Hello OzB,
Looking for a fun car for under 12k - would like to know your recommendations.
Would prefer something newer than 2010 and less than 120k's
I'm not interested in anything VW gti cars personally and I love mx-5's but at 6 foot 5 it's not really an option.
Previously owned an 86 and needs to be more powerful.
Let me know your thoughts.
Edit: Just removed the specific cars mentioned as I don't want this to turn into some debate over french vs Japanese. All thoughts welcome.
The megane has only has 90k's, why would you not touch it? Every forum I look at says they are very reliable? The BMW on the other hand not so much.
Never mind, I can see that you own a VW golf, thus the hate. I only don't want a VW as I've owned two previously before this car and want something different.
I don't own a VW Golf, what on earth are you talking about? I have however, owned a Megane, back when I lived in England. It was fine. I just wouldn't want to own a high mileage one.
@[Deactivated]: Umm dude… the post where you filled it up with 98 then had a bad fuel pump. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/279391
@FreddyMerc: Yes, that was 4 years ago, and it was a Tigaun I bought quickly when I wrote off my other car. I think I owned it for 6 months.
@[Deactivated]: No… I clicked on his name, then posts, then looked 10 posts down and saw this. It literally took 10 seconds. Try it yourself.
@Lastchancetosee: That's a cool story, I'm not suggesting that you can't have a car for more than 4 years, just that it's fairly common for people to change cars.
@brendanm: Wow some really butthurt people over this comment, out of all the things I've said on this site, this is the one people get upset over. Weird.
I typically ignore anyone that says I wouldn't touch this and that without providing a reason.
If this is for fun you should budget for quarantine fines.
I do ubereats driving every night to make extra money. I want a fun car to do that in, not just to drive for fun.
AE86 then. While pumping Eurobeat.
Make sure to prioritize tofu deliveries before any other orders!
They are over $30k for those rusted out tofu nuggets!
Bunta V5STI, pfft 70k for a beater over 130k mint
Was looking for a friend….
Yes, the Megane is a good choice. Clio RS? Peugeot 208 GTi? All great cars and reliable, despite what some on Ozbargain will tell you.
I've owned a -
2015 RS 200 EDC CLIO - only for 8 months from new, loved this car, sold it to pay for wedding.
2013 208 GTI - This was a used one, I loved this one too but less reliable. Had 2 coolant leaks and a timing chain replacement. I blame that on BMW as they made the engine. The rest of the car was great.
Yes the early prince engines are renowned for timing chain issues, but apart from that Peugeot's are very reliable so long as you service on time and use the correct spec oil. I thought that timing chain issue was fixed by 2013 but maybe not.
Another one to consider, Alfa Romeo Giulietta QV/Quadrifoglio. I have seen them advertised pretty cheap, pretty rare though.
Have a 2013 Peugeot 5008 with a timing chain issue.So definitely not fixed by 2013 and probably not fixable on the Prince engines.
Having owned several French cars, I will never again, and would not recommend them either.
Depending on what you like, I would steer towards the 86, which might be a squeeze at 6’5.
You might find an ok 200sx, but might be rough for 12k
I've owned an 86. I loved that it turned every roundabout into an antisocial drifting opportunity. I hated that it was so slow unless you were ringing its neck out. Seriously, it felt slower than an NA mx-5 with the torque dip. Good suggestion however, for what they are, bunch of fun.
Driving a slow car fast is funner than a fast car slow. Also, stock tyres on those things helped you slide more than grippy rubber. Perhaps you should have gotten a turbo kit.
Kia Pro_ceed GT
Good suggestion - would like something with a bit more power but I'll think about it.
150kw, twins scroll turbo direct injection, 6MT, Main thing is the in gear acceleration is great. Off the line its wheel spins due to the torque hence the lower 0-100, 80% torque at 1500rpm
Love mine was quite surprised by it. Kinda a rare car, so no one expects a fast kia. I have a 2014 model but still has 3 years of warranty, so not concerned about reliability.
I've just owned so many cars with 150kw that I've become really used to that amount of power. Don't get me wrong, its a good amount and makes for a punchy car, I've just become really used to to 150kw hot hatches.
@FreddyMerc: Fair enough, I have a modded STI as a weekend car, I used the Kia as a daily and it enough for me in Sydney.
Maybe some JDM performance car, WRX or some nissan? Eg350z
@FreddyMerc: The 2008 Subaru Liberty GT spec.B, they're pretty reliable and fun and within your budget.
Heaps of mods out there for the engine, suspension, or other things. It's like a WRX, only grown up. Definitely one to consider.
I wouldn't call any car with 150kw a fast car
Assuming this is for a weekend fun car, have you considered getting an offroader to enjoy sand driving on Stockton Beach/Anna Bay and trails through the Blue Mountains etc? Might be a lot more fun than yet another small hatch for you.
It's not. Op will be using it while working for ubereats.
XR6 Turbo
Not a bad idea, using a high strung Euro car for doing Ubereats deliveries in. That shouldn't be a problem at all… French cars are renowned for their reliability and the Germans are the masters of low cost spares and affordable repairs.
yep
Whatever it is, it needs to be stanced out on steel rims with stretched tyres.
Oh thats what Vin Diesel meant by living his life quarter mile at that time
he was talking repair internals
I'll give you a hint, on French cars, 10k/12m service intervals is literally 10km and/or 12 minutes… :D
They use croissants as ECUs and bread stick struts, legit saw this on the internet.
On serious note, I was looking at Frog hot hatches for a daily for awhile, despite the horror stories the performance ones still hold some value. Cant be that bad still???
@Bid Sniper: The French lost their way for a while but anything made in the last 8 years or so should be as reliable as anything else. Very solidly built and not much to go wrong as they use traditional Japanese auto transmissions rather than DSG or CVT. Also very fuel efficient engines both diesel and petrol. The only people who will tell you they are unreliable or cost a fortune to maintain are those who have never owned one. Also read this: https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2019-uk-vehi…
@brendanm: Came here to say the same thing… soon as I saw JD Powah!!!
Lolololololololol… :D
(fropanity) French shit heaps. I would buy an Alfa over a French car.
@brendanm: Ahaha same shit with you two every time a French car is mentioned. You are both ignorant, live in the past and have no right to be commenting on the matter. You telling me the 508 GT and 3008/5008 don't look good? Can't understand why 308 won COTY in 2014? Your loss. Enjoy your Toyota Corollas/Camrys.
@nubzy: As has been mentioned numerous times, we are both mechanics. I've worked on plenty of French shitboxes. I also don't own a Toyota.
Also, stop mentioning the JD Power thing, it's actually embarrassing, it has nothing to do with reliability.
@brendanm: I don't give a stuff that you are a mechanic. You wouldn't be seeing modern Peugeot's or Citroen's because they have 5 year warranty and capped price servicing, and any owner who cares about their car is going to take it to a good specialist once out of warranty! Not joe bloe down the local servo. You have absolutely no right to be making these comments. Yes, SOME older models had issues, but they have come a looooong way, especially Peugeot.
@nubzy: Lol, you talk about "8 years" as when they started being good. Way out of warranty.
A specialist for a bog standard piece of crap? I don't think so. At any rate, I was the go-to person for any euro stuff in the area when I still did cars, euro stuff is what I own, and worked on a tonne of it.
French cars are crap, and have atrocious resale value. There are constantly hdi vehicles for sale around here with stuck injectors for next to nothing, I still don't touch them.
You are both ignorant and have no right to be commenting on the matter.
We are both mechanics, FFS. I would say that WE are the very people who “should” be commenting on what a quality vehicle is and/or isn’t…
308 won COTY
CoTY… lol. You know they are just given out to whoever pays the most advertising revenue for the year? Wins car of the year, still worst in sales… *bad_luck_brian-meme.png*
Enjoy your Toyota Corollas/Camrys.
I most certainly will… there is a reason why there are umpteen Toyota vehicles for sale with well over 300,000km and (fropanity) all French cars in the same boat…
Your loss
I very much doubt that…
I think you just need to sit over there in the corner with the wife’s family trust fund sponging, chauffeur driven Tesla owning teacher…
@nubzy: 508 GT looks like a bog standard sedan. 3008 and 5008 loo
They're so boring I couldn't be bothered finishing that sentence.
@Zephyrus: Righto mate. Obviously never sat in/driven one. You either understand French cars, or you don't. They ARE special and (if resale wasn't an issue) I would buy one everyday over a Japanese or Korean car at the same price.
@nubzy: You said they look good. I said they look boring.
The Megane RS is a French car that looks good.
Just out of interest, what makes them so special to you?
@nubzy: I've driven a 308. The car rolled horrendously, the suspension felt horribly soft and there wasn't much power at all. It was like driving a 2 tonne truck but without the space.
@Zephyrus: T9? I doubt it, must be an earlier generation, still great cars but you want the diesel. The T9 has plenty of power and is one of the lightest hatchbacks on the road, also more boot space and the best ergonomics of any small hatch under 35k. Peugeot's have always been renowned for their comfort and enjoyable driving characteristics, they are great highway cruisers. All the engines in the current generation are great performers and offer a sporty drive but obviously if you want more power you get the GT or GTi.
@nubzy: Yeah the diesels great of you enjoy the injectors getting welded into the head from combustion leaking past them lol.
@brendanm: Not interested in your thoughts anymore, you do not have a clue. Peugeot diesel can do 250+km with ease. Like I said you either understand French cars or you do not. Many satisfied owners all around the world who will attest to their quality and mechanical robustness provided they are cared for properly (and that means not going to generalist mechanics, there are plenty of good specialists who do honest work at fair prices). Like all brands their are lemons, but choose wisely and you get a fantastic reliable car packed with features, sporty drive, smart design and unique points of differrence for very little coin. End of, goodbye.
@nubzy: Ok, make sure you don't look up hdi injector problems then, much better to bury your head in the sand. I wonder why they are always for sale with engine light, dpf light and injectors stuck in heads?
https://lmgtfy.com/?q=hdi+injector+seals+leaking
https://lmgtfy.com/?q=hdi+injectors+stuck+in+head
@nubzy: I own a 7 year old Peugeot. Complete shit. Would never buy one again. Yes, it has a japanese auto but the morons decided to build a motor with a timing chain that is so narrow that is stretches and snaps just like a belt. And that's just the start of the problems.
@dct: No timing chain issues reported with the T9 308 (6 years old now) or new 3008/5008. All issues have been fixed for these generations and they are fantastic cars. Yes it was an issue in the older ones I know, some people were lucky though. For the older pugs diesel is the way to go.
@dct: That engine was designed by BMW (same one used in the mini cooper) I had the same issue. The bloody 'prince' is a royal PITA.
They use croissants as ECUs and baguettes as stick struts,
Here, I've fixed it for you.
I know what you mean. I only get about 3 order per night, not more than 10km of driving and spend 3 hours sitting in my car watch youtube.
Doesn't sound like you're in it to make $$
No, household income is over 200k, I genuinely enjoy driving and I thought why not get paid for it. Basically just covers the petrol costs.
cant beat the Germans for low cost maintenance and reliability..
said no one ever in the history of the world
Falcodore, Swift Sport, Impreza, Econobox with thottle as on/off switch.
If you have enough time to have fun, then you have enough time to have fun finding the car. Good luck.
I don't like wasting peoples time on test drives. I only ever go if I have the intention of buying should it check out.
Finding = research on the internet. Who was talking about test drives.
Some people don't even know to do your research before turning up and wasting people's time.
Thats not the right approach!
You need to test drive before you buy.
Many used cars are not as descibed in the advert.
So its the seller that is often wasting YOUR time.
They are saying they aren't going to test drive every single make and model they have an interest in, not that they won't rest drive the actual car they want to buy.
@brendanm: What he said. You do research online to determine what sort of car you want to test drive. Bought our last few cars like that. Determine what you want, narrow it down to A few models online then test drive those options. We have typically narrowed it down to two, and ruled out the other with a physical inspection without a test drive.
Mazda SP23,Impreza also are great fun car to drive within the price range
Yea, the MPS mazda 3 looks like it would fly. I need POWA
Highly recommend the Meg's RS265, but can you get one within the budget. Might be an RS250, which you can then work on. Also a great track day car.
Yes, looking at a 2013 rs265 trophy plus for 11k. hopefully it checks out.
https://youtu.be/xsPS3cVcRiI Chris Harris vid.
Make sure it's the model with the limited slip differential
Dear OP
Cars are a very personal thing.
What turns on one person makes another blue in the face.
And especially with USED CARS as no one car is the same as another.
OP is treating used cars like new cars and they are far from that.
When it comes to used cars you cannot narrow your search down to just one car…..
You are best off going to look at and test drive your cars of choice and finding the BEST one.
i.e The one with the best service history, in the best condition with the best drive. And then negotiate a price.
And be warned!!!!!!!!!!
Any "fun" car will have been flogged so not a great idea.
OP I would ignore the comments from posers who's sole experience with French cars come from stereotypical magazine comments from cars a long time ago.
I currently own a MX5 ND and previous to that had a 2014 RS265. The Megane is an amazing car that flies under the radar. The engine is proven reliable along with the gearbox. Even better if you can source one with the Recaro seats. Even my wife prefers the Megane over the MX5 and regrets selling it instead of keeping both.
Like with any cars, regular logbook servicing will keep any car pretty much bulletproof.
Thanks for the comment. The MX5 ND has been a dream car for me since it came out. I went to the dealership to buy one in 2015 and found out that my head touched the roof. Was devastated. Trying to convince my wife to have one so I can drive it when it's sunny and roof down. How does the RS265 compare to the mx5? Do you find the power lacking?
Ultimately that's what drove me into an MX5. When the roof is down, it's Hakuna Matata. It means no worries for the rest of your days. Haha
Power wise, it's no comparison. The Megane is a sledge hammer compared to the MX5. It also handles really good too.
There are times I miss the power, luckily my MX5 is a weekend car only. So I get to enjoy it.
My hair touches the soft top on my ND. Easy solution is take the top down as often as possible!
You might fit in the NC. I think the NC has a bit more headroom and legroom and drives just as good as the ND. Plus the NC2 engine is an absolute peach.
Edit: Just noticed you said you didnt like the NC. I have owned both the ND and NC2. NC2 is very very underrated.
The Megane is a great choice (i am biased as own 2 Clio 182s).
I would also add the community at https://www.ozrenaultsport.com/ are a fantastic bunch of guys with lots of technical knowledge.
The RS cars are known to be generally very hardy when serviced as required. One of my cars has an electrical gremlin but it's a common problem i just can't be bothered fixing as yet. The engines and boxes are strong!
+1 for this. I have had two Renaults. Both mechanically excellent if you keep the service and are bit technical minded.
For the electronics its a PITA but love the challenge. I've had to access the ECUs in the car via 3rd party software to diagnose and turn off / on stuff that randomly fails or switches on/off
If I had that money I would prob stretch the budget a bit more and get myself a Toyota GT86.
Basically a Camry in a sporty case. Can't go wrong.
Saw a 370 z 2011 132k for $15k convertible look like fun
Miata?
That's the American name for an MX-5. OP sadly has a spatial problem with said car.
I can fit in an NC just but I just don't love them like the other series.
Stick a renesis in it.
Dune buggy, if you really want to have fun.
I woudn't be touching a Renault sport with 120,000km. Or BMW with the TT3.0I6.