MMM Approved Hatchbacks?

[RusticBohemian]

Hey guys.

My car just got totaled in a flood, and I'm in the market for a new used car. My max price is $8,000, but I'm looking to pay less.

I'm really only considering used hatchback cars that get at least 30 mpg.

Has anything changed since this article was published three years ago? http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/03/19/top-10-cars-for-smart-people/ ?

Any other cars I should consider? Any big model year changes/improvements I should be aware of?

Is there anything with Hybrid battery degradation I need to know about?

My main considerations right now are the Honda Fit and the Prius.

Any thoughts on how many miles I should consider, max?

[Jeremy E.]

I think the most mustachian options right now are 2011 Nissan Leaf or 2010 Nissan Versa.

[alsoknownasDean]

How many miles do you do per year?

Realistically most small Japanese,  Korean or domestic cars are good choices. Try and find the one you like the most, and then see if there's any major gotchas.

The Prius is a good car, but if you do only a few thousand miles a year, probably isn't worth the extra over a conventional gas vehicle.

The advantage of buying cars a few years old like that is that any major issues with the things are known, and can be found with a quick Google.

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

[innkeeper77]

Honestly, if you are looking to pay less, that list is still rather ideal for you.

I've been loving our new to us Scion xA. It's even what MMM drives! A bit small for road trips, and geared low for the highway in the manual version at least, but overall we love it. The engine has a good reputation, and we are hoping with proactive DIY maintenence to get 300k+ out of it, but if we keep driving less like we have been trying to, that is a long way off! Oh, and I have been getting 35 highway 40+ city (hypermiling with a ultraguage) (Yes that is correct, better city than highway, but that only works if you drive like me)

If I could have purchased a Fit at the same price, I would have. This was quite a bit cheaper, even if it is less versatile, it is enough storage space inside for us.

Buying an older car means you will want to be careful of rust. Try and get one with a history of being in a no-salt state like Colorado, or at least carefully look at the whole car ideally up on a lift prior to buying it.

[Zoot Allures]

I drive a 2000 Honda Civic DX hatchback. Manual transmission, no frills, just the way I like it. Gets about 32mpg in the city and 38 (occasionally 40) on the highway.

[zephyr911]

Is there anything with Hybrid battery degradation I need to know about?

Prius batteries are damn near unstoppable. Some of the originals are still on the road. My wife's Prius is only 6 years old so I don't have experience with older ones, but I hear 100% good things.

[reader2580]

Is there anything with Hybrid battery degradation I need to know about?

Prius batteries are damn near unstoppable. Some of the originals are still on the road. My wife's Prius is only 6 years old so I don't have experience with older ones, but I hear 100% good things.

A co-worker had a Prius from the first year available in the USA.  He had to spend $3,500 on a new battery at 150,000 miles.  It would not deter me from buying a Prius if it fit my needs.

[APowers]

I drive a 2000 Honda Civic DX hatchback. Manual transmission, no frills, just the way I like it. Gets about 32mpg in the city and 38 (occasionally 40) on the highway.

If you drive it right, you'll get about 40-45mpg in the city, and close to 50 on the highway.

Source: I drive a 1996 Civic CX hatchback, and get 40-45 mpg.

[Zoot Allures]

I drive a 2000 Honda Civic DX hatchback. Manual transmission, no frills, just the way I like it. Gets about 32mpg in the city and 38 (occasionally 40) on the highway.

If you drive it right, you'll get about 40-45mpg in the city, and close to 50 on the highway.

Source: I drive a 1996 Civic CX hatchback, and get 40-45 mpg.

I had a late 90s Civic previously that got better mileage. Not sure why the 2000 doesn't do as well. I've tried hypermiling techniques with limited success. My most successful technique is to leave my car parked and neglect it completely, which I'm fortunately able to do most days of the week.

[Johnny Aloha]

I had a Toyota Matrix for a while before moving and selling it.  Loved it - good rooms, great mileage, and fun to drive.

[Sjalabais]

The Mazda 3 is in the original list. It is the choice of auto journalists, more engaging to drive than the dead squirrel the Prius is. I'd also assume that you can save a bit on the entry ticket by avoiding the two big names in the game, Honda and Toyota. You'd need to verify that locally though, and have a good look for rust with any Mazda if you try one. Good luck!

[RusticBohemian]

Thanks for all your assistance, guys.

To answer your usage question, I am self employed and don't have a commute. I usually make an hour-long drive once a week, and also take several smaller trips around during the week. I rarely exceed 100 miles in a week, except for a road trip I like to take every year or so. Much of my transportation is via bike.

I'm giving serious consideration to this 2009 Honda Fit: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/ctd/5311276973.html?lang=fr&cc=fr

As well as this 2005 Civic: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/cto/5299663289.html

Can anyone give me some feedback on the choices?

Honestly, I'm not sure what the critical elements I should be asking about or considering when making the purchase.

[JRB_NW]

Yes, the additional up front cost of a Prius wont ever pay back for you at such a low usage rate. You're looking at some nice cars but they have really high miles.. many things are worn out past 150k - clutch, suspension bushings, shocks, brakes, etc.. not to mention the engine may be near the end of life depending on maintenance the car has received.

I have a later model Kia Rio hatchback here in the Philippines that's been super reliable and tough. But any Japanese or Korean hatch if well maintained will serve you well. I've bought and sold many cars over the years and only really have a couple of suggestions:

1. Buy a one month Carfax subscription so you can weed out bad cars..  although this is not necessarily the be-all, end-all.. for protection.

2. Try to buy from a private party if at all possible. Even better, from the original owner. In your price range you will get a LOT more car for your money. The car dealers buy cars cheap from auctions that have been abused, don't have service records, etc. Then they shine them up and mark it up 100%.. they want you to think someone traded them in, lol.. not for $5K..

3. Do NOT buy a car that does not come with service records. It's just not worth it. Proper maintenance makes ALL the difference to a vehicles longevity. Since most cars from used car dealer won't have records, this is another reason to go private party.

[RusticBohemian]

So is there an upper limit to the amount of miles you'd consider for someone is my situation?

This craigslist search is set for Austin, owner sellers only, clean titles, and hatchbacks. If you feel like looking, let me know if you see anything promising in there: http://austin.craigslist.org/search/cto?auto_title_status=1&auto_bodytype=4

[rtrnow]

Thanks for all your assistance, guys.

To answer your usage question, I am self employed and don't have a commute. I usually make an hour-long drive once a week, and also take several smaller trips around during the week. I rarely exceed 100 miles in a week, except for a road trip I like to take every year or so. Much of my transportation is via bike.

I'm giving serious consideration to this 2009 Honda Fit: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/ctd/5311276973.html?lang=fr&cc=fr

As well as this 2005 Civic: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/cto/5299663289.html

Can anyone give me some feedback on the choices?

Honestly, I'm not sure what the critical elements I should be asking about or considering when making the purchase.

I love my 09 Fit. It has been the cheapest car to own I've ever had. I bought it with 45K miles and now at 112K it has never been to a mechanic. It has been really easy to do all the work on. My only hesitation with the one you listed is the auto trans. I'm into performance cars which the fit is certainly not, but the stick helps a lot with such a low hp car. It's a very slick shifting trans that can be fun to push hard on occasion. The Fit is by far the best driving in it's class and most versatile. You can fit much more in the back than either a mazda 3 or versa. The back seats fold completely flat which makes all the difference.

[thd7t]

We drive a 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring. I love it. It fits a lot, is a tiny bit bigger than the other options, and drives well.