Looking to buy a small / mid sized car for the Mrs's.

[HSVREDSLED]

Bought the missus a new lancer.

Bluetooth yatta yatta yatta, capped price servicing,,,going to cost me $200 a year on services. Drives great (5 speed)

Focus is better car...but servicing very exxy.

Very happy with purchase.

[boxhead]

Ronda looked at Lancer, did not like the look (I do) so it is out.
I just sowed her the Impreza on Subaru website, and I tend to agree with her that it just looks "normal" and "plain" so that is out.
I think she is sold on the Elantra and after talking to accountant it sounds like a decent idea to buy a new car and claim against cleaning business.
Although now that I have had a quick look for 350Z, they are cheaper than I thought (second hand)
They start at $18k on carpoint.
Ronda likes this one.
http://www.carpoint.com.au/all-cars/...seot=1&__N=834 1216 1247 1252 1282 4294963454 4294963846&silo=1011

[xb-60]

I learnt from experience...let her choose. Women can have different priorities. Probably can't go badly wrong, can't get badly burnt, in the range you and she are looking in, so if you don't nudge her into anything that she's not 100% behind, you'll both be happy....
Cheers!
Glen

[Modena]

she sounds fussy :P

seriously, IMHO considering what you have put forward as options, the most important question to ask is how long do you plan to keep this car? If the answer is 5 years or under, a Korean car is an option (milk the warranty), if it's 5-10 years or longer, at that price point I'd go Jap or a Golf, simple as that.

[sambo]

Edit: No offense Dave and good luck with the purchase. But it's a bit frustrating that in the hottest thread of the day we are ruling out all the award winning cars because they don't have a 5 year warranty (extended warranty can be purchased by the way), supposed bad looks compared to Korean styling, that it must be a sedan but somehow the 350z still qualifies, local dealership is a must, etc. With those dusty roads around Alice I would've thought the Subaru's AWD would make it a clear winner for safety reasons, or the build quality of a Euro hatch would equate to higher resale values after racking up miles on corrugated roads.

This is a lot of car for the money and there are lower km examples around if you can find a few more dollars. German built too.

2008 FORD MONDEO XR5 TURBO MA Private Cars For Sale in QLD - carsales.com.au

End of rant!

[Modena]

what do you mean sambo?

[jcraigau]

We started looking at a Mazda 2 and ended up in an MX5 hardtop roadster. Too much fun to pass up, best gearbox I've ever used, and steering like a go-kart, bit like a baby cobra. Flame suit on...

[boxhead]

Sambo,
I figured there are plenty of different people on this forum who have purchased many different cars.
Sorry the Mrs's does not want a Cobra.

[SPF1061]

Is a Mini Cooper in your price range. I don't know how pricing is in Australia, but the Mini is almost as much fine to drive as a Cobra. Ya'll could go racing on weekends and she would spank your ass big time on the twisties.

[letsboogie351]

Hey Dave
I have always found these to be fairly reliable and can be serviced just about anywhere in the country

Doug
The Mixtures - Pushbike Song (1970) - YouTube

[sambo]

Originally Posted by boxhead

I figured there are plenty of different people on this forum who have purchased many different cars.

Hi Dave, sorry no offense intended, I'll update my comment to explain my thoughts a little better.

[boxhead]

The warranty has never been a priority in mine or Ronda's eyes, it has been made mention here though.
And in referance to "Sedan shape - no hatch back" I mean hatch back is fine, as long as it has a boot shape to the back of it.
And with the 350Z, this has nearly always been the number 1 choice in Ronda's eyes, but I had ruled it out (without checking) As I assumed it would be a $35k car (too expensive).
The red centre does have many dirt roads, but the only dirt this car will see is our driveway, its main use will be for Ronda driving to work at the airport.
Hope that clears it up a little?

Originally Posted by sambo

Edit: No offense Dave and good luck with the purchase. But it's a bit frustrating that in the hottest thread of the day we are ruling out all the award winning cars because they don't have a 5 year warranty (extended warranty can be purchased by the way), supposed bad looks compared to Korean styling, that it must be a sedan but somehow the 350z still qualifies, local dealership is a must, etc. With those dusty roads around Alice I would've thought the Subaru's AWD would make it a clear winner for safety reasons, or the build quality of a Euro hatch would equate to higher resale values after racking up miles on corrugated roads.

This is a lot of car for the money and there are lower km examples around if you can find a few more dollars. German built too.

2008 FORD MONDEO XR5 TURBO MA Private Cars For Sale in QLD - carsales.com.au

End of rant!

[sambo]

My mate has the 350Z and the Brembo brakes (if you get that option) are horrendously expensive to service. They have a big blind spot, they're not very refined (lots of gearbox and road noise) and the interior plastics are pretty ordinary. There's a large strut brace across the boot as well. Still, it's a fun, involving car to drive.

Call me stubborn...

2008 Ford Mondeo XR5 Turbo Road Test Review Page 1 of 4 | Reviews | Prices | Australian specifications

[Dimis]

Boxhead,

There are plenty of pundits who will happily spend your money, me included, but in the end Glen speaketh the truth...

Originally Posted by xb-60

I learnt from experience...let her choose. Women can have different priorities. Probably can't go badly wrong, can't get badly burnt, in the range you and she are looking in, so if you don't nudge her into anything that she's not 100% behind, you'll both be happy....
Cheers!
Glen

In my experience girls like cars that have a "smile" on their front grill.

To me the sedan Subie Imprezza looks much the same as the Elantra, but if you check it out closely the front grill of the Elantra turns up in the outer edges, forming a "smile".

Don't be put off by the Hyundai branding, while their reputation is not Audi level, & while it wont pass Adronikos's Euro styling test. I can vouch of several mechanics & tradies who swear by them.
I know of one builder who bought his daughters Hyundai (so she could upgrade) & has been using it for work to lug concrete, bricks, mortar, other materials etc... trying to kill it so he can upgrade himself. He has even stop servicing it & stop changing the oil in it for probably 2 years now. He swears his never had a problem with it and that, I quote "the b!tch wont die, farrken!"

All the best,

[Dimis]

Sambo - Your stubborn!

There, I did it!

But you are correct - good value to be had there.
By the way sometimes purchasing a car is not all about value, take for example a Cobra!

PS: No smile in the grill of a Mondeo - so no appeal to women.
Nothing specifically qualifies me to conclude this, other than experience and some friends in Automotive Design

[LoBelly]

I'm somewhat surprised that you haven't dragged home a Centura yet...





LB

[Merv and Sharon]

Or a pink Troopie ....

[boxhead]

I tried this one on last night.
Hudson 1954 Collector Car Resto-rod Kustom Hot Rod | eBay
I thought it ticked some of the right boxes
It is black
It is mid $20k
But Ronda still said no.

Elantra it is.

[twobjshelbys]

Lotus Elise.

[leroy17]

O.K guys, I may be missing the brief a little as these are not new however they are great cars in their own right, low k's, only a few years near new, way more quality for your money over a new car and from brands what I have had in the past/and still have/and would plan to have again in the future.

I understand that the female variety can get caught up in a 'smile' for a car, after all, my wife picked a turbo forester because she liked the cup holders... and a little nudgin from me as I am a Subaru fan...... however once you start presenting some other options... you never know.

Anyway, these are just some thoughts, there are a few at the mid $25K range... these were picked for an example.

Cheers.

2007 SUBARU LIBERTY 3.0R AWD SPEC.B 4GEN MY07 Private Cars For Sale in NSW - carsales.com.au

2008 HONDA ACCORD EURO LUXURY 7th Gen MY2007 Private Cars For Sale in VIC - carsales.com.au