Hi Guys, I'm looking at buying my first Magna; and wanted you're input/help.

I have about $10,000 to spend on the car. So as much as I would love AWD is most likely out, there are a few but not at the $10,000 price. what suggestions? I'm looking at like a TJ, but really something before the TL (there front look like shit. I think the Sports / VR / VR-X would be with in my range. what if any are the differences between the Sports & VR Mods and the Executive/Advance mods?

Also I think the digital climate controls look attractive to me has any one done a retro fit, or is this something that would need to be brought one the car. Also can this be relocated? if it need to be in the car what Years/mod had it.

Any and all help would be appreciated.

Hi Guys, I'm looking at buying my first Magna; and wanted you're input/help.

I have about $10,000 to spend on the car. So as much as I would love AWD is most likely out, there are a few but not at the $10,000 price. what suggestions? I'm looking at like a TJ, but really something before the TL (there front look like shit. I think the Sports / VR / VR-X would be with in my range. what if any are the differences between the Sports & VR Mods and the Executive/Advance mods?

Also I think the digital climate controls look attractive to me has any one done a retro fit, or is this something that would need to be brought one the car. Also can this be relocated? if it need to be in the car what Years/mod had it.

Any and all help would be appreciated.

10K would get you a TJ VRX\Sports etc or even a verada of the same vintage. Climate control was on all veradas and from I can gather, some advances (my 02 advance has it) and S2 VRX's. This can be retro fitted with a bit of work, there are threads on here about it.

Are you sure you couldn't stretch it a bit more?
dainese has his Ralliart for sale and he dropped the price a couple of weeks back - down to $13K.
http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68775
*edit* ernysp76 may have his ralliart up for sale too.

Otherwise my recommendation would be to keep your eye's out here on AMC (as often they've been well looked after and may have a few of the more common mods already done)
...or go for a VRX, Verada or Sports AWD - depending if your wanting sporty or luxury.

If I were you, look at Verada's for that price. Unlikely you'll find a TJ2 VRX with the climate/better wheels for under 10k. I don't see the point in spending 8k for a Series 2 advance just because it has climate control and the others don't, makes more sense to spend that money on a Verada and get the works. just imo.
You could get a full optioned Verada of the same year for that price....
Like this 2001 MY02 KJ XI Verada for 10k with good kms.
http://www.carpoint.com.au/used-car/MITSUBISHI/VERADA/New%20South%20Wales/csn7339993.aspx

you can have all of the features under the sun, and a very smooth ride for a fraction of what the car cost new (about $52,000)

Just checked out carpoint, there are 8 TJ VRX magna's priced between $7500 to $10000. Most have low kilometres. All appear to be from the 1st run of VRX's, so don't have the nicer wheels and climate control. So I'm thinking you'll be looking over 10k for a series 2 VRX unfortunately.

I highly addvise, if u r able to buy a manual magna,

if u want the sporty feel nothin goes past a manual

If I had a 2nd choice again I'd go for either an AWD Sports or a Verada GTV (I own a TJ2 Sports with VRX kit)

If you dont get a Verada or AWD, try and get a manual Sports or VRX if you can find one. I think every auto owner (myself included) knows how tempermental the auto box could be.

oh for sure! a manual VRX :D:D:D:D

What are you talking about?

I just bought my 2003 (sold July 17, 2003) TJ Sports AWD with 130,000kms for $10k private sale. (Advertised at 10.5k, but I offered 10k)
I missed out by 2 days on one with a few extra kms at $6500!

So if you want an AWD, stick with it and keep looking - they aren't as common so it might be a little while for the right one to come along.

Good luck! Oggy.

I'd go for a TJ VR-X Limited Edition, KJ Verada Xi or KJ Verada GTVi.
Here's a nice VRX LE in QLD. Leather, sunroof etc. He's asking way to much, should realistically be under 10K.
VR-X LE (http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/private/details.aspx?R=7322038&__Qpb=true&Cr=0&__Ns=pCar_RankSort_Int32%7C1%7C%7CpCar_Price_Decim al%7C1%7C%7CpCar_Make_String%7C0%7C%7CpCar_Model_S tring%7C0&keywords=&__N=1216%201246%201247%201252%201282%204294964597% 204294964374%204294919834&SearchAction=N&silo=1011&seot=1&tsrc=allcarhome&__Nne=15&trecs=3&__sid=12096C5436E7)

EDIT: Oh, and make sure it's a manual VR-X ;), Verada's only came in auto, 5sp tiptronic is the pick here.
(http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/private/details.aspx?R=7322038&__Qpb=true&Cr=0&__Ns=pCar_RankSort_Int32%7C1%7C%7CpCar_Price_Decim al%7C1%7C%7CpCar_Make_String%7C0%7C%7CpCar_Model_S tring%7C0&keywords=&__N=1216%201246%201247%201252%201282%204294964597% 204294964374%204294919834&SearchAction=N&silo=1011&seot=1&tsrc=allcarhome&__Nne=15&trecs=3&__sid=12096C5436E7)

There is a series 1 TJ VRX on our for sale notice board right now below $10,000 with 102k km. (dunno if its had t belt change)

if you really want an AWD, keep looking, but be patient. the right one will come around eventually.

I picked up my AWD sports for $8k with only 68,000km's on it! mind you i did have to drive to NSW to get it.. but the amount I saved was huge! Had enough left over to do a few mods...

And I know this may seem stupid, but sometimes people selling their cars don't actually know what car it is... for example, my AWD sports was advertised as just an AWD. and I've seen a few AWD's advertised as normal FWD's... so make sure you're searching properly on carsales/tradingpost/carpoint, etc.

I through the Auto in the Magna's were really good... I would rather a VR-X over the AWD... About the Railart are all of em AWD, or are some FWD...

I would like the luxury of leather seats ect but that would be able to be swapped latter wouldn't it?

I through the Auto in the Magna's were really good... I would rather a VR-X over the AWD... About the Railart are all of em AWD, or are some FWD...

I would like the luxury of leather seats ect but that would be able to be swapped latter wouldn't it?
Ralliarts are only FWD.

If your happy with an Auto look for a Series 2 KJ Verada, or MY02/Series 2 TJ Sports/VRX. These have the 5sp auto (much much much better than the 4sp) and Climate control, which seems to be what your after. VRX is basically a Sports with a body kit, so keep that in mind if your half hearted about the kit, you can get a sports which is essentially the same without the kit and 17"s, and put something different on.

Series 2 TJ Advance was the only other model Magna standard with Climate control prior to the TL's. All Verada's had it, as did the MY02 and Series 2 TJ Sports and VRX's.

Also what is the spec levels of the VERADA...
for some reason the price for them seam to be lower than the Magna's??? why would this be? any ideas...

Also what is the spec levels of the VERADA...
for some reason the price for them seam to be lower than the Magna's??? why would this be? any ideas...
Price might be lower if its older or higher km's. The Verada is the top of the range version of the Magna, in luxury form. There's Ei (base Verada), Xi (top of the range) and GTV/GTVi (sports pack). Ei and Xi were the standard from 1996 in the KE all the way to 2005 KW, GTV/GTVi was introduced in the KJ and finished with the KW.

so whats the dif with the EI Vs XI??? lol sorry.... I don't think its age or k's; I've been looking for in the years form 1997-2003 under 15k km but there seam to be alot more Verada's well under the 10,000 mark like a few 1999-2001 for 7-8K...

so whats the dif with the EI Vs XI??? lol sorry.... I don't think its age or k's; I've been looking for in the years form 1997-2003 under 15k km but there seam to be alot more Verada's well under the 10,000 mark like a few 1999-2001 for 7-8K...
Dunno whats going on with prices then, but if you want a higher model sounds like now is the time to buy lol.

On the earlier models the only major difference between Ei and Xi (talking 96-98) was Leather, woodgrain and stacker stereo. Dash was also black and light grey in Xi, vs dark grey and light grey in Ei. From the KH (1999+) the Xi had a sunroof standard, Ei had 80% woodgrain, Xi had the extra bottom piece around the shifter in woodgrain.

Then there's the GTV/GTVi, which had black perferated leather seats, 17" alloys, woodgrain nardi wheel and shifter and the option for in built GPS. Thats the majors, there's a few little differences here and there otherwise but nothing big.

Ok... I'll have a look at em... theres a Verada near by its a 2002, 122K km DVD Player and a few performance mods.... and he wants 10,500 for it so I think I could snag a bergen...

Also what about buying interstate; both dealer and privet, are there any stampduties ect. any one brought interstate and had bad experiences.

Ok... I'll have a look at em... theres a Verada near by its a 2002, 122K km DVD Player and a few performance mods.... and he wants 10,500 for it so I think I could snag a bergen...
I was digging around for Veradas on Carsales and came across that one. The mods are worth $4-5k on their own so provided it's been looked after (the usual caveat I guess), it'd be a nice buy. The '180kw' comment is a bit off though, with the extractors/exhaust/K&N it's more in the 165-170kw bracket. The other downside is that since it's a MY02 (early 2002, compared with the series 2 in late 2002), it's only got the 4 speed tiptronic instead of the 5 speed. Oh, and I noticed rego runs out this month - maybe use that as a bargaining point?

I would go for an older higher spec model against a later model basic.

Yeah I noticed that the rego was up soon too...

I saw this one HERE (http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/dealer/details.aspx?Cr=4&R=7244242&trecs=8&__sid=11FD22967D6D&__Ns=pCar_PriceSort_Decimal|1||pCar_RankSort_Int32 |1||pCar_Make_String|0||pCar_Model_String|0&__Qpb=true&__Nne=15&SearchAction=N&seot=1&__N=1216%201247%201282%201252%201246%204294964597% 204294964081%201707&silo=1011)

Its a dealer car and hes asking 15,000 for it... I think hes dreaming given the other prices about and redbook ect it looks more like 9,500... I'll msg him and see...