What New Car Should I Buy? (Budget $30k)

Lskali81113 on 31/05/2021 - 10:34
Last edited 31/05/2021 - 14:48

Hello,
I am looking to buy a new car soon.
Unfortunately last month I was involved in a car accident and my 2005 Hyundai Getz was destroyed and cannot be used anymore.

I would like to hear everyone's recommendations for what car I should buy. I am looking at new with warranty. The car is preferably under $30,000 but I am willing to spend up to $30,000. Looking at sedans and hatches.

My main priority with the car is that it is extremely reliable because I will drive it until it dies or buy another new one in around 15 years from now.

What brands/cars should I be looking at?

Thank you

EDIT: Thanks everyone going to buy a Cerato

Automotive Car

Comments

          • Euphemistic on 01/06/2021 - 12:03
            +6

            @dins: Again, you are assuming the OP want to actually ‘drive’ and not just get from A-B in a car. Previous vehicle was a Getz also pointing to little interest in cars.

      • sakurashu on 02/06/2021 - 13:42

        The GT is lovely but it's quite a few extra $$ - I doubt OP would care about the upgrades tbh

      • Brianqpr on 02/06/2021 - 18:38

        Wouldn't that be over his budget?

    • sakurashu on 02/06/2021 - 13:42

      Good choice - exactly what I just purchased - no regrets

  • conan2000 on 31/05/2021 - 16:01

    Hyundai/Toyota/Kia for reliability for that time period.

    We have a new Hyundai (i30 hatch) that came with 8 year warranty (5 manufacturer up to 8 if you service with them) for just under $30k. Toyota offers 5 years (and extend certain things 7-10 if you service with them), and Kia offer 7 years.

    I tend to find that car reliability is related to how long a warranty they are willing to offer. So all three have options in your price range.

    • Euphemistic on 31/05/2021 - 16:07

      I tend to find that car reliability is related to how long a warranty they are willing to offer. So all three have options in your price range

      Dowsmt the cheap Chinese stuff have long warranties?

      • conan2000 on 01/06/2021 - 21:02

        I think we're still waiting to see what the actual longevity of the cheap Chinese cars is like.

        • Euphemistic on 01/06/2021 - 21:09

          My point being that you indicated that a longer warranty is a sign of increased reliability.Chinese manufacturer are adding longer warranties as a marketing tool while they haven’t got proven reliability and do have a poor reliability history to date.

          So yes, it’s unknown, but the vehicles are all built down to a price not to maximise quality.

  • smoothymcmellow on 31/05/2021 - 16:15
    +3

    Maybe a bit late to the party but we were in the same scenario a month ago, we ended up trying every car under 30k (targetting closer to under 25k if possible)
    We ended up buying a Skoda Scala. Beautiful to drive, much more premium inside over korean brands and huge boot (460l). Only 5 year warranty but can prepay 5 years of service for $1400 which is much cheaper than Kia fixed price servicing over 5 years
    We also got it at a 1.9% finance rate with 0 fees which was cheaper than taking it out of our home loan offset
    Only thing is the realiability post the 5 years but recommend driving one to see for yourself

    • Techie4066 on 31/05/2021 - 21:24
      +2

      +1 to this, Skodas are reliable. Absolutely bonkers how they have the Fabia, Scala, Octavia and Superb wagons all in our market! Not one brand offers a full suite of wagons like this, in every price range.

      Aside from Skoda, there are some excellent deals to be had with the runout Peugeot 308 wagon which sadly no one knows about. Well reviewed on CarAdvice (308 Touring).

      Why get a boring Cerato hatch (over a wagon) which is objectively worse when comparing each spec, and definitely not as interesting. Some will say, "oh resale value" blah blah. I say whatever, if you're going to keep it for 10+ years it's worth it. Which is more than likely despite what you might think.

      • This Guy on 01/06/2021 - 20:22

        If you recommend a Peugeot you need to recommend a good set of sockets to tighten the bolts. And a slush fund for the dealer to keep your check engine light off.

        • Techie4066 on 01/06/2021 - 21:22

          a good set of sockets to tighten the bolts

          ?

          And a slush fund for the dealer to keep your check engine light off.

          Are you talking about carbon desposits? I know it's common for Peugeot direct injection engines, but it happens with other brands too. Servicing annually at a specialist is helpful…

    • Harby7 on 02/06/2021 - 09:21

      Hey smoothy
      May I ask when and where you got 1.9% finance?
      Thanks

      • smoothymcmellow on 07/06/2021 - 19:37

        Apologies for delay in replying, it was through Skoda, they had a deal for a certain build date. May have ended now but worth asking

        • Harby7 on 08/06/2021 - 07:46

          Thanks mate will try my luck

  • ascotno1 on 01/06/2021 - 07:17
    +7

    I have just purchased a new Kia Seltos.
    It's a small SUV with a 7 year warranty
    and fixed price service. It's around 27k on road.

    • Mistredo on 01/06/2021 - 13:07

      When did you purchase it, and how long did it take to deliver?

  • voiletmay on 01/06/2021 - 08:02

    Not sure if you are tall, but that is an issue for some people when buying cars. My husband decided after numerous test drives that the car he could fit in most comfortably was a hyundia i30. I really like how kia's feel and they are super comfortable for me, but didn't fit my husband comfortably.

  • HeWhoKnows on 01/06/2021 - 08:11
    -3

    Suggest OP buys one under $30,000 or borrow some money at super low interest rates

    If OP hasn't got a clue what to buy then obviously OP has too much money to spend or doesn't really need a new car.

  • Waltervp on 01/06/2021 - 09:44
    -1

    Why not get second hand proven reliability and get a like new $50k car that's 4 years old at half the price, that will feel and look awesome after 15 years! I saw a Mercedes the other day and I thought it was brand spanking new, but it was 2001. Same with a 2007 Ford Mondeo, that looked like a very late model. And if you buy one with a good service record and maintain the car there should not be any reliability issues. Have a look at luxury Mazda, Volkswagen or Peugeot cars to begin with, start with 2017+ models. Personally I love the 2015+ Ford MD Mondeo Titanium series, which are super comfy and very economical for a great sized Hatch. Love the automatic reverse parking in 3 second too, and the oohs and ahs from my passengers. Well under 30k. Don't waste money on un-proven models.

    Or try a Mazda…
    https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/2017-mazda-cx-3-sto…

  • OzHunterNSW on 01/06/2021 - 13:50
    -3

    MG

  • NotOnThePBS on 01/06/2021 - 14:14
    +4

    Hyundai i30

  • sharkie0123 on 01/06/2021 - 14:41
    -2

    Its kind of hard to give you a specific guide on what to buy, it all comes down to what you want in a car,
    I recently sold my Hyundai Getz 05 was an amazingly reliable car, i like smaller cars but i wanted something with a few more features and had a lower budget than you do,
    I went with a car that had everything or close to what i wanted while under my budget, cars i looked at were second hand, however this is what i narrowed it down to,

    p.s. keep in mind all cars have issues there is no perfect car,

    Holden Cruze 2016 - Holden support is leaving australia so might be a hard fix down the track, cheap reliable has updated head unit, aircon, towbar, heated seats, larger side mirrors and other features

    Holden trax 2016, Small SUV bigger car, standard auto models are Turbo aswell if you want a bit of performance
    please note people may comment that these 2 cars have issues i.e. noises from liquid/ gear box issues etc not all do though

    Ford KUGA - was a more bigger SUV than the trax but some come stock with towbar and bullbar plenty of room inside but not as big as something like a hilux or land cruiser

    Mitsubishi ASX - cheap suv plenty of functionality with interior alot of choice when it comes to engine size for performance

    Hyundai i30 / i20 / i40 reliable cars fuel efficient run quiet decent performance but lacks the inside features i.e. headunit etc

    KIA Rio/Sportage - decent small cars same features as the hyundai depending on the year model

    i chose the Cruze, reason is fuel consumption was lower per 100km than the others very close to the getz, more room inside, fold down back seats for more room in the boot if needed, head unit has gps built in, Series 4 JH Zseries range comes with full leather interior and seats plenty of features and close to what i want and was only $12k later models are a bit more but less than 30k

    This guide is based on 2nd hand if you want Brand New way want to goto dealer ships and test drive cars yourself see what you like.

    • Euphemistic on 01/06/2021 - 15:07
      +6

      Seems you didn’t research much. Bit late now but, the Cruze was notoriously unreliable and the butt of many jokes because of this.

      • sharkie0123 on 01/06/2021 - 15:20

        pre 2016 i would agree with you but with the engine change they did on them ive had mine now for almost 2 years and havent had a single issue with it, there has been no recalls on any of the cruzes above 2014 outside the takata air bag fault, i keep hearing that there is a gear box issue with them but have had mine serviced and the issue is not present on it, and in what sense did you mean i didnt do much research? i knew what i wanted and for what i paid i got what i was after.

        • Euphemistic on 01/06/2021 - 15:30
          +3

          You might be lucky. Cruze has a reputation worse than the Chinese brands, same as the Captiva.

        • Techie4066 on 01/06/2021 - 21:25
          +1

          and in what sense did you mean i didnt do much research? i knew what i wanted and for what i paid i got what i was after.

          There's such thing as, "not enough".

      • Brianqpr on 02/06/2021 - 18:41

        A former work colleague had horror stories about her Cruze and also Holden's complete lack of interest in sorting out the problems.

  • miicah on 01/06/2021 - 14:42

    Get a Jimny

    • Zondor on 01/06/2021 - 16:25

      Good luck with this, I love the look but they really have no room in them.

  • scbrother on 01/06/2021 - 14:51

    Mitsubishi now do a 10 year warranty and 10 years capped price servicing. To my knowledge the others are 7 years or less.

    • payless69 on 01/06/2021 - 20:14
      +1

      Amazes me how they can offer that. Such a traditional overall strong brand but sales are declining to the point that probably most end up at the rental companies.

      • This Guy on 01/06/2021 - 20:31
        +1

        They built questionable quality cars in Australian in the 90's. They killed their brand by watering down then killing off the Evo. Then they produced a decade of unrefined cars. Last decade they loaded their dealers up with stock so every second new Mitsubishi is two years old (not quite that bad).

        But that is just my opinion.

        • Kegsta on 03/06/2021 - 12:19
          +1

          Yep, I got my brand new outlander for 27k drive away because it had been sitting on the dealers lot for almost a year, but we are very happy with it for the price.
          Easy to drive, 7-8 liters per 100km, most modern features included in the base model now and the back is absolutely huge, especially when compared to the ASX which is only a few thousand cheaper.

    • Techie4066 on 01/06/2021 - 21:26
      +2

      10 years with a catch. All servicing needs to be done at the dealer. It's a definite cash grab and ridiculous.

  • Herbse on 01/06/2021 - 15:15
    +5

    Check out the 2021 i30 sedans. They look way better than the Cerato and have all the new advanced driving assists which the previous gen ceratos don't have.

    • silenthillrocks on 01/06/2021 - 15:22
      +2

      yep 2021 i30 sedan (aka Elantra) is on a new platform compared to the i30 hatch or cerato

  • Zondor on 01/06/2021 - 16:24
    +1

    We have the new i30's at work and they are ALOT of car for they money

  • TigerWoops on 01/06/2021 - 22:32

    I will choose Kia Seltos. Looks good with long warranty.

  • sparklehose on 01/06/2021 - 23:11

    test drove last week and ordered haval jolion, arriving in a few weeks time. cost $27990.
    If budget weren't an issue I'd go for mazda cx30 or subaru xv.

  • megaalc on 02/06/2021 - 09:59

    Kia Seltos Sport

  • JustASmoothSkin on 02/06/2021 - 10:32
    +1

    What ever you can find, most new cars have a long wait list at the moment and generally you will be waiting 6 months or more for one. That's why preowned car prices have nearly tripled in the last 2 years.

  • FilePeter on 02/06/2021 - 12:12

    Mazda 3 SP25

  • OmboKing on 02/06/2021 - 12:15

    Base model Kia Seltos (get the extra $1000 Safety Pack) is great value at just under $30,000. Has 7 year unlimited KM warranty too.
    It is a small SUV though, so might not be suitable for your needs. Also, order times are lengthy, stretching from 2 - 4 months. Still highly recommend the vehicle though.

    • Mistredo on 02/06/2021 - 13:43

      It is more than 4 months now, was told 9 months.

  • archieduh on 02/06/2021 - 12:34
    +2

    Kia has fixed price service but the cost was high for year 2 and 4 compared to say a mazda. Do keep that into account. Makes a $600+ diff in the first 4 yrs itself

  • Homr on 02/06/2021 - 13:43

    I think you should get a motorbike instead

    • silenthillrocks on 02/06/2021 - 18:31

      Or roller blades

    • FireRunner on 02/06/2021 - 22:30
      +5

      What if his wife won't let him?

      • Homr on 02/06/2021 - 22:31
        +5

        Then you pass that problem on to ozbargain forum and ask for advice there

  • soaringphoenix on 02/06/2021 - 21:58

    Not sure if I'm too late, but I'd avoid most of the suggestions here.

    Would you consider a Porsche Cayenne GTS? https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/2009-porsche-cayenn…

    If the Cayenne is a bit too brash for your style, how about something elegant like the timeless S class? https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/2006-mercedes-benz-…

    If you are after value, purchasing a Kia is an unwise choice. Let depreciation save you hard earned cash while you roll around in comfort and style, in a vehicle that once cost nearly $250,000.

    I know - it's incredible that these vehicles are obtainable within budget! Just make sure to leave a little cash aside for some minor maintenance costs. Remember, you've just saved $220,000 compared to the purchasing new price, so you're already well ahead $ wise.

    • Tnetennba on 03/06/2021 - 10:24

      Just make sure to leave a little cash aside for some minor maintenance costs

      Understatement of the year award… Lol!

      More like make sure you have a crap load of cash aside for maintenance costs, if anything somewhat major goes wrong have fun forking out thousands and thousands on repairs. Also parts availability can be very poor, so even if the cost is relatively minor, you might be off the road for weeks waiting for parts to come in. Most mechanics don't stock every part for 2009 Cayennes or 2006 S Classes, whereas they are much more likely to have parts (at least in the country) for any late-model Hyundai, Kia, etc.

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