The used market must be rooted

[Ext User(Marco)]

The used market must be rooted - I make this observation based on what
I've observed while the other half's Charade has been on the market
lately.

Went out to see a Car Fair today (one of those places where people
leave their cars for sale all day and the office has the keys if you
want a better look) to get an idea of what else was selling for the
$1800 we are asking for our car. Not much, as it turns out, but there
were plenty of cars there whose owners had made pretty severe price
cuts to, and by the pricetags on some very reasonable machinery there,
I'm guessing that dealers are offering pretty low tradeins at the
moment.

Is there a massive glut of used cars around? It would make sense given
that new cars are pretty cheap now and selling in record numbers.

Case in point that caught my attention was a '94 VR Acclaim with all
the usual gear (air, ABS, airbag, towbar) in pretty good overall
condition other than a few scratches and minor interior wear, new
tyres, 185k on the clock. Asking price was $3500. Out of curiosity I
borrowed the keys and fired it up - ran well and no signs of anything
going horribly wrong mechanically.

Would have been perfect for a new driver, I reckon. Not much money to
buy, cheap parts being a local car, and airbag and ABS for safety.

But yeah, with prices like that, the used market must be rooted.
Still, looks like we might have a buyer for the Charade, so it's all
good.

[Ext User(Scotty)]

"Marco" <rbgemini@iprimus.com.au> wrote in message
news:1125141478.505493.230260@o13g2000cwo.googlegr oups.com...

(Hacked to pieces just about here)
8<

> But yeah, with prices like that, the used market must be rooted.
> Still, looks like we might have a buyer for the Charade, so it's all
> good.
>

This wasnt a Brisbane car fair was it? Out of curiousity.

[Ext User(Serialpest)]

On 27/8/05 9:17 PM, in article
1125141478.505493.230260@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups. com, "Marco"
<rbgemini@iprimus.com.au> wrote:

> The used market must be rooted - I make this observation based on what
> I've observed while the other half's Charade has been on the market
> lately.
>
> Went out to see a Car Fair today (one of those places where people
> leave their cars for sale all day and the office has the keys if you
> want a better look) to get an idea of what else was selling for the
> $1800 we are asking for our car. Not much, as it turns out, but there
> were plenty of cars there whose owners had made pretty severe price
> cuts to, and by the pricetags on some very reasonable machinery there,
> I'm guessing that dealers are offering pretty low tradeins at the
> moment.
>
> Is there a massive glut of used cars around? It would make sense given
> that new cars are pretty cheap now and selling in record numbers.
>
> Case in point that caught my attention was a '94 VR Acclaim with all
> the usual gear (air, ABS, airbag, towbar) in pretty good overall
> condition other than a few scratches and minor interior wear, new
> tyres, 185k on the clock. Asking price was $3500. Out of curiosity I
> borrowed the keys and fired it up - ran well and no signs of anything
> going horribly wrong mechanically.
>
> Would have been perfect for a new driver, I reckon. Not much money to
> buy, cheap parts being a local car, and airbag and ABS for safety.
>
> But yeah, with prices like that, the used market must be rooted.
> Still, looks like we might have a buyer for the Charade, so it's all
> good.
>

185,000 in one of those horrible things, it'd be well and truly rooted!

[Ext User(David Z)]

The problem is that you've got nearly a million new cars sold each year, but
a million old ones aren't being disposed of each year. In most countries,
people throw out old cars, but here in Australia they seem to stay around
forever. Hopefully this will change soon.

"Marco" <rbgemini@iprimus.com.au> wrote in message
news:1125141478.505493.230260@o13g2000cwo.googlegr oups.com...
> The used market must be rooted - I make this observation based on what
> I've observed while the other half's Charade has been on the market
> lately.
>
> Went out to see a Car Fair today (one of those places where people
> leave their cars for sale all day and the office has the keys if you
> want a better look) to get an idea of what else was selling for the
> $1800 we are asking for our car. Not much, as it turns out, but there
> were plenty of cars there whose owners had made pretty severe price
> cuts to, and by the pricetags on some very reasonable machinery there,
> I'm guessing that dealers are offering pretty low tradeins at the
> moment.
>
> Is there a massive glut of used cars around? It would make sense given
> that new cars are pretty cheap now and selling in record numbers.
>
> Case in point that caught my attention was a '94 VR Acclaim with all
> the usual gear (air, ABS, airbag, towbar) in pretty good overall
> condition other than a few scratches and minor interior wear, new
> tyres, 185k on the clock. Asking price was $3500. Out of curiosity I
> borrowed the keys and fired it up - ran well and no signs of anything
> going horribly wrong mechanically.
>
> Would have been perfect for a new driver, I reckon. Not much money to
> buy, cheap parts being a local car, and airbag and ABS for safety.
>
> But yeah, with prices like that, the used market must be rooted.
> Still, looks like we might have a buyer for the Charade, so it's all
> good.
>

[Ext User(grumpy@mailinator.com)]

On 27 Aug 2005 04:17:58 -0700, "Marco" <rbgemini@iprimus.com.au> wrote:

> The used market must be rooted - I make this observation based on what
> I've observed while the other half's Charade has been on the market
> lately.
>
> Went out to see a Car Fair today (one of those places where people
> leave their cars for sale all day and the office has the keys if you
> want a better look) to get an idea of what else was selling for the
> $1800 we are asking for our car. Not much, as it turns out, but there
> were plenty of cars there whose owners had made pretty severe price
> cuts to, and by the pricetags on some very reasonable machinery there,
> I'm guessing that dealers are offering pretty low tradeins at the
> moment.
>
> Is there a massive glut of used cars around? It would make sense given
> that new cars are pretty cheap now and selling in record numbers.
>
> Case in point that caught my attention was a '94 VR Acclaim with all
> the usual gear (air, ABS, airbag, towbar) in pretty good overall
> condition other than a few scratches and minor interior wear, new
> tyres, 185k on the clock. Asking price was $3500. Out of curiosity I
> borrowed the keys and fired it up - ran well and no signs of anything
> going horribly wrong mechanically.
>
> Would have been perfect for a new driver, I reckon. Not much money to
> buy, cheap parts being a local car, and airbag and ABS for safety.
>
> But yeah, with prices like that, the used market must be rooted.
> Still, looks like we might have a buyer for the Charade, so it's all
> good.

Fuel prices have a lot of people in panic mode. They are trying to offload their "gas guzzlers" in
order to buy 4 cylinder shitboxes. As an example, a friend paid over $60k for a new Toyota
Landcruiser a couple of years ago. It now has 40,000km on the clock. The other day he took it down
to a dealer to see what they would do in the way of a trade in for an Astra.

He was only offered $15,000 for the 4WD!!!

[Ext User(Patrick Young)]

grumpy@mailinator.com wrote:

> Fuel prices have a lot of people in panic mode. They are trying to offload their "gas guzzlers" in
> order to buy 4 cylinder shitboxes. As an example, a friend paid over $60k for a new Toyota
> Landcruiser a couple of years ago. It now has 40,000km on the clock. The other day he took it down
> to a dealer to see what they would do in the way of a trade in for an Astra.
>
> He was only offered $15,000 for the 4WD!!!

He would be an idiot then to do that. (should do a diesel swap).

Some here would say LPG, however I *DONT* like to be under
GovCo control.

--

--------------------------------------------
4x4 Hilux Auto Service Centre,
BP 106 Timbuktu,
Mali (West Africa)
Tel: 292 91 52
Specialising in turbo diesel and R290 aircon

[Ext User(Patrick Young)]

David Z wrote:

> The problem is that you've got nearly a million new cars sold each year, but
> a million old ones aren't being disposed of each year. In most countries,
> people throw out old cars, but here in Australia they seem to stay around
> forever. Hopefully this will change soon.

I've got better things to spend my $ on than today's useless disposable
motoring crap.

My 1991 'lux stays for a few decades yet. Thanks.

Rewrite the above as "people" not "cars", with a rewrite of the
last bit, and you might have a point.

You really *are* the most Darwinin person I've met in this NG.

--

--------------------------------------------
4x4 Hilux Auto Service Centre,
BP 106 Timbuktu,
Mali (West Africa)
Tel: 292 91 52
Specialising in turbo diesel and R290 aircon

[Ext User(JD)]

Marco wrote:

> The used market must be rooted -

Depends whether you are buying or selling!

> (snip)

JD

[Ext User(Samual)]

On 27 Aug 2005 04:17:58 -0700, "Marco" <rbgemini@iprimus.com.au>
wrote:

>The used market must be rooted - I make this observation based on what
>I've observed while the other half's Charade has been on the market
>lately.

The USA has been like this forever.

New cars are so cheap there that no-one with a half decent job buys
second hand cars.

Until recently Australia had expensive new cars, not now. For the last
ten years or so car prices have barely moved, some have gone down.

Japan is even worse, cars are worthless after four years because of
rego requirements.

It will only get worse, or better depending on how you think of it.

Sam

[Ext User(Clockmeister)]

"Serialpest" <380@mitsubishi.com.au> wrote in message
news:BF369152.361C9%380@mitsubishi.com.au...
> On 27/8/05 9:17 PM, in article
> 1125141478.505493.230260@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups. com, "Marco"
> <rbgemini@iprimus.com.au> wrote:
>
> > The used market must be rooted - I make this observation based on what
> > I've observed while the other half's Charade has been on the market
> > lately.
> >
> > Went out to see a Car Fair today (one of those places where people
> > leave their cars for sale all day and the office has the keys if you
> > want a better look) to get an idea of what else was selling for the
> > $1800 we are asking for our car. Not much, as it turns out, but there
> > were plenty of cars there whose owners had made pretty severe price
> > cuts to, and by the pricetags on some very reasonable machinery there,
> > I'm guessing that dealers are offering pretty low tradeins at the
> > moment.
> >
> > Is there a massive glut of used cars around? It would make sense given
> > that new cars are pretty cheap now and selling in record numbers.
> >
> > Case in point that caught my attention was a '94 VR Acclaim with all
> > the usual gear (air, ABS, airbag, towbar) in pretty good overall
> > condition other than a few scratches and minor interior wear, new
> > tyres, 185k on the clock. Asking price was $3500. Out of curiosity I
> > borrowed the keys and fired it up - ran well and no signs of anything
> > going horribly wrong mechanically.
> >
> > Would have been perfect for a new driver, I reckon. Not much money to
> > buy, cheap parts being a local car, and airbag and ABS for safety.
> >
> > But yeah, with prices like that, the used market must be rooted.
> > Still, looks like we might have a buyer for the Charade, so it's all
> > good.
> >
>
> 185,000 in one of those horrible things, it'd be well and truly rooted!
>

It's not a Magna. Though that V6 in the Commie is a tad harsh, they just
keep on going.

[Ext User(ant)]

Patrick Young wrote:
> David Z wrote:
>
>> The problem is that you've got nearly a million new cars sold each
>> year, but a million old ones aren't being disposed of each year. In
>> most countries, people throw out old cars, but here in Australia
>> they seem to stay around forever. Hopefully this will change soon.
>
> I've got better things to spend my $ on than today's useless
> disposable motoring crap.
>
> My 1991 'lux stays for a few decades yet. Thanks.

Totally. I'm the same with my car. I don't know if it's going to last for
ever, but I certainly hope it does and am doing what I can to ensure it. I
love these people who want us to throw away our cars when they get to 5
years old! Nothing 'green' about that, at all. Pure economic rationalism.

--
ant

[Ext User(Marco)]

Nah, Canberra. There's one every weekend at EPIC (which is also where
Summernats is held).

[Ext User(Marco)]

Mechanically it looked fine. The oil was looking quite good for the
mileage, for example (it might have just been serviced, but if the
engine is dirty then the oil would become dirty pretty quickly again
wouldn't it?)

[Ext User(Marco)]

It happens already though - with a decent used car not costing much
money these days, there's not much incentive to keep reparing clapped
out old heaps. Using the VR example I mentioned above, why would you
bother making $1000 worth of repairs to your old 1980s car or whatever
when you could get into something much nicer for not that much money?

The shortage of skilled tradies - including mechanics - will increase
this trend. When mechanics are able to charge more, repair will look
even less attractive in comparison with replacement.

[Ext User(Marco)]

Actually it's probably not all that economically rational to get rid of
a perfectly good five year old car and spend a packet buying a new one
(at least from the point of view of your 'household economy'.

My '01 Astra is four years old now with 112,000km on it and there's no
way I'd replace it next year with a new one. I'd have to find another
$10-15k or so to get into a new one, and for what benefit?

[Ext User(D Walford)]

Marco wrote:
>
> Mechanically it looked fine. The oil was looking quite good for the
> mileage, for example (it might have just been serviced, but if the
> engine is dirty then the oil would become dirty pretty quickly again
> wouldn't it?)

I know someone who recently bought a one owner VR Acclaim sedan in
average condition for $1900.00.
If you don't mind paying lots for petrol it may be a good time to pick
up the SS you want for a very good price.


Daryl

[Ext User(crazy ron bakir)]

On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 12:29:39 GMT, "David Z" <dave@hotmail.com> wrote:

>The problem is that you've got nearly a million new cars sold each year, but
>a million old ones aren't being disposed of each year. In most countries,
>people throw out old cars, but here in Australia they seem to stay around
>forever. Hopefully this will change soon.
>

BULLSHIT.

new cars are all about relief for people's status anxiety, rather than
anything utilitarian.

there's no reason to force people to keep updating their cars. half
the managers in the place i work i reckon take home less money than i
do once you knock off their novated lease contributions.

it's a con.

--

managing director and CEO
crazy ron's mobile phones
gold coast, qld.

[Ext User(David Z)]

"Patrick Young" <patrick@hilux.ace.unsw.EDU.AU> wrote in message
news:Ge0Qe.12349$FA3.2581@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> David Z wrote:
>
>> The problem is that you've got nearly a million new cars sold each year,
>> but a million old ones aren't being disposed of each year. In most
>> countries, people throw out old cars, but here in Australia they seem to
>> stay around forever. Hopefully this will change soon.
>
> I've got better things to spend my $ on than today's useless disposable
> motoring crap.
>
> My 1991 'lux stays for a few decades yet. Thanks.
>
> Rewrite the above as "people" not "cars", with a rewrite of the
> last bit, and you might have a point.
>
> You really *are* the most Darwinin person I've met in this NG.

No, I'm a Melburnian.

[Ext User(Furby)]

"David Z" <dave@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:T0ZPe.12246$FA3.677@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> The problem is that you've got nearly a million new cars sold each year,
> but a million old ones aren't being disposed of each year. In most
> countries, people throw out old cars, but here in Australia they seem to
> stay around forever. Hopefully this will change soon.

Here's what I hope.....

Your daddy grows tired of you making his family a laughing stock and sends
you on holidays to Israel where you are promptly put into the army for
national service which may knock a bit of sense into you.

[Ext User(Dan---)]

David Z wrote:

> The problem is that you've got nearly a million new cars sold each year, but
> a million old ones aren't being disposed of each year. In most countries,
> people throw out old cars, but here in Australia they seem to stay around
> forever. Hopefully this will change soon.

Fair dinkim your a top notch knob head David. In your own little
universe there would be only CRV's on the road pretending on having
metal H badges on them. Yes I have an old HX LE Coupe that I am doing up
and yes it will be eventually be on the road if you like it or not. I
think owning 2 MY04 cars and an older car balances things out.


--
Regards
Dan.
V8 owner and will always be.
:-p