iamthecreaturefromuranus

I'll take the Australian version thanks.

I've never figured out the reasoning that makes the UK's 'fall off a cliff' depreciation on cars to be somehow a 'good thing'

chris955

That is a ridiculous price for an 11 year old car, most 4x4's here never go further off road than the front lawn.

In Exile

fair enough.

RE the UK thing: its not a "good thing", but what it does allow you isa wider choice of affordable 'luxury' vehicles, whereas Australia doesnt. You can plan around it. Buy second hand, change annually and you dont lose much. It also keeps things fresh.

I would never have bought a brand new car in the UK, which I quite happily did here. But if I was back in the UK I would have opted for a completely different strategy of buying. Personally the increased choice and variety at the appropriate price point in the second hand market is a winner for me.

maybe I'm just bitter because I tried importing a 2009 Mustang Bullit into Australia last year: 109,000 after comulsory RHD conversion, versus 24k in the UK.

Amazulu

Chillax JAWP. I've always said that 2nd hand cars are overpriced (although you get more for them when you sell on) - which is why I always buy new.

chris955

That is the annoying thing about importing a car, it is to 'protect the local industry'. How is importing a Lotus or a Mustang affecting local manufacturers ?

Amazulu

Then go to a dealer that will give you a fair price. I recently looked at trading the Navara for a new Triton. A dealer offered me $24k for a vehicle that I paid $45k for just under 6 years ago - which I thought was pretty fair.

Minister of war and finance overruled the purchase though.

In Exile

Agreed. Where the vehicle is not actually available for sale here, you'd think it wouldnt be a mission to import.

More annoyingly: why am I legally allowed i drive a 30 year old car with LHD, but with a modern car with more up to date safety features, why must i convert to RHD, at a cost of around $40,000?

Its obvioulsy not a steering wheel positioning issue because they allow older LHD vehicles...

roaringmouse

Because you pay ridiculous taxes, which are then passed on as subsidies to those companies that manufacture (or rather mostly just assemble) locally which should have gone out of business years ago, and are currently showing signs that the end is near for them.

Australia can't really maintain a car industry, at best just an assembly business but smaller than it is now. The local population and global geographical location just doesn't support it.

KJCherokee

Granted that most 100 Series Landcruisers bought new in the capital city areas are just Toorak Tractors for the soccer mums - but once they are sold as used they are snapped up (especially diesels) by the guys who want to modify them with lifted suspension, decent tyres, and other gear to make them great off-road vehicles. It's the huge second-hand demand that keeps the prices up, not what they are used for when new.

chris955

It's just ridiculous government hypocrisy and there can be no logical reason for it other than to make money.

jothefw

You're right KJC ... we use Landcruisers on the farm for the stockmen. Nothin else will hold up to the hard work. You pay a fair price but they'll still be going in 15 yrs time.

We own a 200 series and love it - nothing compares and we bought 2nd hand but we know even if we put 200,000 kms on it - we'll get a good price when it comes to part exchange.

Cars here don't get subjected to the same "weather" damage either so I think that holds their prices higher, you imagine how much rust is on a 5 yr old car in UK - it just doesn't do that here, well not in SA anyway.

KJCherokee

You go to any minesite, oilfield or pipeline construction spread and I guarantee that Landcruisers will outnumber every other brand by a huge margin.

Might change though, as a friend who hires out 4wds to the mining industry was telling me a year ago that they were switching to Nissan because the mines insist on airbags and Toyota don't fit them to the 70 Series. Don't know if that still holds true.

chris955

That certainly used to be true but nowadays most cars have really good rust protection and of course it depends where they are used. The worst car I ever had for rust was a Ford Falcon down in Geelong. Older cars yes I agree but not most modern cars.

Tramps_mate

Having looked into it more Iv found certain makes to be very reasonable IMO!!
http://www.carpoint.com.au/all-cars/...d=1355A63917FB

http://www.carpoint.com.au/all-cars/...=269&silo=1011

http://www.carpoint.com.au/all-cars/...s=25&silo=1011

Which are fine for shipping the kids and bikes around arent they? Id question Jeep reliability but Hyundai are much improved..

KJCherokee

I wouldn't question Jeep reliability (I've owned 2 in the last 9 years and love the things) but certainly their spare parts are a shocking price unless you import them yourself from the US or Europe. The Patriot isn't a bad car as long as you don't want a full off-road capability.