Anyone care to suggest a car for me?

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Is this a four door Honda Civic?

In my Civic, the back of the rear seats can fold forward gaining access to the trunk. If you're not already doing that, it might give you better space to stretch out and put down a sleeping matt.

It's a 1990 2 door civic hatchback. Yes, the rear seat folds forward. (60/40 split) Yes, I folded it down. But I'm 6'2 & about 200lbs. Plus I had a huge rubbermaid tote full of gear & a couple large backpacks, some other smaller bags, and a kite board in there with me.. so I kinda just curled around/between the gear. I didn't have a foamie or blanket underneath my sleeping bag so it was pretty hard and uncomfortable against my hip. Got my foamie back from the friend that borrowed it, so that should help some.. I might be able to make a bit of a better "nest" in there to sleep in this Summer if my car just keeps on going and I don't have to replace it yet… but I dunno how long it's going to last - it's not getting that great of fuel economy right now and I'm not sure if it's because the exhaust has problems, or if one cylinder isn't firing properly due to an oil leak, or if it's because I've been doing more city vs. highway driving… or perhaps a combination. It still keeps on firing up and driving, though! So, I'll just keep on driving it until it gives up and dies I think. Who knows, that could even be another year lol, which would let me put it up over 500k kms if I happen to do a LOT of driving this Summer.

You'd love a Honda Element enough to make the saving worthwhile. My dad's had one for eight years or so, and I don't even mind that it's the FWD autotragic w/o cruise control. I'm fairly sure some of the USDM ones from before they were sold in Canada made it up there. The Element is a rubbermaid tote!

Honorable mention to the Nissan X-trail. I know those are plentiful for you guys and I'd have that over the CR-V any day.

I could buy any of the Honda Element's for sale locally for cash. I don't need to save up for one.

The biggest drawback I see about them is the sun/moonroof is in the back. If I were going to spend that much money on a car I'd want an opening sun/moonroof right above me up front.

But my budget is what my budget is. I'm not really interested in spending much on a car at the moment. I'm in savings & investment mode, working towards much bigger better financial goals vs. spending my money on a depreciating asset. That's why I want something cheap, fuel efficient, reliable, & hopefully a bit more fit for my uses next. I might buy something a little more expensive than the $700 I spent on this car 10+ months ago, but I'm not willing to part with several thousand dollars that will just disappear when it can be invested and grown for future goals. I just need to get me and my sporting goods or tools from a-b.

The rear sunroof serves a purpose dude. Plus the front windows are huge, you won't miss much. What's more I can squeeze 30mpg out of my Dad's despite the clunky 4spd/OD slushbox.

The X-Trail must be cheaper... I saw them everywhere I went in BC.

30 mpg?! how? despite a feather foot all I've been able to get out of my '97 CRV is 22 mpg.

The four speed has REALLY tall gears and it's the 2WD with almost no options, I time the shifts with throttle lifts. That and VTEC head timing. You could see similar results if you dropped an Integra GSR motor in yours.

What vehicle is that? I've never seen a pop top like that besides VW Westfalia's pretty much. AFAIK the Honda Element doesn't open up like that. I've never seen one opened up like that, or even a pic of one for sale like that.

From my perspective, the rear sunroof is for passengers in the back seat… which there almost NEVER are in my cars. I almost always drive solo - sometimes 45,000kms/year of almost all solo driving.

First off, are we comparing apples to apples?

mp US g or British g?

his engine with the VTEC is MUCH more efficient than mine.

That's an Ursa Minor Ecamper - it just goes on in place of the Element's roof rack. The weird sunroof is part of the option packs FYI, base models just have sheetmetal and headliner back there so this upgrade still works on them. The Element went through three facelifts and got a 5 speed automatic after a couple years. I know I know, metric is better I just habitually think in US mpg.

Mercifully you're just a cheap swap away from much better power & economy than anything but the brand new CR-Vs with CVT transaxles. I've driven your same model (presuming it's the five cog) and I'd say they're plenty tough for +70ish bhp.

it is 4sdp auto all wheel drive that Honda calls "real time 4wd." it is rated for 120 net ponies.

Auto or manual all those had the non-VTEC b20something. With regular gear oil swaps I bet you could get away with the Integra LS motor.

So the rear sunroof is supposed to double as an access hatch to climb up into that camper top?

Indeed. I've actually slept once on the fold-flat seats in the DX as well. They also fold out of the way like Landcruiser jumpseats for carrying stuff. If you really want they're even removable.