Planning for a New Car

[Deactivated] on 18/02/2017 - 15:05

Hi Guys,

I am planning to buy my first car after my exam in May and I am a complete noob in this area

My budget is around $15k (if paid upfront) or willing to increase to $30k if I go with getting a credit.. I hate paying interest though.

Anyways, I am after the following and need your advice:

Year: at least 2012
Kms driven: max 40,000
Transmission: Auto
Body: Sedan
Others: Fuel efficient, Reverse Camera, Hybrid (if possible), keyless entry with push start button, entertainment system ( should be compatible with my Samsung S7),cruise control,

I have been looking at the new Honda Civic and Mazda 3 and I can't decide which one is better, but more recently I have been wanting to look into Hybrid Cars - I drove a cousin's Hybrid Honda Aqua (not in Australia) which impressed me with its fuel efficiency.

I also heard about demo cars from a friend, but I am not sure how do you go about buying those? I was going to buy a brand new car (obv I will have to increase budget), but most of my friends advised me to go with 2nd hand cars/demo cars for my first car.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks guys, hope you are enjoying the weekend!

Automotive

Comments

        • browncar on 20/02/2017 - 13:37

          @Spackbace: I agree wholeheartedly; there's a big difference between the kind of life an automatic corolla demo lives and something like a WRX. Even if there are issues the OP is only looking to own it for ~3 years; so really it's a question of whether he's willing to take a gamble and potentially be inconvenienced by having to have a repair done under warranty for the saving.

        • spackbace on 20/02/2017 - 13:39

          @AceIsMe:

          Just pointing out that I haven't voted on your comments :)

        • Euphemistic on 20/02/2017 - 13:45

          @AceIsMe: Hardly any drivers are going to push the rev limiter in a car on a test drive. Once you learn how to drive you recognise there is a power band in the engine so you only need to rev high enough that the car is above the power band in the next gear. Over revving doesn't help acceleration times.

          Sure test drivers are probably going to push the pedal to the floor a bit to check it out, but most drivers are going to change gears before damage is done, especially in an auto.

          Most drivers are also going to take a minutes or two getting the feel of the car before they carry out any pedal stomping. They will do this primarily to get a bit of a feel for what they are driving.

        • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2017 - 15:46
          +1

          As someone who as also worked in the industy, spackbace is 100% correct.

          Demos are rarely thrashed, and if it is a car with 5 year warranty or 7 year warranty what are you worried about?

          It's pretty hard to 'thrash' a Hybrid Civic or a 1.8 liter Elantra lol.

          Only thing with Demos that sometimes happens is they sit for 6-9 months and you lose 6-9 months of warranty. Warranty generally starts running out from the date the car has been registered, although in my experience if something does go wrong within the advertised warranty period the car company will generally honour the factory warranty anyway.

          Demo's are also classified as used cars, but when financing you can still classify it as new.

          I'm also laughing at how many people are saying 'never finance a car'. If you can't buy the car you want, paying $500-800 interest over 3 or 4 years is hardly going to impact your lifestyle.
          Just make sure you get a good rate and no fees and work out how much interest you'll pay over the long run.
          If you put in 15K and borrow 15k the interest will be bugger all.

          I would look at the Kia Rio (if it's big enough for you). I think they all come with touch screen and GPS now and should be well within the 20k mark for a 1.6 litre SI with 7 years warranty.

          Those new Civics are really nice too.

        • AceIsMe on 20/02/2017 - 15:46

          @Spackbace: Just pointing out that I haven't voted on your comments :)

          LOL Good to know.

        • AceIsMe on 20/02/2017 - 16:02
          +1

          @murphy84: As someone who as also worked in the industy, spackbace is 100% correct.

          Ok, I think we are getting way off track here. I have simply stated my opinion on demo cars in case the OP is looking at getting a demo. Since you guys are all "industry know it all experts" then demo is the way to go. Demo cars don't get thrashed at all. I'm just imagining things. There, argument settled.

  • soaringphoenix on 19/02/2017 - 21:24
    -1

    Have you looked at XR6 Turbos and SS commodores? That's where my money definitely would be, providing youre happy to pay a bit extra for fuel.

    • [Deactivated] on 19/02/2017 - 21:45

      I can recommend SSV Commodores. 3 yrs of owning one and not one issue. Brilliant drive. Effortless overtaking. Just gotta be careful buying second hand that it hasnt been thrashed by the previous owner.

      • browncar on 20/02/2017 - 13:41
        +6

        I know that when I think of small, fuel efficient/hybrid cars; the first thing that comes to mind is a V8 Commodore

        • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2017 - 14:13
          +1

          It's all on how you drive it. SSV switches to 4 cylinders on highways. I drive it daily to work and the extra coin i pay for the petrol is well worth it.

        • spackbace on 20/02/2017 - 17:15

          @Shiv86:

          Not in VF, they dropped the AFM because frankly it's not great

        • BartholemewH on 21/02/2017 - 01:16

          @Spackbace:
          True. I was looking at Calais V Sportwagon to replace G6E Turbo (sacrilege!) but VF II fuel consumption is worse than VE (reported).

        • spackbace on 21/02/2017 - 01:20
          +1

          @BartholemewH:

          Meh, realistically no one who's looking to buy a V8 checks the fuel consumption sticker… It's all dependent on your right foot!

        • BartholemewH on 21/02/2017 - 01:24
          +1

          @Spackbace:
          Work car.

          Edit: Could stick with a newer turbo, which returns reasonable economy regardless of right foot flexing, but it'd be like getting my old car with a new ugly dress on.

        • spackbace on 21/02/2017 - 01:25

          @BartholemewH:

          Who's looking at the consumption? You or the boss? Lol

        • BartholemewH on 21/02/2017 - 01:28
          +1

          @Spackbace:
          Hey I'm trying to be responsible here…. What if no one's looking…

          Test driving CX9 Touring tomorrow. Welcome to middle age. I know I'm going to be disappointed but I'm pretending it'll be fine.

        • spackbace on 21/02/2017 - 01:32

          @BartholemewH:

          It's a $60k car, screw the fuel lol if you have a $60k work car I'm guessing the boss must have something European :P

          And lol perfect for taking the kids to Sunday sports :P

          Oh and CX9s drink!

        • BartholemewH on 21/02/2017 - 01:33
          +1

          @Spackbace: Range Rover and Touareg (2016).

          Newest CX9 is 2.5T. Haven't heard reports on fuel consumption. The old 3.7 was a fish.

        • mavis30551 on 21/02/2017 - 17:26

          @Shiv86:
          ok so much Fuel per week/ how many Litres per Hundred do you use?

        • [Deactivated] on 22/02/2017 - 15:29

          @mavis30551:

          I spend about $60 a week. approx 250 km per week. All highway driving. My Pajero was worse (approx $120 a week).

          VFII is higher because its a bigger engine.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/02/2017 - 21:29
    +1

    Can you get a Prius V in your budget? It doesn't have the negative connotations of a Camry, and it has lithium ion packs.

  • johndoe789 on 19/02/2017 - 21:50
    +6

    Be responsible and boring and get a corolla

    • ItsMeAgro on 21/02/2017 - 13:05

      The OzBargainers first car (and second, and probably subsequent in my case).

      Lowest Total Cost of Ownership, reliable, cheap insurance.

  • ChurchMouth on 19/02/2017 - 22:23
    +1

    Why spend so much, it is just a car.

  • Austin316 on 19/02/2017 - 22:25

    A friend of mine bought a new 2017 civic for over $20k. I thought it looked stunning plus it came with all the bells and whistles. I'm sure it has Apple car play and Android auto with HDMI in.

    I would definitely check this out!

    • [Deactivated] on 19/02/2017 - 22:59
      +1

      I am a huge fan of civic.. but it's gonna cost me $30k….

      • agom on 20/02/2017 - 11:45
        +1

        I bought a used car about 2 months back and here are some of my thoughts/experience…
        - Since I was not sure for how long(1 year to 3 year) I am going to use the car, so I ruled out new car as they depreciates more than a used car.

        • Initially thought of Holden Cruz, but after reading/feedback from people decided Mazda 3 or Corolla. Good resell price and reliable machine.

        • Went to dealers, but they were really expensive and they shine their car like new. So for an untrained eye, very hard to figure out whether they are junk or are a good one.

        • Checked gumtree. Takes time and effort. You have to set up meeting, go places to check out and mind you, lot of them would expect too much or they would too old.So be patient, it takes time.

        • Resale value of car depends on odometer reading, Car brand and manufacturing year (There are lot of other factors, but three main filter criteria). I wanted car not too old (read not more than 5 years old), about 55K Kilometer.

        • While browsing, saw an add from a car rental company. Corolla, 13K, 45K odometer reading. If you are in Sydney you might want to check with Acorn rentals. They sell their car within 3 years of purchase, pretty good condition. You can also check other rental company, as I was told, by law they have to dispose off their car within 3 years (I was told, not sure whether it is ture.)

        • When I was sure I was going to buy the car, got it inspected by a machanic. Cost me 250 AUD but he found an issue which was fixed by them. I would or a general public would have never figured it out. So, it was worth it. One of my friend hired inspector from NRMA and advice me against going with them, he asked me to go with a private one.

        • I got my licence recently, P plate. 1200AUD for insurance. Ownership transfer 350AUD, Rego & CTP about 1000 AUD.

        • Got serviced by one of the good service center, cost me 500 AUD. All good so far :-)

        • bod311 on 20/02/2017 - 13:07
          +2

          Ummm definitely do not buy an ex rental. They are treated terribly. No one cares about them. Every time I drive a
          rental I floor it everywhere, and lots of people do the same. They get annoying damage and dings from bags and simply people having little scrapes because they aren't used to the car. In my experience they are hardly ever serviced. Honestly I wouldn't buy one even if there was a huge saving.

          Perhaps the only used car that could be treated worse is an ex police car which are driven hard a lot but at least serviced regularly.

          Buy a car that was looked after realistically you won't even be paying a grand more. Buying an ex rental is a false economy.

        • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2017 - 15:52
          +1

          @bod311:

          This is another old wives tale about rentals. They are serviced even more regularly than other cars and must be safety checked/audited regularly.

          Cars can be floored, they are designed to take it and survive much more stringent tests during the design phase of production.

          How many people in rentals actually floor it in Sydney or Melbourne? Not too many places you can get up over 80 km now anyway or run into a speed camera and pay a 500$ speeding fine for flooring a rental.

        • bod311 on 20/02/2017 - 16:14
          +1

          @murphy84:

          The last two rentals I had had the service light on. In my line of work I have had to subpoena the records of rental car companies. I can assure you every time the maintenance has fallen below the manufacturers recommendations and sometimes downright dangerous bald tyres, shot brake rotors etc.

          These have all been major companies and not backyard operators.

          But hey save yourself $500-$1000. I guarantee you'll be losing more than that in maintenance unless you don't keep the car long.

        • AceIsMe on 20/02/2017 - 16:16

          @murphy84: This is another old wives tale about rentals.

          I was waiting for some "industry expert" to come and say "buy a rental, they are great bargain cars to own. They get thrashed day in and day out but they are designed to do just that." FFS!!! An F1 car is designed to be thrashed not an every day road car. And even then, the engine is pulled apart after two hours of racing. Think about it. Road cars are designed to be driven not thrashed.

        • jason101 on 20/02/2017 - 21:50

          Servicing, bad driving habits, dings aside - I wouldn't buy an ex rental as they are generally washed abrasively after every client, massive paint swirling, degraded rubbers etc…

        • BartholemewH on 21/02/2017 - 01:24

          I agree. Last rental I was provided by an insurance company (Corolla) I flogged mercilessly for the fun of it. I wouldn't drive my personal car like that despite it having almost 3 times the power.

        • ItsMeAgro on 21/02/2017 - 13:13
          +1

          An ex-rental Corolla is fine. Mine was mechanically great and hasn't given trouble in all the years I've had it.

          Sorry petrolheads, but YOU are the only people who drive faster when renting cars. Everyone else is just using them to get to places and driving how they normally drive (whether that's fast or slow).

          You might be disappointed with some superficial wear and tear on ex-rentals that matter to only you, but 90% of people can't even see them. We just want a decent looking car that will get us from A to B comfortably and won't suck our wallets dry for the entire time we own it.

    • [Deactivated] on 22/02/2017 - 15:31

      He must be married to Mrs Palmer

  • The Wololo Wombat on 19/02/2017 - 23:26
    +2

    Honestly, drive the cheapest car that your ego can handle and invest the rest.

    I bought my first property with at 21 with $12k (and a $7k homeowners grant) while I was driving a $4k, fuel efficient, Nissan pulsar. Driving a cheap car was probably one of the biggest factors in growing that first purchase into a (now) $950k investment portfolio 5 years later, I'm quite serious!

    I now drive a $10k dodge calibre (2012) purely because it looks a lot more expensive than it is cheap on fuel. It still impresses the ladies, but doesn't break budget ;)

    PS, PM me if you interested in positively geared property, I can point you in the right direction!

    • jellykingdom on 20/02/2017 - 10:48
      -1

      Unless you're going to sell him a motor home, I'm not sure how that's relevant

      • The Wololo Wombat on 20/02/2017 - 11:36
        +5

        I disagree; I think it's totally relevant.

        OP is asking advice on what car to buy. He's given his reasoning and parameters, but I'm offering a different perspective by challenging his desire for a more expensive car.

        I shared my story not to 'big note' myself, but to show how I've found being frugal can pay dividends in the future.

    • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2017 - 15:53
      +4

      Dodge Caliber, you poor thing.

      • The Wololo Wombat on 20/02/2017 - 17:53
        +3

        Hey, please let me continue to live in my fantasy that a Dodge Caliber is actually a great car 😅

        • [Deactivated] on 23/02/2017 - 08:18
          +1

          Thats because you have never driven a great car to compare against

        • The Wololo Wombat on 23/02/2017 - 11:26
          +1

          @Shiv86: You are probably right. But what am I missing? I don't need a good engine or fancy seats.. a good sound system a clean interior is enough for me….

        • [Deactivated] on 23/02/2017 - 16:51

          @The Wololo Wombat:

          You are simple man. Each to their own.

  • aussieprepper on 20/02/2017 - 01:20

    Hey mate i am not sure what state you are in. So prices may differ but check out a Nissan pulsar sss the new models they can be had for a good price. The SSS is top spec i believe.

    You can probably get a Civic hatch for around that price.

    • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2017 - 15:54
      +1

      are they the CVT? I would avoid at all costs. Massive problems.

      • gmail92 on 22/02/2017 - 13:30

        what problems?

        • [Deactivated] on 22/02/2017 - 19:02
          -1

          type in pulsar CVT problems in google and go from there.

  • rickxs on 20/02/2017 - 09:51
    +1

    Cerato 50km 2016 $17990 drive away —- only beaten by Mazda3 in tests

    • ItsMeAgro on 21/02/2017 - 13:15

      Do the tests include total servicing and repair cost for the first 5-10 years?

      • [Deactivated] on 23/02/2017 - 16:52

        Warranty, Roadside and capped priced service for 7yrs. Its actually not a bad deal.

  • WhatWouldBiggieDo on 20/02/2017 - 10:38
    +5

    Never understood people who will spend $15-$30k on a car but want to make sure it's compatible with a $700 phone.

    Kind of like the people who will only buy a house that has room to fit their fridge.

    Just buy whatever car you really want, and if the entertainment system is not compatible with your phone, sell it and buy a different phone.

    • bod311 on 20/02/2017 - 13:00
      +1

      Or buy a $500 radio that is compatible with said phone and car you like best. Although it's 50/50 these days whether they make the stereo intergrated and basically impossible to swap out for an aftermarket one.

  • jellykingdom on 20/02/2017 - 10:47
    -3

    Those Honda Civics SUCK. My parents have one, and I hate driving it whenever I go home to visit. They may have improved (I think my folks have the 2014?) but the engine isn't too great, the outside appearance is horrible, the dial setup sucks (the wheel blocks the speedo for me), the seats are way too firm, etc

    There's a reason the Mazda 3, i30, and Corolla are the top selling cars in the country, though I have read the Cerato is pretty good too

    • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2017 - 21:07
      +1

      disagree.

      Honda Civic is on par with Mazda 3. Some regard it as better

    • pandas on 21/02/2017 - 00:45

      Talked mum into buying a MY06 Civic Sedan when they came out. Dad ended up buying a new Corolla hatch not long after that. Unless things have changed a great deal, I much preferred the Civic in terms of power delivery (both are 1.8L, however you tend to get more torque out of the the Civic), steering, more spacious and overall build quality. Sis has since also purchased a Jazz, no complaints.

      Recently had my Golf in for repairs, insurance supplied a Cerato as a rental car. Did not like it one bit and felt cheap.

      Each to their own, I'd suggest picking out a few and going for test drives.

    • maxall on 21/02/2017 - 16:18

      Last Gen (9th) of civic is the worst civic in my mind. current the 10th gen and 8th gen are great in term of design and quality.

      • jellykingdom on 21/02/2017 - 16:21

        You may be talking about the same version as me. I looked up the 2016 Civic and it actually looks half decent

  • Tech and cars on 20/02/2017 - 10:54
    +2

    I would get a corolla for $10k ish on low km's with a bit of shopping around. I find even 2-3 years later, that car is still worth $10k. Very general comment but sticking to popular models like the corolla, mazda 3 and civic will help with resale.

  • SilentBob on 20/02/2017 - 11:51

    I'd buy a nice 2nd hand Subaru but that's just my preference. One with only one owner and sub 80,000 km are generally in as new condition without the tag

    • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2017 - 21:02
      +1

      heard good things about Subaru… might look into it

      Thanks

  • MRManumanas on 20/02/2017 - 12:26

    Maaaateee… get a second hand VF Commodore SV6 - put some aussie flags and maybe a southern cross sticker on it then go down to the nearest industrial area and do some sick dooies.

    In all seriousness though… you could go get yourself a Kia Rio brand new with a drive away price of $17,490/7 year unlimited kms warranty/ car play and all that crap.

    They're fuel efficient and really that'd be all you need.

    • [Deactivated] on 22/02/2017 - 15:33

      Wife has Kia Rio. Car is great and my wife loves it except for one thing. The old 4 speed automatic gearbox. In this day and age it shouldnt even exist. I would recommend a RIO but go manual. I believe its 6 speed.

  • Oofy Doofy on 20/02/2017 - 12:33

    Bought a 2013 Ford Mondeo Diesel for 11k with 100k on the odo recently. 5.8 L per 100 kays, mixed driving. Pretty happy with that.

  • Dinhtran on 20/02/2017 - 14:23
    -4

    I dont understand why you guys are so conservative with finance. For me, it probably is one of the best decision to go with as a young boy. There are a few reasons.

    First secured (e.g car) finance will help OP to obtain lower interest rate for young people. If you dont have a saving, you have to go ahead with this option. If you do, saved it for contingency, or some awesome plan like travel, marry or investment (you may probably regret if you don't, especially travel).

    Second, there is a bill for you to think of as a young fellow. Your brain maths out the coffee, beer probably are equivalent to the car. Hopefully, you will learn how to spend wisely.

    Third, You will get something you like rather than a waste on stamp duty, ctp, and quick depreciation on the car you don't like.

    I agreed a used car is better in term of value, and hybrid does not always necessary. Buy the think you like, don't spend too much, probably under $30k is reasonable.

    • pandas on 20/02/2017 - 22:41

      Not really my decision, but my mum strongly advised against me buying a car. It was tough but we shared the family car (there were conflicts at times but honestly there ain't places buses or trains won't take me); and I ended up putting that money into my apartment. I'm glad I stuck with that with the thought of being that much closer to paying my mortgage off.

    • [Deactivated] on 21/02/2017 - 07:22
      +2

      Paying interest on a depreciating asset is a double whammy.

    • ItsMeAgro on 21/02/2017 - 13:20

      These are all poor reasons to go into 30 grand more debt for a car than anyone sensible would.

      You may as well have added "everyone's doing it!"

  • altomic on 20/02/2017 - 14:26
    +2

    can I ask how old you are?
    and how long have you been driving?

    I ask simply because for myself and my friends we all bought bangers for first cars when we started driving. because we were below average drivers who were over confident and unexperienced and all of us scratched and dinted our cars. but a they were "learning" cars. and plus when I parked at uni, amongst all the other new drivers, my car repeatedly received new dints from other other cars.

    if you're a new driver then buy a banger (inexpensive car) - and then you just need 3rd party (which is relatively cheap) in case of accidents and to protect you. where as getting comprehensive on a $15,000 car for a new driver will be expensive.

    just saying (I don't know your particulars/history).

    • [Deactivated] on 20/02/2017 - 21:01

      I have been driving for more than 5 years now and I am pretty confident with my driving skills. One of the reasons I want to buy a recent model is so that I can drive it for say 3-4 years and sell it a good price. I can see in the market Honda Civic 2007-2010 models sell for good prices.

      I just think getting a more recent car (2014-2016) and selling it in say 2020 would return me a better value than a 2008 car.

      • altomic on 21/02/2017 - 14:28

        cool then. I'd suggest a kia or Hyundai - not a rio or i20 - something a tad larger for safety and to get the features you're after. reliable mechanically. the value doesn't plummet (like euro cars) and will have ok resale value. and you can pick one up with low KMs and a few years old for a good price.

  • Sowny on 20/02/2017 - 17:47

    Toyota Aurion.

    • Make it so on 21/02/2017 - 12:48

      Haha… went to a Toyota dealer the other day to ask for a test drive. It went like this:

      Us: "Can we have a look at an AT-X model and maybe have a test drive?"
      Dealer: "Sorry, we don't have any Aurions left for you to inspect"
      Us: "When do you expect to have any?"
      Dealer: "We don't know. But you can put in an order."
      Us: "Will the price still be the reduced $28k by the time you get it?"
      Dealer: "I don't know that either"
      Us: "So… we would have to buy it without knowing the price? So basically, you don't know when you will get any, and you don't know what they will cost when you do. Must be difficult to have your job right now…."
      Dealer: (sheepish smile)

      In short: they dropped the price so low that it's hard for them to get any stock. I doubt these will have much resale value, as they will stop production later this year. They seem good value, but many of the specs are comparatively basic.

      • spackbace on 21/02/2017 - 12:58

        Resale would likely be crap, given the Aurion badge is getting dropped for the 2018 Camry

        • Make it so on 21/02/2017 - 13:14
          +1

          Yeah, and from what I understand the Aurions never had much resale value to begin with. Not sure they did themselves a favour splitting the Aurion from the Camry. The Camry has had frequent updates and looks great, while the Aurion always had a more dull and outdated design.
          Around that price range, Subaru Liberty's offer a lot more value for money (albeit with less kW's), which is the direction we went.
          But we had fun at the Toyota dealership. I never would have thought that instead of being badgered by a sales rep, that we would be told he doesn't have a car to sell us.

        • spackbace on 21/02/2017 - 13:20

          @Make it so:

          I've had to turn people away chasing a Jimny due to short supply.

          And you're right about the Aurion, no one cares it has more power than a Camry. Toyota buyers don't care about power figures!

  • syousef on 20/02/2017 - 18:31
    +2

    My first car cost $500 in the early 90s. My next two were under $2k. These days to get a reliable car that won't give you trouble it's about $8k-10k (though you could go lower if you know someone who you can trust to check it out). I don't know why anyone would buy their first car at $30k unless they have enough money that money is meaningless.

    Just as well too. I wrote that $500 car off in spectacular and embarrassing fashion. Learnt not to drive tired. Just so glad no one was hurt. 25 years of driving, 2 collisions with other vehicles, so I'm not sir-crash-a-lot. Even with insurance you don't want to crash a car that put you in debt. Bad enough when it's a piece of sh**!

  • 4foxache on 20/02/2017 - 18:54

    I'd drop your budget to $10k and modify your criteria to cars less than 80,000-100,00km's and no older than 8-10 years. They'll still be reliable get you where you want and save you a lot of money.

    Keep the other $5k as a rainy day fund and/or start saving for a deposit on an investment property or get yourself some shares.

    Don't roll yourself with credit, taking out a loan on a depreciating asset is about the worst thing you can do… and a car is definitely that!

  • leetguy101 on 20/02/2017 - 19:24
    +6

    Just become a Westpac Investment Analyst and buy an $80,000 car like a normal person.

  • grem323 on 20/02/2017 - 20:48

    Are you looking for power? Or just a transporter ?

  • Funky Kong on 20/02/2017 - 20:52

    By a $1000 sH/tb°x and spend the rest on eneloops

  • Jazqer on 20/02/2017 - 22:17

    Might sound counter intuitive but when we bought our last car we ended up picking up a fully loaded Lexus which was actually cheaper than the Toyota's of similar age and spec.
    It has been reliable as a Toyota and as we have just used our local mechanic for most things, servicing therefore has been the same cost too.
    The only problem is that the model we got its definitely not fuel efficient. Though I imagine there are probably more hybrids in the lower price bracket these days as they age.

    In summary, sometimes getting a less obvious choice can end up being a bargain.

  • ruddiger7 on 21/02/2017 - 10:11
    +2

    My advice is to not spend too much, 15K is a great budget and if you are looking for a private sale on carsales you will find that a lot of buyers set their prices high and leave plenty of room for haggling. At this price range I would be looking at a Honda Civic, Honda Accord Euro, Subaru Liberty and maybe a Mazda 6 (maybe a 3 sports). Try and get something not too old (5-6 years would be ideal) and low k's. Get an independent car assessment, check car financials to make sure there is no money owing on it before committing to a purchase.

  • Tomaus62 on 21/02/2017 - 10:40

    Buy 1 to 2 years old car and preferably stick to Japanese/Asian made cars like Mazda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia. For example I bought a Mazda6 sedan sports 2014 model in 2015 for $23,500. Actual brand new price was $37000!!!! I can still sell my car and get around $23K

    • [Deactivated] on 21/02/2017 - 19:53

      where are you based? Where did you get the car from? How many kMs was it driven when you bought it?

      • Tomaus62 on 21/02/2017 - 22:40

        Sydney, bought it from a private seller, 40,000… It was a good deal! market price for 2nd hand mazda6 2014 at that time was around atleast 25k

  • CharityCase on 21/02/2017 - 10:42

    A brand new Suzuki swift would be ideal?

  • Euphemistic on 21/02/2017 - 11:15
    +4

    Don't borrow to get to the 30k mark for a first car. $15k will buy a lot of small(ish) sedan, you'll get something virtually new for that money.

    In my younger days I spent way too much on cars, but I was probably what you would call an enthusiast. I could have saved a lot more if I'd been a bit more sensible and paid of the house sooner but I had a lot of fun. Now I'm happy driving an older car and as our second car am happy with having something 10 years old, as long as it has the features I'm after at the time. The main family car is newer though for the added safety features, airbags, stability control etc.

  • Make it so on 21/02/2017 - 12:57
    +2

    I wouldn't borrow money for your first car. Buy something affordable ($10-15k), and while you drive it you save up for your next car. Repeat the process, and you will never pay interest.
    You can't easily save for a new car while paying interest on the one you have, so you will be a slave to the bank your whole life with that approach.

  • npnp on 21/02/2017 - 15:23
    +1

    I don't know what you referred as 'Honda Aqua', as far as I'm aware Aqua is made by Toyota.
    As a hybrid fan myself I can't recommend them enough. I currently owe two Toyota hybrids (one for Uber, one for family) and they are so reliable. Cheap to drive, cheap to service (and easy DIY too). These cars run forever with little maintenance (Ask any hybrid taxi driver, many old taxi hybrids are close or over 1 million kms on the clock). Obviously very quiet cars so I enjoy Music to the fullest. (Big prius come with 8 pioneer speakers standard including two tweeters, I installed pioneer amp and sub connected to a cheap ebay set up, works like a charm, all my Uber riders are like 'damn, the sound system of this car is amazing..!') All Prius cars come with cruise control, push start, proximity sensor etc. Small Prius C car comes with touch screen player, reverse camera and 6 speakers as standard. If you go with high end 'i-tech' model you will get sun roof and so many other stuff.

  • uder on 21/02/2017 - 16:33
    +1

    I got a MY17 Kia Cerato for 19k. It's the base S model with the AV pack (touch screen with Android auto/Apple Carplay + rear cam + dusk sensing headlights). Love it.

    • [Deactivated] on 21/02/2017 - 19:47

      where are you based? How's the drive?

  • peterw1 on 21/02/2017 - 19:35
    +1

    Why don't you look at going to auctions of ex govt cars, you often get a good deal and they have been serviced regularly and often nrma inspected. Problem with subaru is that the 100k service is often expensive, think 1k, as they have to change the cam belt as it doesn't have a cam chain which is arguably more reliable, but more noisey, but great cars.

    • [Deactivated] on 21/02/2017 - 19:48

      where do I find ex govt car auctions

  • nk10025 on 21/02/2017 - 20:44
    +1

    Also consider the new subaru Impreza 2017. I bought the Impreza 2.0L 28900 driveaway (+tints and mats). Happy with the car so far. It would be a nice first car

  • jstar168 on 22/02/2017 - 09:35

    How about buying a Suzuki swift 15k on a credit card, then do a balance transfer to something like the citi card and get 18 months interest free and pay it back at 200 a week 0% interest.
    It would keep you liquid and able to invest.

  • malcom on 22/02/2017 - 16:45

    Prius hybrid. You can probably grab a gen 3 (2009-2011) for under $15k. I have an Prius and a Prius V and they're fantastic cars. Cheap to run. Cheap to maintain!

  • johnode on 22/02/2017 - 22:37

    Have a look at the Ford Falcon EcoLPi range (2011 - 2016) if you want something bigger than a small sedan. They run on dedicated gas, which make them economical to run.

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