Buying replacement car - advice on these models please (and any other options?)

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Buying replacement car - advice on these models please (and any other options?)

duckDecoy

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#302638 8-Dec-2022 12:01

The 2005 Avensis has broken again and they are saying its going to be $3500 to fix (or more) so we think it's time to move on. Its only done 117,000kms so we've pretty gutted at how unreliable it has been given we bought it because we thought Toyotas were reliable.

I have another post about the Mitsi Outlander and that seems recommended so that is an option, but it would really push me outside our budget. Its still a possibility thought.

Our budget is ideally between $20-$30k.

We are looking for a station wagon style car or SUV, basically one we can load up with gear for going on holidays. The bigger the better. Reliability is a huge consideration as we will be replacing a 2005 Toyota Avensis that has caused us no end of problems across its life and I would gladly push off a cliff were it legal. It had great space though.

So what should we replace it with? I think the following would be possibilities but want advice given we will not be buying new and will be getting them with around 40-60,000kms on the clock. We will likely try and buy and hold for as long as possible as I LOATH WITH ALL MY HEART buying cars and am not interested in replacing them regularly. We'd like something that is cheap to own and fix.

I do about 7,000 - 10,000kms per year.

Advice for someone like me would be things like these are not reliable or these don't actually hold as much stuff as you think or these regularly need a mechanical birthday at xxx kms so be prepared to pay $$$ when it hits this etc. I guess its the 'avoid this' style advice rather than 'I love this car' advice, its avoiding pain that I want rather than buying an amazing driving machine. But it would still be interesting to hear praise too.

What do you geekers think of this list of options? Anything I should add?

Subaru Outback - likely 2017 based on trademe prices. We have no real need for 4wd

Toyota Rav4 - likely 2016-2019 Is the 2.0L engine OK or should it be 2.5L? Is the boot space OK, it looked smaller than I thought on a few I peeked into on my walk?

Mitsi Outlander - previous thread shows they are a well liked car

Mazda 6 - likely 2017-2019 based on trademe prices

Toyota Alphard - great space, but are they reliable and are there parts?

Any other options? We don't want European as service and parts tend to be more expensive.

All advice welcomed.

GOD I HATE BUYING CARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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#3007316 8-Dec-2022 12:32

One thing on the 6 is, like many more recent car designs, it doesn't have the largest boot; the roof line slopes down quite strongly towards the rear reducing boot space when packing above the window line. Coming from an Avensis, which is more in the squarer design language of that era, you may find it too small, so worth checking this out.

If you like SUVs, how about the CX5? It's very similar to the 6, though not surprisingly uses a bit more fuel thanks to its less efficient shape.

Noting you're thinking also about an Outlander - is the reduced risk of something going wrong, or if it does the assurance you'll be covered by the car's warranty and the CGA, worth paying a bit more for? Or how about looking for a relatively new Outlander that's still well within its warranty period? You'd think/hope people would be more willing to negotiate a fair price, given the runout price, and this could save you a few thousand on going new (and it's going to give you a lot of fairly new car for under $30k).

duckDecoy

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#3007328 8-Dec-2022 13:15

jonathan18:

One thing on the 6 is, like many more recent car designs, it doesn't have the largest boot; the roof line slopes down quite strongly towards the rear reducing boot space when packing above the window line. Coming from an Avensis, which is more in the squarer design language of that era, you may find it too small, so worth checking this out.

Thank you, that is a good point that I had not noticed. I think I will rule the Mazda 6 out based on this.

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#3007348 8-Dec-2022 13:43

chinese cars. very good equipment but engine is gutless and might blow up.

if your budget gets to 30k i'd get haggle on the outlander.

everything is negotiable.

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#3007349 8-Dec-2022 13:49

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/mitsubishi/outlander/listing/3898862415

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#3007350 8-Dec-2022 13:50

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/mitsubishi/outlander/listing/3899005855

Rodimvs

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#3007354 8-Dec-2022 14:04

I've got a 2004 Avensis (being retired very soon) and a 2015 Rav4.

The boot on the Rav4 isn't as deep as the Avensis, but we got a roof-box for the occasional trip where we need the extra capacity and that has worked really well for us.

We also went for the space-saver spare tyre which takes up less of the Rav4 boot space.

The Rav4 has been reliable so far (its done about 100,000kms). It was made in Japan, not the UK (where the Avensis was made) for what its worth.

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blackjack17

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#3007364 8-Dec-2022 14:23

I have a 2l 2006 Subaru legacy. I got it in 2014 with 120,000 on the clock for $5500. It now has 220,000 on the clock and other than a cam belt nothing major has gone wrong.

I would spend way less on the car and put any money left from the budget into investments/mortgage

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mrgsm021

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#3008265 10-Dec-2022 20:17

Would trading in your Avensis for the Outlander be an option to bring down the price to be within your budget?

Wombat1

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#3008285 10-Dec-2022 21:57

What do you geekers think of this list of options? Anything I should add?

Subaru Outback - likely 2017 based on trademe prices. We have no real need for 4wd

Toyota Rav4 - likely 2016-2019 Is the 2.0L engine OK or should it be 2.5L? Is the boot space OK, it looked smaller than I thought on a few I peeked into on my walk?

Mitsi Outlander - previous thread shows they are a well liked car

Mazda 6 - likely 2017-2019 based on trademe prices

Toyota Alphard - great space, but are they reliable and are there parts?

I would stick the the MPV's, but take that gastly Toyota Alphard off the list. Get rid of the Mazda 6 too, its just a car!

You should also consider looking at the Nissan Xtrail, if you like the Rav's, they in a similar class and actually better offroading. 4X4 compared to AWD,

turtleattacks

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#3008287 10-Dec-2022 22:09

Can I ask how much you think you would get for your old car?

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Scott3

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#3008302 10-Dec-2022 23:41

"one we can load up with gear for going on holidays. The bigger the better. Reliability is a huge consideration"

"We'd like something that is cheap to own and fix."

First car I would be looking at for this brief is a Prius Alpha 5 seat (perhaps 2013 - 2015 age). Fairly massive interior & cargo space (more than my 6 cylinder SUV), and the same drivetrain as the regular Prius, which gets thrashed, and largely holds up to intense use in the taxi industry. Will use half the fuel of the stuff on your list.

I have only been in the legacy, but understand it has a similar interior to the outback. Found the boot space large and very usable (suspension struts don't cut into space). Comfortable & handles really nice too. But don't think it really lines up with your desire for something cheap to own. The AWD + boxer engine makes the car fairly complex and harder to maintain.

In SUV's. Family members looking to upgrade from the 2nd gen out lander to the third, were put off by the high floor giving lesser space in the latter. You would want to check if the space is enough

A quick search turned up a USA site comparing rav4 class SUV's boot space. it had the rav4 at 5th place, Honda CRV at 2nd place, and Nissan rouge (x trail) in first. I think the CRV could be worth a look, the Honda 2.4L engine is well-regarded. (modern Nissan's need to be purchased with caution.)

I havn't heard anything bad about mazda 6, other than needing very expensive start batteries for the stop start system. Would be the obvious like for like replacement for the advensis, allthough you may loose some boot space.

On minivan's, I don't know too much about them, but am aware there are a wide range of options. As an example the honda oddesy is well regarded. Personally I have spent quite a bit of time in the Hyundai Imax (a proper van), this would be a great vehicle to take on holiday (but is going to have higher cost of ownership than smaller vehicles, and some versions have a reputation for blowing turbo's etc.)

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Scott3

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#3008303 10-Dec-2022 23:47

Wombat1:

You should also consider looking at the Nissan Xtrail, if you like the Rav's, they in a similar class and actually better offroading. 4X4 compared to AWD,

While (along with the Subaru Forrester), the Nissan X-trail is best in class for off roading, the class is that of soft cross over SUV's. No low range here.

Batman

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#3008352 11-Dec-2022 00:53

they are all hopeless for offroading.

they are softroaders.

MikeB4

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#3008365 11-Dec-2022 08:13

Batman:

they are all hopeless for offroading.

they are softroaders.

Really??????

I took our X-Trail the entire way around the Tora Coast without issue

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

rb99

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#3008379 11-Dec-2022 09:07

Some kind of Honda Odyssey ?

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

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