The hunt for the shitbox begins

A big shoutout to all our generous donors and sponsors so far. Together we have now raised $2890.

We still have a bit to go, but with that in mind it is now time to start the search for the shitbox.

There are certain rules the shitbox needs to conform to – you can check them out in this post here. Even after the rules there is a reasonable amount of choice in the below $1500 category, as well as come pitfalls to avoid.

On top of the rules there are some desirable attributes of the potential shitbox which we are looking for.

• Working Air Conditioning – Very useful to keep driver comfortable and the windscreen demisted if it is cold and wet.
• Petrol or diesel powered (as there isn’t much LPG available on the proposed route)
• Manual transmission (not essential but more fun and generally less to go wrong than old automatics)
• A larger vehicle – like a van or wagon – mainly for the larger area for stickers and decorations. Easier to pack and/or cart stuff around.
• Working cruise control – generally useful to avoid speeding tickets.
• Mechanically – good enough to make the distance.
• Something which isn’t on the written off vehicle list – so that we can actually get rego in NSW.
• Something within a few hours from Wollongong
• 4+ months Rego and decent tyres – whilst external to the criteria of what is included in the the $1500 value, if a car already has Rego and decent tyres then that is always a plus.

Things that are not a bother for shitbox buyers. These are all things which are in many ways a bonus as they reduce car value

• Hail damage, general dents
• Ripped interior
• sagging headlinings
• Flood damage (within reason) – so long as the vehicle is functional / roadworthy / healthy to sit in.

There are also some vehicles we can definitely rule out

• Subarus, Audi Quattros, Volvo XC’s, Jeeps, – AWD’s, 4WD’s
• Holden Captivas, Cruzes or Epicas, Cherys, (We want to make the finish with reasonable probabilty)
• Any 2 door coupe or convertible (space and practicality)

An initial search returns 13 vehicles in the less than $1500 range.

As described in the ads themselves – which as always, requires some reading between the lines of what isn’t mentioned.

Photo	Car	Pros	Cons	Asking price
	Fiat Punto	Rego until December – Manual – Cruise control and Air Conditioning	Known issues: – Crack in windshield; not in driver view – Only passenger window works	$1500
	Honda Jazz	Looks pretty good	Few Dings – QLD Rego	$1500
	Volvo V70	Straight, Rust free, decent interior, working air con (allegedly)	Oil leak, Water Leak, No Rego	$1500
	Ford Laser	Looks solid	No Rego, Rough paint, Tinting looks cracked, dint on rear, tail light needs fixing	$1500
	Mazda MPV	Roomy, Straight, Decent paint	No Rego, No Reverse Gear	$1500
	Holden Astra	Ok for driving to and from work	Missed a timing belt tooth, wouldn’t drive it far, wear and tear, Odometer doesn’t work,	$1400
	Audi A4	New starter, Alternator, Sunroof	No Rego, Paint crazed	$1300
	Civic Wagon 1982	5 speed manual, Ring for details	No Rego, doesn’t look to have moved in a while	$1250
	Camry Sportivo	Manual, looks straight	No Rego. was SA registered so need blueslip. Long way away to collect	$1000
	Magna	New Battery	No Rego, Fading Paint, cracked light	$1000
	Citroen Piccaso	Drives fine normally but will intermittently drop into neutral and needs to be restarted. Decent Leather Interior	Transmission issues, right tail light,	$1000
	Peugeot 307	Low Kms, Manual, lots of fruit	No Rego, Sideway photos, a few minor dents, Needs to be towed…. why?	$1000
	Toyota Camry Vienta	Just been serviced, new battery, & four tyres are still good. Heater & air conditioning work well & the car has tow-bar. Has been reliable. For its age, it still runs ok,	needs a new owner who is mechanically inclined. Does burn a bit more oil	$1200 neg

• Are there any that stand out for you?
• What would you be looking for?

Let us know in the comments below.

If you have a car you’d like use to consider – please let us know in the sponsorship form and select “Not sure yet – please discuss”