what kind of car is good for the environment and cheap?

Question

i am going to buy a car soon and i want to know what to buy

Answer 1

I guess from societies point of view, there really none good for the environment. Most pass EPA Standards. You could go with a Hybrid, but, it costs more and I not see you contribute much to the environment. All Electric or the Hydrogen Cars would be the best, but, we will not see many of those until the Oil Money is gone. You can Build an Electric Hybrid that gets about 70 MPG, but, that be more for someone who knows Mechanics and Electrics. Well, this all I can really say, sorry.

Answer 2

If there was a sound environmental answer, it would be to reconsider buying a car. If you can, join a car co-op. That's where a group of people purchase a car and share the expense and use. They are successful in Montreal and Vancouver. Most of us usually need a car only once or twice a week, others, only twice a month. Public transit is suitable for most everyday travel. Consider a good bicycle, saddle bags, helmet, and weather ready clothes.
I only say this because the price of gas is not stable nor infinately available. Buying a car takes up a huge portion of our incomes. We budget for home expenses, food, clothing, entertainment, loans, etc - if the prices of any or all of these things become unstable, which is very much a certainty in the next few years, then more of our incomes will need to be alloted to survival. All of our commodities are tied to the global stock markets. Natural Gas and oil production are in decline in most regions, Canada especially. Our tar sands are a net energy loser. It takes more energy to extract the energy than the energy we recover. EREI - energy returned on energy invested. We are approaching a closer ratio. 1 barrel of oil to get 5-6 barrels. Once that equation gets closer, the price rises, due to increasing demand and limited supply. You know, all that boring stuff from economics class.
In my opinion, there is no good car. Cheap is a concept that is still externalizing costs. Can we put a price on the extinction of species, or a lost glacier? How much do those things cost? Global warming will bring many unexpected twists and turns. For one, insects that normally don't thrive in certain geographical regions will move in. Expensive energy will affect agriculture's prices of fertilizers, pesticides, and the overall means to produce, transport, purchase and prepare food. These insects will go to town on our mono cash crops. And no amount of bio diesel will ever power our lifestyles at the levels we've grown accustomed to. We could turn over all our fields to fuel production, but what will we eat?
Generally, I suggest, move to a central location in your town or city. Learn a little about how to do things that don't require loads of energy - sewing, gardening, cutting hair, knitting, raising small animals. As our civilization moves into a new era, 95% of the work will be reorienting ourselves mentally to understand why the age of petroleum is coming to a close. Several books I suggest, The Party's Over - Richard Heinberg, George Monbiot - Heat, Power Down - Richard Heinberg, David Korten - The Great Turning. All available for viewing on Amazon.
This is very upsetting to most people. Why aren't the politicans, the media or community leaders speaking about this? There is too much at stake, the first public figures to really explore this - it is said - will trigger a global stock market crash - and resulting depression. Alas, the emperor really is naked and few people can stand up and announce it.
Cars have made our lives easier. They can take us over vast distances, quickly. But, there was never a guarantee or promise - that by introducing them over 100 years ago, that humans could use them indefinately.
If anything, they have seduced us into an easy motoring lifestyle that has been taught to that last 4 generations. We have alot of work ahead of us - good work.
Don't buy a car. Save your money, invest in a solar panel and a solar water heater for your roof. Buy a good bike, like I said. Because when gas hits $2.50 a litre permanently, everybody will be trying to sell their cars in a glutted market, and loads of people will have a weird artifact in their laneway, they can't get rid off.
My two cents - which comes from reading many other people's two cents. It is the growing consensus among young and old alike.
Online - www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.com & www.fromthewilderness.com
try to see the film - End of Suburbia
A 52 minute version is on YouTube.
I hope this helps. Be car free!

Answer 3

It depends. There is two types of driving. Stop and go driving called city driving and highway driving. If you do city driving and electric car (for short range) and a hybrid will work. That's because at low speeds and when stopped, the hybrid goes off electric power. That doesn't work with highway driving where hybrids are gas only. Get something at least 40 mpg and under $15,000.

Answer 4

Get a Hummer. It gets 7 miles to the gallon and will not run over any defensless little bugs.

It is made from resources pulled from the earth...so in a sense it is 'pro earth'.