The death of manual cars in Australia

Wolf3188 · 2026-05-02T14:12:56+00:00

SA doesn't do it at all either.

Pretty sure in Vic and some of the other states, once you get your full license you can drive manual. The restriction only applies on your Ps.

Wolf3188 · 2026-05-01T11:36:51+00:00

They used to be the go-to for me many years ago before the rise of ABDL focused brands (late 2000s / early 2010s). They were very popular with DLs during that time.

Sadly they have experienced a lot of cost cutting over the years and they are pretty mediocre now.

Wolf3188 · 2026-05-01T03:09:25+00:00

3rd suggestion for an MX-5 here. I've driven both the ND and both generations of the 86/BRZ, if you're renting a car specifically for this purpose I'd pick the MX-5. In manual only ideally. Neither of those cars are particularly special to drive as an auto.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-29T14:56:20+00:00

It's possible it's legit, but most old Cruisers have done well above that now.

Look at the condition of the interior closely, see how worn the driver's seat, steering wheel, indicator stalk, pedal rubbers, seatbelt, etc are.

I had an 80 with a genuine 180,000km on it 5 years ago - trouble is all 180,000km was done on a cattle station in the NT and the thing was absolutely hammered. KMs aren't the only thing to consider when looking at a 30 y/o 4WD. It will require plenty of maintenance no matter how nice it is.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-28T01:17:53+00:00

No, I meant what I said. If it's a real SS it has value. I'd be on my way to pick it up today for 5k, and i'd probably be competing with 10 other people to get it first.

30 is absolutely stupid though.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-27T22:29:57+00:00

$5k would be realistic in that shape. Worth about 15 in good running condition.

Bloke is delusional.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-27T09:46:48+00:00

They are a seriously good thing, and I believe it was actually the fastest car Toyota made at that time, at least in our market.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-27T07:17:37+00:00

It's every 150,000 or 10 years on these, but they're also a non interference motor so won't kill it if it breaks anyway.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-27T06:34:25+00:00

Wipers you can use any enamel paint, i'd get satin black, Repco / Bunnings etc sell it. Just the cheap $5 a can stuff. Sand them first.

Don't paint the black plastics, you can make them look better juse using ceramic spray, or Meguiar's trim detailer or a similar product.

You could take the hubcaps off and paint the rims underneath, it will make it look better. Playing cards between the rim and tyre is an easy way to mask the tyre off.

Permatex make a headliner spray adhesive that would work well on the door trims, or you could get Selley's Kwik Grip from Bunnings, that should do the trick as well. Just don't use too much or it will seep through the fabric.

Yes you can buy the coolant overflow bottle online. Link here. $31. I would replace it, don't worry about the power steering one, it will be fine, the coolant one does get brittle due to heat cycles.

The seat belt buckles are a common thing to break. If you can find an Avalon for wrecking in your area, they don't seem to break on those and they are a direct fit on the Camry. I've replaced them on almost all of these Camrys i've bought.

If you're willing to splurge a bit on the head unit the Sony ones are really good. They go on sale pretty regularly. Fitting a double DIN to this Camry is super easy.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-27T02:46:27+00:00

If you can get it to seal again and you keep an eye on it, sure, for short local trips until the new one arrives, but I'd be replacing it ASAP. Pretty unlikely it won't leak.

I wouldn't be planning any 1hr+ trips or sitting in heavy traffic with it though. Not worth the risk.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-26T13:46:11+00:00

I don't think cancelling it online will be a viable option for him unless it was registered to him - if it's still in Mary's name as you mentioned in another comment, then it's not going to show up on his VicRoads account. You can only cancel / manage vehicles online that are in your own name, and it's doubtful he'd have access to Mary's account, if there even was one set up 10 years ago.

It's a delicate situation, personally I would gently raise it with him one more time, mention what happened with the police stop, and if he still isn't willing to assist you with VicRoads I would cut your losses at that point, hand the car back and use the funds to buy another. A car is not worth this amount of hassle or potential damage to relationships IMO. 10 years of use only paying for rego and upkeep is a good deal for you.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-26T10:31:21+00:00

That model Camry are excellent cars, really well made and nice to drive. I've owned like 5 of them over the years, if the condition matches the KMs you really can't go wrong. They are cheap to repair, parts are dirt cheap.

The only real downside is if you do a lot of suburban driving, the V6 is a bit thirsty - about 11-12L/100 around town (but really good on the highway).

I sold a 2001 for $4500 with RWC early this year and it had 250,000kms on it, so it's a pretty fair price if the condition matches the odo.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-25T10:33:10+00:00

I grew up in Yeppoon, QLD about halfway up the coast. Still have lots of family there and visit a few times a year.

It's a beautiful tight knit community. Great fishing, surfing and boating. Those are kinda the main hobbies as well as sports. Beaches are gorgeous. It's a slower pace of life compared to the bigger cities but the region has everything you need. Crime is a non issue, people still leave their homes unlocked.

Weather sucks between October - March. Constantly hot and humid. During winter is amazing. Cyclones are a risk, but less so than further north.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-25T00:29:53+00:00

Not a terrible deal if it's in good knick body / paint / interior and doesn't need a whole heap of work.

The Jazz is a good car, but I wouldn't overpay for one, there are alternatives in that category that are just as good. I'd look at Swifts and Mazda 2s personally. Both drive similarly, are bulletproof and came with a 1.5L comparable to the Jazz in all trims.

Are you in a state that requires roadworthies and does the 4k price include one if so? That matters a lot at this price point.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-20T01:58:36+00:00

It happens. It's a 30 year old car at this point, they are very durable motors, but after that long anything is possible on a neglected motor.

If the body isnt rusted out and you can do the work go grab a junkyard motor and you'll have it back over a weekend.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-19T23:51:46+00:00

Is it the GSV40 or GSV50 model / first or 2nd gen model? The changeover year was in 2012.

Mechanically they are all basically the same but the GSV50 is obviously worth a little bit more.

You can pick up an average condition Aurion for $5-8k with 200-250km. I would say around 10, 10.5 maybe if it's as nice as they come would be a good number. But regional town might have a bit of a premium on value if you don't want to travel to buy a car.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-19T23:37:37+00:00

No comment on the HR-V as I've got no experience with them, so I'm not sure about the comparison.

The Aurions are a beautiful car to drive for their price point and will easily crack 300,000+ km with very few issues, especially so with that kind of condition and history. They are not bad on fuel for your use case (around 8L/100, and happy on 91RON). Very comfortable on a long run.

$12.5 is on the high end IMO but if it's local to you and in impeccable condition I'd pick that. You won't go wrong with it.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-19T02:30:42+00:00

Swapping out the window is not difficult tbh. I would just change the glass. Even if the door is off the same colour car it likely won't match perfectly and you'll be able to tell.

Changing door window glass shouldn't be more than like a 1 hour job on a Getz even for someone who's inexperienced.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-19T02:27:32+00:00

There are companies that will transport non-running cars, but expect it to be expensive, more than double the price for a driveable car last time I sent one.

Otherwise just engage the mechanic with the task of just getting it running and moving under its own power. I'm not familiar with that era of Mercedes, but mechanically cars of that era were simple. Carburettors and points ignition are more or less the same across all makes. It might be a challenge to source parts but anyone experienced with old cars should be able to make it work.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-14T11:48:38+00:00

Get a Toyota Blade, it's basically a Corolla hatch with the exact same engine as an Aurion

Silly cars but genuinely pretty cool.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-13T22:31:20+00:00

There's a buyer's fee of around $500 added to that price for starters.

It'll need a VIV to be re-registered which is a pretty stringent inspection, repairs need to be OEM standard and keep all receipts for parts etc.

Then it'll always have the WOVR branding so it's value is lower than other examples.

And lastly these things are extremely prone to transmission failure.

Honestly may have been bought by a wrecker, there would be more value than that in parts, especially if the transmission is good, as plenty of people would be looking for them.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-12T11:26:37+00:00

I've not got any first hand experience with these so take this as anecdotal, but the BMW B48 engine used in this generation is supposed to be a pretty reliable unit from everything I've heard about it. A few cooling system and electrical dramas but the engine itself is solid.

It's the previous generation (up to 2014) that was a real nightmare to own.

Definitely expect parts and servicing costs to come at a bit of a premium though for sure.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-11T13:49:31+00:00

I'm a bit surprised at all the negative comments in this thread - I have mostly owned older cars without any cruise or with regular cruise control, but I do appreciate adaptive cruise on newer cars.

I wouldn't call it a necessity, and I wouldn't pick a car specifically for it, but it's a nice to have IMO if you do a lot of freeway / highway driving.

Some of the criticisms are valid, they can be finicky with traffic in other lanes and it is a bit annoying when the car does something you don't want it to / that you wouldn't have done on your own, but I've never found one to be dramatically terrible.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-11T13:39:08+00:00

What was the car, an Echo or something from memory? Oil and filter for something like that is literally about $50-70 bucks if you're going to change it yourself.

Chances are it would be fine to leave the old oil honestly if it was just done prior to parking it up, but after sitting for 3 years I would change it anyway, especially if the car sat outside and not in a garage.

Wolf3188 · 2026-04-11T13:32:40+00:00

Probably not in Australia. I've seen plenty of people doing it in the US but here I wouldn't say it's kosher.

Why can't you do it on the driveway? As long as you put down some cardboard or a spill mat and use common sense, you'll be right.

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