consulting the Brain Trust of TRS

[mn_smokeater]

My Girlfriend when she goes to do her student teaching could be doing long drive so she wants something that is more easy on fuel then her 1993 Dodge Dakota 3.9 V6 4X4.

shes got a few requirements that the potential vehicle Must meet:
4x4 for the winter driving.
Good MPG
Automatic
Absolutely positively NOT a Minivan EVER!!!
Comfortable
Easy to maintain/low cost of maintaining
No "ass scraper" low to ground cars
No S10s or Sonomas.
Perfering Domestic made
Simple to run far as the controls ect.
no wagons aka subis

thats her requests from you guys so lets hear what you got.

edit to add must be affordable to buy so under the year 2000

 

[Dweano]

A Ranger? Haha...oh wait...good fuel economy...umm. I worked with a guy once who said he got 40mpg with an older toyota diesel truck he had. Thats 40mpg Canadian. But still...if your looking for good MPG...diesel is the way to go

 

[mywhip]

My mom bought a 96 explorer from a buy here pay here lot, ended up paying 11k in the end for it (i can't remember how many miles it had on it originally), and it now has 160k on it and the most expensive things she has ever had to replace in the years of owning it is the tires. Hers is automatic, 4wd option, and its comfortable to drive. I love driving it because its so easy to handle, the turning on it is amazing.

 

[mn_smokeater]

she would like a 4 banger ranger but do they come in a 4x4/auto/4 banger combo?

 

[heptofite]

dear god i hope not, a four wheel drive four cylinder automatic ranger would be the most nutless truck ford ever made.

 

[feellnfroggy]

A mazda6 with the all wheel drive. Cant beat it.

 

[mn_smokeater]

dear god i hope not, a four wheel drive four cylinder automatic ranger would be the most nutless truck ford ever made.

that is true but she dont need it to have a lot of nuts to commute.

A mazda6 with the all wheel drive. Cant beat it.

nice idea but too new and surly to spendy

 

[master hec0]

cavalier/sunfire?

sorry i forgot about 4wd maybe a awd Subaru? not the wagon ones

 

[mn_smokeater]

cavalier/sunfire?

sorry i forgot about 4wd maybe a awd Subaru? not the wagon ones

thanks bud! forgot about the Forester thats a potential

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Bronco II or Explorer.

Only thing is, expect 16-20 mpg around town. Up to mid 20s highway.

Diesels get great fuel economy, but they are spendy to fix.

Most minivans and such only get around 18 mpg around town anyway, so I guess the fuel economy isn't all that bad.

I've loved running my BIIs in the winter, a stock one will go nearly anywhere you point it on cheap crumby street tires. Not fast or pretty, but they're a monster in the snow. A good aggressive set of all terrain tires in 235/75/15 and you're good to go.


Oh, yea, btw, if you get on with an auto trans (as in the infamous a4ld), do a fluid and filter change right away and think about adding an aftermarket trans cooler. I always dumped a bottle of Lucas transmission additive into the system when I refilled it too. They will hold up if you can keep from overheating 'em, change the fluid and filter like every 40-50k miles.

 

[strvger]

have her look for a mid to late 1990's Geo Tracker, 2 door, hard top/convertible/removable top... her choice. my 1991 gets 32mpg and cruises easily at 65-70mph. mine is is 5 speed manual, so the 4 speed auto in those doesn't get quite as good mileage, but still should be close to 30mpg or so. i have had almost no mechanical problems with mine in the past 4-5 years since i've had it. and the problems i have had are little ones... wheel bearing, etc. the 4 wheel drive has performed extremely well. oh, and it's really fun to drive!
i have no complaints except for the rust we get up here. just my $.02.

 

[Chance]

thanks bud! forgot about the Forester thats a potential

No wagons, but the ugliest wagon that subaru ever made is a potential?

02+ Impreza and legacy wagons can be outright sexy... not a fan of outbacks...

I'd say Impreza sedan... they're the answer to everything.

I do miss my old impreza wagon. Kinda. Not that much. Maybe if it was turbo...

 

[Hopman]

she would like a 4 banger ranger but do they come in a 4x4/auto/4 banger combo?

That'd be even rarer and slower than my 4x4/M5/2.3!

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Yeah I agree that a Suzuki Sameri or a Geo Tracker is probably the only thing that really its all of the above. Unless you go with a Subaru Sedan but parts are still very spendy.

 

[superds]

This might be a bit more than you're looking to spend, but I think it meets all the other criteria: Ford Escape. They started making them in 2001 so I would think that you'd be able to find one for a decent price.