2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1.8 LT, 2010 i20 1.4 or 2011 Kia Cerato 1.6 hatch

[Desum]

Hi guys, so I have promised myself multiple times this year that I would buy my first car but I have decided to wait until I've got enough to buy something cash.

Not too long ago I posted here to get advice on which was the better buy between the E46 320i and Audi b6 1.8T but I've since turned a full 180 and have decided to buy something more conservative. I am currently looking at buying one of the following this coming weekend at the we buy cars centres in Cape Town:

2009 Chevrolet Cruze 1.8LT - 890000kms - R63k
2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1.8LT - 193000kms - R70k
2010 Hyundai i20 1.6 - 206000kms - R68k
2011 Kia Cerato hatch 1.6 - 138000kms - R69k

My questions are, do you guys have any advice as to what to look out for this weekend? I love the interior on the Cruze but it's my first car I would not want something that breaks the bank on repairs and maintenance, is it the case with this car? How durable is the interior on the i20 and is it costly to repair? The repairs on a clutch for example, are they that bad, I've fixed a lot on the E36 316i I drive at the moment including the clutch, a LUK clutch kit + Flywheel skimming + Labour cost me 6.6k has anyone done anything similar with one of these cars, how much did it cost you? I'm a 23 year old Male, I know I'm generally high risk in terms of insurance but how much might you guys be paying on insurance.

Another thing is, I would like to get whatever I get onto a maintenance plan, which plans do you guys recommend? Whether it be by monthly installment or once off payment.

If any more information is needed I'll be glad to provide it. I'm really excited about getting one of these cars but I want to make sure it's a good buy.

 

[TheChamp]

The Kia Cerrato. The Cruze will be expensive to maintain, Chev is also out of the country so you are pretty much on your own.

The i20 is a cheap car that is far less premium than the Cerato.

 

[handyman007]

Mate of mine just sold his Cruze after many breakdowns. I'd stay away.

 

[Hemi300c]

Hyundai or KIA

 

[FiestaST]

Look at a Focus sedan, due to the lowish demand they go for a relative steal vs something like the Fiesta.

I would definitely stay away from Chevy, the Chevy approach should be they ducked off so you should say duck 'em.

 

[WeakQuinisha]

Insist on the Dekra certificate of the vehicle you are interested in, they do proper testing. Service history means nothing - I have a friend of a friend that will "service" your car with a stamp for R250 and reset the onboard computer. It amazes me that people will drive a vehicle to 100,000km and not service it once, then buy the stamps and sell the car.

 

[Gtx Gaming]

chevy has left the country for go the I20, 91kw under the bonnet just need to ref it real hard to get 91kw

 

[TheChamp]

chevy has left the country for go the I20, 91kw under the bonnet just need to ref it real hard to get 91kw

Same power you get in a Kia Cerato but packaged in a more quality product.

 

[SHL]

Hi guys, so I have promised myself multiple times this year that I would buy my first car but I have decided to wait until I've got enough to buy something cash.

Not too long ago I posted here to get advice on which was the better buy between the E46 320i and Audi b6 1.8T but I've since turned a full 180 and have decided to buy something more conservative. I am currently looking at buying one of the following this coming weekend at the we buy cars centres in Cape Town:

2009 Chevrolet Cruze 1.8LT - 890000kms - R63k
2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1.8LT - 193000kms - R70k
2010 Hyundai i20 1.6 - 206000kms - R68k
2011 Kia Cerato hatch 1.6 - 138000kms - R69k

890000kms!!! Vok nee...

 

[Lupus]

Mate of mine just sold his Cruze after many breakdowns. I'd stay away.

So he had a dud? I had a Cruze for a long time never gave a moments trouble, the only thing I took it in for was it's services. Only reason I got rid of it was because I was tired of such a big car.

 

[handyman007]

So he had a dud? I had a Cruze for a long time never gave a moments trouble, the only thing I took it in for was it's services. Only reason I got rid of it was because I was tired of such a big car.

It's the only experience I've had of the car. It's great that you got great service out of yours.

 

[Lupus]

It's the only experience I've had of the car. It's great that you got great service out of yours.

Most of the people I know who had them did, it's the same as I won't touch VW again as the one I had was horrible, constantly in for repairs, letting me down. The interior bits that felt all nice in the beginning crumbled over time. So each to their own.
I wouldn't go for a 2010 Hyundai I20 either as that's just before they became good, the interior is just eh, the feel of the car on the road is also just eh and for a 1.6 it's not great.

 

[PhireSide]

I'd go for the Cerato as well, which is basically an i30 with a different skin on. Just be warned that the 1.6 G4FC engine wants to be revved and it will feel quite sluggish until you get into the torque band. Also, second and third gear are loooong so acceleration is not exactly brisk.

My i30 is at just under 270'000km and still drives like new

 

[Lupus]

I'd go for the Cerato as well, which is basically an i30 with a different skin on. Just be warned that the 1.6 G4FC engine wants to be revved and it will feel quite sluggish until you get into the torque band. Also, second and third gear are loooong so acceleration is not exactly brisk.

My i30 is at just under 270'000km and still drives like new

That was the problem with the 1.6 motor it is sluggish in such a big body, I know I had a 1.6 in a Cruzes body, it also drinks petrol as you're revving it more. If it was the 2l Cerato it would've been a bit better, not a lot better but a bit better. 2 friends had the 2l Cerato from 2010 as they were only 200k back than and they were nice cars.

 

[PhireSide]

That was the problem with the 1.6 motor it is sluggish in such a big body, I know I had a 1.6 in a Cruzes body, it also drinks petrol as you're revving it more. If it was the 2l Cerato it would've been a bit better, not a lot better but a bit better. 2 friends had the 2l Cerato from 2010 as they were only 200k back than and they were nice cars.

I also feel the 2.0 is the sweet spot for the size of the car. The equivalent motor in the i20 feels nippy and peppy, but in the heavier chassis of the Cerato will feel like a dog. But, the OP should take them all for a test drive and decide for themselves, as what feels fast to me may feel slow to them or vice versa.

That being said, I was actually quite surprised with my fuel consumption on our trip to the Garden Route last week. We averaged 19km/l, two of us in the car with a boot full of luggage. Around town the figures aren't as good though, as you need to put your foot down to pull away from stop streets and the like.

 

[Lupus]

OP can you not extend your budget a bit? I mean even back when I was 23 69k didn't get a lot of car and I ended up with a Astra ie that had high mileage and high mileage cars are not great.

 

[Lupus]

I also feel the 2.0 is the sweet spot for the size of the car. The equivalent motor in the i20 feels nippy and peppy, but in the heavier chassis of the Cerato will feel like a dog. But, the OP should take them all for a test drive and decide for themselves, as what feels fast to me may feel slow to them or vice versa.

That being said, I was actually quite surprised with my fuel consumption on our trip to the Garden Route last week. We averaged 19km/l, two of us in the car with a boot full of luggage. Around town the figures aren't as good though, as you need to put your foot down to pull away from stop streets and the like.

Yeah I took my Cruze down to the coast back in 2016 and it didn't do too badly, got us down on a tank. Whereas I took my little 900t Clio down to the coast a month ago and dammmn that is fuel consumption. It's also surprising how a little 900t performs.

 

[Brawler]

I still have a 2010 1.6 Cerato sedan. It looks as good as new and has not let me down once so it gets a +1 from me.

 

[TheChamp]

Most of the people I know who had them did, it's the same as I won't touch VW again as the one I had was horrible, constantly in for repairs, letting me down. The interior bits that felt all nice in the beginning crumbled over time. So each to their own.
I wouldn't go for a 2010 Hyundai I20 either as that's just before they became good, the interior is just eh, the feel of the car on the road is also just eh and for a 1.6 it's not great.

Do you perhaps know if that 1.8l and the 1.6l engines are the same ones Opel used in their cars?

 

[Lupus]

Do you perhaps know if that 1.8l and the 1.6l engines are the same ones Opel used in their cars?

It was the same motors