Car for 100 mile commute?

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AZjeff

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So SIL might take a job 50 miles away. They currently have 1 car, a 2015 CX-5. Daughter has to do some driving for her work as well so a 250K beater car is out. Mileage is nice but safety is more important, so thinking midsize something. The drive is about 50% 4 lane and 50% nice 2 lane with some chance of occasional bad roads in winter. Not sure of a budget but say under $10K. They're not brand loyal and he's no mechanic. Not sure they want to rack up the miles on the Mazda.

The go-to without thinking would be the nicest 4 cyl Camry for the money but what else should we be considering? Any sleeper commuter cars? Like a Crown Vic that gets 30 mpg or something?

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
Not too many Crown Vics/Grand Marquis getting 30 MPG, I think 25 would be pushing it with hypermiling techniques. Some Cruze Eco owners have reported 45 MPG in highway driving, plus FWD would be a plus in (not severe) winter weather.
 
My wife drives 55 miles each way in her daily commute in her Rav4. She loves it. Mostly high speed highway and some secondary roads at both ends.
 
As much as my cheap side says to go for the most fuel efficient small car you can find, I agree with your point about safety. If I were putting a loved one in a vehicle for that purpose, my priorities would be front end/rollover crash test ratings, and specifically looking for something with a high enough front end to reduce the likelihood that another vehicle or large animal would ride up the hood and into the windshield and "A" pillars. After those criteria are addressed, look at fuel mileage.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
How much does he get paid?

If it was a job with adequate compensation, I would lease a 7 Series or S-Klasse.


Driving 25K+ a year? Better plan on buying it at lease end. $10K budget and you recommend leasing a $90K car with a lease payment higher than a mortgage payment?
 
Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
How much does he get paid?

If it was a job with adequate compensation, I would lease a 7 Series or S-Klasse.


Driving 25K+ a year? Better plan on buying it at lease end. $10K budget and you recommend leasing a $90K car with a lease payment higher than a mortgage payment?


Depends on the size of the house. There are also ways to not get crushed by mileage restrictions.

I'll admit I did not see the $10k budget. For 10k I would be after a 1.9tdi A3.
 
Originally Posted By: fsdork
As much as my cheap side says to go for the most fuel efficient small car you can find, I agree with your point about safety. If I were putting a loved one in a vehicle for that purpose, my priorities would be front end/rollover crash test ratings, and specifically looking for something with a high enough front end to reduce the likelihood that another vehicle or large animal would ride up the hood and into the windshield and "A" pillars. After those criteria are addressed, look at fuel mileage.


Nailed it. Long range commuter cars aren't on my radar hence the question. Fit, Mazda 3 too small.
 
Originally Posted By: AZjeff

Nailed it. Long range commuter cars aren't on my radar hence the question. Fit, Mazda 3 too small.


How big is your SIL if a Mazda 3 is too small?

I'm 5'11" 50" chest, 37" waist, weigh 225# and I fit comfortably in a Protege5 and it's smaller inside than a Mazda3.
 
I've been driving Civics for over 5 years now and they're pretty much trouble free. Good MPG and you know you can trust it.

My commute is something like 90 miles total per day.
 
Is the Mazda6 too much of a piece of junk to consider?

Edit, the lastet gen is too new to find a 10K one.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: javacontour
Originally Posted By: AZjeff

Nailed it. Long range commuter cars aren't on my radar hence the question. Fit, Mazda 3 too small.


How big is your SIL if a Mazda 3 is too small?

I'm 5'11" 50" chest, 37" waist, weigh 225# and I fit comfortably in a Protege5 and it's smaller inside than a Mazda3.


The car is too small. Mid-size preferred.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
How much does he get paid?

If it was a job with adequate compensation, I would lease a 7 Series or S-Klasse.


Really???

You would lease a 7 series and put close to 30k miles on it a year? Yeah, sounds like a great idea...
 
Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Originally Posted By: javacontour
Originally Posted By: AZjeff

Nailed it. Long range commuter cars aren't on my radar hence the question. Fit, Mazda 3 too small.


How big is your SIL if a Mazda 3 is too small?

I'm 5'11" 50" chest, 37" waist, weigh 225# and I fit comfortably in a Protege5 and it's smaller inside than a Mazda3.


The car is too small. Mid-size preferred.

I suggest Tig1's Ford Fusion.
maybe also the similar size Buick?
 
The 99-2003/2004 proteges are what I would consider sleeper here in most of the southern states. They last forever and can be had for under $2500 with under 150k miles all day long. They tend to get 28 plus MPG on the freeway and rarely have problems. Mine does 28 at 80 and around 34 mpg at 60-65. My little brother's did better but he also had the smaller rims and the lower end package that had less weight on it. His only died due to a pretty nasty accident.

I have had mine since 122k and in that 8 years time, it has died on eme twice. Once was the alternator went bad and the other, the fuel pump relay went bad. It is now at 201k and has another good 8 years ahead of it. I changed the timing belt out at 180k and will check it again around 250k. Unless the timing belt goes bad on these, there is no reason the engine shouldn't make an easy 300k miles.
 
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