TimZA

Hi Does anyone have any advice on what would be a good small car for Cairns. I will be moving there next month and have to get a car, I don't need a large car, cos it is just for me. Would like one that is nippy enough to go up Gillies tho.

Burbage

Toyota MR2.

framac67

If Cairns roads are anything like their near neighbour Mackays' you better get a hummer or a tank.

TimZA

I was really thinking of a sensible rather than flashy car. Mazda 2, Honda Jazz - that sort of car. Toyota may be a bit too flashy for me....

rosscov1970

We have a Honda Jazz. Bought from new, clocked up 37000 kms in just under 2 years. It's very economical and we even took it to the Flinders Ranges on the dirt roads! We love it.

wardy2

friends of ours drive a holden astra they rate it highly and they say its really economical. They drive from Innisfail to Cairns (about an hour) several times a week without any problems.

we've found the roads to be pretty good up here so I wouldn't worry about that.

rosscov1970

Quick digression, sorry OP.

How's the licensing situation?

wardy2

one word hopeless, we are sending off all our papers to the plumbers board to see what will happen we seem to have found someone who knows their job fortunately, its one last shot and we will see what happens.

Thanks for asking

rosscov1970

Good luck. If you keep banging on, someone has to listen. Don't give up hope.

Burbage

I was thinking more about the Gillies I guess. Best car for that job is a mid-engined sports car. So if you do go for something "flashy" the MR2 is the cheapest option, followed by the Porsche Boxster.

If you want a small car for moving people and stuff around in rather than for driving up the Gillies, then any or other of the small cars will suit you. Toyota are the most reliable, Holden and Fords will be the cheapest to maintain. A small four wheel drive might be another option: RAV4?

TimZA

Is there an easy way of finding out how much it costs to maintain a car before I have a look at it. I have tried using the little Red Book, which is very helpful, but does not cover the most important thing of service.

Burbage

Oil and filter change will cost you about $200 for a small car, which need more regular servicing since the engines run faster than the big engines which are so popular here. Other stuff depends on how you drive. If you always tailgate people you'll spend three times as much on brake pads, for example. Tyres will cost about $500 for a set.

TimZA

At those prices, I now realise that I am in the wrong profession.
Thanks for the info.

wanderingwombat

1. Buy any old car
2. Go to auto shop and buy $6 red Performance Pack.
3. Take the two Performance Pack enhancers out of the packaging and place one on the front and one on the back.
4. Step back and admire how the red "P" stands out on the white square background.
5. Take a test drive and feel the extra 80kph performance increase
6. Now go tackle the Gillies and notice just how unrealistically conservative those 80 k speed zones are with the Performance Pack fitted.

WW

Displaying the Performance Pack P's may result in a fine if stopped by police

wardy2

we've just had our Toyota Rav 4 serviced, it cost $172 here in Cairns. We had to take it to a Toyota service centre to keep the warranty up, it could have been cheaper at a normal unspecified service centre i'm not sure.

hope that helps