Car advice

[Jeremy]

I've reached that point where although my bike is awesome for getting me to uni [a nice 40KM each weekday] and back. There are some things that are difficult for it. Such as carrying 4 people and their junk [often computers].

So I've decided to get a car and leave getting an sv650 for a few more years.

So here's my current situation. 1L / 6R [Soon to be 1R/6F as soon as I can be stuffed paying money]. I rang up the insurance company. And decided to ask what I could get insurance on. Here's where I found out why having motorcycle insurance with AMI was useful. One of my friends wanted to get a Levin and even though he's got his full and no claims they wouldn't give him insurance unless it was in his Dad's name. I call up. First I get a no. Than I say I've allready got motorcycle insurance with you and a 40% no claims. Suddenly it becomes a magical yes for any Celica as long as it doesn't have a turbo :P

Basically I can get insurance for anything below 2.4L or so, [no turbos, no mods, no anything]. What I'm after is something with 4 doors, that doesn't suck to drive, that is low maintainence [the petrol doesn't worry me as my gn250 is still my main transport], that I can get along with insurance for under $5000, pref around $3500 all up.

Any ideas? I was thinking of getting a nissan bluebird.

[sAsLEX]

A double cab Hilux or someting, can use to cart bikes people computers everything!

[onearmedbandit]

Any ideas? I was thinking of getting a nissan bluebird

Either that or a Primera. Both run the solid SR18DE or 20DE cam chain driven engines. Just check the service records (if any) or check for tell-tale sludge under the oil filler cap. Brilliant engines, but the oil galleries block up easy if not serviced regularly causing serious damage.

[Lazy7]

if it were me i would buy a toyota or nissan.

nice 2ltr twin cam. bullet proof engines by both makers. reasonable poke for a 2ltr na, still get okay mileage and toyotas especially hold their value well so buying now for say 3-4k and you will likely get that back or pretty close to it in a year/18months. and they dont break down. guy i work with bought is dads toyota corrolla that use to be a taxi, its got 560k's on the clock and still hums along. make sure you get a manual - not an auto.

if you get a honda vtec - or even a non-turbo subaru your still going to get hammered by insurance.

get something with a tow bar as well. good for trailering the bike to track days.

go private sale. get your car checked out by Car Inspection Services. NOT the AA.

[Jeremy]

get something with a tow bar as well. good for trailering the bike to track days.

For the GN250 track day?

go private sale. get your car checked out by Car Inspection Services. NOT the AA.

I'll got for CIS but what's up with the AA?

[What?]

AA vehicle checks are like VTNZ testing stations - some are good, some are shite. You can't tar them all with the same brush.

Buy a Toyota. Or maybe a Nissan.

[James Deuce]

Why don't you keep planning on that SV650 and some other good for nothing SOB can buy a car and lug YOUR shit around?

You'll just end up a taxi service and I guarantee you'll end up selling the GN because, "You're not using it much any more". Because you're too busy taxying your 4 "mates" and their shit around.

[Paul in NZ]

Buy an older cheaper Toyota Starlet or Corolla. 1300cc or 1600cc.

Grey porridge cars BUT really reliable and fantastic resale value. Exotic / performance cars are great if you buy them new but if you are the 10th owner you can bet your boots the previous 9 just bought it 'cos it was the business and never had the $$ to look after it and the whole plot is just waiting to collapse expensively into the sump! Our whizzy DOHC Mazda was bought for $14,000, did 100,000km and was worth about $4,000 when it blew a head gasket and was then worth $400. Ouch!

My 89 Starlet has 264,000km on the clock, uses $55 tyres (new), has had a CV joint, a $300 radiator and a clutch master / slave cylinder kit (did it meself in an evening) total - $150 plus a battery about 5 years ago... Gets a cam belt every now and then. It does 100km every week day which adds up to 24,000km per year, often with 3 adults aboard. I paid $2,000 and it's probably still worth $1,000... It will need another CV soon ($79 with boot) and I have to hold it in 5th with an old bungy cord I found on the road ($0).

People laughed when I bought it... They had all bought nice DOHC jap import whizy cars for in the $12,000 to $15,000 range... Just like we did once. Most of those cars are now worth about $1,000

Up to you of course, but if you want cheap to run transport.... 1300cc Toyota. You will then have $$ left for important things like booze, music and bikes.

Paul N

Economy? Christ, it's so mean on gas that Transit asked me to do a return journey in the other lane on monday night after that oil spill... It sucked to road clean as I drove past...

[Motu]

Toyota's are good,but they have cambelts,and often the water pump is driven by the cambelt - it has to be done sometime and to do it properly will cost about $600 (you can do a cheap job,but that's your problem) What a stupid maintenance clause to sign up for.The smaller Nissan's from the '90's on use a chain,just keep up with the oil changes and they'll go forever....but don't get a Primera,they are crap.

[TerminalAddict]

I'd have to agree with paul_in_nz
I've got a 92 starlet .. beaten up old piece of shite.
done 297000kms
been crashed into a few trees (they are not made for rally driving )
My local tyre shop sells rubber for $50
I can whip the back seat out, and carry an engine around (altho' the suspension likes to complain when I do that)

starts every morning
insurance is nothing ($200/yr)

[Paul in NZ]

Toyota's are good,but they have cambelts,and often the water pump is driven by the cambelt - it has to be done sometime and to do it properly will cost about $600 (you can do a cheap job,but that's your problem) What a stupid maintenance clause to sign up for.The smaller Nissan's from the '90's on use a chain,just keep up with the oil changes and they'll go forever....but don't get a Primera,they are crap.

Eh? Do what properly? Must take a squiz to see if the water pump is driven by the cambelt, never thought of that....

All I know is, this beasty is the best car I have ever owned period! It goes and goes, is idiot simple to look after (I do my own oil / filters / tappets etc) and if I can't kill it, it can't be killed. You do need to adopt a more humble attitude driving it but thats cool... I can live with that.

Current plan is to keep on using it until either rust (it never sleeps) or a repair bill over $500 finally makes it not worth going on with OR it excedes 300,000 km... If it died today I would consider myself well served by the wee red rocket!

However, Nissans eh? Mrs N needs a newer car, the mighty Mitsi Magna Battlewagon of supermarket doom is finally huffing oily smoke (they all do that sir) and looking like needing replacing due to being run into one too many times. Besides, it consumes fuel faster than we are strictly happy with... A Pulsar wagon a goodie then Mr Motu? I needs a little wagon for her work shite and a hairy mutt (no not the kids)

Paul N

[emaN]

, pref around $3500 all up.

making the most of Helen's "no-interest-on-student-loans-so-vote-for-me" are we?

(and no, i'm not implying you voted for the Hag)

[TerminalAddict]

All I know is, this beasty is the best car I have ever owned period! It goes and goes, is idiot simple to look after (I do my own oil / filters / tappets etc) and if I can't kill it, it can't be killed. You do need to adopt a more humble attitude driving it but thats cool... I can live with that.

I keep driving mine until the oil light flashes at me (after about 2 month) then poor 4 litres in the top .. oil change complete (lather, rinse, repeat)

[Motu]

The fwd Starlet uses the 2E,or 1E motor,a very good motor - but one of the few Toyota's that will bend valves and break rockers if the belt breaks.Otherwise indestructable - and no cambelt driven pump....but the oil pump is.Pulsar is a goodie - but throttle body injection has coolant temp sensor and air flow sensor problems,not a big issue....but try for the multipoint GA16 DE.

I'm with you on the cheap wreck and look after it yourself approach - but these young guys today need someone to blame if something goes wrong,so buying off a dealer and getting someone else to service it is what they do.Then they can blame someone else for their heap of crap costing so much to repair.

[Jeremy]

making the most of Helen's "no-interest-on-student-loans-so-vote-for-me" are we?

(and no, i'm not implying you voted for the Hag)

No taking advantage of ANZ's home loan rate personal loans for students, and that they keep upping my credit limits. Somehow I ended up with a $2000 credit card. Then again when I was 17 they sent me a letter saying I was preapproved for a gold mastercard so I suppose it's a backward step.