Would you purchase a cheap Gen 2 Paj to drive around Australia?

[BeeGee]

Hi guys,

We have a young female German au pair (18) who has been staying with us for the past 6 months and has become part of our family. She is planning to leave us in about 4 weeks to travel around Australia with another female German au pair around the age. They are looking to travel for up to 6 months around Australia and will probably clock up around 20,000 to 30,000 km's. Their budget is max $5K.

I am assisting them to purchase a car in Perth so that they don't get ripped off or buy a lemon.

My advice has been to buy a BF or BAII Falcon wagon or a VY Commodore wagon. These guys have a reputation as being reliable if you keep up the maintenance and are very practical with a mattress in the back etc. Plus they are pretty cheap on fuel on the highway ~ 8.5 L/100km and parts are very easy to come by.

However, they have been looking at other models and seem to be keen on the Gen 2 Pajero.

I'm curious your thoughts on the reliability of a cheap Gen 2 V6 petrol auto for such an adventure? My thoughts are that it wouldn't be as practical or reliable as the Falcon/Commodore above and much heaver on fuel (around 12L/100km I'm guessing for the V6 auto petrol on the highway), but I'm happy to be proven wrong.

Any feedback appreciated. thanks.

[Dicko1]

Hi guys,

We have a young female German au pair (18) who has been staying with us for the past 6 months and has become part of our family. She is planning to leave us in about 4 weeks to travel around Australia with another female German au pair around the age. They are looking to travel for up to 6 months around Australia and will probably clock up around 20,000 to 30,000 km's. Their budget is max $5K.

I am assisting them to purchase a car in Perth so that they don't get ripped off or buy a lemon.

My advice has been to buy a BF or BAII Falcon wagon or a VY Commodore wagon. These guys have a reputation as being reliable if you keep up the maintenance and are very practical with a mattress in the back etc. Plus they are pretty cheap on fuel on the highway ~ 8.5 L/100km and parts are very easy to come by.

However, they have been looking at other models and seem to be keen on the Gen 2 Pajero.

I'm curious your thoughts on the reliability of a cheap Gen 2 V6 petrol auto for such an adventure? My thoughts are that it wouldn't be as practical or reliable as the Falcon/Commodore above and much heaver on fuel (around 12L/100km I'm guessing for the V6 auto petrol on the highway), but I'm happy to be proven wrong.

Any feedback appreciated. thanks.

We get hundreds of backpackers in cars up here in Cairns. Favoured weapon is a falcon or commode. Few in hi-ace type vans. I,d go the falcon. Easy to get pparts for and reliable. See em all the time for sale up here with all the camping gear and stuff. Flog em cheap before they shoot back to europe.

[BeeGee]

We get hundreds of backpackers in cars up here in Cairns. Favoured weapon is a falcon or commode. Few in hi-ace type vans. I,d go the falcon. Easy to get pparts for and reliable. See em all the time for sale up here with all the camping gear and stuff. Flog em cheap before they shoot back to europe.

Yep, sounds like we are on the same page. Thanks!

[stumagoo]

I would love to say yes. But I can't. The poor paj in that price range is most likely to have all sorts of mechanical issues just waiting to jump up and bite them. That said 5000 is in the rang the for some nm/np models now. But again the kms will be good thing up. Best bet as you say is a falcodore or similar

[Dicko1]

I would love to say yes. But I can't. The poor paj in that price range is most likely to have all sorts of mechanical issues just waiting to jump up and bite them. That said 5000 is in the rang the for some nm/np models now. But again the kms will be good thing up. Best bet as you say is a falcodore or similar

Half the backpackers could live on $5000 for 6 months!!....

[Aussie_Dan]

Falcon, commodore, camry, magna.
All full size, reliable, cheap and cheerful.
A 4wd in the $5K range could easily become a money pit....

[BeeGee]

Falcon, commodore, camry, magna.
All full size, reliable, cheap and cheerful.
A 4wd in the $5K range could easily become a money pit....

Exactly. The Falcodores are not quite as sexy. But I'm thinking practical and reliable for them would be the best.

[old Jack]

Agree with all, for $5K you get more for your money with a 2wd rather than a 4wd. They will also be less likely to venture too far off main roads. The more capable the car is and the less capable the driver is the more trouble they can get themselves into.

Much better and cheaper to ensure tyres, brakes, battery, auto trans and cooling system are in good condition whilst in Perth rather than have to repair/replace them during their travels.

OJ.

[Having Fun]

Recently sold a BA wagon in top nick with around 164K on the clock. Very hard to sell, nobody wants them any more. The best we could get was half what she's prepared to pay. It was way more economical that my wife's NP & far lower maintenance. I only ever had the bonnet up to service it in 9 years of ownership.

Even the very best 4x4 at $5K will likely be a money pit & may ruin their trip with let downs.

[stumagoo]

Over here when I lived in Geraldton (400 or so Km's north of perth) we used to see a lot of tourists who had got a cheap vehicle and decided to go traveling, the highways out of the cities are not forgiving and if you spend 1500 on a commodore/falcon or 4000-5000 on a 4x4 it is likely to end the same way, with a dead/overheated engine in the middle of nowhere and a big hole appearing in the wallet. seen it time and again, and had to get rid of cheap vehicles more times than I want to think of

[98NL GL]

Have seen a lots of backpackers up here with gen1 and gen 2 pajeros too so they cant be that bad.

[kudda]

My other car I own is an old EF falcon and that has been an awesome car for long distance trips very economical and never had any dramas. The pajero would be to expensive on fuel in my opion

[nj swb]

Lots of good arguments supporting the Falcodore, and it's hard to argue.

Me, personally, would want the 4wd, but I agree that opens a whole new can of worms for reliability and risk (i.e. pushing too far off road in remote areas).

The Falcodore is the smart choice. The 4wd is the riskier choice, but higher rewards generally only come with higher risk.

If they take the 4wd and have problems, they'll have more heartache & stress as they work through the problems. When it's all over, I expect the trip will be more adventurous and more memorable if they take the 4wd.

[MTN-KAT]

Hi BeeGee,
have you considered a van like this one. It's on your side of the island so maybe have a look with the girls. Tad dearer but lots more for your buck than a wagon. Cheap to run. Lots of parts available. Rear door opening up gives lots of cover from the elements. Had occasion to drive two of these to Melbourne in a matter of months and didn't realise how many are around til you are driving one. Be my choice.

http://www.autotrader.com.au/cars-for-sale/2005-MITSUBISHI-EXPRESS-MWB-SJ-MY05-ATFD3958313?backurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autotrader.com.au%2Fsearch%3Fsearch_vehicle_type%3DCAR%26search_location_state%3DWA%26body_type%3DVAN%26current_page%3D3&backtext=Results

[aussieguy]

IF you aren't willing to willing/capable of mechanical repair of the vehicle don't buy neither, especially one that's been owner by a backpacker previously, as they usually skipped maintenance to save money.

$5K is not a lot of money to buy a car, however if you do it on the east coast chances are you will find something as the population allows for greater choice, and getting stuck on the east coast isn't as expensive as WA if it goes wrong.

Me personally if I was backpacking (when I did in 1995) I would buy generic popular people carrier of choice for the country, as they are usually the cheapest and most readily available, so Falcon/Commodore/Camry is your best choice.

BUT if you are mechanically minded I would buy a 3.0L Gen 2 Pajero OR a 2.4L Gen 1 for simplicity to work on, and budget < 2K and save the 3K for parts.