Looking at a Mazda 3 for a First Car - Budget $20k without Finance

MasterMirage on 09/11/2021 - 21:59
Last edited 09/11/2021 - 23:10 by 1 other user

Hey all, I'm a bit of a late bloomer here (late 20s) and was looking to get my first car as I'm due to get my P's within the next few months.

However, I've been searching for quite a long time on facebook marketplace/carsales for the right car but the prices are just simply insane. I think I'm at a point where I'm looking at buying a brand new car and I want to know if you guys think it's worth it.

For reference, I want a Mazda 3 (pref sedan) with at least a rear view camera and some sensors. This puts me at a 2014 model or newer with the Maxx variant at the bare minimum.

However, these are going for $18,000+, have over 80,000kms on them and barely have a few months of rego left.

I have a budget of ~$20,000 and was thinking I should just borrow the extra $10,000 and buy a brand new Mazda 3 for around $30,000.

For $10,000, I get a brand new car with 0 kms on it, all the latest safety features and I get it in my own colour.

However, people have suggested that since I'm a new driver, the chances of me scratching and damaging the car are pretty high (going by statistics).

I've compared rough insurance policies and I save a good $800+ on the newer 2021 model.

I was wondering what your thoughts on this were?

• 

  Muzeeb on 09/11/2021 - 22:15

  with at least a rear view camera and some sensors

  Please perform an over the shoulder check to check your blind spots. Thanks in advance.

  Have you checked the wait time on a new Mazda?

  • 

    MasterMirage on 09/11/2021 - 22:21

    Haha definitely will do! It's been ingrained in me now.

    And no I haven't, this is something I just thought of recently.

    I don't mind a wait time as my local centre is also going through it's backlog of P's tests

• 

  Cave Fire on 09/11/2021 - 22:20

  I get to drive a 2017 mazda 3 now and then. It's a nice car, but has a few quirks. Firstly, if buying used, 2014 is around the model number where oil issues are reported. This was fixed in later models. Those cars also have a stop/start feature "skydrive" where the engine stops at traffic lights etc. This saves fuel, but the car goes through batteries faster. A speciality "stop start" battery could help. Don't know too much about the new one other than it looks nice… Hopefully they have improved on those small issues.

  • 

    oscargamer on 09/11/2021 - 22:42

    +3

    You are confused with skyactiv. You are also confused saying skyactiv and stop start are the same thing.

    You are also confused about oil usage in Mazda 3's from 2014.

    Simply put, you are wrong.

    • 

      Cave Fire on 09/11/2021 - 22:53

      -5

      learn to read

      • 

        Muzeeb on 09/11/2021 - 22:57

        +1

        You can disable stop start every time you start the car.

        It saves the battery.
        It saves the motor.
        It saves your insanity.
        It saves the planet.

        • 

          Cave Fire on 09/11/2021 - 22:59

          @Muzeeb: yep, but kind of a pain to remember hopefully they have fixed this in the new one. Parents have gone through three batteries in seven years. Just read that they probably should have had a stop start battery vs what RACQ sold them…

          • 

            Euphemistic on 10/11/2021 - 10:43

            @Cave Fire: While the stop start probably isn’t helping, it’s probakly the ‘smart’ alternator killing the batteries. The don’t seem to charge up the battery fully, only ‘just enough’. Had same problem with our car. Battery wasn’t getting a full charge and didn’t last long. It’s a common problem.

• 

  SF3 on 09/11/2021 - 22:20

  +1

  I'm a new driver, the chances of me scratching and damaging the car are pretty high (going by statistics).

  Not true. YMMV.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 22/11/2021 - 10:24

    Probably some statistics insurance companies use to increase premiums yet still charge you extra excesses for 'inexperience' or 'young age' industry is a scam.

• 

  pegaxs on 09/11/2021 - 22:23

  +7

  A: Might want to check out insurance there champ before you go buying brand new cars a week after getting your license. 0% no claim, P plater and new car, I’m banking on it being $3k just in insurance alone.

  B: dont borrow money against a depreciating asset

  C: buy an old beater that you can get around in for 12 months or so, because you are going to dent it, scratch it, damage it and get some experience and some cheaper insurance.

  • 

    Muzeeb on 09/11/2021 - 22:26

    D: All of the above

    • 

      Baysew on 09/11/2021 - 23:13

      +6

      E: Also consider camping vandals.

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  pharkurnell on 09/11/2021 - 22:29

  80,000klms is a problem?? 220,000 yes… 80???

  And the bloke i know ordered a Triton in Feb - gave up waiting as the new date was Feb next year.. . Wait times maybe more than you expect.

  Budgets should be stuck to …

• 

  vince088 on 09/11/2021 - 22:55

  +5

  from experience buy a 2nd hard car first :)
  brand new car after few years experience of driving lol

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  hasher22 on 09/11/2021 - 23:38

  I second buying a used car first or dealer demo or near new. IMO, buying a new car isn't worth it, I guess it's my mind thinking - cause it's an asset that depreciation loves.

  And doesn't help second-hand cars are now damn expensive, they're not even worth the price. Someone wanted a 2015 CX3 Maxx model (I purchased mine for 17k 3 years ago), now they're going for like 20k+ with higher KMs

• 

  Euphemistic on 10/11/2021 - 10:44

  Used car prices are high because people can’t buy get new cars delivered. Don’t spend more to get ‘better value’ - you just won’t get better value.

  1st car, halve your budget, it’ll help keep your insurance premiums lower until you get a better rating. Any modern Japanese or Korean Mazda 3 equivalent with under 150,000km will do the job. If it does break down you already have $10k in the bank to fix it.

  If necessary add a few $ for an aftermarket reverse cam or sensors.

• 

  buzymum20 on 10/11/2021 - 10:54

  +1

  Just watch out with Mazda. I have a CX-3, 2016 purchased new. It's not a bad car, but Mazda are not easy to deal with. Example; just a few weeks ago my air conditioner was not cold at all. Thought that was strange as I use it regularly even in Winter to demist and never had an air conditioner fail before, especially not in a car just 5 years old. At the same time my husband's Subaru Forester had a recall on his aircon and the condenser replaced (both cars 2016) so did a quick google to find that Mazda dealers were issued a 'Service Advice Bulletin' regarding the condensers of the CX-3, so called up and after being non committal, they agreed to check, and low & behold it was fixed as it did fall into the category of this service advice bulletin. So a pretty pathetic way of handling things compared to Subaru. Obviously a problem there, but we won't issue a recall. I might add that my car had been serviced at the Mazda dealership too.
  The start-stop buttons are a pain, but I just get into the habit of cancelling it straight after turning the engine on. I think they are standard in most new cars now. Know my husband's Forester has one too.
  Good luck with the car.

• 

  Mistredo on 10/11/2021 - 13:27

  However, people have suggested that since I'm a new driver, the chances of me scratching and damaging the car are pretty high (going by statistics).

  The cameras and sensors will provide you with extra visibility. You can also buy blind spot mirrors to see curbs and other obstructions, so if you are careful, and you avoid extremely tight spaces you will be fine.

  • 

    Euphemistic on 10/11/2021 - 13:57

    You can still be careful without those sensors and camera or blind spot mirrors. It’s all about spatial awareness.

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  rodericb on 10/11/2021 - 21:01

  +1

  Good on you for saving up your money like you have! The used car market is crazy. Two years ago i would have said to go used and haggle like hell. You could still do that but some sellers might be tougher to crack as they think they can get top dollar.

  If you are a good saver then you will also have the self discipline to get rid of a loan quickly and it might be worth your while to go for a new Mazda 3. You will get the new shape, better technology, cheaper insurance (strangely)… If you are careful you won't damage your car.

  The only thing is that stock can be hard to get. You may have to wait a few weeks or months. Dealers may also jerk you around with this so speak to a few of them and play them off against each other to your advantage. Remember that they do this type of thing all day and you won't be hurting their feelings.