Nissan - nothing to pay until 2010

[Sunfish]

Assuming you are thinking of spending up to about $45-50k

Honda Accord Euro if you're after a sensible car
Volkswagen Jetta/Passat if you're after a sensible Euro car
Subaru Liberty turbo if you're after something quick-ish
Toyota Kluger if you're after a 4wd

Simple really

Can't disagree with any of that. I would add that the VWs have great fuel consumption. Still can't convince myself to buy European but (they've made unreliable, but sporty, cars for decades). It looks like being a few years yet but I'll wait for the Honda diesel. Apparently they want to perfect an oil burner in an alloy block.

 

[units4me]

I've got a mate who buys a new 5 series BMW every 3-4 years and looks after it well. His loss on the car on each changeover is usually 60K or more.

You could buy a new fully loaded Falcon/Commodore for a discounted price of about 45K (nobody ever pays RRP for those), and if you look after it, you may lose 25K on the next change over.

Don't believe everything you hear about prestige brands and resale value.

 

[Sunfish]

Don't believe everything you hear about prestige brands and resale value.

Prestige brands may not (or may, who knows) lose as much as the junk us plebs buy but that is only on a percentage basis!

It would cost no less on a $/yr basis to buy a Falcodore every year and drive it off the end of the pier than to buy a top of the range Euro car and have it serviced according to the log book.

Same with Harleys.

 

[tiger]

I might have seen wrong as I drove past yesterday but I'm pretty sure the big Rick Damelian dealership on Parramatta Rd has closed down (temporarily?) its exotic car showroom, there was a big curtain or something where the Ferrari's and Lambos are usually shown, wonder if he's stopped selling them.

 

[Gee Cee]

I dropped into Mahem/Fowles at Moorebank on Sunday.
I was surprised by the number of BMWs , Mercs, Saabs, Ferraris, and even caravans, boats and motorbikes coming up for auction. Normally just your basic straight line Holden, Ford & Toyotas.
Noted that Heartland holden at Rockdale has closed. I think the auctions were off loading their used car stock as well. (A lot of cars there had Heartland stickers and number plate surrounds)

 

[Pablo]

Well I personally am very happy with my VE commodore, its defineately the best car I've ever driven and is very solidly constructed. I get 11L/100km which is the same as the new 4 cylinder I was driving beforehand.

I really think there's allot of snobbery going on here regarding the euro cars vs the Australian cars. Every time I've seen a comparison between the Euros and Aust cars the Aussie cars come out on top for bang for your buck. So what if you haven't got heated leather seats at least your supporting your local workers.

By the way I do work at Holden's but this doesn't influence my opinion, actually it does because I have an insiders view of how well built they are something the people who can't see past the heated leather seats don't get to see.

Just my 2c

 

[Ausprop]

had a lot of calls on my car since i sold it and even a dealer yesterday. I expressed my surprise that he was chasing stock

 

[Y33]

Ausprop,

Who has closed the door on imports?

Buying a car should be like buying an investment property. Shop around until you find a bargain that if you sell 2-3 years later you can either make a few dollars or break even.

 

[Ausprop]

Ausprop,

Who has closed the door on imports?

Buying a car should be like buying an investment property. Shop around until you find a bargain that if you sell 2-3 years later you can either make a few dollars or break even.

the guvinmint mate... to import a vehichle you have to have owned it for 12 months whilst living overseas, else it needs to be some rusted relic of 25 years or more?? I think the later category should be stuck in a garbage compactor but anyway, apparantly that is encouraged

I was quite disappointed to learn this - after hearing of some auction results in the UK (a couple of thousand for late model low mileage range rover!) I thought it was happy days.

 

[Y33]

Ausprop,

Not exactly correct.

12 months ownership yes.

Pre 89 yes not 25 yrs.

Also there are quite a few vehicles that can be complied to OZ standards for between 3-8K. Vehicles like skylines, evolutions, mg's, 300 zx, 3000 GTO.

Another option is to look for people who live overseas and are bringing cars in on the 1 yr import rule.

Ask someone overseas if they can own the car for you for a yr. This is especially good for upmarket, exotic or rare cars.

Classic example is the current GT-R sells in OZ for around 160K. Can be picked up in Japan for around 50-70K. Pay someone 10K-20K to hold for a year and you end up with a 160K car for around 90K. 6 months later sell it for around 120K and you have made a nice profit and got to drive a super car at the same time. 30% return on money after 18 months is okay in my books.