Help Me Make a Decision between Two Cars (Make & Model Not Provided)

Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 05:04
Last edited 04/06/2022 - 08:10 by 1 other user

Update. Poll closed. Option 1 sold by dealer

This will not be a fair comparison but looking at making a decision on one of these cars.

  1. 2018 lower spec engine with sun roof 24k km. Has updated entertainment screen updated front bumper and rear tail lights. Full leather seats. Dealer with 3year warranty as second hand. Full service history asking $28k

  2. 2015 higher spec sports model, slightly more powerful engine and upgraded exhaust system as the sports model, convertible version. 45k km. Alcantara sports bucket seats. No entertainment screen only red LCD text radio screen. Just had timing belts and water pump done, service history, Looks clean body wise. Private sale $26068 all up

Both cars look very clean and well maintained.

It's going to be a daily and both in Auto. Wanting a fun car for summer driving, hence why the open top versions.

Which should I get? I am swaying towards the second as it's a full convertible and slightly cheaper. However it is older and has more kms on clock.

Thanks in advance. Looking at purchasing this weekend.

UPDATE:. I don't think knowing the exact models is really that important, but maybe some further info would help you help mw.

They are both of the same Euro brand and I have owned both Japanese and Euros New and old. All with little issues. In any event fully up for the likely costs if any that may come up. The later model would be an advantage for a little more piece of mind.

However, The owner of the 2nd car has essentially put new tyres, brakes, actuator, full service history and now just done the timing belt and water pump, so I have a good idea of where he is going with maintenance. He could easily just dumped it as is without these fixes. With the first car these maintenance costs will come up in the future. Well probably not for at least 2 years.

I feel as one of the commenters noted if that car can be purchased with further discount it may actually be the better option. It's essentially been fully maintained ready for new buyer.

Thank again for comments. Sorry if I wasted others time.

By the way I could look at a Holden Cruze and we know that is definitely a no no option.

Poll Options expired

  • 77
    1. Car 1 2018, 4years old, 24k km with sunroof and updated exterior for $28k
  • 9
    2. Car 2 2015, 7years old, 45k km, Convertible for $26k
Automotive

Comments

  • randomusername2017 on 03/06/2022 - 05:25
    +4

    Corolla has a convertible model?¿

    • kerfuffle on 03/06/2022 - 05:58
      +2

      No. But it does come with a sunroof for some grades.

      • kerfuffle on 03/06/2022 - 08:05
        +3

        Not sure why this got negged? I had one with a sunroof and my new one will have a sunroof as well when it eventually gets made. Must be one of my haters as they’ve negged every comment I’ve made in here

        • Xistn on 03/06/2022 - 08:19
          -4

          Wow… this post ^

        • Some Human on 03/06/2022 - 09:40
          +3

          Here's some up votes. Hope it helps to even it out your negs.

        • Drakesy on 03/06/2022 - 18:25
          +2

          @kerfuffle
          The orignal comment was supposed to be taken as rhetorical ;)
          I believe the negs were in response to your response not taking this into account.

          i gotchu

  • Euphemistic on 03/06/2022 - 05:30
    +13

    Don’t buy a euro out of warranty?

    Seriously, how can anyone answer the question without knowing what car it is.

    The dealer warranty is likely more like an insurance policy with lots of inclusions and very strict servicing arrangements that will probably cost you more.

    Kms are very low for both. Just buy the one you want.

  • kerfuffle on 03/06/2022 - 05:58
    +8

    Of course it's not a fair comparison if you don't tell us what make and model the two cars are …

    • pegaxs on 03/06/2022 - 08:01

      I’m betting that both are low end euro shit boxes like 1 series BMW, A class MB or A1/A3 series Audi and OP knows what would come next… :)

      • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 08:41
        -2

        lol It's Euro. Buying a car is not always about the head. Some ppl appreciate driving a nice car. Sure others just see cars as things to get from a to b. By the way I have spoken to a few owners. They all love them and the older one I am looking at is his second one. He's only selling as he needs a slightly bigger car.

        • Euphemistic on 03/06/2022 - 08:50
          +6

          If you aren’t buying with your head, why are you asking us?

        • Hybroid on 03/06/2022 - 08:51

          Context on the spec differences would help. Is this a C200 vs C250 comparison?

          • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 08:59

            @Hybroid: The older has a turbo and slightly more kw. 11%. More sporty spec

          • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 18:41

            @Hybroid: It isn't those cars, but its like that interms of series range. One more comfy and the orher a bit more higher spec and sporty. Use those cars as an example then.

        • websterp on 03/06/2022 - 09:26
          +2

          They all love them and the older one I am looking at is his second one. He's only selling as he needs a slightly bigger car.

          What else were you expecting the seller to say? Surprised the car wasn't lady driven, always garaged and washed every weekend without a miss.

          • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 17:42

            @websterp: These were comments from random owners. Not sellers

        • pegaxs on 03/06/2022 - 09:47
          +6

          lol It's Euro.

          Called it.

          Buying a car is not always about the head.

          No, but it should be mostly done with the head.

          Some ppl appreciate driving a nice car.

          Having Euro badges on it =/= "nice car". Euro car manufacturers have you sucked in with their marketing that these cars are "premium" or "luxury", and they are no better than an equivalently priced Japanese or Korean car. They sell shit base model cars and rely 100% on leaning into that "badge envy" people desperately want, when in fact that your BMW 1 series is a worse car for twice the price of a top of the range Hyundai in the same class.

  • Overclocked91 on 03/06/2022 - 06:12
    +7

    It's annoying to decide without models etc. If it's euro, definitely get the one from the dealer.

    • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 08:56
      -6

      Appreciate that. I did say it may not be a like for like. Just base it on what you would do on either

  • holdenmg on 03/06/2022 - 07:11

    Are both these cars owned by Dentists named Rob who work for OralB?

    Maybe keep looking?

  • pegaxs on 03/06/2022 - 07:55
    +5

    100% that second option is a euro shitbox, either an Audi or a BMW.

    Dont buy a convertible. That goes double if it’s a used, out of warranty Euro trashwagen. I have owned a convertible and never again. It was noisey, leaked, creaked, groaned, piss poor visibility, massive amount of body flex, in summer it was too hot and in winter, too cold to drive with the top down. Then there is the living in fear that if anything goes wrong with the system, there is going to be a kidney selling fee to pay. Only get a convertible as a weekend, have fun in second car. Not as a daily driver.

    Get the vehicle with the sunroof, but only if that sunroof was factory fitted option by the manufacturer and not chopped into the car as an afterthought. Aftermarket sunroofs are the bane of my existence.

    • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 08:43

      Yep Factory sunroof. Can live with a softtop. Had an Mx5 once no issues, but that was from. new, but had it for 10 years. Miss that car. It was a daily and manual

    • spackbace on 03/06/2022 - 12:25

      Yep, thinking Renault shitbox

      Lol have fun with one of those outside warranty

      Lol could be one of these but dunno who'd be dumb enough to buy one…

      • pegaxs on 03/06/2022 - 13:52

        Oi… that second one is god's gift to transport… If my next car isn’t electric, I’m upgrading to the Abarth.

        • Hackney on 05/06/2022 - 06:29

          @Pegasx,that is what I like to hear!

      • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 17:45

        LOL

  • boomramada on 03/06/2022 - 08:13
    +1

    Look like OP like the both cars, negotiate $1k lower or something along the line for both, That probably help to make your decision,
    I would pick Car 2 2015, 7years old, 45k km, Convertible for $26k for 25k driving, you got to take some risk and enjoy the life or buy a toyota :)

    • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 08:49

      Yes. Both have pluses and minuses. I keep flopping between the 2. At the moment the prices are firm by sellers. I can have the older car for $250 less without RWC, but that is not going to happen as I know there are alot of extras that need fixing as another poster has said to comply with that. I hate the one about stone chips to within drivers view. Seems excessive as a seller to have to replace a windscreen which isn't really a real issue. Obviously if its a deep chip it should just be flagged back to buyer as a likely expense.

      • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2022 - 09:58
        +3

        No RWC is kind of pertinent to the decision making don't you think? So why not put it in the OP?

        No RWC is a deal breaker for me. It's also illegal to sell a car without a RWC and with registration but people do it. Red flags all the way for me with that.

        • MS Paint on 03/06/2022 - 10:10

          It's also illegal to sell a car without a RWC and with registration

          Hmmmmm

        • boomramada on 03/06/2022 - 10:17

          Definitely need a RWC and make sure there is a service history and no big gaps in it.

  • Fredfloresjr on 03/06/2022 - 08:55

    Don't forget to include a packet of Panadol if you ended up buying the option B.

    • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 18:42

      Noted

  • KangaDrew on 03/06/2022 - 09:29
    +16

    The fact that the OP refuses to specify the car models despite numerous comments about them speaks volumes.

    What a ridiculously stupid post.

  • cuteseal on 03/06/2022 - 09:37
    +1

    Have you checked insurance prices? Also indicative servicing costs for both?

    • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 17:13

      I have a rough idea. Similar for servicing and insurance. Serviced every 12 months

  • Richmond Tigers on 03/06/2022 - 09:51

    Bald or live in the tropics? Don't buy sunroof.

  • MS Paint on 03/06/2022 - 10:08

    Full leather seats.

    You mean plastic I'm sure

    • boomramada on 03/06/2022 - 11:12

      That would be man made or vegan leather ;)

    • DoctorCalculon on 03/06/2022 - 11:32

      Faux-leather?

    • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 17:14

      Lol. Not cloth

  • Duckie2hh on 03/06/2022 - 10:10
    +1

    Definitely convertible, it will be perfect for the Melbourne weather.

    • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 17:17

      I use to drive at night with the top down in mx5 when it was very cold, but clear skies. Just bump up heating. Even better these days where you have heated seats and steering wheel

  • holdenmg on 03/06/2022 - 10:17

    I don't see how you look these up in Glass's or Redbook.

    I'd rather spend my Friday playing guess the mystery hotel.

  • El cheepo on 03/06/2022 - 10:45
    +1

    Why not ditch the idea of owning a poor mans bmw and get a much nicer and comfortable Japanese car with better specs?

    If you go the euro you will be paying a premium but still be stuck driving a lower end car with a nice badge.

    • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 18:48

      The Euro cars are the top of the range at the time, just old. I have owned a second hand Audi fully loaded and paid half the cost of new and loved it for the time I had it. No real issues. Well maintained and serviced by previous owner and I had it mechanically checked before purchase. You just have to find the right one and do the checks as best you can.

      • El cheepo on 03/06/2022 - 21:56
        +1

        I haven’t gone through all your replies, but have you finally revealed what cars these top spec euro money pits are?

        • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 22:09

          Will be closing the pole. Option 1 sold, so only really option 2 or keep looking. Thks for your in interest

  • pharkurnell on 03/06/2022 - 10:57
    +1

    What a waste of a thread with 1/2 the info and having to play 50 questions.

    • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 18:49

      Sorry I wasted your time.

  • Drakesy on 03/06/2022 - 11:03

    Going to need make and model.
    If it's Euro you'll need the warranty
    Bucket loads of cash
    Bucket loads of time
    Low blood pressure to start with
    Masochistic tendencies
    And just accept that there'll be a 75% chance of you starting your car every morning

    • brendanm on 03/06/2022 - 17:21
      +1

      That Audi really made you hate euros 😂

      • Drakesy on 03/06/2022 - 17:44

        FML
        I knew it was going to be bad
        Just not that bad 😅🤣

  • us3rnam3tak3n on 03/06/2022 - 11:27
    +2

    What sort of car needs timing belt and water pump replaced at 45k? Sounds like a red flag.

    • MS Paint on 03/06/2022 - 11:42

      Maybe it's every 7 years or 100k kms?

      • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 17:17

        Correct

  • FoxJump on 03/06/2022 - 11:50
    +2

    As a previous owner of a convertible, keep in mind the roof stitching can start to break down after 10 years of parked outside on the sun all day long. Plus, the hydraulics can also fail which is VERY expensive.

    Do not buy an almost-10-year old convertible.

  • FoxJump on 03/06/2022 - 11:50

    Is it a citroen?

    • Melb69 on 03/06/2022 - 17:48

      No.

  • iDroid on 03/06/2022 - 12:24

    Without know what each car is, it's impossible to give any useful advice.

    So having said that, buy the Datsun 120y.

  • seraphim2017 on 03/06/2022 - 14:17
    +1

    Buy either if you have a good local uber service and your budget is approximately $50k, with the rest to maintain and fix the wheeled skip you just dumped 25+k on.

    Euro's are even rubbish in europe, they just also happen to be cheapo nasty and have lots of spares available. Here, you'd be mad. Buy a nice normal car, and a skateboard if you want the wind in your hair!

  • rektrading on 03/06/2022 - 16:21

    Live a little.

    Go soft 🔺.

  • MS Paint on 03/06/2022 - 19:03

    holden cruise

    Cruze

  • Hackney on 05/06/2022 - 06:33

    They are called ‘Euro Trash’ for a reason.Depreciation goes down quicker than a lump of rock.Stay well away.

    • Melb69 on 05/06/2022 - 10:28

      The depreciation has already been made on 4 to 7 year old cars. There is a market for used cars

      • spackbace on 05/06/2022 - 11:07

        The depreciation drop is due to the likelihood, and cost, of things breaking

        Convertible roofs are not a cheap thing to fix if/when they break

      • Hackney on 05/06/2022 - 12:05

        Euro cars(& anything that is a luxury vehicle)depreciation is massive.

      • Hackney on 05/06/2022 - 12:07

        @Melba69.Would you gamble with a Euro that is up to seven years old & well out of its warranty period?I can tell you I would not touch one with a barge pole.

  • forged on 05/06/2022 - 12:31

    What's the point of withholding the actual make and model of the cars?
    The only information we've got is a few talking points out of a brochure / salesperson / your own personal perception.
    The value of consulting others on a decision like this usually comes from getting bits of information that you didn't know about or hadn't considered, i.e. "car A often suffers from reliability issue X that costs $10k to fix", "car B handles much better and is more enjoyable to drive", etc.

    Essentially all we've got to go off is newer euro car A, older euro car B… This is OzBargain, so all you're going to get like this is "A is newer then B, therefore MROE RELIABLE" and "BOTH ARE EUROTRASHWAGON GARBAGE". Garbage in, garbage out.

    Provide some actual information on the two options and you'll get much more helpful responses.

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