What would be a smarter buy and why please between ?
2004 BMW X5 SUV 3.0i variant Auto 4WD 3.0L 5 speed with 221728km for $7999
OR
2007 Holden Captiva LX 4x4 SUV 3.2L V6 5speed Auto with 165562km for $7999
Thank you for your time
Mod 30/7 630pm: Fixed poll (you may need to re-vote)
Mod 31/7 355pm: Added 4 more poll options from OP's additional forum post now merged
6 cylinder Rav 4's are more expensive than $7999
200 killer wasps
What SUV would you suggest ? For a family car
If you are willing and able to work on it yourself you can go older euro and get great bang for buck. The parts aren't that much more expensive if you know where to look, and the labour is where you can save tons.
I have a MB ML270 and it's just clocked 300k. Its a great car even by modern standards. Great fuel economy, no emission crap, 8 airbags, separate chassis AWD. You can't get that kind of spec anymore. Its built like a tank and has all the safety gear like ESP and airbags ABS brake assist etc etc. There probably isn't a safer vehicle on the road for 7 seated.
Its been very reliable, although I did swap out the transmission recently because a bearing failed in it. It was still running fine, better than ever, but since I had access to a spare trans I swapped it out. That trans swap at the dealer would have cost over twice what the car is worth just in labour alone.
I do all my own work on it. I also get economies of scale since our other car is a MB sprinter van with the exact same drive train, which is at 420k.
Forester for a small family; Outback if you need more space.
I thought being a BMW the parts would be expensive ?
What about how many Km it's done, iv heard cars from 200000km all start having problems ?
What other SUV would you suggest ? For a family car
The 200000km crap is a myth. It is false trivia for the uneducated and misinformed.
More mileage does mean more wear and year but there's no magic number. It all depends on luck and driver habits.
I'd avoid anything with such high mileage because it isn't covered by any form of warranty. It is all your problem from the moment the cheque clears.
And you're picking a terribly unreliable car and pitching it against a terribly expensive to fix car.
Thank you, what SUV would you recommend for a family car in the price range of $8-$10,000 and why ?
@Kaz84:
I wouldn't recommend any TBH. The main reason being, it is very difficult to find a good specimen at that price range. They would either have very high mileage beyond the 160,000km hence it would have no warranty, or it would be a problem model that no one wants to touch.
SUVs in recent years command a premium, both RRP and dealer margins. If it is space you're after, you should consider a wagon. May not be the look you're after, but far more spacious and practical.
At the end of the day, a $8,000 car is never going to be glamorous. There's no point trying to delude ourselves. May as well get something practical that would work its ass off. Subaru Outback comes to mind.
A myth in many cases. My 06 Mitsubishi 380 has done 332 thousand kms. Almost nothing has gone wrong with it, other than a couple of minor issues with the gas system (which is not a Mitsubishi gas system). Most of these kms are freeway kms.
Don't go near the Captiva. Thirsty, cheap and nasty and unreliable.
And the labour rates at authorised BMW service centres is around $240ph - bear that in mind.
But you don't HAVE to take your old BMW to a BMW dealer for servicing. The parts will still be pricey though.
What about how many Km it's done, iv heard cars from 200000km all start having problems ?
@Kaz84: Not necessarily, depends on how lucky you are and how good the previous owners were. Also if it were highway miles or not. But obviously the 200k km car would be more worn.
Neither
What would you suggest in this price range for an SUV ? For a family car
What would be a smarter buy and why please between ?
2004 BMW X5 SUV 3.0i OR 2007 Holden Captiva
why these two?
These are the two I found in my price rang that are available and that I like the look of, just need to make sure I choose the best one that will last me the longest without causing me problems really
For family car use
Looks are overrated when you and your family are stuck on the side of the road.
Try one of these.
https://tinyurl.com/y83sbsop
Both are really average. I would rather wait a while save up a bit more and go for a Prado around $10-12k
Or something more suitable, given the OP hasn't given any indication of the intended use. A kluger might work just as well.
It's just for a family car as iv got a new addition to the family due in a week so I need a bigger car than my sedan
The benefit with a toyota is even if you buy one with higher Kms atleast if the engine blows you wont go bankrupt. Every second person has a Kluger, Rav4, Prado
A kluger would be great, it didnt even spring to mind. You can also find them for a bargain at 10-15k.
Thank you, I'll have a look at those ones first
That's not true. When it was new, the X5 was a class leading car. The problem is that the OP is looking at an old piece of junk that will just fall apart when he drives it.
When it was new, the X5 was a class leading car.
the e53 sure did lead in the recalls department.
perhaps bmw were to ambitions for their own good by designing complex systems that were prone to failure.
No doubt it was a flawed car. My mother had one many years ago when it was new. They sold it when it was 3 years old because it had so many little things go wrong with it, and the price of repairs was astronomical. But as a car, it was great. Then. Now, not so much.
What SUV would you suggest for a family car ?
@Kaz84: I would suggest you can't afford an SUV. Realistically at $8k, you'd be better catching the bus.
Can't seem to find a decent SVU for a family car ?
Try Law & Order. Not sure if I'd recommend it for the whole family though, some offenses are considered especially heinous.
These are their redbook stories.
Why a parado ?
And what year are you talking for that price range ?
I wouldn't recommend a Prado unless you plan on towing or 4wding. Sure they are tough and reliable, but they hold their value too well so you'll be getting an older or higher km Prado than you might get for something more suited to city living, like a kluger, Santa Fe, or even a commodore wagon. There is also the Subaru Outback as a wagon alternative.
Thank you, yeah i'm thinking a kluger sounds like a good choice from what others have suggested so far
Is it true that cars at 200000km all start having big problems ?
No it isn't true that ALL cars start having BIG problems at 200,000km. Many cars keep going beyond that, well beyond it with out too much drama. BUT it is more likely that something might go wrong, and it might be expensive. By the time.you get to 200,000km you are likely needing to replace suspension parts, steering bushes, wheel bearings etc, but these often aren't expensive to replace IF you can do it yourself. The motor and transmission can run much longer than 200,000km IF they have been looked after properly and are expensive to replace or repair, especially in European cars. Basic, common cars can usually pick up second hand engine transmission at a reasonable price, but again, the labour is what kills.
I recently replace a centre diff in a forester with about 215,000km on it. Shop estimate about $1500. I found a second hand gearbox for $200 and did it myself for an extra $50 in fluids etc.
Cars over 200,000km are the domain of people who can fix it themselves, or have mechanic buddies that will do it in exchange for something else that you can do.
Agreed. I have a 1995 Toyota Celica with 294xxx km and (touchwood) still going strong. It all depends on how you drive it. E.g. the celica is a 2.2ltr / 4cyl engine with some torque which means you don't need to rev it past 3k rpm to get power out of it. We recently had it towed to the mechanic and the gearbox changed for $550. All other preventative maintenance, we do it ourselves.
Thank you, yes that makes a lot of sense when you put it like that, so I'm thinking a kluger is a good choice ?
@Kaz84: older kluger models might be a bit thirsty. If you find one, make sure you check the fuel consumption and are happy with it. They are a big car, with a v6 petrol motor.
What would be a smarter buy ?
neither.
😂 if you had to choose ?
Otherwise what SUV in that price range would you suggest ? For a family car
Between them, BMW, but I'm sure there's better options
Why do you choose the BMW ?
And what other SUV would you recommend ?
It's a BMW. It's still comfortable to drive, still has road presence.
Well that depends, why do you want an SUV? How old are your kids?
Just for a family car and bigger than my sedan I have now,
I have a 1 year old and another due in 7 days
For $8k I'd look at something newer in sedan form - Camry/Commodore/Falcon
Don't need an SUV if it means getting an old car.
@Spackbace: iv got a Commodore VZ now and it's just too small an the boot won't fit a double pram that's why I'm looking at SUV's
I could wait a bit and save for a $10,000 SUV instead ?
Shouldn't be too small… And honestly it would be cheaper looking at different pram options than car options
@Spackbace: I already bought a new double pram that is the most compact one available and although it fits in my sedan boot that's all that it fits so no room when I go food shopping etc. Plus iv had it for 5 years I'm over it an would like to get an SUV
I easily fit 2 kids under 5 in a corolla. Not saying you need a car that small, but personally if I had 2 small kids in a car I'd rate safety features of a newer car over a bit of excess room. If you could afford a decent SUV it'd be a different story. I think you should keep saving up for something better.
As for trying to do shopping with a double pram, that sounds a nightmare. Little one in a chest sling with the bigger one in a trolley is so much easier. And you've got the trolley to put your stuff.
I have 3 kids and a Ford mondeo wagon. The boot is so big you don't even need to fold a big off road pram with 12in air tyres!
@Kaz84: what youbneed is a station wagon.
Suv are not that much bigger in boot size my jeep Cherokee has a larger boot space by ltrs but my wifes holden malibu is easy to use.
@Kaz84: If you want space, get a ford falcon station wagon. ive got a 2014 kluger and it doesnt even come close to having the same amount of space as my old 2000 falcon wagon
https://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/Ford-Falcon-2009/…
@lozbargain: yeah I was thinking the same thing, might keep saving.
Yes definitely a good idea with the baby carrier I think would be much easier, thank you
We had 3 kids under the age of 2 (we had twins second time around) and we managed to fit them all in a Mazda 3 at times, including double pram and a stroller.
Yes… we did eventually get a Commodore Sportwagon, but we still managed with the Mazda 3 for a couple of months.
Long story short…. if you can't fit 2 kids in a Holden Commodore you're doing something wrong.
@SpottyMoose: yeah that's true and I can fit them in I just want a bigger car and bigger boot space as I don't just want it to fit just for the kids and their stuff
Buy a trailer….. just kidding. :)
Although yes… space is always at a premium with kids.
Good luck with your search and look forward to the days without prams…. it's so much easier.
P.S. My girls are now 8 and 6(x2)….. it's still not easier…. each challenge is replaced with another…. haha.
At least we have boot space now.
What about cars that are at 200000km is it true they all start to have bigger problems ?
Neither, buy smart, buy Japanese or Korean cars :)
Why's that ?
reliability. price. cost of replacement parts and servicing.
What SUV for a family car would you suggest ?
Spot on altomic :)
But the captiva is Korean.
failed Daewoo
I was thinking the same thing last night, so how would I know which Japanese, Korean etc one to get or is it just because it's a captiva
We got rid of our 2008 X5 earlier this year, because the servicing and parts (even at non-dealer places) were getting too expensive for what the car was worth. X5 are great cars, we are on to the 2nd one and loving it, but I think 2004 is too old, and you better prepare for its upkeep cost.
Thank you, that's heaps helpful to know, I didn't actually think about the cost of the parts
DO NOT, repeat DO NOT touch a Captiva.
Why's that ?
And what SUV would you suggest ? For a family car
Get your google on and see if you can find ANY positive reviews of Captivas that are still current. Betting types would wager high stakes you can't find one. Sure, on the outside it looks ok, has plenty of features, but reliability is a big issue, particularly in higher km versions.
Yes I definitely can agree with that from what everyone has said
a friend once purchased a second hand bmw and after a couple of years he coined the phrase "if you can't afford a brand new bmw then you can't afford a second hand one"
They aren't called CRAPtivas for no reason.
Why's that ?
What SVU would you suggest ? For a family car
Whys that? They keep breaking down. Do yourself a favour and 'gooogle' holden captiva issues.
That said, if the older craptiva you're looking at, is still running today, then most of these issues have been fixed, so you might be ok.
If you like tossing money at cars, then either the craptiva or the BWM will be fine for you. Both are going to be costly to repair.
If you are on a budget then look at a hyundai tucson. I had a 2007 model for 6 years and it was extremely reliable. not very powerful - certainly no rocket, but fine for city driving and highways - could easily cruise at 120km/h) but easily roomy enough for 2 kids and pram in the back
what is your budget? ($8000?)
Thank you I'll have a look,
Yes $8000 would be my budget
add a 0 to that figure then you can start looking for a solid investment vehicle
Not solid but high yield
I should add that we went from a Mazda 3 up to the tuscon (just after we had our second child) and it was so much easier getting the kids out. SUV for ease of access with young kids.
Sounds like a much more sensible option.
The X5 is a fine looking vehicle, but there's a good reason why it's only $8k. It's 13 years old. It will require expensive repairs. It sounds like you're on a limited budget. If you can't afford another $3k per year on maintenance for the X5 then do not buy.
My former boss bought a new X5 in 2002 and absolutely despised the vehicle just a year later. Plenty of quality and reliability issues.
Do not buy any 1st generation vehicle, especially if it's European.
Thank you, is there an SUV for a family car you would suggest up to $10,000 ?
How about the Ford Territory? Not the sexiest car out there, but it is pretty cheap due to being relatively unloved in the marketplace. Parts are cheap and readily available due to sharing a platform with the Falcon.
Yeah iv been looking at them and they seem to fit what I'm looking for, thank.you
A Beamer at 200,000 kms would be expensive to maintain no?
May I ask why a SUV? In true whirlpool style, Why not a Falcon on gas? Far more reliable and spacious then both your choices and short of the Landcruiser, Kluger and anything else Jap that was posted, would be my choice in your predicament.
(NB we own a SUV and we don't have kids but would still rather have the boot/space of our old Commie then our current Mazda; our budget was a fair bit higher too)
Edit: just realised that you've already got a VZ. Bad luck. I don't know the first thing about kids but why not use the money that you would waste on a craptiva and spend it on a more compact double pram. My sister owned a city mini that was double and fit in the Holden Nova she owned. Haha. That's what I would do. Alternatively, the comment on owning a Falcon/Commie on gas holds true, just get a wagon. Biggest problem may be that you get mistaken for a Telstra technician in the wagon.
If had my VZ for 5 years I'm over it and would like an SUV, I actually did get a city mini double pram which does fit into the boot but that's all that fits can't put much else in there, and I'd also like a bigger car in general.
I think.I'm.going to have to wait and save more money
How about something like a Suzuki XL-7 https://carsales.mobi/cars/details/Suzuki-XL-7-2005/SSE-AD-4…
Thank you I'll have a look
Both would be on the bottom of a very lengthy list. You will likely require $7999 for parts and service each year to take into consideration.
A lot of people would have to sieve through the comments to get a full picture of your circumstances. I suggest edit and add the following.
Max price - $8,000
Prefered format - SUV
Current car - Commodore VZ
Requirements - bought a double pram. Need space to fit pram in boot and still have room for groceries.
Knowledge on cars - zero
I was thinking the same thing, I honestly didn't expect to get so much great advice.
I'll do that now, thank you
Neither Bmw parts are expensive captivas ain't called craptivas for nothing
If you are looking for an SUV in that price bracket I'd look towards Subaru Forester or RAV4