Spec me plz: Australian run-about for a tradesman

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As title, I have a visa/job lined up for Aus', i may be in need of a vehicle to cart tools & building materials around in (no more than 2440mm long).
I have no idea what to get, I know the residuals are pretty high for old bangers over there. Budget of about $5K ideally, will go up to $10k if needs must.

Maintenance etc is not an issue for me, if I can get a service manual then I can fix it. I did one year full time at college, three years day release & a further 4 years F/T in the motor trade, so no problems on that front.

*Edit*

Ta! :)
 
Hardly anyone here knows the Australian used car market - it is VERY different to the UK market. It is full of cars you cannot buy here and most people here have never driven and the pricing is massively different.

All you are going to get here is a load of people telling you to buy a Falcon Ute because they are cool, this question would be better asked on an Australian car forum full of people who know the cars and know the market.
 
I take it this question has been asked in various forms before then? :/


I have looked for decent Aussie car forums, they seem to be hard to find for me for some reason!. Well, forums that have any info on vehicles suitable specifically for a carpenter or a builder.
I have plenty of friends in Aus who can recommend me a car, but not a van or a ute, because none are in any sort of trade. Well, apart from a painter - but he uses a car (there's not exactly many tools needed for that trade!).

Info on the market, especially this area, is a total b*gger to find. Was hoping on the off chance, perhaps we might have had a forum member who used to live or has lived over there.

Oh well.... thanks!

:(
 
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You can't buy Utes here so nobody here has much knowledge on them. We dont know what they cost used, how much you need for a good one etc.

The only people who can help are the very small few who live in Aus - but surely there will be many more people like this on an Australian forum?
 
I'm not putting my whole car buying decision on any info gleaned from this thread, however small, but it may well be appreciated.

I'm more optimistic than you perhaps, I have several months yet & there's no harm in asking here. I might get a small pointer & go from there. A suggestion for a forum even, replies don't have to be about a van/ute specifically.
 
[TW]Fox;21493708 said:
Well my advice would be to look at a Falcon Ute. I have no idea what $10k buys, not much if my quick check is anything to go by.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2005-For...-/250944826618?pt=AU_Cars&hash=item3a6d7a2cfa

No it doesn't from my experience either, but after a year there i will (if disaster doesn't strike) be in a vastly better position as I have to buy new tools, put down a rental house deposit & also having to stump up for initial visa costs -
although I should get most of that back as a rebate.

I'm being quite cautious on my budget for a vehicle really, probably more than i need to as I will probably sell it after a year and get something newer- I keep thinking in terms of uk residuals for vehicles i.e. losing lots of money
after owning it for a short while, that doesn't appear to be the case over there at all :confused:.

I still have a car, bike & other stuff here to sell off yet.
 
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