Honda civic, fiat or mitsibishi rvr advice please

Hi everyone I am opening (another) can of worms I know but if there are any mechanics or people who know a lot about cars can someone please give me advise on the above cars!
I need a really zippy, economical and reliable car. I phoned my mechanic as he told me to sell my current (piece of sh&T) as it is hard to get parts for (euro car) and he said hondas are reliable, fiats are good but parts can sometimes be expensive and stay away mitsibishi GI's.Totally trust my mechanic but dont have a lot of time to test a car and take it to him for a second opinion as I need a new car pretty much (tomorrow morning) thoughts any one!

What type of Fiat!

The Civic and RVR aren't really comparable vehicles, if you want a small Mitsi car then why not look at Mirage/Lancer instead!

Two options, Toyota or Corolla. you choose.

The fiat is a punto, and the civic is older but has less km, the RVR (Mitsi) is super tidy, yeah i do havemy eye on a toyota lyonruge haha

fiat have the worlds cheapest parts and you usually get em faster then for japanese cars if it is a windo winder for example.

Honestly rushing into buying a car is never a good idea, if you're stuck with those three choices it probably comes down to which has been best looked after.

mitsubishi is basically the worst poo you could buy

haha ok wont go for the Mitsubishi.great thanks everyone

Fiat parts are actually about as cheap and easy to get as parts come. However not all mechanics know where is best to order them from. Dino Enterprises in Cambridge, Italian Auto Centre in Auckland stock a full range of genuine new and used parts.
Its great because both places know these cars inside and out so you can ring and get intelligent help and they will overnight courier you any part you want.
Intrade also has another excellent supplier he can remind you about.

Now with regard to the Fiat,

The one I was recommending was the MK2 Punto which is the shape that starts in 2000.Whats good about the Fiat is that its going to be by far and away the most economical automatic you can buy for your money. Most others won't even come close to being as economical.

Its also going to be one of the safest cars with a 4 - 4 1/2 star NCAP safety rating.

Power is excellent for the size of the vehicle but it is only 1.2 litres. That said performance is going to be similar to many of the 1.5/1.6 litre Japanese automatic cars of the same age. If you want something with proper hot hatch performance though don't buy the Punto as while its certainly adequate and very fun to drive its not a high performance vehicle.

If that sounds like it might suit then let me know and I can write you up a buyers guide of things to check to make sure you are getting a really good one.

That's because it is powered by a cotton reel, popsicle stick and a rubber band.

You forgot the chunk of candle wax. Only good for burnouts without the wax.

Who makes Corolla!

Grab the Honda.

What brand of car you get is probably irrelevant. You need to look for a car that you feel comfortable driving and that suits your needs, but what is relevant is that you get your mechanic to check it out before you part with your money.

I'm guessing your budget is around $4 or $5k. If that's the case, personally, I'd be looking at any well serviced, petrol 4 cylinder Toyotas, like Corollas and Camrys.

Grab a mint 86 Holden Barina.and this is your lucky day, I just happen to have one for sale. Karma huh.

Sorry Paula, I had you confused with another poster.
Can you fill me in on which Fiat it is you are looking at!
Happy to advise, some model Fiats are excellent others have a few foibles to be aware of. I know most of them very well and am happy to advise and give you a bit of a buyers guide on what to look for.

Thanks everyone i have taken in all your advice! haha thanks neville on your offer of your lovely Barina but my hubby said we will give it a miss tonight but im sure you will find someone who will love it.Well I wanted the honda but hubby said it was too old so it looks like the fiat is winning at this moment. Jazz what am I looking for! there is one in New Plymouth which is really, really cheap and has done really low km do you mind poking your nose in on the picture and telling me what you think.otherwise what should my husband look for! he is thinking of going tomorrow to get it!

gooooo jazz!

thejazzpianoma read post 4 its a punto we dont know what year however.

Sure no problem, I need to know what year it is, what transmission it has (manual/auto) and what the engine size is.

If you don't mind sharing a link/price that would help even more.

Thanks intrade.

Ahh, I think I have seen the one you are looking at.
Now these are quite a different kettle of fish to the MK2 I described.

The MK2 is a very sophisticated modern vehicle with class leading safety, but its twice the price of what you are looking at.

The MK1 and especially the base model MK1 is quite a different kettle of fish, not necessarily bad but quite different.

Firstly, they are galvanized so they basically don't rust. The engine in the one you are looking at is a real cracker for economy and reliability, they are a real honey to work on. For example you can do a cambelt in about 15 minutes at very little cost. Those engines also are known for doing massive milage with nothing more than standard maintenance.

Transmissions are a bit notchy, most have worn syncro's on third gear. This is nothing to worry about but you do have to slow your gear change into third to avoid making it crunch.

There really isn't any major known problems with those, so just a matter of doing all the normal stuff you would when you check a car over. Look for signs its been serviced, look for signs of a major accident etc.

If you want a general checklist then let us know, I will assume for the moment your husband knows the basics of checking a car over.

Just be aware that while these are excellent, reliable, economical transport and fun to drive they are super basic. About the only feature you are going to get is central locking, I wouldn't even guarantee its got power steering. They don't have the "big car" comfort and ride of the later Punto, they are quite go karty. They also don't have a lot of power, they will cruise very happily at the open road speed limit and possibly do 150km/h flat out but don't expect a lot of power for quick passing.

So if its basic, ultra economical,fun and reliable you want go for gold. If you want something a bit more refined or powerful then not so much.

If you do buy it, check when the timing belt has been done. If its over 5 years ago, they don't know when/if its been done then do it straight away. It should be very inexpensive to do, I would also get the transmission oil changed and the coolant if it looks weak or dirty.

Those things should all be cheap enough to get sorted so no stress there.

Edit. .just saw the sticker, cambelt not due for another 2-3 years.

BTW, that peeling clearcote is not unusual with those. These were some of the first cars to be fully galvanised. The Galvanising underneath and our NZ U.V tends to do that unless they spend a good portion of their lives in the garage.

If its as represented I think its good buying at that. Not a mega bargain but certainly a good buy for the money. Do try and twist their arm a little though $100 -$300 cheaper would not make you a robber.

Great thanks so much everyone and Jazz. I will get hubby to twist their arm and get it cheaper. I am a midwife and just need a little zippy car to get me around antenatal and postnatal visits (and to zoom to births of course). If this car was to last me at least a year until funds become better I will be happy.Thanks again everyone. I love our little trade me community

It should be ideal for that. With basic maintenance that should last you a LOT longer than a year, I would have thought it would have a good 15 or 20 years of typical NZ km's in it yet.

What upgrading will get you though is more safety and comfort. If you enjoy the Fiat get together just 2-3K more and you will be able to upgrade to the MK2. Its gives you all the economy and fun but you get safety, power, comfort and features as well. No hurry though as that should be reliable transport for as long as you need it to be.

Best of luck with it all, feel free to come back for advice if you have any questions about it . Have fun!