Reliable Daily?

[Ezy03]

hey guys iv got a budget of 3500 (i know its not much but i cant push it any further) im looking for a reliable daily - must be bellow 120k kms and manual. nothing too old (1999+), i know its strict and hard to find but would like some suggestions - I have done some carsales-ing and trading post etc, just unsure on what to get that would be reliable - saying that i have seen an ad for a 2001 hyundai accent with 101k kms for $3490 (coupe) - its dealer though and might come with warranty...unsure how reliable they are though.

would like to hear what you guys n girls think/suggest.

just to add - iv been looking to a 2002 getz with 137k kms (4k final price but might try to push it down to 3500)

Edited June 7, 2011 by Ezy03

[10 4]

Take the getz.

For that money and age, you're only going to get korean.

[Charles89]

Depending on where you are, I'm selling a 1998 Toyota Startlet that's done a bit under 120,000km, auto, never missed a beat.

It uses about 7L per 100km

[mad082]

for that sort of money, with those sort of kms, you are scrapping the bottom of the barrel. won't be much to choose from.

[ashneel]

im also in the same boat of looking for a daily...but my budget is $5000 lol

cant seem to find something id like to daily myself in

[mad082]

im also in the same boat of looking for a daily...but my budget is $5000 lol

cant seem to find something id like to daily myself in

SSS pulsar are a good car. the missus has one (was mine before she bought it off me when we were first going out). i would definately get another one.

[10 4]

What about old VT commodores and Magnas with catbacks?

Mazda 121 bubble ftw.

[nismokid]

SSS pulsar are a good car. the missus has one (was mine before she bought it off me when we were first going out). i would definately get another one.

+1 for sss or even a micra.

cheap and reliable.

Edited June 7, 2011 by nismokid

[Miguelone]

Diahatsu Mira.

[Jonno34]

What about old VT commodores and Magnas with catbacks?

Mazda 121 bubble ftw.

you would say a bubble james! hahaha

Yeah VT Commo's are cool imo .. look good too!

[Jonno34]

How come nobodys said Corolla yet, I'm a huge fan of corollas i've driven about 5 now, all different models and loved the feel of all of em ..

You hear alot of good things about how reliable they are too

[mad082]

yeah they are good. my mother and sister both have them. i prefer the SSS pulsar though. has a bit more power and a better ride (feel sportier, less body roll).

[Jonno34]

Yeah SSS pulsar is definitely a more sporty option

this is probably irrelevant to you but if you're a real cheapo like I am .. there are more pulsars with aircon than there are corollas (in the sub 2000 price range)

but 1999 + im sure they all have aircon ..

imo from 1999 onwards pulsars are significantly better looking than corollas too

also .. would you consider hail damaged cars? I've seen alot of cars with hail damage go for about 60% of what it would be

you could probably get a better car mechanically/age wise etc with some hail damage

not too sure if my thoughts are right on the hail damaged issue but if i was just looking for a daily i wouldnt mind some hail

[mad082]

Yeah SSS pulsar is definitely a more sporty option

this is probably irrelevant to you but if you're a real cheapo like I am .. there are more pulsars with aircon than there are corollas (in the sub 2000 price range)

but 1999 + im sure they all have aircon ..

imo from 1999 onwards pulsars are significantly better looking than corollas too

also .. would you consider hail damaged cars? I've seen alot of cars with hail damage go for about 60% of what it would be

you could probably get a better car mechanically/age wise etc with some hail damage

not too sure if my thoughts are right on the hail damaged issue but if i was just looking for a daily i wouldnt mind some hail

all the n16 pulsars (so from mid 2000 onwards) go back to a 1.8l motor (no sr20) and lose the sporty suspension so will feel more like a corolla in the handling department.

and for a daily, i too would look at hail damaged cars. my commodore daily is far from perfect. it has a few noticable dents, but i don't care. it was one of the cheapest commodores on the market at the time and it was pretty much the cheapest with a safety cert. it also hasn't really missed a beat. if someone offered me a decent amount for my commodore i would sell it and buy another SSS. i only went with the commodore because for the driving i do (1hr 40 mins of pretty much all highway driving a day to and from work) i prefer the comfy seats and cruise control and automatic of the commodore. if it was round town driving i'd definately go back to the pulsar.... well actually i'd just get a scooter since gympie is pretty small. but then i'd probably just ride my treadly.

[Jonno34]

thats a shame about the n16s losing the sportiness .. I love the look of em for some reason .. I like most pulsars though, not a fan of N14 though but I like every other pulsar out there

[Touge Kyousou]

Pulsar eeewww... my mum had an n15. So disgusting. I'm sure the sss might be different but anways.

I've driven a few corolla's and i reckon they handle great. My current daily is an ae112r corolla sedan manual, it handles really really well considering it's a fwd grocery getter. I just recently put ku31's on and it is quite fun though a bit vague when pushing it more than lightly..

For $3.5k, i would definitely look for an older corolla, think ae92 etc BUT with a silver/black top 4age conversion or if you get lucky, a 4agze conversion. Yes, if you shop around you can find them for this price as corolla's are generally shadowed by hondas so they go for really cheap. Semi old school cool and zippy speed perfect for battling suburban traffic and roads and who doesn't love a motor than can rev heh.

Try looking on the toyota forums like twincam.org

Only reason my daily isn't something like the above is i needed something newer as i've just started a family.

[mad082]

Pulsar eeewww... my mum had an n15. So disgusting. I'm sure the sss might be different but anways.

I've driven a few corolla's and i reckon they handle great. My current daily is an ae112r corolla sedan manual, it handles really really well considering it's a fwd grocery getter. I just recently put ku31's on and it is quite fun though a bit vague when pushing it more than lightly..

For $3.5k, i would definitely look for an older corolla, think ae92 etc BUT with a silver/black top 4age conversion or if you get lucky, a 4agze conversion. Yes, if you shop around you can find them for this price as corolla's are generally shadowed by hondas so they go for really cheap. Semi old school cool and zippy speed perfect for battling suburban traffic and roads and who doesn't love a motor than can rev heh.

Try looking on the toyota forums like twincam.org

Only reason my daily isn't something like the above is i needed something newer as i've just started a family.

completely different kettle of fish. better seats, better interior, white dials, same leather steering wheel as the S2 r33, and not to mention a metric shit tonne more power. mine is putting out about 115hp at the wheels (has extractors and exhaust. tows my 3.6m tinny easily. will also give natro skylines a run for their money.

[Touge Kyousou]

n15 SSS are pretty exxy though aren't they? I'm aware it's a crap load more power lol (but the sr20 normal version is still bested by a fair few other natro 2L.. my first car was 2L natro with 116kw atw).

n14 SSS would be more at $3.5k but they are getting a bit old/completely thrashed and the interior is pretty ugly..

$3.5k would get an alright magna... (in all honestly, i'm not poking fun lol), it won't be under 120k though..OP should probably try and increase his budget slightly as at the cheap end of the market, a few dollars increases quality almost exponentially.

[Jonno34]

will also give natro skylines a run for their money.

what doesnt we're slow as

but back on topic .. ae92 rollas look good in all forms, sedan, hatch, seca ...

do they have a/c though?

I looked at a few 91 Rollas for about 1k + .. no a/c

I dont mind n15 pulsars, i prefer them to n14s ..

OP would you consider automatic cars?

could get a good falcodore for that price .. in auto though ..

Edited June 10, 2011 by Jonno34

[mad082]

i bought my vt wagon for $3550 with 18's, lowered and 2.5" exhaust. had 200,000kms on the clock though, but hasn't missed a beat in the 8000kms i've done in the past 4 months (other than the fuel line coming off the filter, but that was my fault)