Used Car Guide - Budget $5,000

Crayze w00kie on 04/08/2019 - 23:27
Last edited 05/08/2019 - 11:16 by 2 other users

Hey guys, essentially I don't really know much about cars and I need to buy one, my friends have recommended buying a used car off a site like carsales.com and the only advice I've really gotten is 'buy a Japanese car', because they are more reliable and cheaper to repair at the mechanics / replacement parts.

Does anybody have any tips or know what to look for when buying a used car? I'm not really sure what to look out for, how to tell if a car is worth the money, what I will really be getting for what I'mm paying for it.

I'm pretty much looking for a 4 cylinder around the $5,000 mark.

Any advice is appreciated, thanks.

Automotive Car

Comments

  • Blue Cat on 04/08/2019 - 23:47

    You can start with this guide, but I am not sure how old it is. Might also be outdated on the prices. Still kind of relevant. Hopefully someone can find a more updated guide.

  • epkh on 04/08/2019 - 23:51
    +13

    The only advice you get from ozb is to get a Camry/Corolla.

    Even if the post is asking "looking for most over the top luxury car budget $690k" the suggestions would still be a Camry/Corolla…

    • crentist on 05/08/2019 - 00:32
      +10

      you can put the other 670k on a house deposit

      • spackbace on 05/08/2019 - 10:53
        +2

        Just a deposit? You must live in Sydney

        • godofpizza on 05/08/2019 - 11:59

          camry - don't buy anything older than the 2001 series as both v4/v6 requires a timing belt change every 100K. which could be expenisve if your on a limited budget.

  • altomic on 05/08/2019 - 00:40
    +3

    also korean cars- hyundai, Kia

    what are using the car for? long trips? carrying stuff around ?(i.e. big boot required), how many passengers usually? e.g. family

    are you wanting a smaller size car like a mazda 2 or something larger like a falcon?

    have a read of these previous threads where the same question has been asked/tips:

    Buying a Used Car - Need Serious Helping In Choosing - Budget $6k
    Tips for Getting The Best Deal on a Used Car
    Questions to Ask for a Used Car?
    Advice on Negotiating Dealer Used Car
    First Time Buying Used Car

    • HighAndDry on 05/08/2019 - 09:58
      +4

      also korean cars- hyundai, Kia

      Late 2000's+ models only. Korean cars have only gotten reliable in the last couple of decades.

  • Cheeper on 05/08/2019 - 01:07

    What do you expect to do with it? Long trips or just local runs?
    Size? Large Falcon/commodore? Medium Camry/Mazda3? Small Hyundai Getz/Ford Fiesta?
    Any friends / family / workmates who own cars that you can get basic tips from?
    Any used car purchased anywhere can be a good deal or your biggest rip off, this includes Carsales.
    Your question is asked many times every week on most forums… browse through them on here and also have a look in WP.

  • Euphemistic on 05/08/2019 - 08:24
    +1
    1. Do some research on buying a used car.
    2. Work out what you want to use it for.
    3. Pick a few different models that suit your requirements
    4. Come back here with a more specific question. Ie do you think model a is better than model b.
  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 05/08/2019 - 10:31
    +3

    Don't ask this on Whirlpool Forums.

    Only answer you'll get is "AU Falcon on gas".

    • Bid Sniper on 05/08/2019 - 12:06
      +1

      Idiot forum, all on $100K plus but drive taxi LPG Falcon for some reason…

      • Illian on 05/08/2019 - 13:19
        +1

        You can say that about most ozbargainers too, old, white, rich, out of touch, try to scrape a few dollars off anything they can anyway.

        • Bid Sniper on 05/08/2019 - 13:52

          Not rich, just old delusional liars on Whingepool

        • Euphemistic on 05/08/2019 - 15:22

          not sure about 'white' ozbargainers. There are a lot of 'english as a second language' posts here.

        • [Deactivated] on 05/08/2019 - 17:29

          @Adonael , if the shoe fit…. ;)

          For the record, I only scored 1.5 out of those 5 things from your list.

  • cloudy on 05/08/2019 - 10:54

    Go to carsales.com.au and read their guides. They are pretty helpful.

  • Bid Sniper on 05/08/2019 - 12:07

    Hyundai i20

  • onetwothreefour on 05/08/2019 - 12:27

    Camry/Corolla

  • Spookware on 05/08/2019 - 13:02

    Ute.

  • Kill Joy on 05/08/2019 - 14:55
    +2

    I'm going to be actually helpful to you.

    Work out your criteria.

    • How many seats? 2/4/5/8?
    • Is fuel efficency important?
    • Do you need to tow a load?
    • Does it need to handle rougher country roads or is it city/suburban get around?
    • Do you need any other features?

    Then apply the following constraints to your search.

    • Budget: $5,000
    • Year: 2004+ (anything older than 15 and your going to get lots of problems)
    • KMs: 0 - 120,000kms
    • Transmission: Manual (if you can drive it since it'll be cheaper)

    Look for the following things when inspecting a car:
    - Does it have bumpy/streaky/runny paint? It has probably been in an accident - this could mean any number of bad things
    - Is the AC cold? If not, it'll likely cost a lot to fix ($200-400+ since you cant just regas a lot of old cars)
    - Check the tyres for wear. If you can barely see the lines in the tyre thread, you'll need to replace them ($200+)
    - Drive it. Check it idles fine at lights, doesnt rev up and down on its own. Ensure there isnt any clunking in the suspension when turning, hitting minor bumps.
    - Look under the hood to ensure their is no oil leaking. It will be obviously shiny. Also check under the car after its been parked for more than 20 minutes to see if any oil puddles form.
    - Check the logbook for service history. If its not been well maintained, stay away.

  • Euphemistic on 05/08/2019 - 15:26
    +1

    Transmission: Manual (if you can drive it since it'll be cheaper)

    Unlikely to be a cheaper car in the $5k range, but potentially will need a clutch replacement soon. An auto can be costly if not working, but they don't often fail and typically aren't a serviced item.

    • Check the tyres for wear. If you can barely see the lines in the tyre thread, you'll need to replace them ($200+)

    No. Check the tread wear indicators to determine the life left. If you don't know what these are then google.

    If you can 'barely see the lines' they are bald and the vehicle is unroadworthy.

  • bhubb18 on 05/08/2019 - 18:06

    Are you into any sort of car? Do you need any specific features?

    I've had a myriad of cars - A heap of Falcons, a Lexus GS300, an old 70s Toyota Crown, and a few other things, and currently a '15 Mitsubishi challenger, and a '00 outback.
    All of my cars have been sub 5k, except the GS300 and the Challenger. I like my outback, its practical, but average on fuel and performance. With the AWD system you can get around a few places, but AWD doesn't make it safer as such, so don't buy into that.

    Falcons are good, but they have problems and are average on fuel. Nice to drive, fairly safe, fairly reliable.
    My GS300 was great, lovely to drive, felt like a baller driving it (it was lowered to a impractical height haha), but was showing its age a little bit (as you would expect from a 20 year old car).
    My partner had a '05 Civic, great little car. Nothing special, but it drove fine and had very few issues.

    At 5k there are a lot of options, and you won't get something perfect, but you should be able to get something relatively problem free. Always factor in a 20% cost of potentially fixing broken things, since there will very likely be stuff that will take you a few drives to uncover (say a speaker doesnt work for example).

    IMO early - mid '00s Japanese cars are usually well made, with good fit and finish. A lot of newer stuff tends to feel like its made cheaper.

    • quaddie on 13/09/2019 - 10:32

      How have you found the Challenger? Used PC models are looking pretty good value compared to the competition right now.

      • bhubb18 on 13/09/2019 - 11:06

        Overall pretty happy with it, but it is a cheaper car for a reason. They have overheating issues (and mitsi will replace the engine out of warranty), but overall it does its job well.

        I would buy another one if I was looking at the 15-20k new(ish) 4wd, much cheaper than the competition thats for sure.

  • joshykins on 05/08/2019 - 18:40

    2008 corolla with under 150K. very cheap to service, repair, on fuel etc. Most reliable car in history and just attractive enough not to hate.

    cars continuously cost money. servicing, tyres, rego, insurance, parts. Be aware that a 'cool' car that you enjoy driving will never be cheap.

  • lovetodiscuss on 13/09/2019 - 11:38

    I have lived in different countries but thought if taxis are using certain make and model of cars, there must be a reason. In Oz Land, Falcon, Camry, recently Hyundai i40. Of course these would be bigger cars, but if they break down every 2nd day, I don't think they will be loved as taxis for long. In other parts of the world, I have seen Corolla (Bangkok), Toyota Crown (Tokyo, Hong Kong), In Taiwan, a Toyota wagon similar to a Camry wagon. Volkswagen Passat (10 years ago in China but it was a Made in China version). Of course, in Germany, what else but a Mercedes E class. :)

    Of course if you want something extremely reliable, hilux (use as a rocket launcher is some parts of the world and can survive gun fire :)

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