Maybe need a car.

Open to advice  on a DD car to commute an hr both ways with. 
Needs to be practical and cheap enough to sell the financial manager on. Stick shift and phenomenal mpg a plus. 
I'm back home to promote the sale of the 94 Roadmaster ($5250.00 current asking price), but for the right car, truck van or rv (other options than DD!) trading could happen. Her Aunts car, so she has to buy off on it, and is way smarter than me, or I'd be into something way un-practical!!!

Manual transmission Honda accords/civics seem to fit this bill nicely.  My dads last accord went 290k miles and his current is a baby at 220k.  If we'll taken care of the mileage is not an issue. 

the only issue I'll note is that the front seats are only good for maybe a 3 hour drive.  After that they're not awesome. 
 

a Honda Fit would be another good one.  The Hondas seem to be available in manual trans more than other makes. Hence I'm recommending them. 

Honda Fit is a good choice. We have one in our fleet. The 2015 had injector problems,  and they are expensive.  The cvt automatic might get better mpg. 

We run a 2013 Accord too.  Haven't had one problem with it.

Didn't The Collective decide that The Answer to this question is GenII Prius?

I love my 2018 Mazda3 hatch.  6 speed MT, 2.0 Skyactive (Sport trim; Touring and Grand Touring got the 2.5).  Mid-30's MPG in mixed driving after I switched to non LRR tires.  50,000 miles on it now and only one non-scheduled maintenance repair, a wheel bearing, and it was covered under warranty.  

volvoclearinghouse said:

Didn't The Collective decide that The Answer to this question is GenII Prius?

agreed but he said manual transmission was desired. 

In reply to Fueled by Caffeine :

I like a stick, but it's not a sticking point (I funny) a Prius would be ok, and all the suggestions are right as I'm thinking/looking 

Price point in this time of ridiculous asking prices is giving me quite a problem. 
No decent deals in local area, and if I go as far as Atl. or into FL, I'd prefer a car that someone knows something about. 
Till the Roadmaster sells, the budget it pretty tiny. I remember when we could buy a decent beater for under a grand. Anything I see under 3 grand "ran when parked... great shape except for the hole in the side of the block!"

In reply to 03Panther :

Agreed.  Case in point. This accord which the sellers says " just cover it with a tarp and drive it "

https://auburn.craigslist.org/cto/d/kellyton-1997-honda-accord/7543224713.html

In reply to Fueled by Caffeine :

I see a future Accordamino.

In reply to Fueled by Caffeine :

I saw that. Was interested enough to look. Uh, HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!!!

In reply to volvoclearinghouse :

I see a piece of scrap. And I don't mind driving kinda junky stuff. That's scrap. 

Honda

"has check engine light, and several cylinders misfiring. Runs and drives good"

Who writes this stuff?

Sadly if todays market is as nuts as asking price implies, might not be too crazy a price. 
Think I need a bit better car for a DD, but this searching ain't looking promising. 

Fits seem to be priced extra stupid right now for some reason. The Honda tax is real.

My bro just got himself a beater 90something Corolla for around $2k. I think decent cheap cars are out there, just gotta be patient.

Too much AADD ... oh look. Squirrel. 
I hope someone here pops up with the Merc Paul sold, or a friend of a friend has kinda car. 

Prolly end up driving the wheels off my 03 Merc after timing chain job. I just hate getting that many miles racked up on what was a cream puff, two years ago. And if I could keep the miles off of it, it would be here when my wife's lemon highlander dies completely. 

In April I bought a 2008 civic coupe, 1.8/5 speed. It got 33 mpg on consecutive tanks driving at 80+ mph.

It's also proven to be fun to use as my backup autocross car. I'm leaving the miata home and driving it in the autocross at the Challenge, and for the GRM track day.

Find the nicest Goldwing you can and add some heated gear? Good mpg, low consumables, and cool factor. 

In reply to Error404 :

If I ever get time to put the stock rear cowl on my K75S, my former step son in law is interested in trading me a K1100LT. 
In my younger days, I wouldn't have even needed the S faring... in my day, dressers were for old men that should be in cars!

Now, I'm old enough to admit I need a BIG faring to hide behind. 
Plus, when I worked there last year, several people encouraged me not to ride, since they rack knew a few folks that died, even if the deer they hit didn't. 48 miles commute at 5 am; 20 being two lane, no center stripe, no lights and curvy. A deer is hit by someone ever few days this time of year!

Again, younger me? No worries. I had WAY above average reflexes, and situational awareness. Today, im just a shell of the man I used to be (if I had dreamed I'd live this long, I might have taken better care of myself!)

Prolly still ride some, but maybe after the deer settle down!

Start Monday. Car parts come in tomorrow. And gotta fox truck, too. And finish my camper, for short week job in N GA already committed to, week after. Yay!

Used to be better at those three in a week , as well!

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

That do me right. But if that's listed under several grand more that I can afford, ad says "it runs great. Before I took the head off." (Uh, then it don't run great) "AC blows,  on all fan speed, just not getting cold. Easy fix" (uh, AC inoperable usually is not an easy fix. Or you'd have don it)

And so on. 
Now if your ready to move on from yours, I'd love to have it! Sadly, I'm assuming I still could not afford it. 

In reply to Error404 :

Has not stopped me eyeballing the 'wing on here in TN. 

BTW, in 40+ years of ridin' and couple hundred k miles, you may be the first person I've heard use "goldwing" and "cool factor" in the same sentence 

Sadly, local contract got killed. So back to towing a camper around. 
The Merc will tow the current small camper fine, but at 13 mpg. Then 'bout 20 while on job. 
But it's paid for, and will burn piss water. So a gas truck purchase may not pay off. 
 

OTOH, the F350 proll will do 15 towing, or a bit more towing this little thing; and 15 to dd to work. 
So buying a gas truck, might not be cost effective. 
Decisions!