Ideas for a daily driver $5-8k

redzone · Post by **redzone** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:19 am

Well we tried to tell ya! For your requirements, i'd be looking at a ba falcon wagon. Handy as a tow vehicle for your project car..

starionc · Post by **starionc** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:36 am

Yeah ok, Still shouldn't be sold in Australia in my opinion!!
I was referring to the 3.5L V6 Sports. A friend of mine had one a few years ago. Went very well

Not sure on the fuel consumption though.

dirtygalant · Post by **dirtygalant** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:37 am

Yeah by todays standards they are appalling, however you can't expect much from something which was based on an economy vehicle from 20 years ago! The Satria is essentially the same vehicle with the same crash safety standards.

Fuel consumption would be quite high on the priority list which is why I want to stay with a mid sized vehicle around 2L, 5spd and diesel if possible. Am trying to hunt down a diesel 5spd Pug 406 or a Citroen Xantia as I know they can get 1000kms to a tank, and apart from the interior generally falling apart they are quite a reliable vehicle in the engine/driveline department.

I think I will just have to keep an eye out and hopefully pick something up cheap needing a small amount of work.

Sargeant_Khan · Post by **Sargeant_Khan** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:08 pm

I suppose when you're considering a european vehicle for cheap fuel consumption on a tight budget your not considering the cost of parts on a vehicle as old as what will be in your budget. My girlfriends pug gti180 is a nightmare. Everything comes from UK ebay or its ludicrous. Alternatively learn french.
Goodluck with your search.
:beer

dirtygalant · Post by **dirtygalant** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 5:17 pm

yeah I know Europeans aren't generally known to be as reliable as a Toyota etc, but all of us here own and drive Mitsubishis which I'm sure we didn't buy them specifically for their reliability! As I said I'm happy to trade off a little bit of reliability in favour of not having a mind numbing boring car to experience. I've had good runs from my previous European vehicles I've owned like the Peugeot 406, Volvo 850R, VW Golf VR6, Ford Mondeo etc.

I feel I've owned a fair few cars (over 50) in my short life time so far and it didn't take me long to realise there's some really decent cars which come from outside of Japan, and that you can have an exciting driver experience with reliability. I find the majority of the Japanese commuter-orientated cars (ie Corollas, Pulsars, Accords, Lancers etc) are just too boring and often not that well equipped.

Sargeant_Khan · Post by **Sargeant_Khan** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:21 pm

exciting driver experience with reliability......diesel....

dirtygalant · Post by **dirtygalant** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:31 pm

Yep. You must be used to the older gutless Japanese diesels. Go take a current shape Ford Mondeo turbodiesel for a spin - it is quicker than the petrol and is so smooth that you hardly even can tell it's a diesel. The Pug 406 1.9 XUD diesel is a bit of an old agricultural engine, but they are plenty powerful enough for the capacity and return outstanding fuel economy - and of course the chassis the 406 has allows you to chuck it through the bends without wallowing around and feeling uneasy like just about every Camry I've driven, yet gives a softer and smoother ride than most other cars.

Sargeant_Khan · Post by **Sargeant_Khan** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 12:01 am

That 100hp pug diesel must have been fun in corners at the bottom of a hill lol, just kidding man but seriously the pug is a great car but when $500 alternators need replacing and then $280 for a new key because it has to be coded to the car and then clutch, brakes, injectors, coils, timing belts, water pumps. It all adds up and really its just general maintenance you'd carry out on any car only ex france is a shitload more ($7.80 for a BOLT!) not to mention how much of a piece of shit the car is to work on.

I cant imagine many pugs being better in corners than the gti180, this thing is amazing as they had designed it to be so, but in reality I can't drive it like that on the road, no way is it practical to do that kind of thing on the street(killing pedestrians is frowned upon over here). After owning the pug for two years now we wish hail would destroy it so we could buy an 89 corolla, it just seems practical and cheap. A solution to your problem might be a slow cheap diesel turbo and a $1500 go kart or commodore and a cams license.
:beer
P.S my way is the only right way :D
PPS never driven a diesel but I have never seen one at the track, actually I think the water truck is diesel :D :beer

dirtygalant · Post by **dirtygalant** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 1:04 pm

try watching something other than V8 supercars :P In the world touring car series Seat have a diesel which is doing just as well as most of the petrol cars.

There are plenty of Japanese cars which require a $500+ key. Most late model Toyotas fall into this category in fact. I only had one or two small things go wrong with my 406 when I had it and they weren't very costly to fix. It more than made up with it with its comfortable seating and ride, nice interior and exterior styling, great fuel economy and nice handling through the corners despite being able to soak up just about every bump in the road.

Sargeant_Khan · Post by **Sargeant_Khan** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 1:43 pm

Just got back from superlap, no diesels... Great event by the way, if you're around next year you should come down with us. Diesel technology has come along way thats for sure.

starionc · Post by **starionc** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:33 am

What about one of these? The Diesel ones go well too. :D

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/120774633401 ... 1423.l2649

Fits the budget! :D

dirtygalant · Post by **dirtygalant** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:30 am

certainly is one to consider, but it has the older Zetec belt-driven engine (same engine fitted to the Mk1 and Mk2 Mondeos) rather than the newer chain-driven Duratec engine. Not a fan of the interior, looks too AU Falcon like - but the exterior looks sharp enough.

enthuzed · Post by **enthuzed** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:39 pm

I think that's the same as bigmoz' daily driver. PM him and ask him about it

Mick · Post by **Mick** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 9:32 am

you're not fussy are you?
if you test drove as keenly as you type you'de be sorted!

dirtygalant · Post by **dirtygalant** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 10:19 am

I guess you can say I am fussy, I'm not going to chuck upwards of $8k on a car which isn't going to be great value for money. Who is going to do that?

As I've said right from the beginning, I don't know the market in Australia, nor do I know exactly what cars are available and what aren't. This is why I am asking for ideas on what cars I should be looking at and what I should be paying for them, basing my needs on what I have owned previously.

So far I've learned that I need to either increase my budget or decrease my expectations, which I am coming to terms with. But I feel people should read and understand where I'm coming from and what my requirements are before suggesting Commodores, Falcons, Starions, small 3dr hatches or Galant VR-4s.

Thanks.

Austarion

Ideas for a daily driver $5-8k

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