nightair

Hi,

I a doctor who wants to travel up and down the country. What's the best car to get?

Budget is less than $5000. Will sell in a year

I've decided

- Japanese (as European more expensive to run/repair)
- < 150 K (as other people as bought cars with higher mileage and not so reliable).

Is it better to get a 4 by 4 or hatchback? Diesel though you have to pay road charges but there are a limited number of reliable ones out there?

Is it better on trademe or auction house?

Help appreciated.

Thanks

billingham

Make sure it has a cam chain - belts are really expensive to replace. I know Nissan have cam chains.

DC10

I know that is true, because my father took his Nissan over here to the garage and asked them to change the cambelt Or whatever the thing is that Nissans don't have.

Cambelts aside, Toyotas are generally the best-regarded cars in NZ (though you pay extra for this)

Justcol

I cant believe this has been asked....its a car...just buy a car....it'll get you where you want to go and back again.
honda, nissan, ford, holden, mazda, what ever they are all the same.

bananalana

Under $5k, I would get a Toyota.

I had a 1990 Toyota Corona for 3 years and I never spent a cent on it except for new tyres and a battery. It spent 4 or 5 months parked on the front lawn because I thought it had died, then we tried a new battery and after sitting there for months, it started right away. Was in mint condition too.

That was much less than $5k though...only $1600 in fact and when I sold it after 3 years I sold it for $1200. pretty good I reckon, and it had just passed a new WOF with flying colours.

Anyways, I would recommend a Toyota, they just go forever.

nightair

Thanks for your responses


I was also thinking of getting a toyota.
Does anyone have any experience of whether its better to get a RAV4 or Corolla or any other Toyota car?

Factors - price <5000NSD
- fuel (massive factor as petrol so expensive here)
- safety
- cross travel around country >?maybe going around with mates but mostly 1-2 people travelling

Any help would be great.

Thanks

R

ragdolls2

corolla

sirplug

Look here.

Good luck, everybody else in New Zealand wants a $5k car that never breaks down and is great on fuel!

cappuccino

I got a Toyota Windom from the car auction place. Never heard of a Windom before but later found out it is the same as a Lexus - luxury at Toyota price

bananalana

We had a windom and they are very nice cars. Ours was quite old but man it was comfortable and so nice to drive.

Out of the cars listed above, I would personally go for the corolla - reliability and economy.

sirplug: everyone can have one if they know what to look for. Cheap reliable cars are plentiful in NZ

sirplug

It's the knowing what to look for that causes the issues..... if you have to ask the question on here, then getting the right one won't prove easy....

bananalana

That's a good point actually

NakiMan

Just one word of warning, not all Toyotas are as bulletproof reliable as you might think.

The 1.8l VVTi engine fitted in Corollas and other models from 2000-2002 tend to wear their valve guides and start to burn oil after 70 to 80000 km

I belive that by the 2003 model it had been sorted out.

Justcol

something to bear in mind.
When i left the UK i sold my car (Carrolla) for market value,about 500 quid.
when i got to nz the same car, colour,engine milage etc was selling for $9995
Be prepared to get ripped off

simonsi

Ummm, the depreciation curve is flatter in NZ than the UK. So the change in value over any given age and mileage is less in NZ than in the UK as you have quoted.

So per mile(km) it costs LESS.

Simples.