I need a new vehicle, and I would like your advice. I need it to be very cheap, with good milage and an automatic transmission.
What do you consider very cheap?
I just build them, not so good with the advising part, vehicle choice is way too personal for me to offer opinions on.
Need an employee discount? That’s something I know about! 
$12,000 or less.
Standard answer: few-year-old Civic, Corolla, Camry or Accord. If you absolutely insist on a new car (meh), take advantage of GM’s ridiculous incentive program (Employee Discount for all) going on until July 5, and look at the cheap Chevys.
Ok, I thought you meant you wanted a new-used car and by cheap I thought you meant about $500. I guess I was way off.
I don’t see the point in buying a new-new car. Based on what everyone said to me when I was buying a car, get a Camry - few years old.
Of course, I completely ignored them. I got a Cavalier. No point following the pack. 
Size requirements? Any other specs? New or used?
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I think I’d like something with a full warranty, so I’m leaning towards something newish. Miles per gallon about 25-30, hatchback or wagon, and I can put in a stereo system myself, so I’ll skip any special packages.
Try looking at an 03 or 04 Ford Focus. There is an inordinate amount of Japan worship IMHO, Ford puts out some very servicable rides. If passenger room is not important, look at the Ranger, my '93 is at 95,000 miles and just had it’s first set of new spark plugs. Brakes all around and a starter are the only other service, except oil changes, I have had. It will still do nearly 30 MPG on the highway.
My other car is a Subaru, and I love it too. But frankly, you won’t be picking it up for 12K. Also, the way I drive it, it has never come close to 30 MPG, but I believe a stop light and the posted speed should be like, quantum states.
Good luck on your quest.
I had a 2001 Kia Rio until recently, when it was rear-ended and totaled. I bought a 2005 Hyundai Elantra on the Friday of the Memorial Day weekend. Stickered at 14,700 (+ destination) with auto-trans and power locks/windows/keyremote, but just a cassette-tape-radio, there was a 1750 incentive, at the time; so I got it for 10,500(+ destination) (so the sticker price was brought down to 12,250).
I’m very happy with it - I was entirely unhappy with the handling/feel of the rental Toyota Corolla which I drove for 30 days immediately beforehand.
I’ve got 22.3 and 22.7 MPG with about 50% highway driving. My Rio got 27 under the same conditions, but my '97 VW Jetta GLS only got 17.
So I suggest you check out the Hyundai Elantra and Accent, and the Kia Spectra and Rio. I never did make it to the Mazda dealership to see the “3” but I’ve heard the interior is excellent.
I just got an '05 Toyota Corolla. It was a little more than your 12k, but only a couple grand more. I have been getting 33 mpg, and there is a lot of room in that car. Maybe you can find an '04 or wait until the '06’s are out and score an '05 for cheaper.
I can’t recommend the Scion xA enough. My wife and I just got one a few months ago, and it’s been absolutely terrific. Great mileage, tons of room but still a compact, very cute, easy to drive, tons of customizing options, and it’s a Toyota product, just with it’s own brand name. I think it might be just what you’re looking for, and checks in at $13,045 MSRP.
When we were looking at getting a new car (the Toyota) we had wanted to drive and see the xA’s but none of the dealers around here had any, and we would have had to wait a couple of weeks before they got more in. From my research though, I was definately looking at the xA’s too.
That is the one thing about the Scion – they’re generally not available in small towns right away. We had to go about an hour [over to Charleston] to get ours, or wait for six months for our local Toyota dealer to get one. Such a great little car.
Er, the Percocet is messing with my brain. That last sentence should read “…for our local Toyota dealer to get one, but it was well worth going the hour to get such a great little car.”
Hmmm…lemmee put in a plug for my wheels, the Mazda Protege5 wagon (they’ve been supplanted by the Mazda 3, now). It’s a sport wagon (mine’s a 2002) and you should be able to find a used one (they seem popularish - as in, they’re available and cute, but they don’t seem to be every third car that you see), but I have no idea as to what a used one might cost.
Excellent, excellent car. Decent space, for a compact - the rear seat doesn’t seem to be too squished and seems to have sufficient leg room (I say “seems,” because I’m the driver; I’m never back there), nice cargo room (the rear seat’s a 60/40 split that folds down flat, and it’s a wagon), and cute as all get out. I get right around 30 mpg. I loves my Mazda. My sticker when I bought it new was around $16,000.
I’d see what you can find in a Civic DX. The MSRP on the web site shows at $13K for a sedan (the sedans are cheaper than the coupes), but I’ve found the dealerships are normally lower than what the web site shows.
I’d avoid the Fords, especially the Focus.
Why exactly is this? I’ve had my Escort for 9 years and not had but one problem with it and that was a hole in the radiator, something you can’t always control. Other then that it has all been normal things to keep it running. I fully plan on driving a Focus when the time comes, unless they don’t make them any more.
Maybe they aren’t twee enough for him?
- :: d&r :: *
My usual advice on threads like this:
In Which the Characteristics of the Suzuki Aerio are Enumerated