Do I really want a Japanese car?
I think this is a good reason to not want to stick with Toyota!
I know Jack is looking for a Porsche 928, which again is clearly not a Japanese car (though it was popular iwth Japanese business men, and as a result they are shipping them out of the country about now). Ian has a nice looking ST185 Celica GT-Four on the way, and with his latest Supra acquisition, he is only wanting to keep one. I figured with enough pressure, he’d stick with the Supra, and I could snaffle his shiny Celica when it comes off hte boat, but now I’m not so sure that’s the best way to go.
This beast has done 84,000kms (though the gauges are all in miles) and has a huge 5.7 litre V8 engine. Those of you that know me very well will be thinking “what - when did Matt become a V8-petrol-head?” and I think the truth is I’m not; I’ll never touch your Commonwhore or Falcoon, but something like this is a little different.
It’s the kind of car you raced in Need for Speed when you were a kid.
Prestige Motorsport estimate it will cost $13,300 to ship it to my door.
Where’s that piggy bank of mine gone?
American cars: they make Australian cars look good.
I think Peps will agree with me - Europe is the only place worth buying cars from.
No way. Japan has enjoyed a huge boost in popularity, primarily because of the import market.
I never used to like American Muscle, but now I think I have a certain respect for it.
How many girls have said “hey there, nice Volvo” or even “hey there, nice Per-got” - I had it twice when the car was in better nick, and the girls were not bad either. I bet Fitzy’s more likely to get it that anyone, and Ian of course.
Do you really want to attract the sort of girls that are attracted you because of your car? Those girls drink VB and have mullets.
it’s not just the girls man.
You wanted a Supra for a while. Just like mine (was).
Corvettes are probably the only 80’s US cars that I would consider, with a presence like that you can ignore a crap interior, and old tech engine. Give me a convertible like Steve’s in Beverly Hills 90210
http://www.helicon7.com/90210/cast/steve2.html
The interior got radically better (but still ugly) in 1990
http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/67797508
This one would be ideal!!
http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h14064616
In response to Hale I think that girls will say “nice car” to get talking to you because they know you obviously have gone to some effort. Its a bit like us saying to a girl “nice earings”, we don’t really like the earings but we know she does.
I’ve never seen a good review of a Yank car from that era… they were really low quality POS built aroudn fairly decent drivetrains (not just the engines).
Japan and Europe make the best cars in teh world at the moment. If I were you I’d look closely at the economics of buying this car, it’ll cost you in the long run and I don’t think after having a nice car like the Supra that you’ll actually be pleased with it in the long run.
Personally I *was* looking at importing a R34 or R33 but I had the same realisation of costs to insure, register and then sell … resale is a bitch!
Now I’m set on something like the Mazda 3, or Honda Accord Euro or something. My absolute dream woudl be to get a BMW 1 series when they come out next year (4qtr 2004 for the 120i and 1/2qtr 2005 for the 118i) . If I can afford it it’ll be between the new liberty, accord or BMW … if not then probalby a couple year old something.
Just gotten to the stage where I’d prefer not to have to fix the car than have a fast car :) Normal is good enough for me ;)
Yeah I’m with Aaron on the “fixed, not fast” scenario. Even better is having both, but how often do we get our cake and get to eat it too.
You all realise I’m only winding you up right? :)
I realise that some people like this sort of car, but the problems you are going to have with an 80’s American car in Australia thats come via Japan - parts, servicing, emissions regulations, our crap fuel quality, reliability, the things Aaron said - really outweigh any possible benefit you are going to get from it. You already have a reasonably rare, reasonably quick, rwd, 2 door imported car… it’s not like you’re 40 and only have an old van to take the kids to school in.
Then again, it _is_ cheap.
Girls that like cars can be funny sometimes. there’s some genuine ones that actually appreciate cars, then there’s the sluts (yes I said sluts) that say nice car to get into your pants, then theres the ones that dont say anything at all. and then theres some that like them just as much as boys. I dont really care, the reason i bought my car is the same reason i live in a nice house. My house isn’t for getting chicks, it’s for a nice life! Having a nice car, makes it enjoyable to drive around. The skirt is just a bonus ;)
> The skirt is just a bonus ;)
Your car has a skirt? :)
It did have, until some wankers pulled the rear skirt off.
> The skirt is just a bonus :)
You wear skirts to attract the chicks dont you fitz.
I was having a decent look last night cause I’ll be buying soon (well like a year but I’m so excited :).. ahah anyone that knows me knows I’m like this, plan ages away and change mind 50 times)… but I actually foudn that Audi A3s are going for good money 2nd hand (2000 models for 25k) they are 1.8T most with CVT trans (have a read they are really cool ‘autos’), leather, all teh fruit. Good resale, maybe expensive to run but no more than an import.
Other one was the Astra SRi turbo which I’m pretty surprised to find is hovering aroudn the 30k mark for a 1-2 year old example. They’ll keep up with a Rex but have really low fuel usage and is a Euro.
Also keep in mind that end of this year is new Rolla, Astra, Commodore, BMW etc etc so again either you have new models to choose from or if you don’t mind 2nd hand then there are some pretty new models that’ll drop in price just that bit more.
After a look last night in the 2nd hand arena I’ve put the Astra SRi Turbo and Audi A3 into my ‘maybes’ list :).
I saw the 1 series beamers on some TV show. They’re long looking buggers, but nice. Still, they’ll retail for just below 40K, which is way too much for me to be looking at.
Yeah its in the dream box :) hah with trade in and a couple grand it won’t be much more than I’m paying now. Totally impractical though really… 40k on a car :)
I’ve decided my next car (when I decide to part with Daihard) will be a second hand Audi S3! :D
Turbo 4WD goodness in a european hatchback package! Oooh yeah! :P