Buy Cheap Cars!

At some point in your life, you’ll end up needing to buy a cheap car. Whether it’s your first car, or your kid’s first car, a solid dependable cheap used car is a good bet for a beginning driver (or any driver on a tight budget, for that matter). If you buy a car outright, you can avoid paying for expensive collision and comprehensive insurance. And when you focus on cheap cars that get good gas mileage, you tackle the issue of the overall expenditure.

Everyone has a favorite story about the cheap cars in their past. I’m no exception, having bought my first car (from its original owners) for $800 and my second (a multi-colored mongrel) for a whopping $350. I worked two jobs while I was in high school to scrape up enough money to buy those dream rides … and I spent thousands whipping them into shape, while saving a bundle by doing my own paint and bodywork.

It should come as no surprise that inexpensive vehicular transportation is one of the most popular topics here at MPGomatic.com. Of course, we look at fuel efficiency as part of the big picture.

Cheap cars hold a place in my heart, for as much as I enjoy driving the latest and the greatest, I still remember, plain as day, the freedom that set of wheels can bring …

• 20 Cheapest Cars of 2009
  Thinking about buying a new cheap car? We haven’t just assembled a list of 2009’s cheapest cars, we’ve gone out of our way to review them.
  
• Cheap Cars: 1995
  There were just creeping changes to the 1995 Top Ten High MPG list, as the Honda Civic Del Sol snuck into the ranks, along with the along with the Nissan Sentra – 200SX.
  
• Cheap Cars: 1994
  The names remained the same among the ranks of high MPG cars in 1994, with a notable exception.
  
• Cheap Cars: 1993
  The 1993 model year was deja vu all over again, with Honda and Suzuki-built cars edging out every other manufacturer in the Top Ten High MPG list.
  
• Cheap Cars: 1992
  The 1992 model year offers a good range of choices for the cheap car shopper. There’s an abundant range of 1992 models that score over 35 MPG.
  
• Cheap Cars: 1991
  1991’s Top Ten High MPG list is dominated by GM-badged Suzukis, wearing Geo Metro, Pontiac Firefly, and Chevy Sprint nameplates.
  
• Cheap Cars: 1990
  The 1990 model year saw the high-MPG field tighten, as gas mileage ceased to be the priority it was in the early years of the previous decade.
  
• Cheap Cars: 1986 – 1989
  Looking to buy a truly inexpensive car that provides 40 to 50 miles per gallon (or more) on the highway? The 1986 through 1989 model years present a range of opportunities.
  
• Cheap Cars: 1985
  1985 marked a turning point for fuel-efficient cars in the United States.
  
• Cheap Cars: 1984
  1984 was a high-volume year for high-MPG cars in the USA, as the domestic and import manufacturers produced a range of cars that matched or exceeded the 40 MPG mark.
  
• Cheap Cars: 1983
  1983 was another banner year for inexpensive high-MPG cars in America, with both import and domestic auto manufacturers well-represented among the ranks of cars that eclipsed a 40 MPG highway rating.
  
• Cheap Cars: 1982
  Small cars that eclipsed 40 miles per gallon on the highway weren’t the exception in 1982 … they were the norm … with a good number of cars breaking the magic 50 miles per gallon mark.
  
• Cheap Cars: 1978-1981
  Looking for a car that gets crazy great gas mileage but don’t want to spend a lot of cash? This list of knucklebusting (can we call them classic?) small cars from 1978 through 1981 haul down some impressive gas mileage figures and can be had for chump change … if you’re handy.