Cool/reliable/economical DD! let me know

Im looking for a DD car in the $3-4000 for when my camaro goes in the garage for 6 speed/350 swap and paint in the spring. Im looking for cool factor, reliability, then fuel mileage, but all pretty equally. Let me know what you think, with info please! esp any experience with these cars! thanks

Edit: before someone wants to know why i dont want a ghey 4 cylinder auto FF sedan: I get bored with cars VERY fast, So if its boring to begin with it has almost no hope. Just saving myself time and money

well, uh, to be honest with you, i'd go for a 99/00 civic/accord. or hell, a turbo or even n/a eclipse? like a 95-97?

i would go with the civic or maybe a pontiac  if its only a dd.

im not being biased, but you better way off with a civic. I drive a civic, takes 25 bucks to fill it up and gets about 35mpg. You dont need a fast turbo car for DD, you got the camaro. save the gas money.

You can't always drive a car equivalent to your car, sometimes you gotta sacrifice one thing to gain another. I know you said no 4 cylinder car, but realize that, once you go up 4 cylinders to a v6 or v8, it will void the "reliability, then fuel mileage" part that your looking for.

Get yourself a little neon, they make great DD's.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jr. Mechanic

Get yourself a little neon, they make great DD's.

 
yea, those too, forgot about them.

i feel that you should have a 98 3.8 as a dd and a 95 z28 as a summer car.

best DD is prob a BMW 5 series.  Or if you have the money, an M5.

VW Jetta TDI, 40mpg and it's like $30 to fill up.

I was more or less looking for a convertible/roadster style car...if you look at my little note at the bottom that explains why i dont want a civic. I hate front wheel drives and esp hondas. They cant even make there mid engine looking roadster a mid engine! I have considered the diesel jettas/golfs but people want too much for them. And i want something i can work on easily. And just to clarify...the car has to be cool first, then reliable, then good on gas, not the other way around. If i was only looking for fuel economy i wouldnt have made a thread like this lol

gotta say a Miata then, they run forever and are a blast to drive

oh, and honerable mention to the Chrylser Sebring.  2.5 is a very reliable engine, and they are fun to drive.  The convertibles are alot of fun.  Their not fast, but as a DD they are nice.  Plus the 1st gens are affordible and the FWD is good for the snow.

It wasn't on the list and you probably wouldn't like it, but I'd suggest a 1997-2004 Dodge Dakota. They're fun, sporty-ish, get relatively good gas mileage, look good, and are quite reliable. My first vehicle was a '99 Dakota Sport and I'd trade my Camaro to have that vehicle again any day.

04 saturn ion2 sedan.. it's yours for 11grand.

Have to agree with a few others and say go with a honda civic or accord. As much as I hate to admit it... my wifes accord has proven to be the best car we've ever owned. Most people we know with hondas have had the same results. Its the fist import we've had but after 5 years we've done nothing but routine maint. Cant say that about any ford or chevy we have had. AND...  The gas miliage is awesome.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Scooch

Have to agree with a few others and say go with a honda civic or accord. As much as I hate to admit it... my wifes accord has proven to be the best car we've ever owned. Most people we know with hondas have had the same results. Its the fist import we've had but after 5 years we've done nothing but routine maint. Cant say that about any ford or chevy we have had. AND...  The gas miliage is awesome.

wanna see awesome gas milage? buy a ridgeline friggan 14MPG around town... and it's a HONDA!!! but then again.. 285HP 3.5L VTAK.. lol, talk about pushing a engine to it's N/A limits.
 
edit - but it'll amaze you what it can do. it'll tow more than my dad's truck, it'll hold 3 tons in the "bed" without even a slight squat, it's awesome in snow with VTM AWD, also awesome in mud, leather, sunroof, subs etc, all for 43k

personally i like the chevy cobalt and you could get one of the LT models and its still got a sporty look in a two door  plus its a chevy

I can't believe no one has mentioned this before except bluovlh8er.  93-02 3.8 Camaro, its what I use for a DD.  Mark III Supra (86-93) maybe?  Or a 325i or 525i BMW E34.

Well if you're looking for economical, don't buy a Yukon (10.5mpg ftl). Out of your list, I'd say Miata or MR2. People seem to hate on Miata's alot but I think they're alright. They're nice sporty little rwd convertibles, that are built to be just that, and not for breakneck speed. I think the MR2 would be cooler car to drive around than the Miata, just not sure about the reliability with those.

MKII or MKIII Supra, old school celicas, fiero

but most of all

any 82-02 V6 Fbody!!!!!!!!!

quote:

ORIGINAL: ninetysixyenko
wanna see awesome gas milage? buy a ridgeline friggan 14MPG around town... and it's a HONDA!!! but then again.. 285HP 3.5L VTAK.. lol, talk about pushing a engine to it's N/A limits.

edit - but it'll amaze you what it can do. it'll tow more than my dad's truck, it'll hold 3 tons in the "bed" without even a slight squat, it's awesome in snow with VTM AWD, also awesome in mud, leather, sunroof, subs etc, all for 43k

the ridgeline is an absolute JOKE...i cant believe that is even considered a "truck", it's a minivan w/ a tiny ass bed

id buy a little 4cyl s10 pickup thats in decent shape. maybe if you could find a s10 extreme but i dont know if they only come in 4.3L

quote:

ORIGINAL: JHL88

id buy a little 4cyl s10 pickup 5spd thats in decent shape. maybe if you could find a s10 extreme but i dont know if they only come in 4.3L

quote:

ORIGINAL: JHL88

id buy a little 4cyl s10 pickup thats in decent shape. maybe if you could find a s10 extreme but i dont know if they only come in 4.3L

That's what I'm shopping for, bud.  But have you driven the 4 cylinder ones?  If you haven't, I think you'd be disappointed.  I've driven the V6 and the 4cyl.  The 4cyl will barely freakin move.  The V6 doesn't feel powerful either - but it feels NORMAL.  For a truck, and for a vehicle the size of an S10, you really need the 4.3L v6 imo.

I kinda think that xtremes do come with a 4cyl...  seems like I've seen that before.

They don't get great gas mileage either.  I think the V6 is about the same as my camaro (18-25) and the 4cyl isn't a whole lot better (maybe worse...)

I have a saturn I will sell you for 3k.

i had to vote fireo gt, just because my friend has one and they are fun as hell haha. although most fieros you find anymore will be a project car in themselves, and getting t-tops on it woud be even worse....otherwise my second choice, alas the more realsitic one, would be the miata, i know people say they are chic cars or w/e but i really like them, a little front mount RWD roadster, 5 speed ftw!!!! i can just imagine them being fun, although ive never driven one....did you pick yet btw??