5-8k best road trip car for baby and dog

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Hey everyone, my wife just crashed our prius so we sold it. I am also selling our 2 seater hybrid insight so we can buy a nice road trip car that gets good gas mileage and we were looking for some ideas.

Requirements
28+ mpg preferred
fit a baby and German shepard dog.
reliable
5-8k$

Thinking maybe:
Another prius
TDI VW something?
Out of ideas
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Sounds like a job for a simple Camry. Mine gets 35+ on the highway.

Sorry but TDI and "reliable" don't belong together in the same sentence. Sure they've got longevity but while you're saving a few bucks at the pump, you've got a hole in your pocket keeping it on the road so no benefits.
 
I am looking at a 2000 toyota Camry v6 with 250k miles on it for 1500. Not sure if that would do as good on gas? High mileage doesn't scare me...but I do want better mpg otherwise we would just take the AWD sienna (23 mpg hwy)
 
Originally Posted By: TheKracken
I am looking at a 2000 toyota Camry v6 with 250k miles on it for 1500. Not sure if that would do as good on gas? High mileage doesn't scare me...but I do want better mpg otherwise we would just take the AWD sienna (23 mpg hwy)
V6 Camry of that vintage will get about 28-29 on the highway.

I thought your budget was $5k-$8k? $1,500 is too low to go, you can find low mileage ones for a little more. But if the V6 gas mileage is ok, consider the Lexus ES300. Its mechanically a Camry and they aren't too expensive.

Get out a calculator and see if it makes sense. 23 mpg on a 2,000 mile road trip is $200 in gas. 28 mpg on a 2,000 mil road trip is $165 in gas. $35 isn't much money and you'll have another car to have to maintain and keep insurance and registration on.

I'd just drive the Sienna
 
I am really hoping for 30+ but I will keep my eye out on a lower mileage one with the I4's. Ive owned a few Lexus vehicles and loved them but the mpg were always around 20-24
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A 5-door vehicle is nicer for dogs and luggage.

Toyota RAV4 & Prius V
Mazda 5
Subaru Forester & Outback
Honda CRV

There are other hatchbacks, wagons, vans, and SUVs out there.
 
The mileage is a bit short but my Scion Xb does well. Better tires it gets 31-32. Two huge dogs(Bernese and Newf) and one 55 pounder no issues. I bet will be no mechanical for a long time with a 2.4 with 4 speed tranny.
As Bandito stated, five door is great for pooches and good grocery getter.
 
I have two kids and a pit bull and our road-trip-worthy cars are an 02 camry 4cyl sedan and a chevy HHR. Both get 30+ MPG. The camry is nicer but the dog is in the backseat with the kids vs in the luggage compartment of the HHR. Wish they made a camry wagon... I know the Highlander and Venza share the floorpan but they are way too $$$$. The 4 cyl in the new body style (02-09) Camry has 158 hp and plenty of oomph and is easy to work on.

Despite its award winning ecotec motor the HHR is something of a mechanical disappointment, with a rattly steering column and an appetite for suspension parts. But since the retro fad is dying you might find satisfaction in a really cheap one.
 
Drive the Sienna.
Dogs and minivans are a great combo with the low floor.
An extra trip car is more expensive to maintain than savings from gas.
Drive the minivan to 250k+ and enjoy all the extra room for stuff.
 
You'd road trip a sedan with a baby and big dog and leave a minivan at home for a few mpgs? Nick did the math for you. Get whatever car you want but road trip the Sienna. With a baby I'd be looking for the newest safest biggest car I could afford.
 
I've done an awful lot of long distance driving in years past. I know what I like.

1) Room. Plenty of it. Leg room to the sides, wiggle room in the cockpit, room to place arms on a center console or armrest, without touching the person beside me. Room to put a cooler and snacks behind the drivers seat without taking up the entire back of the vehicle.

2) Tall seating position. Self explanatory. A commanding view of the road is always better. Love my S2000, but it's a horrible highway-travel car. A modern full sized pickup truck has just the right height.

3) Seat comfort. To me, that means a reasonably flat seat that fits me well, not a bucket seat. I despise the seats on certain Honda Accords. As they push on my upper back. I'm a normal sized man, with normal seating requirements. Honda got that one wrong.

4) Interior noise level, both mechanical and wind. Believe it or not, noise is extremely fatiguing. Small or cheap cars are noisy and, in the end, generally unpleasant. A good luxury car is a true pleasure on a long trip. There is a reason the Corolla is NOT a favorite for highway trips. Noisy, small and in the end, annoying.

To that end, an older Crown Vic, or better yet, a Lincoln Town Car is an ideal cheap highway car.

The one thing that never enters my mind is MPG. The modest fuel savings of high MPG always has a cost I can't bear.
 
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You have it already the 04 Sienna. It will be superior in comfort at the expense of some due mileage.

I belive even those old ones hit 25mpg+ on highway.
 
Toyata sienna makes an ideal hwy cruiser with family and dog.
I too would like to know the $math argument for buying another smaller car for hwy trips.!!!!
I am sure op has sound reasons which i am not able to see.
 
+1
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Gas is relatively cheap right now. You will not save the planet in the difference between the Sienna and whatever...

The dog will like it. The baby stuff will fit. Just take the Sienna
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