First Car For P Plater

[Jonno34]

thanks heaps

i was actually looking at the first one, my search didnt include the second link since i put the price limit to 1000, but it does look like its in pretty good condition thanks

nah not just on corollas, they do seem to be good for reliability etc though, but ill have a look at the pulsar thanks

[Stinky Rooster]

the pulsars of that era are pretty prone to rust, so if you do look at any, just make sure that the body doesnt have more bog and newspaper than metal. The engines are pretty good though.

Personally I would go for a corolla, or if you can find one, an early rwd corona. Those things are damn near indestructable, and if you find a jap built one with the old 18R engine in it, then it will run forever. (they also built them here with the "starfire" engine from the 4cyl commodores...*shudders* )

Also, if you can handle the shame, a datto 120Y or any of the late datsuns/early nissans with the A series engines in them are pretty reliable and stupidly cheap to fix if they do break.

[syfon]

My first car was a 1993 Toyota Paseo - a/c, power steer, elec windows, all the fruit....1.5L 4cyl, i took it just over 200,000kms.

I thrashed the absolute ring off that car day in/day out, burnouts, went through 2 clutches, some tyres, yet nothing ever went wrong mechanically (other than the clutches). I still see the car every wednesday night at indoor soccer, done 260,000km now and still exactly the same when i sold it 3 years ago!!!

[Ten Four]

OP, I just bought a 1999 hyundai sonata with 257kms for $1050, rego till march. Only thing I can find wrong with it: drivers elec window gets jammed halfway. Ice cold a/c, p/s works, other windows work. V6 2.5L and it just came from Geraldton

Edited October 6, 2010 by Ten Four

[Char]

safest bet is a corolla snap up anything with decent k's my first old 86 corolla raked up 400,000ks n sold her off for $900! haha

or a gemini, VS commodore, VL, R31, its all good. -tho a coppa mate said they always pull over old commodore's as they tend to me driven by ppl without a licence..

[Jonno34]

rooster the datsuns wouldnt be a problem, I actually quite like the look of the Pre 1983 120y's and I dont really care what people think i just need it to be reliable and cheap

I'll have a look at them and I'll try to find a non rusty pulsar too

thanks again everyone and congrats on the sonata ten four

[Ten Four]

Try these guys man: http://aberdeenautoauctions.com.au/

Lots of cheap stuff. I went down to bid on a 1994 rolla seca actually and or a holden nova hatch. But opened bonnet of both and saw lots of oil down the bottom (phone has a bright as LED light) - didn't bother bidding.

Saw that, opened bonnet, no oil and underneath, idled quiet as and was all red sand underneath from being in the country.

Oh yeah, somehow I ended up bidding on a 180sx with a ca18det manual... was mint too. That went for $4500 (I stopped bidding at $4400)

(Looks like they just changed their website like this arvo lol - bear with it..)

Edited October 7, 2010 by Ten Four

[willL]

31.

[Jonno34]

sweet thanks ten four, ive always wanted to go to a car auction actually hahaha

[erik]

GET AN R31!

you should be able to pick up a series 3 executive in good condition for less than a $1000,

my first r31 was $600 and even the air-con worked awesomely.

and parts are easy and cheap to get

[Jonno34]

Erik I'm a bit worried about the fuel consumption on an R31, part of the reason why I'm looking for something like a corolla is to have a car which is a bit cheaper to run as i do need to drive quite long distances, My R34 that i get to drive sometimes now drains fuel like mad

[JonnoHR31]

a manual 31 in good condition can do 10-11L/100km of normal suburban driving. not the greatest but not that bad for a big car

corrollas are probably better overall tho

[FluffyDiceAndaV8]

R30 skylines are pretty good.

And from experience, KE55 corolla will rock your socks off for reliability and running costs. I couldn't kill my ex's KE55

[erik]

Erik I'm a bit worried about the fuel consumption on an R31, part of the reason why I'm looking for something like a corolla is to have a car which is a bit cheaper to run as i do need to drive quite long distances, My R34 that i get to drive sometimes now drains fuel like mad

i don't think my 31 is that bad, its better than the camry i'm driving atm anyway.

i have noticed that the fuel economy was better once i put a new exhaust on it though and my injectors cleaned.

and i drive like a dick most of the time too.

[erik]

or what about an r31 pintara?

then eventually drop a sr20 in it.

[NISMØ]

Get an R31, they are cheap and reliable.

[Crackfox]

I reckon they are great first cars. I bought a 1986 4age ae82 corolla with 287,000 on the clock for my first car, cost me $900. I did 20-30,000kms of typical p plater driving, redlining, offroading including doing a couple of jumps in it and nearly everyone one of my friends did a burnout in it atleast once. I changed the oil occasionally and not one thing ever broke on it. I ended up selling it for only $100 less than I bought it and I coulda got more for it if I tried I reckon, sold within 12 hours of putting it up for sale

[mickey]

hit up the car forums, someone will be selling one for under $1k...maybe think about other small cars like excels...you could get a newer one than the corolla and they are 'fairly' reliable and easy to source parts.

quokka would have lots of cars available, otherwise auctions are where you pick up the bargains on the weekdays...or even the cars that police put up for auction from hoons that don't pick the car up. You KNOW those cars have to be worth $1k or so because it costs almost $1k to pay the impound fee to get them out so cheapskates just leave it to be sold off.

[Jonno34]

good ideas guys,

i need to get my ass working to make the money for the car

thanks everybody

[SeanyBoy]

KE70?