Suggestions for Buying an Old Car?

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littlerae1, Feb 2, 8:43am
My car is no longer worth repairing being a 1989 Toyota Corolla with 355,000 kms on the clock. For the last four WOF, it has been costing up to $500 to keep the car up to roadworthy standard. It is due again so I have decided to look for another car instead.

I am looking for a Hatchback (automatic) around the year 2000 to 2005 between $3,000.00-$5,000.00. It would be nice to see over the steering wheel and reach the pedals at the same time - lol.

I am needing something to do grocery shopping and get to Doctors / Hospital appointments which are all about 10-15 mins away from where I live. I also need it to get me from Whangarei to Auckland every three months.

I find my main problem with old cars is rust and blown head gaskets but that is because I hold onto them until they die. So maybe something that is rust-proof with good gauges that actually warn you if something is wrong?

It would be great to get something that will get through the next five years without needing any major repairs, though I do put away $25 p/wk to cover this instead of buying a warranty.

I am wondering whether to buy privately for $3,000.00 or buy through a car dealer for $5,000.00 due to the age of the vehicle? I can get that extra $2,000.00 from finance or my credit card (whichever has cheapest interest).

My dream would be to have one of those flash cars with rearview cam, GPS, media screen built into the dashboard, etc. But that might be in another 10 years for me. I'll keep dreaming.

Please can you suggest the best car for me and any advice that will help me make a good decision? Thank you so very much.

trogedon, Feb 2, 8:46am
Modern cars hardly rust at all. GPSs are available as an accessory - my wife bought me one for Christmas (I would've been happy with a new map book).
There are many good cars out there for $3000 so you have lots of choice. Better to pay cash for the full amount than pay something off.

msigg, Feb 2, 8:52am
For that sort of money ( which is not much for 2005) you could get something like a nissan primera, you really want a corolla or pulsar for what you are doing, these are run of the mill cars that last and last, be wary of any over complicated cars as these will cost you money in repairs, no doubts about that, sounds like you can't afford problems. For you i thing stick to the early 2000 years, with low kms. Yes after reading again I think a Nissan Pulsar will be the one. Whatever you get make sure it is serviced and checked out by a mechanic. Good luck.

ema1, Feb 2, 8:53am
You've had a good spin out of the Corolla by the sounds of things.
Go get another Corolla with say a third or less the distance your old car has that is in good condition.
Best have it thoroughly checked out by reputable mechanic is a wise thing.
I've had Corollas in the past, and still have one now I use locally which does all I want it to and trouble free might I add.
Never had a WOF issue or any other issue with it apart from buggering a tyre on it the day I took it in when the last WOF was due.
Drove over a broken bottle or similar and sliced the sidewall but didn't go flat.
New tyre fixed that actually 2 tyres as I put a pair of new ones on the front of it that day.
Good Luck with it all and come back and let us folks know how you got on by all means. Cheers.

littlerae1, Feb 2, 9:11am
Yeah, that's the problem - lol! I'll start looking at the suggestions and hopefully narrow it down from there. Thanks :-)

littlerae1, Feb 2, 9:14am
Thank you - I'll have a look at those now. Yes, definitely will be getting it checked out by mechanic first. Do people keep service manuals or is it based on the person's word?

littlerae1, Feb 2, 9:18am
Yep, most of my cars have been old Toyota's. So how does this work on Trade Me? Does the seller allow the interested bidder to take the car to their mechanic before the auction?

ema1, Feb 2, 9:33am
You'd need to ask the seller if they agree to do such littlerae1, there shouldn't be an issue in most cases.
If any object then walk away as there maybe a reason why, you don't need to find out the hard way.
You need to exercise your rights to be sure of what you're buying and if it doesn't sound right to you in any way . be wise walk away.
It's your hard earned money that's at stake here.!

littlerae1, Feb 2, 9:39am
WOW! That's a nice car. What a shame it's too big for me. :-)

littlerae1, Feb 2, 9:46am
Good points. I think I'll be back and forth on these message boards asking all sorts of questions until I make the final decision - lol.

littlerae1, Feb 2, 9:47am
LOL! Love it! I wonder if it will get over the Harbour Bridge?

matarautrader, Feb 2, 9:49am
What ever car you are interested in get Richard from City Motors to check it out. Its a service he often does and I recommend him.

intrade, Feb 2, 9:59am
you realise for that money you can keep your old car for almost another 10 years when you spend 500$ every 6 month on it.
newer cars have way more extreem and expensive problems , like i got a mazda capella here diagnosed for 560$ the diesel pump is broken. i trusted the diagnosis and pulled it apart only to find out its 100% fine tomorrow i will inspect the cambelt tensioner as i think it might be what is faulty .

toyota only good ones are the ones with 3 and 4 speed aisin gerboxes from the 1990s any new automatic trans will crap it self if you think you can do what you did with your old toyota , you be spending 2 grand in servicing on toyota 2005 onwards each year or pay the high price for destruction of it sooner or later.

intrade, Feb 2, 10:03am
if you must upgrade get a 2000 model toyota or near 2k with the same old engine as yor curreent toyota they do exist but good ones are hard to find as most are abused by owners who think toyota dont need servicing since to them a wof is the service of a car.

littlerae1, Feb 2, 10:06am
I've been using Clyde Motors since I moved here five years ago. Recently they suspected a blown head gasket and I've been driving it for 18 months in that state. Ooops. Mechanic put something in the radiator and now it doesn't go through lots of water. I was having to fill it up everytime I took car down the road.

littlerae1, Feb 2, 10:08am
CUTE! Yeah, that's the sort of thing I'm after. Unfortunately I only have $3,000 cash so would have to use $2,000 from credit card. I'll put it on watchlist and come back to it. Thanks :-)

ema1, Feb 2, 10:10am
Bollocks. the Asian auto boxes went up to late 1990s models up to the early 2000's like the AE 101 and later AE110 models, they are pretty much bullet proof. $2000 you mention on servicing I would call reasonable if a bit high.
A properly serviced Toyota will cost money any goof can work that out BUT Toyota's do have a tendency to be more forgiving if service intervals get "stretched" contrary to some other makes.
But intrade the OP might opt for a manual version. did you think of that?
It also depends on how much distance is traveled yearly that determines if the $2000 cost per year you state is the expected norm?

littlerae1, Feb 2, 10:17am
Yeah, I would have kept doing that - lol - but mechanic recently suspects blown head gasket. I was a little annoyed since I was complaining about the water loss for 18 months. I remember he first fitted a frost plug. 6 months later he changed the hose and radiator cap. 6 months later he says water was coming out of exhaust.

intrade, Feb 2, 10:18am
you need at least 5 grand for a good 2000 model if something is cheap there is a reason.
My mate purchased a echo same thing as the vits he calls it a vits ---somhow it lost its radiator cap and he said it drives jearky ever since he owns it.
He now wants to sell it again maybe its going to blow up befor he can sell it who knows its hard when you got older people who drive a isuzu mu for 10 years and then call it a crap GM when they have to change a waterpump and replace radiator hoses . I said everything dies you cant expect it to last for ever , even you wont last for ever. Thats how i managed to get the messages across to him.

intrade, Feb 2, 10:24am
I remember he first fitted a frost plug. 6 months later he changed the hose and radiator cap. 6 months later he says water was coming out of exhaust

You know whAT HAS happened the whole internals of your cooling system has eroded away the coolant must be changed every 24 month. if you buy that vits and dont do that i guarantee you it will blow up way wayy sooner then your curent toyota.
vvti is variable valve timing and not doing the oil change on time with correct oil and a good filter will nuke the engine as the variable timing will get stuffed up plus i dont like vvti toyotas they are gutless junk unless you have larger engines.

ema1, Feb 2, 10:25am
Sounds like an isolated case, surely you don't suggest they all do that?
Correct everything dies intrade BUT some makes have a habit of doing it earlier than others and in greater numbers .

intrade, Feb 2, 10:28am
yes thats what to get the first one has the old bullet proof high emission engine . it still needs to be tested for neglect but its what engine and gearbox can take loads of abuse

ema1, Feb 2, 10:29am
Kinda get the impression intrade has something under his "bonnet" about Toyota's doesn't it huh?
It's getting rather tedious and repetitious stuff really, we've seen it on T.M. all to often. I'll have you know litterae1.
All car makes will "bite you on the bum" excuse the pun . if they don't get proper and regular servicing . period full stop !
You look after it . pretty much it will look after you . simple.

intrade, Feb 2, 10:31am
it has to do with extra crap and higher emission the higher emission a vehicle the more crap it has to have with less tolerance for malfunction.
ignoring problems on newer cars like toyota inclusive will result in extreem high repair bills

ema1, Feb 2, 10:32am
Pretty much what I said in my post #27 and makes perfect sense.
Hence my suggesting the AE110 models of Corolla.
No . by not ignoring service intervals etc as well as problems is the key.
I would suggest there must be a good reason for the numbers of Toyota's around the place. and there is.