Student car ....

[ChrisF]

My BIL has just had the most "interesting" couple of days ......

His daughter finished matric in 2012, and had plans for continuing her sport in Europe. Everything was lined up and sorted .... untill the club asked for her work permit weeks before departing !! JIP, when playing league in Europe you need a work permit .... TOO LATE, and these plans all fell by the way side.


Now as these conversations go .... study what you "like" vs studying what we blieve to be "paying" jobs ....

So off to enroll her for a traditional diploma course - remember that most applications closed 3rd term last year already ..... Long story short, she could not get in.


So of to go and enquire into what she likes - SPORT. Nice opportunity for training into the Sport Management/Personal Trainer type/ Sport Coach type field. The course fees are not insane, obviously her province colours in various sports now helps, etc etc.


And all of a sudden a nise curve ball !!!

This course has a LOT of practical work to it ! They will be doing training at various schools in the afternoons - so she NEEDS her own transport. Public transport is not an option, nor is a motorcycle - she needs to lugg about bags of sport equipment.


To say this was an "unforseen expense" (at a most inopportune time) is the understatement of the century !!


So now that you have the background - what student car to get for this young lady ??

It MUST be reliable, and dirt cheap


a modern vehicle with all the safeties would be nice, but is NOT in the budget. Maybe grannies old Citi Golf with low kilos ....


Would love to hear what you guys think, and if you possibly have any suggestions.


thanks

[CasKru]

Tazz?

[pietpetoors]

Tazz you can get cheap and they super reliable. Grannies Golf also sounds nice.
I had many Golfs in my life and the past 6 years we had a Tazz. I find the Tazz amazing, in 6 yars I did Front brakes once, replaced the timing belt because I got worried at 160,000 km and besides that only did services. Most cost effective little car I ever owned.

Golf is reliable and cheap to maintain. But you more often pay attention to CV joints and the carburetor is not so good. But if you keep your hand on it and if it has been Granny's only and have low kilos, there is nothing wrong with it.

Looking at oldish affordable cars those are really the only 2 I would consider. Because it is your daughter reliable will be your main concern, you do not want to get a call at 22h00 saying her car broke down in some dark street on her way home.

If Granny was only owner of the Golf, at least you know the history of the car.

[jakeslouw]

Both my kids have Golfs. 1989-onwards Golf 1 / Citi Golf types.

Spares are cheap and freely available, fuel consumption is fairly good, and any backyard mechanic can fix one.

Go for 1600cc and manual transmission.

For instance, a full engine refurb cost R4500 last year. Engine has now done 30,000km and is still running like a clock.
Tyres are R450 each and you might use a front set in 30,000 kms.

[Hoppy]

Ek het n 2006 Sirion in goeie toestand R45K, behoort aan n forum lid wat ge-imigreer het

[CasKru]

Ek het n 2006 Sirion in goeie toestand R45K, behoort aan n forum lid wat ge-imigreer het

En Daihatsu en Toyota is boetie en Sussie

[ChrisF]

Dankie Allan.

[Thabogrobler]

En daai Sirions is nie lief vir hoe oktaan sous nie - ek het al gehoor hulle doen maklik 20-22km/L!!!

[Donkey]

I would agree with the above on a Tazz, unbreakable that 2E motor. Have no personal experience with a Golf but my friend's mom had one brand new and this thing just kept on going and going.

[ChrisF]

I have been doing some homework. A friend has access to the "dealer auctions". these cars are trade ins, that get sold into the second hand market, patched and sold off at the typical 2nd hand car sales lot. The prices I saw are PRE patch and mark up !

Tazz (I owned a Conguest back then and do think this is a GOOD car) - damn expensive !! DECENT models (no accident damage etc), with 300k on the clock goes for 30k !! INSANE.
Corsa Lite - saw a couple, but none in good nick.
CitiGolf - couple of "reasonable units". But I was warned that the insurance on these are sometimes more than the installment !
Mazda 323 - only saw two, selling a bit slightly cheaper than the Tazz. 200k and 300k on the clock and still got good prices.


for somebody that has not looked at the 2nd hand market since 1992 this was a BIG eye opener.

If you want "entry level" and "decent condition" about 6 to 12 years old you are looking at 30k + Anything less and you can SEE it will cost money to keep on the road !!


The only exception is Tata Indica. 25 to 35k buys a vehicle in good condition with less than 100k on the clock.


Anybody here that care to commentt on these cars ? (with some experience) I know we all love to joke about Tata, yet a friend has been using the Tata bakkies on his farm for more than a decade without a days trouble .....

[ChrisF]

one thing I can add - I was pleasantly surprized to see just how many vehicles get to 250-300k on the clock and still looking okay. (so if you buy at 100k there is (may) a lot of life left in a vehicle)

[Oupa Stig]

8 years ago I bought my wife a 2000 model 1300 Tazz. Now has 180k on clock. It just keeps going. I forget to sevice it, cause it just never complains. Had to fit new clutch in Port Alfred last year on our holiday. Cost us 2 k. The wife likes to "ride" the clutch at traffic lights on uphills instead of using the handbrake. Warned her about excessive wear on clutch, she did not listen, so she had to pay for new one. We'd considered getting her something newer, but she (and I) have become very attached to this simple and reliable little car. My only gripe is the interior roof lining which has de-laminated, now it sags as if it's full of water - it's just the cloth, but because I'm tall it tickles my head... Will glue it back somehow.

[BosveldBul]

My wife's 1998 tazz is on 199 000 km now. New cambelt was due at 200k km, but it broke on 197k km. cost a pretty penny to replace the 3 valves, 3 rockers etc. Other than that this car just does not give any problems. I service it myself every 10 000 at a cost of around R300.

[ChrisF]

Jip that IS the one "weak point" of the Tazz - the valves come straight down (no angle as on many other vehicles). And when the cambelt snaps the pistons DO hit the valves !! Broken rockers are the end result.

BEST to change that belt nice and early.

[ChrisF]

Feedback time -

Having looked at the current 2nd hand prices, and what is typically available, we were faced with a couple of hard realities :
- Tazz - expensive and HIGH milage
- Corsa Light - did not see any that had life left in them
- Citi Golf - couple of viable options out there, but the prices are not much short of the Tazz (I am now comparing like for like - year, condition etc etc). Worst thing with the CitiGolf is the high insurance.
- Mazda, Ford, Fiat, etc - if the vehicle is still in good condition the price goes UP. In fact, there is very little price difference between a GOOD condition old car of any of the major brands.
- Mercs, Beemers etc (the old large bodies models) .... as said previously, due to previous experience we dont want to get caught by high maintenance costs ...

The common denominator being - HIGH MILAGE ..... so what you save today on purchase cost you may very well spend on maintenance tomorrow.


In the end we bought a Tata Indica. 2005 model with 95k on the clock. Car + 6 month mechanical warrantee + road worthy registration etc = just under 30k (the normal showroom price for this would be about R36k ....) I will give the car a full service and then hold thumbs .... :)


PS - if any of you have some technical info on this car I will appreciate it.


THANKS for all the feedback.