Shit Sugguestions

I ride a motorcycle.

The only safety I have is in what I wear and the decisions I make.

Toughen up a liitle, because if you want a cheap car it's not going to have much in the way of safety features.

>toughen up
You're kidding right, mate?
youtube.com/watch?v=_bab7WX243s
Yeah, accidents will happen. But I'd rather not be stuck in a wheel chair for the rest of my life. I like bikes as well, but I wouldn't fucking drive from a to b in one if I had something to live for. This video is tame compared to some of the shit which can happen which is out of your control.

>I'm suicidal, why aren't you?

Either or, the problem with rodeos, colorados, hiluxes and the like is they've got a commercial vehicle tax, so to speak (sort of like the meme tax on mx5s). Second hand prices are typically quite inflated, but the vehicles are built tough as all shit. I'm not too knowledgeable on commercial-style utes, but as with anything, read a review on it if you're unfamiliar, or go read a forum post to see what actual owners think of their cars. My dads got a 2013 D-Max and it's great, I've heard the generation preceding it (also badged as the holden rodeo) was pretty good too.

Holden utes are great (as in the commodore based one, literally given the model name "Ute"). I'd avoid anything after the YZ if you're going for a 6 cylinder, as the timing chain tends to shit the bed on these quite often (if you see a really cheap 3.6L Holden between 110,000km and 160,000km , VZ or early VE, this is probably why). They did fix the problem at some point in 2009 for the VE model, but I doubt you'd be able to afford one anyway.

Keep in mind, if you really don't think you'll need a ute, don't bother. Station wagons haul shit and they'll seat more people (got any dickheads from high school asking for lifts on a friday/saturday night you can rip off?), and theres probably more bargains to be had by getting a station wagon. I'd avoid a falcon in any iteration; yes, their engines are bulletproof, but the diffs, transmissions and plastic parts are poorly made.

Oh, and like I said, if you don't need a ute, you really can't go past a hyundai excel for value. Get the hatchback model and you'll be able to haul plenty. I've moved a fridge in one of those fuckers.

anything after the VY**

Thanks. I wouldn't mind a station wagon. Would something like an omega or epica do? I know they're not great for hauling but I want to get the inground between Ute | Sedan | Hatchback at an affordable price, I mean A LOT of people sugguest toyotas, but while I'm convinced they're great economy cars, I'm not to sure whether to actually get one myself.

Don't touch the omega or epica. The epica in itself is an awful car (holden cruze is pretty shithouse too). I can be pretty confident in telling you that anything bearing a Holden badge that wasn't made by Isuzu or at Holden's Australian factory will be awul; they're just cheap shitboxes made in South Korea by General Motors badged as a Holden.

Although the Omega IS a commodore, it came out during the early VE years, and will have the aforementioned pile of shit 3.6 Alloytec engine. What you want is a VY or earlier (I think the VY stopped production in 2004 IIRC) as it contains a reliable 3.8 Ecotec engine used in commodores for 25 years.

Toyotas are pretty reliable. I haven't owned one but my mum has and you know what women are like with car maintenance.

I'd honestly only get a ute if you intend to be regularly hauling extremely oversized or dirty cargo. Most cargo will fit in the back of a station wagon or hatchback. Keep in mind that station wagons will have a longer wheelbase, so if you're someone who's shit at parking, you might need to get a bit of practice in.

The Hyundai Excel (or sexcel) was a bit of a meme car on /dat/, but it really is a great car. You can pick them up with relatively new tyres and a few months rego for $1000 - $2000 and they're really fun to drive if you get the manual. Try and get one fitted with an airbag.

I sugguested the epica because it's cheap and it's in the range of holden's I prefer, I'm aware they're made by daeweoo. Daewoo has had a massive record for being shit on it's earlier years with it's mid-size cars around 2001 and it's Barina's aren't safe at all.

Although, consider this: Statesman and a lot of other holden sedans are built over there under the commodore model and they can turn out okay. I've driven the cruze and I know it's a shitbox, from it's failures and smoke pillowing in the 2009 models and just how the recent ones are just fucking slow by the pedal.

HR was made by Isuzu, literally just a rebadge. But I'm not to sure about it's fuel economy.

I was originally going to get a VY, but most I see in my range of kilometers haven't had their fair share of nice treatment, or if they're good they've got some pretty eh mpg barring the ecotech as you mentioned.

I'm pretty decent at parking, and since I'd probably get a job either working with cars or NRMA in the future or jobs which require some space it could be nice getting a ute, but I can't imagine myself doing a job with the massive loads I see on the back of some hiluxes, so I'd probably and I mean 85 % wouldn't buy one.

What model of excel? My dad use to own one. Though it was a little silly bastard back in 2004/5

I mean, year sorry.
I'm guessing somewhere around 2000.

The later generation excel. The ones made in the late 90s. The twincam models are preferred but they aren't THAT much faster than the single cam. They're really easy to work on, though. I'd never touched an engine in my life and I performed all the oil and filter changes, and I replaced a cracked exhaust.

Oh, and the Statesman is NOT built overseas. We do ship the Caprice PPV to American police, but the Statesman/ Caprice are built here (I don't know if they still use the wagon wheelbase or if they've got their own now).

What state do you live in? I'm from QLD and excels are abundant here, it might be due to the amount of derelects here. It's a prime choice for the Centrelink - Bottle-o roadtrips.

Figured.

Oh shit, you're right. My bad, they're shipped to Korea and badged under Daewoo. Bar my confusion.

NSW. Not much here in the western region.

I'm actually really tempted to get a Holden Calias VY, regardless of tires and registration, how much would I be paying to fill her up?

The VY Calais has a fuel tank capacity of 75 litres so at current rates I'd guess about $100. I know my BF Falcon costs me about $85/ $90 to fill up but it has a smaller tank I'm pretty sure, it certainly has worse fuel economy.

Alright, so how much would 90 dollars get you in terms of kms with a VY? And if you know the toyota's average, could you compare?

>implying

Cars are dangerous too, even modern ones with over 9000 airbags and safety nannies.

You're still piloting a two tonne box of metal that will crumble and crush when you hit something.

You worry too much and place too much emphasis on death.

Yes, but that two tonner is designed to crumble so you don't get crushed and two tonners which fail to do that to a standard are discontinuted.

You can definitely still get hurt in one, but not to the point if you get involved in a minor-medium collision you'd lose your legs.

Bikes on the other hand, you would.

>You worry to much and place to much emphasis on death
I'm sorry I don't want to become a veggie mate, let me put it this way, I've got aqquantinces and friends who've rided both motorcycles and dirt bikes, and obviously like the thrill, but they're smart enough to drive automobiles over a motorcycle any day for A to B. Want to go to a course and drive fast? No issues. Want to do some off-roading? Sure. Your injury is going to be a result of your skill, not something you can't control. Want to just cruise around dead streats or industrials or anything like that? Fuck yeah, go ahead. But when you're life is in the hand of others? When your skill can't account for if you're going to die or not? Fuck no. Most modern cars will protect you from a collision with a truck. Good luck surviving a bike accident with anything bigger then yourself without losing your legs, or your life. Not to mention, weather is a big factor. Hope you have fun riding in sweltering heat and shit weather.

This blokes right. I love the prospect of riding a motorcycle but there's just too many dumb cunts on the road to ride everyday. I was considering getting a postie bike to get to uni when I was studying, until I saw some poor bloke on a sportsbike of some kind get decapitated after being catapulted by some red light running bitch and her SUV into a telegraph pole. Wish I had a dashcam at the time, but then again, I really don't.

Driving a motorcycle shouldn't be scary, but like most things in life, other people ruin good things for everyone.