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Hi there I'm in the market for a 2nd hand car and i'm looking for some further guidance between some options. have 2 kids in carseats and sometimes a 3rd who isn't and now also a puppy dog that will be in the boot. Wanting a station wagon thats around the 8l/100km mark. So far I was looking at Subaru Foresters non turbo 2l 04-08 years but where I live in Rotorua servicing is a issue. Volkswagon Passat Variant 2.0 FSI 06 I love the euro cars esp these having the rear aircon vents. However I do know there are alot of issues regarding the DSG box's and engines and Im not sure which ones to stay clear of Mk5 Mk6 etc, Also in the same boat is the Golf Variant 1.4 TSI 09. Also in the mix is a Skoda Octavia vRS Tfsi Combi 07 6spd Manual. My budget range is 10k cash and can goto 15k if its a great deal. Cheers Tony
Hi Tony,
There are a few relatively trouble free options, like the Forester, Toyota Corolla Fielder (might be a bit small), Honda Accord Euro, Honda Stream 1.8ltr.
If you start gong down the European road, you can look at all you mentioned above, but these cars may be at the point where they can be expensive for on-going maintenance.
You do get a car that looks and handles well, potentially has more safety features, but usually comes with extra costs to weigh up. I would just try and stay away from the 1.4 turbo/ supercharged engines as they can be a bit volatile (I don't think any you mentioned are like this).
Thanks for the info Cade, What about the Skoda here is the link for the one I was looking at https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/skoda/auction-1595877577.htm?rsqid=6320d30675d74499b8fc81efee0b2d16 or does this fall into the same category of getting higher in kms so the on-going maintenance becomes alot higher compared to a similar km jap/nz car
Hi there,
This is a very nice car, being a manual it would eliminate any possible transmission problems, which is one of the costly potentials for headache. It's hard to tell if it will or won't create problems as it ages, but it's just something to keep in mind.
Also of interest was the Bmw series of wagons. the 320i's 07-09 range as I think all others goto 2.5L or above engines which go above the 8-9l per 100 km I'm trying to stay at. I here to steer clear of Singapore imports as the extreme humidity can cause issues with the electrics of these cars. Anything else to be wary of on these cars?