Team-BHP - Buying a Car in Australia

Quote:

Originally Posted by n_aditya (Post 2082087)

I wonder how much the Ariel Atom retails for. This should be a mad fun car to drive around. If driving in the rains, a raincoat needs to be bought separately though. :D

Ariel Atom V8: 0-60mph- 2.89s price A$ 200,000
Bugatti veyron W16: 0-60mph- 2.7s price A$ 20,00,000

A small difference of 0.19s and one "0" in the price tag lol:

Hi Jassi!

Having lived in Melbourne for 4 years (2003-2006) and witnessed the Car scene there, I'm glad your friend has had this opportunity!!

If you ask me - a die hard fan of the HSV stable, I would highly recommend a Holden.
They are a local company, with reasonably priced spares & service, and have an array of sports cars (- the kind you can drive to work daily!).

Of course, its a different issue if your friend is a Ford (FPV) fan.. :deadhorse haa haa.

Since your friend's gonna start his Car experience newly in Australia, I would advise not to jump in on the high end sports cars (like the WRX or the EVOs) immediately.
Tell him to take it easy, get his license, settle down with a car that would let him get a hang of the roads, driveabilty, localization, etc.

My house mate in Melbourne has gone though a similar experience (he's a FPV fan):-
1st Car - Mazda SP23 (sold) - in line 3 cylinders
2nd Car -Ford Focus XR5 - in line 4s (boy, thats a rocket hatch!)
3rd Car - Ford XR6 (sold) - V6
4th Car - The mighty FORD XR8! - V8

Happy shopping! :)

Cheers mate.

Just got off the phone with my buddy - he is not very much into muscle cars and quite liked the idea of getting the evo x. It seems he read somewhere the evo x can be quite forgiving for beginners with all the technology under the hood :)
now how would hsv and fpv compare to the japanese evo or wrx is the question :)

edit - article on beginners in evo x http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20009093-48.html

ok my friend has swung back to the lotus elise and I am failing to find reasons to convince him against it :D

whats not worked so far to convince him
1) its not practical - too small, getting in n out is difficult, daily 3 mile drives may not be good for the engine
2) safe parking requires a garage and possibly get the hardtop option
3) RWD is difficult to drive for someone who has driven FWD all their life. AWD of the evo x is safer.

He feels instead of getting a muscle car like hsv/fpv or all the computer wizardry behind the evo x, it would be better if he got the lotus elise and get a feel for the road :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jassi (Post 2084676)

haha, well looks his heart has won over his head. The only advice i will give him now is for him to keep a second car for normal use. nothing fancy he can get really good used cars for less than A$8,000. But i have a sneaking suspicion, that after owning the lotus for a few months he himself will come to the same conclusion.

But i must say if he starts learning circuit driving in a car like the elise then he is going to turn out to be one hell of a driver! That car is just so communicative while driving :)

Happy motoring.

^^ agreed and deep down I want him to get the lotus too - knowing fully well it might not be a daily driver for everyone - but it will surely put a smile on my face if it was my daily driver :-P
I have told him to try out some of those driving experience days for the lotus and the evo x, once he gets there. This will a good guide to taking the right decision :-)

If, I'd had an option, would have definately gone for a Monaro/Holden 5.7 V8 with Stock 329 bhp. A simple ECU remap, and your on 390 bhp. Very reliable , as long as it's not madly tuned. Some cons, are expensive body parts like bumpers etc.

^^ guys how good are these muscle cars when it comes to handling? my experience is only with the vauxhall vxr8 rave reviews by clarkson on top gear - not sure if its still the same. Also given that lotus is now become the handling benchmark for my friend - any clues on how these cars get you to 'feel the road' vs the evo x which is all computer controlled stuff?

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO (Post 2085978)

Your friend should also read what another BHPian has to say about his Elise. On the track - Link to Thread.

excellent ! thanks for pointing out GTO

i like the quote by harbir

Quote:

Today I also learned that horsepower forgives many sins. you can talk all day about how good a lotus handles, but to do well in a good handling car, you have to drive flawlessly. A less car with more power can make up driver skill shortfalls FAR FAR more easily than a good handling but modestly powered car. And while the powerful turbos and big V8s induce envy, there is a great pleasure in being stripped naked by a modestly powered car which only goes as fast as you can drive it, and no faster. They reveal the truth to yourself, and let you work with that truth.

This is a personal preference i am stating, but i prefer cars that are fast around corners and the thrill of driving for me is not so much hitting 100, 200 kmph in a straight line but feeling the cornering G's as u drive your car as fast as the grip levels will possibly let u. Exiting the corner with a massive grin on your face with the engine howling in the Back/front.

To each to his own :).

update - my buddy realized that most sports car have some crazy tax applied to them, making them not cost the same as they would in other places (US, UK). Anyone aware why a lotus or porsche in AU costs twice of what it costs in UK where-as normal VW golfs, toyotas, hondas cost the same as they would in other places after conversion?

So the practical VW Golf R20 for 50k aud is now on the list of cars to TD New Golf R > Model Variants > Volkswagen Golf > Golf Index > New Car Models > Volkswagen Australia
and oh the mazda mx5 for 52k aud as well :-) Mazda Australia Zoom-Zoom - MX-5
I am thinking mx-5 cos its rwd and can give some of the joys of an elise (no comparison though)