Full Size Sedan under $50k with Low Maintenance Cost

LSydBargainator on 07/07/2016 - 17:17

Hi,

I'm new to the automotive car and would like to spend under $50k for a brand new car for hassle/problem free in the long run.

Using Postcode where I live in ULTIMO NSW 2007, Can anyone here please suggest me which car is better in terms of low cost to maintain ?

Honda Accord VTi-L (2.4L)
Mazda 6 Atenza (2.5L)
Toyota Aurion Presara (3.4L)
Holden Commodore SV6 (too many model)

It would be nice to have all electronic & computerized feature (Collision alert, Lane departure, blind spot warning, etc..) to assist me in driving safely, so if I there is a car with some outstanding safety features that you've found helpful, let me know what is the car model and how much does it cost.

Thanks,

Al

Poll Options

  • 62
    Toyota Aurion Presara
  • 37
    Mazda 6 Atenza
  • 17
    Holden Commodore SV6
  • 17
    [Other]
  • 8
    Honda Accord VTi-L
Automotive

Comments

  • Ritchma on 09/07/2016 - 23:20
    +9

    How about Skoda Superb? Skoda is part of VW group that means engine, driveline and suspension is all the same as VW or AUDI. You will get the same quality cheaper….

    • zeomega on 11/07/2016 - 10:48

      If you're talking about quality, VW and Audi's quality is not the best, and then you're getting the "hand me downs" from previous generation VW/AUDI. I speak from experience when i say reliability is not VW/AUDI's strongest point. Nice to have whilst in warranty, not so much after.

      • Ritchma on 11/07/2016 - 22:38
        +2

        Well I said that so people know Skoda is part of VW group. Some people have no idea Skoda is made in Czech and not in Korea.
        Quality is not bad at all. I used to have audi and skoda and they were both very reliable cars.
        I've been working in a dealership many years and tried so many cars…
        I've tried all cars he mentioned at the beginning.
        Skoda Superb in higher spec feels like a much more refined car than the rest. Might be just my opinion but that's how I feel.
        I personally don't like Holden. They feel cheap and they just remind me Opel which is considered cheap car in Europe. Basically if you can't afford VW you buy Opel. They're both part of GM group… I do like Mazda and Toyota is not bad either just the interior feels so cheap and Toyota is not really a fun car to drive. On the other hand they're reliable and if you're not too fussy about cars they do the job and you save money. The question is if you want some extra comfort or not…

        Oh and I do work in a car dealership but we don't sell anything mentioned in this post..

  • test123123 on 10/07/2016 - 09:10

    Toyota is best for quality and low maintenance cost!

    For European car. I will go for Benz or BMW!

    • Ritchma on 10/07/2016 - 10:24
      +3

      How exactly you want to get brand new full size sedan Mercedes under 50k? CLA is the only option but I wouldn't call it full size and or 50k you would only get a really basic one with no options. C would be around 65k but with the options he wants we are talking more like 80k and E starts around 100k. Bmw wouldn't be much cheaper… You can also forget about low maintenance cost with MB.

      Toyota might be good quality but you get what you pay for. They feel incredible cheap.

  • [Deactivated] on 10/07/2016 - 10:50
    +2

    Renault Lattitude. I got mine as a demo for $19k with 8000km on it and 5 years unlimited KM warranty. As above - demo models can not only save you $5k they can save you $30k.

    No-one even knows what this car is even a Renault dealer didn't know what it was.

    But I assure you hands down best value car - there are none better

    http://www.carsguide.com.au/car-reviews/renault-latitude-lux…

    Uses a Nissan 350Z engine (same as Nissan Altima) or other Nissan variants (including a 2.0 diesel turbo)

    It's massive (lots of leg room) and has just about every option available:

    Tom Tom built in
    Central console control
    Panoramic Sunroof
    Leather power, heated MASSAGE seats with memory functions (so you and the missus can one button change the seat and steering arrangement)
    Steering wheel auto lower on entry (gives more space to get in the car then lowers)
    Auto proximity unlock and auto lock just walk away (keyless entry and exit)
    It even has 2 Flavours of AIR FRESHENER (just replace the cartridge every 30k km for $5) and an Ioniser for air con.
    It has all the Bluetooth / USB media connectivity options
    Retractable windscreen pull up visor mesh on rear windows (keeps kids in the shade)
    Tri-Zone climate control including rear air con controller
    10 speaker bose sound system

    Amongst other things it's a really nice car - gives ridiculous amount of features and costs less than half of what you intend to pay if you get a demo - otherwise you can pay around $36k for a brand spanking new one.

    No other car listed above comes remotely close to what this car gives you.

    Just typing this post makes me wants to go and get another one for myself (1st one for the missus)

    And 5 year unlimited KM warranty - I mean please… Enough said.

    • spackbace on 10/07/2016 - 11:43

      8000km huh? Yeah, not a demo…

      And I'm assuming with that discount that it was the last year's model?

      And you wouldn't have the full 5yrs warranty just fyi, that started when the car was first licensed

      • [Deactivated] on 10/07/2016 - 18:53

        Yeah the warranty is 5 years minus how ever old the demo was.

        It was 9 months old - so you're right 4 years and 3 months warranty.

        It was also previous year model at the time.

        But it definitely was a demo because it was registered by the dealership? Apart from the dealership I was the first owner.

        But even with all of the above - why pay anything close to $50k.

        7 months less warranty - manufacture year was previous year by 6 months… Are all of those things worth the extra $30k ?

        • spackbace on 10/07/2016 - 19:30

          Are all of those things worth the extra $30k ?

          Where are you getting 30k difference from though?

          otherwise you can pay around $36k for a brand spanking new one

          According to you, a new one can be had for $36k, and yours was $19k…

          Now I'm no mathematician, but last I checked, $36000-$19000 =/ $30000…

        • neil aus on 10/07/2016 - 19:44

          @Spackbace: maybe extras? Rather than base model I guess.

        • spackbace on 10/07/2016 - 19:45
          +1

          At the end of the day it's just a really good example of a badly depreciating car. A quick search on Carsales finds a 2013 model for $13888. Obviously no one wants/knows about these things!
          But certainly not an example that 90% of cars resale value share

        • [Deactivated] on 11/07/2016 - 07:48

          @Spackbace:

          I meant why spend anywhere around $50k for a car when you can get one of these much cheaper.

          Even compared to new one of these $16k cheaper.

          The idea is - compared to other cars it is substantially cheaper.

        • Kangal on 11/07/2016 - 14:32

          @Michegianni:

          Yes, but spackbace's comment is saying… why did it depreciate so quickly?
          There are some reasons like recalls, a new-much-better model came out, it was quite bad, or it costs a lot to maintain.

          I think it could be combination of the above.

          You have to remember, Australia is quite distant from Europe and N America… so parts and servicing for those cars are always going to be problematic. On top of that, those cars are rare… so even less chance of finding parts.

          I personally can't wait until Elon Musk builds another Giga centre here in Oz, and everyone makes the jump to home batteries, solar panels, and electric cars. Maybe even get Google-style driverless cars. Or even BMW-style car-sharing that they have in San Fran. Trucks and Large cars can continue using Petroleum/Diesel/Biodiesel.

        • [Deactivated] on 11/07/2016 - 17:55
          +2

          @Kangal:

          It's a Nissan 3.5 V6 or a 2.5 V6 or a 2.0 Diesel so parts are cheap. Engine is from a Nissan Maxima / Altima / 350Z. It uses the same platform as the Altima.

          If it depreciates a lot - GREAT ! Buy a heavily depreciated one.

          It's a funny thing these days - people will see a great deal and say "There must be a reason why this deal is so great I'm sceptical - I'm going to spend more and get less instead because it will make me feel more comfortable knowing I spent a lot of money"

          That's my whole point.

          Or spend $50k.

          Whatever.

        • spackbace on 11/07/2016 - 19:09
          +1

          @Michegianni:

          Sigh The Latitude was discontinued in 2015 after only being on the market for 4 years. A quick search on Carsales finds only around 30-something Latitudes for sale Australia-Wide, from all years possible. While it may have a 5yr warranty, CPS is only 3yrs, expect huge bills after that. Parts & body parts etc will cost more, so expect higher insurance costs.

          Certainly not the sort of car that when something breaks you can just call a local wreckers, or scour Gumtree, to find another part. Nope, you'll be SOOL for that one.

          Oh, and the 4x 2015 models on Carsales are around $27-28k. Not $19k.

  • thetrain on 10/07/2016 - 11:53

    Camry? Almost identical to Aurion except with 2 less cylinders.

  • Tech and cars on 10/07/2016 - 14:58
    +3

    http://www.carsales.com.au/cars/results?q=%28%28Service%3D%5…

    Skoda Superb… It is amazing to drive and the interior is so so nice + very spacious.

    $40k can get you a near new demo.

    My advice: test drive a whole lot of cars, and then see what suits your driving style more. Make sure you take a long 30 minute+ drive. Don't just go around the block and make a decision.

    • SydBargainator on 18/07/2016 - 21:52

      khonfahm,

      how is that possible to test drive longer than 10 minutes ?

      • Tech and cars on 19/07/2016 - 09:18

        Hey mate,

        Generally if you're ready to buy - it is a very fair thing to ask the car for the whole day or half a day. Most dealerships are willing to give you this. I've even heard of some people getting a test drive for the weekend. If you're genuinely interested in buying and you are comparing cars, don't feel obligated to buy after the first car you drive. Be honest and the sales person/manager generally is very respectful of that.

        I have found in my experience my 'local' dealer is much better & more accommodating than the city equivalent. For example, Audi Centre Springwood has been really good and I have found they always have time for you. As opposed to the big dealers such as Audi Centre Brisbane, who have a much higher flow of customers, and in general I have found that not as much time is able to be given to you.

        On a seperate note - the VW/Audi/Skoda Group is very low in terms of maintanence. Service intervals are every 15 000 km's or 1 year(as opposed to Japanese cars that are every 10 000 km's or 6 months, this ends up costing the same as a european car). As an example : My Audi Q5 service is roughly $550 each for first three years. A kluger would have been $300 each, but would require 2 services in the same amount of time. Something to consider I suppose.

        Good luck!

  • neil aus on 10/07/2016 - 15:00

    Hyundai i40? http://www.hyundai.com.au/cars/medium-cars/i40 5 year unlimited km warrenty may help keep costs down, depending how long you want to hold onto it for, http://www.hyundai.com.au/owning/icare/warranty

    Good luck deciding. We have a Mazda 3 and it's great for two parents, 1 year old and the occasional grandparent too. I'm 6' tall and the back seat is comfy for most trips. With a young one, long drives kinda go out of the window anyway.

    I'd suggest taking your new car to an authorised garage, that is not the dealer, to keep costs down. I know people who work in the industry and they say the services will always try to change your brakes/tyres/wipers 'early' as a suggestion, when it's not yet required.

    I'd also comment that a Toyota is more economical, but a Mazda is more fun to drive, so kinda depends on your preference.

  • Jackson on 10/07/2016 - 15:20

    Can I recommend a Kia? It's basically a Hyundai but cheaper and comes with a 7 year warranty, you can buy a second hand one and use it for 5 years and if you want to sell it you still have a year of warranty on it. This is pretty compelling since they make decent cars for the average person who doesn't care too much about badges and high performance (which is probably most people at least in the latter case).

    I would also recommend not buying a huge car straight up, buy what you need and when you need more get something else, this piece of advice will serve you in just about any situation. In the case of Kia you could buy a Cerato or Rio which are about 20k new so a relatively new second hand could be thousands less and still have more warranty than a new car that you paid thousands more for.

    If you had a garage and didn't have to go interstate you could even buy an electric car, no petrol costs, power is cheap, and very high reliability with low maintenance. A couple of years old Leaf could set you back 25k with a new car smell and depending on how much you drive you could be saving 2k per year on fuel. In 5 years, with the 10k you are saving you could hire a car any time you wanted to go further than the 140km this takes you in a day

    • neil aus on 10/07/2016 - 18:10
      +2

      Ah yes,I was trying to remember which manufacturer had 7 years warranty, that's pretty amazing.

      I'm not aware of OPs financials, but this article is a great way to keep buying near new cars, https://barefootinvestor.com/money-management-buying-a-car-n… I hope it's of use to someone. This is what I'm doing for the last two years now.

      • peterw1 on 10/07/2016 - 18:28
        +1

        Ferrari also offers a 7 years warranty but they also include free servicing for that period of time so it fulfils the maintenance criteria. Shame they don't make a sedan but you can get a 4 seater, a gtc4lusso.

        • neil aus on 13/07/2016 - 18:02

          There's also the reliability to consider, I know of one new car driver, that has had several repairs, all under warranty, but each repair takes time and effort. It's better to have a car that isn't faulty. Holden from memory.

      • Jackson on 11/07/2016 - 10:10

        Yes I read that years ago, I could do the same thing but I'm less of a snob and keep my car for 10 years, I figure I save more that way anyway

      • SydBargainator on 18/07/2016 - 21:57

        Neil,

        Since I usually rent a car when I need, I get used to drive Holden SV6, Toyota Aurion/Camry and Ford XR6.
        I don't see any full-size sedan with Go Get or similar car rental.

  • a2swin on 10/07/2016 - 23:46
    +1

    I bought the new camry atara SX 2 weeks ago. It's the facelift version, 33k. So far i am quiet happy with it, powerful engine, not as powerful compare to the aurion but 2.5 is enough for me. Still can kick in to 100km/h in less than 10 secs. Capped servicing at $140 for 4 years. So it's 280 a year. I got all the leather sporty interior, some minor changes to the exterior but it is very spacious and a rear sunshade is a plus. If you want all the cool features like blind spot monitoring ,wireless charging you can have the camry atara SL at 40k.

  • JV159 on 10/07/2016 - 23:52
    -2

    How about you get a car that isn't boring and actually has character?

    • IceCreamBandit on 11/07/2016 - 00:12
      +5

      How about you get a car that isn't boring and actually has character?

      You mean like a mid life crisis kinda car? Or something that boosts one's ego while transporting driver and passengers from point A-B? Not sure that fits OP's requirement for "Low Maintenance".

      • spackbace on 11/07/2016 - 00:21
        +2

        Why can't we have both? :)

        I can think of a few cars that fit in OPs brief but may use a bit more fuel than is normally considered 'economical'.
        But an extra $10/week in fuel but getting into something that excites you more is definitely worth it!

        Theres always a Kia recommendation on here because of warranty, yet Kias don't offer an impressive/exciting drive (imo).

        I'm not saying OP needs a 300kw+ car, but I also agree that there's no need for a 'beige' car, especially with a proposed budget up to $50k.

        But everyone's different and that's the beautiful thing about forums, to hear those differing opinions and who knows, someone's left-of-centre suggestion could be what the OP is looking for but hadn't seen yet :)

        • IceCreamBandit on 11/07/2016 - 00:38
          +2

          Why can't we have both? :)

          Yeah fair enough, but a suggestion would have been more useful/constructive for the discussion.

        • spackbace on 11/07/2016 - 10:33
          +1

          @IceCreamBandit:

          Understandable :)

          And again I'd probably repeat my suggestion for the Calais-V. Fits the briefs of: Full size, lots of tech, cheap to service. Just not the economical thing :) (though lots of cars state they have good economy, just not in the real world!)

          That's without venturing into the Euro cars anyway, which in one hand you don't wanna buy new (depreciation), but you do wanna buy new (warranty) lol

      • JV159 on 11/07/2016 - 09:29
        -1

        I'm not middle aged so I have no idea, it's not about boosting ego. It's about getting something that isn't a grey assimilated econo-wagon that is actually fun to drive and has somewhat character. Not telling you to drink a macho-man smoothie and buy a skyline.

        • IceCreamBandit on 11/07/2016 - 10:32
          +5

          It's about getting something that isn't a grey assimilated econo-wagon that is actually fun to drive and has somewhat character. Not telling you to drink a macho-man smoothie and buy a skyline.

          And which of the cars in the poll is a 'grey assimilated econo-wagon'?

          What is something 'that is fun to drive and has somewhat character'?

          If you're going to write off OP's list you should at least have some specific examples to enlighten us, rather than just use buzzwords.

  • tomleonhart on 11/07/2016 - 07:17
    +4

    Where is thorton with his jeep GC? :-(

  • Dr Prepper on 11/07/2016 - 16:29

    Mazdas and Hondas are nice enough cars but are more expensive to service in Oz.Mazda servicing and ownership costs are comparable to some European cars.Considered a Camry hybrid,Kia Optima or the Hyundai version?

  • elektron on 11/07/2016 - 16:32

    Please correct the post - the Toyota is actually 3.5L (not 3.4L).

    Definitely recommend the Aurion over the others. The engine is just superb and not many people are aware that it's the only Toyota engine available in Australia that is also shared with a number of Lexus models.

    It's just plush, smooth and powerful on the road, and surprisingly doesn't feel like you're driving such a large car.

    Along with the Commodore it's the only one on your list that was built specifically for the Australian conditions, but it's reliability record is much higher than the Holden's.

    • greatlamp on 12/07/2016 - 14:03

      Wouldn't european conditions or north American conditions be much harsher than Australian conditions.

      Built for Australian conditions = built for a country with max speed of 110, temperate climate which doesn't fall below 0, and flat straight roads which don't require any sort of handling.

      When they produce each new commodore motor they test it at the factory up to 120 kmph. I'm sure its design can go much further, but that's "Australian conditions"

      • elektron on 12/07/2016 - 15:42

        Think things like extreme UV radiation, rain with sand etc. Not to mentions suspension developed / tuned specifically for our roads, rather than European / US, which results in a much more comfortable ride.

        In short, it has nothing to do with reliability (Aurions and Camry's run forever) - more like buying basketball shoes rather than cross-trainers to play basketball.

  • BobCobb on 11/07/2016 - 19:46

    Nissan Altima TI or TI-S

  • nxllson on 12/07/2016 - 15:52

    Try the Toyota AT-X, I have one myself and it is a great family car. Very spacious, and it can include leather seats if requested; do not stay with the classic seats as the spills will cause chaos if trying to clean.

    • elektron on 12/07/2016 - 16:49

      I think AT-X is the base version, and while it's great value for what it offers, and is way below the OP's budget. The top-of-the-range Pressara offers a lot more creature comforts and higher quality fit & finish and premium JBL sound. I also recommend considering the optional Sports pack.

      • nxllson on 12/07/2016 - 18:16

        I just realised, you are definitely right. I remembered that back then we selected which Toyota Aurion model we wanted, and since we didn't need such a sporty car because we also have a BMW ActiveHybrid 3; haven't researched much on the Toyota Aurion Presara.

  • baz3189 on 12/07/2016 - 20:27
    +1

    No car can really guarantee you a trouble free life but I think based off the criteria you have provided you'd be best to look at a Calais V V6 (or V8 if you wanted power) of VF variety. The Calais V is basically the top trim that Holden offers and comes with blind spot detection, front and rear sensors, auto park assist as well as heated seats, and a heads up display (speedo projected onto the windscreen). For the money it really is a very good package and Holden have capped price servicing like most so the costs aren't going to be too bad for maintenance.

    Really though, I'd recommend giving them all a tests drive, the Calais is a big sedan compared to the other vehicles you have listed and that may be a positive or a negative depending on your use. From a personal view, the having driven all the Calais was by far the most enjoyable to drive and surprisingly I found the dash layout of the VF to be really impressive given the VE was a let down for mine. I did drive the V8 model however and that burble of the 8 when u give it a chance to rev is pretty satisfying. I'm not the kind of driver that accelerates hard at traffic lights or tries to make a lot of noise but the V8 does egg you on a little and it's pretty insane how balanced the car is that it lets you have some light fun without being stupid. Given that I generally drive long distances most weekends having a car that you are happy to climb into and go places in makes a huge difference. The Aurion was a big let down, it doesn't feel at all sporty and for the price you really don't feel as though you are getting any value for money. The platform its built on is dated and has hardly been changed since it launched and whilst the engine is still very good, the rest of the car lets it down. The Mazda 6 is a quality car but it's a totally different class of car. Again, test drive a couple at the dealership and see which car feels right for you, at the end of the day you'll be the one driving it so it only matters that you enjoy it.

    • HeWhoKnows on 19/07/2016 - 20:03

      Mate he said Commodore, Not Calais for good reason. Only wants to spend around $45,000 not $145,000.

      • baz3189 on 26/07/2016 - 21:36

        You realise a V6 Calais costs roughly $40k right…?

  • HeWhoKnows on 19/07/2016 - 20:00

    Nissan X-trail ticks all the boxes and certainly goes the distance without any troubles.

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