What cheap safe efficient car for Daughter? - Page 4

Franco Cozzo · 29-12-2015, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asagaai

Originally Posted by Matty4 image
LOL......you obviously don't have a daughter of this age then...

If I told her I'll buy the car but it has to be a Falcon, she'll tell me to get stuffed and work out a way to buy what she wants, and then see how things work out in the father/daughter relationship..

Well- I showed a picture of a Lancer CJ- large rear wing, and my daughter did not like the look- boy racer. She also did not want a bar of Subaru impreza -boy hood racer.

She talked about Mazda 2 for fuel efficiency as she complained that a large chunk of her earnings from part time jobs was paying to feed the Camry V6 3 litre to and from uni etc and fuel consumption was a great concern, and I pulled up on the Mazda 2, - belt cam drive replacement every 100,000 km and nvh and small size for passive crash safety....

Surprisingly when I explained lack of size and safety she was receptive-after the crash and the way the bulbar of the 4wd crushed in the body 3/4 foot inwards over rear passenger wheel, and then raked along the passenger side, only stopped pushing in by door intrusion beams-and the way the rear boot took the impact when the 4wd pushed her Camry rear boot into a car in the opposing lane- she is now looking at the small micro cars and lack of boots with the same eyes as I have.

Ended up buying a Honda Civic 2008 manual with 6 months rego and 5,000 km from next service, surprisingly a very good drive, full stamped service records, good passive crash crumple safety design, and the engine to me felt better than the Lancer 2 litre. $6,000 - so within my $7,000 budget.

Anyways, thanks all for the suggestions, at the end of the day what swayed me was chain cam drive, a tight test drive, good passive safety crumple design, fuel efficiency not that much behind the micro Mazda 2, and Honda engineering which I have grown to respect, this will be my third Honda.

Anywat

While they don't have timing belts they need valve clearance adjustments every 40,000km as they have old school style lifters.

asagaai · 29-12-2015, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

While they don't have timing belts they need valve clearance adjustments every 40,000km as they have old school style lifters.

Ha- looks like I will have fun- used to do the tappet adjustments on my 1.6 Kent rally motor in my Ford Cortina Mk 11 GT 1600 every 10,000 km from memory...so it will be good to be back on some tools in addition to the very basic fluid changes.

Thanks for the info though.

**ebxr8240** · 29-12-2015, 11:25 PM

If she's working ? Thought of a new car ?
5 years warranty, with all the safe gear included ...
Builds monitory skills..

Franco Cozzo · 30-12-2015, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asagaai

Ha- looks like I will have fun- used to do the tappet adjustments on my 1.6 Kent rally motor in my Ford Cortina Mk 11 GT 1600 every 10,000 km from memory...so it will be good to be back on some tools in addition to the very basic fluid changes.

Thanks for the info though.

They're easy to do on the 1.8L/2L Civics which is an upside, the ones which are a real PITFA are the V6 models, though if i remember correctly the 2008 Civic, the oil filter is a PITFA to get to, it might be one of those models where you have to go in through the driver side wheel to reach it, the later ones have the oil filter next to the sump which are really easy to change.

Just remember to do valve clearances when the engine is stone cold.

290v · 30-12-2015, 10:56 PM

Kn & KQ Laser very reliable

XG_Falcon · 31-12-2015, 09:56 PM

Glad to see you got it sorted out. The Civic was a good choice.

Swordie · 02-01-2016, 10:04 AM

Civic is a beautiful choice. Looked after they go for ever and pleasure to drive. They are not short on power, handle really well and enough space to carry a few people around.

**DFB FGXR6** · 02-01-2016, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swordie

Civic is a beautiful choice. Looked after they go for ever and pleasure to drive. They are not short on power, handle really well and enough space to carry a few people around.

Agreed. Plus more than likely to not have been a rental or fleet car or thrashed by it previous owner. 9 times out of 10 owned by a older driver and over serviced.

My uncle was a spares manager at a multi-franchise dealer that had Honda in the fold. He always said he made nothing in Honda spares because he never had any demand for them!