Used Car Buying Advice. Are Holden Cars Good Buy Atm?

fantoo on 07/12/2020 - 14:39
Last edited 08/12/2020 - 09:52

I recently moved to canberra and realized its hard to get around without the car.

Looking for a car to buy.
Rough budget is 5k or around.
Automatic transmission.

I had been looking at Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Mazda but most of them were of 2005-2009.
Good ones went quick even before I could inspect.

But lately, I can see listings for Holden 2010-2012 around my budget.
Mainly they are Holden Cruz.

Are they good buys at the moment?
Which one are obv I have to avoid buying?
Any other things I need to know before buying them?

Also, I am planning to see couple of them next week in Sydney.

Would like some suggestion if anyone has used car transport service from sydney to canberra?

Thank you in advace to all Ozbargainers

Update: Thanks all for great comments and suggestions.. Will avoid Holden Cruze and captiva

Automotive Holden

Comments

  • Fergy1987 on 07/12/2020 - 14:46
    +6

    Holden Cruz weren't good when Holden was still in business - I can't imagine any chance of it being a better buy with the company down the toilet.

  • spackbace on 07/12/2020 - 14:47
    +3

    Avoid

    A basic Google search would've told you that

    Cruze was plagued with issues from the start. The only half decent ones were the models with the 1.4T engine, as it was locally made

  • Weshouldgetsushi on 07/12/2020 - 14:50

    Cruze have very well known issues - there are a few, so best to use google.

  • MS Paint on 07/12/2020 - 14:51
    +11

    DON'T BUY A CRUZE

    • npc on 07/12/2020 - 14:54
      +1

      There is no font large enough to say that!

    • montorola on 07/12/2020 - 15:18

      Buy a captiva instead! :D

      • MS Paint on 07/12/2020 - 15:19
        +1

        BUY A CAPTIVA

        not

  • Rocah11 on 07/12/2020 - 14:58

    I owned a 2011 Cruze for a short while. If it wasn't for the engine randomly turning off (while driving) or the electrical issues, it was a great, comfy car for the $5k price tag.
    As others have said - avoid!

    • Caped Baldy on 07/12/2020 - 15:02

      Errr. What happened when the engine turned off? Did it lock up or restart quick?

      • Rocah11 on 07/12/2020 - 15:06
        +1

        oh no sorry I forgot that it didn't turn off, it just randomly lost all engine power. I think after 5 seconds or so the engine power would return. It's been a while..

        • CMH on 07/12/2020 - 15:15
          +1

          Oooo a car with a random mode; for the pro driver I'm sure.

        • Caped Baldy on 07/12/2020 - 15:16

          Glad you survived then. Had something sort of similar when the car's fourth gear wouldn't engage. Scary few seconds.

  • MS Paint on 07/12/2020 - 15:24

    Rough budget is 5k

    Something around that price range would be a grandpa spec VY Series 2 Commodore. Pretty hard to find an unmolested example these days but the right on will go forever.

  • Kramo on 07/12/2020 - 15:30

    I've been lucky with my 2010 Cruze with only the occasional major mechanical fault, but it's got very low mileage, so plenty of travel left for greater issues.

    I'd personally be looking at a Toyota.

  • Duckie2hh on 07/12/2020 - 15:45

    Buying Holden is equivalent to burning your money, wasteful and bad for the environment.

    • Euphemistic on 07/12/2020 - 15:49

      I’d agree with the exception of commodore and possibly Colorado that is basically an Isuzu wearing a Holden suit. Anything else reasonably modern by Holden is rebadged rubbish.

  • Euphemistic on 07/12/2020 - 15:51

    Don’t buy a Cruze - again for emphasis.

    Don’t buy a car from out of your area unless you inspect in person AND are competent at inspecting or have a mechanic do it for you. As for Sydney to Canberra transport, catch a bus and drive it back.

  • Drakesy on 07/12/2020 - 15:58

    Yeah, they're cheap unfortunately for a reason.
    Had a mate limp one to the mechanics, i think the engine/gearbox issues would come to ~$3500 all up (car was only worth about 5k).

    He left it there and pretty much handed them the keys.

  • p1 ama on 07/12/2020 - 17:31

    Holden did some really dodgy stuff in their last years. Almost dishonest to call a Cruze a Holden, it's really a Daewoo. As others have said, avoid. There's no reason to get a Cruze when you have so many other good options in the price bracket. Even something like a 2005 Corolla is probably around your budget.

    That said, a Commodore is still a great buy. Reliable, easy to get parts, pretty easy to learn and work on…etc.

  • SF3 on 07/12/2020 - 18:09

    I had been looking at Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Mazda but most of them were of 2005-2009.
    But lately, I can see listings for Holden 2010-2012 around my budget.

    You know the saying, if it is too good to be true…

  • jsrz18 on 07/12/2020 - 18:43

    Do not buy Cruze or Captiva. Others are generally fine.

  • kma on 07/12/2020 - 21:02

    Some years ago we had a Nissan Tiida 2010 as a second car. We sold it at 120,000km in 2018 for about $7k. I suppose you can score one around $5/$6k now. Very spacious, plus because it was the Ti it has leather seats and sunroof. ST or STL could certainly be had for just about $5k. We never had any issues with it for the 70,000km we used it for.

    and yes, don't buy a Cruse!

  • fantoo on 07/12/2020 - 21:50

    Thanks all for great advice.
    Holden on the avoid list now.

    • CMH on 07/12/2020 - 23:44
      +2

      It's not that Holden should be on the avoid list: it's the Cruze/Captiva that's on the avoid list….

    • p1 ama on 08/12/2020 - 03:21

      Why Holden on the avoid list? The Cruze is a Daewoo…

  • Brick Tamland on 08/12/2020 - 19:51

    The Commodore and Colardo are the only decent Holdens to consider. The rest can be bit of a risk.

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 08/12/2020 - 23:08

    To answer your question Holdens are no longer selling cars in Australia as of next year? so it probably isnt the wises choice to buy one for the long term however if you need a cheap car for now there are some good deals on Holdens.

    To give you some advice DO NOT BUY A HOLDEN CRUZ they are shocking cars between that and the Captiva are the prime reasons Holden went out of business.

    I would advise you get an Astra one of the older ones that were just rebadge Opals at least they were made in Europe back in the day. Might last a little longer and they were certainly more reliable.

    However you might be better off avoiding the brand altogether - with that said 5k doesnt get you much these days - 2nd hand cars imo are overpriced in the current market and have been for at least 5 years now.

    • spackbace on 08/12/2020 - 23:20

      Holden already aren't selling cars…

      And no, you don't touch the Euro Holdens for similar reasons to why you don't touch Korean Holdens.

      The rest of that is just echoing previous comments

  • Willco88 on 08/12/2020 - 23:10

    Yeah don't touch Holden go Hyundai i30

  • BadHorse on 08/12/2020 - 23:26

    Hmm I have 2014 Holden Cruze (1.8 Petrol) and it has been fine. Very low km (<50k) so maybe I am in for a rough future

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