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My Mazda 3 SP23



I sold my Hilux this weekend as it was depressingly slow, noisy and was no good for long journeys. We drive down to Brisbane quite a bit and 7 hrs in a 16 years old Hilux was tiring.

DSC08975.jpg


Wanted to replace it with something a bit more comfortable, maybe a newer Hilux or a Navara but just cant afford the prices out here for that, looking at $30,000 for a 5 year old Hilux.

So, we found a Mazda 3 SP23, fairly local to us (2 hr drive) which seemed to be in good condition for an '04. It's definately not a car i'd pick normally, but it will do to get around.
Drove up to Rockhampton, test drove it and did a deal at $12,000. Paying that much for an 8 year old Mazda hurt, but that Australia for you :S

Its quite spacious, so we can get most of our camping gear in there for weekends away and its actually fairly sprightly.

Anyway, some photos:

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Would it look crap if i put spacers on it without lowering? It just loooks a bit weak, from the front especially.
 
  Disastra Coupe
Hopefully these don't rust as much in your warm climate. They're all rotten at 5 year old over here!
 

_Tom

ClioSport Club Member
Why are cars so expensive over there?

Because Australia are sensible and look after their car market. If you want to import a car from say the UK and to Australia you have to be able to prove you have owned and used it for a period of 1 year outside Australia.
 

Poopensharten

ClioSport Club Member
  Golf R
Look after their car market? So $12,000 is reasonable for an 8 year old Mazda? I sincerley hope you're taking the absolute piss?
 

_Tom

ClioSport Club Member
Look after their car market? So $12,000 is reasonable for an 8 year old Mazda? I sincerley hope you're taking the absolute piss?

How am i taking the piss? How much more tax would you pay on a car that costs 12k than 3k? If it's hard to import a car cheap, where are you going to buy it?
 

Don

  182 & LY Clio 220 ed
Look after their car market? So $12,000 is reasonable for an 8 year old Mazda? I sincerley hope you're taking the absolute piss?

How am i taking the piss? How much more tax would you pay on a car that costs 12k than 3k? If it's hard to import a car cheap, where are you going to buy it?

Think Tom means that Aus are trying to keep their own car market protected from imports (like UK/EU tried to do years ago) so that the Holdens and Fords are able to sell without such heavy taxation. It is the Aus Government doing it, not the motor industry.
 
  Ph2 172
Cars don't degrade as quickly as they do in the UK. When I moved here I was surprised at how many really old cars are on the road (80s and early 90s models), the fact that they last so long means they depreciate less quickly.

I'm guessing it would've been circa $40,000 new so it's worth roughly 30% of that now. Insurance is loads cheaper here too, swings and roundabouts.

Edit: a tidy 182 cup will cost anywhere up to $15k in today's market! :O
 
Luckily we earn an average of $60k a year or about £40k a year (using the current exchange rate). So it evens out. We can afford it!! :)
 
Its crazy, having lived in UK and Europe all my life i just cant bring myself to spend the money for a decent car here. I sold my 1996 Hilux for $9,000!!
 


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