Suggestions for a new car?

If it doesn't have to be a sedan, has to be under $4k, reliable & fun to drive on the Port Hills there is only one option. Mazda MX5.

EDIT: Don't let anyone talk you into an old Euro.

What is wrong with an old euro - perhaps you are better qualified to
answer my previous question ?

+1.

You can get an E63 AMG these days for under $35k.

I assume this question. I am not a "Euro hater". I buy new vehicles and would be driving a Q7 or BMW now if their depreciation from new wasn't so horrific. They are fantastic vehicles for the first 5 years.

Old Euro's are just well past their "use by" date. Ask anybody in the motor trade about running costs of 20 year old Euro's and I think BMW is by far the most reliable of them.

Cheers - I was meaning my last post I have quoted here. Think the resale value of BMW's once ten year olds speaks volumes - the low price is surely due to low demand for a reason - despite what some are saying in here. Think you are correct, still miffed why people go on that you have to stay on top of things with them - what is with the design that makes them less forgiving than a jappa ?

It isn't just BMW or Euros though - see how much you can pick a ten year old Honda Legend (for example, you coyuld substitute any other large Jappa) up for and compare to new price

Yeah I get that it was your keep on top of things statement - heard it before too like they more delicate - what is with the design that makes them so ?

Guess you just meaning got to do oil changes etc on time or they shit themselves, think just stick with the old Nissan - happy to get what it gets when it gets :) Cheers

Euro's are comparatively more sophisticated than Jappa's of the same year. More electronics, more airbags, more sensors, more things that can go wrong essentially. Also, Euro's have have had a certain amount of recycled components built into their cars for a number of years which has lead to poorer quality plastics being used, also Euro car manufacturers wouldn't give a rats how much their product is worth on the second hand market in New Zealand 10 - 15 years later.

I drive a VW passat - built extremely well, never let me down, goes good (V5 model) and cant really fault it at all and it was cheap as chips. I like Euro's.

That isn't necessarily true - depends on the models you are looking at

Quite right, but this concept is something that too many local car buyers can't grasp, its a result of isolation, low sales volumes of new cars and relatively expensive secondhand vehicles compared to the source markets and having never had a local manufacturing (as opposed to CKD) industry. Its always cringe worthy when individuals on here who clearly do not work in the repair industry suggest that a $3k late 90's E36 BMW is somehow a feasible buy for a financially challenged and mechanically illiterate person to get a few years out of at low cost. they simply are not. The same applies to other junk like Vectras, Passats and the like, they ain't made with a long life expectancy. Contrary to popular belief they aren't that high quality due to the recyclable nature of them, as per above comments about plastics and by this age are generally falling to bits.

Well summed up Ryan and Franc and Vtec.- cheers.

Reality is that NO manufacturer anywhere in the world builds cars with an expected lifespan of more than 10 years.

Correct, even more so these days with the amount of tech sharing that does go on. But there are good reasons why as a whole dealers in this country prefer to stock older Jap cars than Euro, some do specialise in them but they aren't common by comparison.

BMW is horribly overpriced in NZ market new. They charge as high end premium and seem happy with small sales bigger profit. The extra over a same spec ford is much more than not the same two in Europe.
Hence we get huge depreciation as we can get 5 yr old ones cheap from Japan so it brings price down.
Means great buying at 10 yrs old.
A lot of the 10 yr old ones do have more electronics than a ford or Mazda of same year as it was sold as upmarket car and they get a lot of extras bought at new. If you've got electric seats etc it is one more thing to go wrong.
But BMW and other euros were very good at sharing parts and giving them along life, so resplacemnets can be easy to get.
I've never had electronics failures on my old BMWs, though indid buy one with no window winder internals and stuffed central locking etc. picked up all parts real cheap locally and it was easy to pull things apart and get it all working. Nicely made stuff.
Do ask if imported from Singapore though as there is history of those cars having working loom problems.
NZ new is best IMO.
As for regular servicing, well any car needs it, but I guess European engines of 10-15 yrs ago were more sophisticated units generally so may be are fussier.

Op, you say doesn't have to be a sedan which opens things up. You could get into an older golf gti though that era of gti was pretty crap.

If you can do with two seats the suggestion of an mx5 is spot on. Brilliant little cars that can handle great and be very enjoyable. You don't need huge grunt on port hills really. There is so much traffic that if you're stuck behind someone you just have to wait. only a bike can pass easily up there.