# Forum More Stuff At the end of the day  Buying a used car - advice request

## joynz

I am in the market for a used car.  Hoping for suggestions.  I want something with a long boot.  Most SUVs around Melbourne have very short boots or too angled (e.g. Mazda).  An SUV rather than a wagon because of the extra ground clearance.   I go Bushwalking and camping so need to carry 3-4 adults and their multi-day packs sometimes. No gut-wrenching off road work, but rutted, dirt trails are a possibility...   Needs to be cheap enough that I won’t worry about leaving it at the start of a bush track for a few days while Bushwalking. Ideally under $20,000.   Under $100 per $1000km in fuel usage (carsales.com lists this to allow fuel comparison).   12 month servicing intervals.   Able to tow at least a 6 x 4 single axle trailer filled with dirt or bricks, or a camper trailer.  
So far thinking of:  Ford Territory AWD or 2WDMitsubishi Outlander AWDMitsubishi Pajero 4 wheel drive (2011 or earlier in my price range probably).Toyota Prado - but a bit outside my price range...Holden Captiva AWD 2013 or later (because they are plentiful - but is Holden’s departure an issue?

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## Moondog55

I have the same wish list but around $15k- cheaper.
Ford AU3 station wagon with a HD towpack and a roof-boot was my conclusion

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## joynz

> I have the same wish list but around $15k- cheaper.
> Ford AU3 station wagon with a HD towpack and a roof-boot was my conclusion

  Hah!  I say under $20k, but I’d prefer under $15k! 
Would the station wagon be heavy on fuel?

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## MorganGT

> I have the same wish list but around $15k- cheaper.
> Ford AU3 station wagon with a HD towpack and a roof-boot was my conclusion

  Oddly enough last time I went looking Falcon wagons seem to hold their value well since they were discontinued in 2010 (BF model).
I ended up with a BA Fairlane Ghia, which is basically a luxury sedan based on the longer wagon floorpan. Nobody seems to want them at all, so I was able to buy a very nice one for less than base-spec wagons seemed to be selling for!
A big boot (bigger than Falcon) but not as much room as a wagon, but it does have a 2300kg towing capacity and is lighter on fuel than a lot of SUVs.

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## Moondog55

I wanted to be able to sleep in the back.
If I manage to find one the whole back seat will be removed and a flat base fitted as well as a cargo barrier.
Yes those Fairlanes do seem to be excellent value as very good tow vehicles because the longer wheelbase is more stable

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## joynz

What do people think about the Landrover Freelander?

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## Bros

My son has an AU falcon ute and he could buy a new vehicle 10 times over but he has stuck with the ute which has over 300,000klm on it. There are plenty of parts available and all the common repairs have been uploaded to Utube so for economy they seem to be pretty good.

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## Moondog55

> What do people think about the Landrover Freelander?

  Not a real Landrover and reliability and repair costs are reputed to be low in the former and high with the latter. If I had lots of money the Landrover 135 crew cab and with the aluminium block Chevrolet 350 fuel injected engine ticks a lot of boxes but you'd need another zero.
A roof boot would solve some of the storage issues and while they add to fuel consumption I don't find it adds that much, about 12% the last time I actually bothered to work it out. My Thule pod is an older taller style, the new shallow ones are reputed to be better with economy and favoured by the skiing crowd.
I can just fit 4 summer rucksacks in my roof pod but only 2 winter ones.

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## toooldforthis

> No gut-wrenching off road work, but rutted, dirt trails are a possibility...

  are the AWD/2WD SUVs capable of this? 
genuine question.

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## Moondog55

I'd say yes definitely as I've taken ordinary 2*4 cars, trucks and utes to some very ordinary places. All you really need is plenty of clearance and a locking or limited slip differential.
A willingness to also pack and use a winch helps . Without a Detroit locker or a really good LSD things are less likely to work out well tho.
I also carry wheel chains but S/H lightweight chains can be dirt cheap or even free for sizes in the 14 to 15inch wheel sizes

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## Jon

We had a 2wd Territory for years and it was a brilliant car.  I would not hesitate buying another if we needed something that size again.

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## Marc

> I am in the market for a used car.  Hoping for suggestions.  I want something with a long boot.  Most SUVs around Melbourne have very short boots or too angled (e.g. Mazda).  An SUV rather than a wagon because of the extra ground clearance.   I go Bushwalking and camping so need to carry 3-4 adults and their multi-day packs sometimes. No gut-wrenching off road work, but rutted, dirt trails are a possibility...   Needs to be cheap enough that I won’t worry about leaving it at the start of a bush track for a few days while Bushwalking. Ideally under $20,000.   Under $100 per $1000km in fuel usage (carsales.com lists this to allow fuel comparison).   12 month servicing intervals.   Able to tow at least a 6 x 4 single axle trailer filled with dirt or bricks, or a camper trailer.  
> So far thinking of:  Ford Territory AWD or 2WDMitsubishi Outlander AWDMitsubishi Pajero 4 wheel drive (2011 or earlier in my price range probably).Toyota Prado - but a bit outside my price range...Holden Captiva AWD 2013 or later (because they are plentiful - but is Holden’s departure an issue?

  Wen asking about cars, keep in mind that every person you ask has a brilliant car. I have yet to hear from someone, that he is driving a lemon.
Ask those who work on cars and they will tell you that the Territory and Mitsubishi have severe reliability issues. The Holden and the Jeep are not far behind. The Land Rover? Gasp ...
Sure there are some who are happy about their car. 
From your list I say the only one that passess muster is the Prado. 
As for your list of wishes, 8L per 100 km towing or 4wd ing is a pie in the sky. More like 12 to 14 l / 100 km ... $100 per 1000 Km? that is nonsense since fuel has a vast array of prices. 
12 month service intervals? Sure if you keep your car in the garage monday to friday and go easy on the weekend.
"Cheap enough that I won't worry leaving it in the bush for a few days" ... i had to laugh at this one, but there is a solution: Buy a 80ties Nissan Patrol, possibly with plenty of rust. 
My suggestion? Buy a Toyota Hilux diesel, dual cab or extra cab with a canopy, your choice. Year? According to your pocket size. But you can drive them for 400,000 Km no problem. Providing you service them properly not once a year  :Smilie:

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## Bart1080

Holden Captiva AWD 2013 ...is better known as Holden CRAPtiva.
My mechanic say's staya away from them.  You will either have a good run or a crap run with them

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## manofaus

Dare I say it a nissan pathfinder r51. 9l per 100 around town. 3t towing. Go for an auto.  Have one for 250000kms. Warranty issue was a body mount and that was it. Changed 2 ball joints a rear uni and set of pads all round. Tyres last about 60000k if you keep on top of the wheel alignment. 10000km service. $65 filter kit and $60 in oil. Has low range, traction control and pretty good clearance. Is a family car that goes off road maybe 4 or 5 times a year. Tows well with 450nm of torque.

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## r3nov8or

Captiva: being a Holden isn't the problem. Being a Captiva is the problem  :Biggrin:

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## phild01

> My mechanic say's staya away from them.  You will either have a good run or a crap run with them

  Heard similar.

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## joynz

Thanks everyone - I really appreciate the input.

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## Moondog55

I don't think I have ever had a brilliant car.
Most have had more than a few problems. The Ford ute had a brilliant engine but was starting to rust away and needed a full suspension rebuild just before it was torched. The RU10P Dyna was a project that became a huge hole in the road I could never afford to finish.

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## joynz

My 2007 Astra wagon was pretty good.  Excellent available carrying space for its size. 
I was tempted to buy the same one as a replacement - but considered that it might be worth getting something with more than 2 airbags and perhaps a few extra safety features.  
I’m a recent convert to knee airbags for the driver too (deeply bruised knees for following a crash will do that...!)

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## JB1

I agree with Marc,  very hard to fulfill all of your requirements. 
I'm probably impartial but I'd recommend you look at the 2010 onwards Volvo XC60 or XC70 with the 2.4L twin turbo diesel.  
They are great cruising cars and a pleasure to drive long distances. 
I have a 3.0L turbo petrol, great car except it's very heavy on fuel. The diesel better meets your needs. 
The XC70 being a station wagon has a huge boot. 
Being a family man, it's one of the safest cars out there.  
Sent

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## Spottiswoode

> Dare I say it a nissan pathfinder r51. 9l per 100 around town. 3t towing. Go for an auto.  Have one for 250000kms. Warranty issue was a body mount and that was it. Changed 2 ball joints a rear uni and set of pads all round. Tyres last about 60000k if you keep on top of the wheel alignment. 10000km service. $65 filter kit and $60 in oil. Has low range, traction control and pretty good clearance. Is a family car that goes off road maybe 4 or 5 times a year. Tows well with 450nm of torque.

  Was going to suggest the same. We have one. Comfortable, plenty of boot space and pretty capable off road in stock form. It is a bit of a truck to drive, but the plusses outweigh that - I didnt buy a sports car. Tows 1500kg caravan with ease, just upgraded to a much larger van and so far so good with that, but only one trip towing it back home so far. I think models before 2010 had a timing chain issue, but after that they are fine. They share drivetrain etc with the D40 Navara so parts are pretty easy to come by. 
Youd want a diesel territory for fuel economy but is large and comfortable. 
The outlander might be OK but is a size smaller than your other suggestions. 
Pajero is underrated. capable off road, caravanners seem to like them for towing. 
Prado is higher priced - Toyota tax, so for the same money youll end up with a more worn out vehicle. 
Captiva, just dont.

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## joynz

Thank you for those suggestions too.  
So far, I haven’t sat in or driven any of the options on my list - which now includes quite a few of the suggestions in this thread. 
Next stage is to sit/drive in a few.

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## Moondog55

Something a bit left field
When Cecile and I were looking at cars to replace the torched ute I was taken with the Hyundai iLoad van, saw a crew version with turbo diesel engine that would have been perfect for my needs but it was well over my available cash at about $23-k and we only had $5- to play with.
I think that they use the same engines and chassis as the Kia Sorrento
Some on Car Sales now for around your desired price point, but as always people sell cheap for a reason.
Here's a link to one such
Remember red ones go faster https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...gType=showcase

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## phild01

A 2006/7 diesel Santa Fe, one with low k's would be worth a look. Great powerful motor, smooth 5sp auto and plenty of interior room. 5 seater rather than the later 7 seaters.

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## InsaneAsylum

I've owned a Subaru Forester since 2012. it's in your price range, has a decent size boot space and can tow a trailer with ease.

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## Marc

Here is a good pragmatic car, said to be sensible on fuel too, particularly when parked.  :Smilie:

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## phild01

> I've owned a Subaru Forester since 2012. it's in your price range, has a decent size boot space and can tow a trailer with ease.

  I test drove one of the first diesel Forester's and it couldn't get up my steep driveway without smoking the clutch, could never tow my van up it. There were no automatic diesel's then. My previous 4 cyl Outback fared better.

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## joynz

Thanks for the ideas.   
I did think about getting a van - not sure how well it would go through the Simpson.  On the other hand I just read an article,about going to ‘Big Red’ dune in a Mazda 3 and a Mazda 5.  They had a recovery vehicle with them though... 
I considered a Subaru  - but the 6-monthly servicing seemed over the top.  They get good reviews.

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## InsaneAsylum

> I considered a Subaru  - but the 6-monthly servicing seemed over the top.  They get good reviews.

  I didn't realise there was a 6 monthly servicing. the servicing interval on my car is 10,000kms and I do most services myself.
I've always had a keen interest in cars and trust dealer mechanics as far as I can throw them.

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## joynz

Yes - usually 10,000 or 6 months whichever comes first. 
I noticed that Landrover servicing intervals are every 12 months or ~26,000km - whichever comes first.

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## InsaneAsylum

> Yes - usually 10,000 or 6 months whichever comes first. 
> I noticed that Landrover servicing intervals are every 12 months or ~26,000km - whichever comes first.

  I do about 5000kms a year, servicing my car every 6 months would mean fresh oil every 2500km. It's how dealers shore up their revenue stream.

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## Cecile

There's a 2004 Landcruiser Prado on FB marketplace for $15000 but I can't find it now.  I'll post it if I do!

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## Moondog55

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Hunt...42016252525887
There Ya go

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## r3nov8or

> https://www.facebook.com/groups/Hunt...42016252525887
> There Ya go

  Good worker! 390,000 KMs!

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## Cecile

That's not the one I was thinking about, but there are quite a few out there.

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## joynz

Just  got a message that a car I had saved on car sales.com.au has had a price change - expected a reduction but it is now *$1,000 more than last week!*

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## r3nov8or

> Just  got a message that a car I had saved on car sales.com.au has had a price change - expected a reduction but it is now *$1,000 more than last week!*

  We've been looking for our son, and this happens quite often. And they tend to sell after that! It's like the price gets it into another search bracket, gets some interest and they are happy to drop back down on negotiation - sold!

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