New used car for the Missus.

[CMF_Toma]

Kind of an odd topic, but my girlfriend is sick of her 10l/100km Magna. I keep about boasting my 5.9l/100km Micra and saying "Isnt that great? Thats just great."

Naturally I suggested a Micra but shes fearful of having the same kind of car as me. Also she needs something with a tad more space as she likes to go camping and well, the Micra doesnt have nearly enough room for all the crap that she likes to take.

So, question is, Is there a used car out there, under $4000, has some space, and is cheap as chips to run? Shes also not big on small cars, shes been in a nasty accident in a ute and prefers the bigger, safer cars.

Any ideas?

 

[CMF_Yom]

$4000? Nup, nothing. Nothing that is cheap on fuel at all.

Tell her to keep saving.

 

[CMF_Brendon]

yeah i cant think of anything half descent for 4k

 

[CMF_micragirl]

You could try ebay?

or www.drive.com.au...my son got an immaculate 1989 318i BMW coupe for $4200.00 off there, not as expensive as you may think for maintaining,
quite comparable to our micras actually, anyway, just a suggestion.

 

[CMF_White Knight]

Buy a Micra and turn it into a van ? ah la Cisco?
Maybe a 4 cyclinder hatchback would be best. Can fold down the rear seats etc. Go cruising the used car yards for starters, Saturadys paper.

 

[CMF_micragirl]

"Shes also not big on small cars, shes been in a nasty accident in a ute and prefers the bigger, safer cars."

BMW safety rating...............5 stars

Poor lil Micra safety rating....1 star

 

[CMF_Alex_B]

what do mazda 626's go for nowadays? some of them have 4cyl 2.0 2.2l the 93-ON models look nice. or a Toyota Camry SV21 4cyl model. Pulsar???

i think their all out of budget though, unless you go Pre-93, then things go square and get cheaper,

Alex

 

[CMF_Alex_B]

errr. not the SV21 Camry, lol they are ooold.

think i meant around a 95-97 model,

Alex

 

[CMF_Toma]

Yeh the Camry and Pulsar have com up in conversation, and also the Holden Astra. I think the biggest issue is getting something with EFI so it wont guzzle fuel. Price isnt really an issue yet, still trying to kind a model to go with <

As for the BMW, are parts expensive?

The other option is re-tuning her crappy Magna. She bought it with 21" BMW rims, 2 1/2" sports exhaust and shoddy spark plugs. Since getting a yellow sticker for the ride hight, shes had to get new springs, sell the wheels for 16" steelies yet the exhaust and spark plugs remain.

Should i try retuning its fuel intake/timing and so on?

 

[CMF_Yom]

No! Thats below average fuel consumption for a magna.

Infact if the fuel consumption is that low I'd be worried about the oil consumption. LOL.

Parts for BMW seem to be about the same as parts for a Micra.

Holden astra - the LD model (based on N13 pulsar) are ok, very very simple to work on. The next opel model is a piece of poo.

 

[CMF_UK-micra]

get one of the new eco cars taken europe by storm. they run on suger

 

[CMF_micragirl]

"Parts for BMW seem to be about the same as parts for a Micra. "

Yes, Yom they are.

 

[CMF_nz_aj]

Get a micra. If you need more space for camping, tow a trailer. This way you'll get good fuel economy most of the time & only pay the weight penality when you go away.
Alternatively, I'd be looking at a 2.2L 5spd Camry if you want something more crash proof.
Personally I've got a Micra & the wife drives a ~1995 Corona wagon, which gets used for trips away.