Homesteading Car

[PD-Riverman]

I am looking for a older car $4000 or less that gets app 35 mpg or better to run errands for the farm and save some miles on the newer big truck, but I don't know what was out there a few years back that can get this type of mpg, so its taking me a long time to Search for one. Can some of you save me some time and tell me what Models etc to search for. I know about the Geo Metro. I can not afford a more expencive one right now. Thanks.

[SectorSteve]

If it were me, I would look for a clean, slightly used Honda Civic. They get very good gas mileage and will last quite awhile, when properly taken care of.
Steve

[farmergirl]

If it were me, I would highly consider finding an old VW rabbit, with the diesel engine. Those things run forever and get around 60 mpg!

[EDDIE BUCK]

Another if it were me, I would try to find a good pretty low mile small pickup. It will have more to do on the homestead than a car. Like hauling some wood, fence post fertilizer, fuel. But thats my 2 cent.

[MoonShine]

I'll add another vote for a Honda. Not only are they easy on gas,they're extremely reliable. You should be able to get a good used one for well under $4,000.

[hotzcatz]

We've had several Honda Civics and the last one, a '94 or so I think it was, got 35 MPG consistently. We did make a tow hitch for it and towed a small trailer occasionally. The gas mileage went down when we did that. We sold it for well under $1K when we changed to a 4WD.

Our friends have a diesel Volkswagon TDI which gets really good gas mileage, somewhere around 50 MPG, I think. It would cost more than a Honda Civic, though, I think.

[Liese]

We paid 3k for a '97 Sentra a couple of years ago, if you are careful about which engine, and that goes for the Civic too, you can get 35mpg or better. I brought home 3 sheep in the back with ours and used it for the Farmer's Market. Now a minivan might be even more convenient for hauling but I don't want to give up the mpg.

[MomOf4]

Originally Posted by farmergirl

If it were me, I would highly consider finding an old VW rabbit, with the diesel engine. Those things run forever and get around 60 mpg!

I would do the same - I recently read an article in either Countryside or MotherEarth News (the only 2 magazines I read) of a couple that used a mix of diesel and WVO (waste veggie oil from local restaurants) in their diesel car. 80% diesel/20% WVO in the winter, 20% diesel/80% WVO in the summer.

Of course, you could always make pure biodiesel, but mixing WVO would be the way to go until you get a way to process the biodiesel.

[Slev]

My friend Wendle has the civic and even installed her own engine in it! and much like the energizer bunny, it keeps going, and going.... I also had looked for those 1980's VW Rabbits in diesel, either their little pick up or the wagon/car. Another thought might be an older Volvo, or Mercedes Benz in diesel. A lot of people forget how quickly some of those cars drop in price after several years, and let's face it, diesel/biodiesel is the way to go!

I personally wound up getting a 2004 Chevy Malibu Maxx. Although the cost was around $13,000 anytime the gas is over $2.75 per gallon, I figure I've cut my gas cost in 1/2. Plus I counted in my raise and cancelled a worthless health policy add-on, and there was one other thing I forget now, but it equals out that I'm almost driving it for free! The fact that it's new/newer should mean I will not have repair bills quite so soon. It gets around 34 mpgs if you drive the speed limit. I also added one of those gizmo's and now it gets a little more. I added a hitch and tow a small trailer with it, taking my sheep to demonstrations it really saves me $$$$. I love it.

[gunsmithgirl]

You could look into the VW Jetta I got a 95 for $1000 and have put 150,000 miles on it since and it gets abut 40 mpg. There are a lot of the 90's Jettas that you can find pretty cheaply.

[fishhead]

I bought a 96 Toyota Corolla for $3,800. It had been totaled but only had 140,000 and it has been running great for the past 18 months.

A biodiesel powered car sounds like a good idea because you can control your fuel supply better in case our oil supply gets disrupted.

[MelissaW]

Check for early model Pontiac Vibes. 35+ mpg, all rubber cargo area, adjustable seating all the way to the front row, so that you can haul 8' boards with the tailgate closed, and a Toyota motor. I put 150 pounds of feed and a couple bales of sawdust in mine all the time, plus I can carry my big dogs or a crate of chickens no problem. With the cargo tie down loops in the back, you could probably even tether a small goat, or a goat crate pretty easily. I'm going to drive mine for as long as it will go!

[Cabin Fever]

Why limit yourself to a car? Why not a homesteading motorcycle?

[Scrounger]

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

Why limit yourself to a car? Why not a homesteading motorcycle?

Now THAT'S funny! Almost looks like the sheep is driving!

[wendle]

I love my 91 civic. They can be had for under 2000.00. Mine is a manual hatchback front wheel drive that gets 44mpg highway. I've hauled lumber, 2x4X8's, 4X4 plywood, and a few sheep in the back at different times. I had a hitch put on to pull a very small dog trailer. The parts for these are reasonably priced and not hard to get. With the air conditioning removed , and no extras the motor is pretty basic and not hard to work on. The only thing I don't like is that it's sort of low to the ground, so watch for ridges in the gravel roads, deep snow, and not good in the pasture. I have a 4wd truck for the offroad stuff.

[PD-Riverman]

Thanks Everyone for your info. I have a 4x4 Truck but it has over 100,000 miles now and gets about 15mpg, wanted to Slow down the amount of miles that are being put on it, So I was just needing a Good Gas Mileage Car for Errands plus Present GF lives 45 minutes away. Let me do some searching now and see what I can find. Thanks Again!!

[CGUARDSMAN]

i don't think you can go wrong with either Honda or Toyota products for longevity and dependabilty not to mention gas mileage. Geo prism is a rebadge corolla and are great grocery getters too plus they are usually less than corolla. My .02

[agmantoo]

PD-Riverman, start watching http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites.html. You will find a Honda there.

[Big Dave]

I am looking also and have found a VW bus that is a PU. It is not going down in value and is very fuel effeciant. Hope you find what will work for you.

[Pelenaka]

2004 Chevrolet Aveo hatch back - No power anything no ABS, under 8k new.
35 mpg on average. 40 pmg if the wind is to my back. 38 if I slip in just under that air pocket on a Hummer.
I have hauled cider presses, 3 bales of hay, 200 lbs. of bunny feed, 1/6 of a cord of firewood, & 300 lbs. of gleaned potatoes.
Spring gonna install a hitch so I can haul a tiny trailer. Do I care I'll only go 40? Nope, I'm not driving behind me.
Got an anti-theft insurance discount due to the orange-red color & it's a stick with an imaginary 6th gear. Can't count how many times I've had to drive it into the jiffy lube's work bay 'cause the oil boy was confused by a third petal.
Took alot of kidding from friends, family, & complete strangers when I first bought it. Use to joke that if I couldn't find good parking could always just tuck it in my back pocket.
Now I get longing glances @ the gas pumps when I fill up for just over $30.
~~ pelenaka ~~