buying a car

[TK-421]

i am looking at getting a replacement car for my 75 escort, since it doesnt enjoy being driven to work and back every day.
i would like to see some ideas from you all.
it would have to be good for travelling to and from my work, which is about 45 minutes to an hour away, rooming for camping trips, not to pricey for an under 25 to insure and somthing that will retain a bit of value.
i am willing to spend upto about $14000

[That Bloke]

Originally posted by TK-421
i am looking at getting a replacement car for my 75 escort, since it doesnt enjoy being driven to work and back every day.
i would like to see some ideas from you all.
it would have to be good for travelling to and from my work, which is about 45 minutes to an hour away, rooming for camping trips, not to pricey for an under 25 to insure and somthing that will retain a bit of value.
i am willing to spend upto about $14000

Probably 3 year old Pulsars & Corrallas would make decent buys in your league, 5 year old lower spec Civics too.

[TK-421]

not a fan of those cars. am after somthing with a bit more size.
and yes i know that the running cost of those cars is quite low, but i want somthing bigger in both engine and interior.

[SamBo]

perhaps a commodore/falcon/magna station wagon?

[SOC]

Mini Cooper (no seriously)
What do you need a bigger car for? Do you have to carry a lot of stuff around? With smaller cars like Corolla etc, you tend to get a better car for your buck, however, if you rrrrreeeeaaaaaalllllyyyy need a bigger car. A Subaru 4wd or something like that tends to be pretty good.

[DrDivad]

he did say he needed something for camping trips......

Subary Liberty a good option

[That Bloke]

Originally posted by SOC
Mini Cooper (no seriously)
What do you need a bigger car for? Do you have to carry a lot of stuff around? With smaller cars like Corolla etc, you tend to get a better car for your buck, however, if you rrrrreeeeaaaaaalllllyyyy need a bigger car. A Subaru 4wd or something like that tends to be pretty good.

I was looking at getting a Suburu for a while, I couldn't find anything under $19,000(Mind you I limited my search to the bathurst area) except pre 94 models(Liberties) but they are known to have some rust issues

[That Bloke]

Originally posted by DrDivad
he did say he needed something for camping trips......



At Rover Moots(Rovers are scouting 18-26, Moots are quasi piss-up/camps) most the vehicles are old Lasers Corrolla, Camiras, Pulsars etc.

[startrekker]

buy a buick its what i have its a great car and ive taken it through a ditch or two

[That Bloke]

Originally posted by startrekker
buy a buick its what i have its a great car and ive taken it through a ditch or two

You overlook the fact that most people here aren't American, Anyway which Buick? they don't just make one car, A Holden Commodore is the same body as one of the Buicks but with better engines(Corvette is the source of the V8s).

[DJos]

go to drive.com.au and click on the fleet auction links. You can usually pick up a 98' magna, camry, commondore or falcon for about $16,000. Other wise, Id go with a 323, corrolla, pulsar or civic as previously suggested.

I have a Current model 323 Astina and Im constantly amazed by how much room it has. I can, (with rear seats down), fit stuff in my car that my dad can't get into his falcon sedan and I can comfortably fit 5 normal sized ppl in with no probs (inc driver of course).

[still life]

SUBARU LIBERTY LX $14250
year: 1996 kms: 103000 trans: 5

body: SEDAN colour: ad date: 23/07/2003

features: Power steering, Air conditioning...

description: SUBARU Liberty LX '96, 5 sp sed. p/steer, air cond. 4/04 regn, 103,000 ks, excell. cond. $14,250. UDT-143. 0401 994 572

publication: The Newcastle Herald & Post

[startrekker]

what ever you do dont get a geo tracker

[no_dice]

Unless money isn't an issue for you, I'd stay away from the subie (or anything else AWD for that matter). They are famous for their gas guzzling antics:P

I say go diesel!

[mooutlaw]

for cammping if you do not have any kids buy a truck

[That Bloke]

Originally posted by startrekker
what ever you do dont get a geo tracker

Once again you forget that he & most of the rest of us aren't American, Geo I think is suzuki & with a name like Tracker I guess it's a 4wd so it's either a Vitara or it's that new little thing that is also sold here as a Holden Cruze.

[TK-421]

i am interested in getting somthing like a vs/vt commodore, since vs are about $10000 and vt $13000+.
i thought about a subaru, but they are a little too expensive. 323s are alright, as are the same shaped laser. havent really looked into them though.
but thanks for your suggestions, they have opened my eyes a bit more

[That Bloke]

Originally posted by no_dice
Unless money isn't an issue for you, I'd stay away from the subie (or anything else AWD for that matter).

They have a consumption of 10litre/100km(27mpg in the old speak), that's not too bad, It's pretty much on a par with other 2-2.5litre cars, a Holden Astra(Also Vauxhall/Opel) with a 2 litre engine gets about 9.8litre/100km, A V6(Buick Ecotec 3.8litre) Commodore would consume about 13litres/100km.

[no_dice]

I'm getting 49 mpg :)

[That Bloke]

Originally posted by no_dice
I'm getting 49 mpg :)

I'm kinda fond of diesels but in the cities they don't like them much, Diesels also have that "slow" reputation but An English company sells a tuning kit for the Puegeot 406 Turbo Diesel that will give you 145bhp & a 0-100km time of 9 seconds, not bad going.

[still life]

9 seconds is geological time scale -_-

[That Bloke]

Originally posted by still life
9 seconds is geological time scale -_-

What do you mean? a 9 second 0-100 time is the envy of still many a petrol engine.

[no_dice]

My TDI isn't the fastest off the block.....but it has insane torque for a small car, which means when you're cruising at 100 km/h and you want to pass someone, you can blow by them quite easily.

[DrDivad]

Originally posted by That_Bloke
What do you mean? a 9 second 0-100 time is the envy of still many a petrol engine.


unfortunately not of S15's though

hell even the vortex beats that