Like Tree79Likes

Looking for a fun used car for under 22000 X-type Jags look really inexpensive, are there anyissues with owning the

Closed Thread
Page 4 of 11 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... LastLast
  1. #31

    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Posts
    1,115

    HRV is ok as long as the previous owner(s) taken care of the CVT gearbox and using Honda specific CVT gearbox oil only. HRV is famous in Hong Kong with the number of CVT gearboxes broken down due to mechanics using normal A/T oil into the CVT box.

    Hmmm, I like classics too, but i would not get a Triumph and Morris for daily commute. Classic Mini is fun but you have to be prepared for the 33C hot summer in HK without A/C and you got stuck in traffic. Jag S? Get a E-Class or 5er or Lexus GS if I were you.


  2. #32

    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Wanchai
    Posts
    5,063

    That Audi A6 in the first link of the thread seems an absolute steal at $22k.

    What's the catch?

    Also is that site available in Chinese? I'm starting to miss driving and tempted to buy a car even though i don't really need one.

    Last edited by Trebor; 16-07-2013 at 01:10 PM.
    yangnaifen likes this.

  3. #33

    The catch is the mechanic who is friends with my wife has told her that I'm mad to consider anything audi in HK, if I buy that and it's even remotely expensive to maintain, I will never EVER hear the end of it.


  4. #34

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Ex Sai Kunger Sunny Qld for now
    Posts
    8,318

    Yep keep well away from Audi or anything that DCH have their hand in parts support.

    They like to consume coil packs which each cylinder has, usually once one goes causing a MISFIRE error code to begin with, then localising it via a diagnostic. One thing I have noticed though, once one coil pack dies on an Audi, the rest follow soon after. Iridium spark plugs used on the Audis also cost $125 each...

    I know a lady who owns a 2007 Audi A3 1.8T wagon thats just forked out $18,000 worth of irritating repairs in the last 3 months on a car she purchased used for $135,000 6 months ago.

    The problem and frequency only increases as Audi's age, to the point that the cars themselves become near worthless on the used market. I've only owned one Audi, which I owned via a company nova-ted lease from new. A fully optioned 1997 A4 2.6 V6 SE ( special edition that had the gloss timber interior trim, leather, Sunroof and factory A6 5 spoke wheels ) and had 160,000km trouble free mileage out of it, before I sold it in 2003.

    Once Audi's tip over 200,000kms the problems come thick and fast, which totally make a mockery of the odometer readings that most used HK Audi cars display, if you're going through water pumps, alternators, coil packs, ABS sensor failures, egr valve,catlytic converters, oxygen sensors failures, MAF sensor failures, ZF transmission plate failures etc etc... the car has done considerably more mileage than the sub 100K reading suggests on the clock.

    It costs $400 to clock a speedo in HK, and takes less than 10 minutes to rewrite the odometer EPROM, which is why majority of private sellers and used dealers ( not all just most ) cant be trusted unless they produce well documented service records that can be verified by the main agent, backing up what they say.

    If the HK govt bothered to list a cars previous mileage on the Vehicle Regsitration Document during the transfer of ownership phase, HK's mythical low mileage of cars would dramatically reduce overnight.

    Majority of 10 year plus old passenger cars have done well over 160,000km ~ 200,000km out here and that is a fact.

    Last edited by Skyhook; 16-07-2013 at 02:00 PM.

  5. #35

    Tkanks Toastandjam and Skyhook, I'm learning loads here and am really grateful for your input (and everyone else too). I'm now feeling pulled back towards the x-type, also looking at the SLK (day off today, watching this http://www.streetfire.net/video/whee...-1_2411951.htm) Toyota MR2 year 2000, and considering a honda hrv as a stop gap measure.


  6. #36

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Ex Sai Kunger Sunny Qld for now
    Posts
    8,318

    Here's a list of cars I,d consider for roughly around the money you're talking.

    Lexus IS200 & IS 300 2000 - 2003 model year but only an unmodified, one owner example with documented/complete service records that validate the mileage.

    Subaru Forester 2003 onwards. But again, only unmodified examples with service records.

    Suzuki Swift Sport 2008 - 2009 model you might just squeeze in under $70K, but a great drive, handling is a lot of fun, they look quite modern too and being a newer car, generally quite good at this age. Again, make sure the car you're considering has complete books and you should get a good one.

    Legacy outback 2005 onwards, especially if you get the McIntosh Audio equipped model with leather interior and factory installed sunroof.

    BMW 3 and 5 series of around 2000 onwards with the larger 6 cyl engines or the smaller V8 would be the pick of the litter.

    SLK320 is definitely the pick of the SLK bunch, as the engine was never strained, and generally holds up mechanically a lot better than the super charged 4cyl unit. Not the greatest handling car, but they look alright in a bit of a gay man, metro-sexual way. lol

    The MX5 definitely if it is in good shape mechanically and providing it doesn't suffer from rust around the door sills, which they're prone to. The engines weren't that powerful in the beginning, and after 10 or so years would be probably producing 30 - 50% less power than what they were new. so get a compression test to see what sort of shape the motor is in. Try to get a sweet changing manual version and avoid the auto, the auto is pretty average and dulls the whole experience.
    Try and get one that has had plenty of money spent on it, ie that it has receipts to validate whats been done already, and where the money has been spent to gauge overall condition.

    That'll do for the time being...and dont buy a jag unless you want to fork out loads of dosh keeping it in MOT passable condition. I wouldn't get a HRV or CRV in my opinion they are mechanically a heap of shit. The transmission issue is well known and my neighbour has just had his fail over the last 3 weeks, costing him $15,000 to get his $12,000 car on the road.. Absolutely makes no economic sense!

    Last edited by Skyhook; 16-07-2013 at 03:35 PM.

  7. #37

    skyhook i owe you a beer mate!!!!


  8. #38

    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    5,110

    Just settled on a BMW E46 3 series, OP, as the others have already hinted, it offers the best balance between practical needs (seating for five-sedan version anyway) and great driving experience. There are many available in HK, which means there should not be a problem looking for parts or finding a garage that knows how to fix a 3 series.

    As Skyhook mentioned, I'll stay away from second-hand Audis, they don't have a reliable reputation long-term, nowhere near Mercedes or BMW anyway.

    INXS, yangnaifen, Skyhook and 2 others like this.

  9. #39

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Ex Sai Kunger Sunny Qld for now
    Posts
    8,318
    Quote Originally Posted by yangnaifen:
    skyhook i owe you a beer mate!!!!
    I am happy to help out, free of charge.

    And for the record, The Skyhook doesn't consume beer.

    Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Select Whiskey, French red, or Italian sparkling,summer wines & Blue Mountain/pea berry derived coffees are my beverages of choice.

    Offering me a beer would be like offering a vampire a garlic encrusted, crucifix ...Just sayin...lol
    Last edited by Skyhook; 16-07-2013 at 04:25 PM.
    mrdollars likes this.

  10. #40

    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Clear Water Bay (In Da Jungle)
    Posts
    9,968
    Quote Originally Posted by Watercooler:
    Just settled on a BMW E46 3 series
    Some of the body kits on them E46 looks amazing, makes you want to go and hump the car from the back

    http://www.28car.com/sell_dsp.php?h_...7499556&h_vw=y

    What does yours look like, is it humpable.
    Watercooler and yangnaifen like this.

Closed Thread
Page 4 of 11 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... LastLast