Last month, we bought on short notice, a 1996 model in Sydney (Eastern Suburbs) for $11,800 AUD. For this age group, my advice would be to focus less on options, and more on basic mechanics. Try telling this to my wife, who got mesmerised by the leather and classy looks. It was only $1500 more expensive than a mass-produced local GM-Holden or Ford of similar size and age. The clean interior and added safety was worth the difference.

Ours had been badly maintained with suspension and steering being rather worn. Still a good buy, the body was perfect. The engine was rather slow and heavy, which worked in my favour when I bargained on the price. After that, I've used a single bottle of Spitfire ($8), applied a few drops at a time over the first month. The lower dose was to avoid all those internal deposits clogging the oxygen sensor. Next month, a bottle of injector cleaner ($7), similarly divided over four tanks. By now the engine is the best part of the car, very powerful and responsive.

We have no climate control, but the main problem is the possibility of fumes getting into the cabin. The climate control may have a better evaporator, which is a known weak point for 1996 (according to this forum). About the sunroof: try testing in in heavy rain, they tend to leak after a few years.