Touring vehicle $20,000 budget

[au2000]

I’ve just returned from a 12 day cruse around vic, act & nsw coast and covered about 2800 kms in the GTE,
Although it was one of the best drives I’ve completed in a long time to the point that even the road trip weary mrs constantly raved about how smooth n fun the drive was in the E, it opened up a question of what would be the ideal vehicle to tour Australia in on a budget.
Although the E is built for such a trip and ate the road so easily that We regularly completed stints of 2.5 hrs easily, the only issues arose with the many pot holed NSW roads and what would happen if 2 rims would crack given the lack of easily available rims to cover Brembos and the risk of loosing a fpv front bar,
Hence the question, with 20 grand to spend, what would you choose to run about the country in?

[Burnout]

That's what I paid for my 50thG6ET a few yrs ago. It had 94xxxkm on it and had belonged to the Service Manager at the local Ford dealer.
I modded it a bit & it has 144,xxx on it now.

[Citroënbender]

So the criteria includes no towing, no self-camping facility within the vehicle? A means of transport between places you would stay? What about road surfaces expected - any unsealed?

Does the $20K include any costs like registration, insurance, road service?

[au2000]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

So the criteria includes no towing, no self-camping facility within the vehicle? A means of transport between places you would stay? What about road surfaces expected - any unsealed?

Does the $20K include any costs like registration, insurance, road service?

Sorry, should have been more specific, towing won’t be needed as thoughts involve caravan park cabins or cheap hotels, not expecting unsealed roads bu I don’t want to panic at the first sign of potholes or dirt, cost would only be to purchase, running costs are not part of this idea,
Ideally, I just want to drive it from point a to b without caring if skip pays me a visit mid travel.

[au2000]

Originally Posted by Burnout

That's what I paid for my 50thG6ET a few yrs ago. It had 94xxxkm on it and had belonged to the Service Manager at the local Ford dealer.
I modded it a bit & it has 144,xxx on it now.

image

Love the idea burnout and have considered using my GS for this also, but I’m considering a non premium fuel vehicle for the next trip

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by Burnout

That's what I paid for my 50thG6ET a few yrs ago. It had 94xxxkm on it and had belonged to the Service Manager at the local Ford dealer.
I modded it a bit & it has 144,xxx on it now.

image

To be fair mate, you wouldn't find one for less than $30,000 now in the same spec. Sub 20k in the turbo market is just flogged out paint faded high km examples.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

To be fair mate, you wouldn't find one for less than $30,000 now in the same spec. Sub 20k in the turbo market is just flogged out paint faded high km examples.

Franco Specials

Only the finest ****boxes for my fleet.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by au2000

I’ve just returned from a 12 day cruse around vic, act & nsw coast and covered about 2800 kms in the GTE,
Although it was one of the best drives I’ve completed in a long time to the point that even the road trip weary mrs constantly raved about how smooth n fun the drive was in the E, it opened up a question of what would be the ideal vehicle to tour Australia in on a budget.
Although the E is built for such a trip and ate the road so easily that We regularly completed stints of 2.5 hrs easily, the only issues arose with the many pot holed NSW roads and what would happen if 2 rims would crack given the lack of easily available rims to cover Brembos and the risk of loosing a fpv front bar,
Hence the question, with 20 grand to spend, what would you choose to run about the country in?

I did 4000km+ road trip in a Fiesta ST over 12 days recently, similar deal, VIC, NSW, QLD, ACT and back to VIC



I only used like 272L of 98 or something along those lines.

Manning Valley region, my god how I come out of that joint without damaged steering/suspension components and wheels intact, I do not know, I must have been blessed by the automotive gods because those roads look like they come out of the USSR and you need a Ukrainian T72 to traverse those horrible roads.

I reckon for $20K a Territory would probably be the best bang for buck car to do a long trip, especially if you have a low tolerance for harsh road noise and a bumpy ride (read everyones non car enthusiast significant other) the Fiesta was real fun to hammer through the twisty sections, but one imagines the significant other would crack the ****s real quick with how loud they are inside and how rough they ride on our second rate infrastructure.

As much as I hate SUVs, I think the Territory is a winner here for this purpose in this price range, I think you can pick up a SZ Territory in I6 and RWD for sub $20K.

Plus if you break it, some bush mechanic will have worked on one and be able to fix it with a laxative and half a brick.

If you're talking me personally, for my $20K, then a used Fiesta ST

Or maybe an older Mondeo XR5 Turbo, its a more comfortable version of a Focus XR5 Turbo thats a bit softer, you can pick em up for sub $15K in good condition, mostly owned by older people and they still handle nicely for the fun parts.

Roadside dramas will be a serious problem though in either those two choices, if it breaks its going back home on a truck or the nearest large capital city for repairs because of part availability and lack of local experience.

Part of me wants to do the Birdsville track in the Fiesta ST because if it survives the reaction from everyone along the way would be hilarious

[XR Martin]

This was the idea of my RTV wagon.
Big, comfy, cheap to fix. And with the RTV lift, diff lock and bigger AT tyres it would go anywhere.
Cost much less than $20k too.

Shame it taken from me by my ex!
I haven't given up hope of getting it back however.

[Franco Cozzo]

Oh and since I can't edit my post I'm going to throw in WMII Caprice - you'll pick up a 6 cylinder SIDI variation just shy of $20K for a real nice one.



In Cav-spec gold for more depreciation points, you can't go wrong with LWB old man cars, they ride mint, are quiet, fit your obese family in it comfortably and the ugly gold ones are even cheaper

Budget for new timing chain, tensioner and guides.

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...12654955/?Cr=3

[au2000]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Oh and since I can't edit my post I'm going to throw in WMII Caprice - you'll pick up a 6 cylinder SIDI variation just shy of $20K for a real nice one.

image

In Cav-spec gold for more depreciation points, you can't go wrong with LWB old man cars, they ride mint, are quiet, fit your obese family in it comfortably and the ugly gold ones are even cheaper

Budget for new timing chain, tensioner and guides.

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...12654955/?Cr=3

Yep Franco, the old lwb does strike a cord but as it will only be me and mrs wog, we won’t need all the room plus I won’t touch any v6 commy after a vy for that very reason.
I had to be very restrained with mrs wog in the car, the Miami just eats the road and is IMO perfect for it but between nsw hp and mrs wog hp I was screwed everyway I looked !

The terry I did briefly consider tbh and am even thinking along the lines of a cheap n nasty single cab tbh.

[au2000]

Vy adventurer with the 5.7? Just not sure if they need 98..

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by au2000

Vy adventurer with the 5.7? Just not sure if they need 98..

You'll get a WM Caprice with the L98 for smack on $20K, could probably negotiate:

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...20618890/?Cr=0

Budget for harmonic balancer + belts

All the LWB stuff has lower values than an SS Commodore.

They also use 91.

Statesman would probably be better but it loses the Bose stereo, the HID lights, but gains chunky tyres, softer suspension and grandpa interior, but the people selling them have rocks in their heads and they're more expensive than the higher spec Caprice.

Probably can't go wrong with an FGII povvo spec ute if you want single cab, or what about a BFIII Wagon?

[Citroënbender]

Citroën C6; nearly $20K but smooth ride, decent wheelbase, legroom and you can always bump up the ride height for light fording.

[roKWiz]

Think we know what I'll suggest but won't.
But why drive, watched this pass by here a few time lately. Pure luxy.

https://www.journeybeyondrail.com.au/great-southern/

[au2000]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Think we know what I'll suggest but won't.
But why drive, watched this pass by here a few time lately. Pure luxy.

https://www.journeybeyondrail.com.au/great-southern/

image

Tbh am looking at similar re the Ghan, but it’s a one way trip hence why I’m thinking of putting the dollars into a throw away vehicle for the trip

[smoo]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Citroën C6; nearly $20K but smooth ride, decent wheelbase, legroom and you can always bump up the ride height for light fording.

Ha, was going to suggest C5 wagon.
Nearly as much room as a Falcon/Commodore.
5.5L per 100 km in the diesel 4 cylinder or the 2.7/3.0 v6 diesel for a bit of grunt.
Ride quality + captains chairs in the front = probably the best highway cruiser around.
It’s French so resale is dirt. Something to capitalise on in the used market.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by smoo

Ha, was going to suggest C5 wagon.
Nearly as much room as a Falcon/Commodore.
5.5L per 100 km in the diesel 4 cylinder or the 2.7/3.0 v6 diesel for a bit of grunt.
Ride quality + captains chairs in the front = probably the best highway cruiser around.
It’s French so resale is dirt. Something to capitalise on in the used market.

There's one for sale at the moment, 2.7L Diesel V6, 101,000km, $9000

Is that the same diesel V6 as the Territory?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Citroën C6; nearly $20K but smooth ride, decent wheelbase, legroom and you can always bump up the ride height for light fording.

Always loved those, in no way classically beautiful or well proportioned, but somehow very alluring.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Always loved those, in no way classically beautiful or well proportioned, but somehow very alluring.

image

image

That rear quarter glass and those tail lights make me feel uncomfortable

[Burnout]

OK, I olso have an RTV, Barra6, has all the RTV fruit, as ordered around 19yrs ago. I use it to tow my Van now and a bit of bush work.
RTV's around still, you'll pay 8 to 10K for a good one and save 10k for fuel fer the trip.



They perform pretty well too.

The above is at Lakeside, a few yrs ago.

[ford71V8]

The neatest 2011+ Territory you can find.
Plenty of room, plenty of power, and plenty of leftover cash for the fuel and overnight stays.

[minheim]

What about an ecoboost falcon. Certainly available within the budget and you could even get a high spec version for under $20K.

[auxr]

My 2c - cant go past a Territory.

[fordomatic]

I was in the exact same boat with decisions. Our 2009 Outlander with 265,000km needed to be moved on as I was worried it would start having issues and I also wanted something more comfortable.

Long story short, it needed to be AWD (we go to the snow a lot), petrol and be reliable.

I spent a year looking and bought a 2010 SYII Territory Ghia, one owner with 100,000km for $12500. I then spent $5000 on parts making it as new mechanically. All new suspension, new bushes, new brakes, full service of everything, few other little things and a bullbar as i hate worrying about hitting wilflife without one.

After doing 1000km in the last week it is easily the most comfortable cruiser i've owned. It eats up the highway, is extremely comfortable and is a pleasure to drive with minimal road noise. Offroad it performs excellent and the new suspension has made a massive difference. For sub 20k I have a reliable touring car that is sitting at an average of 12l/100km with average speed of 60km/h.

My reasons for not going the Diesel is that when issues arrise they can be very costly to fix, also the servicing costs of a diesel are much more. Also the Diesel is horribly underpowered, we had them at work for 4 years and I hated them. The barra is super reliable and with all the prevetative maintenance done, it shouldn't cost me bugger all in the future. If you don't need AWD i'd look at a petrol SZ, but with AWD you can be more comfortable driving fast on dirt roads etc.

EDIT: Sub 20k in the current market is difficult, im not swayed to any brand of car when it comes to our family car. I just found the Territory was the best value.

[Swordie]

BF 4.0 Fairlane. They are at home on the highway.

[Citroënbender]

It’s amazing to think you can’t even get a roughish Belmont wagon for the budget. That would get you through most binds on a wave of nostalgic goodwill.

[Sprintey]

Another vote for the Territory. If doing lots of gravel, go the best AWD SYII you can get, Barra + AWD is in my signature! Should be less than 20K by now.

If you are doing mainly sealed roads, go the SZ or SZII Barra petrol RWD. That's what I'd look at to replace our 2007 SY AWD (and sadly miss the real full time AWD).

SZ has same ZF as before
SZII has the lighter, more fuel economical one (but more fragile?)

They are superb road/touring cars.

[pcman]

as has already been said, territory, post 2009 sy2 so you get the upgraded front suspension, just did 1500ish kays in my 06 turbo this past long weeekend, mines on lpg so was even cheap to run, super comfy, reliable barra power, cheap parts and servicing, and large enough to carry a weeks crap in it

[DFB FGXR6]

This is not going to be an interesting or exciting suggestion but get yourself as much Toyota Camry as you can for your $20K budget.

I have done some looooong distance driving in a couple of the previous generation Camry, just the basic 2.5 four-pot. The handling will not excite on a twisty road, although the body roll and tyre squirm on the Snow Mountains Hwy was amusing. But they are quite, comfortable and just "run".