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Cars & Transportation $13,000

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yetsla

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I need help from the smart people of BigFooty world.

I have $13,000 - $15,000 and I want a car. Single 24 year old, not wanting to impress anyone with it, and wanting to keep away from the big fuel guzzlers.

I'm thinking something mid size like an Astra with about 50,000 on the clock? What suggestions can you all give me? What would you do in my position.
 
I don't know much about cars. However I know it's something I'm not interested in spending lots of money on.

I got a used ford falcon futura 97 model for $3500. Had 160,000 kms. Now on about 210,000kms. Has been very reliable and I have no complaints.
 

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Toyota_Camry_Front.jpg
 
Ford Focus or Mitsubishi Lancer (get one from 2006 onwards, have 2.4 L mivec engine) or Toyota Corolla (will not die).

Mazda 3 is good, but have held value very well, you are likely to be paying overs for a car of its quality. Subaru is too expensive, Civic is also too expensive and somewhat bizarre looking.

Avoid Holden Cruze, Holden Viva like the plague. Made by Daewoo, marketed as Australia's finest. Avoid anything Kia, and Hyundai apart from the very newest ones (which are likely to be too expensive anyway).

VW is a rip off, and made for hipster posers who think they are "german quality", when the ones we get are often made in South Africa. :rolleyes:

Consider a government auction, many small/medium cars like this can be purchased quite cheaply.
 
I'm looking more at a 'girls car' that'll be easier to run... 2006 Astra any good? Save your questions on my sexuality... haha
 
yetsla said:
I'm looking more at a 'girls car' that'll be easier to run... 2006 Astra any good? Save your questions on my sexuality... haha
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PICS o.. nah kiddin lol. kinda thought you were after you said astra then i just forgot when i was searching for cars. lol

Astra's are a good small car, stylish cheap. don't mind them.

Lancers are a good chicks car.. theres a few on trading post you can search.

http://www.tradingpost.com.au/Autom...mber=D1210900460355?BackToResult=true&AdOnTop=
 
yetsla said:
I'm looking more at a 'girls car' that'll be easier to run... 2006 Astra any good? Save your questions on my sexuality... haha
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Not sure about the newest model but the one before was great (around '02). :thumbsu:

My mum had it for 5 years and was very reliable.
 
Astra's and Mitsubishi's don't have a very good resale value. I'd go with a Nissan Pulsar or a Toyota Corolla. I got a 2004 Nissan Pulsar a few years ago with 38,000km for $13,500. Great car that gave me no trouble at all. I sold it a few months ago and got $12,000 so it didn't depreciate much at all.
 
Catfish Alley said:
Astra's and Mitsubishi's don't have a very good resale value. I'd go with a Nissan Pulsar or a Toyota Corolla. I got a 2004 Nissan Pulsar a few years ago with 38,000km for $13,500. Great car that gave me no trouble at all. I sold it a few months ago and got $12,000 so it didn't depreciate much at all.
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The key there is that you bought well. :thumbsu:
 

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If you want an Astra get one that has already had its 60,000k service (timing belt replacement).
 
yetsla said:
I need help from the smart people of BigFooty world.

I have $13,000 - $15,000 and I want a car. Single 24 year old, not wanting to impress anyone with it, and wanting to keep away from the big fuel guzzlers.

I'm thinking something mid size like an Astra with about 50,000 on the clock? What suggestions can you all give me? What would you do in my position.
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You're not out to impress and you have more than enough money to get a good car that gets you from A to B.

$4-5K could probably get an old Camry or other equivalent stock model. Save the rest and keep saving. You'll get years out of your car (get it serviced regularly) and in the meantime you'll progress to better, higher paying jobs and when you do want a car to impress (or just something more respectable and reliable) one day, you're gonna be better set up to get hold of it. If you're doing particularly well, an employer will give you one and solve the problem for you.
 
Don't buy an Astra. If anything goes wrong with it, and it will, you will need to take out a loan to repair it. Example - Ring your local Holden dealer and ask for the price of a left or right hand rear electric window regulator for say, a 2006 AH Astra. :eek:
Get a Honda or a Toyota, service as required and you won't have any problems.
 

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IMO, you can't go past a Hyundai Elantra for a combination of reliability, economy and style. We've had a current model coupe (similar to that pictured here) as our family car for the past 3-4 years (as well as a previous generation hatch model before that), regularly driving 80kms a day at freeway speeds (we live 40km out of the Adelaide CBD), and haven't had a single problem.

For the price, IMO you're not going to get better in terms of reliability, economy, size (the coupe seats 5 with plenty of legroom and boot space), features, safety and style. You should be able to pick up a 2005-2007 model (which is still the current fourth generation model) for between $9,000-$13,000 I'd think. If you're willing to save a bit more/borrow, you can probably get a brand new one (maybe a run-out model) in the low $20,000 range.
 
St Specky said:
Head down to Melbourne's Cheapest Cars on South Rd Moorabbin.
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If you want to be ripped off.

Hyundai Elantra... LOL. How much coin are you going to get back from one of those babies when you go to sell it again?

Depending on what size, I'd go:

Small: Astra, Focus, Corolla
Medium: Not much here. Probably a Camry. Boring as batshit.
Large: Falcon, Commodore

Seriously, BA/F Falcon, Duel Fuel it. Done.
 
rfctigerarmy said:
Hyundai Elantra... LOL. How much coin are you going to get back from one of those babies when you go to sell it again?
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I wouldn't imagine it'd depreciate any more than any of the cars you mentioned. If you're buying it used or near new in the first place, you'd hardly be expecting some massive return if/when you sell it on in a few years time.

Again, for the money the OP has to work with, IMO you're not going to get better in terms of reliability, economy, size, features, safety and style than the Elantra. It might not be a "sexy" choice, but it's certainly a sensible one.
 
yetsla said:
I'm thinking something mid size like an Astra with about 50,000 on the clock? What suggestions can you all give me? What would you do in my position.
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Stay away from the astra imo. They tend to get a lot of little electrical niggles and as others have said it's got a replaceable timing belt which will cost you a BOMB when its up for service.

Corollas are brilliant but expensive. That said you get good resale.

Hondas are chinese now, worse than the daewoo's holden brings out

Lancers are pretty good, at least with them you also get a huge warranty (5 years, and 10 on the drivetrain). Good chance you'll find one with plenty of time to run on its warranty for piece of mind.

Like Hoffy I'd lean towards the Mazda3. Mrs has one (used to have an Astra which i hope burns in hell). Built like a truck (for a small car anyway), has timing chain so cheap to service, use bugger all fuel, don't look too bad for a chicks car etc etc
 

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