Cars & Motorbikes Let's talk cars... 2021

I think it’s high time the govt arranged the reintroduction of the Datsun family.

The whole shebang : 240Z 260Z. The 1600 (ooh yeah) The 180B (right on...SSS) and any other decent model I forgot. Not the 200B though and we’ll get to the Commodores later.

 

Yes please, I wish Nissan would remake the 240z. When Nissan were Datsun, they were reliable. These days many of their cars are not as good. The 400z hopefully will be a good one. After the z32 300zx they sort of got a bit cramped. The 240z had heaps of room. I even enjoyed the 280zx and 300zx z31 as fun cars.

 

There was a time when you could pick up an original Datsun 240z or 260z 2 seater for 5 grand. Over the years I have come across some rare versions that I wish I would have bought. The best thing about the S30 was it’s beautiful shape.
Now with the crazy prices of used cars and classics I wonder what is out there at a reasonable price. Lot of the used Euro cars are now cheaper than Japanese ones due to reliability and repair costs. Many years ago Peugeot used to be reliable but now considered a liability by many mechanics. Has anyone here owned a 406 or 407 coupe?

 

Imagine what a new revitalised 240z or a 1600 would be like today. They’d have to turbo it. Then with all the safety equipment that’s required they’d weigh a lot.

 

I must have got a dodgy one! My first car was a Datsun 120y with 80,000 k’s. I’d replaced the motor once, then it went again. We were driving down Logan Road Mt Gravatt and there was smoke coming out of the engine. We pulled over into a shopping car park, rang a wreckers and gifted it to them, left the keys under the tyre. That was 22 years ago. I wonder if it ever got fixed.

 

My son is after a V8 Ute. He enquired about one for $8,500 two days ago, 15 mins after being listed and it was sold. He offered $9,000 but seller wasn’t interested. It’s listed at a dealership today for $17,000, no changes. Ruthless!!

 

At the time that was probably the best idea.

At the moment, there aren't any listed for sale (that are appear as genuine vendors) from what I can see. You can buy the shell of the car for a few thousand.

 

Uh it's called a 370Z or the older 350z - the modern day version of the 240z - no turbo, just big V6 and yes much heavier

 

Yeah but they don't look all that similar. They seem shorter than the 240z and also taller.

Anyway there's no new 1600.

 

This won’t end well for many people. I wish we still had a local industry with local components and hence a good supply of used cars.

 

Yes the 350z looks more like an Audi TT and then they tried to use the same platform to make the 370z have some visual tension of the 240z but ended up looking over styled and fussy with its hooked headlights and fat ass rear end. The 240z is a thing of beauty with its clean lines.

 

So here’s a question. What is the future for classic car ownership and investment value for the rest of this decade? I ask this in view of the announcement of many car makers that they will be stopping the manufacture of ICE cars this decade.
I also ask this with my thoughts on current asking price of classic cars. There is a Datsun 240z on unique cars asking 100k and last week a 1992 Nissan GTR R32 with 96k sold in 4 hours for 140k, apparently many GTR experts felt it was a bargain and could have got an extra 20k. If governments are going to mandate banning ICE cars moving forward, which I think they will, won’t these cars become less valuable ? People are saying that they can add electrification to these old cars but adding 400kg to a 240z is defeating the purpose of owning A light sports car. Is now the time to sell your classic and start collecting the first Prius ( yuk)?
There also must be some people with a lot of spare cash to snap up a 240z for 100k.

 

Somehow I don’t think classic cars wont just lay down and die. They are loved vehicles and that love will pass on to future generations.

I imagine they could still be driven around a track and transported on the back of a truck or some people might run the gauntlet and fang it to a meeting . Yeah ha! lol

 

a car "enthuthiast" i know has amassed a substantial collection of 60's to 80's Ford muscle cars (both AU and US). these are cars (some extremely rare) he grew up with and dreamed of as a kid.

his children only see them as old vintage cars and are not interested in them at all.

so i too wonder what will become of these cars as he gets too old enjoy them.

who will see any value in them.

 

From what I see GenXers are very much into cars so it may continue from the boomers.
GenY probably not so much.
Surprisingly GenZ seem to be into vintage and Classic. So demand may reduce in the future until GenZ gets established.

 

I will be selling a large portion of my car collection oct/nov this year, as much as I love my cars I personally believe if someone is whiling to pay ridiculous prices (if they actually are selling for what people say they are) then happy to part ways and just keep two or three.
Some people I know are literally doing equity release/loan top ups against their homes to buy cars even after the last decade of price run up. Madness.
What are people’s thoughts on best way to sell? I was thinking all on Grays or Shannon’s.

 

That's the modern day equivalent of the 240z though, that's the smallest they could build it due to modern safety regs etc (actually they're slightly longer than a 240z)
Just like the modern day 'mini' vs the old one, they tried to re-do what they did in the past but the size difference is significant due to having to meet modern safety standards.

 

What cars are you considering selling?

 

Mazda RX2, mostly complete but in need of a complete restoration
VL HDT LE turbo
Hk gts, original 6 but has a 307 in it at the moment
Rose grey vn sv5000
EB svo, factory v8 with the recaro trim

 

This could be the end of Lotus gas guzzlers so may be worth picking one up. They look great imo. Guessing they'll be about $120k here.

Emira - Lotus Cars