Cheap rip off cars

[KraftyPg]

I think that depends a lot on the company running the mines too because I saw quite a few mine Nav's last year in WA but you're right those sort of companies would take a fairly big slice of the market.

Back when they were the SEC in Victoria you wouldn't see anything other than Crusiers in the open cut mines but these days since it's all been sold off to private enterprise there is just about every make down there.

 

[Old.Tony]

There's a undercurrent - possibly urban myth, possibly some truth in it - that Toyota make the better choice for the outback because you're more likely to get parts out there. When I was first starting to think about a 4WD, it was nearly exclusively Toyota for that reason, and truth be told, the Sahara is a very nice vehicle. I hadn't considered a ute.

Now, I absolutely know that I have taken the right path. As much comfort as the Sahara, and more than double the internal storage space with a more economical engine and less gross weight, plus I can whack a fifth wheeler on mine. Most of the competing utes don't give 3 tonnes of tow capacity, which was a major winner for me. The fact that it drives and feels like a sedan (almost) is just pure bonus.

Even the wife said that it's a wonderful car to drive in, and she hasn't said that since the days of my XJS - and I have to say, this thing rivals the Jag (it was an oldie, but waaaay comfy).

I doubt companies are looking for creature comforts either. Just a seat with a steering wheel on top of something that can handle a bit of a load on a dirt road and that'd be the end of their shopping list. The guy responsible for buying probably has a preference this way or that.

Government departments typically buy a spread of vehicles from each manufacturer in their tender. Have a look at the Police - both Fords and Holdens can be found, although I do see a few more Holden pursuit vehicles than Ford (but let's not have that argument now!).

As far as mines go, I've seen a couple of Navaras up at Mt Thorley, but most of them are Toyota Land Cruisers with trays, and I think that harks back to the urban myth.

 

[joshy]

i wouldnt necessarily call it an urban myth. Hands down theres going to be more hilux parts in 99% wreckers then navara parts. Although im sure the navs will catch up, theres 15~years of catching up to do. If u were to buy a 4wd purely on parts availability itd have to be hilux cruiser patrol top 3

 

[SOLID D22]

Theres always gona be toyota parts at the wreckers, cos there crap! lol

 

[KraftyPg]

We have so called 4WD specialist wreckers down here yet the guy I rang the other day didn't know if he had an R51 Pathy in but he thought there was a Pathy, turned out it was a 05 Nav single cab. I guess he was close. He did have heaps of Toyota's in though and they ranged from really old to really new. Not sure if that says more about Toyota drivers than it does about how many are on the road though.

 

[joshy]

All in the percentages sold i spose......






















Or just that NISSAN is better.

 

[Dave]

Was talking to this Telstra rigger/dogman last night at the local Node. Local guys may know it, Maitland exchange.

Anyway he was telling me he is driving a CRD ZD30 powered GU wagon thats over 200,000km's now

These guys do the mobile phone towers and base station's, repeater sites in some of the most difficult places to get to.

I think the days of Toyota's being super duper are over.

Personally, Id never own a Toyota of any kind.

Dave.

 

[joshy]

id own a 4 door 70 series in a heartbeat....not to replace the nav tho....just to tow it haha

 

[Jason]

id own a 4 door 70 series in a heartbeat....not to replace the nav tho....just to tow it haha

Ha ha, we have a V6 Camry as our 2nd car, bout 5 years old and it is great.

 

[SOLID D22]

Nissan man through and through here, well, chryslers come first but otherwise i will never look at a toyota. I personally think their overpriced for a production line car that look like bathtubs (except the camrys, im talking the 4wd models that are overpriced). If i ever had to get a toyota it would be a Supra. But that will never happen.

 

[joshy]

they are over priced but they must be doing something right to be number 1

 

[KraftyPg]

I blame the Leyland brothers and the Bush Tucker man. Without these shows the upper echelon yuppies wouldn't know they could buy 4wd's, drive out to the national park and throw mud up the side of the vehicle to fool their other yuppie mates into thinking they've been out thrashing around the bush. Not all yuppies can afford Beemers and Mercs.

 

[KraftyPg]

I read yesterday that GW motors are really proud of their sales figures for the last month and how they are making in roads into the 4WD ute market. They talk about how tradies and companies in need of vehicles are buying the under $20K version because they are cheap and because of the rebate.

They then go on to say how last month they sold 470 odd utes Australia wide against Toyota's 4300 odd HIlux's. Don't get me wrong I'd like to sell 470 $20K packages to people but I would exactly be suggesting I was moving in on Hardly Normal's sales figures if I did. Although I guess that does show there was 470 people out there buying cheap imported crap as opposed to expensive imported crap.

 

[Jason]

So they went on sale around June this year? How long would be reasonable to expect problems to show up? 12 months? 2 years?

Of course that doesn't take into account having an accident in one considering the poor safety results.

 

[KraftyPg]

My guess is that the majority of 'businesses" buying these things are the sort where the boss drives a Beemer or Lexus and he buys his staff new cars without taking into account anything other than the price.

I imagine a few bosses telling their staff they are getting a new car only to provide them with these things. I also imagine quite a number of employees making sure the company car has stickers on it so their mates don't think they were silly enough to buy them.

Whether or not these things actually last I think one of the biggest fears is that GW aren't the only ones trying to release a batch of CC utes and small cars onto the Aussie market in the next 12 months.

 

[SOLID D22]

My guess is that the majority of 'businesses" buying these things are the sort where the boss drives a Beemer or Lexus and he buys his staff new cars without taking into account anything other than the price.

I imagine a few bosses telling their staff they are getting a new car only to provide them with these things. I also imagine quite a number of employees making sure the company car has stickers on it so their mates don't think they were silly enough to buy them.

Whether or not these things actually last I think one of the biggest fears is that GW aren't the only ones trying to release a batch of CC utes and small cars onto the Aussie market in the next 12 months.

I dont entirely believe that, my friend that works in road works is a civil engineer and a site boss/supervisor, he drives a commodore, a company car, his company had a newly appointed head boss who cracked the shits when he seen his supervisors driving commodores to job sites which are 4wd territory, mud, dust, ruts etc you know how it is with roadworks, anyway immediately the boss ordered 12 hilux's and the commodores are as good as gone.

 

[stevegell]

crap car , but wot a website eh.....love the 360 views inter

 

[Leprechaun]

I rember 30 years ago, people making similar comments about Japanese cars, you know 'jap crap" type remarks and how the japs just copy other manufacturers... Now there are people who will defend the Nissan/Toyota badge like their teenage daughters virginity.
I wonder what it will be like in another 30 years?? Perhaps I should get in early and buy some "GR8WAL" number plates!!
I think that the Chinese trucks can only improve and that will make other manfacturers lift their game.

 

[SOLID D22]

Once again i believe these cars are shit. But mainly if there using there own materials (metal). I had a member have some custom made axles from china and bloody things didnt last long on a high performance engine, why, well after research and a bit of money the chinese metal used was of poor quality and not as strong a grade as in comparison the aussie metals, he only had them make it cos it was cheap, in the end he had our own engineers make some up for him, cost him a packet but its the real deal and have not busted yet.

 

[KraftyPg]

I dont entirely believe that, my friend that works in road works is a civil engineer and a site boss/supervisor, he drives a commodore, a company car, his company had a newly appointed head boss who cracked the shits when he seen his supervisors driving commodores to job sites which are 4wd territory, mud, dust, ruts etc you know how it is with roadworks, anyway immediately the boss ordered 12 hilux's and the commodores are as good as gone.

The bosses and managers I was referring to were the ones who run companies where a 4wd isn't needed but a ute in beneficial. We've got a number of businesses down here from security to fire safety who brought small fleets of SsangYongs when they came out because they were cheap (and came from the same dealer the managers brought their Purgeots). The managers don't care how practical they vehicle is or whether they were reliable they just cared about the bottom line and I wouldn't be at all suprised that with in a few months most of those utes coming up on 2 yr old will be replaced by either the same models or the GW's