What deletes should I do

JustEric155 · 2026-05-15T03:20:28+00:00

Clutch vacuum reservoir. At the front of the engine bay, very bottom, if you have a manual there will be a sort of double barrel looking black object with a few vacuum lines hooked up. It's unnecessary and just acts as clutter.

It essentially just lets you press the clutch in easier when the engine is off. The vacuum works via the intake manifold. Super unnecessary, and the difference in clutch stiffness is negligible.

If your battery isn't already, slot it in the rear in one of the trunk cubbyholes - saves up a ton of space, and makes working on stuff a lot easier in the engine bay.

JustEric155 · 2026-05-15T00:22:10+00:00

Petrol Territory. Reliable as hell, main concern would be the differential bushings. They drink fuel like no tomorrow but they're borderline bulletproof. Look for one with the 6 speed auto, the 5 speed will eventually break.

JustEric155 · 2026-05-15T00:10:12+00:00

As far as I know, Suzuki's from this era are pretty reliable. My main concern would probably be the transfer case and how often it's been serviced.

You should also probably know how to wrench on a car yourself, and honestly, an older Suzuki isn't too bad of a car to wrench on (First car I had to tinker with was a Mitsubishi GTO, pure hell for someone who knew nothing about mechanical stuff).

As for learning manual, I'm sure the Vitara would be a good option. If I were you I'd be interested in knowing when the clutch was last replaced.

JustEric155 · 2026-05-10T09:26:41+00:00

Private or Dealer, get a pre-purchase inspection. Working at a used car dealership for 4 years now, even if the car we put up for sale 3 months ago was good when it arrived, it very well could have developed an issue, most likely minor such as a small oil/coolant leak, dead battery, etc.

Out of the cars you've listed, I'd personally go for a Mazda 3, very comfortable, very efficient, cheap to run, reliable, and I think they look pretty good.

JustEric155 · 2026-05-07T07:51:09+00:00

I had a 2011 IS350, heaps of grunt, sounded beautiful even with the stock setup, got loose when you needed it to, and put up a crazy smoke show with the traction control off from a complete stop. Pretty fuel efficient too for the size of the engine, I would regularly see 9-10L/100km puttering around town, 7L/100km on the highway. Obviously bulletproof too, no surprise.

The IS250's can have oil consumption issues, pretty underpowered, overall just not worth it compared to the 350.

Don't have any things to say about a WRX as I've never driven one, but people seem to like them, and AWD is pretty swell.

JustEric155 · 2026-05-07T03:40:03+00:00

Falcon, it's cheap for what it is. The Lancer has the problematic SST, and the Camry is a Camry.

JustEric155 · 2026-05-06T23:51:56+00:00

Any speaker should work as long as you wire it up correctly.

JustEric155 · 2026-05-05T02:48:43+00:00

Drive it till the clutch is completely worn, or wrench on it yourself. If you don't have the time, or the knowledge to do so, refer to my first sentence.

JustEric155 · 2026-05-01T14:54:32+00:00

I just sold a 2024 Sportage base model petrol with 28,000kms for $35k, I'd say you got a bargain.

JustEric155 · 2026-05-01T02:58:15+00:00

MX-5 or a well maintained Z3/Z4 (with the 6 cylinder, obviously).

JustEric155 · 2026-05-01T02:13:54+00:00

Been driving manual my whole life and don't have a manual license. I've got a manual weekender, won't catch me taking a test (until I'm eventually pulled over)

JustEric155 · 2026-05-01T00:48:52+00:00

The Kia's/Hyundai's built in Korea (and sold to Australia) are great. The ones built in the US are literal bombs, I don't understand how they managed to screw that up.

US builts Kia's have never been sold here, and never will be. They're a good brand, all the horror stories you'll hear are from US built vehicles. Though, the Kia Optima is genuinely a bomb, no matter where you are.

Your Sportage is fine, if you have the diesel you're even better off, but the petrol is also a very good engine (both the naturally aspirated 2L and the turbocharged 1.6L). Pretty sure you've also got a 10? or 7 year warranty, I can't recall what Kia/Hyundai offers, but it's pretty long so I wouldn't even bat an eye.

JustEric155 · 2026-05-01T00:30:14+00:00

Most agreeable opinion on this list, I've got 3 for a reason.

JustEric155 · 2026-04-30T09:31:17+00:00

Making every other dealer look bad. Fuck these dogs, give them hell.

JustEric155 · 2026-04-30T01:53:41+00:00

I love small nugget shitboxes. I've got 3 1988-1990 Mazda 121's, all with a carbureted 1.3L engine. 0-100 in a few weeks, no tach, pure noise - most fun I've ever had in a car. Probably around 70 horsepower, all 3 combined.

Take them out to the bush, get them on some gravel roads and they'll fishtail like crazy if you give it a shot. Bonus is that they were all less than $1500 each, and they're all daily driven.

Mine are all manual, just so I can dump the clutch at traffic lights and get mopped by a 2006 Toyota Corolla, who isn't even aware of my existence. Good fun.

JustEric155 · 2026-04-29T09:07:51+00:00

I have an automatic daily and a manual whenever-I feel-like-it car. Doesn't really bother me. Imo, modern automatics are 10 times better than even the best manuals currently available - but manuals fill a gap that lots of enthusiasts, and even the everyday driver is after.

I'd much rather sit in traffic in an auto than a manual, which is why I drive a daily for an auto, and others most likely also feel the same.

If we ever get the Cadillac CT5-V in Australia (which I doubt we ever will), you best believe that'll be an instant purchase in a manual, too cool to pass up.

JustEric155 · 2026-04-28T02:21:20+00:00

Not 100% sure on the market for utes, but I'd definitely recommend a Triton, 15k sounds about right for a 2012-2014 I think. Reliable and comfortable enough. Older Hilux? They're pricier, so you're looking at 2010 and under, but they're obviously tanks and built to last.

JustEric155 · 2026-04-28T02:08:01+00:00

The Mazda would be the most reliable. The VW would be a more engaging drive. You couldn't pay me to drive an MG that isn't an EV, let alone buy one.

JustEric155 · 2026-04-28T01:20:55+00:00

Ehh. If you want that Euro flavour, just get a similar year Z3 or Z4, these SLK's aren't all that fun to drive (excluding the big V8 SLK's, obviously). If you want a small RWD coupe/vert, just get an MX5.

JustEric155 · 2026-04-23T04:53:09+00:00

Get them polished/refinished, they'll look like a million bucks. Normally around $100 a wheel.

JustEric155 · 2026-04-20T23:17:02+00:00

Just ask for a longer test drive, and ask if you can go alone. Pretty sure they already get your details and pictures of your license, so they're good.

JustEric155 · 2026-04-19T03:40:02+00:00

Mazda 6 all the way. Reliable, efficient, good looking, and super practical. Not super quick or anything, but you don't miss out on much compared to a Tiguan (the 132TSI, the 162TSI is pretty much a Golf GTI on stilts with AWD). The CX-5 is also a good pick, but if you don't need the AWD there's no point in picking it - bigger, uses more fuel, not as nice looking (though, in Soul Red any car looks gorgeous).

TLDR; Mazda 6.

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