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Hi there,

I was wanting some advice regarding an upcoming car purchase. I am currently a university student but will be starting full time work next year. I want a car that is economic, reliable and will last me for at least 3 years. I will be traveling a bit around Auckland with my job next year so would like a car that is fuel efficient.

At the moment I drive a 2001 Toyota Vitz and have thoroughly enjoyed having this as my first car. I is only a 998cc so I am thinking about getting a car with a larger engine. I don't want an engine that is too big as I will only have a graduate role and will not be earning that much. I am realistically looking around $8,000.

I have found a couple of cars that I like and would like your advice on them; Toyota Vitz (newer models), Nissan March and Suziki Swift. Aside from these, are there any other cars that you could recommend given the above criteria?

Also, with regards to mileage, what is a reasonable mileage to be looking at if I want the car to last for at least 3 years? Currently I am not considering anything with an odometer greater than 80,000. Is this reasonable?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am a novice when it comes to buying cars so don't really know what I am doing and what to look for.

Thanks :)

You can't go far wrong by sticking with a later model Vitz/Yaris with the 1.3 litre engine. There are plenty for sale in your price range and you should easily find one with under 80,000km on it.
The Swift would be a good option if you can find one from 2004 on - the earlier shape isn't quite so popular, although from a reliability perspective, they are fine. The problem with the Swift is that they are so popular that it may be hard to find a good low mileage example in your price range.
The Nissan March/Micra and Mazda Demio would also be worthy contenders. Basically, go for the lowest mileage, best condition car you can find, but if you stay with one of the models we've discussed, they should all meet your criteria.

Thanks for the reply :)

I just have a couple more questions. If I could spend more, up to $10,000, is there any merit going for a Suzuki Swift as opposed to a Toyota Vitz/Yaris?

Also I am looking at cars with under 80,000km but is there any particular mileage I should be looking at if I want the car to last for 3-5 years?

Thanks again!

A major advantage of the Swift is that it retains its value so well due to its popularity, so if the budget runs to it, a Swift would probably top the list and perhaps be the easiest to sell when the time comes. However, there's nothing wrong with the Yaris or any of the others either, so only spend what you can afford.
I think you're doing the right thing regarding the mileage. Certainly, most of these cars should maintain their reliability up to at least 130,000km, so by buying at under 80,000km, you should have a few good years of reliable motoring ahead of you.

I have just been looking on TradeMe and have found a 2006 1.5L Nissan March for $7500. Is this a good deal?

I have attached the link below :)

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/nissan/march/auction-620460366.htm

At face value it seems reasonable. Why is it being sold only a few weeks after being registered in New Zealand? If the seller is a dealer, they should be disclosing this.