hey everyone, i was looking to buy a beater cause both my cars are rwd and they suck in the snow, plus they both suck on gas and i plan on travelling this summer. my g/f has a jeep and thats cool to drive anytime but if shes going somewhere i'm stuck plus it gets like 13mpg... soOo i need a recommendation. i have like 2k to spend but the less the better.

whatever i get will have to be either fwd or awd. please dont say a 4x4. i'm strictly a car guy. on my list so far would be anything subaru, civic ex, mazda mx6 gt turbo. eclipse gsx or talon tsi, acura legend. something i can beat the pants off of and dont have to worry about it blowing up. i like fast cars - who doesnt - BUT obviously i need to sacrifice performance for pocketbook.

this is where you come in and recommend something cheap that will fill this position. thanks -

Any of the cars you listed are great. If you want a bit of performance mixed in, then I'd go with the MX6, Talon, or Ledgend. Keep in mind any turbo car will get a bit less gas mileage than a n/a car, but this is expected. An Eclipse GSX wont be cheap.

If fuel economy and reliability is your top concern, then go with the Civic EX, or maybe a Corolla (both with 5 sp. manual) they're not super quick, but enjoyable nonetheless.

geo prizm. They're the same chassis and engine as the corolla but generally run a lot cheaper

thanks for the replys. a friend of mine suggested two things. what do you guys think about the buick reatta. i know it gets 18mpg but on highway its about 28 and this will be a travel car. so whats the pros/cons? anyone have any horror stories???

Reatta? Beautiful. You'll get decent performance and a little bit of originality as well. Not all that refined but it'll make a great beater. I'd also recommend a late 80's early 90's Camry. Get the V6, it'll run forever. Or a 1988-1993 Maxima. Quick, reliable and fun to drive. Good luck!