Need Advice to Buy a Car

LSmol Cat on 16/05/2017 - 11:38
Last edited 18/05/2017 - 11:07

Hi guys,

I am looking to buy a new car. Doesn't have to be brand new, but this is a car that I plan to keep at least for the next 10 years, and it would be nice to be the only owner and knowing the full history of the car and also getting the new car warranty on it. However, I am open minded to used cars if it makes sense financially.

Budget:

Less than 40K - although this is not strict, I don't really want to spend much more as I would only be able to make an initial down payment of about 20K

Ideal use:

Work/city commuter (Sydney heavy traffic), with occasional weekend road trips to go camping/off-roading (read, unpaved, muddy tracks, but not tracks where you need offroad experience).

Must be Automatic Transmission. Ideally it would be nice and quick and a fun drive.

Cars I've looked into:

Note I had not driven any of these cars before. I drive a small ultra light at the moment.

Subaru Forester/Outback - I'm leaning towards the Forester XT

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque - Love the look of this car

I am open to any and all car suggestions. I would like to stay away from luxury brands as I hear that the maintenance/service costs for them are outrageously high.

I'd love to hear what you guys think as I honestly don't know that much about cars as I haven't looked around that much.

Edit: Cars removed: WRX Sti - silly, Jeep Wrangler - poor feedback, RAV4 - not exciting.
Budget changed from <60 to <40K.

Poll Options

56
<Subaru Forester XT>
6
<Toyota RAV4>

Automotive

Comments

- - - mattelinc on 19/05/2017 - 08:52
      
      +1
      
      The HRV is due to have a small makeover very shortly, including the addition of the ADAS system (emergency braking, lane assist etc) that the CRV currently has. They are bigger in interior size. Honda has a knack for seat configurations too. If you have the little people in seats, there's enough anchor points for 3.
      
      Similarly to you, someone I know couldn't get the pram into the CX3 without a battle. They ended up in the new Mazda 3 with all the extras they could fit into it.
      
      I definitely suggest waiting for the new HRV although I can appreciate the current VTiL for its amazing front cup holders.
      
      Take one out for a drive. See how you go mate.
      
      EDIT -
      
      Article published yesterday. They should be in the showroom in a couple of weeks. Good to see that there's no addition in price across the board.
      
      http://www.caradvice.com.au/551177/2017-honda-hr-v-pricing-a…
its on 18/05/2017 - 16:21

Skoda Superb
Melong on 18/05/2017 - 16:48

+2

Wait for the Tesla model 3 next year, should be around 50k but save on petrol!
lordz89 on 18/05/2017 - 16:52

Grab a new or Near new Triton, Put a canopy on the back and your all done.
GLX+ comes in around 38k without too many extras thrown on for brand new.
bitambitious on 18/05/2017 - 17:18

2017 Mazda CX-5 Touring
frigit on 18/05/2017 - 17:25

WRX with CVT, awesome car with great power, stability and fairly good fuel economy. Also a very safe car. Absolutely love mine. Insurance is around $1000/yr.
- [Deactivated] on 05/06/2017 - 20:51
  
  Not safe. ANCAP means f all. Size and mass is what is important.
  - frigit on 05/06/2017 - 22:06
    
    I'd agree with you partially about size and mass, but don't think you're safer in a big 4WD. Better to have some crumble zone than a truck chassis.
    WRX has engine designed to go under the car and is strengthened with reinforced cabin.
    AWD is one of the best systems a car can have, plus active vectoring. You won't spin out or lose traction like a rear or front wheel drive.
    Read up or take one for a drive and you'll change your mind.
    - [Deactivated] on 05/06/2017 - 23:19
      
      I've driven one. I used to own one. How many 4wd still have ladder frame chassis? Almost none. They have the same floorpan designs as sedans (often they share platforms, e.g. the Ford Mondeo Chassis is the basis for the Land Rover Freelander and the Volvo XC60).
      
      The WRC does not have remarkable safety in its class, let alone outright. ANCAP is class based. Do you really think a 5 star Barina is as safe as a 5 Star BMW X5 for example?
      
      An AWD system is just as prone to understeer as a front wheel drive car, and while it maintains traction better, that doesn't mean a lot when you reach the limits of grip (the same for front wheel drive, rear wheel drive and all wheel drive if the cars are on the same rubber).
    - frigit on 06/06/2017 - 04:38
      
      @Burnertoasty:
      I can only only assume you haven't driven the latest Wrx 2015+. Completely new design, 40% more rigid than its previous model. I've driven lots of cars and nothing compares to the handling. I push this thing to its limits (safely) even in the wet and it handles like it's on rails. How much safer do you want?
      As for most SUV, yes they are pretty much car chassis on stilts. So in fact having a higher centre of gravity would make it handle worse and possibly more prone to a roll over.
      BTW, keep in mind the price range also as a BMW X5 is probably x2 the price. Don't think the person was prepared to spend that much.
    - [Deactivated] on 06/06/2017 - 12:20
      
      @frigit: Mate it's a WRX, not a Lotus. Inherently it has understeer, so handling on rails is an exaggeration. My point is that it's just not as safe as you are trying to make out. It's just an average car that's been souped up a tiny bit. It's not even fast these days.
    - frigit on 09/06/2017 - 17:54
      
      @Burnertoasty:
      Have you driven the latest WRX? If not, don't make assumptions from having driven a wrx from years past. Totally new chassis, motor, suspension, electronics etc..
      0-100 in under 6 seconds not fast enough?
      No it's no Lotus but for under 45K I think you would find it difficult to find a car with all its benefits.
      I'm only talking from my experience in driving cars, not what people have said or read about. Driven enough cars and motorbikes to know what is good or not.
      What are you driving?
    - [Deactivated] on 09/06/2017 - 19:15
      
      @frigit: You're delusional if you think it has a new motor. It's the same rubbish boxer 4 it's always had. You might love your car, but is literally a bottom of the range sedan with a turbo. The non-sti doesn't even have locking diffs. Under 6 seconds to 100kmh is not exactly fast these days. Most mid range sedans are in the mid 5's these days.
    - frigit on 09/06/2017 - 20:23
      
      @Burnertoasty:
      Most mid range sedans are mid 5's. Who's delusional?
      Name the cars.
    - [Deactivated] on 09/06/2017 - 20:49
      
      @frigit: BMW 530, Mercedes E400, Audi A6 TFSI. All mid range. All mid 5s.
    - frigit on 09/06/2017 - 21:15
      
      @Burnertoasty:
      Don't think that's " most cars ". All high end cars well over what the average person drives.
    - [Deactivated] on 09/06/2017 - 22:16
      
      @frigit: They are by definition mid range cars. 3-5-7 C-E-S A4-A6-A8
    - frigit on 10/06/2017 - 00:23
      
      @Burnertoasty:
      Yeah and mid range prices…$90,000+
    - [Deactivated] on 10/06/2017 - 08:14
      
      @frigit: Ha, no. Try $150k
    - frigit on 10/06/2017 - 09:16
      
      @Burnertoasty:
      Exactly, so why bother discussing cars of that value when the original post indicating cars around 40k?
      What I'm saying is a wrx is excellent value for a car that has awd with great handling and performance and has heaps of safety features.
      A real ozbargainer would see that 😁
    - [Deactivated] on 10/06/2017 - 11:37
      
      @frigit: Maybe 20 years ago. Games moved on grandpa.
    - Euphemistic on 10/06/2017 - 18:06
      
      @frigit: just face it. Burnertoasty is right. If you don't get a $150k euro, you might as well walk.
Peteroz on 18/05/2017 - 18:56

You like the look of Range Rover Evoque but not enough money to buy, then there is a replica it is called LandWind X7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_XDMCB7Saw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00X9zT6s6z4 is another all favorite SUV! It is a now a parent company of Volvo!!!! LOL the engine comes from Volvo!!! I believe it has even double glazed windows just like in the premium BMW or Mercedes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwPR5rq4yNk&t=3s

Forget about your Hyundai or Kia………….

Just go to any local Chinese car dealer and ask them for importing one for yourself.

I think in the next 3 to 5 years Chinese car will be step ahead of Koreans and even better!!! As you know now Chinese own MG and Volvo!!!
- mattelinc on 19/05/2017 - 08:21
  
  "Importing one for yourself"..
  
  Have you done this? Didn't think so.
coupeborgward on 18/05/2017 - 20:47

get a nice classic car. you have to travel in style when young
- Smol Cat on 18/05/2017 - 20:47
  
  With what $$$$ zzzzz
ProggerPete on 18/05/2017 - 21:25

It takes a different kind of crazy than what is normally found on Ozbargain to go into debt to buy a brand new car.
AlexD on 18/05/2017 - 23:01

My two picks would be the Outback 3.6R or the Skoda Octavia Scout.
The Outback has better equipment levels than the Forester, and feels more like a car on the road. I preferred the Skoda in a test drive, and it's much cheaper than the similarly sized Passat Alltrack, with a more luxury feel.
Both have decent ride height, AWD, and under body protection. Servicing isn't cheap for either - Subarus are known for reliability, but the Skoda has a 5 year warranty.
zs8574832 on 19/05/2017 - 00:02

"at least for the next 10 years"
Then　TOYOTA, You have no other choice.
mattelinc on 19/05/2017 - 08:15

My cousin bought a KIA Sportage Platinum over the Range Rover Evoque.

Reliability and 7 years warranty from new. Get one that's a year old.

Before I see the "But it's a Kia", stfu. Hyundai/Kia cars have come a long way since the earlier model Excel paddock bashers. We own both a Korean built Kia and a European built one (2015 & 2016 models respectively) and we can't see any difference in quality between the two.

Wonder why they look like decent cars now? Because Kia headhunted the Audi/VW designer.

Get past the brand and you'll really love owning one of these cars.
- [Deactivated] on 05/06/2017 - 20:52
  
  Your cousin needs his head read.
  - mattelinc on 10/06/2017 - 09:43
    
    Your cousin is a red head.
- mattelinc on 10/06/2017 - 09:49
  
  Just to clarify, my sister bought a MY16 Range Rover Evoque at the exact same time as this. White with a moonroof because "all the other mums at school have one".
  
  She was shocked to learn the Kia also had a panoramic roof.
  
  Brand snobbery at its best. Came at a saving of $90,000 had she only just bought the Kia.
  
  Anyway, I'm not mad. I love watching people buy cars, then complain when they need a $800-$1200 major service. What did they expect?
  - [Deactivated] on 10/06/2017 - 11:38
    
    Honestly the Evoque is a pretty shitty car. But it's nowhere near as shitty as a Kia.
JTTheMan on 19/05/2017 - 15:05

Am I reading this right?

"Land Rover Range Rover Evoque - Love the look of this car

I am open to any and all car suggestions. I would like to stay away from luxury brands as I hear that the maintenance/service costs for them are outrageously high."

isn't Range Rover a luxury brand?
Islund on 19/05/2017 - 15:25

VW Tiguan 155TSI - has the GTI engine. Need I say more
nicholasfrawley on 19/05/2017 - 20:46

+1

https://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/Subaru-Forester-2…

Something like this would be perfect. The XT premium is worth it over the XT. Gotta have those leather seats!!!
gezza90 on 20/05/2017 - 00:18

You can get a decent Volvo xc90 for $20k and I doubt it will give you $20k worth of problems. It's safe and will probably tick all the boxes.
Marioedd on 21/05/2017 - 12:42

-2

VW Golf TDI - Can buy 2015 model with under 30 thousand ks for around 25k. I say this car as it has excellent fuel economy, easy to maintain and service (you can easily do it yourself) and drives very well.
Make it so on 24/05/2017 - 13:27

+1

Bought a Subaru Liberty recently. Having done a lot of research, they are very good value for money, in part because of the Japan free-trade agreement.
Their safety features are impressive. Even the base model comes with Eyesight, which does automatic breaking if it detects objects. Apparently the Subary AWD system is very good.

One thing to note: the dealer will ask you to buy tinting at a high cost, telling you that the normal glass lets all UV through. That is not true. I requested the statistics from Subaru Australia, who told me:

Windscreen blocks 99%
Normal (driver + passenger) blocks 90%
Privacy glass (back and rear sides) blocks 95%

I paid $195 to a company to have only the front (passenger, driver and corner-glass) tinted with 3M colorstable "35%" tint. If you buy during a promotional period, you get 2 years extra warranty.
- Smol Cat on 24/05/2017 - 13:36
  
  Thanks for the detailed response. What other cars did you consider while you did your research? And did you buy brand new?
  - Make it so on 24/05/2017 - 14:34
    
    +1
    
    Yes, brand new. Got about 11% off the recommended drive-away price.
    I only considered sedans, not SUV's. Though a Liberty should be adequate for the kind of muddy roads you are considering. I did a lot of research on the AWD, and apparently Subaru's AWD is considerably more effective in situations where only a single wheel has grip. For me, the eyesight technology, 18" alloys, boxer engine, "made in Japan", and recommendation from a picky friend ("Subaru was the only lease car I didn't hate") were determining factors. Even the base model is quite luxurious, and even has little blue LED's inside the front door handles. Resell values are also very good.
    
    Other cars I considered were Aurion ($28k driveaway at the time, but all sold out. Ever been to a dealer who told you they didn't have a car to show you, and couldn't tell you how much it would be if they did? It's hilarious….). But the Aurion, apart from the big engine, is fairly plain and boring, and reviews are moderate at best. Camry base models are great value (not the upper models IMO), but equally commonplace. Resell values are not fantastic on Aurion or Camry. I found the design of the Nissan Altima nice, but it has 16" donut wheels, and is expensive for what you get (no special features in base models, whereas a Liberty has all relevant stuff as standard). Reviews on Altima also not great; it's described as a slow old-man's car. I seriously considered the new Honda Civic, which looks great. But a tall adult cannot sit in the back, so that's a no-go for me. Test-driving the turbo model was great though. Pity it's not made in Japan.
- microsnot on 04/06/2017 - 11:46
  
  Is that UVA or UVB? I'm guessing those percentages are for UVB.
- [Deactivated] on 05/06/2017 - 20:55
  
  -1
  
  Love the 'research' people do, when they know nothing about cars. Subaru's sport ancient engines, terrible CVT gearboxes and 20 year old designs. In 1997, they were near the front of the pack as a mid priced sedan. Now they are near the bottom. A Passat as an example, is a much better car, in the same price bracket.
cheapcheapo on 31/05/2017 - 11:59

+1
Hey, sounds like you and I are looking for similar kinda cars!

I've been looking at SUVs at the moment - wanting something fuel efficient, safe, big enough for going camping (ie. needs to be AWD and have high front clearance) but small enough so it's still practical for suburban and city driving (which is going to be 90% of the year anyway).

Did a bit of research and test drove a lot of cars and this is what I've come up with:

VW Tiguan - most likely going to settle on this one. 2017 model looks good and the interior is VERY well designed. Like someone who would actually use the car, designed it not like some other ones where the you fit in the car and the whole time you're thinking wtf. Has a lot of boot space and the 132 TSI model comes with heaps of standards and safety features. Only thing I would critique is that back seats "feel" slightly smaller than the other cars we've tried. Might be due to the way the roof curves in (compared to the boxy shape of the Forester). Price range is ~$40k for the 132 TSI.

Subaru Forester - good value for money. But interior is terrible. I test drove the "top of the range" and it was pretty average. Does not feel nice or particularly luxurious. Small details about the Forester that would bug you if you drove in it everyday, like a tiny glove box plus a lack of compartments in the front to put stuff (so you can't leave anything in the car without it being in full view) and the middle seat in the back has a seat belt that pulls down from the roof. So when someone is sitting in the seat, it completely blocks your rear view or when someone isn't using it, the seat belt buckle just kinda dangles from the roof in the rear mirror. All that aside, it drives well and the boot is big. I used to have a Liberty and never had an issue. So not sure why people are not happy with Subaru?

Madza CX-5 - probably one of the best value cars you can get on the market in terms of engine capacity and power. But we ruled it out straight away when we found out that the front clearance sits 1cm higher than the new Hyundai i30! Also has a space saver in the boot. So basically no good for us when we want to use it for camping. Might as well, just continue to drive our i30. We did once bust a tyre driving off track once but it has a full sized spare at the back. So who says, i30 can't be used off track =P

Hyundai Tucson - was originally my first choice. But turns out that you pretty much need to get the top of the range to get all the standard features you would get in other brands. So at the end the value for money was not great, and when you're paying that much, you might as well look at other more reputable/fancier brands.

Kia Sportage - sounded good and looked alright in pictures. But couldn't get over how ugly it is in real life. The "grills" at the front is made of plastic that looks like it will fall right off. Same interior manufacturers as Hyundai and it is unbelievable how small the cup holders are.

And for a bit of giggles, went to look at the Volvo XC-60. I pretty much gave the sales guy a mini heart attack when I said I wanted to drive it off road. So yer, no.
- Smol Cat on 31/05/2017 - 12:38
  
  Awesome detailed reply, really appreciate it.
  
  I haven't test drove any of the cars I have in mind yet. I will get around to it most likely end of the year.
  
  I'm considering getting a small sedan and just renting a 4x4 the few times a year I need one. That could also be an option for you maybe. Rentals for a good 4x4 is like 2K a week. So not too bad if you only go twice a year.
  - cheapcheapo on 31/05/2017 - 13:51
    
    No probs. Need to contribute to this site instead of lurking all the time! haha
    
    Renting a 4x4 is a good option if you're not planning to use it often. For us, we wanted to get a bigger car (than our i30) anyway. Also made sense if we wanted to have kids in the future etc.
    
    Good luck car shopping! Now's a really good time for the EOFY deals though. It's a lot easier convincing sales people to give discounts now than at the end of the year. You know it's possible, but they make it so much harder for you.
- Euphemistic on 01/06/2017 - 08:21
  
  on 2. I'm a bit worried that you describe a seat belt as completely blocking the rear view. Sure, it does get in the view, but it's a long way from completely blocking it. I owned a 2003 forester for a while and yes, the middle belt did go up to the roof, but I never considered that it 'blocked my rear view' - at all.
  
  It seems that you or OP don't have kid seats to worry about, but you should consider where the seat mounting points are if you do/will need them. My Forester was at roof level at the back, so the straps were over the top of the cargo area which got in the way a couple of times. Even worse is when the strap needs to go back down to the back of the floor significantly blocking the cargo area (note I said significantly, not completely). That is a real pain if you need to put something bulky in like a pram while up on the roof isn't too bad.
Frugal99 on 05/06/2017 - 20:40

@smol cat considering your last comment , have you maybe thought of something like the Suzuki Kizashi AWD ? Think it fits everything you need and will save you a lot of money considering their price ?
- chumlee on 05/06/2017 - 20:49
  
  +1
  
  They don't sell it anymore here. Getting a used one may just cause issues with supply of parts down the track