Cars getting mediocre?

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#1714749 2-Feb-2017 23:15

The problem with automatic cars is when they get over 10 years old and or around 150,000Km. The auto box might have over 200,000Km of life left, or it might be hanging by a thread and due to fail at any moment. And when you can easily spend over $5k to get a modern automatic gearbox fully rebuilt. It is hard to justify spending that on a car which is unlikely to sell for more than $10k in good condition.

So no surprise when you have a walk around a car wreckers yard. And you see cars that are around 10 years old, Bodywork and interior in good condition. Car looks far nicer and newer than alot of cars on the road, and definitely alot nicer looking than the cars parked on the street outside the wreckers yard. Almost certain that either the auto gearbox has failed. Or otherwise a failed head gasket due to not changing the coolant. An absolute waste of a car, especially the resources and carbon emissions from making it. And that it has multiple airbags and other safety features. While much older cars with almost no safety features remain on the road.

If the car was sold with both auto and manual gearbox options available. The failed auto box was often cheaply swapped with a manual gearbox by a backyard mechanic. And the car would be back on the road. No cert needed for auto to manual gearbox swaps assuming it is just a bolt in job.

I can understand not buying a brand new manual car when you intend to sell it after 3 to 5 years. But definitely worth considering if you intend keeping for 10+ years or well past 100,000Km. As the buyers in that price bracket have different wants from new / near new buyers.

But as with most things in NZ, it comes down to average buying power. New cars are expensive here, even allowing for exchange rates and GST. Combined with low wages and it is no wonder that there are so many old cars still on the road. It only makes sense to buy a new car if you are doing so for business purposes. I am going to be in that situation soon. But I can't face buying a brand new van that has worse fuel economy than my old one.

dickytim

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#1714784 3-Feb-2017 06:30

I have to disagree that new cars are getting mediocre.

I purchased a brand new car is 1996 (biggest mistake of my life) the choices were average in the low end with a basic CD player no airbags and no ABS.

Now when you see a car it will quite likely have a touch screen that integrates somewhat into your phone, atlease 4 airbags, abs, etc. and this is at the low end.

@Aredwood, to correct you changing from manual to auto or auto to manual does require a cert, bolt in or not.

Inphinity

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#1714823 3-Feb-2017 09:20

Aredwood:

If the car was sold with both auto and manual gearbox options available. The failed auto box was often cheaply swapped with a manual gearbox by a backyard mechanic. And the car would be back on the road. No cert needed for auto to manual gearbox swaps assuming it is just a bolt in job.

According to the LVVTA requirements,

Does an auto to manual gearbox conversion require certification?
Yes, all gearbox conversions require certification as the braking system has usually been affected with alteration or modification to the brake pedal-box.

richms

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#1714825 3-Feb-2017 09:29

I was told that I would need a cert just to swap the diff out for a LSD one once, because of something to do with suspention. Makes it too expensive to do on a craptastic car.

Richard rich.ms

surfisup1000

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#1714827 3-Feb-2017 09:38

PolicyGuy:

You youngsters have no idea!
If you want a mediocre car, try a Hillman Hunter or a Morris Marina or just about anything on the NZ market in the 1970s - yes I am that old

Ahhh, the old hillman hunter. What a load of crap. Proof the english were dull and bad at engineering to boot.

Dad was a cheapskate and bought a secondhand hillman hunter when I was a kid . . . what an embarrassment.

This hillman hunter was as ugly as sin, and awfully unreliable. Dad spent half his time on it fixing something or another . But, he was happy, did not cost much and bought it off an elderly gent who'd done hardly any km.

I see Skoda are releasing the Kodiaq SUV here in april.... i'm interested in that. A little better than our old hillman.

Inphinity

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#1714828 3-Feb-2017 09:42

mclean:

gbwelly: I'd agree the WRX is one of very few I think both cuts the mustard as something interesting, and is also affordable for an average kiwi to both buy and keep. I do feel the list is getting smaller each year, with driving for pleasure increasingly becoming the domain of the very wealthy.

If that's your price range then I'd rate the MX-5, 370Z, GT86 and Golf GTI as all better than mediocre, maybe even the Mustang if you don't mind living dangerously.

With the WRX having been in near-continuous production since it's inception, though, there are a selection of options available across different budget ranges (I realise that's true of others in your list) - and depending on what you want in a car, on paper it offers a few things none of your other options do - AWD and enough space for 4 adults and some luggage. Cars are such a personal choice thing, it's hard to really quantify things like 'interesting' and 'fun'. For me, for example, of your list the MX-5 and GT86 (or BRZ) would require fairly significant aftermarket modification (they both feel so anemic if you're not throwing them around corners on a track in my opinion), and both those plus the 370Z would have to be secondary vehicles due to lack of practicality. The Golf GTI would be the only contender, and even then many of the older (still talking <10yrs) models feel tiny and cramped if you regularly need to carry passengers and/or equipment. I realise others have different requirements, of course, and a small 2-seater with near-zero luggage capacity might be fine for their daily driving needs.

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Inphinity

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#1714830 3-Feb-2017 09:49

surfisup1000:

I see Skoda are releasing the Kodiaq SUV here in april.... i'm interested in that. A little better than our old hillman.

I was really keen to see that one, too, until I realised the entry model was a 1.4 litre engine hauling a 7 seater SUV. You have to spend ~$55k to get the 2-litre AWD model, which is Mazda CX-9 AWD territory, so will be interested to see how the two stack up on features/comfort/space.

myopinion

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#1714837 3-Feb-2017 10:00

gbwelly:

davidcole:

I don't think the conversation was about bad cars.....but boring cars, ie no personality, no performance, no sex appeal.

Yep, so far I've had suggestions like "Porsche. Lotus. Ferrari. Maserati. Morgan. Caterham. Jaguar. BMW M3. Aston Martin. Subaru WRX STI."

I'd agree the WRX is one of very few I think both cuts the mustard as something interesting, and is also affordable for an average kiwi to both buy and keep.

I do feel the list is getting smaller each year, with driving for pleasure increasingly becoming the domain of the very wealthy.

If you are looking for an interesting fun car and on a budget I think you just need to be a bit more imaginative. For $30k I purchased a 1998 Porsche 911 with 100k on the clock. I have had it for two years, done a couple of track days at HD and covered 20,000 kms. So far its cost two services at $400 each plus petrol. These cars were built to last and take abuse. Sure they still have their problems and if they break badly it could cost another 10k plus to fix. I think it is worth the risk, its certainly not a boring car.

gbwelly

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#1714844 3-Feb-2017 10:14

myopinion:

If you are looking for an interesting fun car and on a budget I think you just need to be a bit more imaginative. For $30k I purchased a 1998 Porsche 911

I actually think 1998 was a great year, my current fun car was built in 1998. My challenge is what the next one will be.

I think @inphinity hit it on the head:

Inphinity: These vehicles are mostly very old now, and there was a long time with no equivalents to depreciate into the price bracket. Combined with generally stricter saftey and emissions requirements, it's become more expensive to have a 'fun' car without significant compromise or cost. Not impossible, but far less available and accessible than 10 - 15 years ago in my opinion.

richms

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#1714880 3-Feb-2017 10:56

The other issue is more recent cars have more safety stuff to go wrong and make a wof failing red light come on for it. Airbag light on is sometimes several 1000 to diagnose and fix. Means a $4-5k car is off to the scrap yard instead in many cases.

Richard rich.ms

Wade

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#1714883 3-Feb-2017 11:01

Hyundai and Kia are starting to produce some cars that could be considered semi-exciting

For me I cant wait until the day I buy an affordable electric car of similar performance to the Model S P100D, for me that has to be one of the most exciting cars (and still on the practicality scale) available today

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#1714886 3-Feb-2017 11:14

Inphinity:

surfisup1000:

I see Skoda are releasing the Kodiaq SUV here in april.... i'm interested in that. A little better than our old hillman.

I was really keen to see that one, too, until I realised the entry model was a 1.4 litre engine hauling a 7 seater SUV. You have to spend ~$55k to get the 2-litre AWD model, which is Mazda CX-9 AWD territory, so will be interested to see how the two stack up on features/comfort/space.

Their 1.4 litre is no slouch. We need to forget engine size these days. These new engines and very efficient and the new gear boxes add to that. The Kodiaq 1.4 TSI 110-kW (150-PS) 4×4, top speed 197 km/h, 0-100 km/h in 9.8 seconds, combined consumption 6.8 l /100 km, 153 g CO2/km.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

Linuxluver

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#1714904 3-Feb-2017 11:53

Cars are becoming ever more exciting. :-)

I'm looking forward to my Tesla Model 3. Or you can buy a Tesla Model S that can do 0-100kph in about 2.5 seconds....and have a range of 500km.

But in the meantime, a Hyundai Ioniq, BMW i3, or Nissan LEAF or....even....a Renault ZOE will do.

No shortage of instantly available power in any of these - even the LEAF - because their one-gear electric motors give you access to 100% of the power instantly.

No vroom-burp-vroom-burp-vroom.......It's just VROOM! (silently but you FEEL it).....right from the start.

Yes...petrol and diesel cars are fading......and so they should.

Meanwhile, most European car makers are going heavily electric over the next 2 years as EU regulations for emissions mean fossil fuel cars are finding it harder and harder to comply.

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Linuxluver

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#1714907 3-Feb-2017 11:58

Wade:

Hyundai and Kia are starting to produce some cars that could be considered semi-exciting

For me I cant wait until the day I buy an affordable electric car of similar performance to the Model S P100D, for me that has to be one of the most exciting cars (and still on the practicality scale) available today

The Tesla Model 3 is rumoured to possibly have a 100kWh option. That would be worth paying for. Range of 500+km would be very nice....

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#1714926 3-Feb-2017 12:22

MikeB4:

Inphinity:

surfisup1000:

I see Skoda are releasing the Kodiaq SUV here in april.... i'm interested in that. A little better than our old hillman.

I was really keen to see that one, too, until I realised the entry model was a 1.4 litre engine hauling a 7 seater SUV. You have to spend ~$55k to get the 2-litre AWD model, which is Mazda CX-9 AWD territory, so will be interested to see how the two stack up on features/comfort/space.

Their 1.4 litre is no slouch. We need to forget engine size these days. These new engines and very efficient and the new gear boxes add to that. The Kodiaq 1.4 TSI 110-kW (150-PS) 4×4, top speed 197 km/h, 0-100 km/h in 9.8 seconds, combined consumption 6.8 l /100 km, 153 g CO2/km.

It's a great little engine - I just watched a Car Wow youtube video where they were rather surprised to time the Kodiaq at an actual 8.6 seconds 0-62mph using the launch control. Also gave very good performance in gear and at full load.

Blown, small displacement engines are really quite impressive these days, even in larger vehicles - modern gearing also helps here...the 7 speed DSG is a great match to get the most out of it.

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