Buying first car, budget $10k

Ljoshmachine on 23/05/2015 - 08:42

Hi All,

My requirement is of a Sedan(Auto) and anything from year 2012 onward with less than 100k kilometers.
My budget for direct cash payment is about $10k and willing to take a loan of $5-6k more if I can get some decent rates.

I have sort of shortlisted the following after having gone through carsales.com.au

  1. Hyundai Elantra, 2013 and above models available in the range of 16k
  2. Hyundai Accent, 2013 and above models available in the range of 16k
  3. Hyundai I40/I45, 2012 models available in my budget
  4. Toyota Corolla/Camry, 2012 models available in my budget of 15k
  5. Honda(City, Civic, Accord) only 2007-09 models available in my budget
  6. Mazda 3 Neo, 2012 models available in my budget.

I am not preferring the Toyota models as they sort of look dated to me and do not come with most modern day bells and whistles. I am unable to form an opinion about Mazda 3. Currently by the looks of it I am loving the Hyundai's and the Honda's.

I am also wondering about Demo models and if it is ok to buy them as Hyundai has 1% rate offer running on them. BTW I am from Brisbane.

Time for your suggestions! Thanks.

Automotive

Comments

  • Colombian on 23/05/2015 - 09:13
    +1

    I would go with Corolla or Mazda 3 Neo. Corollas may look outdated but they are very reliable. In the long term you will forget about all bells and whistles when a car starts to give you trouble.

  • p1 ama on 23/05/2015 - 10:04
    -3

    I wouldn't go with a Hyundai, they don't have the longevity and reputation that Mazda, Toyota and the other Japanese brands do.

    Between a Corolla and a Camry, I'd prefer a Camry, you get a bit more room and second hand prices aren't too different. You get a bit more punch on the acceleration and a nicer car.

    Mazda 3 is a great car, it's probably somewhere between a Corolla and a Camry in terms of both size and performance. I wouldn't go with a Honda because they tend to be more expensive than Toyota and Mazda cars of the same generation. Even with what you're saying, you're choosing between 07-09 Hondas and 2012 Camrys, I'd go with the Camry, that's a no brainer.

  • joshmachine on 23/05/2015 - 10:17

    Thanks for your comments, I will start looking into camrys and corollas.

  • spackbace on 23/05/2015 - 10:27

    1% vs ~7% wont make that much of a difference on a $5k borrow. Not enough to warranty choosing 1 car over another

  • airzone on 23/05/2015 - 10:48

    There are car dealers on scumtree that sell other dealer's trade-ins.. Cheap and no frills, but you can get some real gems.

  • joshmachine on 23/05/2015 - 10:56

    Thanks, I will look for Toyota models across sites. But the cost seems to be on the higher side to me in Brisbane

  • nocure on 23/05/2015 - 11:40

    The kia's are improving each year and give great warranties..for example,below link still under new car warranty until 2017

    http://carsales.mobi/cars/details/2012-Kia-Rio-Si-UB/AGC-AD-…

  • tomleonhart on 23/05/2015 - 12:17

    Please do your research.

    Hyundai since 2009 has greatly improved their game.

    The i30 is on its way to become one of the best selling car for a reason. They're no longer cheap and nasty, today the i30 and elantra present great value for money when it comes to car. Go test drive an i30, mazda 3, corollas and elantra and decide for yourself.

    • ChrisLevo on 23/05/2015 - 17:19

      Instead of sweeping generalisations about reliability, it's a pity that people don't look for objective reports.

      http://www.caradvice.com.au/263631/hyundai-beats-toyota-to-t… came up as the first hit when I did a search on Hyundai reliability.

      Kia is from the same stable, and has the same reputation for reliability.

      What Japanese brand offers a 7 year warranty like the Koreans?

  • joshmachine on 23/05/2015 - 12:37

    Thanks for all your inputs, country i come from Hyundai's rule the roost hence I do believe they are good.

  • joshmachine on 23/05/2015 - 12:54

    Guys what do you think about a Diesel I30 2009 model(Auto) for $11k?

    • npc on 23/05/2015 - 20:53

      Too expensive IMHO. I've also heard that real life and economy is not very exciting for a diesel. It is also better to drive compared to the petrol version due to a higher torque.

      • joshmachine on 24/05/2015 - 08:32

        Not sure if any thing cheaper is available as far as I30 is available. Brisbane market seems to be on a different plateau than Sydney Melbourne.

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