Really uninspiring budget car choices
Discussion
Hey all,
I'm due to land in a couple of weeks, I'm just trying to get to grips with the car market as it will be second priority after sorting a home.
Is it just me, or are all the cars s
t?
There are a couple of problems - firstly we'll be in Perth which appears devoid of anything approaching a decent cheap car.
Secondly is we're not made of money, and budget is likely to be $5,000 at a push. So basically naff all. (and I'm aware you need to pay stamp duty and possibly some fee to register it to myself, can someone give me a ball park figure of the cost of buying a car? 6% + a fee or something?). I'm looking at gumtree mainly, there's nothing on ebay, and Carsales.com.au is a bit rich for our blood at the moment.
So, I'm perfectly resigned to buying a corrola or a magna or something. I just need reliability and 4 seats for now. I'll hate myself for doing it, there must be a better option?
I'm a previous Subaru owner so I'd be happy enough with a legacy (liberty), legacy outback or even a forester.
What's the score with 70's Mercs? Seem to be the odd one about, Mrs Nev likes the look of them and at least they have some style about them.
What should I look for? any undiscovered gems I might be missing, or is it really a case of running an ex-minicab until funds are a bit freer flowing?
I'm due to land in a couple of weeks, I'm just trying to get to grips with the car market as it will be second priority after sorting a home.
Is it just me, or are all the cars s
t?There are a couple of problems - firstly we'll be in Perth which appears devoid of anything approaching a decent cheap car.
Secondly is we're not made of money, and budget is likely to be $5,000 at a push. So basically naff all. (and I'm aware you need to pay stamp duty and possibly some fee to register it to myself, can someone give me a ball park figure of the cost of buying a car? 6% + a fee or something?). I'm looking at gumtree mainly, there's nothing on ebay, and Carsales.com.au is a bit rich for our blood at the moment.
So, I'm perfectly resigned to buying a corrola or a magna or something. I just need reliability and 4 seats for now. I'll hate myself for doing it, there must be a better option?
I'm a previous Subaru owner so I'd be happy enough with a legacy (liberty), legacy outback or even a forester.
What's the score with 70's Mercs? Seem to be the odd one about, Mrs Nev likes the look of them and at least they have some style about them.
What should I look for? any undiscovered gems I might be missing, or is it really a case of running an ex-minicab until funds are a bit freer flowing?
Yes its expensive, no there is not a super cheap car market you have not found yet. Look at some things like Toyota Ravs, Forresters etc. Hell an older Hyundai will do if you just need 4 wheels.
Basically yes, uninspiring, there is no Porsche boxster for £5k or older Audi V6 for £5k....
Sorry! There are a few threads on his subject...
Basically yes, uninspiring, there is no Porsche boxster for £5k or older Audi V6 for £5k....
Sorry! There are a few threads on his subject...
Remember theres no annual MOT requirement over here so a cheap car will probably be a wreck. However, the flip side is that because there is no MOT, you can get away with driving a car with problems that would keep it off the road in the UK.
Things like lights and tyres need to be well maintained as the police can issue with a yellow sticker meaning you have to get the whole vehicle inspected, but if your CV boots are split, the have rusty sills or a suspension bush is cracked, you can keep driving it.
Things like lights and tyres need to be well maintained as the police can issue with a yellow sticker meaning you have to get the whole vehicle inspected, but if your CV boots are split, the have rusty sills or a suspension bush is cracked, you can keep driving it.
You will see the occasional interesting older car at that sort of money, big Mercs, old Jags and BMWs potentially even up to the Mid-90s although usually with a crime scene past at that sort of $.
To be fair the bigger common stuff is actually not terrible, get a v6 Vienta, late 90s/early 2000s Verada, or a Fairmont/Calais and you are less likely to end up with a former taxi.
They are generally pretty wafty slushmatics, not going to set the world alight with performance but also not going to be as annoying to drive as a Corolla.
We picked up a 94 ED Ford Fairmont Wagon for a charity rally event we are doing next year (4000km through the outback for the Cancer Council), $350 off eBay (closer to $800 by the time i got it an rwc), and it's actually not half bad. Reasonably smooth, quiet wallowy old barge, ok the velour smells of wet dog but if push came to shove it wouldn't be the worst transport in the world ever if it needed to be so there are cheap wheels out there if you keep looking.
Cheers,
Al
To be fair the bigger common stuff is actually not terrible, get a v6 Vienta, late 90s/early 2000s Verada, or a Fairmont/Calais and you are less likely to end up with a former taxi.
They are generally pretty wafty slushmatics, not going to set the world alight with performance but also not going to be as annoying to drive as a Corolla.
We picked up a 94 ED Ford Fairmont Wagon for a charity rally event we are doing next year (4000km through the outback for the Cancer Council), $350 off eBay (closer to $800 by the time i got it an rwc), and it's actually not half bad. Reasonably smooth, quiet wallowy old barge, ok the velour smells of wet dog but if push came to shove it wouldn't be the worst transport in the world ever if it needed to be so there are cheap wheels out there if you keep looking.
Cheers,
Al
200bhp said:
Remember theres no annual MOT requirement over here so a cheap car will probably be a wreck. However, the flip side is that because there is no MOT, you can get away with driving a car with problems that would keep it off the road in the UK.
Things like lights and tyres need to be well maintained as the police can issue with a yellow sticker meaning you have to get the whole vehicle inspected, but if your CV boots are split, the have rusty sills or a suspension bush is cracked, you can keep driving it.
varies state to state- we have to have an annual Rego (MOT) but for this reason alone I would never buy down south. Things like lights and tyres need to be well maintained as the police can issue with a yellow sticker meaning you have to get the whole vehicle inspected, but if your CV boots are split, the have rusty sills or a suspension bush is cracked, you can keep driving it.
We massively stretched ourselves to 9k for a Subaru Outback. Within 6 months it was f*cked.
We then PX'ed in on a 2010 Hilux.
If you are good at looking over motors, get to Vic Park when you land. On one raod there are 10's of 2nd hand car places with the expensive at one end, and the cheap at the other.
Otherwise you'll end up in an old Hyundai Getz that looks like a golf ball (there was a massive hail storm a few years back and a load of cars were damaged and are basically economical writeoffs).
I'd still hold out for a Falcon BA or similar. Just get anything till the cash starts coming in and then look at upgrading.
We then PX'ed in on a 2010 Hilux.
If you are good at looking over motors, get to Vic Park when you land. On one raod there are 10's of 2nd hand car places with the expensive at one end, and the cheap at the other.
Otherwise you'll end up in an old Hyundai Getz that looks like a golf ball (there was a massive hail storm a few years back and a load of cars were damaged and are basically economical writeoffs).
I'd still hold out for a Falcon BA or similar. Just get anything till the cash starts coming in and then look at upgrading.
Depending on your views on car finance you can also look at a nearly-new from a dealer as we did.
We were determined not to go down that route but the lack of decent second-hand cars swayed me into buying my first ever car with finance
John Hughes in Victoria Park have a massive selection and will do finance on anything in stock. They gave us costs on deals with a deposit from 0% to 50% This *may* depend on your visa though as we're on a 176 permanent.
Credit/finance is easy to get here in WA at the moment - I think that's partly why there are so many new shiny cars around the far northern suburbs (where the Brits live in their generic cloned housing estates).
We were determined not to go down that route but the lack of decent second-hand cars swayed me into buying my first ever car with finance
John Hughes in Victoria Park have a massive selection and will do finance on anything in stock. They gave us costs on deals with a deposit from 0% to 50% This *may* depend on your visa though as we're on a 176 permanent.
Credit/finance is easy to get here in WA at the moment - I think that's partly why there are so many new shiny cars around the far northern suburbs (where the Brits live in their generic cloned housing estates).
I have resigned myself to the fact that, after eight years of uber barge luxury cars, it is back to a Camry or other such depressing item when we arrive next month.
Sold the LS430 yesterday as, having looked into it, the costs to ship, modify (those stupid stupid top mount tether nonsense things for baby seats...welcome to 1984 people!) not to mention tricky trying to get insurance and some dealers being of the "we will not service a personal import", I decided that not worth the hassle.
Having lived there already (NSW) there is no leeway on the motorways re speed; police are everywhere with radar traps, random pulling etc (never once in eight years in the UK, was back in Oz for a week in July and pulled over twice); there are a fraction of the roads available for an early morning run (only so often can the putty rad or wisemans ferry route be done) and quite limited in the day trips (unlike uk where, with an english heritage guide and road map in mind, a day out can take in a few castles, some steam trains, a gastopub or two, some other feats of engineering and then back to London. And definitely no chunnel to autobahns!
It is a different world and a different life with, as people know, hugely expensive cars. Kicking myself of course that I should have tried a lot more cars here (no stamp duty..yay!) However, I refuse to pay a premium if it a lot more difficult to actually enjoy the same level of driving as I have in the UK so boggo car it is.
From V12 S-classes to cloth interior four cyl Camrys...how the mighty fall!
Sold the LS430 yesterday as, having looked into it, the costs to ship, modify (those stupid stupid top mount tether nonsense things for baby seats...welcome to 1984 people!) not to mention tricky trying to get insurance and some dealers being of the "we will not service a personal import", I decided that not worth the hassle.
Having lived there already (NSW) there is no leeway on the motorways re speed; police are everywhere with radar traps, random pulling etc (never once in eight years in the UK, was back in Oz for a week in July and pulled over twice); there are a fraction of the roads available for an early morning run (only so often can the putty rad or wisemans ferry route be done) and quite limited in the day trips (unlike uk where, with an english heritage guide and road map in mind, a day out can take in a few castles, some steam trains, a gastopub or two, some other feats of engineering and then back to London. And definitely no chunnel to autobahns!
It is a different world and a different life with, as people know, hugely expensive cars. Kicking myself of course that I should have tried a lot more cars here (no stamp duty..yay!) However, I refuse to pay a premium if it a lot more difficult to actually enjoy the same level of driving as I have in the UK so boggo car it is.
From V12 S-classes to cloth interior four cyl Camrys...how the mighty fall!
I too sold a nice old Lexus before leaving the UK. I now drive a Mazda 6 estate (wagon).
I drive everywhere with the cruise control on because I see at least half a dozen speed cameras per week on my 15 minute commute to work - Normally hidden in a bush.
Before we arrived, I was pleased to find Westfield have recently started selling their complete and kit cars in WA. Now I'm not going to bother even asking them for prices. Partly because all the other vehicles here are a lot bigger than they are in Europe, partly because there are no corners and partly because it'd be too hot in the summer.
That's painted a nice picture of motoring down-under!
I drive everywhere with the cruise control on because I see at least half a dozen speed cameras per week on my 15 minute commute to work - Normally hidden in a bush.
Before we arrived, I was pleased to find Westfield have recently started selling their complete and kit cars in WA. Now I'm not going to bother even asking them for prices. Partly because all the other vehicles here are a lot bigger than they are in Europe, partly because there are no corners and partly because it'd be too hot in the summer.
That's painted a nice picture of motoring down-under!
Well you can't have it all folks. Not a surprise really.
So you can have low wages, live in a tenement, with narrow street to park your luxo barge in, with the cold & wet to rust it away.
Or high wages, 5 bedroom house on a decent size bit of land, & a double garage to park the his & hers Hyundai Getz, & a nice warm drought, so they don't rust. Now isn't that what you came here for, to still be driving the same Getz in 10 years time, because it hasn't rusted out yet?
It only requires a SLIGHT change of priorities, my wife actually loves her Mazda 2, would you believe?
The fact you're here I guess says what you decided.
There are still some good roads, little policed in some areas, like south of Brisbane, in the boarder ranges. Of course you have to forgo the high wages to live in Queensland, so it's a toss up.
So you can have low wages, live in a tenement, with narrow street to park your luxo barge in, with the cold & wet to rust it away.
Or high wages, 5 bedroom house on a decent size bit of land, & a double garage to park the his & hers Hyundai Getz, & a nice warm drought, so they don't rust. Now isn't that what you came here for, to still be driving the same Getz in 10 years time, because it hasn't rusted out yet?
It only requires a SLIGHT change of priorities, my wife actually loves her Mazda 2, would you believe?
The fact you're here I guess says what you decided.
There are still some good roads, little policed in some areas, like south of Brisbane, in the boarder ranges. Of course you have to forgo the high wages to live in Queensland, so it's a toss up.
Hasbeen said:
Well you can't have it all folks. Not a surprise really.
So you can have low wages, live in a tenement, with narrow street to park your luxo barge in, with the cold & wet to rust it away.
Hasbeen! What are you on about!? I accept there is a bit of hyperbole there but its not quite like that is it! I owned (own) my own house in Kent, now there is no way I could do that in Sydney without living in somewhere in the back arse of nowhere! I love living here by the way but I also think the British seasons are wonderful. I grew up on a farm and vineyard and have incredibly fond memories!So you can have low wages, live in a tenement, with narrow street to park your luxo barge in, with the cold & wet to rust it away.
I'm always for looking at the positives of life includin moving here but doing down the mother country gets my goat.
TAS1981 said:
Hasbeen! What are you on about!? I accept there is a bit of hyperbole there but its not quite like that is it! I owned (own) my own house in Kent, now there is no way I could do that in Sydney without living in somewhere in the back arse of nowhere! I love living here by the way but I also think the British seasons are wonderful. I grew up on a farm and vineyard and have incredibly fond memories!
I'm always for looking at the positives of life including moving here but doing down the mother country gets my goat.
Tas you must have missed the Hyundai Getz bit, & driving it for 10 years.I'm always for looking at the positives of life including moving here but doing down the mother country gets my goat.
I don't know if I could handle the UK cold these days, but I would love the opportunity of buying the type of cars you can afford there. Here I can not even afford to by back the 1962 Morgan +4 I bought new back then.
I don't know what we have done wrong, but I can afford 20 acres, & a big home, not much use today, now the kids have gone, but my motoring is severely restricted, as it would not be if I lived in the UK.
As an Aussie living in the UK I was amazed at how cheap cars are here especially if buying with AUD, and the driving roads amazing with so many places to go and you are not in constant fear of police hiding around every corner. However I do miss the empty roads outside the cities in Oz and the benign weather for driving all year round.
The other day I went on gumtree and searched "V8" just to see what could be had..came up with an ex police Holden xzygszx something or other for $ 5k, but it had a 5.0 V8 and although only 220bhp (the performance version!) I bet it will make a lovely noise and notwithstanding the bogan image will seat 4 comfortably 
also would be cheap to fix and there are loads of them about... This was Perth btw
also would be cheap to fix and there are loads of them about... This was Perth btw randomwalk said:
Back in the day my mate purchased a 5.8 Litre XD Falcon, ex police car from the auctions, got it cheap and it was a damn good car. It had been a highway patrol vehicle and had been meticulously serviced, they can be a good buy and can sometimes be already tweaked abit by the police.
A mate bought an X police Commodore at the state government vehicle auctions. It was a great car, & gave good service, except for the stain. No amount of detailing could eradicate the stain in the middle of the back seat. It just kept coming back, even through after market seat covers.
His wife, worried about what it might be, made him buy a complete new seat.
This left him only about $10,000 better off than market value. Those government auctions are good value, politically they can't afford to sell any lemons.
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