17 yr old car 140,000 kms Versus investing

[Ideo]

I've just been going through a slightly similar thing.

I'm selling my 50k (new) VW and buying a 10k runaround. I do 40,000km a year so want something with a bit of comfort, otherwise I'd go even cheaper.

The money can go to paying down debt on my land. Once things are finalised with the rezoning and I have some spare cash I'll get something more interesting again.

 

[BayView]

i35's are pretty good.

There would be pretty much no danger in buying one which is about a year to 18 months old from a dealer.

Save loads, and get a good car with some dealer warranty still to go.

The issue with a car 17 years old is going to getting the parts - less and less parts suppliers are accommodating cars this sort of age now - even the more common ones.

 

[redwing]

250k in perth?

I just had a quick look on re.com.au and the cheapest units in Glendalough appear to be around $290-310k

I did see a couple of 1x1's In Maylands for under $250k though

Does it have to be Perth Alex

 

[see_change]

Comes down to priorities

I've driven el cheapo cars in the past , however after an experience of a patient where I only want to have a car that has curtain air bags.

He was waiting at lights when a car coming the other way at high speed round the corner lost control , hitting him head on and flipping his car backward onto it's roof and a fair way down the road. Ambulance officers were surprised to find him without any significant injuries and they made the comment to him that they were seeing people walk out of accidents , where there with curtain air bags , which would have previously killed or caused seriously injured. Since then I have asked several paramedics about this and they have agreed.

Something to think about.

Cliff

 

[china]

Comes down to priorities

I've driven el cheapo cars in the past , however after an experience of a patient where I only want to have a car that has curtain air bags.

He was waiting at lights when a car coming the other way at high speed round the corner lost control , hitting him head on and flipping his car backward onto it's roof and a fair way down the road. Ambulance officers were surprised to find him without any significant injuries and they made the comment to him that they were seeing people walk out of accidents , where there with curtain air bags , which would have previously killed or caused seriously injured. Since then I have asked several paramedics about this and they have agreed.

Something to think about.

Cliff

I drive a 2003 Toyota Corolla so I would have had no chance in the above sceanario. I am thinking of changing cars next year when I exceed 100,000km and the 12 year mark.

I am very interested in safety and would pay a premium for this. I don't need hummers nor SUV. I need a daily commuting car/sedan which I take on freeways once a week. I understand that an all wheel drive with many air bags is best. One of the front wheels of my corolla rolled into a ditch recently and I could not get my car out. Every time I stepped on the pedal, the ditched wheel would spin and churn dirt. I had to get the assistance of two strangers walking down the road and put planks under the tyre to get it out. I think the corolla is a front wheel drive and I think an all wheel drive would have gotten me out of trouble.

I note on this Australian government website that Euro cars seem to rate higher than jap cars in terms of safety. They get a score out of 37. This is a more detailed analysis than the 5 star ancap rating which every new car seems to achieve.

http://www.howsafeisyourcar.com.au/Search?vSize=small car

Any recommendations?

 

[geoffw]

While I don't rate vehicle luxury as a priority, I do rate vehicle safety.

I drive a Hyundai i30 which, at $20k new, rates highly for safety. It does have curtain air bags. It is on the list of safe cars which China posted.

Like the star rating for kitchen appliances, it's just one item in a list which helps me to make a decision. The Hyundai had excellent customer reviews, and in fact was the car of the year in the under $30k category.

There are some nice features in the standard version which had previously been optional extras- like Bluetooth.

 

[china]

Geoff, I think safety has to be top of the list when considering car purchase. Without life, what else is there?

 

[DaveM]

I like the i30...I was considering the i30cw turbo diesel wagon as a company vehicle runabout and was impressed by it.... small but leaps ahead of my falcon wagon company car.

I ended up with a Mazda 6 Touring wagon instead as I decided to combine my personal vehicle and company one into the same vehicle and just use ECM to offset the FBT liability. The Mazda has airbags and crumple zones galore as well as leather, front and rear parking sensors, auto headlights and wipers, dual zone climate control etc... which for $35k on the road was pretty good value.

 

[geoffw]

Geoff, I think safety has to be top of the list when considering car purchase. Without life, what else is there?

You say that, but you're still driving an unsafe rattletrap, while sitting on a lot of money in the bank. I think it's time to spend something for your own safety- I would have valued a safe car well ahead of a first class trip.

 

[china]

Very true. Many berate me about this fact. Its just my chronic procrastination. But I think next year is the year for car change. I feel almost sentimental about the old car which has given faithful service over eleven years and I have been involved in two low speed collisions in it. First, I ran into another car's rear at a traffic light and second time, someone ran into my rear. And it is still going strong without a whimper.

 

[DaveM]

Very true. Many berate me about this fact. Its just my chronic procrastination. But I think next year is the year for car change.

Therein lies the issue faced by procastinators... they acknowledge that its an issue but they will do something about it next year. Putting off fixing your issue with putting things of is not really a solution that will get you anywhere.

Not saying to go out and buy a car this afternoon, but perhaps go out for the next few weekends, narrow down a list till you decide on what you want, so when a special or deal comes up you know what you want and can go in and haggle hard to get the deal done.

 

[geoffw]

He's going to procrastinate but not until next year.

I spent a lot of time checking the web first, especially customer review sites. I narrowed it down to two cars in my price range and then went to the dealers. At one, we were completely ignored for fifteen minutes before we gave that one a miss. So the Hyundai got it by default.

I am noticing that now that I am not so young I have become more invisible.

 

[china]

I spent a lot of time checking the web first, especially customer review sites. I narrowed it down to two cars in my price range and then went to the dealers. At one, we were completely ignored for fifteen minutes before we gave that one a miss. So the Hyundai got it by default.

I am noticing that now that I am not so young I have become more invisible.

I have the reverse experience. When I first started looking for PPOR, aged 30, agents asked whether my parents were financing the purchase or whether the parents needed to have a look first. Now when I inspect properties aged 38, they no longer ask that question.

I would have thought the same with car dealers or sellers of anything costly. If you are young looking, they assume you have no cash but if you are older looking, generally, they think that you are in a position to buy. I think the dealer that ignored you really needs to look into its customer service protocols as they must be missing out on valuable business.

 

[geoffw]

I was having my 21st when you were born. At your age now you will be well noticed and well treated. Invisibility starts to creep in much later.

 

[DaveM]

I was having my 21st when you were born. At your age now you will be well noticed and well treated. Invisibility starts to creep in much later.

Geoff thats because when car dealers see old fogies like you looking at anything other than a Camry with a tissue box on the rear parcel shelf, they assume you are just lost and have confused the car yard with the parking lot at the bowling club

 

[geoffw]

Now now Dave. You'll be in the same place one day ;-)

 

[BayView]

I would have thought the same with car dealers or sellers of anything costly. If you are young looking, they assume you have no cash but if you are older looking, generally, they think that you are in a position to buy. I think the dealer that ignored you really needs to look into its customer service protocols as they must be missing out on valuable business.

Incorrect. They assume everyone is in a position to buy.

You would not believe how many apprentice 19 year old tradies get around in $20k+ utes....all on finance.

All dealers know that the vast majority of cars will be bought on finance.

So, they don't care (and are trained to ignore) how you are dressed/age/talk.

They are more likely to open with "What's your budget?" rather than "Can you afford to buy?"

Then, they'll start at the top of price range (or higher) and work down of needed.

Standard sales strategies.

 

[atti]

get secondhand under 70 000 kms honda jazz you'll be suprised at economy power and space in that thing could be had between 7-10k . manual 1.5 vti 2007-2012

otherwise a 2000-2005 rav4 with manual tranny would do u 300 000 kms before any problems start arrising. but economy is not good.

 

[travelbug]

Incorrect. They assume everyone is in a position to buy.

You would not believe how many apprentice 19 year old tradies get around in $20k+ utes....all on finance.

All dealers know that the vast majority of cars will be bought on finance.

So, they don't care (and are trained to ignore) how you are dressed/age/talk.

They are more likely to open with "What's your budget?" rather than "Can you afford to buy?"

Then, they'll start at the top of price range (or higher) and work down of needed.

Standard sales strategies.

Definitely a man talking.

When I went looking I wasn't taken seriously by all salesmen. Even got asked if I wanted to come back on the weekend with my husband. Is this the 21st century? Sometimes I wonder.

 

[buster]

I would have thought the same with car dealers or sellers of anything costly. If you are young looking, they assume you have no cash but if you are older looking, generally, they think that you are in a position to buy. I think the dealer that ignored you really needs to look into its customer service protocols as they must be missing out on valuable business.[/QUOTE]

Dealers don't like people who pay cash. They make bugger all out of the sale. They make their money out of the financing, people who don't push for a large discount, and charging x2 what a ordinary mechanic charges for servicing. Ive said I will buy a a car , go in the office to do the paperwork say I don't want finance I am going to pay by cheque suddenly there is a mistake the boss man says the car has already been sold.