In the current climate of high fuel prices and takin into consideration the MAGNAS poor resale value what do u guys consider o a good trade in value for a TJ ADVANCE. The cars i m lookin at are the current crop of 4's that are $19990 drive away, my magna is a 2002 ADVANCE with 70000kms not a single mark on the beige interior, exterior has usual couple of dent and sctaches but nothin unusaul or major for 4 yr old car. Has service history, great tyres, verada 16in rims, i m second owner it was a THRIFTY rental from new. It is a TJ1.5 but i dont think that really makes any difference.

Now we have been offered $7500 as a trade which is woeful, but 2 of the dealers i spoke with stated that any car that is has DRIVE AWAY pricing (savin u roughly $3000) the dealer will be recoupin their money by offering you less on a trade. Sounds just like the govt, give with one hand and take with the other, never havin boughta new car b4 not sure if they are spinnin BS or not...

why sell for????

i went from a 2004 1.5L Getz to the 2003 TJ AWD and couldnt be happier.....

if its just to save on fuel costs your mad... factor in how long it will take t reciver the difference....

then youd be stuck with a small gutless 4cyl that isnt as safe...

your call

Being an Advance it will have the LPG compatible engine... Why not make the most out of the government grant and convert it to gas. Then you can keep the car, save on running costs and be safe and secure on our roads!

Redbook list the following for your model.
Prices based on km 60,000 - 100,000
Trade in price guide* $7,800 - $9,100
National average price - private sale* $9,900 - $12,300
Price when new (RRP) $36,840

My main drama with the magna at the moment is that it has the runnin costs of a large car while inside it is at best a medium size car with a smallish boot with huge hinge things that mean u cant fit much in, some 4cyl offer similiar interior space and bigger boots. We drive quite some k's so there will be a definite savin eventually, also insurance is also a few hundred $ cheaper a year and as much as i like my magna i do not see it as a car that will last for ever. I know they are more durable than a commo or falcon but they do have their share of problems. And i think you should check the Magnas safety ratin it is not very good compared to some of todays cars, but that is to be expected as its origins are quite old.

Thanks BLINDBAT, i looked at DRIVE.COM.AU for the value of the TJ MAGNA and it said 9500 - 10500 so i think i had my hopes set alittle high. Didnt realise DRIVE was so wrong compared too REDBOOK

I looked at LPG but with 1 baby and another comin soon the loss of boot space was not an option, i really want a boot and big as possible, the cars i m lookin at are all sedans not hatches.

So wat 4cyl car is safer and has a bigger boot than a magna?
If a car is same size as the magna and has a 4cyl Engine wouldn't it chew through a little more juice being it may be underpowered cos its a 4cyl?

have u looked at the focus sedan or yaris sedan, the focus and yaris have bigger boots and are a helluva lot safer than a magna. The yaris is obviously smaller inside than a magna but i was really surprised how much leg space there was in the back seat very similiar to the magna, plus 60/40 split fold seats. The focus basically feels almost the same size inside as the magna plus has a boot bigger than a BA falcon that has gas struts so nothin intrudin on boot space.

I didnt say the 4 cyl cars were the the same size as the magna i said they offer similiar interior space, they are smaller and lighter cars and use less fuel because of this, although the lancers 2.4L seems to quite thirsty at 9.4L per 100km

lol dude have a head on with a yaris and see who lives.... dont be fooled by the Ncap ratings.... i had a car that was 4star rated, but 1star rated as a used car.... also kinetic energey plays a big part yaris vs yaris head on equal force on both cars for example now magna vs yaris.... magna *oops lil bump*, yaris ***** i just got pounded*

but the 4cyl debate.... look up 4cyl camrys... everyone buys them thinking about economy... wrong... family friends have owned both a 4cy and V6 version of the same car...

magnas boot small...... dont go looking in a falcon then... and you cant compare a hatch to a sedan either.... in a magna you will be able to carry 4/5 plus luggage in reasonable comfort and still be able to maintain speeds on the hwy and overtake... in a rolla/yarris or other you may not, and 4 will fit... 5 will to but not for any distance...

didnt really wanna debate which car was better/safer/cheaper. Nuff said. Once again thanks for the useful info BLINDBAT...

dude sell your magna!!

but, i'd keep it... not debating here... just dont get a yaris!!

Hehe, go ahead and get the trade in, but you will soon regret the space and power your accustomed to in a V6, trust me, 4cylinder cars arn't cheaper to drive*, and are no where near as fun*.

*(based on a 4cylinder nova(manual), 4cylinder magna (auto) and a V6 VP commie (auto))

I would be interested in how much you get for it. I have a 2001 Solara Advance with around 55,000km on it by memory. am thnking of updating, not downgrading tho

Cming from me, who rides/drives daily in a yaris... can say this...

Expect s**t all power......
Rear passengers...expect F**k all headroom (im not that tall yet if i want to sit straight i have to tilt my head)
The exhaust pipe sounds like a blender
And the interior, as nice as it is to have like 7 cupholders IN THE FRONT ALONE is too cheap looking.

Yeah my mum goes through hardly any fuel at all but she drives like a granny.....Just my opinion from being and driving this car over the last few months...

Trust me you get one of them (and we have the YRX so its got the "upgraded" 1.5L) and you will SORELY miss your magna....my mum loves it so i dont really care cause its her car but yeah....dont think its worth forking out the extra $10K to "upgrade" to one of those....they sukzor man

sounds like you are the perfect candidate for a new lancer wagon, plenty of grunt with the 2.4 litre 4 cylinder, good on fuel, plenty of space in the rear. power windows, 4 wheel discs, sports auto mode, abs with ebd, dual airbags, bargain priced, and a 5/10 year warranty! what more do you need?

Keep in mind that the star rating a car receives is for its category. A Yaris is in the light/small category. A Magna is in the large category. Despite the Yaris having a better saftey rating then the Magna, the Yaris is in a different vehicle class. If you were driving a Yaris and you crashed into a Magna the Yaris would be worse off as it is a smaller car. Particuarly if you are going to have a family the Yaris would be full of people so you'd all be squashed up, so if you were to crash you'd have severely injured passengers with heads clanging together,etc. Where as in the Magna you'd have more room and less chance of injury. It is only when the Yaris is compared to say a Holden-Daewoo Barina that it is a significantly safer car. And considering how many people still drive large cars in Aus (the avg. age of Australian cars is 12 years old... and 12 years ago large car sales took up like 75% of car sales) you'd be rooted driving a Yaris if you were to crash.

Depending on how much you wanna spend why don't you look at the auctions?? They have some ex-govt. TL's which are factory gas. I reccomend wanna them if you want a safe car (4x airbag, ABS+EBD, TC on non-ES models).

I recently got 9600 for my 11/2000 TJ Advance. It had 79k's, almost perfect paintwork, had extractrors, lowered suspension, whiteline bar, slotted rotors, etc - needed 4 x new tyres + new power steering rack + engine mount.

I ended up going to a 2005 XR6. The falcon doesn't seem to use any more petrol than the (modded) magna did. I fill up around the same time each week, along with the similar costs as the magna did.

I had thought about going to a 4cylinder, but I was very worried about not having a automatic transmission car that'd move when you plant it. But the main factor was, the decent medium sized 4cylinder cars (Mazda6, subaru's, etc) were all like 30k compared to a a 6cylinder which was $5k cheaper for the same age, price and options. The $5000 saving goes a long way in making up for the extra petrol cost of a six.

The insurance on some 4cylinders too wasn't helpfull - so the more expsensive factor of V6 rego didn't really matter.

Safety wise, I still think a larger car is better. It feels safer on the road. Much more stable at highway speeds. And If anyone sits on your *** you'll know your not going to get driven over. :p

End of the day, I'd rather a large car :)

he he people are so stupid when it comes to working out the costs.....
I mean your gonna get raped on trade in value and take 1000's less than what it's worth, u might save 500 bucks a year on running costs woohoo :nuts: lol

If your really concerned about fuel consumption get a manual, i drive like a idiot and manage to get 11L/100 klm where I use to get 16L/100 in my auto verada

Oh hell guys, the Magna is not the duck's guts of motoring.

Anyway that said, to the original poster, your actually going to cause yourself more expense trading in the Magna and switching to another car to save fuel costs and blah blah blah than what you would if you just copped it sweet and stayed with the Magna.

As to the $3,000 on road costs tell them their dreaming - dealers always talk up their dealer delivery costs. Negotiate properly and this should be more realisitically around $1,200.

It's probably already been said but on trade/purchase/fuel ratio alone, you will be worse off even if you are paying less to fuel a 4 cyl. The 4cyl which if you buy for 20K would take a lifetime to recoup any fuel cost benefit.

Personally, if you had to have a 4 cyl, I'd buy a second hand one closer in price to the trade value of your magna.

First off the price they offered you is about right for a trade in.

Now im not going to try and convince you but heres a few facts on fuel costs, savings, insurance etc etc

Fuel Costs.
Magna:
1.16c/Litre @ 500km/tank (tank = 71L) = $4118 per year

Yaris:
1.16c/Litre @ 500km/tank (tank = 42L) = $2436 per year

Insurance/Rego.
Magna ~ 900 - 1100

Yaris ~ 700 - 900

Total cost.

Magna: ~ 5,200 per year (not including services etc)

Yaris: ~ 3,200 per year (not including services etc)

Great the new car is cheaper to run! Now factor in the loan repayments.

Purchasing new car @ 19,990 - 7,000 trade in value = 12,990

So you get a loan for 12,990 (interest @ 10.5%) for 5 years = $279.00 per month repayment - It will be even more if you have to borrow more than this!

279x12 months = $3348

Total Cost with loan adjustments.

Magna ~ $5200

Yaris ~ $6548


No matter what car you look at even though you think you will be saving money you wont be.


If you want to get a new car, dont use the excuse "Petrol is too expensive". If youre smart, youll do a full direct injection LPG converion where they replace your fuel tank (underneath your car) with a gas system - using the goverment funded bonus + a small amount of your own money.

You dont lose boots space, you keep a full size car, you gain economy and you can still tow things if need be.

Bain you've obviously put allot of thought into this lol
Interesting read

Guys i m not buyin a YARIS and BAIN that was a lot of work on that post but i have no loan repayments so that is not a factor for me.
lets look at ur figures

Magna:
1.16c/Litre @ 500km/tank (tank = 71L) = $4118 per year

Yaris:
1.16c/Litre @ 500km/tank (tank = 42L) = $2436 per year

Insurance/Rego.
Magna ~ 900 - 1100

Yaris ~ 700 - 900

Total cost.

Magna: ~ 5,200 per year (not including services etc) over 5 years =$26000

Yaris: ~ 3,200 per year (not including services etc) over 5 years =$16000

Now on your calculations over 5 years the YARIS has cost me $10,000 less to run than the magna at current fuel prices. Now if you also factor in that the YARIS will be covered by factory warranty for 3 of those years while the magna will not and will be pushin 150-170,000 kms. The Magna(as any car would) will cost substantially more to maintain as it will be approachin 10 yrs old, also general running costs are higher as in tyres and brakes as it is a larger heavier car, so add those costs up for 5 more years.

Lets be conservative and say the magna has now cost $13,000 more to run for 5 more years than the yaris, now the magna is 10 and is woth roughly $2500-$3000(as is a 96 model now) as a trade in and the yaris is 5 years old and is worth $7,500 - $8,800(as is a 5 yr old echo). So i have lost another $5000 by keeping the magna so now for keeping the magna for 5 more years has cost me $18,000.

Obviously these are figures pulled from my azz but i think they are realistic while not bein perfectly accurate.

Errr, even your pessimistic calculations are rather optimistic - why don't you have a look at the NRMA website for operating costs per week for a motor vehicle.

http://www.mynrma.com.au/operating_costs.asp

Average costs per week over 5 years for a new privately held mid trim Yaris 5 door is $140.38 per week, equating to $7,323.16 per year, or $36,615.80 over five years.

Average costs per week over 5 years for a NEW privately held mid trim 380 is $224.92 per week, equating to $11,695.84 per year, or $58,479.20 over five years.

These figures have been calculated by estimating depreciation, capital costs/time value of money, fixed costs including NSW Registration, CTP, comprehensive car insurance, and operating costs including averarage servicing costs and tyre costs, and fuel costs based on ULP of 137.5cpl.
http://www.mynrma.com.au/voc_about.asp

HOWEVER now remember your driving around in a TJ Magna, a car that has already experienced over 50% of it's fall in value in resale[b], an estimate which has been included in the above figures for the 380 [b]as not yet occuring (depreciation of approx $24,000 out of $35,000 on a TJ Advance Magna reference redbook).

Running a few rough figures would suggest to me that you should take out about $80 (80*52*5= $20,800 - assuming the discount on future value of money blah blah blah) out of the weekly running cost of the 380 to account for the fact that your Magna has already depreciated, which brings the weekly running cost hypothetical for your TJ Magna to be about $144.96 pw, $4 more than the Yaris.

Anyway, just food for thought. Personally I would probably go for either a Focus, Mazda 3 or VW Golf if I was to buy a car in the 4 cylinder market but I would not downsize directly on the basis of running costs. Ultimately the choice is yours, you don't have to answer to anyone.

The only advice I can give you appart from my depreciation run-down :P is just make sure that your circumstances fit around the car that you wish to purchase. For instance I wouldnt consider a Yaris to be a family car or a highway car. Personally I think you'd be better off with one of the larger fours like a lancer etc but as some of the others have said once you jump up to this bracket then the actual cost savings advantages are slim.

i have no loan repayments so that is not a factor for me.


Ahh. Then i suggest you get a Ford Focus, Astra Wagon or Renault Megane.

:)

Ahh. Then i suggest you get a Ford Focus, Astra Wagon or Renault Megane.

:)
Sifn't throw Ralliart Colt into that group. :evil:

Sifn't throw Ralliart Colt into that group. :evil:

If you like driving an overpriced womans shopping trolley then for sure. Walliart Colt!

dude you are crazy!!! My sister owns a getz and it crap no room, no features you would expect and how are drum brakes safe? You will find if you go with a yaris you will have **** all quality and how are you saving money? your spending $10k plus on getting your ""SMALL CAR WITH BIG BOOT"" and you saving what $2k a year....hmmm 5 years too recoupe what you have spent, if they would last that long!

First off the price they offered you is about right for a trade in.

Now im not going to try and convince you but heres a few facts on fuel costs, savings, insurance etc etc

Fuel Costs.
Magna:
1.16c/Litre @ 500km/tank (tank = 71L) = $4118 per year

Yaris:
1.16c/Litre @ 500km/tank (tank = 42L) = $2436 per year

Insurance/Rego.
Magna ~ 900 - 1100

Yaris ~ 700 - 900

Total cost.

Magna: ~ 5,200 per year (not including services etc)

Yaris: ~ 3,200 per year (not including services etc)

Great the new car is cheaper to run! Now factor in the loan repayments.

Purchasing new car @ 19,990 - 7,000 trade in value = 12,990

So you get a loan for 12,990 (interest @ 10.5%) for 5 years = $279.00 per month repayment - It will be even more if you have to borrow more than this!

279x12 months = $3348

Total Cost with loan adjustments.

Magna ~ $5200

Yaris ~ $6548


No matter what car you look at even though you think you will be saving money you wont be.


If you want to get a new car, dont use the excuse "Petrol is too expensive". If youre smart, youll do a full direct injection LPG converion where they replace your fuel tank (underneath your car) with a gas system - using the goverment funded bonus + a small amount of your own money.

You dont lose boots space, you keep a full size car, you gain economy and you can still tow things if need be.

Hi Bain,

Who or which company is full direct injection LPG converion for a magna.

All of those who I have contacted aren't doing it yet. Parnell isn't ready & Impco advised me that on a TL Magna there is a mitsubishi factory kit available when in stock which will fit a 4speed auto TL with OPTION 1 engine. Is this full direct injection LPG ?

Cheers
Struggo

sounds like you are the perfect candidate for a new lancer wagon, plenty of grunt with the 2.4 litre 4 cylinder, good on fuel, plenty of space in the rear. power windows, 4 wheel discs, sports auto mode, abs with ebd, dual airbags, bargain priced, and a 5/10 year warranty! what more do you need?
hahaha What a sales pitch LOL
Yes,the Lancers are great on Value,and have a good amount of power for a NA 4,but i'm jus biased and was in the same position when i gave up my magna for a new 4 :)
good luck with whatever plans you get done :D :D

Sell your car privately for $11,500.
Buy the other car for $19,990.

Simple. Why trade in your car to a dealer. Everyone knows that you will get raped including the dealer's. Sell it privately.

I might have missed something but although there are no loan repayments involved there is still the initial capital cost to take into account. All the calcs I have seen revolve around ongoing costs. Having owned and driven a great variety of cars I wish you luck finding one with a bigger boot. Also, consider the travel comfort level and put a value on that - it is significant.

If you have to buy another car just sell yours privately for the highest price you can get and buy one privately with the best condition you can get for the lowest price you can pay.