Rare and interesting car sightings

[crazyturbo76]

Spotted a Mitsubishi i-MIEV in Rydalmere today. Given the expensiveness of purebred electric cars in this country I'd imagine those things are super rare.

I have seen some VW Passats doing the rounds for Victoria Police, they are becoming more regular as VF Commodores are slowly retired from police duties. I believe there are some BMW police cars on order for Victorian coppers.

I wonder if any ZB Commodores will go into police service?, I know there is a batch in South Australia. Holden could do with some sales, only 9,040 ZB's were sold last year.

Yesterday I saw one of those new mid-size Hyundai sedans in NSW Police Force colours, I presume those are becoming the new standard panda cars in lieu of the Commodores (iirc the BMWs and 300C SRT-8s are exclusively being ordered for Highway Patrol use).

[Swift]

I wonder if the Beemers will offer a good used car bargain once moved on?

[scott]

Seen advertised online is a genuine 1990 VN Group A, someone got a nice Christmas present in 1990. Even still with the original hard wired car phone.

https://www.australianmusclecarsales.co ... upA-236282

[Merc1107]

The only problem with BMW's is the high maintenance costs and the cost of parts.

That's the whole problem with them!!

This is just a crap excuse for a crappy parts supply chain that only Australia seems to be affected by. The other problem is people seem to think European makes are particularly 'special' compared to other cars and are willing to fork out for 'specialists' to service their cars (Not speaking of the exotic marques with this statement).

Now onto the parts... I can purchase BMW parts from anywhere else in the world, be it the U.K., the U.S.A. and so on, and despite the value of the Aussie dollar at present (plus shipping & gouging), come out with at least double the money compared to buying the parts locally. One of the most criminal examples to date was a small metal flange that attaches to the back of the cylinder head for a heater hose. Of the local European Parts "Specialists" one wanted $80 for it, whereas others apparently had to source the part... A genuine part ordered from the U.S.A. cost $17.20 with shipping, the total was $24.

That sort of markup is completely unjustifiable in my books. It's continually beaten into us to support local businesses, but with this sort of behaviour running rife across many retail sectors, it's little wonder people are voting with their feet and choosing to shop online nowadays.

[scott]

Seen today was a 1978 or 79 TD Gemini, driven by an old bloke, in immaculate condition in a nice blue colour. Also a early (1988) build VN Commodore, finished in Richie Benaud cream duco with bone coloured interior.

Also lots of old episodes of Torque on Youtube, with Peter Wherrett putting a lot of classics through their paces.

[boronia]

Shannon's Insurance web page has lots of great reviews of old cars

[ArfaBrayne]

The only problem with BMW's is the high maintenance costs and the cost of parts.

Son has a nice low K's BMW E39 528i, Beautiful to drive and very economical.
Had ABS, AIr Bag, and headlight warnings all glitching out on instrument cluster.
BMW dealer in Wollongong charged him $220 for a diagnostic and quote. Quote was to replace 3x ecu's at $4,300.

Convinced him to let Dad have a look first.
$17 for a new LH headlight globe and jiggle the connector to the RH Angel eye (poor contact)
No Problem since. (8 months ago)

Gotta love "experts"

[scott]

I know someone who got a stupid quote just to replace the battery in the key of their BMW while it was in for a service.

Anyway found a rare mint 85000km VR Acclaim, with a 5 speed manual. I thought the Acclaims were auto only, but the original owner must of twisted the dealer's arm and got a special order, or it was converted.

https://www.australianmusclecarsales.co ... -ii-239141

Serviced by a Holden dealer all it's life too, the apprentices would of loved it.

[Swift]

Toy-motor Corona. Makes a Camry look like a work of art.

[scott]

Loved the sound of those things starting up on a cold morning, they had a very distinct starter motor sound.

[boronia]

Corolla, Corona, Carina,.... It amused me that Toyota used names that Japanese have difficulty pronouncing?

[scott]

You still see a lot of the wide body Camrys (and Apollos) still kicking around, more so the later 1995-97 update models (equipped with remote locking). Rent A Bomb fleets love them.

[Swift]

^ They'd be ok of they didn't have that rear end styling.
I just happened to notice a couple parked in the last few days.
The pick of the crop is the V6 Vienta. Very nice exhaust note, much better than the quiet buzzing next generation V6 sound.
A set of alloy mags improves their looks by a great amount.

[crazyturbo76]

You still see a lot of the wide body Camrys (and Apollos) still kicking around, more so the later 1995-97 update models (equipped with remote locking). Rent A Bomb fleets love them.

The XV10s seem to be rather well made and rugged (Aussie build quality of course). My pop bought an used XV10 Camry station wagon after he got sick of all the troubles he had with his Mazda 626 hatchback (apparently the electrics kept dying in it or something?), and that thing served him really well until he traded it in for an ex-demo 2007 model Nissan Tiida sedan. Only issue he had with it if I remember correctly was flat battery syndrome.

Speaking of XV10 Camrys, I saw a basically near-new XV10 Apollo GS on the web with only 234 kilometres on the clock for sale a while back: https://www.australianmusclecarsales.co ... kms-206962

[scott]

I still see some of the egg shaped Taragos still kicking around. That was a game changer for Toyota, although the maintenance costs can be frightening, changing the spark plugs is a nightmare as the engine is on it's side to keep the floor height low and provide walk through facility. I have heard the easiest way to do it was to drop out the motor.

[Swift]

Found this today. It's surprisingly spacious inside, considering the small floor pan it's based on.

[scott]

Swift mentioned City Ford Sydney in another thread

Found this film on YouTube, talking about CD Rom based parts ordering being implemented. City Ford Sydney was featured and there is some footage of the dealership, this is from 1992.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psi_1K6yh_s

We had a City Ford in Melbourne owned by the same people, got bought out ages ago.

[scott]

Something different

https://www.australianmusclecarsales.co ... mer-240890

Ideal for the school drop off.

[crazyturbo76]

Saw a very pristine-condition yellow Charger two-door coupe (either a VJ or a VK) go down Richmond Road in Penrith this afternoon while I was out. You don't see many of those around in good condition anymore

[scott]

Found this Chrysler Centura up for grabs

https://www.australianmusclecarsales.co ... glx-240978

[Swift]

I haven't seen one since a guy pulled up in one at Woy Woy a few years ago. He said he got it in Newcastle. It was in excellent condition with low km.
The North Shore Chrysler in Crows Nest, where this Centura was sold new, later became the Mitsubishi dealer I remember there. A little research showed it later became North Shore Mitsubishi before moving to Ryde years ago.

[scott]

And it sat at North Shore Chrysler for a while too, judging by the gap between the date on the compliance plate and in the books. I remember reading many of the CKD packs sat around for ages on the wharf before they were assembled.

[Swift]

They were the most modern car a hemi six was put into.
The interior fixtures looked more modern anyway, and I wonder if the Centura had flow through ventilation?
The large Valiants never had it.
There's also a nice VH Regal wagon in that link.

[boronia]

1970s Volvos are getting thin on the ground these days, but Bicentennial rego plates might be even harder to find?

DSC03624 (Small).jpeg (140.41 KiB) Viewed 4744 times

[Swift]

Only that's an 80s and 90s model. Ceased production in 1993.