Cheapest 2nd hand car to run big distance

AussieCJ7 · 23-01-2017, 03:12 PM

In a situation where might have to be driving over 1000klm per week most of it freeway with up to 4 hour sints behind the wheel largely Hume and pacific highway

instead of killing any of my current cars contemplating buying something sub $20k that will be comfortable, safe and reliable but cheapest overall running cost.

Thinking an FG XR6 or commodore v6 would have to be up there ? might be slighty more on fuel but less on servicing and parts.

I have a terriotry turbo that has 180,000klms on the clock i was going to use but started to look closely at what is or will needing to be done maint wise due to age (no major defects owned since new and well maintained). so contenplating off loading it and getting something cheaper to run

Yellow_Festiva · 23-01-2017, 03:17 PM

Fiesta Econetic?

frankie86 · 23-01-2017, 03:28 PM

Falcon/commodore would be a good choice, always get awesome economy from them on freeways (thats where they shine) but doing those kinda kays every week as much as I'm not a fan of diesels in passenger cars, diesel might be the most economical..... ecoboost g6e even???

AussieCJ7 · 23-01-2017, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankie86

ecoboost g6e even???

Also just found a few ecolpi G6E looks like a comfy option

.:4:. · 23-01-2017, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AussieCJ7

Also just found a few ecolpi G6E looks like a comfy option

Monster highway kays, I'd be swayed more towards a 4l. I have both an ecoboost g6 and a 4l fairmont ghia. Having the addition of a turbo on the ecoboost it adds an extra thing that can go wrong. Day to day driving and the odd long trip the ecoboost is great. Goes equally as well as the 6. It does horrible things to the oil in it when serviced at the same interval as the 6. I think it's all due to the added heat of the turbo oil feed, so on that basis, I'd be swayed towards a 4L 6.

AussieCJ7 · 23-01-2017, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Fiesta Econetic?

Not sure of you country driving experience but not a fan of small cars for big distances outside of the city

Yellow_Festiva · 23-01-2017, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AussieCJ7

Not sure of you country driving experience but not a fan of small cars for big distances outside of the city

Not a problem. Perhaps specify next time a size preference then?

Unless you are going out bush bashing I don't get the whole 'small cars ain't good out of town' mentality to be honest?

3.2l per 100 in the freeway and most for sale are under $10k.

**Cav** · 23-01-2017, 06:08 PM

Don't rule out the mighty AU Fairmont or Fairlane.

Four hours a day in comfort, who really cares if it costs $6 more every refill?

Kieron · 23-01-2017, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cav

Don't rule out the mighty AU Fairmont or Fairlane.

Four hours a day in comfort, who really cares if it costs $6 more every refill?

Yep, decent AU on gas and the damn thing will run forever. If your feeling rich/generous, give it an oil change once every blue moon.

I just can't think of anything that would be cheaper motoring for this.

Sabantien · 23-01-2017, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Not a problem. Perhaps specify next time a size preference then?

Unless you are going out bush bashing I don't get the whole 'small cars ain't good out of town' mentality to be honest?

3.2l per 100 in the freeway and most for sale are under $10k.

It's not that they're not capable, but it's not the most comfortable.

How high does the Fiesta rev at 110?

I know my gf's hatch has a 7 or 8 speed gearbox and it still revs at over 2k while my Falcon is at 1.5k.

One car is designed for long distance cruising, one is designed for zipping around town. Both can do either, one is just far more comfortable to be in while out on the highway. Personally I also find small cars too cramped.

AussieCJ7 · 24-01-2017, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sabantien

It's not that they're not capable, but it's not the most comfortable.

How high does the Fiesta rev at 110?

I know my gf's hatch has a 7 or 8 speed gearbox and it still revs at over 2k while my Falcon is at 1.5k.

One car is designed for long distance cruising, one is designed for zipping around town. Both can do either, one is just far more comfortable to be in while out on the highway. Personally I also find small cars too cramped.

Yes comfort is prob the biggest factor but also the longer wider wheelbase means less impact from cross winds or drafts from trucks and also have extra torque in reserve to accelerate promptly when needed, most of the small cars hit a wall for roll on acceleration or you need to get them right up in rev range before you start getting response. So this all adds up to a more safe secure feeling real or perceived

dcstraight · 23-01-2017, 03:29 PM

EcoLPi - comfortable large size car with cheap fill-ups...pretty hard pressed to find similar sized car with lower running costs IMHO.

AussieCJ7 · 23-01-2017, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcstraight

EcoLPi - comfortable large size car with cheap fill-ups...pretty hard pressed to find similar sized car with lower running costs IMHO.

How does serving costs compare on lpg ? The 4.0 is renowned for running forever does the ecolpi reduce that ?

roddy1960 · 24-01-2017, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AussieCJ7

How does serving costs compare on lpg ? The 4.0 is renowned for running forever does the ecolpi reduce that ?

G'day...Moses bought one , he bought it off Methusela who had it from new I believe !!!!!!....All bad jokes aside , on this point I remember reading a few years back about a Falcon taxi in Queensland.. It's regular driver retired and offered to buy the taxi from the company at 650,000 clicks..when I read about it the car had over 900,000 and still going well...Maybe not that high but a well looked after taxi wouldn't be the worst option at a low purchase price.. Two thing pretty sure would be regularly properly serviced and not thrashed unlike a few rentals and ex cop cars which would be not so certain..Big reliable kays for taxis is the norm because an unreliable down time for them costs them big time..Cheers Rod..

commodorenutt · 23-01-2017, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcstraight

EcoLPi - comfortable large size car with cheap fill-ups...pretty hard pressed to find similar sized car with lower running costs IMHO.

This!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

LPG supply an issue these days doing rural work? The LPI seemed to have some head gasket issues aswell?

Early ones had head/bolt issues. Mine had 3 heads in under 50K, but they got it sorted out quick. Not a problem after about 9 months, and all the faulty ones were recalled (mine was also re-re-called, because the first and 2nd replacement heads were done before the fix came on-stream. Slight inconvenience having to drive a loaner home overnight, but I have nothing negative to say about the LPi.

However, it all comes down to budget.

If you're looking at $3K, then you're best off getting an AU on gas (preferably the factory system).
You may get a BA for that money, but it's probably been a cab.

If you can stretch to $5K, you'll get a decent BA or maybe even a BF factory gas.

Cheapest LPi FG I've seen recently was $11K for an XT ex-fleet.

For long distance running, you just can't beat a large car - Falcon/Commodore have loads of comfort.

As much as I'm a Holden man, I'm not biased - the AU is a good long distance car (I used to do country runs in the early 2000s in mine) - but the BA seats are a lot better for long drives.

I've done many long interstate runs in the FG, and it's been THE most comfortable long-distance car I've ever owned. Even my weekly commute is >660km, and it laps it up. Almost 200,000km on it now.

I do like the comment above about the simplicity of the AU - the live axle is certainly more durable & gives a much longer time between repairs than the BA-FG IRS, and the trade-off in comfort isn't that bad.

No problems getting gas on any of the main highways and larger country centres either.

barra240t · 23-01-2017, 03:32 PM

Mondeo TDCI

davenl5l · 23-01-2017, 03:36 PM

Duel fuel xr6 with injected lpg . My ba gets around 460 klm for $38 of gas

**Polyal** · 23-01-2017, 04:32 PM

LPG supply an issue these days doing rural work? The LPI seemed to have some head gasket issues aswell?

.:4:. · 23-01-2017, 04:38 PM

I forgot to add. We got the 2012 ecoboost g6 in 2014 with 23 thousand on the clock for 20k. A deal like that may sway your choice if it comes up.

**M&Ms** · 23-01-2017, 04:45 PM

Add another 3 or 4k to your budget and buy a 2015 FGX XR6 with 10,000 - 20,000km on it. Trouble free motoring.

Sabantien · 23-01-2017, 04:51 PM

My G6E was pretty comfy when I did about 2,400km in a weekend. I was shifting a bit in my seat by the end, I have to admit.

If you're looking for comfortable size and reasonable power (makes sense. My gfs hatch uses less fuel on the highway, but it also revs a lot higher, while the barra just cruises along quietly), other options may be a euro sedan. Might have a bit more of that nice stuff in the cabin to make it even more comfortable. I hired a Mercedes to drive about 400km each way in the states, and it was super quiet, super comfortable, and was a pleasure to drive.

.:4:. · 24-01-2017, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sabantien

My G6E was pretty comfy when I did about 2,400km in a weekend. I was shifting a bit in my seat by the end, I have to admit.

If you're looking for comfortable size and reasonable power (makes sense. My gfs hatch uses less fuel on the highway, but it also revs a lot higher, while the barra just cruises along quietly), other options may be a euro sedan. Might have a bit more of that nice stuff in the cabin to make it even more comfortable. I hired a Mercedes to drive about 400km each way in the states, and it was super quiet, super comfortable, and was a pleasure to drive.

I agree with what you say about long drives and having a comfortable seat. Economy is only one factor. I will use 4 personal examples. My old van. It would only take a 45 minute drive for you back to hurt due to the awkward driving position. My ranger. Much better, but you get a bit fidgety after nearly 2 hours. Good on fuel. The g6 ecoboost. You have to make a slight compromise between arm comfort and leg comfort as the pedals are fixed, but long trips aren't bad, again good on fuel. The trusty old steed, bf2 ghia. Set the seat to where your arms are comfortable, then bring the pedals in to where your feet are comfortable. No comprises there. Excellent for the man drives where there are no breaks unless it's a toilet stop. A bf ghia is probably too old for the op, but a G6E should have adjustable pedals.

Sabantien · 25-01-2017, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by .:4:.

A bf ghia is probably too old for the op, but a G6E should have adjustable pedals.

Mine doesn't.

I believe it was an option though, so should be something that can be found.
I also don't have the ipod cable.

If it was me, I'd be looking for a G6E that has those options, and whatever other goodies it has over the XR6. The little things that make spending more time in the cabin more comfortable.

The 'premium' sound system is something I would definitely want. Can't stand listening to crappy music quality. While it's far from what I would consider premium, it's definitely better than I've heard in most other cars I've been in.

Suddenly, fuel economy isn't that big an issue. A smaller car will definitely use more fuel, but how much is that difference going to be at the petrol station?

**Cav** · 25-01-2017, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sabantien

Mine doesn't.

I believe it was an option though, so should be something that can be found.
I also don't have the ipod cable.

They can be fitted with an ipod cable, selection via AM button, steering wheel controls work it.

GTMOND · 23-01-2017, 05:10 PM

When you can get oil filters ect for under $10 for a falcon or commodore ,it's hard to go past them for high klm work.
Also as mentioned, highway klms is the bread and butter for Falcons and Commodores IMO.
LPi falcon would be my pick.

mike_nofx · 23-01-2017, 07:02 PM

Cheapest overall running cost?

Au to BF wagon straight LPG, has the larger tank size. Will run forever, cost $5k or less so you don't lose resale value compared with a $20k car which eats into overall running cost.

Junkyard-Dog · 23-01-2017, 07:03 PM

I would definitely go for an AU on gas.

Brazen · 23-01-2017, 07:09 PM

Camry Hybrid

dirty hands · 23-01-2017, 07:17 PM

just you in the car

if cruz and air con needed camry V6 wagon

tough guy

a mini moke
vw bettle ( can buy a bolt in air cooled engine that runs any % ethanol )

Bushbasher · 23-01-2017, 08:25 PM

Go find yourself a dual fuel BF, Fairmont ghia or Fairlane if you can find one, then you'll have the best of both worlds and cheap as chit to maintain. Change the oil every 10k or so and plugs and leads as required and it'll just keep going.