Hi Guys- I have a new job that I start next month. Role has a $22k car allowance and you can get any car as long as it has 4+ doors AND a minimum of 6 airbags so front and side required as per company H&S requirements
There's no fuel card so I'm looking to spend $12k and under and need either a small SUV or a wagon. So far I'm looking at Fielders, Outlanders, CRVs and Nissan Dualis. I'm having a bit of a challenge finding any of them with 6 airbags. These are mostly pre 2010 vehicles so I'm wondering if they ever came with more than the two front airbags? Some of them are very high spec with HID lights, moonroof etc but still only two airbags. Other option is to find NZ new models of the above but spec levels aren't as good and kms are enerally higher
Thanks in advance
vtecintegra,
Jul 3, 8:53pm
They definitely are available in all of those model but you're going to have to look at each individual car to see what options it had - there was a lot more variation in the Japanese models.
Unfortunately many dealers are bad about listing stuff like that so a lot of the time you'll need to look at the photos and see if you can see any SRS labels on the seats or along the pillars.
manolo,
Jul 3, 9:55pm
Thanks Vtec. It's great to know it's available on those cars. I've looked at about 10 and no airbags. I've seen them on most JDM Subies from 2008 onwards but not on any of these cars yet
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 3, 10:24pm
Why do you want a Jap Import? If low total running cost and safety are what you are looking for it's a strange country to restrict yourself too. Also the Mitsubishi and Nissan are arguably not even Japanese. Nissan is a Renault company and the Mitsubishi was a joint venture with Peugeot.
stevo2,
Jul 4, 5:56am
Agreed. It depends on the deal. Who owns the car? Who pays for repairs? In the opening thread it reads that they are giving you up to $22k to buy a car, but I suspect you have to supply and run your own car (that has to meet their criteria) and they will pay you a car allowance of $22k p/a?
sw20,
Jul 4, 7:38am
Per capita Japan has four times fewer road fatalities than we do. All about the attitude.
manolo,
Jul 4, 9:11am
Thanks All
It's $22k p/a but paid out in monthly instalments. I own the car and pay for the repairs and insurance.
I thought about a hybrid but most of my driving is early morning on the motorway so at over 80km/h and then will be trips to Hamilton, Whangarei and Tauranga also early morning so I don't think there will be enough stop start traffic to warrant the hybrid
supernova2,
Jul 4, 9:41am
Unless you are carting passengers why do you need airbags on the passenger side to meet company H&S rules? Yes I know you probably can't get a vehicle with 3 bags on the right and only 1 on the left but it still seems a silly rule. IMHO the company should be basing it's H&S rules on the ANCAP rating of the vehicle not simply the number of bags. Likewise why the need for 4+ doors? Don't forget you will also need commercial vehicle insurance.
gazzat22,
Jul 4, 10:22am
Check the toyota Blade.Daughter has one with 8 airbags and 4 doors 2.4 or 3.5l.
kazbanz,
Jul 4, 11:29am
My first suggestion to you has to be a Toyota mark X ZIO (or just zio) Multi airbags not an issue. Some 08 and newer wingroads come with multi airbags. The Toyota blade has multi airbags pretty universally. One model from left wing is the Honda Edix -some have 6 airbags. Newer Prius has multi airbags. -not hypothetical advice-just checked physically.
tamarillo,
Jul 4, 4:37pm
NZ new Honda Accord euro will be more economical , nicer to drive, (than softroaders) and you can get an 08 on model with high spec and airbags. Leather, sunroof, heated seat etc.
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 4, 5:00pm
Not even close. It's all about average speed, road quality, km traveled per year and so on.
kazbanz,
Jul 4, 6:04pm
Having driven there I couldn't agree more. Right down to their licencing laws. the driver education and their attitude on the road.
s_nz,
Jul 4, 6:33pm
Ah, so I imagine what you are after is something with the lowest possible total cost of ownership (hence keeping as much of that $22k in your back pocket as possible), while still being an acceptable open road cruiser for all those intercity trips.
The hybrid still isn't a bad choice (there was somebody on here who got 3.7 - 4.0L/100km on the open road with a third gen Prius.). For comparison, my 1.8L 2006 corolla hatch (basically the same as the wagon of that generation) gets around 7L/100km on the highway, and much more in the city.
Generally your softroaders (outlander etc) will have higher total cost of ownership. (fuel, tires etc.).
You can often pick up sedans (Accord, Mazda 6 etc) for fairly cheap compared to wagons and SUV's if that is workable.
manolo,
Jul 4, 7:45pm
It's just a Health and safety rule. It needs to be 4+ doors for carrying passengers if you need to
manolo,
Jul 4, 7:47pm
Thanks Vtec that Fielder looks pretty mint. Will check it out
manolo,
Jul 4, 7:50pm
Thanks Kaz- I don't like the People mover look of the Mark X zio but specwise they are premium. I think Blade is also a bit small because I do need to carry some stock so need a bit more space. Have you seen many dualis around with multi airbags? Also how is the CVT in the Dualis- i know Nissan CVTs didn't have the best rep. Wingroad looks good too will check it out
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 4, 8:04pm
Whatever you do don't buy the wingroad or Dualis. They both use the same ultra short life transmission as the Tiida. I don't know why Kaz keeps recommending them, he already recommended one to a regular poster on here and surprise surprise it blew to bits. If you are going to buy a Renault product, (which I wouldn't recommend anyway) buy an actual Renault badged one. The Quality of construction and reliability is considerably better. However, some Renaults still use these awful Jatco CVT's so be wary. There are just so many cars which are a million times better you could choose from.
manolo,
Jul 4, 8:10pm
Thanks s_nz I did notice that sedans of the Mazda 6 are about 30% cheaper than the wagon but I do need something where I can fold the seats down and carry longish packages of cardboard units. I looked at wagons vs Soft roaders but you can get a 2008 Mazda 6 wagon for 12k or a 2008 Outlander for that price
db.price,
Jul 4, 8:11pm
So you are looking at $1800 a month to pay for a car - every year? And you are worrying about buying a POS jap import?
Seriously look at either buying a new car - you will have plenty left over for maintenance and fuel or buy one that has a 3 or 5 year maintenance schedule built in. Mazda, Skoda and Peugeot all doing those types of deals.
Other option is to lease a car and still have plenty left over for fuel and maintenance.
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 4, 8:14pm
My thoughts exactly, but they didn't bother to reply when I suggested it so I would say they are too far gone on the cool aid sadly.
manolo,
Jul 4, 8:30pm
Hi Jazz I've seen Tiidas used on Rental car fleets having done over 150K and also high mileage Dualis and Qashqai so as long as you do the CVT maintenance they seem to be ok
manolo,
Jul 4, 8:34pm
Haha DB Price that's true- I would love to buy a brand new car with the 0% to 1% finance deals they have but the more sensible part of me wants to buy a $12k car and then put the rest on to our mortgage to be mortgage free quicker. We have a 2002 Fielder and in 5 years we have spent about $400-$600 a year on servicing and repairs, nothing much has gone wrong even though it's done 200K already. Unfortunately just has two airbags so need something newer. I'm not sold on leasing- at least when you buy a car you have an asset at the end but with leasing you don't have anything
tsjcf,
Jul 4, 8:43pm
Alot of them are doing higher Ks then VW DSG boxs
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 4, 8:49pm
I have a friend who's entire business is repairing just that model of CVT. Having seen them in depth, the multitude of problems they have, knowing the history etc, there is no way I would own one.
In the words of my friend, 130'000km is about how long they last regardless of maintenance. (Obviously, maintenance helps though).
That doesn't mean some will not last longer but your chances of having trouble with one of those transmissions verses just about anything else is high.
Likewise, my advice as above is to be very very cautious of late model Nissans, especially the disposable grade stuff like Tiidas and Wingrods. My opinion of 90's Nissans is the complete opposite BTW.
The problem is they are popular and it's just so easy to confuse being popular with being good.
Go and look at a Tiida or Wingroad carefully on a hoist and then look at something else that is well built. Even if you are not an engineer it should be obvious they are not well built. No galvanising, thin paint, pressed steel suspension parts instead of cast etc etc. They are just like some chinese no name brand. But because they can be bought for next to nothing and sold on the Basis of the good name of Nissans of the 90's the car dealers won't say a bad word about them.
Up to you, take my advice or not it's your choice. It's just hard to see someone whom I suspect is reducing their search to only the product of one country in an effort to get reliability and easy servicing and repairs, when what they are actually achieving is the complete opposite.
Not only that, they are more than likely getting a pretty miserable sort of vehicle with questionable safety to go with it.
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