Ask an expert

Hello All,

I am planning to buy my first car, going for a sedan though.
My car use would be for commuting to work, about 25 kms a day, occassional shopping trips around town, weekend gateways(about40kms) and once in two months long haul trips like Wellington-Auckland or others.
What i am looking for in the car;
- reliability in terms of maintenance & parts
- fuel efficiency on an average basis say 7-8km/100L
- comfort in ride and road handling for long trips
- light on wallet for routine maintenance
My budget is about 10 grands stretchable to max 12 grands in well deserved cases and i will be looking at paying by installment.
I have my interest in following cars; Toyota Mark-X, Nissan Maxima/Teana, Toyota Allion,
Mitsubishi Lancer. Although i'm not very keen on small hatchbacks but would not mind giving a thought to; Hyundai i30, Suzuki swift, Ford focus if sedans don't really work out.
I am thinking of used models from 2005 onwards, if that sounds ok. KM wise i have read that anything under 100000KM is good(provided its service is proper).
I have been seeing ads with cars done about 130000KM(toyota,mitsubish,nissan) including some older sedan models nike nissan primera, pulsar, toyota camry, mitsubish lancer/diamante etc. How feasible would these be(assuming full service history of these can't be verified).
I do not have much know how on cars and hence would appreciate inputs to give me a firm idea on getting a proper car first time around.
Apart from the above cars i have given, please suggest any others that fits my description.

& sorry for the long post, couldn't cut it too short for the read.
Appreciate all replies. Thanks in advance.

Some of the cars on your list such as the Maxima, Diamante, Mark-X etc are large cars that wouldn't return the fuel economy you're after, and I'm not sure would be suitable first cars. Also, beware of some of these if they have a CVT transmission, as some Japanese market models did have this transmission which could be a problem. The Primera is a case in point.
If you prefer a sedan, although it's still a relatively largish car, the Camry could be a good option, but so could Mazda6/Atenza and Honda Accord.
These mid-size sedans are not as sought after as they once were, but there's nothing wrong with them and if you have a preference for them, you will possibly get more for your money.
The hatchbacks such as i30, Swift, Corolla etc are very popular and hold their value well.
Ideally, a car with under 100,000km would be the preference and you should be able to find something with these kms within your budget.

Thank you for the useful reply.
So, being my first car buy i understand that i should be sticking more to the small hatchbacks which would do good in terms of learning and economy as well.

Apart from the i30, swift which other small hatchbacks would be suggestive for consideration here. How would VW Golf/Polo or any others fit in terms of maintenance reliability and fuel economy without too much dent on purse when it comes to changing parts or routing maintenance.
I am also looking for at least average boot space to hold things.

Appreciate your response.

There are many small hatchbacks on the market that could be suitable, although given that you need a bit of space, probably the light cars such as the Swift, Yaris, Mazda2, Fiesta and Polo etc may not have the space you require.
Perhaps a slightly bigger (compact) hatchbach such as the Corolla, i30, Mazda3 or Golf might be better.
In answer to your question about the Golf, it may cost a little more to maintain, but shouldn't be vastly more expensive, and it is a very nice car to drive.

Thanks again.
If at all a sedan(for the power/space), which used sedan car would you suggest for me to consider as my first buy.

As I said previously, if you prefer a medium/largish sedan, the Camry Mazda6/Atenza and Honda Accord could be good options.

Thank you for the suggestions.

I'm not sure why you think a Golf (& other hatchbacks?) will not have enough power, as most hatchbacks are every bit as powerful as sedans.
A quick look online revealed Mazda6/Atenza, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord models within your budget and mileage criteria, but if you're not a fan of these cars but want a sedan, there isn't a whole lot more that we haven't already discussed.
Likewise, hatchbacks such as Toyota Corolla, Mazda3/Alexas etc also fall easily within mileage and budget requirements.
It really comes down to your personal preference. The early Lancer is OK, but wouldn't be my preference.