Chery J1 or buy a Used Car

[93EB_SXR6]

To his credit, I just quit smoking - it's not easy to do once you're addicted, the will to do so must come from within (and it takes a lot of will power for some).
You say that servicing/repair costs will be higher on the Falcon than the Barina but here in Aus I am sure it would be the opposite, maybe things are different in NZ?
Maybe 2002-2004 Hyundai Getz if you're set on a small car? they're cheap, drive well and are fairly reliable.

[Rodge]

Originally Posted by Matty4

I'd be more inclined to put it to him that if he quits the "nails" and puts that $70/week plus whatever you're deciding to contribute into the deal into something of a far better proposition than the Chery, that is a far better option for them all, including your grandkids.
Chery's are banned from sale here in Vic last time I looked due to their poor safety equipment.

His kids and your step-daughter will also improve their quality of life without him lighting up all the time around them.

Spot on mate. Just had a good long chat with him and he's been to collect the 20 year old Subaru and while it does still drive, sort of, it now has a bad knock in the engine, the steering is pretty much stuffed, the front bumper is half hanging off and has some accident damage and the ignition barrell is butchered so for a car that cost him just under $1,000 its pretty much a given its a write-off.

He actually offerred to quit the ciggy's, (thankfully I didn't have to get on my soap box with him and we shook on it), if we helped them get into a decent near new small / medium car.

Turns out the old Subaru was costing him $120 a week in petrol so a small fuel efficient car will use approx half to two thirds of that and he admitted the smokes are actually more like $80-$90 a week.

There's circa $50 a week in fuel savings to add to the ciggy savings, so around $130-$140 a week in one way or the other going up in smoke that could be saved.

You can make pretty decent in-roads to paying a reasonable vehicle off with those sort of payments. I am hopeful we can work something out for them that will see them into a good safe reliable and fuel efficient vehicle, definitly not the Chery !! Thanks again to everyone for your comments.

[93EB_SXR6]

Glad to hear he's made the decision to quit. Sad to hear about the Subaru, hopefully karma gets back at the scum sucking thieves that took it.

[danzvtil]

while ill look at new car brands on their merits, i drove several chery J1s when they first came out, they were absolute rubbish, poor crash safety, and poor fuel consumption when compared similar engine size in other brands.
Id fully recommend a hyundai excel (ive owned 2 no problems, cheap as chips) or Getz (same engines).

[xr8cam]

I smoke and due to the cost I roll my own which means instead of $20 Aus per pckt I pay $25 for a pouch of whatever and it lasts me a week or more. If he smokes 3-4 pckts a week he could roll his own with filters in them if he chooses and save $40 plus dollars per week.
If the sooby is stuffed maybe a 2nd hand Toyota or Mitsubishi? If he can get a low km older car off an older person and drive it in a similar manner to what it was used to, it could be the answer. Sounds like he is at that stage where he needs to change his views on things and realise certain behaviour brings the same results and having any car is better than public transport/walking etc. It is called growing up and we all have to do it-even though it is fun to behave a bit crazy now and then-time to think of others too! Good luck with everything and hope it all works out-cheers

[stevz]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

Id fully recommend a hyundai excel (ive owned 2 no problems, cheap as chips) or Getz (same engines).

But they are about as safe as a shopping trolley.

[BadMax]

Rodge, you know I call a spade a spade. The Cherry is a disgrace, I wouldn't use it as a dog kennel. Do you really want them driving around and you said 60k to work in such a sardine can with zero safety features?

All I read is you trying to justify it, don't, you'll regret is. As has been mentioned, Hyundai Getz is quite reliable and dirt cheap on parts. Even an Accent is going to better than a Cherry.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Rodge

Good idea mate but 15.9L / 100 km's on LPG at say $1.10 per litre is more than 5.2 L / 100 km's on petrol @ say $2.10 a litre and then you've got the costs of maintaining a circa 200,000 km car in the Falcon compared to servicing a Holden Barina spark done only 50,000 km's, so servcing and maintance costs would be chalk and cheese.

If we could convince my daughter's boyfriend to give up smoking which he's wasting over $70 a week on we could help finance them into a better car...but he just won't listen and see's smoking as his right and has no interest in quitting whatsoever even when it compromises their ability to finance and maintain a decent vehicle

It really grinds my gearstick that they sometimes complain of running out of food before pay day but while they're complaining about that, he's lighting up another ciggy,

And two child support payments for previous women he's knocked up?
What a catch.

I recommend that your daughter catches the bus, and he buys a (really fast) motorbike. Preferably one with bald tyres, and no need to worry about a helmet either.

On a (less) serious note, the reality is that people on a budget have to put up with unreliable cars. Better off with something older, larger, SAFER, and simpler. Put what money they have into making sure all the basics are in good working order.

[93EB_SXR6]

Gee, you post some stupid things Dazz.

[Rodge]

Originally Posted by BadMax

Rodge, you know I call a spade a spade. The Cherry is a disgrace, I wouldn't use it as a dog kennel. Do you really want them driving around and you said 60k to work in such a sardine can with zero safety features?

All I read is you trying to justify it, don't, you'll regret is. As has been mentioned, Hyundai Getz is quite reliable and dirt cheap on parts. Even an Accent is going to better than a Cherry.

Nah mate honestly I knew Jack about Chery's until yesterday, it was my other daughter's idea, a new car for $8,800 plus on-roads seemed like it was something worth looking into but the more I looked the less I liked.
Current line of thinking is a low km Barina Spark which I posted a photo of above. Excellent safety rating, all the safety tech including heaps of airbags, crash intrusion beams electronic stability control e.t.c. but we might have a look at a Suzuki Swift too.

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

And two child support payments for previous women he's knocked up?
What a catch.
I recommend that your daughter catches the bus, and he buys a (really fast) motorbike. Preferably one with bald tyres, and no need to worry about a helmet either.

On a (less) serious note, the reality is that people on a budget have to put up with unreliable cars. Better off with something older, larger, SAFER, and simpler. Put what money they have into making sure all the basics are in good working order.

That part I agree with to some extent but he's a likeable guy and to be fair he's not the only one out there with a couple of kids to a previous relationship. Yeah this thing is doing my head in a bit. Thing is he doesn't have a very stable employment record and is on casual at the moment with a spa pool manufacturing company and he has a very poor credit record and can't get car finance so if I ante-up with the deposit for a $10,000 vehicle and go guarantor on the car finacne there's a fair chance I'll end up wearing the payments / car back at some stage.

But what do you do, (shrugs shoulders) we are pretty comfortable and someone needs to cut them a break...

[ozpacman]

Originally Posted by Rodge

Nah mate honestly I knew Jack about Chery's until yesterday, it was my other daughter's idea, a new car for $8,800 plus on-roads seemed like it was something worth looking into but the more I looked the less I liked.
Current line of thinking is a low km Barina Spark which I posted a photo of above. Excellent safety rating, all the safety tech including heaps of airbags, crash intrusion beams electronic stability control e.t.c. but we might have a look at a Suzuki Swift too.




That part I agree with to some extent but he's a likeable guy and to be fair he's not the only one out there with a couple of kids to a previous relationship. Yeah this thing is doing my head in a bit. Thing is he doesn't have a very stable employment record and is on casual at the moment with a spa pool manufacturing company and he has a very poor credit record and can't get car finance so if I ante-up with the deposit for a $10,000 vehicle and go guarantor on the car finacne there's a fair chance I'll end up wearing the payments / car back at some stage.

But what do you do, (shrugs shoulders) we are pretty comfortable and someone needs to cut them a break...

Good on you Rodge! Your daughter is very fortunate to have a Dad with the caring and helpful attitude that you have. You are the only one on here who fully understands her and her partner's situation so disregard any negativity that may appear above.

Just a suggestion with your car hunting. Contact your local main stream car rental agencies (Hertz, Avis etc) and see what cars they have coming up for sale. There are some good deals to be had with low mileage late model small cars with a full service history. I know, everyone's going to say, "Oh they've all been thrashed to death", but that's pretty much a myth. They're driven by people on holidays, and are generally passed over by V8 supercar drivers.

A few comments here about Hyundai. My wife and I bought an i30 in 2008 and it's been the most reliable car, and I would say best car we've ever owned. I'd buy another one tomorrow.

Happy hunting!

Russ.