QuickTips Index

A Third Hand For Wrenching
Haven't you even needed a third hand? Here's a tip that can help you out of some tight auto repair situations.

Used Auto Parts: Good Idea?
When is it ok to buy used auto parts for auto maintenance or repair? That's a good question. Used auto parts can save you lots of money, but choose carefully or you might be doing the same repair twice.

Cure For Sudden Poor Radio Reception
If you suddenly find that your car radio is giving you more fizz and pop than music and news, there might be a simple solution to your woes. For most of us, the car stereo is the peacekeeper of the interior of the car.

A Little Help to Loosen a Tight Bolt or Lug Nut
If you're in the middle (or beginning) of an auto repair project and find a stuck bolt, you may need a third hand to loosen it. Breaking a bolt or nut, such as a lug nut, can be easier if your third hand has some extra leverage. Great tip for wheel hubs, bearings or brakes.

Check Your Car Tire Wear
It's important to keep up with your car tire wear. Worn car tires can be very dangerous. The penny test is as old as car tires themselves, but it still works!

My Car Key Won't Turn!
Ever get in your car and you can't even turn the car key? Everything seems stuck. There's an easy way out of this jam, and it won't cost you a thing. You won't break your car key in half, either.

What is the Shelf Life of Radiator Coolant or Antifreeze?
If you've been wondering what the shelf life of car radiator coolant is, you've come to the right place. Your radiator isn't too picky, it seems.

Removing A Seriously Stuck Wheel
Whether you're doing routine maintenance or changing a flat, nothing's worse than a wheel that won't come off. It can be corrosion, gunk, goop or just general tightness, but none of these things can keep your wheel on with this handy trick.

The Universal Cup Holder!
The search for a proper cup holder is never ending. Some are blessed with a factory holder that can actually hold a 20-ounce bottle of Orange Faygo without turning your car into an Insane Clown Posse show. Others of us are not so lucky, and thus begins the search. Mine has been going on for years, but I have finally found the truth.

The Unbelievable Chrome Shiner
Ever wonder what magical product the real guys are using to keep the chrome on their cars and motorcycles so shiny? We have the answer, and it's not a genie. It's not even in a bottle!

Find the Leak In Your Tire
If you have a slow tire leak, it can be very frustrating. Constant trips to the air pump are no fun, not to mention it's costing you 50 cents every time you have to top off the pressure. Before you plug your tire you need to find the leak or the puncture. Here's a trick.

Clear Your Air (Vents)
There are a number of reasons to keep your fresh air vents clean. Take a minute to brush away the season's droppings and you'll thank yourself in the long run.

Diagnose Automatic Transmission Problems

There are a few words in the language of auto repair that make car owners want to crawl back into bed, and "transmission" is at the top of the list. There's something about that mysterious box underneath your car that incites fear. Unfortunately, most repair shops know this, and will take advantage of the situation by reaching deep into your pocket. Before you hand over your keys and a blank check, brush up on the simple end of automatic transmissions. If something is seriously wrong, at least you'll be armed with enough knowledge to avoid being overcharged, over-repaired or straight ripped off. Sometimes it's easy to diagnose automatic transmission problems.

Your transmission is a remarkable contraption. Somehow it can shift your car from gear to gear, knowing how fast you need to go and how quickly you need to get there. What goes on inside is a mystery to most. Unless your thirst for automotive knowledge borders on compulsive, you can leave it a mystery. The basics will be enough to have an intelligent (which translates to "not about to be ripped off") conversation with your mechanic.

Basic Parts of a Transmission
While there are many, many little parts inside, your transmission is essentially made up of a few key parts of systems.

• Bell Housing: This is the cone shaped metal case that you can see when you peek underneath your car. If you have a front-wheel-drive car it's stuck on the side of the engine under the hood. If your car is rear-wheel-drive, the tranmission will be mounted underneath the car behind the engine.

• Gears: Even though you're not shifting them, an automatic transmission has gears. They are broken into main gears and planetary gears. You need all of these to be able to drive.

• Fluid: Transmission fluid is very important to an automatic transmission. All of the magic happens in the fluid. Most cars come with red transmission fluid, good to know if you are looking for a leak.

• Filter: All of that fluid has to be clean for your car to shift gears at the right time. To keep things fresh, your transmission has a filter to catch any gunk.

Now that you know a little about what's happening in there, you can try to figure out why your transmission is acting up, or at least understand what your mechanic is talking about while he tries to make your bill into his new fishing boat.

Transmission problems fall into two very similar categories:

• Won't go.
• Won't go smoothly

These two groups of problems are caused by the same faults in your transmission, so whichever your car is doing, the following applies.

Is your fluid level correct?
It's important to check your transmission fluid at least twice a year. Not only can a low fluid level cause your car to shift poorly, it can eventually lead to transmission damage, and a costly repair. If your car seems to be losing fluid on a regular basis, you may have a leak.

Is your transmission leaking?
Checking for leaks isn't as trying as it may seem. The transmission is a closed system, so there are only a few places that can spring a leak. Unless it's been changed to a non-dyed fluid, your car will have red transmission fluid. Here are a few places to check for leaks:

• At the filler tube base.
• At the drain hole underneath the transmission.
• Between the transmission and the engine.
• At the selector shaft - the rod that connects your gear shift to the transmission.
• Speed sensor mounting point. This will either be your cable screwing into the transmission housing or an electronic sensor bolted to the housing.
• The radiator. If your car has a transmission cooler, it's possible that a leak will cause transmission fluid to leak into the radiator fluid. They don't mix well, so you'll see it floating around in there.

Is your filter clogged?
Your transmission's filer is vital to its performance. If you haven't replaced your filter in a while (or ever for a lot of us), be sure to do this before you start talking about rebuilds or replacements.

Most transmission problems can't be fixed by the average do-it-yourselfer. There are just too many specialized tools and pieces of equipment you'll need, and buying this expensive gear just to screw up your first three tries at fixing the thing just doesn't make too much sense.

Now that you're in front of the firing squad, it's time to drop some knowledge on your fix-it guy. Tell him what the car's doing. Then tell him what you found out when you inspected the transmission. If there's a leak, let him know where and how much is leaking.

Time for a rebuild?
When your transmission gets tired enough, you'll have to have it rebuilt. It's true. For some makes and models of car, it's true a little too often, but that's neither here nor there. The important thing is checking any other possible causes to your problem before you take the transmission apart, which is very expensive. If you haven't replaced your filter yet, do it! This fixes a nice percentage of transmission problems. If your filter is good, and nothing simple is out of adjustment, be prepared to drop some serious dough on the rebuild. The good news is that most shops warrantee a transmission rebuild for a nice amount of time. A small consolation as your handing over the credit card, but at least you know that it will get fixed and stay fixed.

89 How should I take care of my car's exterior? What products to use?

A: Wash on a regular basis. First, hose down car, don't aim at locks, gas cap,
etc. Also hose down the radiator & underside of the car.
Use one of the available car wash products in a bucket & sponge down car.
(All this to be done in the shade).
I have tried several types of shampoo, like the RainDance, dislike the
Meguire's shampoo, others like Blue Coral. Other suggestions are welcome.
Rinse sponge often to avoid scratching the paint. Generally work from
cleanest areas (roof) to dirtiest (front sides) of car.
Avoid rubbing too hard as you may scratch the surface.
Keep car wet (on a dry day in CA, the car dries almost instantly leaving
water marks).
Hose down soap, and with a fresh bucket of water and a chamois or a
synthetic chamois, dry car.
Again, rinse the rag as often as you can.

Wax at least twice a year, with a good brand of wax. Wax only after the car
has been thoroughly washed. Follow the directions of the product and either
use clean rags or cotton wool to apply wax.
Why wax? It puts a protective layer over your paint, and replenishes lost
oils.
Hard waxes (e.g., Carnuba based waxes) tend to last longer but require a
lot of work.
[Note: Latest word on this is that these waxes contain
hardly any Carnuba any more]
See what the local body shop uses (the one I visit use Meguire's
professional line of products, but it's by no means the only wax. I like it
as well (Hi Tech Yellow Wax #26), used to use RainDance wax but stopped
because it is rumored to be too abrasive, hated Nu-Finish.
The ultimate is Zymol, 800-999-5563, but it costs a lot! Others have
had good results with Mother's.)
Wax horizontal surfaces more frequently (hood, roof).
If rain does not bead up and slide off the car, it's time to rewax.
Polish your car sparingly, e.g., if you want to get rid of swirls,
scratches or an oxidized layer of paint.
Polishes contain fine grit and therefore are rather abrasive.
You can get polishes with different grades of grit #2, e.g., see Meguire's
line of polishers: Swirl Remover #9 (to be used last),
Fine Cut Cleaner #2 (leaves a dull finish, removes small scratches), etc.
The coarsest version of a polish is a rubbing compound.
It will not leave a shine, and works just like a piece of sand paper.
It is mainly used to even out portions that were repainted.
Note that you can buy 1000, 1500 and 2000 grit sandpaper which in some
cases is actually finer than some rubbing compounds.
They may come in handy when you are trying to smooth a repainted scratch.

Note that many "waxes" contain both detergents and polishing compounds.
Some work quite well (e.g., DuPont's Rain Dance) but some find it too
abrasive for frequent use. That's why it's better to use non-abrasive
waxes, and only polish when you need it.

Glazing compounds are a bit like wax:
they replenish lost chemicals in the paint, but the protective layer they
provide does not last very long (e.g., Meguire's Show Car Glaze #7).
For a deep shine I often first use a glaze then
a carnuba wax. I have tried some of the supposed once a year hi-tech
"coverings" but was rather underwhelmed by the result.

To get the wax off the black trim, use some detergent or Simple Green & a
toothbrush. Then apply a vinyl/rubber conditioner on all
rubber components. It'll slow the ageing process a bit and restore
the color of the component (see below for product listing).

To get the rims clean is a different matter, especially the alloy rims.
VW's product is supposedly quite good, I would avoid most others as they
contain extremely caustic (i.e., HF) acids. I haven't found the "best"
formula as yet... I use Simple Green, dishwashing detergent and some
polishing compound.
To make your life easier, wax your rims. It'll also reduce pitting (which
is caused by a galvanic action between the hot brake metal particles and
your alloy). BTW, BBS rims are nice but a chore to clean.
On the tires use one of the rubber/vinyl conditioner or one of
products made specifically made for tires. They are usually sold in cans
(Tire Shine), but I find it hard not to overspray all over the place (&
that stuff leaves marks on the floor).

To get windows real clean, wash with a strong detergent, perhaps followed
by some alcohol. Then use Windex or similar product and dry most with
rag/chamois and follow with a piece of newspaper paper. Works amazingly
well.
A product like Rain-X also cleans the windows real well as a side effect.
Some have complained that Rain-X leaves a hazy film (can be buffed out with
a *very* clean rag). Rain-X ("invisible windshield wipers") work quite well
on some windshields but only last a couple 1000 kms, or about a month
and a half.

Inside the car I just use some light detergent and water to clean
things. For the vinyl dash and other vinyl interior components I now
use (again) Meguire's #40 spray. It's similar in function to products
like Clear Guard and Armor All except it's not so greasy, slippery
and smells better.
Carpets and seats you just vacuum. It's not a bad idea to treat cloth
seats and carpets with protective products like Scotch Guard.
This is easy to do yourself and often sold at an enormous cost with
new cars.

Brake Rotors

Cross drilled vs. slotted ,which type of rotor is better? Your driving habits are the most important factor in the choice between cross-drilled vs. slotted. For a customer who likes the appearance of cross-drilled and is not abusive on the brakes or seldom carries heavy loads or tows, Pro Stop drilled can fulfill your needs, recommends that hawk Performance hps brake pads be used with pro stop drilled rotors.

Slotted Rotors
Excessive heat can cause resins in your brake pad to vaporize or "outgas." As the brake pad wears, the used friction material turns into a fine dust. This boundary layer of heat, gas and dust builds up between the pad and rotor surfaces and inhibits performance. Here's where Power Slot's slotted brake rotors make a big difference. Power Slot's exclusive Vac-U-Slots are machined into the rotor and help evacuate gasses and dust, shed heat, and keep the brake pad surface clean. And in wet, raining conditions, our Vac-U-Slot helps push water off the braking surface for better stopping power. The Vac-U-Slot also serves as a visual wear indicator. The slot is machined to the rotor’s minimum thickness where it crosses the outside edge. If you cannot see the slot along the outside edge, the rotor has worn down to its discard depth. A combination of Hawk® high performance brake pads and Power Slot
slotted rotors will deliver superior, reliable braking for virtually all automotive, truck and SUV applications, even under hard driving and severe duty conditions. But for our most demanding customers such as police pursuit vehicles and club racers, we also suggest Power Slot Cryo rotors.

Lowering Kits

Below are a list of lowering kits we have found that maybe available for your car.
Please Note: If you are lowering your car by more than 40mm short shocks are usually required.

Chrysler Lowering Kit
Eibach Pro Kit Springs
Eibach Pro Kit Springs Lowering Front 30 mm Rear 30 mm
The Eibach Pro-Kit is a set of sports suspension springs that can be used in conjunction with O.E.- shocks and other types of aftermarket shocks, especially with the Eibach Pro-Damper. You will sense the sporty road-performance of your vehicle when changing directions and when pulling through curves at high speeds while not sacrificing any comfort. Based on motor sports developments and a myriad of test series in our own Suspension Development Center, Pro-Kits are designed in accordance to the latest insights of driving-dynamics. The Pro-Kit features a balanced relationship between sporty looks, more safety and added performance while offering increased driving pleasure at the same time.

Audi Lowering Kit
Eibach Sportline Springs
Sportline Spring Kit Front 45-50mm - Rear 35 - 40mm Drop t
Eibach Sportline Springs in order to follow with the market demand, the Eibach engineers took another step towards a sporty adjustment with the suspension spring system Sportline, incorporating the know-how from more than 20 years successful work in motorsports. Made for the young enthusiast, wanting a very sporty driving behaviour and more aggressive look of the vehicle, special kits were developed that bring the vehicle distinctly closer to the road.

Honda Lowering Kit
Spax Springs offer great value and up to 80mm of lowering making this the No.1 choice for uprated and lowered suspension. Manufactured using a chrome silicon material for ultimate quality and long life, as used by F1 and WRC teams. All springs are progressively wound for ultimate performance and low speed comfort. TUV tested for safety and quality. All spring Kits are developed and tested for a perfect fit to your car.

Rebuilt Transmission

Transmission Overhaul kits
Include: OE quality paper gaskets, rubber lip seals, O rings, pan gaskets (cork or fiber), metal clad seals, and sealing ring kit (metal or teflon sealing rings depending on unit). Some late model transmissions use reusable Hard Molded Rubber pan gaskets & case gaskets. The kits descriptions will list if these special gaskets are included in the individual kits.
TransTec the aftermarket business of Freudenberg-NOK, original equipment quality and design for the aftermarket.
Other premier suppliers are Precision International and O.E. ZF for your Import Transmission kits.
Transmission Banner rebuild kit
Include: Transmission Overhaul Kit, and a standard set of friction clutch plates.
Most kits will include Borg Warner friction plates. Some applications will use OE Raybestos, Dynax, Allomatic, ZF and Honda as required.
Transmission Master Rebuild kit
Include: Transmission Overhaul Kit, standard set of friction clutch plates and a standard set of steel clutch plates.
Most kits will include BorgWarner friction plates. Some applications will use OE Raybestos, Dynax, Allomatic, ZF and Honda as required.

Tachometers

TACHOMETER [tachometer] , is an instrument that indicates the speed, usually in revolutions per minute, at which an engine shaft is rotating. Some tachometers, especially those used in automobiles, are similar in construction and operation to automotive speedometers . Other types, often connected directly to the shaft whose speed they indicate, are small electric generators whose output voltage is proportional to speed. This voltage is applied to a voltmeter whose dial is calibrated in speed units. Another type, used only with engines having an ignition system, operates by counting the pulsations of current or voltage in the ignition system, the number of these being proportional to the speed of the shaft.

Turbo Boost

HKS Boost Controllers
The EVC PRO is for professional use and installation only. Designed for highly tuned vehicles and race applications, the EVC PRO is adjustable up to 3.0Kpa (43.51psi) and incorporates all the functions of the EVC IV along with additional race inspired features.
The EVC PRO takes input from the vehicles ECU and sensors to allow for adjustments to boost levels and characteristics to enhance performance. Boost curves can be programmed to variables such as, engine rpm and throttle position or vehicle speed.

GReddy Boost Controller
Greddy's new super multi-tasker is the Profec e-01. Designed as a combination: boost-controller, data display / logger and e-manage programmer, the e-01 can provide superior boost response, increased boost, warning meter functions, 3 channel data-logging, and access to all the programming feautres provided with the latest e-manage support tool. Even when used as just a boost controller the e-01 has fatures to smooth out the boost curve. With both an Auto and Manual setting for both external and actuator style wastegates, the new profec can alter its compact, high capacity solenoid valve via various RPM ranges if needed. The large LCD screen, with green electro-luminescent backlighting is easy to see. Other standard feautres includes two preset boost levels, a timed over-take boost and compatibillity with our remote switching system. The data dispaly can view 3 different data channels simultaneously; boost, RPM, or any other channel iput by the e-manage. Up to 3 hours of data can be logged on an SD card while also giving warning set points, and peak & hold values. (some features require optional harness to be accessed).

How to check transmission and discover possible transmission problem when buying a used car.

An automatic transmission becomes more reliable these days, but still it's a most-easy-to-break and very-expensive-to-fix part of the vehicle.
If heavily abused, the automatic transmission can be easily destroyed within just half an hour. For example, a friend of mine had burnt the automatic transmission up in 20 minutes when he was trying to free his shiny Audi from the snow in the next day after he bought it! It cost him about $2000 to rebuild it and after one year it broke down again.
Also, an automatic transmission is very sensitive to the transmission fluid quality and condition. Improper fluid type can damage the transmission. A person I know added a gear oil (oil for manual transmission) into the automatic transmission, guess what, 30 minutes of driving was enough to kill the transmission.
Obviously, when buying a used car, the automatic transmission is one of the most important parts to check. In this article I described few signs that may indicate potential transmission problem in a used car. In addition, I strongly recommend to have the used car inspected by a mechanic before buying it, it will well worth it.

High performance tires will keep you on the road

Although my friend is an expert on cars, I seldom take his opinions on the matter very seriously. You see, he is more of a hobbyist than a practical commuter. We both see cars as serving a very different purpose. For me they are just a way to get from here to there, but for him they are practically his whole life. They are a hobby that consumes almost every weekend that he has.


So when my friends told me that I should get high-performance tires, I rejected the idea instantly without even thinking about it. I had no need for high performance all season tires. I did not race, I did not offroad, and I did not enter my car in shows like he did. High performance tires are not for people like me who drive old Hondas and go the speed limit. High-performance tires are for people who fantasize about being pulled over and out running the cops. A high performance tire seemed like an unnecessary and pointless extravagance for a workaday commuter like myself.

Then, winter hit. It was an unusually bad winter and I was slipping and sliding all over the road just like everyone else was. One day, however, I had a near catastrophe. I slid literally right off the road into a ditch. If it had happened a moment later, I would have been hit by a big rig. Needless to say, I would have been killed instantly.

When my friend heard about the accident, he again admonished me to get all season high performance tires. He told me that high performance tires were not just for people who like to go fast, or peal around curves. High performance all terrain tires were good because they had an improved ability to grip the road. If you live in a place like Michigan – which is where I live – you need the best high performance tires just stay on the road in winter.

I was pretty shaken up by the accident, so I took his advice. I went out straightaways and bought a set of BF Goodrich all season radials. The difference was amazing. Even if the road was icy, my car would still hold on to it reasonably well. Once I put on the high performance tires, I completely stopped slipping off the road like I used to. Needless to say, I am going to stick with these tires from now on.

Classic Ford Mustangs for sale are a thing of beauty

Have you heard of people going through a mid life crisis? This is something that is joked about quite often, however now that I am approaching that time in my life I do not think it is a joking matter any more. I have seen several people, men and women alike doing some crazy things as they age. Even in the midst of doing something out of character and reckless people will acknowledge that the behavior is not normal for them, but they continue it anyway. I think we need to find a healthy way for people to express their fears about getting older rather than watch people self destruct.

My brother was one of the first people that I was close to that I watched go through a mid life meltdown. My first clue was when he started searching for mustangs for sale which are his favorite muscle car. This was his all time dream car. He had one in high school that he had saved every penny he earned to buy. It was a 1967 Ford Mustang, not old enough to be a classic, but still a very cool and fast car. He drove it until he met his future wife. She hated it and insisted that he sell it. They were married early and always had a relationship where she made all the decisions. She has never been a very pleasant woman.

They got married young and had their children early so by the time they were in their mid forties they were empty nesters. This is when my brother started looking for used mustangs for sale. I knew it was not something that he had discussed with this wife because he came over to our house to do it. He was looking through newspapers, auto traders and online web sites for mustang fastbacks, Mustang GTs, Cobra Mustangs, Convertibles, Shelby Mustangs which are sold from 1965 through 1970 and the more expensive Saleen and Roush Mustangs in the hopes of finding classic mustangs for sale that would meet his needs. He was also looking at a base V6 model or the more upscale V8 GT. The newer Ford Mustangs are faster, more agile, roomier, more efficient and are more refined than every before, making them a thing of beauty.

All Ford Mustangs are available as a coupe or convertible today. Whether it is a Mustang that is 30 years old or 3 years old Ford Mustangs are classic muscle cars that carry on the American tradition. 1969-1970 Ford Mustangs are considered by some to be the pinnacle of the muscle car era, especially among Ford fans and are greatly sought after as collectible cars.

He found a classic Mustang fastback that was down in Florida. We live in New York, so he suggested that I hop in the car with him and we would go down and look at it. We had never spent any time together just the two of us and he thought it would be fun. He asked me in front of my husband who promptly agreed to watch the kids. We called about the car, made arrangements to get off work from our jobs and we started driving.

During the drive we talked a great deal about what we plan for in our lives and what occurs while we are making plans. He shared how unhappy he was in his marriage and how long another possible forty years with his wife would be. By the time we got to Florida he was no longer thinking about mustangs for sale, instead he was thinking about getting a divorce lawyer. By the time we were back to New York he agreed to go to counseling to see if they could work through some things so life would be happier. I think a lot less motorcycles, convertibles, face lifts and tattoos would be sold if people as far as we did and talked about what they were buying before making the purchases.

Getting the best vehicle gas mileage

As much as we hate to think about it, it's always a relevant issue. Unless you live in a metropolitan area such as Manhattan, you probably require a vehicle on a day to day basis. Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm certainly not going to jump all over your case like some environmental nut, screaming about pollution. Our world has been designed to where we typically need cars, trucks, and SUVs to get from point A to point B. The true concern here is vehicle gas mileage. Can you afford to drive back and fourth to work on a daily basis? If the answer is no, you may want to consider a different vehicle.

Vehicle gas mileage has become a major pitch for car companies. I'd assume the manufacturers must despise the gas companies. The cost of gas is actually hurting their business. While Americans become more conscious about what they have to fork out on gasoline every month, the SUV sales are plummeting. We simply can't afford to drive vehicles that only get 16 miles to the gallon. Then you spend 60 bucks filling the tank of and H2 or Suburban. It's just not worth it. We want vehicles that get 65 miles to the gallon if it's an option. Especially if we mostly use them to commute back and forth to work. And as far as the gas companies and opec go, they're basically charging whatever they please. They don't care! They're only trying to make a buck. And when the season changes like summer travel, the gas costs sky-rocket, coincedence I think not.

You do have a choice in the matter. Luckily for us, more and more manufacturers are producing vehicles that offer great gas mileage. They're even coming out with new-age hybrid SUVs that get nearly 30 miles to the gallon on the highway. That's pretty good! And if you really wish to take great vehicle gas mileage to the next level, you can always invest in a contemporary hybrid. These are selling like crazy now days. They're not exactly cheap, but the cash you'll save on gas is probably worth it. With these vehicles the energy use is split between gasoline and a battery. It's amazing what they're coming up with now days. Also there are incentives for hybrid buyers with tax credits and rebates on the purchase of a new hybrid vehicle with up to $3,000 off.

Another option is to purchase a second smaller car with great gas mileage for your daily commute, here are some options for smaller cars for the 2008 calendar year:

***** Toyota Prius - 4 Cylinder 1.5 Liter Engine Automatic Transmission Front Wheel Drive 48 Miles per galon City and 45 Miles per gallon highway, also the Toyota Yaris 4 Cylinder 1.5 L Manual Transmission gets 29 Miles per gallon City and 36 Miles per gallon Highway. Also note, if you purchase a hybrid vehicle, check with your local dealer on a tax rebate and other incentives for purchasing a hybrid car.

***** Honda Civic Hybrid - 4 Cylinder 1.3 Liter Engine Automatic Transmission Front Wheel Drive 40 Miles per galon City and 45 Miles per gallon highway, the standard model Civic gets 26 Miles per gallon City and 34 Miles per gallon Highway. Also if you purchase a hybrid vehicle, check with your local dealer on a tax rebate and other incentives for purchasing a hybrid car.

Dodge avenger - 4 Cylinder 2.4L Automatic Transmission 21 Miles per gallon City 30 Miles per gallon highway

Chevrolet Aveo - 4 Cylinder 1.6L Manual Transmission 24 Miles per gallon City and 34 Miles per gallon Highway

Ford Focus - 4 Cylinder 2.0 L Manual Transmission 24 Miles per gallon City and 34 Miles per gallon Highway

Hyundai Accent - 4 Cylinder 1.6L Manual Transmission 27 Miles per gallon City and 32 Miles per gallon highway

Kia Rio - 4 Cylinder 1.6L Manual Transmission 27 Miles per gallon City and 32 Miles per gallon Highway

Mazda 3- 4 Clyinder 2 L Manual Transmission 24 Miles per gallon City and 32 Miles per gallon Highway

Pontiac G5 - Pursuit 4Cylinder 2.2L Manual Transmission 24 Miles per gallon City and 33 Miles per gallon Highway