Buying a cheap car - questions?

[XR6Dan]

Looking for a cheap car (4~$5k) to get to work. I've been trolling through all the car sales websites and figure a ute would be good.

I was looking at a Toyota Hilux or Ford Courier type, but what are they are around a '92 model with 210k+. What are these like with high km's? There's heaps on the road so they seem reliable?

Is there anything I should look out for, besides rust, oil leaks etc.?

Cheers.

[schnoods]

If its a diesel, check for smoke blowing. On hilux's check for diff wear as they are a weak link if they have been flogged or pushed hard. If it has been jacked up (4wd) check if there is a one piece tailshaft put in, otherwise you will be an expert on centre mount bearings (one every 3-6 months).

Other than that they are pretty unbreakable.

[XR6Dan]

Cheers.

[sgt_doofey]

Top Gear Hilux road test: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tom3OUKDM9I

[FORD3V]

Cant go wrong with toyota's (well I havnt) my last hiace van had over 250 000 k's on her and never missed a beat,only sold it cos it looked like crap and wasnt a good look for the business.

I now have another hiace with around 150 000k's and I would never say a bad word about either of them.

Sold the old one for 200 hundred bucks and it kept going strong until my mate blew up the trans doing a burnout on oil.

[[Tonko]]

My mates dad has an early 90's ford courier, The interior sucks and its so incredibly slow... BUT... Very, very reliable...
If you buy a light blue one with a canopy you can call it Pappa Smurf like we do with his.

[X000BOSS]

gotta 91 hilux as a runabout. truly unbreakable. makes some weird noises, but keeps going and going. blew the head gasket 6 months ago, 1 bottle of chemiweld and its still going. highly recommended. might actually spend a few dollars and tidy it up soon, i think it deserves it.

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by TonkoXR8

If you buy a light blue one with a canopy you can call it Pappa Smurf like we do with his.

But Pappa Smurf had a white hat

[[Tonko]]

yeah, that was the vent on top of the white canopy...

[stupa]

I used to have a 93 4x2 hilux with the 2.4L 4cl in it on gas, It toped out at 130km/h, however it had done over 600,000k's when a hose blew and kinda cooked the engine. Drove it round for another coupla weeks with no water.

Sweet cars.

[Interceptor]

i'd go for the toyota too, at work we've got a 94 hiace van, 365,000km on it, overloaded like you wouldnt believe, and we simply cant kill it...... and god knows, i try

[Macca23]

i had a 89 hilx 2.8diesel with 380,000ks on it when i sold it. was not missin a beat, it was basicly unstopable too. very cheap on diesel! i sold mine for 2,200 bout 2 years ago...body was bit worse for wear(cable ties do wonders)

but yeah for somthin cheap easy to look after and a ute. the old hilux is excellent!
you can also drive of many things!! :evil3:

[FORD3V]

Buy a toyota mate,you cant go wrong.

Those things are almost unbreakable.

[Jesk]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

But Pappa Smurf had a white hat

papa smurf actually had a red hat

[outback_ute]

If you don't actually need a ute there is a lot more value in buying a car, you would get a much newer car for the price

[falzoony]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

Top Gear Hilux road test: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tom3OUKDM9I

Go to the 4:02 mark, funny.

[Kryton]

Originally Posted by outback_ute

If you don't actually need a ute there is a lot more value in buying a car, you would get a much newer car for the price

maybe so, but (in Vic) a ute is considered a Commercial Vehicle which means your rego is cheaper.
i found this out when i went to register the Panelvan. $220 instead of $450 for rego....big difference.

[red_hotxr6]

Hubby,s got a 91 liteace van 405,000 and still going strong, body is a bit faded, but better the devil you know..

[XR6Dan]

Alright, narrowed down to:
- Toyota Hilux,
- Ford Courier,
- Mazda Bravo

Hilux seem to be the most reliable - anybody got any comments about the Courier or Bravo?? The models I'm looking at are around the 90's and have 300+ on the clock.

Cheers.

[primo]

go for the hilux mate, we get heaps of them coming to the workshop a lot of them have over 200000km on them, we even have a mining company that brings all theres in that have at least 500000km and they still go. My old man has a 96 courier and even though it hasnt giving him much grief i'd take a hilux any day

[whiteELXR6]

had a look at any rodeo's mate? i got a 99 2.8 turbo diesel ex reece plumbing done 412,000k's had it for over a year now and it hasn't missed a beat goes ok for what it is and is unbreakable

[XR6Dan]

Originally Posted by whiteELXR6

had a look at any rodeo's mate? i got a 99 2.8 turbo diesel ex reece plumbing done 412,000k's had it for over a year now and it hasn't missed a beat goes ok for what it is and is unbreakable

There are heaps of Rodeo's for sale, but, I'd never live down buying a Holden... I'd cop too much grief from family and friends :

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by red_hotxr6

Hubby,s got a 91 liteace van 405,000 and still going strong, body is a bit faded, but better the devil you know..

The van or your hubby???????



| [/url] |

[andrewts]

My dad has a 2001 Mazda Bravo 2.6L 4x2, and it is fantastic. Very torquey little motor, and it goes like a cut snake with no load on (5 speed manual). It can take over a tonne, and has one of the best trays I have seen on a ute, very easy to work with, great bars below for roping up on. The reverse gear is way to tall, and it sucks the juice a bit, but otherwise it's fine. The A/C is super cold (like, REALLY cold) and there is a bit of storage behind the seats in the cabin.

I would recommend one. (I think the Courier is probably the same, I don't know.)

EDIT: Just noticed you were looking in the 90s models. Ignore my post then, heh.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

Top Gear Hilux road test: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tom3OUKDM9I

Thats it! I'm getting a red Hilux......

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by Jesk

papa smurf actually had a red hat

Thanks, I realised that after I read TonkoXR8's reply but I just count be botherd correcting my self

[deadfish2]

Originally Posted by XR6Dan

There are heaps of Rodeo's for sale, but, I'd never live down buying a Holden... I'd cop too much grief from family and friends :

well than put isuzu badges on it, cos its not really holden,

also note, courier and bravo came off the same production line so its the same thing minus badges

[BFXR8Silhouette]

I have a 97 Rodeo with about 230,000km. I've known the ute since new and owned it since 110,000km. It needed a new clutch at around 200,000, but that could be attributed to rough treatment (it was my first car), and the gearbox is a bit leaky now. Apart from that it hasnt missed a beat. When ever the Holden card is played I just pull out the key (which has Isuzu written all over it).

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Thats it! I'm getting a red Hilux......

I don't know if you searched on You Tube, but that link I posted is only part 1.

Here's part 2: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=O_NdFAoEQbE

And I think this is part 3: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ_60PpxSzI

[XR6Dan]

I brought a 94 Holden Rodeo - tidy in and out, reco'd engine, high km's low price. Goes good, got it up to 100km/h on the motorway and it seemed pretty happy doing it.
I just don't know how I'm going to shoehorn two 10" subs in it...

Thanks for all the help.