

 

[Grit dog]

I've been interested in some of these, but I haven't been able to dig in the entire way and nail down the right year/make/models to get the bulletproof stuff without intake manifold issues and spider injectors and other holdover 90's stuff on the older end, but not the newer DI valves covered in carbon and whatever else. And maybe I'm just mixed up on it all too. 3.8, 3.6, 3.5, are those all the same engine but different generations? Minor tweaks, or major infrastructure changes? I wish I knew more about the cars vs trucks...

I’m not well read on them either.

 

[goldpack]

I've been interested in some of these, but I haven't been able to dig in the entire way and nail down the right year/make/models to get the bulletproof stuff without intake manifold issues and spider injectors and other holdover 90's stuff on the older end, but not the newer DI valves covered in carbon and whatever else. And maybe I'm just mixed up on it all too. 3.8, 3.6, 3.5, are those all the same engine but different generations? Minor tweaks, or major infrastructure changes? I wish I knew more about the cars vs trucks...

holdovers / old tech.
I drove a 2014 impala limited for a little bit. (this was a fleet car that you could not buy new at a regular dealer. ...just governments and rental car companies,)
old body style, old tech.

drove exactly like a 1996 chevy lumina. (front drive big V6) probably quite fast given enough road,...but at the same time as it was just a plain cheaply made chevy,...not great in suspension or in anyway fun to drive.

vs. say a similar but slightly bigger sweeter buick.

____

are you looking for AWD for snow/ ice, mud...warm rain on oil road days ?
(nice to have when "needed",....like whipping around a child standing in the road,....or when the going gets just plain tough ).

 

[Hunter79764]

I saw a nice 2004 Buick pop up, clean, 125k, $3500. It's pretty tempting, but I'm not quite ready just yet. But that will probably be an option, especially if things go not-so-great financially in the rest of the year and my extra cash dissipates a bit.

Not worried about AWD. I'm keeping the Yukon with AWD if needed, but DFW usually shuts down for snow and I have had zero issues taking my Saturn Vue (5 speed, no ABS, no traction control) even in the worst weather we have had. No mud, for better or worse I'm in the middle of a small city that's in between 2 giant cities that are surrounded by 55 other smaller cities. When I go offroad, it's in something made for it, like the 87 Suburban or riding in one of my dad's trucks. I'm not opposed to AWD/4WD, but I've got no need for it and would just as well pass on the extra parts and complexity of it.

 

[goldpack]

@Hunter79764 ...the man without any muddy roadsides.

I get all my texas knowledge from music. (have not passed through since 1981)

Waitret, please Waitret. (springs to mind).

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