Quote:
Originally Posted by bathurst77
I bought a brand new Kia Cerato a few years back for same reasons.
After years of only owning fords.. Lasers, falcons, mondeos.
I do heaps of kms a year mostly in city, so wanted cheap reliable trouble free with long w/tee. Its a tool to get me round, not a car to enjoy.
But I totally fell in love with it!
Its a great car! I cant fault it. Others who have ridden in it have now bought one. Im now a kia fanboy.
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I'm hearing you mate.
We had a '96 VS Commodore that, whilst it served us reasonably well, was certainly not without it's problems. I particularly noticed these issues start to come hard and fast once the car was around 8 to 10 years old.
A few I can recall were hood linings (on its third one by the time it was 10 years old and even that one was starting to drop!), leaking intake manifold gaskets, various air-con failures, bonnet and boot struts failing, and plastic interior trim starting to crack and break.
In 2008 we went car shopping. It was probably about the first time that I went into a car purchase with a completely open mind. We realised that the bulk of what Commodore's usage was my wife's 30km round daily work commute and the innumerable shopping and running around trips that wives invariably do.
Many test drives later I asked her if she'd like to have a look at the Hyundai i30 which had just been released. She was keen and away we went, drove it, liked it and bought one.
I well recall the reaction from colleagues and associates was perhaps one of amusement, and we certainly got to experience the 'badge snobbery' thing first hand.
Fast forward 10 years and the i30 is now my commuter as I have to pick up three boys each afternoon from school. I must admit I'm very fond of that little car, it's hard not to be when a vehicle gives you such a great run. Wife has moved up to a Santa Fe and loves it, so our motoring needs are sorted.
I did my time at a Ford dealership and still have an XY in the shed so Fords will always have a special place in my heart - but life's too short not to enjoy some variety.
At the end of the day, cars are a piece of equipment, so my idea is to buy one that is suited to your needs and budget, as Bent 8 has done.
But be warned, just because they're at the budget end of the market doesn't mean they aren't a great little car and that you won't fall in love with them - even Korean ones!
