Cheap runaround
Discussion
We sold a mint condition, but 160,000 kilometer 2008 Mazda 2 a little while back for $6500. Yep cars are not cheap in Oz.
If you are knowledgeable enough to spot the lemon, or are lucky enough, you will get something decent for about $3,000, but any less is a real lottery.
My son bought a 1986 Toyota Cressida, carefully driven 150,000 kilometers by the original retired owner for $700. He did over 100,000 Kilometers for a set of tyres & a fuel filter. I'm still driving it around the paddocks, but you would have to be very lucky to find something like that.
Incidentally, have you been to the fisherman's club, on the hill overlooking the harbor yet. If not go up there, it is about the best spot in Coffs.
If you are knowledgeable enough to spot the lemon, or are lucky enough, you will get something decent for about $3,000, but any less is a real lottery.
My son bought a 1986 Toyota Cressida, carefully driven 150,000 kilometers by the original retired owner for $700. He did over 100,000 Kilometers for a set of tyres & a fuel filter. I'm still driving it around the paddocks, but you would have to be very lucky to find something like that.
Incidentally, have you been to the fisherman's club, on the hill overlooking the harbor yet. If not go up there, it is about the best spot in Coffs.
Prices here are haywire. People ask for $3k for cars with blown engines etc. There are no 500 quid Mercs with a years T&T here 
I reckon for a good choice you should budget up to $5k for something reasonable with a RWC in Vic.
It also depends on the seller. As an example, I got $4.5k for my 2006 Falcon with a RWC and years rego. Worth closer to $7k in reality but it had some minor damage and I wanted it gone so I priced it realistically. Fortunately it needed nothing for the RWC.
I read something that said if buying without RWC to budget $2k to get one! Again that is Vic where there are no annual RWC tests so there are a lot of rather dubious cars in daily use.
I reckon for a good choice you should budget up to $5k for something reasonable with a RWC in Vic.
It also depends on the seller. As an example, I got $4.5k for my 2006 Falcon with a RWC and years rego. Worth closer to $7k in reality but it had some minor damage and I wanted it gone so I priced it realistically. Fortunately it needed nothing for the RWC.
I read something that said if buying without RWC to budget $2k to get one! Again that is Vic where there are no annual RWC tests so there are a lot of rather dubious cars in daily use.
Still need to research this. I realise all of the states are different. We're in NSW. Harking back to the UK, there was a yearly MOT. Is there a similar system here?
Some cars seem to state that they're not sold on the road or something similar, sorry my memory of seeing it fails me!
$5K is the feeling that I had as a start.
Just looking for a joint car for the girl and myself. Seen a few Ford Focuses/ Foci(?) which would do in the UK, are they a decent option over here?
Some cars seem to state that they're not sold on the road or something similar, sorry my memory of seeing it fails me!
$5K is the feeling that I had as a start.
Just looking for a joint car for the girl and myself. Seen a few Ford Focuses/ Foci(?) which would do in the UK, are they a decent option over here?
Don't be a pom in Oz Gingerbread Man, you have to think like an Ozzie now. 
Forget all that European stuff, most of it is overpriced & expensive to maintain here.
My experience with cheap cars for the kids first cars was that Honda is the best, but only if you have a Honda dealer in Coffs. You don't need an orphan. The ones we got the kids went forever, with ham fisted new drivers.
After that older Toyotas were great, & Mazda's were bulletproof. A Corolla or a 323/3 is a better bet than a European Ford in Oz. My wife was silly enough to accept a company Fiesta, & it is the very worst car I have driven in decades.
Hyundai are winning car of the year these days, but from what I see of today's motoring journalists, that is probably due to great cup holders.
Forget all that European stuff, most of it is overpriced & expensive to maintain here.My experience with cheap cars for the kids first cars was that Honda is the best, but only if you have a Honda dealer in Coffs. You don't need an orphan. The ones we got the kids went forever, with ham fisted new drivers.
After that older Toyotas were great, & Mazda's were bulletproof. A Corolla or a 323/3 is a better bet than a European Ford in Oz. My wife was silly enough to accept a company Fiesta, & it is the very worst car I have driven in decades.
Hyundai are winning car of the year these days, but from what I see of today's motoring journalists, that is probably due to great cup holders.
Gingerbread Man said:
We're in NSW. Harking back to the UK, there was a yearly MOT. Is there a similar system here?
Some cars seem to state that they're not sold on the road or something similar, sorry my memory of seeing it fails me!
I think NSW has annual Roadworthy inspections. They are like an MOT and will be called a roady, RWC, blue slip (I think, maybe pink slip). Someone who lives there and knows about it may come along at some point!Some cars seem to state that they're not sold on the road or something similar, sorry my memory of seeing it fails me!
Basically, I'd avoid something with no RWC and no rego. That is just like buying something with no MOT and Tax.
Jader1973 said:
I think NSW has annual Roadworthy inspections. They are like an MOT and will be called a roady, RWC, blue slip (I think, maybe pink slip). Someone who lives there and knows about it may come along at some point!
Basically, I'd avoid something with no RWC and no rego. That is just like buying something with no MOT and Tax.
Sounds like I have a familiar basis to work from then. Cheers.Basically, I'd avoid something with no RWC and no rego. That is just like buying something with no MOT and Tax.
Hasbeen said:
Don't be a pom in Oz Gingerbread Man, you have to think like an Ozzie now. Forget all that European stuff, most of it is overpriced & expensive to maintain here.
My experience with cheap cars for the kids first cars was that Honda is the best, but only if you have a Honda dealer in Coffs. You don't need an orphan. The ones we got the kids went forever, with ham fisted new drivers.
After that older Toyotas were great, & Mazda's were bulletproof. A Corolla or a 323/3 is a better bet than a European Ford in Oz. My wife was silly enough to accept a company Fiesta, & it is the very worst car I have driven in decades.
Hyundai are winning car of the year these days, but from what I see of today's motoring journalists, that is probably due to great cup holders.
I want a Ute, they look a laugh. The girlfriend on the other hand, not so much. Forget all that European stuff, most of it is overpriced & expensive to maintain here.My experience with cheap cars for the kids first cars was that Honda is the best, but only if you have a Honda dealer in Coffs. You don't need an orphan. The ones we got the kids went forever, with ham fisted new drivers.
After that older Toyotas were great, & Mazda's were bulletproof. A Corolla or a 323/3 is a better bet than a European Ford in Oz. My wife was silly enough to accept a company Fiesta, & it is the very worst car I have driven in decades.
Hyundai are winning car of the year these days, but from what I see of today's motoring journalists, that is probably due to great cup holders.
I should have shipped my Defender also, seeing how much they go for!
Hasbeen said:
Don't be a pom in Oz Gingerbread Man, you have to think like an Ozzie now. Forget all that European stuff, most of it is overpriced & expensive to maintain here.
My experience with cheap cars for the kids first cars was that Honda is the best, but only if you have a Honda dealer in Coffs. You don't need an orphan. The ones we got the kids went forever, with ham fisted new drivers.
After that older Toyotas were great, & Mazda's were bulletproof. A Corolla or a 323/3 is a better bet than a European Ford in Oz. My wife was silly enough to accept a company Fiesta, & it is the very worst car I have driven in decades.
Hyundai are winning car of the year these days, but from what I see of today's motoring journalists, that is probably due to great cup holders.
Serious? Forget all that European stuff, most of it is overpriced & expensive to maintain here.My experience with cheap cars for the kids first cars was that Honda is the best, but only if you have a Honda dealer in Coffs. You don't need an orphan. The ones we got the kids went forever, with ham fisted new drivers.
After that older Toyotas were great, & Mazda's were bulletproof. A Corolla or a 323/3 is a better bet than a European Ford in Oz. My wife was silly enough to accept a company Fiesta, & it is the very worst car I have driven in decades.
Hyundai are winning car of the year these days, but from what I see of today's motoring journalists, that is probably due to great cup holders.
Something like a mid 90s BMW 318i is about as basic mechanically as a Ford Laser of a similar vintage. Any mechanic who has read an instructional book post WW2 would be able to work on them.
And you don't need a dealer. Why the hell would you need a dealer for a cheap runaround? Take it to a good local garage and jobs done. Cheaper, better service, less hassle. Something like a mid 90s Honda Accord will be fine to take to Bobs Riverside Mechanical Repairs or the Woolgoolga service station for a service.
It really helps to get anything other than service parts for Hondas, if you have a dealer. We have had a few for the kids, & after market stuff is thin on the ground, & hard to find, if you don't have a really good spare parts shop.
Be careful of older BMW bits, they are made of gold, or so the retailers think.
Be careful of old Ford bits, I had to get bits for my Ozzie built Ford Capri from the US.
Be careful of older BMW bits, they are made of gold, or so the retailers think.
Be careful of old Ford bits, I had to get bits for my Ozzie built Ford Capri from the US.
Errrr...
I ran a 95 318is for 140,000kms (sold it with 265,000 on the clock) and got my sister a 94 318i for a runaround. That was sold with 290,000 on the clock.
These are some prices.
Radiator (inc. expansion tank etc) - $130 odd
Oil filters - $7.50
Front struts (got 2 rather than 1 for obvious reasons) $220 - but had cheaper options.
Oil. 15W 30.
The only thing that was significantly more expensive was the power window regulator and that was around the $185 mark as I couldn't find a decent secondhand one.
These were all sourced through Bursons/Supercheap/similar. Cheaper options are available online. Few more dollars than prices on a Mazda, but cheaper than Subaru.
Incidentally, the 318i is up in Port Mac now. It is up to 420,000kms (sold to a family friend) and has just had it's first clutch change ever. Gone through more windscreens than clutches.
They are dead easy to work on and pretty solid. Hell, I managed to do a radiator change myself in just a couple of hours despite it being my first real mechanical thing.
Things like more modern Audis with a lot of electrics are a bit more complicated - but the 2.0t engine in a S3 is a hell of a lot simpler than a high revving NA Honda engine in a basic mechanical sense.
I ran a 95 318is for 140,000kms (sold it with 265,000 on the clock) and got my sister a 94 318i for a runaround. That was sold with 290,000 on the clock.
These are some prices.
Radiator (inc. expansion tank etc) - $130 odd
Oil filters - $7.50
Front struts (got 2 rather than 1 for obvious reasons) $220 - but had cheaper options.
Oil. 15W 30.
The only thing that was significantly more expensive was the power window regulator and that was around the $185 mark as I couldn't find a decent secondhand one.
These were all sourced through Bursons/Supercheap/similar. Cheaper options are available online. Few more dollars than prices on a Mazda, but cheaper than Subaru.
Incidentally, the 318i is up in Port Mac now. It is up to 420,000kms (sold to a family friend) and has just had it's first clutch change ever. Gone through more windscreens than clutches.
They are dead easy to work on and pretty solid. Hell, I managed to do a radiator change myself in just a couple of hours despite it being my first real mechanical thing.
Things like more modern Audis with a lot of electrics are a bit more complicated - but the 2.0t engine in a S3 is a hell of a lot simpler than a high revving NA Honda engine in a basic mechanical sense.
Hasbeen said:
Don't be a pom in Oz Gingerbread Man, you have to think like an Ozzie now. Forget all that European stuff, most of it is overpriced & expensive to maintain here.
My experience with cheap cars for the kids first cars was that Honda is the best, but only if you have a Honda dealer in Coffs. You don't need an orphan. The ones we got the kids went forever, with ham fisted new drivers.
After that older Toyotas were great, & Mazda's were bulletproof. A Corolla or a 323/3 is a better bet than a European Ford in Oz. My wife was silly enough to accept a company Fiesta, & it is the very worst car I have driven in decades.
Hyundai are winning car of the year these days, but from what I see of today's motoring journalists, that is probably due to great cup holders.
He mentioned a Ford Focus, not a 1991 BMW 850! Forget all that European stuff, most of it is overpriced & expensive to maintain here.My experience with cheap cars for the kids first cars was that Honda is the best, but only if you have a Honda dealer in Coffs. You don't need an orphan. The ones we got the kids went forever, with ham fisted new drivers.
After that older Toyotas were great, & Mazda's were bulletproof. A Corolla or a 323/3 is a better bet than a European Ford in Oz. My wife was silly enough to accept a company Fiesta, & it is the very worst car I have driven in decades.
Hyundai are winning car of the year these days, but from what I see of today's motoring journalists, that is probably due to great cup holders.
Colonial said:
Gingerbread Man said:
Now, a V12 beemer. Like your thinking.
Do it. You know it makes sense. On a slightly similar note just sold my 2004 Falcon for a 2000 BMW 528 for not much more than I got for the Falcon - I have to say its bloody lovely and makes the Falcon seem as if it was built by children and engineered by slightly younger children.
Whilst I understand Hasbeen's thoughts perhaps driven by his country, rather than metro, living, I cant agree his thoughts on the Euro stuff being hyped up.
I find Japanese cars in the main like a nice-ish Vanilla ice cream. Agreeable but without soul (and yes the S2000 doesnt apply in this regard before you say).
Frankly a Focus is a much nicer drive than a Mazda 3 or Corolla and makes complete sense.
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