PWBCSA

Hi,

We land in a couple of weeks and one of our first jobs is to buy ‘er indoors a car. I will need to drive it from time to time and have concerns over the ‘girlie car’ factor of her current top favourite list.

Can anyone please advise if any of these cars are considered to be ‘for girls’ in Australia; similar to how the Ford Ka is here in the UK?

Toyota Echo
Hyundai Getz
VW Polo
Suzuki Swift
Citroen C2

I am, of course, aware of the colour issue and we have discussed the problem with buying any car in any shade of sky Blue, Pink, Lilac, Yellow or any other pastel colour.

Cheers.

ChadW

VW Polo in Black with 17'' alloys, would be a safe option, if that lot is all you have got to choose from that is, either that or stretch to a Focus, assuming you can buy these in Oz?

jond

Hi we land in 4 weeks and I face the same problem, she wants a car of a similar size as her Ford KA. We will be looking at the Toyota Echo (Yaris), Suzuki Swift or the Mitsibushi Colt, I would avoid the Citreon as the build quality is not too good.

John

Sarita0020

Hi,

Congratulations first of all!

My understanding of buying cars in Oz is that you're better off sticking to eith Vauxhall (Holden as it's known there), Ford or any Japanese model. The problem with European cars is that parts will be VERY expensive. You can easily get the Ford and Vauxhall equivalents out there (or so I'm let to believe). Japanese car parts will be cheaper since their not that far away from the Aussie pond, get a European make and you'll be payingout of your nose for any services and repair work.

Best of luck with everything,

Cea

lynnlovessun

Hi John - its funny you should say that about Citroen - I have heard that before but I have to say that I drive a Citroen C2 - black sx model and I can honestly say its the best car I have ever driven - even my hubbie enjoys driving it as its turning circle is so tiny and its really quite nippy for a car of its size and a 1 litre engine - I have had no faults or problems what so ever and wouldn't hesitate to buy one again - I gather they are just starting to take off in Australia.

In Brisbane I will be looking at the Toyota Echo the Citroen C2 or the hyundi Getz (as we hired a Getz in Brisbane on holiday and it wasn't bad) - I have driven all 3 cars and find the Citroen C2 by far the most pleasant drive of them all for handling/ manouvrability etc.

As for those cars looking girly i'd say pick a darker colour like black and go for the upgrade model with alloys etc!!!!!

Lynn

PWBCSA

Hi,

I think we'll be OK for colour wise, as long as she behaves (!), and she refuses to have a car that doesn't have alloy wheels. Interesting comments on the build quality of the Citroen as that was one of the things that attracted her to the Polo.

We will just have to wait and see.

Cheers.

John Howard

Anything that is not over 3.8L and has under 6 cylinders is considered girlie in OZ

Although that is now changing with the increase in petrol prices. We bought a Mazda 3 10 months ago and its a great car and we are also reaping the benefits of great economy. Maybe a bit big for the missus but its not really a girlie car.

All the cars you have listed are fine as long as you are not going to drive around Oz in it. The market has become huge now for smaller "European style cars"

wanderingwombat

Black??? Brisbane????? Oh dear. :scared:

You better talk to Timber Floor Au to see in extra aircon can be bolted on

WW

CORKER

All the ladies love a VW beetle...pink...with Magic Roundabout figures

Centurion

Small cars are pretty much girlie cars to many here. However - when you consider the price of fuel has rocketed up. Today its $1.12 a ltr. A lot of people are going for the small car option. Fuel prices aren't going to go down so it makes sense in the long term. So now small cars seem to be the rage and the price of the big V8s are dropping as people realise they cost a small fortune to run!

You may want to add to the list the Honda Jazz. Worth a look as we've test driven that. Anything European expect to pay big bucks. VW on the front will cost you an arm and leg for example. Think Japanese, Korean or Holden/Ford and you will get better value for money.

Some of the Korean cars make sense now. Hyundai offer 5 year warranties and the local dealer will up that to 8 years!

Whatever you choose remember to haggle in the showroom

Happy car buying.

spalen

It'll become obvious when you get here.

The Suzuki Swift is quite popular advertised at 15,999$ but if you want to actually buy one you'll end up being quoted in excess of 20K$. You dont see many polo's they're probably considered expensive. Japanese cars are much more prevelant + holden + ford. European cars are definitely 3rd. Take a look on carsales.com.au at the second hand car listings and it shows you how many cars are for sale by each maker (number in brackets after the brand) youll see holden/toyota/ford in the 5-10,000 range. Citroen will be about 300 , VW sometihng like 500, thats a guide of the different volumes in the market.

The Toyota Corolla Ascent for example (one size up from Echo) is list priced at 25k ish, plus on the road charges. I phoned Toyota garage locally about 10 days ago 'want to buy one, next day or two, ready to purchase' - got told the price was 25K$ + On the road charges.....

They have phoned me 3 times asking when Im coming in to test drive, I keep putting htem off, and lo + behold... a phone call yesterday, " Oh did we tell you the price we got to - 21.5K$ on the road , thats all you pay" .... hehehe haggle like mad and if you dont get what you want walk out . Also good trick is get a deal from one dealer of same brand then ring another and say ' right ive struck this deal here - I'll give you the business if you take another 1000$ off." and see what happens.... It sounds like a pain i nthe arse but they all expect it.

Vash the Stampede

Suzuki Swift (hatch, as opposed to sedan) is definitely not a girly car; many of them are remarkably powerful for their size (particularly the twin-cam GT models) and tend to be tricked up by the local hoons.

Go for Toyota Starlet, Mitsubishi Mirage, Toyota Echo (though personally I think they're grossly overpriced and a bit awkward inside), Hyundai Getz, etc.

joho

I have a suzuki swift and paid $18400 on the road, she is great just what I needed and feels suprisingly roomy inside. I can get a weeks shopping in the boot, wouldn't recomend it for someone who has a big pram to cart around.

I have put a picture of her in Bridies post about her new 4x4. She is lavender (more pink than purple) but its the plates that make it stand out. I am chuffed to pieces with her.

Vash the Stampede

Suzies are terrific, I love 'em.

Used to have a Swift sedan myself, and had a lot of fun with her.

joho

her she is