Good Daily Driver...... Recommendations?

[newi]

Hi guys,

I have recently accepted a new job which will involve me driving around 500-600km each week to and from work.

I am reluctant to use my XR50T - and the fiance has agreed to be buying a '3rd car...'

Its gotta be under $10k, in pretty good nick, preferably under 150,000km, cheapish to run but most of all reliable....

I have looked at B series sedans and utes, AU utes, swifts and 380's... Gas and/or petrol....

I don't know what I want so am interested to hear your thoughts... Kinda leaning towards an AUIII ute - it would be handy to have a ute in the family (but not essential)

Paul

[newi]

I should add - its all highway driving too..... Hence why big 6's are in the equation...

[kempy311]

A toyota corolla boring car but as tough as nails.

[newi]

Originally Posted by kempy311

A toyota corolla boring car but as tough as nails.

Fair point... Haven't looked at them...

[Xauterus]

Should be able to get a ba/bf ute. If you are having a third car you might as well have a ute. Can get a dedicated gas one too.

[XR6WGN]

I do about 500-550 a week and a lot of that is to and from work sitting on roads at 60 and an "expressway" at 80-90km/h. In my wagon (EF XR6 5 spd manual) that works out to be roughly a tank of 95Premium a week (average of $90.00 a fill)

It's now a fairly good reliable car which really doesn't owe me much any more but it has been a bit of a money pit over the years. The EF / EL series are still a good alternative but finding one in the condition you seek might be hard. Yep the AUs and even BA/BF are looking quite good for comfortable, reasonably priced transport - good luck in your quest.

[Yellow_Festiva]

You driving alone or not carrying much else? If so, I would be leaning towards a city car. 10k buys a lot of car, Yaris, Fiesta, Getz, Colt, etc. Petrol, manual. All those cars should return 5.5-6 l per 100 on the freeway and around 7l per 100 around town.

[newi]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

You driving alone or not carrying much else? If so, I would be leaning towards a city car. 10k buys a lot of car, Yaris, Fiesta, Getz, Colt, etc. Petrol, manual. All those cars should return 5.5-6 l per 100 on the freeway and around 7l per 100 around town.

Just myself most of the time.. But will potentially be used to move bikes and dogs...

[ILLaViTaR]

I'd try and get something under 100 000k's if possible. I'd recommend the AU III but it'll be hard to find one with low k's and they're kind've getting old now too. Paying more than 3-4k for one would be plain silly. If you don't know how to work on cars (besides servicing) I'd try and get an FG base model ute with around 60-100 000k's ideally for 10k, you should be able to find base models starting at 7-8k and maybe get a nicer model for around 10k but probably not in the ute, but you should be able to pick up an extremely clean base model FG ute no worries.

The corolla suggestion is a great one, if you don't know how to fix cars and plan to keep it for more than 5 years then there should be no other choice, go the corolla or maybe the new mazda 3 (swifts and micra's are a step down). Fords and Holden's are unreliable in comparison.. they are reliable if looked after properly but they're simply more flawed in design and too much **** can go wrong with them. Fords and Holdens will start shitting themselves after 180 000k's and then it's one thing after another all the way until 300-800 thousand if you can be bothered with the money pit OR all the knocks and rattles. The engine is probably the only thing that won't break, more specifically the bottom end. The fuel, ignition, electronics and suspension are absolute crap and that's where all the money goes. Not on the $400 I6 changeover.

[XBROO]

Well it sound like you need a ute then. AUs seam to be better then the later BAs but don't look as good.

[GASWAGON]

Any AU/AUXR6 ute with as low k's as possible.....Low k Engine from wreckers $1k fitted if you even ever need one that is .....Diffs never wear out and BTR 4 speed trans rebuilt about 2k fitted maybe even 1500!

XR6 AU1,2 or 3 ute would be the real goer....On gas even better.......BA/BFs not aswell built to go the long haul and the diffs are ****.

[Pedro]

If you are looking f0r a reliable daily driver ... buy my NL Fairlane Ghia for $2,000.
I've just installed a new computer with Windows 8 and I cant copy the link, but if you go into the Sales Yard page 2 you'll find it.
I've used it for a daily for the past three years and was happy to continue until a BF Ghia was offered to me at a price I couldn't refuse. The gearbox has been replaced with a fully reconditioned unit so the main bogey of auto fords over 200,000 kms has been eliminated. As for everything else; everything works and I've maintained it in excellent mechanical condition so you can drive anywhere with confidence. There are paint scratches so parking in shopping centres is a totally stress free event. 6 months Qld rego and a RWC supplied.

[SSD-85]

AU with Live axle & I6.

- Reliable. So much in fact, that if someone breaks one, they shouldn't own a car.
- Cheap to buy & run

Not much else to say really, they speak enough for themselves.

[EBII Fairmont]

Originally Posted by newi

Fair point... Haven't looked at them...

I just paid 3500 for a 99 corolla with 12months reg, roadworthy and 140,000km. The car is perfect for just running around. I also do a lot of city driving and get probably about 450-500km on a tank. It also costs less than $50 to fill. Not the most fun car to drive, but fits the bill for being a cheap and reliable.

[The Yeti]

Not a 380, V6 camery / Aurion or a falcodoor will b your best bet geting one under 150km willbe the challange

[Franco Cozzo]

I can't get my EL under 12L 100km on highway driving, I do the same amount of Ks a week, costs about $110 a week (98) if I drive it to get to/from work.

Check out 2003 Mazda 323 SP20, can get them for around $7K still and they go alright.

Old mans 323 has 370,000km same year had it since new.

[hazrd]

Have you considered a diesel?

I know it limits your search a little, but you'll get more kms to a tank (especially considering you are doing hwy driving)

My last job was a 160km round trip every day and I had an old Holden Astra to bang about in, gave me the shytes before long because it was only good for about 500km to a tank and filling up every 3 days was annoying!

[Hulsty]

If your pretty set on a big 6, cant go past a falcon ute, easily find a 100,000km BA/BF for 10K, if LPG is readily available where your going I would get LPG. My egas ute sits around 9L/100km on the highway. Petrol one, probably slightly less fuel consumption and they got more power, but same torque as egas.

[Motorbreath310]

I had a '93 Corolla wagon. 4-AFE 1.6 manual. Got it at 330k's, had 392 when I Corolled it into a ditch. ONE service in the time I owned it: caned the nuts off of it: flat shifts, redline from cold, towing. Broke a cambelt on the way to work one morning - had it back on the road next day.

Best car I ever owned...

R.I.P ADR932. There wasn't a Laser, nor Mirage in all of Hamilton that could touch you...

[Ford_The_Win]

Something like this seems to be good value for money, there are plenty of similar examples for around the same price.

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/d.../?Cr=2&sdmvc=1

http://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/de.../?Cr=3&sdmvc=1

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by newi

Hi guys,

I have recently accepted a new job which will involve me driving around 500-600km each week to and from work.

I am reluctant to use my XR50T - and the fiance has agreed to be buying a '3rd car...'

Its gotta be under $10k, in pretty good nick, preferably under 150,000km, cheapish to run but most of all reliable....

I have looked at B series sedans and utes, AU utes, swifts and 380's... Gas and/or petrol....

I don't know what I want so am interested to hear your thoughts... Kinda leaning towards an AUIII ute - it would be handy to have a ute in the family (but not essential)

Paul

I travel around 1000km to and from work each fortnight, so about the same as you. When I looked at getting a car, one of the biggest factors for me was safety, especially given that most of my kms are done on the Prince's Highway. So, 5 star rating plus a high ANCAP score was a must. That was the reason why I went for an FG Falcon, and then the Focus. Both were 5 star ratings and had high scores. And I wasn't overly concerned by the 'high fuel consumption' of the Falcon given that 90% of the driving was done in 100km/h zones. At those speeds, the Falcon consumption was relatively light (I think I ended up averaging in the low 8l/100km area).

So, with that in mind, why not use the XR50T? Will save you some bucks in laying out for a new car, the fuel consumption (assuming most of your distance is at highway speeds) will not be that different to a sub $10k small car, and whilst the kms you rack up will affect resale value a little, it won't be that different to the depreciation you will incur irrespective of the kms you have on the clock. Best of all, for you and your family, you'll be driving a car that is likely far safer than a sub $10k small car if, god forbid, you should happen to be involved in an accident.

If you do the economics of buying a new car at, say, $10k with a consumption of, say, 7l/100km consumption, versus the consumption of the Falcon (say 9l/100km) with fuel at, say, $1.50 a litre, then it will take you approximately 555 weeks to recoup that cost. And that's before you even take into account the safety factor.

So, if it was me, I'd be driving the Falcon.

Hope that helps.

Craig H

[ILLaViTaR]

6k for an AU is way way overpriced you could buy 2 decent AU's for that money!!

not a ute but it puts values into perspective, these usually go for 6k

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121245671...84.m1423.l2649

[mik]

A well maintained live rear axle falcon would be my pick for a cheap to run big highway car,
a ute if its handy by all means,
id probably go a wagon as on trips if i pull up for a kip i can lay the seat/s back, EDIT: or snooze in the back, 4 speed slushy is reliable and dirt cheap to fix,
there's still some low k b series around, nice long travel leaf springs rides like a limo ......... put some high profile tyres on and a tranny cooler give it a good service and enjoy big car comfort(screw the little cars).

[Kieron]

Something small and cheap, the fiance could also drive on occasion and the dog's would go in the back with seat down (no rooms for bikes though) -

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/d.../?Cr=2&sdmvc=1

5 star safety, should easily get around 6l/100 on the highway and a good 3 years left on warranty and after a few years, it's still going to be worth $3-4k.

We have an 04 Hyundai Getz from new, still going strong after 125,000, only one set of tyres gone on it, cam belt around $600 @ 95,000k's, brake light switch, 1 set of pads and one rotor skim, 1 set of plug leads and spark plugs and one battery replaced - bloody cheap motoring.

[Xauterus]

You will probably get much better value driving the XR50. Keeping the Kms low only mean it's nice for the next owner. You drive the wheels off the car you have means you can really enjoy the car. It's going to be worth nothing really in 10 years. Look at ba prices now.

[MercurySilver]

a late au 2 or 3
even better if you can find a ute but obviously limited to only two seats and might not be handy if you have more than one child

what are base fgs going for nowadays with low kms??
might be an option

[Polyal]

You simply cant beat an AU if you want space and some more practicability.

Find a minter for under $5k..$3.5k on a SVI LPG system (get $1k back) and your done.

AU2 Fairmont or a S3 Forte/Futura would be good.

[saber]

Couple of things to consider:

How long do you plan to keep the XR50T for?
If you plan to keep the car for a while (say 10 years or more), then keeping the kays down to prolong the life of the car is sensible.
That being said, with regular servicing, the XR50T will cover many many kays...

If you plan to keep the car for a shorter period, you’ll have to determine the amount of cash you’ll lose by spending $$$ on another car plus rego/insurance/running costs and the additional cash you’d gain by selling the XR50T with lower kays against the selling price of the car if it was used for work.

IE: Purchased another car for $5k, allocate $1200-$1500/year in insurance/rego, selling XR50T in 5 years with low kays for $10K.
vs
Selling XR5T for $6K with higher kays (say an additional 125000K (500k per week, 50 working weeks in a year, 5 years used for work))

Once you work out this figure, ask yourself if you’re comfortable with this lose/gain.

You also have to work out the emotional/comfort factor: Whether you’re comfortable driving the XR50T everyday to work vs driving another car to work and the XR50T occasionally.

Hope that helps!

PS: Me personally? I generally hold onto my cars for a while. As such, resale is less of a factor.
I also love to drive whenever I get the opportunity, whether that be through peak hour traffic, or a lazy Sunday cruise, or driving at night to the supermarket.

For me, I’d drive the XR50T everday

[GASWAGON]

Originally Posted by Motorbreath310

I had a '93 Corolla wagon. 4-AFE 1.6 manual. Got it at 330k's, had 392 when I Corolled it into a ditch. ONE service in the time I owned it: caned the nuts off of it: flat shifts, redline from cold, towing. Broke a cambelt on the way to work one morning - had it back on the road next day.

Best car I ever owned...

R.I.P ADR932. There wasn't a Laser, nor Mirage in all of Hamilton that could touch you...

LOL! Tho I CANNOT stand it when people do not service ther cars....This why Toyota has such a reliable name. NO servicing at all and they still GO and GO!

If only late models Fords could even come close to this standard.

[GASWAGON]

Really three cars to run, maintain and pay reg/insurance on is just too much unless you are loaded of course!