Family Car under 20k - Help Please and Vote My Life Away

• 

  Nugs on 28/03/2017 - 17:28

  +1

  why is year important? cars don't go off. a well maintained but older car would still meet your other criteria and would likely give more options.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 28/03/2017 - 18:17

    One of the cars that I want to change it is a 2006 Kia Cerato, 200k+ km. Whilst still goes really well, it has no modern safety features like ABS or ESC.

    The reason I want to go for a newerish year is because I plan to keep it for at least 5 - 7 years. A 2013 car would make it 4 years old already and by the time I will change it it will have at least 9 or 10 years. By then, problems will start to appear even on properly maintained cars.

    My 06 Cerato has had very few problems and I'm foreseeing some more, none related with reliability of the car or maintenance (wipers not flushing, busted radiator pipe due old age and heat which almost fried my engine, brake rotors starting to become iffy on hard braking, etc). Whilst none of these are being major issues, some of them can be costly to fix and I don't want headaches in the middle of the road on a rainy night.

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 28/03/2017 - 19:35

      Why not go for a Kia cerato sedan, you can get a base model auto for $22K with a 7 year warranty and all the safety gubbins required. Big boot and plenty of space in the rear seat.
      Possible only downside is the ground clearance but you mention commodore wagon, this would be about the same.

• 

  spackbace on 28/03/2017 - 18:12

  +3

  Accommodate in the rear 2 booster seats (on regular basis) + 1 adult (at times)

  Have you actually sized up those cars in your list…? The Forester/Mazda 6 etc won't fit 3 across. If you want space like that, it's Commodore/Falcon/Territory etc

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 28/03/2017 - 18:23

    +1

    I haven't actually, I have no real world experience with any of them (except commodore - new work cars).

    I do, however, have a Ford Falcon and I can tell you that my skinny wife can't fit comfortably within the space left over by the seats. You made me a bit nervous now and a serious research is needed.

    Was thinking of the Territory as well, but is slightly out of budgeted price.

    • 

      spackbace on 28/03/2017 - 19:42

      +2

      It might use more fuel than the mid-size cars people will suggest, but I really really like the Commodore wagons. Look for an SV6 though, should be able to get a VF SV6 (2013 onwards) within budget

      I have 2 kids under 5yo. When we do a driving holiday, my number 1 preferred car to get off the lot is a VF wagon. Easily fits the 2 kids and tons of room in the back

    • 

      flocof on 29/03/2017 - 09:57

      I drove a brand new Ford territory at work and we had nothing but problems with it.

      • 

        [Deactivated] on 29/03/2017 - 09:59

        Depends on your luck. I've been pretty lucky with my territory at work. We've got about 15 of them on the road all the time. No issues.

      • 

        flocof on 29/03/2017 - 10:01

        The RAA guy said he was not surprised! I had a Rav4 at the time and he said he rarely has to rescue them!

• 

  oscargamer on 28/03/2017 - 19:11

  -2

  if you want a car to do everything, increase your budget

  otherwise, get a 2014+ Mazda 3 SP25 sedan in auto or manual

  https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/results?q=%28And.Year.range%282014..%29..Odometer.range%280..40000%29..Service.Carsales..%28C.Make.Mazda..%28C.Model.3..Badge.SP25.%29%29.BodyStyle.Sedan.%29&sortby=~Price&limit=12

  this would be my pick
  https://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/Mazda-3-2014/OAG-…

  haggle down to $18500

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 28/03/2017 - 19:30

    Good one :)

    I just decreased the budged from 52k to 20k :)

    I don't want a car to do everything. Just has to be wide enough to fit the darn kids chairs and 1 skinny wife in the rear and a boot large enough for the camping trips.

    Everything else I can work with.

    • 

      oscargamer on 28/03/2017 - 19:34

      then go and have a look at a Mazda 3 sedan, and you'll have 99% of what you want (and the engine is a bit of a beauty as well ! )

      • 

        [Deactivated] on 28/03/2017 - 19:35

        Thank you for the vote of confidence towards Mazda 3.

        Tomorrow morning I'll do just that, will report back.

      • 

        spackbace on 28/03/2017 - 19:43

        +3

        No way in hell is a Mazda 3 fitting 2 child car seats, plus someone of any decent size (ie not a child!). Not a chance.

      • 

        oscargamer on 28/03/2017 - 20:07

        -4

        @Spackbace:

        well mine did…………

        maybe your Suzuki 3 won't, but then again, what does a Suzuki do better that any other car…………

        ps - the answer is NOTHING

        I take that back. The late 80's Swift GTi was a beauty, but that was the last thing of interest that they produced

      • 

        spackbace on 28/03/2017 - 20:15

        +3

        @oscargamer:

        Dude… no need to attack the brand, we do sell used cars here. I've probably seen and driven more cars than you, and having 2 kids in car seats, I know what I can and can't fit them in

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 29/03/2017 - 15:56

    +1

    Saw today Mazda 3 hatch. Not sure how tall your family is, but if I'm driving (I'm 185cm tall), there's not much space left behind. Possibly a small person could fit comfortably.

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  Euphemistic on 28/03/2017 - 20:28

  2 kid seats and an adult in the back is going to put you in large car category. Isn't your better half allowed to ride up front? Jamming an adult in between the boosters is going to be ok in mid size cars for short trips occasionally, but def not for long trips.

  Finding an old school base-only booster seat made that a lot easier for us. Anything with a back and sides takes up too much space. If your child is over 4 AFAIk they can be used legally, but they are rare to be able to purchase now. Pop the baby seat on one side, the booster in the middle and the adult on the other side.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 28/03/2017 - 21:27

    At least once a year for 2 - 3 months at the time (tourist visa), there is one extra adult in our house. Usually a mother/mother in law or a father/brother in law.

    In the weekends when all of us go somewhere (eq: beach, shopping, etc) we have to fit in one car. Any one of them is larger in size than my wife. Her only option is to sit in the back or someone else jump in the other car and drive separately, hence my desire for the adult (think it of a 16-18yo girl) in the back.

    As for the booster seat you were talking about, I saw yesterday something really interesting on a Volvo XC60 (I think). The rear seats were transforming themselves into booster seats. Really really interesting idea, only downside was that you have to had no feet as an adult to fit in the back, even with the front seats mid way forward.

    • 

      oscargamer on 28/03/2017 - 22:18

      I think one passat wagon variant has those seats too

• 

  PVA on 28/03/2017 - 20:36

  +1

  Have a drive of an xtrail, previous shape. You'll get a really good one for the dollars you want. Lots of family room and boot has nice things like drawers so you can access things will it's full of luggage,/ kids stuff.
  Back seats adjust so you can recline them to an angle you like.
  Great for camping too.
  Look at the 4wd model, not the 2wd as it has a smaller engine, more base model.
  We had one ( until a tree jumped out and destroyed it ).

  Edit, hang on, you want 2 kids and an adult in the back? Doesn't your wife sit in the front?

• 

  meddy on 29/03/2017 - 08:35

  Not many of those cars are going to be comfortable in the back seat with 2 booster seats and 1 adult, I have a Territory and its a squeeze in that situation. If I was you I would have a look and drive of a Honda Odyssey, 7 seater when required or heaps of room when 3rd row is folded down, and plenty of late models in your price range.

• 

  Densor on 29/03/2017 - 12:31

  If you are used to driving a Kia Cerato, how about a Kia Rhodo ? Very similar to your Cerato, but with the flexibility of the third row which can fit the visiting in-laws. The 3rd row folds up for storing that tent and other camping goodies.
  They are fairly unloved in the market which means you may pick one up cheap 2nd hand, and still have part of the 7 yr waranty left .

• 

  Cliche Guevara on 29/03/2017 - 13:32

  Ugly as, but this is what you need: Subaru Liberty Exiga

  https://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Subaru-Liberty-2…

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  Euphemistic on 29/03/2017 - 15:09

  ypu, sounds like a 7 seater will fir the bill nicely.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 29/03/2017 - 15:57

    Yeah, out of my budget. I was going for a Kia Sorento intially. Too much coco.

• 

  Halo375 on 29/03/2017 - 16:09

  Ford Mondeo liftback - diesel or petrol ecoboost (I've had both). They have heaps of space and a massive boot. They're not popular here so you should be able to pick up a relatively new model for a good price. Key thing to watch out for is that it that the transmission has been serviced properly and had the fluid replaced at 60,000km. Transmission fluid is expensive but pretty damned important. Other than that its a nice car to drive with plenty of comforts for a good price.

• 

  HeWhoKnows on 29/03/2017 - 17:40

  +3

  Doesn't matter what anyone thinks here because they are voting for their own choice according to their own values and circumstances - NOT YOURS!
  Everyone's situation is different.
  Suggest you go out and take each of the cars for a test drive and rule out those you don't like.
  Then read up some used car reviews if you care to find out what the critics say.
  Find out how much it costs to insure each car to avoid any nasty surprises.
  Also find out how much it costs to service the car at a dealer and if they offer fixed price servicing as this might sway your choice. For example fixed price servicing on a Mitsubishi Mirage is only $250 whilst the same on a VW Polo is $550 even though they are similar sized cars.
  Sometimes you just want the best deal. If so go and find out who will do the better deal for you.
  Sometimes the location of the nearest dealership is an important consideration if you are going to service your car there.
  AND DONT FORGET TO GET THE WIFE'S OPINION! that is by far the most important one.
  PS. For your circumstances look into a Nissan X-trail as someone else suggested.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 30/03/2017 - 00:57

    Thank you.

    Looked at a Nissan X-Trail today sat in it and I like it.

    No matter what I chose, the middle seat is plain uncomfortable. Every car so I'll just have to make peace with it.

    The darn Mits Outlander is so darn cheap, is it nasty though ? I saw a few older models today and they seem to age quite badly.