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jander42

My ancient '91 Corolla is reaching the end of its lifespan - repairs are building up to more than the value of the vehicle and it seems like I need to be looking to replace it. I'm torn what to replace it with, ideally I want to spend $15,000 or less. I'd like a hatchback and it seems the best options are a Mazda 3 or Corolla.

I don't drive heaps in a year, mostly just about town for the odd job as I use public transport to get to/from work, but a larger boot space would be nice for those occasional camping trips. It seems the Mazda has a bigger boot but higher fuel usage (larger engine), both seem to have decent safety ratings.

Do you have any suggestions how I could decide what is best? I have only previously bought off family so the thought of walking into a yard and making a decision to put down a fair chunk of cash makes me anxious to make the right decision for the long term!

Anon

Hi there,
This is a hard decision to be made, both cars are very popular and reliable choices. You might find there are not too many NZ new options of these two on yards, imports will be dime a dozen. There may be little differences that might help judge one from the other like seating position, rear vision, reverse camera or parking sensors, blind spots, wheel sizes and interior trim styles.
The AA pre purchase inspection will also help check that the car is in good condition. https://www.aa.co.nz/cars/buying-a-car/car-buying-guide/pre-purchase-vehicle-inspections

jander42

Do you have a recommendation in Km's on the clock? I see a small scattering under 100K but a lot are over 100k, is there a point at which they become less than ideal?