Guys need some help in choosing a car.
I have shortlisted Suzuki Vitara , Mitsubishi ASX, Hyundai Elantra,Honda civic.
I am just not able to decide on the car.
I currently have a Suzuki swift and BMW 320 and want to replace the swift with any of the above.
It doesn't matter if it is a sub or sedan. What really matters to me the reliability and engineering/technology ofcorse within that budget.
What would be your best pick.
I haven't test driven any of them due to time constraints.
Wondering what are your thoughts.
More than happy to reach out to any of your friends or references . Helps me and help their individual targets aswell.
Baulkham Hills Sydney. Thanks
Help Me choose a New Car 25K Budget
WPExpress on 26/12/2020 - 11:36
Comments
@WPExpress: But why…?
Will you feel bad telling family/friends you had to buy a 1yo car? lol it's ok, you have your 320 to make up for your… inadequacies lol
@spackbace: From the sheer rudeness and arrogance presented by OP throughout this post, that'll be exactly it. It'll be 'shameful' to tell others he's bought a one-year old car.
Somehow buying a brand new cheap crappy MG is better 'face' than a one-year old Toyota. Some people are weird.
@Hybroid: It's cultural, but as you say the priorities are fked up. "Here, look at my new Hyundai" is somehow better for the ego than "here, look at my 1yo Toyota"
We're not talking M series BMW's here, or a Tesla… We're talking low budget, yet OP's ego doesn't seem to realise that.
It's rather amusing actually
It'll be 'shameful' to tell others he's bought a one-year old car.
Funny how others perceive stuff differently. I would be embarrassed to be seen in a brand new ASX or MG but would feel quite proud to own a 5 year old used Camry or Commodore.
In 5 years time the MG is gonna look a lot more worn out than a 10 year old Camry.
Good that your second hand or so called used car worked for you and you are happy to settle with that. You my friend will never know what is a new car feeling.. Good luck.
Having a new car might be a sense of achievement for you mate. Not all are in your boat.
Purushmi I'm a medical practitioner, and I have a 12 year old Corolla (which I bought when it was 1 year old) since I started driving. I could afford much more expensive cars and impress people but it's far better to invest the money in non-depreciating assets. I realise that you can afford a new car and there's pressure from the wife and family to buy a new car, but honestly no-one's going to be impressed with a brand new bargain basement car as most people use it as a daily appliance for transport, and that sounds like that's what you'd be using it for. Please don't take this advice personally, most people here are trying to give you solid advice
hahaha guaranteed to post up a pic on IG in front of said car with a big red ribbon, captioned: "woRK hARd, DReAm BiG~~!!"
Mazda 3, can't go wrong
Evo 7
Do you confidently drive manual?
If yes a VW Polo at just about under $20K with 5 years warranty is the most cost effective option.
For one person and manual it will be responsive.
You have a full 5 years warranty if tech is not up to scratch.Have a test drive if in doubt (IF you confidently drive manual).
You'll be pleasantly surprised.Thanks buddy. Might have to give this a pass. Manual is not something we are used to.
Go for Honda Civic, you will good car with alot of extra features in 25k
It's important to have another BMW purely for errands.
Just buy another BMW with 2L engine
Just get the non turbo civic. It is safer too.
Here is my very valuable advice…..
Instead of wasting OUR time because YOU have time contraints dear OP just Get out there and test drive them all.
There are also plenty of new car reviews to read if you want expert opinion.
It's you that will be driving the car. NOT US!Once you have done your research and test driven all the cars (with your partner of course) and if you have narrowed the field down to just 2 cars and you still cant decide……. (I doubt that will be the case)
then and only then come back to us with your thoughts and concerns regarding those 2 cars and the OzBargain community can perhaps provide you with some guidence.But just consider most people will simply tell you what THEY like. Not whats best for you.
Thats human nature.
Remember that Everyone has different preferences and priorities which are unlikely to be the same as yours.So I say again…
It's you that will be driving the car. NOT US!Now be a big boy and go and do your homework.
Agree. On it . Mazda is so keen on getting this deal. They gave me quote , which is so unreal.
OP also just brought out the "I have a BMW 320" to seek status. C'mon OP, you're arrogant, cheap, and you're really not all that. Stop trying to be something you're not and acting like you're better than everyone else.
Oh gawd. This is some grandiose delusions you have there cheap boy LOL.
Gets entry level BMW
Thinks he’s basically a God.
Save some more and get a better car.
From 25 it has gone upto 30.
I think 30 is a decent budget ( which is actually high ) for a second car.
I am absolutely comfortable with any quality car ( Yaris to anything ) which takes me from A to B with zero issues as long as I keep it.30k is not anywhere close to a decent budget if your main goal is to impress people…who are you kidding son lol
Isn’t it historically the worst time to buy a used car?
yep - people withdrawing their super and also general fear of taking PT
PT?
public transport
Why so? Are you saying because of COVID?
Because used cars are so expensive right now. Cars that I was looking at for around 27-30k in April 2020 are now listed on carsales for 35-38k. The car I bought brand new last year and have put 20k km on is listed on carsales for only 1k less than what I bought it for brand new.
I don't think they get sold. I have seen many such ads which quote a high price (just 1k less than a brand new one) and they just stay on in the listing without much movement. But in a way, I do agree that the car market is quite volatile!
@ModBot: Oh I see! Yep it's quite volatile because the supply chain has been affected dramatically. From what I've heard new cars have a very long delivery time now due to covid so people are flocking to buy used cars. Additionally, lots of people getting handouts from Centrelink and being able to withdraw super have bumped up demand a lot while supply of used cars has decreased. And also people avoiding travelling on public transport due to covid has increased demand too!
@ModBot: I agree, no-one is buying new cars and used cars are selling very quickly.
The ad's you see are the ones that haven't sold. I don't believe in these poor economic times people forget what is good value. The carsales app even tells you if it's a good price.
Hyundai i30, Elantra, Accent and their KIA equivalents usually win Australian Car of the year awards. Hyundai also ranks 1st in car owner surveys in the USA.
Our family currently owns 3x Hyundai, 2x Subaru, 1x Toyota. In the past we have owned Volvo, Rover, Honda, Mazda, Holden, Ford.
Hyundai delivers as much technology or more compared with cars in it's price range. They test and tune their suspension on Australian roads. They tend to honour their warranty. KIA have the longest warranty. Toyota tends to lag behind on in-car technology but has the highest resale value.
I personally love the value and style of the KIA range. Even the NSW police are using KIA Stinger V6 twin turbo's in their Highway patrol fleet.
Thanks, this is valuable feedback.
The Kogan and Cadogan Awards combined!
Ain't the popo looking at VW cars now
we recently (mid-Nov) went through the exercise of checking out a bunch of small SUV's.
Finally plonked down the readies on a Mazda CX-3 maxx sport for $24k - only put a few hundred kms on it so far (too
smartcheap to join the madding crowd)my only 'gripe' is the boot area is a bit small for "large shops" (4 adults in the house).
Test drove the Mazda cx3.
Hornsby mazda
Model : Mazda cx3 E6 auto maxx sport fwd
Inclusions :
Vehicle price - 24227
Colour - 450
Floor mats / cargo tray - 360
Rego - 407
qbe Ctp- 435
Premium plate - 110
Dealer delivery - 1680
Stamp duty - 786
Full tank and extended warranty included
Discount- 3297
Gst- 2376
Total price - 27880.
This is the quote offered. They are very keen to close the deal.Yes , you are right about the boot.
They are very keen to close the deal.
Of course they are. They want to make money, lol.
Don't forget you are in the position of power. Everyone wants your money and will do desperate things to get it. Take your time, only offer as much as you want to pay, and be prepared to walk away!
Drop the premium plates, floor mats and colour, $920 in your pocket.
Would you pay $360 for floor mats in KMart?
Mats yes.
Colour No - the swift I have is white.
When I got the swift we dropped the colour to save $400 and I had assured next car colour will be a choice.
But then there is also a discount of 3297.
I should be able to wrap this up @ 27 if my timing is right.
Just remember the CX3 is built on Mazda 2 chassis and to be honest i was going to buy one of them but when you drive the Mazda 3 hatch there is no comparison, I took the Mazda3.
Just remember the CX3 is built on Mazda 2 chassis.
Exactly right $27k for what is essentially a micro car is not amazing value. Might as well buy the 2 and save $5k.
I had a brand new Mitsubishi ASX as loan car for a few weeks. Heap of crap, would never buy one. Hyundai i30 are great cars
And Why is that ?
It felt really cheap, drove like crap, gutless.
We're so spoilt for choice these days there's just no excuse for buying one.
No real shock, they were selling the old model for 21k drive away, then they added 5k premium on the new model.
since your budget is upto 30K, just get a corolla hybrid sedan. This is the refrigerator of cars. Minimum maintenance, minimal fuel cost, fixed price service for 5 years, it'll start every time, few will want to steal it and you'll have great resale in 15 years. Only problem might be delay in arrival. You want stress free motoring, this is it.
64% retention value after 5 years apparently is the prediction
kia Seltos S ?
Over budget. I think they are around 45. Nice car though. Will prefer the RAV4 .
seltos S is $27k
seltos GT is $43k
Get a Mahindra then!
I just sold my Mitsubishi ASX as it's a boring car. I bought it brand new for $25k. Really average in every way. I bought a top of the line 2018 Mazda 3 SP25 Astina for $25k and it's so much better.
Get a Mazda.
Otherwise Vitara might be good or Skodas small SUV.
There is a new Skoda release Skoda Kamiq which is a 3 cyl 1 L engine like Tcross.
I bought an Elantra in 2016, I beleive it is still the same body/current model (correct me if I'm wrong!). I love it, no issues at all. It had the best value for money compared with other cars around at the time. Carplay is great, as are the rain sensing wipers and dusk sensing headlights. Mine came with reverse sensors, and I paid for front sensors - don't bother with these, they're crap. Everything is still working perfectly and I've had no mechanical issues with the car. Let me know if you have any specific questions!
Something that salesman won't really point out to you, but Hyundai and Kia cars are quite roomy. Espeically compared with Toyota or Mazda. My husband is 6ft9" and comfortably fits in Hyundai, but can't fit in Mazda or Toyota cars. He can fit ok in the current Honda Civic, and seems to fit well in all Suzuki cars. If you're going to have people sitting in the back, or just like to have plenty of room in the front yourself, this might be something to consider.
Funnily enough, I had exactly the same shortlist that you had - minus the ASX. I had to rule out Vitara because they were relatively new at the time or there was some delay getting stock, there weren't any around to even test drive and the Honda Civic was only avaliable in hatch and I wanted a sedan (the sedan was released later for some reason). I had a deposit down on a Kia Cerato but they couldn't get me the stock for that either, so I went with the Elantra.
Great write up. Thanks for the feedback jeka.
I am 5'10 . I suppose the space is not a major concern.
I don't know what is with car dealers. Most of them don't have the stock even for a test drive.Their business model amazes me.some have already mentioned long wait list. Courtesy covid.
I will test drive Hyundai Elantra and i30 sedan in the next few days , that is if Hyundai castle hill is open.Let's see how this goes.
Vitara / ASX / Honda to go.Business model? The business model is to sell cars, which it appears they've done 😂
Though they also don't like time wasters, and will use the excuse of no demo's to get away from them 😉
No customer has the time to waste in a car show room lol.
I totally disagree with the no demos excuse statement.
You book an appointment with the dealer and move on. Simples.
Those days have gone where one begins to judge clients. You never know the , person whom you think is wasting time could be their next Trump card . Anyways, If not them some other dealer.
But then covid has certainly made a huge impact.@WPExpress: Oh you can disagree all you want but it happens.
I mean, look at how flakey you are, you haven't narrowed it down at all yet you're
joyridingtest driving cars. Ultimate time waster@WPExpress: If I was in the market for a new car, I'd size them up first before wasting time with a test drive. Pretty easy to rule out a car based on comfort, space, practicality, features and price before driving.
Pick the top 3, test drive them all in one day, head to head.
Then you know the clear winner.If a car is too small, too expensive, or not the right fit for needs, what's the point in a drive? There isn't any point
@spackbace: You are still test driving then - time waster.
Btw i have narrowed down 4 and I am working on elimination.@WPExpress: 4?
But you have a quote for the Mazda and still haggling with them
That makes 5
And you mentioned you'd consider looking at MG
That makes 6
Not to put you off side, but if your BMW has been reliable, probably hold onto it, that's a rare thing indeed. Having owned EDIT 9* BMWs, 3* have been good, two 530i wagons, and a 530 sedan. All the 3 series, 6 series, X series, 4 series, have all had issues, various cars from the late 90s to mid 2010s. So genuinely, you may have a lucky car, so congratulations if it is reliable and you enjoy it, power to you!
Now, this is a bit down to taste, so subjectively, I like your "thinking" on the 4 brands, even if I don't like some of them, however I also suggest you to consider 2 more, Mazda and Kia, as I would currently pick the Hyundia from your list, it would be my 3rd choice if Mazda and Kia were in the list.
In NSW, new Mazda and Kia's I found are
Mazda 2 (G15 Pure DJ). Hugely reliable brand, 5 year warranty, very reasonable servicing costs (in my experience), high end engineering, high compression engines that are efficient and not turbo charged (not this one). Reason I'd consider Mazda over Kia or Hyundai, I think they have nice interiors, technology is quite decent, they've become higher quality without expanding too much in price. I'd short list one, hope it drives well!
Kia Rio Sport, 1.4L. The 1 Litre is said to be more fuel efficient and have more torque, but it will be less smooth (3 vs 4 cylinders), and will probably be more efficient on long drives but less in city drives. Kia, 7 year warranty, decent interiors, and essentially (imho) better value Hyundias. Haven't owned one but have heard nothing but good things I'd check them out.
(1.) Hyundai Elantra. 2.0L Not great on fuel economy just not terrible. May as well get the i30, seems slightly more powerful, practical too being a hatchback. Otherwise, yeah it'll be reliable, interiors seem alright.
(2.) Suzuki Vitara, Yeah, it's fine. I mean if you're considering this over a new Swift, than I imagine it's for the cargo space, otherwise just get the Swift, they're pretty great, you know what you're getting into, it'll be a refined version, you might get a better trade in, I dunno.
(3.) Honda Civic
The reliability is probably there, engineering/technology? They aren't innovating (imho), they've dropped the ball in the last 15 years. Unless it's an insanely good deal, has a feature the others have, I'd avoid it.
The Mitsubishi ASX. Nope. chuck it out. Biggest and least efficient, I mean if you 'need' an SUV for the extra cargo space, probably start the list again and don't look at Mitubishi still. Imho, they are currently trailing in terms of all the Japanese manufacturers, even Honda who hasn't bothered trying for 15 years.
Thanks conza, appreciate the detailed review.
Valid points to consider.It appears the forum is 50-50 on ASX. I like the asx ( haven't test driven yet) from the looks of it .
The usage isn't major, just school / shopping and Sport. All the 3 are under 1k from my house.i would say 2k a day will be my average.
So i am not really very fussed about fuel efficiency. I still prefer the Vitara, simply because it is a cSUV , easy to park I suppose (considering it is compact), space.Thanks again for stopping by mate.A new car just to drive 2kms per day? That looks like walkable distance to me.
And really worth getting rid of a 5yo Swift for…
For that short distance you need to up your budget and show your family you are environmentally responsible and get an MG electric.
Why do you even need a car at all??
Get off your lazy butt and walk. Or get a bicycle. Get your groceries delivered so you don't have to drive to the supermarket. If your kids can't walk 1km to school you have much bigger problems than what new car to get, they probably need a doctor.
Put your 30k in your mortgage and pay it off years faster. Or if you don't have a mortgage, put it in your super up to the threshold of it being worth it for tax and invest the rest.
This is the stupidest thing I have heard of on this forum for someone to be buying a new car to travel 2km a day. Especially when they already have a perfectly good car!
*Two perfectly good cars
Used 2010 BMW X5 lol
New Camry with the 2.5 litre engine will suit you perfectly.
Wagon. Test drive a used Octavia.
Hyundai Elantra or i30 trophy edition.
It’s a nice car no complaints.
Previously had a Civic and wife has a Mazda.
Civic felt roomier while Mazda felt cramp.If I had more money would have gone with Hybrid Corolla.
If you travel a lot, the fuel economy is incredible and you save $$$ every year, bringing the initial cost down.
Plus it is good for the environment :)Agree with the Mazda. Tomorrow is Hyundai day.
I think the sedan is a bit more pricey than the base hatch. But you can always negotiate
Agree. Bookings are on . Long wait list though.
Thanks for bringing this up. I understand the first fleet always have some or the other issue.Damn ,back to Elantra /Vitara/ASX.
I was looking for similar specs and with a similar budget. I found the new Hyundai i30 sedans had the best value, reliability and most tech for the price range.
-Bigger size for a sedan (bigger interior and boot space than the hatch)
-Decent fuel economy at 7l/100km combined use
-Reliable, 5 years warranty
-Hyundais are generally cheap to run
-Decent power
-Wireless Android auto, wireless charger
-One of the better autonomous driving packages including Auto emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control including stop and go in traffic
-Looks really good compared to other boring cars that blend into the roadThe sticker price is more than $25k but you can bring them down or look for a demo model for even cheaper
Love it. Thanks mate.let us see how the Hyundai test drive goes tomorrow. I have only heard good things about it.I know Elantra is getting phased out . If the price difference isn't much I might go with the i30 sedan. Will keep you posted.
The i30 sedan is really the new Elantra, they renamed it as i30 for Australia because i30 is well known here. Overseas it's still called Elantra 😂
Imo as long as you get a model with the Hyundai smartsense package that has the safety features I mentioned before, you'll have a car that's futureproof for a while. The autonomous safety sensors are now the new standard and make a world of when driving. Adaptive cruise control is life!
Adaptive cruise control is life!
Really? I hate it! Perth drivers constantly sit 10km/h under the speed limit and will cut in front of you so your speed will drop off or you need to change lanes a long way back before over taking. Regular cruise will at least keep your road speed the same as you approach for quick over taking.
@whitelie: Yes true it will slow down if a car goes in between you. With the Hyundai, they give you a warning beep when it has to slow down for another car and then you can decide what to do. I usually switch it off when I can see it about to happen and then back on when I can.
Thanks herbse. Smart sense feature is certainly good to have.adaptive cruise for my usage which is under 2 KMs a day makes no major difference. Will look out for this.
I don't get it. You already own a BMW 320. Why are you looking to get a budget car?
Is there any mention of the age of said 320? Could be 20 years old…..
Didn't they stop making the 320 5+ years ago? So it's more like owning it just for the badge, to be able to say to people that you drive a Beemer….Arguably it would need to go rather than the Swift which would likely provide many more years of trouble free motoring or at least very cheap repairs compared to the BM.I need to replace my second car. Thanks
Apparently you have poor comprehension skills. Of course you want to replace your 2nd car, as you made it clear in the OP. My question is why you need a budget car if you already own a Beemer? It doesn't make sense to me
The beemer is base model, has to have it for the badge.
TLDR. OP has been very passive-aggressive, or even outright hostile and self-entitled in his replies. any questions posted on any forums would naturally garner both genuine and less-genuine replies. It's just the nature of forum posts. would such behaviour in person be acceptable?
OP is asking for favours on this forum to help him make an informed decision for a large purchase. Unfortunately, forum members get hostility in return. Why do we even bother trying to help? let's keep our knowledge to ourselves!
Could this thread be closed off please? It's Xmas. We don't need more rudeness and self-entitlement to close off 2020.
That’s a bit rough, we should all be thankful the OP decided to spend some of his time with the common folk. I for one am inspired by a man who’s so clearly made it with a $30k new car budget AND the mighty, luxurious BMW 320 sitting in the garage.
sarcasm is certainly a strong suit of yours too
It started off at 25k, but he upped his budget to 30k, which I hear is actually quite high for a second car….
And ban the OP
@spackbace: Why are we coming back to base again.
Used car is out of the question. It is not even an option. Just don't comment if you can't stick to my original question.
Unwanted advice.