Hi guys,
I have a 1998 Holden Astra and the alternator just went and it made me think that i think its time i should upgrade my car.
Basically i am wanting something that i can keep for around 4 years or more.
So by then its 2020, so im thinking 2010 and up.
Second hand is fine i will try and find a 1 owner great deal.
What brand should i chose, What should i stay clear of and What should i be looking for :)
Thanks
Pretty sure Toyotas have to be serviced twice a year, correct me if I am wrong though!
There is nothing special about cars that are serviced once a year. I would recommend changing the oil and filter on any car at least every 6mths or 10,000k anyway. Even if you serviced a Toyota twice a year it would still cost a lot less than most other cars that say they only need it once a year.
The alternator would be a cheap fix but Astras are one of those cars that constantly need repairs… see about their timing belt for one. If you drive low k's and park on the street then dont waste money on a decent car just yet.
Nissan Micra. You won't get better value than the ST-L or Ti.
And you'll be able to park it absolutely anywhere. Plus it runs on fumes.
Auto/manual make a difference?
I'm personally a sucker for Subaru, so…
http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Subaru-Impreza-20…
Check the dealer service costs and parts prices :-(
I've had a Liberty 4th Gen and currently have a 5th Gen and haven't really found the servicing costs to be all that much more than other brands, but maybe that's just me looking through rose tinted glasses. At least they're reliable, which is a whole lot more than I can say about my Mk4 Golf. Expensive servicing and parts AND unreliable… all in one terrible package. I'm never going VW again
Most of us know the vw story and to keep away.. :-)
When you say subaru servicing costs are reasonable… what do you consider reasonable?
I have heard insane examples considering a regular service consists of oil and filter change and rotate the tyres on most vechices.
@xywolap: Well I never said the costs were reasonable… I said they weren't that much more than other brands :P Most dealerships charge an arm and a leg for basic work. There's the cheap end of the spectrum and then there's the VW bend-over-and-touch-your toes spectrum. Subaru is somewhere in the middle.
Then again you could always just go to a non-dealer workshop to service your car. There are a few Subaru specialists. club.liberty.asn is a good resource for finding decent Subaru service
@nytrojen:
Agree with the going to private mechanics… some dealerships are red hot but most people have no idea that $500 for an oil change is a rip off.
Major service on my med size suv at dealer was $170 btw.. :-)
@nytrojen:
Common pricing for Toyota servicing deal with new cars. Usually for 3 years.
4 cyl cars were even cheaper.
Even though it is very cheap it is still overpriced for the dealership service which from the 3 dealers i tried was very poor. That is the usual with most dealerships anyway.
Do my own now that wty is over.
Toyota still have servicing deals on offer so check their website for pricing.
I have heard of free servicing offers for ? years from some makers… Holden for one.
Unless you're consistently replacing stuff on it an alternator is a cheap replacement over a new car..
Replace the alternator and keep it going, cars are a money pit no matter what but when you have an otherwise reliable car might as well just do the repair and keep running until it dies
I wouldn't call an Astra a reliable car however. It could be the beginning of the end for it.
For under $10k I'd go Honda Jazz, incredibly clever use of space, stylish and not a bad drive.
But like others above, in your shoes I'd replace alternator and keep your car going unless there are more problems that you haven't mentioned. I just can't see much point in upgrading to a $10k car, most are not going to be leagues better than your current ride
5 seconds on ebay and here's a sub-$50 alternator.
ebay alternator from wrecker
Can't speak for an Astra, but on the cars that I have worked on, alternators aren't difficult to replace.
yep, as the above 4 have said - buy another alternator and replace it. usually 2 or 3 bolts. 2 electrical wires.
$50.
if you get another couple of years out of it then cool.
if you spend $10,000 on a second hand car then it will depreciate at $1,000 a year (roughly).
i.e. you're losing $1000 a year.
plus you may be tempted to get full comprehensive because you've paid $10,000.
1998 astra = 3rd party. care factor for such a car = minimal.
personally I'd stick to the astra. until it starts costing serious money to keep it going.
how many Kms on the odometer?
Toyota/Honda/Mazda are the best brands imo
Both brands retain their value, but Toyota seems to be more expensive in 2nd hand market as lots of demand and believe you only need to service once a year.