r/CarsAustralia

I have worked in the motor industry for 15 years now. The cars that you can buy brand new today will never be reliable, second hand cars in the future.

Right now when you buy a new vehicle. You have no option but to have fitted,

- Automatic Braking. (Front camera or front radar)
- Lane departure steering and alerts. (Front camera)
- Speed alerts (Uses front camera)

Some cars even have,

- Eye monitoring sensors (Alert you when your eyes leave the road or wear sunglasses) Yes I’m not kidding.

- Blind spot detection sensors and alerts.

- Electric seats (Lucky only in the higher models for most manufactures)

- Electric park brakes

These are just some of the unnecessary systems that will cost the owner THOUSANDS, if they break. And they will.

After working in the industry, I can tell you that I will never buy a car with any of these systems. Because them being damaged or faulty is up to chance alone.

When these cars are 10 years old (some of them are getting there.) Most people will have no choice but to buy one of these money pits.

Here are some examples of these parts replacement if they fail.

Electric park brake switch - $500
Electric seat motor - $1500
Electric park brake motor - $4000
Blind spot detection sensors - $600 but maybe more depending on model
Front camera - $5000
Front Radar - $5000

If one of these is faulty or damaged, you will be unable to have a RWC until it is repaired. Fact.

Tell me how this is economically sustainable for lower earners.

Where are the cheaper, bare bones vehicles for drivers that only require the A to B transport?

Manufacturers need to get with the times and being back cars with actual value and reliability.

25F P plater here.

I had an accident months ago, if you can even call it that.

Car park. I was moving between the isles, had right of way and a driver coming in from the road honked at me while I was already in the strip.

Both cars stopped just shy of touching. My car has ABSOLUTELY NO DAMAGE. He demanded money on the spot... and when me a scared woman asked to call my brother... he stright up left, gave me the wrong insurance provider and then started demanding I pay for a replacement vehicle over text.

We had heard nothing for months... now he's claiming $2000 worth of damage through his insurance that doesnt match the photos he gave me on the day of the accident (after he fled) and is actually impossible based on the height of the damage. My car literally would have had to flip for this to happen.

My insurance have said that I cant make a claim because I have no damage on my car. Like AT ALL. My car is WHITE we would know.

Im a cancer remission patient and have appointments to pay for. My big 2nd year check is coming up and the stress has led to me dropping 3 kilos and vomiting. I don't know what to do.

Ok - I am one of those people who love sedans and I bought a brand new Audi A6 Quattro in 2021. It is souped up - sports line, spoiler, fenders, black pack etc.

I really love it but it is just coming to 5 years old and I was wondering - is there really a brand new sedan that I would buy? And that got me thinking after going lots of websites - I don’t think there are any good sedans (I know subjective) coming out now as everything seems to be a variation of some SUV.

So my question is - which brand new model Sedan would you buy in 2026 and 2027 (perhaps coming soon)?

Seems like there have been a lot of naysayers predicting that Honda’s new baby EV would be a dud, destined to clog showrooms like the unloved Mazda MX-30 did.

It might have only bet on 150 units, but those 150 disappeared within hours, with a claimed 7,000 expressions of interest on the books.

Small and cool, known brand, not a cookie-cutter SUV… these are the elements that pushed it along IMO, not dollar-for-dollar comparos with the new crop of cheap EVs that have flooded the market.

Not sure if Honda is willing or able to take advantage, though. The 2020 E was an expensive flop, and - as it’s done numerous times in its history - Honda again folded like a cheap suit, winding back its future EV spend after blowing through billions.

It’s interesting that companies like Honda and Nissan never went on with promising early works; Honda made its first commercial EV way back in ‘99, while Nissan should have absolutely bunged the Leaf powertrain into any and every sub-large line it had on the books.

I’m not an EV acolyte or anything… just found it interesting that people were so willing to write the Super One off out of the gate.

It was my high school car crush 20 years ago. I wish I bite the bullet and bought one. Anyone seen them for sale or is it inport only now?

UPDATE: the C-HR got sold to some one els so guess I'm getting the mazda 😀

Looking at a mazda 6 wagon and a Toyota c-hr tomorrow

The mazda 2016 85,592 km red wagon $20,880

The toyota 2017 81,595 yellow small suv $19,990

The mazda seems great in every way except leather seats wich i dont like. its got bigger boot space

The toyota just looks so damn cool!

Still decent boot space bit smaller

Slightly less km and and slightly newer

I dont have family or regular passengers to worry about

Both are petrol and auto transmission

Think its a case of heads telling me mazda hearts telling me toyota

Hey everyone, 19 year old QLD resident here. I’m looking for advice about financing a car. I know it’s a huge decision to be making as a 19 year old, but I don’t really have any adults in my life to have this conversation with so here I am.

My current car is a lovely little shitbox that is unfortunately kicking the bucket. I can’t go without a car as I drive for work and work with livestock/on a farm (EDIT: Need to be able to tow). Tale as old as time I’m sure but I’m wanting something newer and more reliable so I don’t pour all my money into a death trap again. I’ve been looking at options to finance for the past few months and have found a few options around the 30-35k mark that I am interested in viewing. I would be getting a loan out to make the purchase.

So the question: is that a completely fucked idea?

I make 80k p.a. currently and am on track to have a raise mid-next year to 90k-100k. I live a reserved life and am lucky to not pay a huge amount of rent so am able to save most of my salary. I’m incredibly precious with my money and 30-35k for a loan seems outlandish to me. I know I can comfortably pay it back, but the anxious part of me is thinking about something going wrong. I’m just not sure.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers everyone 🙏🏼

Found a 1995 80 Series GXL, 5-speed manual, 1FZ-FE on dual fuel. Full service history from new, mostly Toyota stamps. ARB rear air lockers and compressor with the original install receipts from 1998. Dual batteries just done, UHF, immobiliser, even Apple CarPlay wedged into a 30-year-old dash. Clear coat peeling on the bonnet and roof like every 80 ever made.

[$13,000 asking, 440,000 km]

Use case: weekend rig only, I've got a daily. Mostly Gippsland trips — Walhalla tracks, Phillip Island runs, maybe some High Country eventually. I like big manuals and I want something that won't leave me on the side of the Princes.

I've also been looking at GU Patrols — a 2.8, a ZD30, and a TB45 — and every single one has either a famously fragile engine or an ad that reads like "all new head, radiator, hoses" (so… it cooked itself, right?).

The 1FZ at 450k with history feels like the safe pick, but part of me says 18-20L/100km of petrol is going to hurt even at weekend kms, LPG stations are disappearing in regional Vic, and 450k is still 450k.

So — anyone daily'd or toured a high-km 1FZ? Is the fuel bill as bad as the calculators say? And Patrol blokes, this is your chance: convince me the barn door is worth it.