future driving to Trad tournaments

[little arrows]

oh the dilemma. With the end of an era coming to pass with the closing of Holden in 2016. No more Holden Utes - having had them for the past 20 odd years, what are we going to buy now? Can't see us getting planks of timber in a sedan - although greybeard gets lengths of bamboo in his Stateman, just can't sleep in the back of a sedan......... oh mee oh myyy.

cheers
sue

[jcm]

Oh What a feeling?
Das Auto?
Zoom Zoom.
Grate Wail.
Sedan chair.
There's still some Klicks left in your ute?
John

[longbow steve]

Time to get a Toyota Sue. You will be surprised at the maintenance cost savings over a long period.
I believe Holden have done this to themselves failing to produce vehicles that todays market wants plus other factors have contributed.
One little example of how to lose a market is putting a motor in a comodore that was designed for a front wheel drive application thus having it's thermostat between the fire wall an engine requiring the transmission to come out for replacement and a 6 hour labour cost for the owner. Japanese cars are easy to work on so get maintained correctly and they last. Lets just hope the standards don't slip on them being mainly made off shore now. Steve

[Roadie]

Just think Sue in another 20 plus years you will own a Classic Ute, just like my ole Falcon Ute.. Cheers Roadie.

[greybeard]

Hi Sue,

There is plenty of life left in your ute, my Statesman will be sixteen next birthday and is still going strong.

It is a pity that Australia cannot be competitive in a global market.

Daryl.

[Goatchaser]

It's the privatisation of the power companies that have killed them, it costs the GMC factory in America 1/3 the amount it costs them here to run holden and they produce 3 times the amount of cars annually, South Australia has the highest electricity costs in the world, makes it had to live let alone run a business, all I can say is holden folded many years ago when it produced commodes sorry commodores. lol. From there it was all down hill.
The link below says it all.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 9093_n.jpg

[longbowinfected]

Mitsubishi Delica 4wd vans from Springwood motors with roof racks. Put a side roll out canopy. Second hand and around $19,000.
7 seaters. Do the timing belt every 100,000 k. Seats all on rails can be reconfigured as a full length bed.

Kevin

[Mick Smith]

We in Australia have subsidised our car industry at the rate of $18 per head of population, whilst in Germany its $450 per head of population. The US car industry is subsidised at the rate of a massive $1400 per head of population. For some unfathomable reason, a succession of various Australian Federal governments have propped up the insane belief that the corporate capitalists will look after all our interests if we just give them enough rope. The global car industry simply don't play on a flat playing field, despite what our nincompoop politicians believe.

Basically, it is patiently obvious the Australian politicians, both left and right, have come to the conclusion that Australia doesn't need or want a costly car industry, otherwise they would have supported it more. They can't come right out and say it, because of the inevitable voter backlash due to the loss of thousands of jobs that this industry supports.

A high percentage of Australians already drive fully imported vehicles. It's now certain that this percentage will rise to become 100% in the not too distant future. In effect, we will be driving vehicles that have been subsidised by other nations.

[sina55]

Hi Sue
Toyota Hilux extra cab.
I just hope by the time you need a replacement the're still being made to decent standard.

Cheers Jo