Recommend me a reliable Juice Box

[Crazy Dazz]

So Daughter is in the market for a new(ish) car.
Needs to be automatic, preferably a sedan, and on the smallish side.
So basically looking for a juice box. Corrolla, Cerato type size.
Unfortunately I am well out of touch with this market.

Since I am getting tired of fixing multiple cars, reliability is key for me. Besides that, safety is my number one priority.
Doesn't really matter if it handles like a dead squid, as she is more likely to be worried about Siri-compatability than anything actually car-related.

Budget is $15~20k.

Unfortunately the Focus is out, as any in the right bracket would be power****.

Hard to judge quality now, as so many "Japanese" brands are coming from the Hot-Wheels factory in Thailand.

As mentioned, reliability is key, so strongly attracted to those with long warranties, and for that reason looking for something close to new.

[mechanic]

Mitsubishi, whatever they make in the smaller size.

[Stefan]

Id get a second hand audi A3 or golf. My A3 was actually great to drive, 1.8T was spirited brakes awesom, handled as good as if not better than my F6. Nothing ever went wrong. I bought is a stop gap and loved it, kept it for 4 years.

20k will get you a cracker.

But 20k will get you a near new i30 or kia with a remaining 3 to 5 year warranty....

Pick out a couple of germans and a couple of koreans and take them for a drive, I bet they are better than you think

[JC]

Hyundai I30 fits the bill perfectly. 7 year warranty to boot.

Brand new $19990 drive away:
http://www.hyundai.com.au/offers/i30-active

Or the smaller accent, also brand new from $14990.
http://www.hyundai.com.au/offers/accent-active

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

So Daughter is in the market for a new(ish) car.
Needs to be automatic, preferably a sedan, and on the smallish side.
So basically looking for a juice box. Corrolla, Cerato type size.
Unfortunately I am well out of touch with this market.

Since I am getting tired of fixing multiple cars, reliability is key for me. Besides that, safety is my number one priority.
Doesn't really matter if it handles like a dead squid, as she is more likely to be worried about Siri-compatability than anything actually car-related.

Budget is $15~20k.

Unfortunately the Focus is out, as any in the right bracket would be power****.

Hard to judge quality now, as so many "Japanese" brands are coming from the Hot-Wheels factory in Thailand.

As mentioned, reliability is key, so strongly attracted to those with long warranties, and for that reason looking for something close to new.

[Trump]

How about this:

[aussiblue]

Mazda 3.

[frankie86]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

Mazda 3.

All day everyday! Mazda 3 for the win! With that price range you'd get a nice sp25 too

[josh1990]

Any of the new Kia, Hyundai or Mazda would suit perfectly. Don't waste your time with the Toyota or any of the Euro stuff, they get way too dear out of warranty. We will be upgrading my Mrs's car soon, will more than likely be the Cerato to replace the Turdrolla she has now. Her parents are Toyota mad and even they are considering something else from the lack of value there currently, that and the constant issues with the last 4 they've bought (2 hiluxes, 2 Corolla's).

[chookaradley]

Go out and buy a brand new Hyundai Accent $15000 gets you a new one. 5 year warranty. Definition of juicebox

[gregaust]

Hard to beat the 2006 corollas. I know of a couple that just keep on going. They are fairly affordable now as well

[Brazen]

New model Hyundai Elantra. I've read a couple of reviews where it has beat the Mazda3. I know someone who works for a Hyundai dealer and he reckons sales have been really abysmal as Hyundai are only doing promotions on the I30. So expect a campaign soon for the Elantra or screw the dealer hard on a car in stock. I'd offer 20k for auto on road and go from there...

[danzvtil]

Cerato/I30, both 19990 d/a brand new with auto out of the box, 5 year or 7 year unlimited kay warranty, its a no brainer.
And in that price range your repayments on a new one will be cheaper than a "less expensive" second hand one.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

Mazda 3.

This.

[Brazen]

There are killer deals on demo LZ Focus Trend at the moment. 1.5 Ecoboost and torque converter auto. It's a mid spec car and has things like sat Nav. Silly high pricing on cars like Everest and Focus means less buyers but great deals if you know how to negotiate.

[blackf6]

Ba gt

[jaydee]

Mazda 3, without a doubt, bullet proof, better resale (compared to Hyundias Kias etc), so reliable, timing chain, not belt and has all the safety features, plus they're stylish.
We have three Mazda's in our household of 5 cars, a 3, a 6 and an SP23.
The SP23 is a ripper too so have a look at an SP23 or SP25 depending on budget for something a bit sporty.

[jaydee]

Originally Posted by Brazen

There are killer deals on demo LZ Focus Trend at the moment. 1.5 Ecoboost and torque converter auto. It's a mid spec car and has things like sat Nav. Silly high pricing on cars like Everest and Focus means less buyers but great deals if you know how to negotiate.

Except theres a class action against them for faulty gearboxes

[Giant Cranium]

Originally Posted by jaydee

Except theres a class action against them for faulty gearboxes

new ones have a conventional auto like he mentioned, its the dry dsg ones that are in the class action

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by frankie86

All day everyday! Mazda 3 for the win! With that price range you'd get a nice sp25 too

Originally Posted by jaydee

Mazda 3, without a doubt, bullet proof, better resale (compared to Hyundias Kias etc), so reliable, timing chain, not belt and has all the safety features, plus they're stylish.

When my other daughter (no, not that one, the other one) was looking, I recommended Maxda. IIRC correctly they were offering an extra year's warranty at the time. She couldn't afford a 3, but loved the 2, so went with that.
Personally, I would recommend a Mazda 3 every time, but a newish one is too far out of her price-range. If it was for me, I'd still go for an older Mazda, as I think the quality and reliability would surpass, but for her I like the idea of a nice long warranty.

Originally Posted by Stefan

Id get a second hand audi A3 or golf. My A3 was actually great to drive, 1.8T was spirited brakes awesom, handled as good as if not better than my F6. Nothing ever went wrong.

Again, if it were for me, I'd be tempted. There's no doubt that a Golf is 10 times the car that a Kia will ever be, but since she is really looking for an iPhone-dock with wheels, that doesn't come into it.

Originally Posted by gregaust

Hard to beat the 2006 corollas. I know of a couple that just keep on going. They are fairly affordable now as well

Far too old.
I actually wouldn't mid one of the last Japanese Corollas. Unfortunately IIRC the last were 2012/ early 2013, so they're all just out of warranty.

Originally Posted by mechanic

Mitsubishi, whatever they make in the smaller size.

The Mirage is just plain nasty.
However the Lancers are quite appealing. Still made in Japan, with a decent pedigree, and brand new can be had for around $20k drive away.

[Stefan]

Warranty wise you just cant go past hyundai or kia.....just take each for a drive and buy the better one

[Sabantien]

If she's after an iphone connector with wheels, i30 has to fit that bill. And you can get brand new in that price bracket (just). EOFY sales on now too, maybe pick up a higher specced demo for a good price. Not a sedan, but sedans and hatches are all starting to look the same these days.

I was impressed by the Kias too, and Cerato comes in a sedan. Rio is a bit smaller and cheaper, but when I was checking them out, the Rio just felt too cheap and nasty still. Newer versions may be better.

[falconhell74]

Picked up a 2012 corolla In Gladstone QLD for a friend a bit over a year ago for $10,000.00 and Gladstone is a complete and utter rip off for every thing , so you should be able to pick a 2012 -2013 eisily

[Ben73]

My fiance has an i30 she bought last year and loves it.
20k new, is well equipped and drives well for what it is.
If she gets it serviced with the dealership she bought it at they give her an extra 3 year warranty taking it to a total of 8 years.

I currently have a Pulsar as a rental and the i30 destroys it in every way.

[EBSXR6]

I currently have a Pulsar as a rental and the i30 destroys it in every way.[/QUOTE]

My sister had a couple of rentals recently an i30 and Camry, she said the i30 was heaps better.

[nt0351]

don't be hung up on warranties ,..get her a quality built safe car and you don't have to worry about needing a long warranty,...they all want iPhone connectors because their friends have one. the Korean stuff may drive nice and have all the fluff , just appliances imo , get her a real car that's had years of engineering behind it , Mazda 3 , Golf , Corolla ,cant go wrong

[nt0351]

Originally Posted by josh1990

Any of the new Kia, Hyundai or Mazda would suit perfectly. Don't waste your time with the Toyota or any of the Euro stuff, they get way too dear out of warranty. We will be upgrading my Mrs's car soon, will more than likely be the Cerato to replace the Turdrolla she has now. Her parents are Toyota mad and even they are considering something else from the lack of value there currently, that and the constant issues with the last 4 they've bought (2 hiluxes, 2 Corolla's).

nothing wrong with Euro's mate,. Daughters 08 Golf , over 260,000klms now ,..hasn't missed a beat ,.still drives nicely , gets over 1000klms per tank , solid as a little tank,.. cant compare it to the Korean stuff on any level .... id also buy a Toyota before any Hyundai any day of the week.

some of you have been brainwashed by all the marketing

[EBSXR6]

Originally Posted by nt0351

nothing wrong with Euro's mate,.

My Sisters Tiguan was a lemon. Spent so much time at the workshop it wasnt funny. She told me one day the dealer arranged for a rental as a loan car and the CSR at the rental depot said they had 30 Cars rented out for the dealer.

[Top_Ghia]

Anything from Honda. They are just perfect. Nothing ever goes wrong.
Well almost nothing. I have replaced a cruise control switch on an Accord Euro and 2 sway bar bushes on an old CRV. Those poor owners were devastated.
Genuine sway bar bushes were about $6 each. Crazy.

[.:4:.]

Personally I have no ill speak about mazda. My wife had a 2.3l mazda 6 and it never put a foot wrong, she ran it 50 thousand over service before trading it on a cx9. The cx9 was probably the least economical car in history, but again, never put a foot wrong. The following 2l falcon is much easier to live with being half of what the cx9 was to run, but no mechanical failures happened with the mazdas

[malazn mafia]

Japanese built Corolla. 2013 and older. No confidence in Thai manufacturing, so won't recommend the current generation. Those are near indestructible and do everything for A to B transport with no fuss. Survived being rear ended by a dump truck, no injuries and car got repaired and still going strong today.