Ute Advice

I just got a new car. It's a station wagon, bought second hand. I've had three cars in my life now — two wagons and a hatch — and I expect I will go through the rest of my life not owning a sedan.

Very few SUV or four-wheel drive owners take their vehicles off road, let alone into demanding terrain.

Last week's cover story comparing the three best utes on the market caused a bit of stir -- and not just among the hordes of Toyota HiLux evangelists who queried our call on deciding in favour of the new Ford Ranger. A number of readers contacted us to highlight just how little you can carry onboard most utes when

There are no deals on the just released, all-new version of the market-leading Toyota HiLux ute but big discounts have emerged on rivals fighting over the scraps. Here are the best deals — down your tools and go and kick some tyres.Ford RangerDiscounts on the Ranger are extremely rare, so we had to double check this one wasn't a misprint. The workhorse XLS grade 4WD four-door ute may lack the bling of the XLT and Wildtrak but it has the same strong 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel engine and all the other Ranger attributes (including 230V power adaptor). The price of $45,490 drive-away after a $500 bonus is super-sharp. The RRP is $48,090 plus on-roads, so this is a discount of nearly $5000. Auto adds $2200.Nissan Navara RX 2WDNissan has a headline price of $36,835 drive-away for the base model four-door ute but there are a few caveats. This price is for the 2WD, not the 4WD, the 1 per cent finance deal must be repaid over just three years — then there's the massive balloon payment of $19,795, more than half the purchase price. Best to arrange your own finance and haggle harder on the price.Mazda BT-50Need a workshop runabout? The Mazda BT-50 single cab with 2.2-litre turbo diesel and factory dropside tray can be had for $26,990 drive-away, or $1500 less than the Ford Ranger equivalent.Mitusbishi TritonThe new Triton was well priced at launch earlier this year but buyers have avoided it in droves, due to either its ungainly looks or its mainly carry-over chassis. So Mitsubishi has made the price even more compelling. The GLX 4WD four-door is $36,990 drive-away, including alloy wheels, reversing camera and five-year warranty (which the Colorado lacks). But the best buy is the $39,990 drive-away GLS with Super Select (4WD can be used on sealed roads), larger alloy wheels, rear-view camera in the central display screen, sports bar, hard tonneau cover ... the list goes on. If Mitsubishi fitted the new Pajero Sport nose to the Triton it would have a winner on its hands.Holden ColoradoThe Colorado — one of the first cars to suffer from General Motors cutbacks during its development in the global financial crisis — has been in permanent discount mode since it went on sale a couple of years ago. It is not rated as highly as newer utes. But the basic LS 4WD four-door (pictured, LS-X) at $35,990 drive-away (after a $1000 bonus) is sharp buying if you're on a budget. At that price, the equivalent Isuzu D-Max ute can't get close.Ford Falcon XR6 UteWant to buy one of the last homegrown utes? The XR6 ute limboes to a new low: $31,940 drive-away after a $500 discount. That's with six-speed automatic transmission, 18-inch alloy wheels, alloy sports bar and eight-inch colour touchscreen. This is about $5000 off the full RRP for the XR6 ute and about $10,000 less than the Commodore SV6 ute.

We can't get enough of high-riding wagons that drive like cars — but for some there's no substitute for the tough off-roader.

Everything changes when ordinary Aussies buy their own cars.

These are the badges vying for bragging rights in popular segments.

Nothing comes for nothing, they say, and that applies especially to attractive finance offers on new cars. Some can save you thousands of dollars while others have a lump sum at the end.Experts have warned buyers to beware of low interest rate finance offers on new cars in end-of-year sales.While some deals are sharp and can save you thousands of dollars, most of the December deals lock customers into a lump sum payment at the end of the life of the loan -- equivalent to more than half the original purchase price of the car.For example, the Nissan Micra is available for just $49 per week with a 1 per cent interest rate, bringing the total drive-away price to $15,850.But at the end of the three-year loan, the buyer is lumped with a bill for $8210, more than half the original purchase price.The same lump sum, described in finance terms as a “balloon payment”, also appears in the fineprint of the Nissan Navara offer.The Nissan ute can be had for $110 per week with a 1 per cent interest rate, bringing the total drive-away price to $35,991.But at the end of the three-year loan, the buyer is lumped with a bill for $19,795 -- or 55 per cent of the purchase price.Dealer finance experts say on average most residual or “balloon payments” are about 20 per cent of the purchase price, so buyers are not caught out “upside down” owing more than the car is worth at the end of the loan.A spokesman for the National Roads and Motorists’ Association, Peter Khoury, said buyers need to read the fine print of special offers and make sure there are no hidden extra costs.“One of the problems with a balloon payment is that a lot of people can’t afford it and then they have to take out another loan to pay that remaining portion,” said Mr Khoury.In contrast, the current 0 per cent Toyota Camry offer is available without a lump sum payment at the end and can be carried over four years.A $28,990 Toyota Camry costs $140 per week over four years but then the buyer owns the car outright, with no lump sum at the end.A $29,990 Toyota Aurion V6 sedan costs $144 per week, with nothing left to pay at the end of the four-year loan.“When it comes to financing a vehicle, if you are not confident you understand the terms and conditions, make sure you show someone who does,” said Mr Khoury.“Otherwise buyers may not see the loopholes and commit to something they can’t afford. Always shop around and get more than one quote, and that applies to a quote for financing the vehicle.”Dollar dazzlersNissan Micra manual$15,850 drive-away1 per cent finance offer$49 per week over three years and a $8210 balloon paymentNissan Pulsar auto$22,507 drive-away1 per cent finance offer$67 per week over three years and a $12,095 balloon paymentNissan Navara ute$36,835 drive-away1 per cent finance offer$110 per week over three years and a $19,795 balloon paymentToyota Camry$28,990 drive-away0 per cent finance offer$140 per week over four years, no more to payToyota Aurion V6$29,990 drive-away0 per cent finance offer$144 per week over four years, no more to pay

We at CarsGuide.com.au endeavour to test every new car that hits the market, but the most useful reviews are where we compare new cars against their closest competition.

If you're in the market to buy a new ute, you may want to hold off for a moment.