Unquestioned belief - Cars
- Thread starter XBenX
- Start date
XBenX said:
Yeah it is dead money alright.
I purchased a car 10yrs ago,
1yr old 40k on the clock, 26k.
I had it eight years and it only cost me the services most of the time.
I have a young family and I do need a reliable car.
last year the car started costing a bit more money and becoming unreliable so I changed over to a.... 1yr old, 40k on the clock, 26k.
19k changeover
I was not happy, and I know it is bad debt, but I need a reliable car.
This knocks the investing around, but what can ya do?
cheers
voodoo said:
Well it depends on how useful you are with a spanner
A well maintained classic car can be extremely reliable, cheap to repair and will never need replacing. Its an option, but not for everyone. Modern cars have an ever decreasing lifecycle and ever increasing repair bills due to whizbang gizmos, complex engines and marginal engineering. They quickly start to look tired, easily get dents in carparks thanks to the paper thin panels and bits of plastic trim fade and fall off, wheel covers getting lost, and cheap paint jobs fading in our hot sun.
I pity our young generation wanting to buy their first cars, given that Cars are now engineered to have short life spans they are forced to buy cars that are a) at the end of their useful life and b) unable to be rebuilt economically. This of course only if they manage to run the gauntlet of finance offers that promise to get them into a brand new car.
I refuse to be drawn into the evil plot by car manufacturers for me to spend $30K every 5yrs. Not to mention the $1500 in stamp duty to the State Govt each time I upgrade.
I have talked with many cab drivers who say that the EF and EL Falcons were regularly going 800 000 km without major repair.
Only problem encountered was the small rooftop and large sloping glass areas front and rear that bring the roof to close to the head of a taller driver and do not suit the Australian sun (an unsuccessfull attempt to train consumers to like the European Ford Taurus shape).
Likewise the Toyota Camry has a fine reputation.
As I recall, many of the sixties and seventies cars were not as durable.
Only problem encountered was the small rooftop and large sloping glass areas front and rear that bring the roof to close to the head of a taller driver and do not suit the Australian sun (an unsuccessfull attempt to train consumers to like the European Ford Taurus shape).
Likewise the Toyota Camry has a fine reputation.
As I recall, many of the sixties and seventies cars were not as durable.
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Are you sure Duncan? my childhood memory of the old FB Holden was that it was as an unrealiable as a car, as a car could be, upgrading to a HQ (Holden) was not much better. My dad said not to buy a Ford as they break down a lot...which relative to the EB standard of reliablity means Fords must have been disasters.
My Honda Civic has run like a fine watch since purchase 7 years ago, goes from 0 to 100 faster than the FB could get out of second gear, air-con, power-windows, more space (yes more space), 10x more fuel-efficent, doesnt overheat and stop on a hot day and starts on cold mornings like a chalm.
Pity it's current value on the used market in Japan is $600! Which raises the point of cars in todays world of auto production overcapacity. A used Honda Civic with 40K,kms is still a good car, the next owner I am sure will have years of happy and cheap motoring. The reason it is worth $600 is not because it is "bad" like a FB holden, but it is simply common.
My Honda Civic has run like a fine watch since purchase 7 years ago, goes from 0 to 100 faster than the FB could get out of second gear, air-con, power-windows, more space (yes more space), 10x more fuel-efficent, doesnt overheat and stop on a hot day and starts on cold mornings like a chalm.
Pity it's current value on the used market in Japan is $600! Which raises the point of cars in todays world of auto production overcapacity. A used Honda Civic with 40K,kms is still a good car, the next owner I am sure will have years of happy and cheap motoring. The reason it is worth $600 is not because it is "bad" like a FB holden, but it is simply common.
We have selective memories.
Early Holdens couldn't climb Cunningham's Gap without boiling. Couldn't go from Mackay to Rockhampton on a tank of petrol. There were specialist garages in Sarina and Marlboro making fortunes out of replacing shattered windscreens. Forget taxis, private owners were hard pressed to get 100k miles out of a new car. They only had 12mths or 12k miles warranties and if you bought a Monday car you would sell it again before the warranty ran out. The term "lemon" was on everybody's lips because everyone owned, or knew someone who owned a "lemon".
We all knew how to fix them because practice makes perfect. There were service stations everywhere, all with a hoist and mechanic on duty making more money out of parts and repairs than petrol. In the sixties a typical servo would sell less than 50k litres of petrol a month but carry a large range of parts.
Every 1,000 miles........ Grease and oil change.
Every 10,000 miles...... New plugs, points and tune up.
Every 25,000 miles...... Valve grind
Every 50,000 miles...... Repco reconditioned head
Before 100,000 miles.... Repco reconditioned short motor.
So bad were British/American/Australian cars that a 1200cc European car with a top speed of 72mph, a 4 speed gearbox that worked, doors that sealed to keep out the dust and which kept winning the Redex Round Australia Rally was our most reliable car. This is the Volkswagen of course but was also the most dangerous car to drive, ever sold in this country.
No, I don't have fond memories and think new cars today are wonderful.
Thommo
Early Holdens couldn't climb Cunningham's Gap without boiling. Couldn't go from Mackay to Rockhampton on a tank of petrol. There were specialist garages in Sarina and Marlboro making fortunes out of replacing shattered windscreens. Forget taxis, private owners were hard pressed to get 100k miles out of a new car. They only had 12mths or 12k miles warranties and if you bought a Monday car you would sell it again before the warranty ran out. The term "lemon" was on everybody's lips because everyone owned, or knew someone who owned a "lemon".
We all knew how to fix them because practice makes perfect. There were service stations everywhere, all with a hoist and mechanic on duty making more money out of parts and repairs than petrol. In the sixties a typical servo would sell less than 50k litres of petrol a month but carry a large range of parts.
Every 1,000 miles........ Grease and oil change.
Every 10,000 miles...... New plugs, points and tune up.
Every 25,000 miles...... Valve grind
Every 50,000 miles...... Repco reconditioned head
Before 100,000 miles.... Repco reconditioned short motor.
So bad were British/American/Australian cars that a 1200cc European car with a top speed of 72mph, a 4 speed gearbox that worked, doors that sealed to keep out the dust and which kept winning the Redex Round Australia Rally was our most reliable car. This is the Volkswagen of course but was also the most dangerous car to drive, ever sold in this country.
No, I don't have fond memories and think new cars today are wonderful.
Thommo
He He Thommo, You bring back memories. Don't forget in those days you could go on a trip and even the tyes would blow out. My father had four blowouts in one trip from Monto to Rockhampton. I remember when I was four years old helping my Dad in the back yard to fix up the motor in his FJ holden which was just out of warranty by the way. My job was to clean the pistons with kerosene. I love the modern cars also although I will say a friend of mine has just bought a second hand Holden HSV. He was so happy he saved 20,000 dollars but since then its been a nightmare. They have so far replaced the Diff and the gearbox and now the motor. Still under warrantythough which is a good thing about the modern cars. You usually get three years warranty.
I am currently working on a 78 ford escort for my No1 son and a 71 LJ Torana for my No 2 son. They have a fixation with older cars. At least I know how to work on them and the boys are not in debt to some finance company.
Househunter
I am currently working on a 78 ford escort for my No1 son and a 71 LJ Torana for my No 2 son. They have a fixation with older cars. At least I know how to work on them and the boys are not in debt to some finance company.
Househunter
always_learning said:
HI AL.
Yes I'm sure.. an older car with a few upgraded components can be very reliable, but requires the addition of electronic ignition (simple upgrade), an electric fan, an integrated alternator, rebuillt engine, a good quality modern battery.
Buying an old car out of the Trading Post and expecting it to be reliable is, of course, unrealistic. There IS a maintenance overhead, but it becomes a pleasure, its not for everyone as I said in my first post.
Lplate said:
Hehe, well if that's right then my good old Falcon still has almost 700,000 to go!........
I currently have a terrific 1995 EF Falcon Station Wagon in great condition (considering its age), have spent over $1000 fixing paint work up (side doors look brand new) it has low kms (115000) whistle clean upholstery, barrier, 3 yr old reconditioned a/c, central locking, always garaged etc, drives great but have had no luck selling in the Trading Post at all for a measly $6900!!! And this has been advertised now for a mth, with a price drop already of $600. Compared to all the others advertised, I consider it a very fair and reasonable price!
Have put it outside a friends house (main road exposure) and hope to have better luck. Let's hope somebody soon realises what a great car the old Falcon really is!
Don't worry, I'd say you will have heaps more luck at your friends house. We live on a fairly main, although outer metro road and we've sold heaps of cars. We recently had friends that had advertised for weeks in the "trading post" and "things that go" with no luck. One day sitting out the front of our place and it was gone.........and I thought it was VERY expensive and would never sell.Jacque said:
My 18 year old son just bought a EF Fairmont sedan (way too many electrics for my liking) but its immaculate, and he loves it for $5,900. He was extremely happy because he felt he got it for a great price. So the price you are asking is certainly around market price and not expensive at all. So fingers crossed it will sell quickly.
Ruby.
Shaken, is a bit like "road worthy" and registration tax rolled into one. 3 years for a new car and then each 2 years after that. It's costs around $1200~$2500 for two years (depending on engine capacity 660cc ~ 7000cc). So about $750 a year for a Civic, I guess this is a little more than you would pay in Sydney.
The point with a car in Tokyo is that the cost of the car is parking it, it costs me $350month for a machine car park, for a flat concrete spot it would cost me $700month. The point being if you are going to the trouble of having a car, parking it and driving it around, toll-way costs etc then buying a better car doesnt cost that much more.
Duncan's Bedford truck would be worth more in Tokyo than my Civic because of it's rarity/novelity value.
The point with a car in Tokyo is that the cost of the car is parking it, it costs me $350month for a machine car park, for a flat concrete spot it would cost me $700month. The point being if you are going to the trouble of having a car, parking it and driving it around, toll-way costs etc then buying a better car doesnt cost that much more.
Duncan's Bedford truck would be worth more in Tokyo than my Civic because of it's rarity/novelity value.
What a way to make a quid! Rent out a few sq mtrs of concrete with no power, plumbing, floor coverings or any of the trappings we would need to provive in an IP for not much less.always_learning said:
Your task now, AL is to set up a company and we will all (I would anyway) invest in a parking lot. Easy money!
You, of course, could park at a small discount
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Hi AL
Hmmmmmmm looks like Syd parking aint far behind tokyo.
A perm spot is around 680- to 750 a month, with day rates now nudging the 50 dollar level.
ta
rolf
Hmmmmmmm looks like Syd parking aint far behind tokyo.
A perm spot is around 680- to 750 a month, with day rates now nudging the 50 dollar level.
ta
rolf
