myway_1 said:
I want a vehicle that costs no more than $12,000, has an excellent repair history, gets 30 mpg on the highway and that I can sleep in fully extended and flat.
Toyota Prius
Volkswagon Golf
Ford Escape Hybrid
Honda Fit
Nissan Cube
Toyota Matrix
Mazda 3 hatchback
Kia Soul
Ford Transit Connect
Does anyone use any of the others?
Any other suggestions?
Edit: I'm not sure about the reliability of the Nissan Cube or the Ford Transit Connect
I went with the Ford Transit Connect, but i paid a little more than your desired price limit. I bought it, in addition to my own reasons, for some of the same things you want: Reliability, fuel economy, room the lie down. As for the repair history, I've read stories about the brakes wearing out prematurely and possible transmission issues, but I haven't seen those problems myself. I think this is due in part, if not entirely, to the fact that I don't overload my van like people who use the TC for commercial duties often do (plumbing companies loading it down with tons of pipe and fitting, mechanical companies packing in heavy tools and parts, machine shops loading thousands of pounds of steel plate, etc. etc.) I see lots of the TC's where I live and work, but I never see them used by non-commercial customers.
For this reason I tend to take the repair complaints with a grain of salt.
I have the 1st Gen. TC, so I don't get the 30mpg I've seen claimed in the new model. The best I've gotten so far is 26.6mpg on the highway, but that's not bad for a van..... even a minivan. Some of the things I really like about the TC are that it's easy to drive, easy to park, easy on the wallet and easy to get parts for..... And let's not forget the hi-top! That was a major reason I went with it!
The cargo area is 6' long, and even thought I'm 6' 4" I still find it comfy. If I need a little extra legroom, I simply fold out the leaf I built into my bunk and get an additional 10" of length on the bed. Having the hi-top means I was able to set the height of the bed higher to increase leg comfort when sitting at my table, while not hitting my head on the ceiling.
From time to time I wish I'd bought a full-sized van, but then someone will say "Wow, it's so tiny!" "You couldn't possibly live in it!", leading me to believe that's what most people think, so they'll leave me alone if they see it sitting on the side of the road.
(I have since added another layer of plywood to the floor and raised the bed 1")
(Leaf folded under foot of bed)