Thread: small economical car?

Originally Posted by Xavie

Thanks UncleHo. Keeping the disco is appealing and it is one of my favourite vehicles now but it is not set-up for that much distance on a daily basis. If I were to keep it I'd need to lower it as it has a 4 inch lift. Lowering it I am led to believe will cost a bit as to get the 4 inch lift it meant replacing a lot of parts which need to be replaced to lower it . I have been told I'd be up around 4 grand at least to get it done. I don't have the space to do any of the work currently.

I'm sure you could find someone to swap in a standard lift for return for your 4"........plus whoever told you 4k is a moron

Selling a tdi disco for 7k? buying another 13k small car for financial purposes only to buy another landrover in the future is stupid

The only viable way is to buy a car of LESSER value than what you get for the disco

If you going to buy small, buy a bloody Hyundai excel, mid-late 90's, they ARE extremely reliable, cheap to run and second hand parts are practically given away, you can find them with <100k on the clock for around 3k and they will easily see 300k+

All the EURO's are nicer, but simply, if its for financial purposes, are a silly way to go, you buy EURO because you want one

Quote:
Originally Posted by Xavie
Thanks UncleHo. Keeping the disco is appealing and it is one of my favourite vehicles now but it is not set-up for that much distance on a daily basis. If I were to keep it I'd need to lower it as it has a 4 inch lift. Lowering it I am led to believe will cost a bit as to get the 4 inch lift it meant replacing a lot of parts which need to be replaced to lower it . I have been told I'd be up around 4 grand at least to get it done. I don't have the space to do any of the work currently.

I'm sure you could find someone to swap in a standard lift for return for your 4"........plus whoever told you 4k is a moron

Selling a tdi disco for 7k? buying another 13k small car for financial purposes only to buy another landrover in the future is stupid

The only viable way is to buy a car of LESSER value than what you get for the disco

If you going to buy small, buy a bloody Hyundai excel, mid-late 90's, they ARE extremely reliable, cheap to run and second hand parts are practically given away, you can find them with <100k on the clock for around 3k and they will easily see 300k+

All the EURO's are nicer, but simply, if its for financial purposes, are a silly way to go, you buy EURO because you want one

Look, I'd have to agree with Rovercare on this one....though he could use a little finesse . If the only reason for not using the disco is because of the lift, as suggested look around and find options. If per se it did cost $4k you are still ahead of the game compared to what you are prepared to pay for another vehicle, $2k is a lot of fuel. I do 3 x 170km round trips per week to Brissie and then km's on top of that, all round 800+ kms per week. With highway and burbs travel, I fill up once a week.

If you feel your disco is reliable, then I would look at bringing that up to scratch and having it is a a daily driver/ play toy. Personally am not a fan of small cars, simply from a safety perspective, it can have all the ancap ratings in the world until it is hit by a larger vehicle. I think this was shown recently in another thread where a Audi Q7 nailed a smaller car. If anything, again as RC has said, if you sell for $7k...to save $$$ you dont spend more, you spend less.

Regards

Stevo

Originally Posted by stevo68

Look, I'd have to agree with Rovercare on this one....though he could use a little finesse

Regards

Stevo

Fi.......nesse.........

What's that?




Oh you mean sugar coating

Thanks Guys. Had to skim the last couple of posts as I just got an urgent work call so am heading to Sydney.

I'm seriously considering keeping the disco now.... I'm going to take it to a mechanic whose opinion I trusts and see what it will cost me to get it all done and then get d/gas done if I decide to keep it.

The engine was only rebuilt 40,000 kays ago and it does drive well. However I suppose I'd want the standard diff gearing back as that was changed to cope better with the 33's.

I will be confused as it is all engineered so hopefuly I won't have to get it enginnered back to standard as it will already be within adr's then but.... I'll have to find all of that out.

I'll also have to do sums on how much the diesel will cost but that can be done in my head on the way to sydney.

Thanks again. Everyone has been extremely helpful.

I would prefer a d1 v8 on gas though

Xav

Well, Mechanic says it is a reasonable way to go. I disagree with rovercare that spending money to save money is stupid as when you do the sums fuel over 3 years for the disco will sit around the 25 grand mark where as a smaller car is about 16K. (at current prices). Then cost of parts for a L.R. to a small car... Well I'm expecting to pay more for landy bits and more often but...... All that aside.

I also found out Diesel gas may be in trouble. They have made it illegal in at least Victoria to install it and are considering putting the ban on all states. Don't know if this is completely true but came from the horses mouth.

However.... I have found a possible donor vehicle to make mine standard and they want a lift so.... I'll lose my maxi drive but that's okay.

Xav

Xavie,
Fuel and repairs aint the only "cost"
Your Disco might be worth $7k now but in 3 years it will still probably be worth more than 50% of that, lets call it a future value of $4k. Using your figures, with fuel/maintenance @ 25k over the three year period = $3k depreciation + $25k = $28k total out of pocket, excluding oportunity cost of investing the $$ in an appreciating asset.

Econobox = $14k - $7k(from the disco sale) for the startup cost (assuming no loan). In three years @ 50% depreciation (maybe worse?) it will be worth about $6-7k. so you are down $7k + $16k for the fuel/maintenance = $23k out of pocket, then buy back a disco for $4k to get back to where you already were...brings you out at around $20k, but with more out of pocket up front, so a greater opportunity cost. If you had to take out a loan, the situation is MUCH more in favour of keeping the disco...

Also, if you "de-modded" the disco (sold the lift kit, the muddies etc) and bought on-road stuff you would probably make a grand or so on the deal, not lose $4k...

All that said, I think your fuel/maintenance costs are a bit skewed as diesel while more expensive, it is also much more efficient than petrol - so I doubt the difference is $3k per year.

Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot

I'm going to give you another hint. I know someone very senior at Honda, and he thinks Ford Fiestas are the best! Where else can you buy a small euro for that money. All the euro safety, top driving, and superb economy for the money. The Jazz is excellent, but expensive, and the steering feels like playstation.

Yes if i remember correctly the Top Gear team love em aswell

Originally Posted by EchiDna

Xavie,
Fuel and repairs aint the only "cost"


All that said, I think your fuel/maintenance costs are a bit skewed as diesel while more expensive, it is also much more efficient than petrol - so I doubt the difference is $3k per year.

I agree about it not being the only cost but if I'm flat broke at the end of uni thats okay.... as logn as I have my degree

I'm not sure about fuel costs. I mean Disco diesel= 1.75 per litre today @ 10 litres being 17.50 per 100 kms and a mazda 2 using 6.1 litres on the highway at 1.45 per litre coming to $9 per 100. That's a big difference over 30,000 kms per year.

I do want to keep the disco though so am hoping that the figures workout.