Daily driver suggestions

[smitty2919]

Time may be coming where a daily commute will go from 10 minutes back roads to 45+ minutes highway. Current vehicle selection is a 03 Silverado 2500HD 6.0L gas 2wd and a 95 Camaro Z28 with a bunch of goodies for autocross (full suspension/no AC/no cruise control). Realistically Camaro would be sold and will fund the new car.

Rules of the game:
-$5000 max
-Does NOT require 93 octane.
-2 door/4 door/hatch are fine
-No Audi/Lexus/MB due to repair costs unless said car is bulletproof
-No bottom of the barrel Civic types with rock hard seats and horrible ride characteristics (I will spend a decent amount of time in the car so I'd like it to be somewhat enjoyable LOL)
-Avoiding V8 simply due to gas mileage.
-Something that with lowering springs/wheels/tint can look respectable....I'm a car guy I HAVE to mod the car a little bit

That said, some cars I have found that fit this criteria through FB marketplace since it's easy to search:
Mazda 3/6 sedan or hatchbacks
Acura rsx (parts expensive? needs 93?)
2010-2012 Chevy Cruise
2000-2003 Subaru Legacy sedan or wagon
BMW 3 series (no clue on maintenance repairs)
Kia Optima (actually found some 2011 models LOL)

Yes, I am all over the place with this. I love the idea of a Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, Town Car, Caprice for comfort but the V8 somewhat negates the point of an efficient car.

After a newer truck is bought for my wife and I, MY next car is a C5/C6.

 

[Voltwings]

I made a lot of money in college working on BMWs, avoid like the plague.

Having owned 3 mazdas, i'm very partial to a well sorted mazda 3. I dont know if any of the 2.5L will be in that price range, but they are very, very good cars if you take care of them. We got rid of our last one around 140k miles and you'd have sworn it was new.

 

[Silverstrike]

Another one is the Corolla, Matrix, Pontiac Vibe family have a 2010 Vibe GT as a daily only real complaint is that with a 13 gallon tank it's a little too small if it was a 15 gallon one then I could very easily get almost 400 miles out of one but I can only about average 325 miles. around town I get about 20-24 miles per gallon about 30-35 highway at 70-72 MPH

 

[Machdup1]

I would put the car guy part of me aside and get something cheap and reliable. That equates to a clean unmodified Honda or Toyota Sedan with a decent sound system. Cheap maintence, gas and insurance are the priorities for a DD.

Save your money for modifying the Vette.

.02.

 

[IronSnake]

I'd chuck the gas guzzler 6.0 truck and pick up a 2nd gen Tacoma. You could keep the Camaro at that point till you were ready for a C5/6, and relatively wash into a Taco from the silverado.

I average 18 in my TRD sport 2005 4.0 taco. On the highway, mid 20's

 

[08mojo]

I'd consider adding a GTI to your list. I had a 2008 as a daily driver for a long time. Only trouble I ever had out of the car was a couple of coil packs going bad--I think they were ~$15 from vatozone. Fun car, and surprisingly it had tons of space with the hatchback. The 2006-2008 should be close to your $5k mark.

 

[smitty2919]

Truck needs to stay as it is a 3rd vehicle when needed and to tow a horse trailer since my wife has a horse. I also have a car trailer I used for racing. So we need to keep a 3/4 ton truck around.

Camaro is my 80% daily driver and fun toy. I will only modify the new daily to make it somewhat fun to look at and drive. Lowering springs,tint and wheels is simple cheap mods. After that it will be all maintenance and efficiency.

The Mazda's seems to be a good fit considering looks, features, reliability and price range...

 

[RedVenom48]

Accord 2 door coupe. 4 cyl auto = great fuel mileage. looks are pretty good. Plenty of wheels and suspension kits available.

 

[TK1299]

Some small little compact pickup from a foreign manufacturer.

 

[StrayBullitt]

My favorite daily/commuter I've ever owned, laugh all you want to

 

[CompOrange04GT]

Not sure why you crossed off Lexus as it's mostly Toyota.

In your price range perfect vehicle: Lexus Is 300.. 2JZ GE, can be had in auto or manual.. hhas snow mode if needed.. Suede interior, and can be modded to look very good

 

[AustinSN]

We had an 07 Camry with like 130k that we bought for $5k.

It was a really comfortable car that got 27mpg.

 

[bokyo1987]

^ +1 on the Camry. My 2009 Camry is chugging along with no issues at 116k miles. It’s pretty comfortable and gets about 30mpg on the highway with a 268hp v6.

 

[03cobra#694]

I would put the car guy part of me aside and get something cheap and reliable. That equates to a clean unmodified Honda or Toyota Sedan with a decent sound system. Cheap maintence, gas and insurance are the priorities for a DD.

Save your money for modifying the Vette.

.02.

Best answer so far.

 

[JetmechF16]

I picked up an ‘08 MB C300 Sport for $3900, perfect commuter. Looks good, rides great, nimble like a go-cart, midrange power is phenomenal, and gets decent gas mileage (20 average for my city commute). The post-Chrysler era W204 platform was built like a tank.

 

[black4vcobra]

Can't go wrong with a decent Accord or Camry. I'll throw a Fusion into that list too, the 240 hp 3.0 V6 version is reasonably powerful and could probably be found for $5k

 

[IA-SteveB]

I agree with the people who mention that you have to silence the "car guy" in you and just get something that makes sense to pile miles on during a commute. I never thought I'd see myself in a Toyota Rav 4 but I was in a similar situation as you in 2016. Went from 12 minute 5 mile commute to 30 minute (25 miles). I have a new appreciation for cars that get good gas mileage. If I could turn back time I would have kept my paid for 2004 Toyota Tundra 4x4 (100k miles) and just gotten a $5000 Toyota Corolla to rack up the miles on. All I really needed was a solid car that had AC and got good mileage. I guess I'd have four cars so maybe that wouldn't have been a good idea after all. I don't like putting 18k a year on a newish car but I got a lot for my Tundra on trade and owe a paltry sum at 0%.

I kind of miss living closer to work. I could split the miles between three vehicles in the summer. Now I almost never drive my S2000 or Cobra to work because it is 50 miles round trip and I don't want the miles, rock chips or cleaning bugs.

 

[nxhappy]

04-07 taurus, or a Focus

 

[smitty2919]

Some good options in here. I like the Camry suggestion, I also came across a Corolla S, not a horrible looking car and smaller than the Camry which could be nice.

I have a feeling it may between a Mazda 6 and Camry/Corolla.

 

[CV355]

2010 Volvo S60T5.

The value on those hit rock bottom and the engines are bulletproof. Sound system is excellent (I have an '08 S40T5), fuel economy is excellent on the highway (I get up to 35 on the highway).