Hello,

My name is Jan and i have a big problem and i hope that you can help me, I would be glad if you read my questions and answer to it...

I am from Germany and my Girlfriend actuelly lives in Australia for one Year. In February i will fly to Australia and will visit her in Sydney. After my visit she wants to travel across Australia by car with 4 other friends. So i would have to choose a good, cheap car for her, a car which has to do surely 20000km without technical problems... It would be good, if it is a Bus or a bigger station waggon, like a VW T3 Type 25, Toyota, Mitsubishi or else, it must have 5 seats and much cargo bay( or boot/ trunk, i don`t know the right word, sorry).

Now my quetions to you are, what are the usual standart cars in Australia? I think, it should be a car, that can be found at every corner for spare parts, which could get repared by a smith in a backyard garage without problems...

And what for a car, like i wrote above, would i get for small money, i would say for 1000- 2000 Aus.$? Is there a chance to get a good bus or station waggon in Sydney?

And how is it with taxes for cars in Australia?
In Germany there are high taxes for diesel powered cars, less taxes for benzine powered cars. Is there a comparable law in Australia?
I allready heared, that Diesel and Benzine cost the same price but a diesel powered car would drive more economical (3l/100km less taking makes 600L/20000km) and it`s my oppinion that a diesel powered engine is not so fragile/ temperemental for having a breakdown because there is not so many electricity (distributeur and so on.), if it runs, then it runs. And if it does not run, it has big problems :-) ... But if there are high taxes, what should i choose?

And how many costs a assurance for cars? I heared, there is no need, but i think, it would be better to have, if you have an accident with another expensive car or hurt someone...

Ok, i am very thankful for your help, its a hard exercise for me, to buy a car in Astralia, in Germany, i would not have so many questions... I thought many nights about solve this problem how to get informations about used cars in a country that is so far away from mine, but then i thought, in Germany i would ask the discussion forum for VW`s (i owne 2 VW busses by myself), because it`s my oppinion, that in a forum i will get help by well- aducadet people.

Please don`t be angry about my worse English (the most time in school, i looked out the window)

Thank you for answering my questions...

Greetings, Jan

Holden , Falcon or Toyota.
maybe an old Falcon on Gas ?
Hi-lux vans are very reliable .
The taxes are the same 4 Diesel or Petrol.


$2000 won't buy much .
Third party property insurance would be best.
Rego(green slip) covers third party personal

Jan, you may think it is strange to get these recomendations on a VW forum but I would stick with a Toyota van or simillar, though I think you may need to spend a little more to get a good reliable vehicle, up around $5000 should get you the vehicle you want and still get a reasonable return when you sell it, diesel would be good but while there are no additional taxes for a petrol car you will pay more in the initial purchase to get a diesel, you should go around Australia with your girlfriend, it's a great country and so different to Europe that you will have the time of your life. Good luck, and your English is fine, a lot better than my German .

Hello Jan,

I agree with johnny rotten, would be nice to tour Australia in a VW but, without the local knowledge to source parts if you have a mechanical break down in the middle of nowhere... It can be a very big problem... Australia is huge! If I was you I would buy a 1990's Ford Falcon or Holden Commodore station wagon. You may have to stretch your budget a little more maybe up to $3500. Most of these have an automatic transmission, air-conditioning, power steering etc and parts are easily obtained anywhere around Australia.

Definately get Third Party Accident Insurance it is cheap and definately not worth risking driving a vehicle without it. You should also consider roadside assistance cover.

Cheers

Greg

you be lucky to buy a good car for about $7000
try http://www.carsales.com.au/ 
good luck

I had thougt allready that many people will advise to an Japanice Car, they have a good name in Germany too... And with Holden`s or Ford Falcon`s,, i only knew them from films ;-) But i have a film, "Absolute Giganten", and one of the main caracters drives a Ford Granada with an australien V8 through Hamburg :-)
5000$ is very hard to earn... And I think, i have to find a car which brakes good, has good tyres, no problems with clutch or else like head gasket and so on, eventualy it should have air condition. I think in Germany, i would get a car with the budget, if i search one week... But in this range of price, you say, it could become very interesting to get a good one?

And what`s tis Rego, i didn`t realy understand that, is it a technical Check which the Car has to do in a regular interval? We have something like that with te technic and the exhausted air, every 2 years, and if the car doesn`t pass, it is not allowed to use any longer in the traffic...

Travelling aroud Australia in a VW would be very great, my own every- day- VW Panel would do that with no problems although he has 21years, but i am not able to teach it to hop into my traveling bag

Thank you for your first answers, and it makes fun to answer to you, i did not wrote english since about 7 years, since i finished school...

Carsales.com looks good... I just looked for cars, and found 2 or 3 interesting ones in the near of the postcode to which i will travel first... I allready looked at ebay, there where interesting cars too, but i first have to start searching in february or march

Yes, thank you for your answering, i have to go to sleep now, its 10:48 pm in Germany...

greetings, jan

In Australia, diesel isn't a common fuel for smaller cars, only trucks and 4X4s.

I would suggest a 1990-1995 Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon. These two cars have strong six-cylinder engines and are Australian-designed and manufactured (not sold in Europe). The wagon models (estates) are very large (bigger than a Ford Granada or Opel Omega - similar size to Volvo 740) and comfortable for long distances.

Spare parts are inexpensive and easy to buy, new or second-hand.

You will find these cars for $2000-$3000. Keep $1000 in the bank for some small repairs.

They will do 10-12 litres per 100km (9-10km/litre)

Petrol is relatively cheap in Australia.

Another suggestion is a similar-age Toyota Camry station wagon. It is four-cylinder, will use 9L/100km but is not as large inside and spare parts are more expensive

what about hiring one have a look at the web site link below

http://www.veedubexperience.com.au/ 

Thats worth looking at rose .would give them another option

When I went around Oz the best thing people were driving was the old XD-XE Falcon Wagon. Easy for parts, and the straight 6 is bullet proof - well more bullet proof than the Commodore V6.

lol. Drive em til they stop - and there they rest.