In the market for a cheap runabout car

[Landy Smurf]

I am now just down to my series 3 as a registered vehicle and now looking for a daily driver.
I would ideally have liked a dualcab 2wd hilux but they seem to be over priced or too many kms or both.
I am now looking at small-medium sized cars mainly under 5k.
There are quite a few on the market with reasonably low kms.

Any suggestions preferably from experience of some good or not so good cars to look at?
I am not in that much of a rush as I do have my series 3 which I dont mind using as a daily driver for a while as I dont drive often or far at the moment.

[carlschmid2002]

I was in this situation a few years ago and one thing I won't recommend is a Hyundai Excel.

[Keithy P38]

The late 90's/early 00's Suzuki Jimny is around that price range. My partner had one before offspring #1 came along. The thing was amazing on fuel and with the rear seats removed was even a good little couple-a-day tourer!

Of course towing ability and payload are not the greatest, but reliability was awesome!

Cheers
Keithy

[Pinelli]

My wife drives a 99 Camry which has just ticked over 300,000km (its the V6). Pretty reasonable on fuel, goes like the clappers, and rarely needs any work more than oil & filter changes.

[Kev the Fridgy]

I have just recently sorted out a 1990 SV21 Camry that had been sitting for a while (9 years), seriously surprised me just how good these early Camry's are, equipped with cruise, power windows, Auto off lights, central locking, climate control (basic), and a dam comfortable ride with above adequate power and good economy too (Avge 9.5 l/100Km)...... would be worth a look if that's the sort of car your looking for.


It's just a good all round car and has a reasonable room, also look at cars like the early 90's Toyota Cressida Grande... well equipped cars with low prices IMO pretty reliable and parts for both are easy to source and reasonably priced.......kinda changed my way of thinking actually not being a Toyota fan.

[numpty]

I have a 2003 model Mazda 323 with 235000 k's which I've had since new. It's mainly used now to transport me between Tamworth and Brisbane each month for work purposes. It returns 7l/100k's and has been a very reliable and comfortable car.

[FeatherWeightDriver]

The late 90's/early 00's Suzuki Jimny is around that price range.

+1 for the Jimny - it is the Defender 90 of the Suzuki 4wds, but with even less load space... ;)

For the $5k price range you might just be able to squeeze in a Suzuki Grand Vitara v6 around MY00

I owned a GV for many years and it never missed a beat. Apart from needing a lot of recoveries trying to keep up with my mates locked and lifted Land Cruisers and Patrols. :angel:

[Landy Smurf]

I do love the suzuki jimnys and would be prepared to pend afew more grand on a good one.
I did think about the camrys as I know they seem to go forever, however I am probably only looking at 4 cylinder and probably looking at something that is late 90s/00s, I probably should have said that.
I am probably mainly looking at ford- fiesta, festiva,focus and maybe laser. toyota- echo, yaris, corolla. mazda- 121,323,2,3. mitsubishi- lancer and maybe a mirage.
Ideally a 5 door car that is manual and has air con, in saying that if a 3 door came up at a good price I would still consider that.
Thanks a lot for the suggestions

[PTC]

If you were after a 2 seater with a huge boot space then i would suggest a Subaru Fiori. Also called a Rex or Sherpa, depending who advertises it. 700cc 3 cylinder engine. Average fuel usage for me around town was 4L per 100kms. And it does have AC and it works too. Such a small car doesn't take too much to cool down.

I've taken that car on many dirt tracks and adventurers. Its light weight so i could push it back on track and when all went crazy i had a tiny hand winch to pull me back into line. Longest was 10 days out of the back of the car for 2 of us without resupplying. So much room as long as you pack right.

I had to get rid of mine, though i had it for years and the money i saved by driving that instead of the Patrol all the time covered the years fuel, rego and insurance.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/1440.jpg

[gofish]

Any Toyota Corola would be good. We have a Mazda 323 & it has never missed a beat.

[4runnernomore]

If you need the 4wd itch have a look at the Kia Sportage up to 04. Real 4wd with low range and a lot of car for little money and very tough.

Have a look you may surprise yourself.

Not that economical though around 10-11/100 mainly due to weight. These things a built like tanks.

cheers, Chris

[Landy Smurf]

I know a few people that have kia sportages and they go good.
I am not after a 4x4 though, apart from maybe a suzuki jimney.
My main idea about getting a cheap runabout car is that I dont have to pay full insurance which is a killer. When I had the defender and s3 both registered and insured I was looking at around 3k a year.
I did think about these perenties but decided if I get one now is not the time and I doubt they will go up in price as there are so many on the market now and there will be for quite some time.

[superquag]

We used to have a Jap-import LPG Mazda Capella (1989 GD 626) 1.8 litre for nearly half a million Kms. - Was wiped out in a prang, otherwise would have lasted at least another 200K.
Only two electrical failures, dead alternator around 350K and indicator flasher solder joint.(easily fixed once found)
One mechanical failure, radiator top tank cracked around same time.


Son who pranged the 626 bought a '98 Mazda, (equivalent) and we bought a 121 Shades...which goes like the clappers and gives 13 km/litre.

Yes, would endorse any Mazda from 1989 onwards.:D

[Ausfree]

Hey Tony........welcome to "RICE BURNER WORLD".:wasntme::twisted::angel:

[Landy Smurf]

It sucks in a way but without having a decent enough bank account, it is the right thing to do

[Debacle]

My daily driver is a 99 Suzuki Baleno 1.6l. Heaps of get up and go, icy cold air con and just keeps going.

You could pick up a very good low km model for around $2k.

[Stuck]

Like Kev the fridgy I'm saying SV21 Camry. I paid $500 for mine (4 cyl. EFI with A/C and P/S) six years ago (300k on the clock) and in that time I've replaced both front wheel bearings, front brake pads, a power steering hose, a set of plug leads and an alternator plus servicing. It's now got 410k on it and is still going strong. To quote fuel consumption would be misleading due to the metric shipload of tools and gear that it lugs.

[ramblingboy42]

you want cheap price, running costs and reliability and you like the Jimny, I couldn't think of anything can do it better. Do it.

the Suzuki motors are absolute gems.

[spudboy]

Subaru Sportwagon AWD. Can't kill them with a stick:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/1989-1994_Subaru_L_Series_Sportswagon_station_wagon_%28 2011-10-23%29_01.jpg/800px-1989-1994_Subaru_L_Series_Sportswagon_station_wagon_%28 2011-10-23%29_01.jpg

Got our son one for $3K. Had about 250,000Kms on it when we bought it. He abused it for 3 years and then handed it down to our daughter. 4 more years of abuse. Apart from oil changes and new shocks/brakepads it never needed a spanner laid on it. Sold it for $1K to one of their friends and it still runs. Even the aircon still works!

[UncleHo]

I would suggest the following, Subaru E81 models the early wagons,go like the clappers handle well in the wet pre computer,followed by the Madza 121 range those funny little bubble type cars, good interior space and as cheap as chips, the Uni students car,or an early 4 pot Camry good space but still 4 cylinder rego.

cheers

[superquag]

Forgot to mention that #2 son drives a 4cyl Camry wagon. Similar story, high mileage, cheap to run and maintain. Reasonable on fuel, but being an AUTO I'd expect it to use more than a similar manual trans.

Our Mazda diesel 4WD Jap-import van was also free of reliability issues. Only bogged it once, but Operator Error and not inadequate design etc.

For low-cost reliability...ok, "boring" ownership, there is no substitute for brand-name Jap cars.

If Land Rover had let Mazda build them all -RR, Disco and Deefer- under licence (with improvements), there would be NO other AWD on the market....

[VladTepes]

I'd recommend a V8 Ute. Preferably a big block.

:lol2:

Or not.


Mate had a Daihatsu Mira - very economical / cheap to run.

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4698381933872712&pid=1.7


Of course one day he was at lights on the way home and a Harley pulled up next to him and revved. The overpressure from the bike exhaust broke the Mira's rear side window.... :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

But a replacement window and rubber was had very cheaply and he fitted it easy too.

And it was red so it went faster.

[bob10]

you want cheap price, running costs and reliability and you like the Jimny, I couldn't think of anything can do it better. Do it.

the Suzuki motors are absolute gems.


X 2 Bob

[VladTepes]

Even going back to '98 you'd be unlikely to find a decent Jimny for $5K though.

[UncleHo]

Don't overlook a Daihatsu F20/F40(diesel) or badged as a "Holden Scat" from memory, brilliant farm trucks ideal wet weather dairy rounder-uppers :)

[pop058]

Don't overlook a Daihatsu F20/F40(diesel) or badged as a "Holden Scat" from memory, brilliant farm trucks ideal wet weather dairy rounder-uppers :)

IIRC, the Scat was sold in Oz under it's own name. eg "Daihatsu Scat"

[tomatoes4all]

Hi LandySmurf,

Cheap and reliable transport, which is much safer than the recommended pint-sized rice burners, can be found under the "Volvo" heading in the advertisements or on Flea Bay. Not overly cheap on fuel, however parts are cheap enough, used parts are everywhere and they are easy to wrench on yourself. The old 240's and 740's go on forever, are cheap to buy (no one wants them) and are built like a brick @*#% house. Just my 2 cents worth.... Cheers, Erik.

[Landy Smurf]

Even going back to '98 you'd be unlikely to find a decent Jimny for $5K though.
Have not found one yet they tend to hold their value once they get a few kms

[UncleHo]

G'day Paul :)

Happy New Year to You and Nan :D

You could be right there, but the ones sold through Holden dealers had a name which I thought was the Scat,it was only badge engineering anyway.

[Landy Smurf]

IIRC, the Scat was sold in Oz under it's own name. eg "Daihatsu Scat"
are those the little 4x4s like a sierra with the single middle vent flap that is about a ft long?

[Landy Smurf]

Hi LandySmurf,

Cheap and reliable transport, which is much safer than the recommended pint-sized rice burners, can be found under the "Volvo" heading in the advertisements or on Flea Bay. Not overly cheap on fuel, however parts are cheap enough, used parts are everywhere and they are easy to wrench on yourself. The old 240's and 740's go on forever, are cheap to buy (no one wants them) and are built like a brick @*#% house. Just my 2 cents worth.... Cheers, Erik.
Thanks for your input , all appreciated.
where I will be living I dont have the time or space to do anything on the car and the volvos are probably a little bit bigger than what I was thinking. I think I will stick to the Japanese built cars

[UncleHo]

Yeah! they look very similar to a Suzuki LJ with the same wheelbase from memory.6.00 x 16 tyres used to be bar treads, they would go everywhere as light as a Zuk :)

[Larry]

.............You could be right there, but the ones sold through Holden dealers had a name which I thought was the Scat,it was only badge engineering anyway.

That would be the Holden Drover, a re-badged Suzuki Sierra.;)

[Landy Smurf]

Yeah! they look very similar to a Suzuki LJ with the same wheelbase from memory.6.00 x 16 tyres used to be bar treads, they would go everywhere as light as a Zuk :)
Our neighbours have one. It use to and maybe still would go but the rust has got to it pretty well.
They look like a pretty simple and cool rig

[Landy Smurf]

Thanks all for you help.
I ended up getting a 1997 Honda accord sedan. It is a manual with leather interior and full electric windows and air con, oh how I have missed the air con. 133,000kms with 6 months rego and quite tidy and drives well with a 2.2L engine.
The car has a few scratches and a few little issues to fix but nothing that is major or expensive to fix.
I was looking at toyota echos and mazda 121s along with ford festiva but I like this one as it is just a bit bigger and a bigger engine than those 1.3-1.5L engines.

[DT-P38]

Watch your trans fluid and servicing... mate had one of them a while ago that cost him a bomb ($3.5K) when its auto just gave up with no indication one day.

[Landy Smurf]

When I was reading about Honda cars that was one of the draw backs. I will give it a full service within 2 weeks and check everything before I go away.