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Hi all.
Our daily is heading for the knackery.. Slowly but surely and now the mrs is talking bout getting a newish car. Our cars have never been newer than 1997 so I know bugger all about new cars.
Shes interested in finding out about the Cruze.. Are these any good? How long is a piece of string.. I realise, but yaknow.. Any thoughts? if not whats a decent value newish car out on the market?? Mazda 3s any good? She wants a mid size car. Not 2010, but something second hand from around 2005 or so... Any info appreciated.
My "ive got 3 cool cars" (but none are running) argument is beginning to wear thin with her.. ha.
Cheeeeers.
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Rank: Member
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Probably best to start with a budget and work from there. Heaps of good mid size cars. I was the same as you this time last year. Ended up grabbing a 2005 Subaru Forester 2.5L manual AWD.
I had a Cruze as a rental earlier this year and drove it from Adelaide airport to Hahndorf. It was a petrol auto with leather. I found the 6(?) speed auto to be a bit average. Always hunting through the gears up and down hills. Mountains of hard plastic inside the cabin. Good looking unit from the outside though.
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Cheers AL. Yep good point. Prob lookin to spend around 10k if we can get away with it. And the mrs would prefer auto cos shes a girl.. Scoobydoos are of interest too but maybe a bit exxy.
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A few people at work had Hyundias and mitsu lancers and had nothing good to say about them so i would stay away from older versions of these.
A couple have cruzes and one has a 3 yo Astra and have had nothing but praise for them.
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We also have a 2003 TS Astra 1.8L auto 3dr. Drives very well. Can pick them up for well under $10k.
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We recently bought a 1996 Subaru Liberty 2.2 auto and it's a beautiful car it just does not do power or fuel economy particularly well but in every other respect it's a very capable car. It would probably be a heap better if I could convince the boss to let me flick the 2.2 and fit a 2.5 but it's got low km so I can't see that happening for a while.
You can pick up Gen 3 Liberties and Outbacks for $10K is up to about a 2001 model if you look around. I could have got a 2000 model Outback H6 120,000km with all of the options for $8K but the owner had only had it since March, fitted it with a 1600Kg towbar, a new radiator and had a major service done including timing belt & it's body condition suggested that it had done some fairly serious scrub bashing and it was dripping oil from the front of the engine so I passed up on it because I just got a gut feeling that the car was for sale because it had proven to be an unreliable money pit.
Vandals and graffiti "artists" do everyone a favour and target parking meters and fixed speed cameras only. |
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You'd be lucky to find a Cruze in that pricerange. Mazda3 on the other hand have been around long enough to have proven themselves and to be readily available. Mate of mine just got an 06 SP23 (top sports version of that year) for under $15K with good low km's.
Very well built vehicle and great to drive.
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You could buy a Cruz in that price range but it will be one of those 4wd re badged Suzuki Ignis' not the current FWD Holden (daewoo) medium/small car.
You might find a Holden Epica for that money though
Vandals and graffiti "artists" do everyone a favour and target parking meters and fixed speed cameras only. |
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Yes, I forgot about the Epica, then so has everyone else. These are a well built medium-sized 6-cyl car that has gone under the radar.
The best thing about 'forgotten' cars is that they can be bargains.
The 2.5 litre is the pick, don't bother with the 2 litre.
These things are in FWD format (like all other small/medium cars) & the Porsche designed all-alloy 6-cyl engine is the same length as a Toyota Camry 4-cyl but they are much smoother.
Look past the Daewoo origin, they are a good car.
Dr Terry
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When calculating a car restoration budget, be as accurate as you can & then double the final figure. It will be closer to the truth. |
If at first you don't succeed, just call it Version 1.0 |
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