Big Guy + Little Car = HELP?

Question

I am looking at getting a new, well technically used, car. The only problem is I am about 275 lbs and right around 6". I am a commuter to and from college and I deliver pizzas as my part time job. During the school year I drive about 400-500 miles a week. My current car is a v6 and gets terrible mileage [around 15/23] I need help thinking about getting a car. I was looking at a few options: D Caliber, T Matrix, H Civic, N Sentra SE-R, Mazda 3, Scion Box. What would you recommend to get me the great mileage with optimal space so I am not cramped up like a monkey in a dog's cage. (P.S. It must have Cruise Control and keep in mind I am a college student so funds are limited) Please share any experiences.

Answer 1

Go to a local new car dealer and pretend you are interested in buying a car in a couple of months. Test them all out =)

Answer 2

The only thing I can think of, is to test drive all the cars out there. I am 6'5....I drive a ford F150 extended cab 88' It works out fine, but its horrible on gas. There is a truck I like, but i am not sure what it is. I do believe its a ford though.

Answer 3

don't buy a Jeep, any Jeep.

look at  Hyundai Santa Fe 04

the Pontiac Vibe is the twin of the Toyota matrix and can be bought for much less money.

Honda's are getting inflated prices.

mazda3 is excellent w/side air bags

Scion less practical/expensive some concerns with windshield cracks

Sentra is good value but fishtails easily when driving aggressively..

Answer 4

All I can speak for is the Caliber, but my experience is mostly positive. I've got an '07 R/T model, and it has plenty of room. Driver's seat raises & lowers for decent headroom, and slides back pretty far (yet leaving decent space for a rear passenger). Bolsters are set wide, and as a guy with a small frame I shift a bit - but other people with closer to your build say they're sized really well for them.

Cruise is there, and so are sunroofs on some models. If you live in a warm climate, go with the cloth seats (the upgrade models have a nice sport-style cloth seat available) instead of the leather.

I've been getting about 450km / 280miles on the 55L / 15gallon tank (18mpg-ish) with most of that being city driving. Straight highway driving on a road trip last week, I was getting about  300 miles before dipping below the quarter tank line.

The R/T has the larger engine though; the smaller engine in the lower models does even better if you don't mind losing a few horses.

If you're planning to lease, I'd suggest thinking about a Honda or Toyota hybrid as the extra cost would be buffered by the lease. Even if you're planing to buy, with the amount of commuting you're doing, it would probably pay for itself in gas savings in the first two years.