Thread: Recommendations for a underrated car for low $ and commuting high Kms

Originally Posted by 350RRC

I'm loving how many people have favourite ****boxes that they are very familiar with and have driven into the ground......................


and pretty much none are Landrovers!

DL

The only landrover you drive into the ground is the one that you are buried with

A bit late to the party but might I suggest either an early-mid 2000’s n16 Nissan pulsar or if your budget extends far enough a good Td5 disco 2. The pulsar is nothing special but it’s reliable and has a timing chain not a belt. Befor I sold mine to my daughter I was getting 7l/100km average fuel consumption.

As for a D2 if you shop wisely you can get a lot of car for the money as they don’t seem to be holding their value.... unlike the Defender.

cheers

Steve

Even in Europe you buy Japanese if you are looking for a vehicle that will give you a long and trouble free motoring experience

Originally Posted by Rok_Dr

A bit late to the party ………..

Steve

Even later to the party and a bit more general in nature, don't get a metallic car as the clear coat seems to go sooner or later, especially if out in the sun, not sure if driving it while sunny helps keep the coating cool and therefore makes it last longer. Although I have heard that some newer plain colours still have a clear coat?

Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

Even later to the party and a bit more general in nature, don't get a metallic car as the clear coat seems to go sooner or later, especially if out in the sun, not sure if driving it while sunny helps keep the coating cool and therefore makes it last longer. Although I have heard that some newer plain colours still have a clear coat?

Pretty much all vehicles post 95 have clear coat...

about 7 years ago when I got my wife the poogoe 407 .... I drove a near new 307 2.0 HDi 6spd wagon (so the best one ... the 2.0 HDi and proper gearbox). I didn't even get out of the service road and I was looking for somewhere to do a Uturn and take it back. It was the roughest most uncomfortable piece of **** I'd driven in a long time. It jiggled and bounced its way down the service road like a bloody Hi-undie....

The 407 was much, much, much better. That piece of **** is way to low for serious kms. We have smashed every bit of plastic off its belly ... it has been a reliable POS (other than the flywheel started rattling at 60,000kms ............. which I succussfully ignore until about 160,000kms at which point the throwout bearing punched its way through the center of the clutch plate). I replaced it with a valeo solid flyhweel conversion kit.

What I didn't realise at the time was every other car the 307's size was an horrible riding uncomfortable lump of **** too............... sigh ..... So if you want one of those ... .DO NOT BUY ANYTHING WITH A 4SPD AUTO .... Walk away .... You want the 2.0 diesel and 6spd auto or manual. the guy at french connection runs an old 307 as a work run-about .... about 6months ago it rolled over 1/2million kms and is still going strong.




The mechanics you are talking to a full of it. There is nothing difficult about the modern poogoes/citroens etc.... they are just a modern plastic car full of electronics like everything else you can buy.

seeya
Shane L.

It depends mate.

Diesel or petrol and what level of comfort? Jap's are usually a good bet, mostly the honda/toyota kind if you buy them old enough. Modern-ish jap's are not much better then your average brand these days.

If you would like a diesel see if you can find anything with a circle-L engine, it's an isuzu. So the first honda civic diesels (if you got them down there) or an opel/vauxhaul/whatever else they are branded corsa. (it seems, according to wikipedia that it is called the Holden Barina over there)

All the 1.7 diesel units are extremely reliable in my experience. The only problem will eventually be rust.

I would steer clear of anything relatively new. I have read about peugeots in this thread and to be honest, the newer 1.6hdi engines are a disaster often needing rebuilds or replacement after only 150k, at least down here. Of the french cars peugeot is probably the "best" at least it drives best but citroen and peugeot are mostly the same engines and valeo crap. (which we know from our landrovers, unfortunately).

Someone suggested a volvo, good buy if you go for an 850 of V70 or the likes, steer clear of the V40. It was built by us dutchies and by far not as good as the 850/v70.

Can't say anything about the kia/hyundai stuff. Seems ok but built for their 7 year warranty stunt mostly?

Cheers,
-P

Originally Posted by prelude

It depends mate.

Diesel or petrol and what level of comfort? Jap's are usually a good bet, mostly the honda/toyota kind if you buy them old enough. Modern-ish jap's are not much better then your average brand these days.

If you would like a diesel see if you can find anything with a circle-L engine, it's an isuzu. So the first honda civic diesels (if you got them down there) or an opel/vauxhaul/whatever else they are branded corsa. (it seems, according to wikipedia that it is called the Holden Barina over there)

All the 1.7 diesel units are extremely reliable in my experience. The only problem will eventually be rust.

I would steer clear of anything relatively new. I have read about peugeots in this thread and to be honest, the newer 1.6hdi engines are a disaster often needing rebuilds or replacement after only 150k, at least down here. Of the french cars peugeot is probably the "best" at least it drives best but citroen and peugeot are mostly the same engines and valeo crap. (which we know from our landrovers, unfortunately).

Someone suggested a volvo, good buy if you go for an 850 of V70 or the likes, steer clear of the V40. It was built by us dutchies and by far not as good as the 850/v70.

Can't say anything about the kia/hyundai stuff. Seems ok but built for their 7 year warranty stunt mostly?

Cheers,
-P

There weren't many 1.6HDi's sold. Apparently the oil galleries are too small, so if you miss oil changes (missing an oil change is BAD with the extended oil change periods these days) they will sludge up and starve the turbo and kill it. Apparently it is a very big job to try and clean out all the oilways through the motor if the oil hasn't been changed often enough .... after the turbo has been replaced. How do you know if a car has been serviced correctly if it has had several owners before you though ?

The 2.0 HDi's seem to be bullet proof. They seem to go forever. You want an older one without the FAP for simplicities sake I don't think the 307 was ever sold iwth a 1.6 either way ... wasn't is only the C4 and small 'vans ?

seeya
Shane L.