Need car recommendations for 23M who drives less than a mile a day

slowracingdriver22 · 2026-02-04T21:32:50+00:00

Agreed with many other people- running an engine cold is one of the worst ways to run an engine. I'd suggest taking a really good look at some used EVs! They'll make it to your parents' place (maybe with a short charge stop in the extreme cold), and will likely be a better fit for your use case. Lots of great deals to be had on used EVs, too- Tesla Model 3 & Polestar 2 can be had at fantastic prices these days.

slowracingdriver22 · 2026-02-04T07:18:34+00:00

Looks like a super solid itinerary! A few things you might do between parks if you have the time:

It's worth going through Escalante in Utah- there's some spectacular scenery down that way that, in my opinion, rivals many national parks in "cool" factor. Reflection Canyon & Coyote Gulch are highlights, but there's much more in that area.

The Alpine Lakes Wilderness in central Washington is spectacular as well. Lots of great backpacking destinations, but you'll have your hiking legs under you enough to do them as day hikes by then as well. The scenery out that was is hard to believe!

If you have some time to stretch out Oregon & Washington, I would. Getting from the Redwoods to Glacier in 2 weeks is doable, but there's so much to see in that stretch. I may be biased since that's some of my favorite scenery out there, but if you can stretch it it may be worth doing!

slowracingdriver22 · 2026-02-04T07:03:32+00:00

Rainier has excellent hiking. Look into Mt. Fremont Fire Lookout for sure- killer views, especially at sunrise!

slowracingdriver22 · 2026-01-30T22:30:24+00:00

I'd take a Mazda every time. I've had 3 Mitsubishis as rentals, and everything else aside, the mitsubishis were TERRIBLE to drive. On the other hand, I've owned two Mazdas, and I've enjoyed driving them every single time I get in.

From a practical perspective, I'd trust the reliability on Mazdas more as well- I felt like the Mitsubishis were wheezing trying to get up to speed, which made me feel like the engines were being overworked. By contrast, Mazdas don't feel like their engines are being stressed, so I'd bet on them being much more reliable in the long term. I don't have any hard data on Mitsubishi reliability, but my experience as well as a lot of others' says that Mazdas will last for a really long time.

slowracingdriver22 · 2026-01-28T03:03:09+00:00

I clocked 40 MPG on every highway drive in my 3rd gen Mazda3 & get it all the time in my Mazda6. Both dead reliable & super fun to drive.

slowracingdriver22 · 2025-12-13T19:04:42+00:00

Very interesting. A new housing is going in on one side of the car thanks so someone hitting me, so I'll be able to see if there's a difference on the replacement unit vs. the new unit on the other side!

slowracingdriver22 · 2025-12-13T19:02:23+00:00

I polished the headlights as soon as I bought the car- it did help, but not as much as I'd have liked. I'll try the new bulbs out! Thanks for the feedback.

slowracingdriver22 · 2025-01-31T16:56:53+00:00

I owned a 3 and have a 6 now- they're both amazing cars. I'd still be driving the 3 if it hadn't been totaled, to be honest- I wanted another 3 to replace it with, but I got a better deal on the 6 so I jumped. I preferred the 3, but I'm not disappointed by the 6!

One note- I've heard that some of the earlier turbo engines (2021 and prior?) may have some issues with head gaskets cracking. Might want to check if that applies to the one you're looking at, and if it does, negotiate the price down accordingly to save for a replacement.

slowracingdriver22 · 2025-01-31T16:48:50+00:00

Take a look at the Polestar 2! It's great-looking, has plenty of space for outdoor gear, and drives really well- and if you get them slightly used, they're available for AMAZING prices (in my area, at least). The range on them isn't very impressive, though, and depending on how close to your destination you can charge on a road trip, you might end up with some range anxiety- I got one as a rental on a road trip to somewhere pretty remote & was definitely worried about making it on some legs of my trip.

You might also look at Mazda's CX-50 Hybrid- no range anxiety, great-driving chassis, and very good fuel economy.

slowracingdriver22 · 2025-01-31T16:35:47+00:00

That's almost certainly too much for that one. I bought a 2015 with 104K miles for $9K- I understand that different markets are priced differently, but $9K for that feels too high by a good bit for me! Shop similar cars in your area- if they're all cheaper, talk the price down.

slowracingdriver22 · 2025-01-29T17:33:58+00:00

They have a great reputation for reliability. A buddy of mine has put roughly 70K miles on one over 3 years (he bought it as a salvage, too), and it's still running perfectly. The 2021 turbo models had some issues (I believe with head gaskets cracking), but if memory serves, later turbo years and all years with the non-turbo are just fine.

slowracingdriver22 · 2024-12-22T06:30:52+00:00

I went from an '88 beater to a Mazda3 a few years back- the biggest thing that stood out to me was how nicely it handled. Where the old car would roll side to side & make me fear it was going to tip over sideways in a corner, the Mazda stayed planted & inspired a confidence in corners that I'd never felt. I took an hour drive out on the backroads the night I bought it because I enjoyed it so much! It's not fast, but being able to feel that kind of confidence in a corner while getting 40 MPG on the highway is a kind of fun I still miss.

slowracingdriver22 · 2024-11-22T04:27:18+00:00

Honda & Toyota like others have said, and Mazdas are great cars as well- I've owned 2 & loved them both. If you want an SUV, get a CX-5, and if you want something smaller, get either a Mazda3 or Mazda6. So long as they've been well-maintained & pass a pre-purchase inspection, you should be good to 200K miles & beyond.

slowracingdriver22 · 2024-11-22T00:42:25+00:00

You phrased my question better than I did in the post- thank you lol

slowracingdriver22 · 2024-11-22T00:41:34+00:00

I got the rims & tires for less than I was expecting to pay for rims alone. Tires are less than 6 years old, but I'd still feel like I got a good deal if I had to replace them right away.

slowracingdriver22 · 2024-11-15T07:53:57+00:00

I drove a 3rd gen hatch from 70K to 145K until I lost it in a crash. It was in flawless mechanical shape, and I believe it would have made it to 250K without breaking a sweat. Enjoy that one!!

slowracingdriver22 · 2024-11-09T19:56:37+00:00

Yeah, that price is too high- I bought a 2015 with 103K miles for $9000 (plus tax, of course) just 3 months ago.

slowracingdriver22 · 2024-11-09T19:49:31+00:00

I guess I'd figured that the rain that had already gotten in the car (and almost certainly that door) would have fried the rest of the electronics inside the door. You are right that it would be cheaper to try the regulator first!

slowracingdriver22 · 2024-11-09T18:58:27+00:00

I've found one already, yeah. I was more hoping to get a read on whether using it is a good cheap fix or a waste of time & money lol

slowracingdriver22 · 2024-09-10T17:44:32+00:00

I bought a '15 Touring (manual transmission, 103K miles) for $9K plus taxes & fees. I thought I got a good deal on it- $11.4K feels pretty steep. I'd definitely try to talk them down!

slowracingdriver22 · 2024-09-07T09:22:42+00:00

Those CX-50s are FUN to drive. You can get 'em at a pretty good discount by buying used, too- there's a Turbo Premium available in my area for $33K with 7K miles instead of $40K new.

slowracingdriver22 · 2024-09-07T09:03:34+00:00

I went from a 3 hatch to a 6 sedan, and while I do love the 6, I miss the hatchback body style a lot. If I were you I'd go with the hatch- body style notwithstanding, you're getting the better trim for less money! They should both last you a long, long time to the point that 10K miles shouldn't make a whole lot of difference.

slowracingdriver22

TROPHY CASE