Hi Everyone,
I am currently looking to buy my first car and would love some advice.
The car I am interested in is $6000 and has 170,000 kms.
I was wondering if this car in general is a good first car and if there are any issues regarding this model.
Also if this car was a good price? I am currently looking at cars under $10,000.
Also due to being a car noob, I would also love to know the extra costs involved in purchasing a car - such as insurance etc.
Thank you in advance !
170k is high klms on a car these days?
Reasonable as an annual average, but still high in totality.
The annual average is 15K km. This car has low kms for its age.
IMO paying a mechanic to inspect cars this old is overkill. They are paid to be conservative and will highlight things you don't really need to know which could cloud your judgement.
My experiences having people bring their mechanic they do random stuff like highlight the soot around the engine bay, scratches etc…..those guys missed out on excellent driveable cars that others have bought off me the moment they see it.
It's an old cheap car, you just need to check for rust, drivability, odd noises and ownership issues (finance, write offs etc)
Have a mechanically minded friend check it out is a good idea.
Depends, there are places specifically employed to do pre purchase inspections on used cars. A place like State Roads is fantastic for stuff like this. People who don't know what they are doing should really invest in it.
And they should go in forewarned that said inspection may sound a lot worse than it is because the inspector is going to list potential issues as well as actual faults to ensure the client is fully informed and to cover their butt if something fails badly.
for my tastes i personally think i cant be bothered looking after a 4wd car with a boxer engine as a first
i'm ok if its a wrx as the juice is worth the squeeze but something as a first car???
i'd be looking at any kind of japanese auto fwd hatch if ya wanna be an npc
i think the koreans of this age are frankly shit
if ya wanna be an npc
what do you drive if you wanna be a main player then?
Anything Pagani
You better be a video game company if you drive pagani lmaoo
for my tastes i personally think i cant be bothered looking after a 4wd car with a boxer engine as a first
Not sure I understand. I've had a MY02 WRX for 18 years, was a daily driver for about 15 years. I'm not sure what "looking after" your referring to. I just get in and drive it, have oil changes regularly and use the correct coolant. It just works.
Did I get lucky?
Great cars - owned one for many years and didn't give us any dramas at all! Boxer engine, great handling and very comfortable.
My only advice would be to spend a little more and get a slightly newer model. Maybe 2010-2011 for e.g. especially if you have the funds. They improved them considerably over this period so you may get more bang for your buck.
Good luck!
Also due to being a car noob, I would also love to know the extra costs involved in purchasing a car - such as insurance etc.
Things that are yearly: rego, CTP, comprehensive insurance, pink slip.
Things that will cost: fuel, servicing, any issues found, tyres.
When was the rego done? And when were tyres last changed? Has it been serviced recently?
Get an inspection done. It's a few hundred but don't be cheap and just assume it's fine.
You're buying a second hand car which means you're buying all its problems. If you get a flat tyre, the engine blows or windshield breaks, you're paying.
Take care of it and don't flog the engine like so many kids. It'll blow up in six months
Pretty sure the gov has a page about buying a car and what to do
Was the EJ20 one of the engines known to use a lot of oil? It's the right era so that's something to check and be aware of. Subarus in general are good cars. Reliable though typically heavy on fuel as a byproduct of their constant AWD design.
Remember to do a PPSR check via: https://www.ppsr.gov.au/searching/do-used-car-or-vehicle-sea… Don't fall for paying more for the same thing through other websites.
The later iterations are a lot better.
Some EJs are known for head gaskets too. Again I don't think this generation are particularly bad for it
I had an EJ25 of the same era, used a lot of oil, it was the generation after that was better but I don't know if the EJ20 was the same though I suspect it was.
Subaru’s are good if serviced regularly. Also need to watch if they’ve been run with mismatched tyres for long. It’s recommended to replace all four tyre at once to ensure the centre diff doesn’t wear out too soon. Had to replace one in a forester and it’s not cheap (unless you diy)
Insurance:
1. CTP (compulsory third party/green slip) only covers injuries to other PEOPLE, not vehicles or property. You MUST get extra insurance.
2. if you cannot afford to replace your car and need it for work etc you MUST get comprehensive insurance. If an uninsured driver hits you or you cause a crash and only have Third Party Property insurance you will lose whatever value you have tied up in your car.
3. Third Party Property is for cheap cars you can afford to replace/repair by other means than insurance payout.
Adding to point 2: having comprehensive insurance means that your insurance does all the chasing up for you rather than you doing it yourself had you only third-party property. Comes in handy if people try pull a fast one on you
The point being that the insurer pays you, then it’s their problem, they don’t have to get the money from the other party first.
Excellent cars. Safer and good fun with the AWD. Honestly, it doesn't hurt to have an inspection done. Especially if you don't know too much about cars.
A good safe and 'fun' car. Had one on my p plates about 7 years ago and bought mine used at about 6 years old and with just over 100k km.
Make sure that the timing belt on yours has been replaced (with evidence) at least once (they're due at 100k but people are known to skip as its $$$) and it hasn't been over 10 years since it was (general lifespan for Subaru t/b's are around that mark). Otherwise just check all the other usual items (oil leaks, suspension/brake noises, tyres, panel damage)
If you have a family mechanic ask them to check it out for you but otherwise ask a mechanically minded friend (if you have one) to join.
I agree that professional checks (at $250 a pop usually) aren't worth it at this price point, and are overly conservative (much like pre-purchase building inspections for old houses) Ofc if you have decided on a car and have done all the checks you mentioned above (and they check out), paying $250 at that point may be worthwhile for peace of mind, but be aware that as mentioned by others these 'professionals' will just highlight every issue they find and over-hype the situation (no car at 15 years is going to be perfect) to remove liability over them. They'll also generally not give you an opinion on whether the car is worth it to buy (unless its shocking) nor will they assist in negotiations.
A car-enthusiast friend is much better for these things in comparison.
You are paying a massive covid premium for a 15 yr old car.
This is a $2k - $3k car at normal times.
It has a lot of kms on it, if they are country miles ok, if major-city miles then the car will be on it's last legs. Maintenance will be much more expensive than a newer car.
Only consider this car if it has a 100% provable service history and stamped logbook, which 90%chance it will NOT.
Personally, I would steer clear, or WASTE $200 on a mechanic to inspect, 90% it will have serious issues.
The person selling it is lying to you to get the sale.
In a nutshell; that age, those KMs and Covid mean you are paying a premium upfront to buy a car that will most likely cost a fortune to maintain.
Good Luck.
yeah, it's a covid rort… but it's hard for young people to get their first car right now as everything is ridiculously overpriced.
2007 subaru's were well built and last, easy to work on and get parts are reasonable priced, one thing of note is fuel economy of the boxer engine for city driving is poor, long distance motorway driving is great
Since you're a "car noob", get a proper vehicle inspection done by a qualified professional. Especially for a 15 year old high mileage car. It might unearth hidden mechanical issues that cannot be easily seen but might rack up thousands in required repairs. Also check roadworthy certificate notes.
Example: https://www.mynrma.com.au/cars-and-driving/car-servicing/mob…
Insurance is subject to your specific details so try online quotes from companies and see what estimates you come up with.