My First Car - Should I Buy Brand New or Used?

nick111 on 21/05/2015 - 20:38
Last edited 22/05/2015 - 17:15

Hi all

I want to buy my first car but not sure if I should buy new or used. I have no knowledge about what to look for in used cars hence not sure how to go about it and what to check for so I get value for my money.

Alternatively I can buy a new car may be a Kia Rio/Cerato or Hyundai Elantro(reading from past posts). Open to other suggestions as well. I have saved about 15k and can borrow the rest about another 5k from family. Reading from past threads there are mixed opinions on which one is better value i.e used or brand new.

If I decide to buy new, was planning to pay cash to get a good bargain and some extras. Any advice on how much I can bargain for would really help.

Update: Almost sold on buying second hand, looking through 2005 model on-wards with low kms but not sure if to go with a dealer or private sale ?

Thanks

Automotive

Comments

      • ozb-442 on 23/05/2015 - 12:08

        I did emphasise that it must just be my bad luck

        I helped a friend get his first car, he was set on an old honda civic. The thing was literally falling apart, and they were trying hard to dodge it. Luckily just before my mate handed the cash over I set him straight. He looked at me, wallet in hand, what do you think, define? You could tell they were pretty peeved after that, wouldn't even look my direction. Tried to shake there hand before leaving after no deal, they just all walked straight past me. Complete behavioural change within minutes.

        A side note: I do actually really like Indians and all different races and cultures, and the few (profanity) i've dealt with surely stuff it up for the 99% of Indians that are really friendly. I just now see why they've earned the bad rapport, as i've had quite bad luck with them, and no good luck.

  • Davros on 23/05/2015 - 05:13
    +1

    My first car cost $600, it was ugly, uneconomical but solid and took a few knocks.
    Several vehicles after that including a few new ones I realised what a losing proposition new vehicles were and what a trap cars in general can be.
    20 years later I drive a $5000 commodore which was well looked after and maintained, it does several trips a year from Brisbane to Sydney and back and is most reliable, comfortable and powerful and has provided 5 years of trouble free motoring since ownership.
    It will get driven into the ground and the day it costs money will get flogged off for the next $5000 car.
    Looking forward to the day when I get my $5000 Chrysler 300c.

    I can afford to buy new cars and other useless stuff that would make me feel better in the short term but instead have used my cash to buy assets that over time have replaced my wage and I have now retired a couple of decades before retirement age and travel extensively , mostly by plane instead.

    • Speckled Jim on 23/05/2015 - 15:44

      That's a good attitude to cars, and one I mostly share.

      As most petrolheads already know, the best part of new car hunting is using the online configurators to option up to your desired spec. Then start over, and get progressively more outlandish. There's a reason for this: it's often the anticipation that's better than actually living with it.

      Actually buying a new car? That's a mug's game.

    • Speckled Jim on 25/05/2015 - 18:15

      OP, using this logic, here's a perfect first car if you don't mind "slumming it" for a year or so.
      http://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/Toyota-Corolla-199…

      Auto, white, low kms with books.

      Edit- I just checked the plate CC26YM at myrta.com
      Says it's a green Ford Capri. Proceed with caution.

  • agrum on 23/05/2015 - 07:28

    Definitely go with a second hand car. It won't hurt as much when you get your first scratch. As mentioned, Japanese cars are great, like a Toyota Corolla or Mazda3. One thing that's really important is to check the history of the car, as there are lots of written-off cars floating around that have been done up and re-registered. Problem with them is that you can't ever register them in NSW, and you could also have problems with insurance if you ever make a claim, whereby they will offer you far less than you think the car is worth. Especially in Queensland are there heaps of cars that were once written off due to hail or flood damage. I recently looked for a second hand car and came across lots. Owners, even dealers, often won't tell you so make sure to check it out.
    This website will give you the vin number if you know the number plates (look for your state):

    http://www.numberplates.com.au/plates/rego-check/

    and this one will cost you $4 but give you a complete car history based on the vin number, including if the car was ever written off, stolen or has money owning on it:

    https://transact.ppsr.gov.au/ppsr/QuickVINSearch

  • agrum on 23/05/2015 - 07:32
    +2

    Another suggestion is to make a spreadsheet whereby you enter information such as make, model, year, km, price etc. Great for comparisons to spot a good buy.If you need help with that I'd be happy to send you a copy.

    • nick111 on 23/05/2015 - 09:02

      Yes pls

  • misu p on 23/05/2015 - 08:27
    +3

    Have you thought about something like Go Get or Car next door? We used to use "Car Next Door" for weekend trips and it usually worked out ok. They were not very expensive and we did not have to bother with considering all the related expenses.

    Were we moved now we only have the GoGet option but considering we are not going away every weekend I still think we are better off than buying a new / used car. My wife is working from home and I walk to the office so we really do not need a car during the week.

    I am sure that there are better options for renting out there, if anybody could give me some idea about others I would surely appreciate it :).

  • theguyrules on 23/05/2015 - 10:34

    Hey man,
    I recently got a full-time job after uni, and I have been driving the same 1992 Pulsar since high school, 6 years ago, which I picked up for $2k. So, I decided it was time for an upgrade.

    I was always set on the Mazda 3's and figured I'd pick myself up one of the brand spanking new ones and be done with that. I was looking at financing and the cost of the loan repayments was very manageable etc, but I had a mate talk me out of getting a new one.

    Ended up getting a 2013 Mazda 3 Neo (base model but has everything I wanted, ie Bluetooth music and cruise etc) with under 19,000 kms. Still a year and a half of new car warranty. Got it for $17500.

    I worked it out as a brand new Mazda 3 Neo auto being ~$24k, so for a year and a half older, I saved myself around $6k. I let someone else take the instant depreciation of the new car haha.

    Anyway, I absolutely love my new car. Got it last weekend and its a blast.

    Good luck and have fun car hunting!

    • nick111 on 23/05/2015 - 10:47

      Did you buy it from a dealer or private sale. Was it advertised on a website ?

      • theguyrules on 23/05/2015 - 10:56

        Yeah from a dealer. Decided I'd save some time and just look at dealer cars.
        I found it on Carsales.com.au, it hadn't even had photos uploaded but it wasn't too far away so I checked it out and it was in perfect condition, so I got it.

        • nick111 on 23/05/2015 - 10:59

          Cool. Thanks

  • SupeNintendoChalmers on 23/05/2015 - 11:04
    +1

    I'm on the other side here, get a new or demo car. I base it on experience.

    I purchased a brand new Mazda many years ago, everything was sweet and then all of a sudden the car refused to start (it was 6 months old by then). Fast forward 18 months of arguing, writing emails and general stress and I decided to bite the bullet and sell it.

    It literally had <20,000kms, looked A+ on the outside and inside.

    Traded it for a Nissan SUV, haven't had a single issue (touch wood).

    So basically some poor soul will inherit a cursed Mazda 6 that has spent literally months in the workshop trying to diagnose it.

    Not saying you'll get a better car with a new Hyundai\Kia (though their service departments are known to be more proactive), but at least you have some sort of protection.

  • Diesmile on 23/05/2015 - 11:14
    +1

    i am going to be against others and suggest op to buy a new car. i did it when i had my first job with the help from the my parents.

    it teaches me to look after my car, be careful when driving. i had that car till now, it has passed 9 years now. if i had a shit box, i prob more than likely to have a no-care factor, be a lazy driver and picks up bad habits like doing burn outs etc. anyway, everyone is different, choose whatever you like within the limit of your budget.

    choose a safe car with modern technology at least

    • nick111 on 23/05/2015 - 11:26

      Thanks, did you end up paying more for rego n insurance ?

      • Diesmile on 23/05/2015 - 12:12

        you have to pay more insurance due to the new car, but you have to start to get your rating up anyway, choose the monthly payment if that helps.

        the rego, not so much differences.

        • nick111 on 23/05/2015 - 12:47

          Ok. Will go chk some cars used n new and then I can weigh up the pros n cons.

    • gotcha on 23/05/2015 - 13:12

      I have to agree with you from safety point of view. I am going to buy a new Subaru Outback to replace my current MY12 Civic.
      Initially planned to keep the Civic for my daughter who is turning 16 soon. Then realized it would cost 3k per year for rego and insurance to just include her in the policy. In case shit happens, the total access fees would be around 2.5k anyway. I just dont think it's worthwhile at all. And because of all the new safety features on the new outback, eg, eyesight tech, I would rather let her drive the new car.

      So if you end up deciding to buy a new or recent year model car, make sure you try to get some online comprehensive insurance quotes first. You might find out that you might have to end up coughing up extra 2K just for insurance.
      BTW, you might want to check out onepath.com.au if intend to pay by month as they do not charge you extra for that. I have dealt with them couple of times previously, no bad feelings at all.

  • itsdanthaman on 23/05/2015 - 14:33

    funny how "safe" and little 4 bangers are mentioned in the same sentence. Why drive a sardine tin, when you can get a powerful large family sedan. The AU falcons were one of the best models for reliability & ease of maintaining. The AUII/III fairmont ghia's are an absolute bargain nowdays with the plush interior & features and still bring good economy on the highway

    http://www.aufalcon.com.au/imagesDB/item/160_2_L_20061216999…

    find a nice example for 3-5k and save the rest of your money for something worthwhile

    • nick111 on 23/05/2015 - 16:47

      Checked out a few cars today, most of them over 12k though and European made. The sales guy reckons euro made are better for safety compared to Japanese or Korean and have a strong exterior. True ?

      • nick111 on 23/05/2015 - 17:29

        When a dealer provides 3 yr warranty, are there any catches or fine print with it ?

        http://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/Mazda-323-1999/AGC…

        • Randxyz123 on 23/05/2015 - 17:59
          +1

          Absolutely especially on that thing.

          Read the fine print very carefully. I'd get one of your parent(s) to read over it as well

        • nick111 on 23/05/2015 - 18:05

          @knick007: ok good i asked :). Are there any known or frequent issues with LPG models or the dual models ?

        • itsdanthaman on 23/05/2015 - 19:16
          +2

          lol dude, your replying to my comment, so i'll base my reply on that. The mazda you linked to is a piece of shit, was actually exact same as my wife's first car. The AU fairmont ghia's im recommending will run rings around that cheap piece of crap. Really if you beleive a single word im typing, go out and test drive one. Check your local gumtree instead of carsales, also ebay you might find something. I dont understand the obsession with driving tiny underpowered, 4cyl japs just to save a couple $$ in fuel. You have to sit in this thing everyday, are the savings really worth it?

        • itsdanthaman on 23/05/2015 - 19:25

          get onto this, 161,000 km's is low for this model. These things will do 300-400 thou without many problems. 10 speaker premium stereo with sub, leather & woodgrain interior, 172kw xr6 motor etc etc.

          http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/waterfall/cars-vans-utes/2001…

          Aftermarket parts are plentiful and cheap, easy to work on, easy to diagnose issues, great reliable cars !!!

        • itsdanthaman on 23/05/2015 - 21:24

          @nick111:

          stick with the AU model, the BA model afterwards was rushed ahead of time due to the unpopular styling of AU and such has proven to be plagued with a number of issues. Only after all these years has the AU proven to be a great buy, ask any owner.

          Also, the AU series 2 & 3 (mid 2000-early 2002) models has many improvements over the series one models (mid 1998-early 2000) with better quipped stereos, bigger brakes, more soundproofing etc.

          Theres plenty out there, but the good ones only pop up every now and then. The one on gumtree i linked to is worth a look. http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/waterfall/cars-vans-utes/2001… Theres not much to go wrong with them, just make sure the gearbox shifts fine. Any minor issue like coolant leaks are simple stuff like radiator, water pump, stuff that goes wrong with ANY car

          Heres a 75th anniversary ghia for $2900 negotiable, yeah has km's but like i said, drive the thing, check it out, for a first car you cant go wrong. http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/dee-why/cars-vans-utes/2001-f…

        • sellingoutsoon on 24/05/2015 - 01:13

          @itsdanthaman: Good on you mate, pretty good advice, for free no less. That's an Oz…bargain in itself :)

        • sellingoutsoon on 24/05/2015 - 01:35

          @itsdanthaman: If you look at the pics of that car, the interior pics show a mobile phone that was from about 2001 (in a cradle near centre console)…the pics might be from when they bought the car, is this a common tactic amongst car sellers? Not saying it's a bad car, just something to watch out for.

        • nick111 on 24/05/2015 - 08:47

          @sellingoutsoon: I did see that n thought to myself may be they use n old phone…but didn't perceive it the way u did. The difference I guess between a pro n amateur :)

        • BartholemewH on 24/05/2015 - 14:27

          @itsdanthaman:
          The main problems to keep in mind with AU 2 & 3 falcons/fairmonts are that they go through coil packs, the front discs should be replaced with aftermarket when they get warped (when not if) and of you don't have a leather wheel, use a sew together leather wheel cover. Other than that, they go forever.

      • agrum on 24/05/2015 - 06:56
        +1

        Problem with European cars is that they can be very expensive to fix and service. At least with popular model cars like Toyota it's easier to source parts and find a mechanic that can fix your car. These are the hidden costs associated with European cars.

        • nick111 on 24/05/2015 - 08:48

          Thanks. Will keep that in mind.

  • cashews on 23/05/2015 - 20:00
    +1

    Some good advice can be found here:
    http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/Buying_car_advice

    • robbyjones on 24/05/2015 - 07:25

      Thanks for posting this, my son is looking for his first car and this has invaluable information.

      • nick111 on 24/05/2015 - 08:49

        I'm glad it's helping others too:)

  • sellingoutsoon on 24/05/2015 - 01:25

    @nick111: This is such a big question, but for used: NRMA have some great free advice for used car buyers. Third-party onsite vehicle checking services offer much more than NRMA though, for a lot less. Make sure you get someone who is old enough to have had extensive experience on the car you want to buy. For new: car dealers have a bad reputation, but there are some really good ones too. Look for a dealer who is a family business, who is in the relationship business, that has a culture you feel comfortable with. You'll notice immediately. As far as warranty it depends on which state you're in. NSW differs quite a bit from QLD. For the last 30 years or so cars in one state had a mandatory warranty, for cars under a certain number of years and Kms. You can google it to find out more, you'll need to know this for sure before you spend the money. I am not qualified to advise you per se, but will say that if you are careful, and apply the right thinking, you can get a near-new experience for 70% off new car price, and some models and brands are over-engineered (think long-term value) and others are budget (think not long term). Buying a great quality vehicle (no they're not all the same) from a conservative person who is both over 50 and part of the generation that looks after things is a good way to start… and spend half your life reading old SMH or Age articles online from car section re. second opinions on cars now that they're X years old. That was invaluable to me, I hope you get the same value out of those articles, because these writers only write about cars, their insight is rather awesome.

    • nick111 on 25/05/2015 - 11:01

      Spoke to State Roads vehicle inspections and got a quote of $259 for a comprehensive inspection with 30 day guarantee. Has any one used them or other companies for similar services?

  • muncan on 24/05/2015 - 08:28

    Wow - I just read about the massive airbag recall for 637,000 cars in Australia. Probably should avoid buying one of these cars.

  • umamandy on 24/05/2015 - 08:41
    +1

    I'm buying a car at the end of the year, and I'm just going to a used car auction for ex-government cars. Most are only around 2 years old, and depending on what they were used for they can have super low mileage. Heaps of dealers go there because the auction price is usually $2000 below the value they could sell it for. So it's kind of like buying wholesale prices.

    You do need to do your research on what the value of the car is, but that's kind of fun if you ask me. :P

    • nick111 on 24/05/2015 - 08:53

      I was going to get views on here about that. Coz I looked at a couple of cars which had seller as pickles auction. Any experiences buying cars at auction ?

      • umamandy on 24/05/2015 - 09:05

        Yeah I was explicitly referring to pickles (just didn't want to sound like an ad) xD
        Both my parents' cars are from there. I'd recommend downloading the auction list three or four days before the auction and then checking out the value of the cars you're interested in on redbook. If you're super keen, take off about $1000 off the minimum redbook value and set that as an upper bound (from experience, it's very easy to go over your limit in the heat of the moment). Most cars won't even reach that upper bound.

        They allow you to examine the cars before the auction, and I think it's best to pick your top 3 cars and examine them thoroughly. Check the log book and see where it's up to for servicing, test the tread on the wheels etc. My parents recently got a 2012 Mondeo which they didn't check this stuff. Paid $9000 (+$500 auctioneer's fee) for what is about a $13000 car, so pretty good deal. But they had to fork over another $2000 to service and fix wheels.

        Expect that it will need to be serviced, but if it says "needs its 50K service" and the odometer is at 90K or something, definitely knock off another $500

        • nick111 on 24/05/2015 - 09:07

          Thanks will look into it

        • itsdanthaman on 24/05/2015 - 09:23

          @nick111:

          cant test drive auction cars. Cant even start em up

  • paloverde88 on 24/05/2015 - 10:27

    Older cars that require repair have no warranties can be expensive to fix. Have you got cash for expected repairs? Older cars are not necessarily cheaper to insure. In fact if you plug in an older and a brand new car for insurance don't be surprised the brand new car costs less to insure. Older cars needs pink slips checks for rego but you may not pass. Then you have to spend more money to fix it.

    • nick111 on 24/05/2015 - 10:51

      Well that's a big concern for me if I go buy a used car n even after checking for everything if it breaks down after 6 months, then I would be thinking I should have bought a new one for the peace of mind. Listening to ppl on here, feels like it will be unlikely for something to go wrong just coz it's a used car. So yes there is that risk in it, I just have to figure out how high is it depending upon the car. I wasn't aware that insurance can be higher for a used car compared to a new one. So can insurance for a used car be more than 1k a year ? The cars I'm after at least should be roadworthy isn't that equivalent to having a pink slip?

      • gotcha on 24/05/2015 - 19:20

        bought a 2002 mazda 626 back in 2007, 5 months later on my way to hunter valley it stopped on freeway, had to had it towed to hornsby then discovered gasket was stuffed, ended up paying 2.5k to get it fixed. that was my last 2nd hand car.

        • nick111 on 24/05/2015 - 20:15

          Was that something that you could have discovered before buying it or just happened after you bought it in that 5 months ?

        • gotcha on 24/05/2015 - 21:49

          @nick111:
          could be either I suppose. but gasket blow out for a 5 year old car, it was either my bad luck or prev owner was aware of it hence offloaded it in the first place. regardless I did not ask to check service log then.
          I have friends who would folk out 70k for a used Merc, or some would spend that much for a new audi Q5 then intend to keep it for 10+ years. However for me I just lease cars, change cars every 3 years, which give me peace of mind as the cars are always under factory warranty.

          Anyway, if I were you, I would try to get a 2-3k reasonably reliable car, with the intention of keeping it for 6 months. Get 3rd party insurance, don't really need to care any small damages or scratches to the car. Skill myself up during the 6 months, sell it (worst case, lose the 2k if it has been bad damaged, otherwise might even get most if not all the money back), then buy a brand new (or near new) car.

        • nick111 on 24/05/2015 - 22:47

          @gotcha: I actually would like to do that, may be even keep it for 1-2 yrs n then sell it. The only thing is I don't have that confidence of judging a car's worth. I looked at a few cars that are 5k or below but most of them have done over 100kms n are early 2000s model or earlier.

      • paloverde88 on 25/05/2015 - 13:18

        Insurance depend on your age and driving experience and excess also. But it is wrong to assume old cars are cheaper to insure.
        Many new cars now have very long warranty which is really good for peace of mind.
        KIA 7 years Citroen 6 years Renault 5 years. Plus they also have very long period of roadside assist free. They all now have capped price service. Older cars sometimes have unpredictable costs in service as this and that suddenly needs replacement.

  • BartholemewH on 24/05/2015 - 14:30

    If you have someone knowledgeable to help you with the selection of vehicles and the auction proces: www.pickles.com.au

  • Rorschach on 24/05/2015 - 19:38

    How are Subarus regarded in the used car segment?

  • aurotaro on 25/05/2015 - 08:28

    Always 2nd hand, unless you can claim depreciation and kms on your car @ tax return time. I bought brand new and doing a 60/40 pvt/business ride at 28k kms a year. So it was worth it to buy new in my case. Would have gone 2nd hand if only I had driven pvt kms.

    Stick to the reliables, Mazda3s Corollas Swifts Civics. Don't buy 2nd hand from dodgy suburbs.

    • nick111 on 25/05/2015 - 09:29

      Which suburbs do you classify as dodgy ?

      • aurotaro on 25/05/2015 - 20:57

        Since you're in Sydney, I would stick to buying cars from your northern beaches family areas and the likes.

        Even though I have nothing against Western Sydney and in particular areas like Villawood, Guildford, I'm not willing to spend 20k on a depreciating asset only for shit to hit the ceiling.

        I know not everyone will agree to the above, but each to their own.

        No issues with buying property in Western Sydney though. Btw, I'm from the Liverpool area and even I wouldn't look for cars from my area.

  • ProjectZero on 25/05/2015 - 10:24
    +1

    Just trying to put things into prespective…

    An old car will cost you >$5k

    An old decent, reliable car will be >$10k

    A new i20 is $13k driveaway in Sydney.

    Based on your usage, you could get an old car (1st option) but it might not last very long, depending on your luck or you could be like me and buy an old decent, reliable car car (or so I thought) for $10k and have it die on you with crap tons of issue after 2 years.

    I'd stick with a new car but that's just my opinion, I like to play it safe if possible… I mean there is a chance of the new car being a lemon, but at least the dealer is the one to deal with it if it is their fault.

    • Speckled Jim on 26/05/2015 - 12:44
      +1

      WTF?

      Just trying to put things into prespective…

      Okay, I'm with you so far!

      An old car will cost you >$5k

      Why are you writing in absolutes? Do you realise you've used the greater than mathematical symbol? So your sentence reads:
      "An old car will cost you more than 5k"

      Really? I bought a 19 year old car (94 model) in 2013. It cost me $400. Yes, four hundred dollars. I recently sold it for $600.

      An old decent, reliable car will be >$10k

      Again, you're saying more than 10k? If so, what's your definition of "decent"?

      The car I sold was decent IMO. It wasn't dent-riddled, was complete, intact and original. Sure, the roof and bonnet clearcoat had peeled but it was perfectly reliable. I only sold it because the carby didn't like cold (< 3C) mornings. Once warmed up it was great, but after two winters I decided to get a newer, fuel injected car.

      The seller of my current car was in a bind, so what you and Redbook may consider $2000 worth of car cost me a fraction of that. Prices in the used market are very elastic; there's been a huge oversupply of used cars for at least a decade, largely thanks to relatively cheap new cars.

      So these are my tips for the day. Get something fuel injected with at least drivers airbag and ABS. If you like something after looking it over and test driving, get a mechanical inspection.

      • ProjectZero on 26/05/2015 - 12:56

        Fair enough, the cheapest cars I've seen go for $4,999… perhaps I should give more information next time.

        By decent I meant, did not appear to be dented, scratched, and working condition, good service records. Also, by old, I didn't expect the car to be more then 10 y.o.

  • rolypoly on 25/05/2015 - 11:17
    +1

    I've only had two cars since first driving 10+ years ago. Both cars were under 3 years when purchased and had low kms. Both were toyotas, and have never had any accidents and still run great (they arent exhilarating to drive - they just have never had any mechanical problems).

    The newer car which is a aurion has much better safety specs and is the only one I take on road trips. The smaller car which is an echo hatch (yaris now) is much easier to park and saves a lot of money on petrol.

    The echo is pretty much the only car I drive given the choice (ie if the missus hasn't taken it). It is really slow though, not really a problem but I do have to wait for larger gaps in traffic to make turns compared to the aurion.

    The aurion has a really fat A pillar. When combined with the side mirror it is able to obscure almost entire cars given the correct angle. It is not a problem but an annoyance.

    I've read reviews that the aurion drives like a boat. I haven't really driven many other cars and have never driven a boat so I have nothing to compare with. It saves you money because you don't have to buy a boat.

    I personally find that the small car+large car combo is a really good for a couple because it gives versatility and also a chance to save on petrol. Though if I only had one car I would probably be looking at a 2-3 year old corolla.

    • nick111 on 25/05/2015 - 11:27

      I have looked at a few fairly new corollas and all of them are close to 15k to start with, not entirely convinced to spend that much on a used n my first car. There was one corolla for 7.5k a 2007 model but has already done 250000 kms so wasn't keen on that. Looks like it may take some time to find a descent reasonable car in my budget :)

    • twister292 on 27/05/2015 - 23:53

      +1 on the Aurion. They don't drive like "boats", just that the suspension isn't particularly rigid, and they tend to lean a bit if you carry too much speed into a corner. And they have the inherent understeer that most front-wheel-drive cars have. They do have fat A-pillars, so sometimes I lean forwards or crane my neck sideways to look around it.

      That said, they are very nice to drive. And when given some push on the pedal, they can pull through vicious amounts of acceleration in a straight line. They are borderline overpowered for a front-wheel-driven car. The gearbox is buttery smooth, and I can almost swear mine has learned my driving habits…it can almost pre-empt when I want to accelerate and kick down gears, or shift up when you gently ease on the throttle.

      A decent Aurion can be had easily for less than 15k, and if you look hard enough you can find ones with reversing cameras as well. The reversing cameras really help for Aurions, the boot lid is quite high, and if you have one with a spoiler, the blind zone is quite large.

  • Scorpiogirl on 25/05/2015 - 12:07
    +1

    For the budget you initially described i think a new car or one a few years old, making it as new with low klms( i grew up thinking 15 kms a year was a guide) and some warranty left. Perhaps a basic hatch, whatever model you like would be a good start. Which one would depend on it's features and what you think it is worth. Also what you want to spend out of the money you have available and what you want left over.

    I would make sure i had enough savings left to cope with emergencies, rego and insurance etc. When you have ideas in mind, i would ask about insurance costs for different brands, whether tge car is used or new.

    Are you aware the value of what you want to insure a car and what the insuer will pay can vary depending on the car, especially a used car. The amount of insurance you pay can also vary according where you live. It can be cheaper in a safer area then one that is classed as not, for what ever reason.

    Happened to me, when i moved from the coast to Sydney. I have had always had full insurance. I have had a car be insured for nearly double it's value to a car 1 year age difference, be valued at only what i bought it for and my insurance costs more. I am unable to insure it for more, even if i wanted to. Popular brand and reputation.

    My first car was used but i didn't have your budget. It lasted me for as long as i think it should have, for the price i spent and even many cars later i still think it was a great car. No one can tell you what car to get because whether it is a car that's $5000 or $10000 it can be a lemon and anything could happen to it weeks or months later.

    Warranty's on older cars i would never rely on. Just a headache. Also a lot of warranties require you to service the car regularly (often at their mechanics) which can be more expensive. A warranty can be very limited and may not cover all parts or all labour etc etc with a used car.

    Think about how long you want the car for. Also if you were to sell it, what would it's value be. This can vary between brands. For example, a Mazda has a higher resale value than a Kia i think. Others will differ in their opinion.

    Btw my experience, having owned a car with low milage and high. You cannot judge a car by this. Every owner is different. A car that has been serviced, little extras added and appears loved is a good indicator of someone who appreciates and looks after their car.

    Don't assume a car with 12 months rego, that is used, cannot have something major wrong with it. Road worthy is what is looked at, not a complete mechanical inspection. There are pros and cons to used and new cars. Way these up. Your choice will depend on what it is you want and need. My thoughts are mine. Whatever you choose, trust your insticts and you need to love that car or you will find you made a bad decision and you will want another.

    • nick111 on 25/05/2015 - 12:18

      Thanks a lot. Will take that into consideration.

  • Scorpiogirl on 25/05/2015 - 12:25

    Sorry for typos but you get the idea. Research and being knowledgeable about the car you are considering before you go to buy it is my advice as well. Also go test drive a few different brands. They can drive very differently. You will be surprised. You may find that one appeals more to you by doing this. If you do purchase a car, i hope we get to hear about what you chose. Curious is all.

  • sendoor on 25/05/2015 - 12:28

    Visit to some car auction places.
    There is a possibility that you can get < 3 years hybrid car if you are lucky (within your savings) . But I wouldn't promise.

  • centrelink on 25/05/2015 - 13:22

    I had a car that was 20 years old at the time.. Oh the memories were great, I was able to drive around with very little care for the minor damage it caused (ie: scraps etc). The moment I got a brand new car I lost that sense of security and it made me feel quite brittle at the beginning. I'd say its worth to get a 2nd hand car first, a piece of crap but sturdy would be best.

    Though for some reason, I kept getting pulled over by cops quite frequently and have never been pulled over since I got a brand new car.

    They seem to judge your personality based on the quality of the car as well..

  • paizuri5 on 25/05/2015 - 15:30

    You can have my 97 Honda Civic GLi for 4k lol…

  • mparf on 25/05/2015 - 18:18

    second Hand.

    My friend saved up for ages, bought a Honda Civic brand new- cost her about $20 odd K.
    Her Second month driving, some asshole ran a red light, slammed into her side. Her car flipped. She ended up in hospital, he did a runner. Her car was a write off.
    Insurance paid up, but the second car, which was now a second hand civic, got rear ended so badly it was also written off.

  • Richardc on 25/05/2015 - 23:52

    got my 3 yrs old corolla from pickles auction fixed price car, also got the 5 yrs extended warranty

    • nick111 on 26/05/2015 - 00:35

      How much for the car n how much for the warranty ? Any unreasonable terms n conditions for the warranty ? What year model was it n how many kms ? I did look at the pickles website n some cars had prices against them n some had a lot number only so I'm guessing the ones with the price is fixed n ones with lot number go under the auction is that correct ? I do realise I have put up too many questions for you so I do apologise n thank you for your help :)

  • itsdanthaman on 26/05/2015 - 12:19

    i think you need to decide what your looking for in a car, then go from there. Youve talked about so many different models/makes of different ages its hard to recommend anything based on what youve said

    • nick111 on 26/05/2015 - 12:36

      I'm after a car that is reliable and with some safety features and wont cost me more in repairs. I'm not after a particular make n model. I'm keen on something that has done less than 100kms n below 10k.

  • itsdanthaman on 26/05/2015 - 13:52

    my mother's 2004 Holden astra has only done 80,000km. Shes spent many thousands over the years fixing stuff that shouldnt need fixing for a car of that age & km's. It drives nice while its running right. You can buy that if you want?

    $5000 and its yours. Oh hold on, i forgot the check engine light has come on recently. I'll go down to $4000.

  • itsdanthaman on 26/05/2015 - 13:54

    jokes aside, the mistubishi 380 should tick all your boxes.

  • swilso on 27/05/2015 - 17:59
    +1

    Cheaper going privately - unless you find a dealer with a good warranty included. Just research the market - insurance etc how many km's are on it too. Anything usually around 100,000km should have a pretty detailed service most times around $1k or more so that can make a difference if it hasn't been done and the car has 95,000km. Get a vehicle inspection and REVS check as well for peace of mind.

    • Speckled Jim on 27/05/2015 - 19:05
      +1

      peace of mind

      This dealer specialises in exactly that :)

      • swilso on 27/05/2015 - 19:17

        LOL. sounds like good piece of mind.

  • twister292 on 27/05/2015 - 23:56

    I would say get a Camry or Aurion if you want a V6…if the car is going to be an urban run-about, the Camry is a better option (2.4L engine). The V6 engines are a dream to drive but they don't like being stuck around in traffic an can get a little thirsty.

    If the car is mostly going to be used for longer trips or freeway runs, get an Aurion/Camry V6/Falcon. Those things are reliable and have the grunt to pull overtaking manoeuvres at 100kph without sounding like a Stihl power blower or needing you to jam your foot through the floor.

    • nick111 on 28/05/2015 - 00:19

      thanks. will check them out.

      • nick111 on 30/05/2015 - 19:31

        Drove a 2001 ford falcon yesterday with 110,000 kms, looked in good condition, but its a 6cyl and 4.0l engine so concerned about fuel consumption. Any experiences or views would help. Asking price is $3300 but only a month rego left.

        • twister292 on 31/05/2015 - 07:21

          They can be a bit thirsty in stop-start…they're good on the freeways.

          For a car that old, make sure it has good maintenance history. And with falcons, it would be advisable to get a transmission cooler fitted as well.

        • itsdanthaman on 31/05/2015 - 17:28

          yep on the highway, fully loaded can nearly match a 4 banger. Around town, well it chews more than a 4, but less than an 8. lol. I think the trade off is worth it with the extra interior & luggage room, and overtaking power. Some details about the car would be good, because $3300 for a base model you might have some bargaining room, but for a nice fairmont it could be a good buy. Just dont think because its got low km's its going to be completely hassle free motoring. I can bet there will be a few niggly problems with it as with most used cars of age, but they all will be easy fixes and wont need to be ever fixed again. Get on top of things, and will be a fantastic car

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