Those who depend on the car to face the traffic jams of Brazilian cities are giving value to the automatic transmission. The problem is when buying a used one, as this item was not so popular in the past, options up to R$ 20 are scarce.
The access door to have a newer and easier-to-maintain car with automatic transmission is larger, in the range of R$ 30 thousand. With this amount there are already models that have sold well and have known mechanics, such as the Honda Fit and the Toyota Corolla “Brad Pitt”.
Up to R$ 20 thousand there are still some models with a good reputation, such as the first national Honda Civic. But it is necessary to remember that these are cars that are more than 25 years old, it is necessary to have a reliable maintenance history or perform a good overhaul to be reliable in daily use.
From a rational point of view, for those with a budget of R$ 20 thousand, it is better to buy a manual car or save some more money. We have listed some examples of automatic models in this price range that can suck your money.
1. Citroën C4 Pallas
It costs almost half the price of rivals in the same year because of the problematic automatic transmission (Photo: Citroën | Disclosure)
Yes, with R$ 20 it is possible to buy a medium sedan with a huge trunk, automatic air conditioning, digital panel, multifunction steering wheel with fixed hub, 2.0 engine and automatic transmission. The reason the Citroën C4 Pallas costs half as much as some rivals from the same year of production lies in reliability.
The 2.0 engine has no chronic problems, but the French brand’s four-speed automatic transmission has a terrible reputation. It has flaws in cooling and electronic management. And at this age, the oil change may not be up to date.
2. Australian Chevrolet Omega
The model has many specific parts that need to be imported from the other side of the world (Photo: Chevrolet | Disclosure)
Chevrolet used cars are usually safe options on the market due to easy maintenance. But the Omega imported from Australia requires care, especially if it is very cheap.
As it is a project of the Australian brand Holden, specific parts of the model are difficult to find and expensive. At least the V6 3.8 Buick engine can have the parts imported from the USA.
3. Mercedes-Benz A-Class
The A-Class is already a laborious car to maintain (Photo: Mercedes-Benz | Disclosure)
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class was a car ahead of its time even in the part of being a compact with an automatic transmission option. This configuration existed in the A190 model.
The A-Class is already an expensive car to maintain and not just any mechanic can face it. The automatic model also brings the additional of a box that was used only by this model.
4. Peugeot 207
The 207 used the same box as the C4 Pallas (Photo: Peugeot | Disclosure)
Another newer car with automatic transmission that exists for up to R$ 20 thousand is the Peugeot 207. The French brand was the first to accompany Honda in offering compact models with two pedals in Brazil.
The Peugeot 207 has the same problematic gearbox as the C4 Pallas, the AL4. Apart from the box, you also need to pay attention to the suspension.
5. Chrysler Grand Caravan
The model has a bad reputation because of the gearbox even in its homeland (Photo: Chrysler | Disclosure)
Do you need a spacious car for the family and the budget goes up to R$ 20 thousand? Look for a Ford Escort SW or a Fiat Palio Weekend, don’t fall into the temptation of the Chrysler Grand Caravan.
This minivan was quite popular, but even in the USA it has a bad reputation. The reason is the fragility of its automatic transmission.
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