Need help finding a used car easily

Lzephyrik on 21/05/2013 - 19:12

Dear Ozbargainers,

I have been in Brisbane for 3 years as a uni student now but had no need for a car until recently. Unfortunately due to financial strains I have to find the cheapest car possible that will run for a few months reliably. As I am a practically novice car driver/buyer, I need your advice!

Due to time constraints I am looking for easy way out with a reliable dealership if possible, but I also notice that from other postings people do not trust dealerships in any circumstances. (Do you know any dealership that is actually trustworthy near Brisbane?)

I don't have a friend who is knowledgeable in these things, so that's not an option I have. Although through research I learned some things to look for in a used car for the engine status and etc, I know I won't be able to examine a vehicle reliably. (an option of calling a mechanic for pre-purchase inspection sounds nice, but how much does that cost? can you call them up to a dealership?)

Any advice would be appreciated!

Note: I have almost no preference to the make, model, color, etc. as long as it runs reliable)

Automotive

Comments

  • p1 ama on 21/05/2013 - 20:04

    What's your budget?

  • zephyrik on 21/05/2013 - 20:10

    I would prefer to find a vehicle under $2500. IF you cannot absolutely find a reliable car for under $2500, may be $500 more. Otherwise, I will just have to give up.

  • issh on 21/05/2013 - 20:24

    These might help you
    Best Cars under $3000
    http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2089116

    Pre-purchase Examination
    http://www.overclockers.com.au/wiki/Pre-Purchase_Examination

    • issh on 21/05/2013 - 20:26

      Also, are you Auto or Manual?

  • zephyrik on 21/05/2013 - 22:08

    I'm auto driver but i think i will learn manual pretty quickly if I need to

  • samfisher5986 on 22/05/2013 - 13:15

    Not worth buying a car for $2500 if its auto, it will likely not go well for you.

    I would learn manual or increase your budget.

  • zephyrik on 22/05/2013 - 16:04

    This must be a newbie question, but why is manual likely to last longer?

    • _Bruce_ on 22/05/2013 - 20:22

      It isn't, but at this point in the market they are cheaper, so you can get a better one (in theory).

  • issh on 22/05/2013 - 17:01

    At 2.5k, don't think Manual or Auto will really matter. For new cars the transmission will(price-wise), but I doubt there will be a big effect on 1980-2000 cars.

    I have a 1995 toyota corolla seca, very good car and reliable as well.

    Have a look at these
    http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/results.aspx?postcode=40…

    You can't really go wrong with Toyota, they are extremely reliable. My next car will probably be the Toyota 86 or the 2014 Toyota supra

    • samfisher5986 on 22/05/2013 - 17:45

      Of course it matters..

      Auto's are in high demand, its very easy to save a lot of money on a manual car in the lower price range.

    • 2ndeffort on 24/05/2013 - 22:51

      Autos generally need more maintenance and are more expensive to fix. If you are buying a cheap car there may be more chance it's cheap because the auto gearbox is knackered. I also assume you don't have a huge budget to fix the thing if it siezes up a week after you buy it.

      I know when I was young and poor the ability to roll-start a manual also got me out of a tight spot a couple of times as well.

  • tonka on 23/05/2013 - 07:55

    Hang around the backpackers hostels till you find someone desperate to sell their car before they fly home.
    I second the recommendation for an old corolla as well. Or a 'chicks' car like an excel unlikely to be thrashed.

    • samfisher5986 on 23/05/2013 - 10:56

      I got a chicks car that was manual for a really good price.

      Only problem was the clutch had to be changed haha.. I wonder why she sold it haha.

      Its a great combination, females are more likely to drive auto, men generally don't want girly cars, this makes them cheap.

  • 2ndeffort on 24/05/2013 - 23:09

    Car dealers at the shallow end of the pool are, in my experience as dodgy as hell. That said, and I dont know QLD law but most states mandate that dealerships have to give you a couple of months warranty if the car explodes when you drive it off the lot. Private sales are buyer beware.

    If it was me I would buy from a private buyer because I am more likely to be dealing with somebody that is open to doing a deal, maybe they are desperate for the cash and open to dropping $500 for a quick sale. I'd look on websites like carsales.com.au. You can search by postcode and price. I would also narrow down the maximum year, maximum price and importantly maximum KMs. I assume for your budget you will be looking at an older car. I would scroll down the list and see what kind of things are around to fit your needs. Have a think about things like how safe do you want to be, how many people are you going to be carrying around and how much do you want to spend on petrol.

    One thought might be to save $500 out of your budget and get the best $2K car you can find then have something up your sleeve for repairs or for new tires etc. I would look for any accident damage, little things like some panels looking slightly different colour to others, some paint spots over the metal plates in the engine bay etc. Listen to the engine running with the radio off, you dont have to be an F1 mechanic, if it sounds like somebody bashing a sandbag full of hammers against a brick wall I would walk away. Dont worry about things like radios or floormats, somebody on here will find you a deal for a brand new one of those later on, get the mechanical bits right.

    If you can find something with around 150k kms on the odometer for your money you will be doing well. I wouldnt buy anything with a stupid number of kms like 300k etc.

    If you find a car you like it might be worth the $80 or so (I dont know how much it costs) to have the RACQ do a test on the car.

    For a 5 min look this looks interesting: http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/holden-astra-2002…

  • zephyrik on 25/05/2013 - 13:40

    Thank you for all your comments guys.

    Bought Toyota Avalon 2001 for $3950(drive away no more to pay price) - (odo 250k) from a recommended dealer from number of friends.

    Bit pricey (i know I was more likely to get a bargain from private seller if I had time and the skill), but overall mechanic and engine looks to be in very good shape. Service record shows regular servicing till 180k.

    • samfisher5986 on 25/05/2013 - 13:51
      +1

      250k odo?

      Good luck with that…

  • zephyrik on 05/07/2018 - 11:00

    Still going strong without major need for repair for 5 years… Odo just passed 320k. Just shows what a well maintained toyota can do.

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