Toyota vs Mazda vs VW Help Please

We recently sold our 18 year old Camry with 160,000km. Now its time to trade the 20 year old Primera with 175,000 kms. Liked both cars because they were reliable. Never broke down and pretty much just needed servicing and tyres.

So now looking for a replacement for the Primera.
Criteria.
Fuel economy. I do about 60kms a day mostly rural commuting and price of petrol can only go up.
Reliability. Don??

Yes all of the above cars are good, with the VW it would have to be the 2000, Hard to beat the toyota/nissan for reliability, if automatic then toyota has a strong box, or a later model primera?, nissan maxima is a great car, big bigger than your looking at, very reliable, check out ex rental cars, bargans can be had there. Good to do the research, get anything your interested in checked out by a mechanic, take the car for a test drive on similar roads to get the feel of it.

It's inevitable where this post will go, but good on you for considering a Euro amongst the mix, and I'd avoid the Tiida. You have a good budget and will find a decent car, regardless of brand. As for a $150 service, I don't think any of your choices will ever be properly serviced for that. My Golf cost as much to service as the Toyota Wish we used to own, which would be closer to the $300-$400 mark per service- sometimes more, sometimes less. My suggestion would be to drive the cars before deciding- this may sound obvious but you'd be surprised how many people stick to cars like political parties.

Just to throw another choice into the mix, have you considered a 3-series BMW? Good, strong motors that are very economical, and again servicing will be no more than your average corolla. Good luck with your search.

Of the 3 that you have listed, the Axela and Golf (along with the Focus) are all brilliant cars to drive. They handle well and can be fun on the open road.
The Toyota isnt quite the Drivers car but should prove reliable and have realistic running costs and good resale values.
The Axela goes very well and is as reliable as the Toyota, it also holds its resale.
The Golf also handles nicely and will be the most economical fuel wise but I believe it will cost more to keep on the road. The price of the car may be dropping as it should (its been way overpriced for years) but the parts/servicing is still to expensive. The resale value wont be so good either.
You need to prioritise whats important to you and test drive them all.
For me its the Axela. I put my money where my mouth is and Mrs Stevo drives an 04 2300cc Axela.
Just had a 125,000km service done on the Axela from my local garage - $217

You could get into a brand new Lancer if you could stretch another couple of grand.
Unless your budget is $18,000+the primera?

Would get you a brand new car, 10 year warranty and all the features you ask for.
I am the same size as you and drive our Lancer with the seat not even all the way back, have had 4 adult passengers on longer trips too without complaint.
Real economy for rural running (my partner drives the car during the week and does 60-70km a day into town to work) is about 7L/100km and can get pretty close to 6L/100km if you are careful on long trips.

Any of your options would be good too, the Mazda and the VW are very highly rated vehicles.

Fiat has a good deal on the Panda at the moment. Only $15K + ORC for a new vehicle. A new car with a 3 year warranty would be better than a used import for sure.

http://www.fiat.co.nz/panda

Frau Cammey had a 2012 Golf GTI thing.

It broke down 18 times under warranty.

12 times it needed a tow. Fuel pump relays, fuel pumps, gadget in the boot to make air to unlock the doors, immobiliser, drivers door window fell out of its holder, engine light virtually NEVER off.

(In fact I put a "bonito banana" sticker over the CHECK ENGINE light as Frau Cammey stopped the car every time it came on and NEVER picked me up from the pub on time, which usually cost me a round.)

After its last roadside rest, it has been traded. Frau Cammey is now Mademoiselle Cammey as she has a new Peugeot 308 Allure.

God help me.

I would go for the 1.4 Golf, but not the twin charger (that's the one with the turbo AND supercharger). Either go for the low or high output single turbo version for best reliability/durability.

The economy will be significantly better than the other two options you are looking at, and it's the better featured lower maintenance vehicle (no transmission service required for starters). The Golf is also fully galvanised so no silly rust problems as seem to pop up with a lot of late model Mazda/Nissan product.

Parts and service prices will be much of a muchness between them except for the lack of transmission service required with the Golf. The only danger with the Golf is it's easy to find "high end" dealerships that will rip you off, but lots of good third party parts and VW specialist garages around that offer excellent value.

However, you won't have been servicing your Camry properly for $150 a year (sorry to sound blunt just being straight up with you). Those old Camry's were one of very few vehicles that would put up with that sort of carryon. Many mechanics/owners took the approach you likely have with them, pretty much just doing oil/filters/plugs and leaving everything else for replacement if/when it broke. With ANY modern vehicle of reasonable sophistication you MUST adhere to what the manufacturer says for servicing, ignore it and it will get expensive, really expensive really quickly.

So, being realistic you would in my opinion want to be setting aside at least $500 a year (on average) for scheduled maintenance. This is no big deal as the economy from the likes of the Golf is going to be significantly less so swings and roundabouts. If it bothers you just put some of your fuel savings aside in a motoring account every week.

If you pick a good Golf, bring all servicing properly up to date using the correct fluids etc (can advise you here if you need). Then continue to maintain it properly and run the correct fuel you should have an excellent chance at reliability. The Golf/Jetta is the most popular car in the world (by a long shot) and for good reason.

We have had over half a dozen late model Golfs in the family and all have been exceptionally reliable. I have done all the servicing/repairs on most of those Golfs so am familiar with parts prices and what they are like to work on etc. Haventrader will also give you good fair advice based on experience, he owns a Golf and bothers to take notice of what things cost etc. Like me he has owned Toyota's etc as well.

Best of luck with it all. If you do decide to go down the Golf track, please feel free to come back and ask for a bit of a "buyers guide" and a guide to what to allow for bringing servicing up to date etc. I would rather help you pick a good one and treat it right than try to help you fix an expensive mess down the track.

Happy motoring!

Hopefully not out of the frying pan and into the fire!

Do look at Ford Focus, good open road car for size with 2 litre motor, dependable solid mechanicals etc etc.
Golf goo open road car as well in that size range.
1 size up gets in to Mondeo/Mazda 6 - on open road difference in fuel is negligible and less stressed car and driver. Can get into a diesel Mondee just and that will be great economy and plenty torque for good open road driving.

Wild car would be Skoda Octavia - made by VW Audi same platform and mechanicals as Golf but bigger car all round, quite a few get bought for travelling sales and have great rep for reliable distance cars.

toomuch3 I'd suggest a rethink MIGHT be in order.
Or at the very least finding out the fuel economy rating of the bigger versions of the Mazda and Toyota when used mostly on open road.
I'm not saying im right here but used mostly on the open road you might fild you get the same fuel economy out of a Blade or 2.3 Axella but less stress on the engine and easier overtaking.
Again I stress I don't KNOW Im right but I may well be in your specific situation.

If I had to choose from those 3 with your budget I would be going for the Mazda.

I also think you really should also consider a Mitsubishi Lancer, 100% reliable, fantastic value for money and plenty of space.

Thanks MSIGG. Hadn't thought about the 2l Golf since the fuel economy on the 1400 seems better

Thansk haventrader. Hadn't thought about BMW. Dont know much but I thought their reliability turned to custard after the Km's got up?

Thnask Stevo. I'de heard parts / servicing was more expensive on Euros and VW's which is why I had initially limited myself to the Jap imports. I guess I have gotten away with the cheap servicing since the cars were older. Seems newer cars need to a bit more care / attention and this will cost more.

Certainly been my experience using some of these as rental on open road. Got almost exact same out of mondeo as focus and Mazda 6 as 3, and more comfort and less noise in bigger ones. Round town small difference opens up.
Having said that I often asked for focus if going small as I found it much quieter and civilised on highway, but that doesn't include comparison with likes of golf as rental cars companies don't have them here.
Have used Skoda Octavia a bit and was delighted with that.

Thansk BrapBrap. Had a look on the Mitsi site and it looks like $30,690k for a new Lancer which is out of budget range.

Peteal $15k for a brand new car! There has to be a catch. I know zip about Fiat so will have a look.

Thnaks Cammey. 2012 might be a bit new for me. Maybe vehicles around the 2008 year with low KM's. I wonder if yours was just a lemon or is there a trend?

Parts and serviving on euros can sometimes be more if you use main dealers as many do. Then they compete price with getting jap or ford serviced at local workshop.
But they're no more complicated than jap cars so if you are near a competent workshop that works on vw you're fine. Mine doesn't charge any more for labour and parts have been fine.
But, though I am europhile, from reading your post you don't sound like an enthusiast or worried about what it is as long as it meets good standard, so prop all best with Mazda or ford. Won't comment on the Toyota you're looking at as I know nothing about them and hate driving toyotas! But that's just me.
Mazda 3 or 6, Ford Focus or mondeo.
The mitsi lancer mentioned new is a heap of shit, old design, poorly made.
Fiat panda new is too small as open road car, fiat punto would just be okay if fancy new and have tame dealer close by. Worth checking and having drive with the warranty offered.
Another. Honda accord euro. The nz new models of around 08 to 11 are high spec cars with lots of goodies, famous Honda reliability, and are superb open road cars. I chose a wagon for work and loved it, on road behaved impeccably, comfort high, 8.4 litres per 100km and I don't drive slowly. More power than compititors so easy overtake, but no more gas used. I chose nz new one as found imports I tried had very different suspension settings and rode badly, and had jap writing on screen. I had wagon but saloon is, I think cheaper, certainly in your price range. Cannot recommend highly enough and suggest try one, you'll be sold. They were expensive here new as they only bought in high spec versions and didn't do fleet sales, but s/h makes sense.

Thansk TJP. I get a lost with all the different models. is that the 1400 TSI, 7 speed DSG box? And will a 1400 last if I'm doing mainly open road driving rather than slower round town?

Thanks Tamaillo. Hadn't thought of the Focus - perhaps a bit biased against Aussie cars. Had a look at the Octvia but they are still out of budget range.

Thnaks Kazbanz. I was wondering about the stress on engines thing - which is why I had steered away from the 1500, 1600 cc type cars. Don't know how much truth there is to it nowadays.

Jeez it pays to look around. This shows $30k http://www.mmnz.co.nz/lancer#

I agree with this. Can't beat it for value.