Cheap Rides

By Dian Vujovich

Palm Beacher’s love their cars. Sitting outside Testa’s having lunch and watching the parade of Rolls’, Mercedes’, and BMWs go by is a testament to that. But in these days of economic belt-tightening there are other choices when it comes to rides.

So if saving money is on your economic to-do list, you don’t have to buy that $500,000 Mercedes SLR that’s expected to get about 19 miles to a gallon or the BMW M6, priced around $120 g’s with its mileage estimates of between 11-17 mpg.

Nope. With ego permitting and luxurious comfort aside, you could bank a few hundred thousand and be stylishly cheap. All possible because the 10 cheapest cars to own and maintain cost under $17,000, according Edmunds.com leading automotive experts.

The five least expensive vehicles, along with #10 the most expensive, include:

• Hyundai Accent GS, with its starting price of $10,690 and an estimated 27 mpg for city driving, 33 mgp on highway.

• Nissan Versa Base, base price of $10,710 and estimated mpg of 26 to 34.

• Chevrolet Aveo5 LS, base price is $12,685, estimated mpg range is 25 city to 34 highway.

• Suzuki SX4 Sedan, base price is $13,994 and estimated mpg ranges are from 23 to 31.

• The Pontiac G3 begins at $15,055 and mpg range is 27 in the city to 34 on highways.

The most expensive on Edmunds’ list of 10 is the Pontiac Vibe. Its base price is $16,735. Estimated mpg ranges from 26 mpg in the city to 28 mpg on the highway.

Then again, if Mercedes is a brand you love, there’s always the Smart Car. It’s got a French body and Mercedes makes its transmission. Prices begin in the $15,000-$16,000 range and mileage, well a salesman told me customers tell him it’s in the 40’s.

More info at http://www.edmunds.com and at http://tinyurl.com/no9zm3 .