What model Commodore on a $5000 budget?

[GRPABT1]

May as well buy a camry if you just want a reliable economical family car. Get a V8 Holden when you want to go fast

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[Reaper]

I'd look at a very late VT Calais or VX (if you can find one). Should get to Adelaide on 1 tank even as a petrol V6 + reliable and comfortable.

 

[c2105026]

If you want economy, for your budget get the nicest VS you can find. VS performance and economy is miles ahead of VT-VY models, simply because they are much lighter than the VT that came after it. OTOH if you just want something economical and nice to drive, I'd go with a 4cyl manual japanese car from the 90s, perhaps a Pulsar, Lancer, Corolla. Wouldn't get a Korean car at that price point. They are coming good now but this wasn't the case 10-15 yrs ago......

 

[Darren_L]

May as well buy a camry if you just want a reliable economical family car. Get a V8 Holden when you want to go fast

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he didn't say boring

 

['ssv']

I wouldn't buy a pulsar, crapolla or lancer if I wanted to over take road trains quickly at 120kph.
Id look at a good condition vx of any model.
Imo the later model you can get the better.

 

[Ian Johnston]

What do you want to do with the car between the long drives every couple of months? Better to buy a car that suits your
every day use, than just for the trips. Pulsar/Corolla etc as said maybe a better option. Can you fly to Melbourne as an option??
I drive a Toyota Echo as one of my work cars, and while I wouldnt like to drive it from Adelaide to Melbourne, it gets 16ks to the ltr. And it doesnt go too bad.

 

[Reaper]

If you want economy, for your budget get the nicest VS you can find. VS performance and economy is miles ahead of VT-VY models, simply because they are much lighter than the VT that came after it. OTOH if you just want something economical and nice to drive, I'd go with a 4cyl manual japanese car from the 90s, perhaps a Pulsar, Lancer, Corolla. Wouldn't get a Korean car at that price point. They are coming good now but this wasn't the case 10-15 yrs ago......

fuq me dead. He does interstate. WTF is wrong with you?

 

[greenacc]

As late model Ecotec powered commy as you can find. Throw a new set of shocks in it, keep a spare DFI and set of coils in the boot and hit cruise!

 

[iChris]

a statesman would be nice as they do love the open road (so many of them come from the country - both of mine have) and are darn comfy on long trips but the economy just isn't there even if you go for a 6. I feel if you get a statesman a V8 is best for pulling them around. I get about 650K's to a tank in my VR V6 statesman and that's got low milage for a 20 year old car, it's approaching 180k.

personally I'd go for a calais for comfort or even just a well looked after exec would do the job. for 5k you could get a really nice VS Calais but finding one that's been looked after is a different story. for a long trip like that anything less than a commodore sized sedan is sacrificing comfort and getting a commodore sized car for a trip like that sacrifices some economy. I guess it's just up to you to decide what you prefer, economy or comfort. it's a pretty obvious rule of thumb when people look for a used car with good economy and that is you just won't get it in a older car unless you get a small car.

my stepdad used to drive from Sydney to Perth and back every month in his VS Exec and it served the job well.

 

[BOOST666]

I vote for VX calais, gots to have leather, I prefer the VX over VT because of the front and rear end difference, you know it's either a calais or berlina, the VT calais/berlina is disappointing, just looks like a tarted up exec.