car advice (1 Viewer)

[daniel_fank]

Hey BOSers,
im looking for my first car and am under a tight budget - unfortuatenly i couldnt hike up the price my dad is willing to pay; he already has to pawn in his 4WD to cover the costs!! the budget is around the 5k mark, and really the only restriction is that it has to be manual (my dad doesnt want me to buy a 'poofter' automatic [dont flame me lol]). what would be your recomendations as to what car i should buy, and why?

thanks
dan

 

[LeftrightOut]

I'll tell you what I would not buy for a first car.
Do not get:
A V8
A turbo or supercharged car
A 2 door
An import
Anything that has been modified
A car that is known to be a bad model (EA Falcon springs to mind)
LPG is a bit double edged, it's a bit cheaper but you'll be paying for it in inspections and maintenance

The reason being that the running costs like the insurance, maintenance and fuel costs for any of the above types of car will make your financial situation even worse.

 

[SipSip]

I agree with most of the points raised...except for the 2 door...why not a 2 door

My suggestion...is your dad gonna drive this one?? cause if not and you love driving...then i suggest something like a susuki swift or something...low on fuel and pretty fast around corners...

Do a car search on carsales.com.au and see what there is and what you like...honestly i have little idea what that price range would get sorry...but yeah...search and take your time...you might find a nice little bargain...

Yeah..no mod cars...or else they've been thrashed like hell...no good...

 

[daniel_fank]

thanks for the reply, im curious as to why you would opt against a 2-door. do they increase the cost of insurance for instance? because my impression is that you wouldnt buy a first car with the aforementioned traits because it increases insurance.

i never really contemplated insurance, but it is definately an important factor. alongside this topic, what insurance would you recommend?

thanks

P.S any recommendations about specific makes/models/years of a car?

edit: no, the car is just for me

 

[dave_119]

hook up with an old corolla (1985-1990) really economic when it comes 2 petrol, run pretty smooth, u seriouslly dnt wont some poofy lil cino or sumthn like that... maybe a gem, datsun!! all great cars, but they are getting to be round 20-30 yrs old

 

[daniel_fank]

ive been browsing through www.drive.com.au with criteria such as price < 5000 and manual transmission in the area of sydney, and there are a number of european cars that im interested in. what are your opinions on cars such as the peugeot 405, audi 80, alfa romeo 2.5 75 for example? or even a mazda astina 323? also, would insurance cost more for a european car?

thanks,
dan

 

[LeftrightOut]

You'll find some insurance companies consider some 2 doors a coupe/sports car and charge accordingly. Some not all.

Also since you are young I am guessing you have friends, and with friends you will most likely be wanting to drive around, and with them piled into the back of a car with no direct exit I would not want to be one of them if you are involved in an accident. The only reasonable exit path for them would be through the rear window, the next being the side windows if they aren't too fat. and finally through the front door or windscreen and if there is someone in the front seat that will be difficult as well.

Yes a corolla would probably work great.

Also the heavier your car the more you pay for rego http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/registeringavehicle/registrationfees/index.html?rlid=1

The other thing to keep in mind the older the car the less crash worthy it would most likely be compared to a newer model. Also big does not equal safe, a big old kingswood might not neccessarily come off better in an accident than a newer small car and your chances would be better in avoiding an accident in the newer car as well (better brakes and steering etc).

 

[LeftrightOut]

what are your opinions on cars such as the peugeot 405, audi 80, alfa romeo 2.5 75 for example?

I would be praying daily that nothing breaks on my European car if I had one let alone one in that price bracket

 

[SipSip]

Yep...europeans cars aren't meant to go that long...plus maintenence is very expensive, you're on a tight budget anyway right...go jap...

The astina sounds pretty good...but remember not to rush when buying a car...don't wanna get a lemon right
excels are still looking nice...really depends what you want the car to do...A to B car or drivers car

 

[*~Dazed~*]

dont forget to take into consideration the km's driven. For that price the majority of cars have their kms racked up pretty high. But considering you are looking for a manual it shouldnt be too bad. When i was looking for a car, considering it had to be an auto, what we could afford was either a newer car with more km's or an older (ie earlier than 92) with less km's so i guess it depends on your priorities.

And i wouldnt suggest an excel. Hyundai's arent really considered a good car, plus IF you crash, bye bye.

 

[daniel_fank]

hey guys, so im inclined to think european cars are out of the question due to maitenance (i.e. price of parts). Some people are recommending excels, whilst others dont think so highly. i arent too fond of korean cars myself, so that aside; sound choices at this stage seem to be pulsars. i doubt i could find a low kms car for less than 5K, so reliability is important. taking all the criteria mentioned throughout the thread, bar the 2-door comment, would anyone else have suggestions for a particular car? as i mentioned, ive noted the pulsars, and all suggestions are appreciated

thanks,
dan

edit: i read sipsip's post, and no, i dont want a lemon are there things an average car buyer without much 'car knowledge' can look for so as to avoid buying a dud car? of course, the lower km's the better, but im referring to mechanical telltale signs if i took it for a testdrive for instance

 

[breaking]

buy my mates corolla...... hes selling it its only 2000....

buy this

 

[Cape]

I can tell you that mitsubishi lancers are economical petrol rise - doesn't matter what year, cause i can get from ryde to richmond and back on about $5 - $10 of petrol.

 

[LeftrightOut]

Early Excel's had welding issues where the front end would come apart, if it's a fixed sample or a later model then it's not a major problem. They don't do too badly in crashes, I had a friend hit gravel and do a roll and into a ditch at 110km/h with a 98 model and he walked away ok, his dog flew out the window though.

manuals will also be a bit more annoying to test drive because you will want to thrash it to see how badly it's been treated (you know check things like 3rd gear starts, knotchy shifts etc).

A mechanic might be able to tell you a little about the car but most of it you would notice anyway. Things like check where it's parked is there a lot of oil around, how clean is the engine bay, did it look like a hose exploded and blew crap all over the place and so on. Also check the door sections especially the bottom and wheel arches, that is where a lot of rusting starts as well as the boot. Ask if you can wash their car for them and hit a service station with an auto wash or a do it yourself place and just hit the window sills with the hose, hit the boot good too, just to check the seals make sure it doesn't leak lots of little things like that will give you a good idea.

 

[SlipStream]

Daniel, are you still after advice?

Advice for everyone when buying a car, like mentioned before you should avoid cars with a power/weight ratio of over 125kW/tonne. This is the law in Victoria anyway, but it helps to stay within these limits if you live in NSW for insurance reasons. However, Comprehensive insurance is the only insurance that will be majorly affected by buying a high powered car. High powered cars tend to use a lot of fuel, too, which some young people may not be able to afford. Avoid German and French cars; if something breaks on them then you might find the part costs more than insurance for the car.

There are many things to consider when buying your first car. This post would be lengthy if I mentioned all of them, but if I were to buy a car I'd buy a late model Hyundai Excel. They are reliable, cheap to repair, will run on pocket change, and cost peanuts for on road costs. They represent great value.

I wrote an article for a magazine regarding making the right decision when buying your first car. I have it on disk and have attached it to this post.

The password to open is lowercase "bos" and then click "Read Only." The document is copyright.

I hope people find it helpful.

 

[SlipStream]

By the way, the above document only helps out on choosing the right model of car for you.

When buying your first car (or any car for that matter) consider these costs: Rego (weight variable - price goes up with kilograms), pink slips (roadworthiness - $28 for an inspection), green slips (Compulsory Third Party Insurance - around $440), and other insurances (Third Party Property Damage is about $1300, Comprehensive Insurance is over two grand). Then you have fuel to worry about which, depending on how much you drive, can cost you anywhere up to $1500 a year for a small car. Also make allowances for repairs and parts prices - it generally is a lot more expensive for European cars and a lot cheaper for Asian cars.

Cars are expensive things. Some experts have this simple advice: "catch the bus"... heh heh

 

[Enlightened_One]

Hey BOSers,
im looking for my first car and am under a tight budget - unfortuatenly i couldnt hike up the price my dad is willing to pay; he already has to pawn in his 4WD to cover the costs!! the budget is around the 5k mark, and really the only restriction is that it has to be manual (my dad doesnt want me to buy a 'poofter' automatic [dont flame me lol]). what would be your recomendations as to what car i should buy, and why?

thanks
dan

Manuals are the only decent kind of cars to drive. (Then again maybe not in Sydney).

Ah, LeftRightOut I just have one thing to point out - All those vehicles you listed, such as V8s, can't really be found in decent quality under five grand. Anyway, don't get a 4WD if you live in Sydney (I can't understand why you would).

Don't worry to much on the looks. Check for rust etc, but most importantly check the engine. (If your dad has no idea then perhaps a mechanic friend?). Be sure to take it for a test drive and fully test it out. (my evil smile and wink).

For your first car you don't need a lot of pick up or nothing, just something that goes well.

And don't be afraid of small cars.

About the excels. They go (trust me a mate has one), and they hold their own in a crash (trust me another mate used to own one).

Corollas are real good for realibilty and toughness (not the right word) - A mate owns one.

 

[velox]

corollas are fukn sik

 

[SlipStream]

Corrollas are good cars. Like Enlightened One said, their reliabilty is above average and they normally are built tough. Just don't get one off a P Plater or a young male for that matter - they are likely to have been thrashed. Also keep away from them if they have over 180 000 kays on the odometer because they have been known to develop serious engine problems over age. You can break this mileage if the engine has been reconditioned.

General rule: try and keep away from cars with over 200 000 kays on the odo. They could be 30 years old but with 100 000 kays and they'd still be a good thing. Cars age by the kay, not the year.

Another good car is the Ford Telstar. Only buy the AX model and upwards - Pre 1992 Telstars are, well, lemons. One exception: the 1985 AR model was a good car. My dad has one. It breaks often, but that's because it has heaps of kays on it. The 2.0L four in the AR Telstar was one of the best engines ever made by Ford (well, Mazda). But like before, quality issues may be a problem with circa 1985 Telstars with over 180 000 kms.

My budget for a first car is also $5k. I'm after an AX Ford Telstar Ghia with the 2.5L V6. Great car - shame it's front wheel drive.

 

[hipsta_jess]

Pre-97 models had a nasty tendency to come unstuck at the front end, there was a problem with the welding on the front suspension, I believe. Besides, they're tin cans. Though, admittedly, they're not as bas as 1988-92 Nissan Pulsars.

*hmm-hmm* (throat clearing noise)

mines a 95 model and a complete machine, never had any issues with it.