webgum

A thread mentioning utes has prompted me to ask:

We will be arriving in a few weeks time in Perth (yippee) and will need to buy a car. Second hand. We are a family of four with golden retreiver and a love of camping. Any ideas? I'm thinking station wagon of some kind or other.

We have a ute here, but I for one can't wait to get rid of it. Love being high up in the cab, but get fed up of having to park at the far end of Tescos so I avoid any dodgy moments of reversing into other people, their cars or posts. I haven't hit anything yet, but hubby has - the highlight being a large post outside my sisters wedding reception venue (in front of most of the guests!) cool, huh!

4lex

Falcon wagons are abundant, reasonably powerful, cheap to buy, cheap on parts and easy to fix. On the downside they use a lot of fuel, handle like a blancmange and break down more frequently. I bought a good '92 example (saloon) for AUD 2k.

If you can run to AUD15k ish, I'd buy a v6 Camry wagon. Much more economical and reliable, and dynamically pretty sound for a wagon. Fewer available of course, so parts from wreckers won't be as easy to come by, but then one wouldn't expect it to break as often.

Bix da Boss

Hi, just thought I'd give you a quick reply seeing as now else has yet!

Don't know much about cars but I do know that if you like 'BIG' 'HIGH' vehicles then you are coming to the right country! 4WD are very popular over here as are utes of all sizes! You will be lost for choice! Will be relatively easy for you to find something pretty quick I would think. Second hand cars keep their value well - due to climate or something, less corrosion? Might be better to consider new for all the benefits.

Just make sure you feel comfortable driving/reversing one before you buy! Easy out on the 'BIG' roads in OZ, but not so easy in SUPERMARKET car spaces, although most are slightly bigger than in the UK.

Good luck with your move - hope all your dreams come true for you in Perth!

Take care - have a good flight!

renth

Go for a Falcon (or as a politically incorrect colleague of mine calls them a "Falcoon")

Stewie

A Ford!!!! Arghhh!

renth

Just as good/bad as the Holden (who some people mistakenly think is an "Aussie" make of car)

LindyLoo

The big debate in Oz is; is a Holden (Vauxhall) Commodore better than a Ford Falcon? Loads of people drive 4 Litre sedans with V8 engines and think its great! I couldn't afford to run one personally.

We bought a Toyota Camry - really boring as there are loads on the road. There are 2.2/2.6 Litre engines available. It's reliable, holds its price and goes like a dream. We bought the car at a government car auction in Adelaide. It was 2 years old and 30 000km on the clock. We saved about $5000 on the forecourt price of the local Toyota garage. The RAC guy at the place told us we couldn't go wrong with a Toyota, they rarely need fixing!

mlbonner

I have a Camry too, think mine is '95. Partner use to work for Toyota and had a landcruiser himself at the time, so we know they're reliable cars. Very easy to drive, mine has done a lot of km's, but then it was very cheap, so swings and roundabouts I guess

mr mover

well come on ,you threw the "shit on the fan" enlighten us................ mm

tonyoz

Ive got a Mitsubushi Magna TS wagon , had it since arriving back home in oz 3 years ago,its never let me down.

renth

Holden = General Motors = American

Driving a Holden because it's an Aussie make is like saying you drive a Vauxhall because it is British.

mr mover

GET your hand off it son , read the Holden history before you make "stupid "statments like that, mate you are starting to sound like the "new pommie bastard" is Perth starting to get to you,??? ...... mm

HiddenPaw

My sister had a Holden Jackaroo and half the things in it were labelled 'Isuzu'. All the big motor companies cross produce/supply.

4lex

He's a bit simple. Still, [why can't I just let these car arguments go?] commodores and falcons are poorly designed and developed vehicles with big engines, appropriately marketed to achieve part of the sales required to stay afloat.

I'm not trying to be derisory, it must be tough to design and build a car to such a small market - the simple truth is however that those manufacturers who (really) sell internationally have the economies of scale to spend more on the development of their vehicles and thus produce better ones in general.

Reading that back I ought to qualify what I consider better: the overall running cost compared to the level of performance desired. I personally drive a falcon due to budgetary pressure, however I'd much sooner have a(nother) forced aspiration mk2 MR2. A brilliantly designed vehicle with ferrari-esque pace when needed and corolla economy round town. Only two seats obviously, but I don't feel the need to reproduce just yet. It sadly lacks in handling dynamics compared to italian exotica but stock for stock (or modified for that matter) totally eclipses the best aussie v8.

HiddenPaw

Who?