I'm Over Jap Cars

[Swink33]

In the last year my father sold his 2001 R34 GTR after owning it for only 10 months in favour of a brand new fully optioned A4 2.0TFSI quattro simply due to image. His boss and my mum hated the car with a passion and saw it as a 'hoon' car that wasn't appropriate for a 58 year old executive to drive.

The reasons why the Audi was chosen over R34 GTR

*IMAGE

*Superior build quality

*3 years included servicing

* wife/boss hoon association with GTR

The reason why my father misses the GTR

*Audi handles like a dog when pushed over 70% (understeer everywhere)

*Audi is gutless

*Audi is so boringly common and sensible. Every other boring 58 year old man has a Audi, BMW, or Merc

*Audi has too much poinltess wanker gadgetry

*Audi and other German cars have the indicator stalks on the wrong size of the steering column making it difficult to shift and indicate. I often turn the wipers on when indicating.

*GTR had the best driver focused interior layout with brilliant gearbox, clutch, steering combination (occasional tram lining though due to wide tyres)

*GTR handling was second to no other standard car I have ever driven or been a passenger in

*GTR was suprisingly practical for a daily as it could seat 4, had decent sized boot (2 sets of golf clubs), tractible off boost, suspension wasn't too hard

*GTR pulled like a train on boost with fuel consumption being suprisingly good when not putting the boot in.

The new 6.0V8 Calais was considered too but was just too big otherwise though a fantastic car except for the seats which were too wide (designed for increasing number of Australian obese fat people)

We have had no problems with either car however I believe that if you want a new decent prestige German car that stands for more than being pretentious and cashing in on its brand image you are looking at approx $100k or beyond. I may be biased as I drive a fairly modified R33 however I would love an M3, Porsche or AMG over my Skyline but bang for buck wise there is no other car I would choose.

Also I remember a few years back Wheels mag did a big Japan vs Germany thing and compared similar cars from each country against each other and from memory Japan won. The only comparison I can remember was the BMW 330i vs Subaru Liberty 3.0Rspec B which the Subaru won because it did 90% of what the BMW did for 55% of the price. Does anyone remember the rest of the article.

[sloutch]

Wierd.. i'm australian asian and i gotta say it probably has more to do with the 'face' thing than the build quality. where my wife is from (malaysia) asians in the big smoke city drive mercs but alot of them prefer lexus's as they're seen more as a young persons car.

OI! it's not that smokey a city ok

I have to agree with you though, with some people, it is to do with the 'FACE' factor. Even though we see lots of BMWs and Mercs on the roads along Toorak, come on, how many of those people actually own the car outright and how many are paying there arses off for the car loan?

Since the new BMWs came into the market, there are heaps more E46 3 series on the roads now, their re-sale value just gone down the drain.

[limpus]

^^^ Face factor? my my...i have so much to say about that...but i think you probably don't want me to say it here eh ben?

Edited January 17, 2008 by limpus

[Downforce]

LOL now now Gerald.. play nice

[sloutch]

LOL!! It is the face factor. Even for myself i have to admit. It's aaaallllllllll........... about face. Isn't it Matt?

[W0rp3D]

I live in frankston the only luxo cars we get around here have lambs wool seat covers.

[mid life crisis]

Toyota build the best cars, ask any mechanic who works on different cars for a living...

i disagree i turn spanners for a living in a workshop thats see's a varity of cars every day . try changing the back rocker cover gasket on a v6 camry or even put plugs in its a half a plenum off job b4 you even get a glimpse of the rocker cover lol

[eMsta]

quality my arse, you think all mercs are bulletproof just coz they're mercs? they're made in mexico ffs

the A's are made there i think

the rest are now made in germany

[fuzzy_scuz]

Nope try South Africa or India or China or even Korea for a Merc,

All the parts are made globally and the actual putting together is done in Mexico and Germany for alot of Mercs and VW's. But depending on demand they will subcontract to other car factories overseas to meet short supply issues.\

Any car you can buy could be a lemon

[Starionturbo]

If you are over Jap cars, you were never into it in the first place - you just jumped on the bandwagon.

I am passionate about Japanese sports cars. European cars are very nice, but I would Only go for there true sports cars/tourers and thats only if I was comfortably well off.

Its a shame we dont get newer Japanese imports here as much - most peoples idea of a jap car is something along the lines of a s14/r33 both of which are nearly 13 odd years old. Even an R34s interior is rubbish but you dont buy the car for that.

I had the opportunity to drive some V35 Skylines when I was in Perth, and with the CVT autos, bose sound systems, electrics, nav, DVD etc they are light years ahead of the common japanese imports we have around. Very smooth and refined. Not to mention they look damn good! With the new V36 already out I bet that they are again another step ahead in technology.

So before going ahead stereotyping all japanese cars to be like 15 yo shitter R32/s13s - just remember we dont get the good Japanese cars in Australia.

Edited January 18, 2008 by Starionturbo

[Flynnn]

As far as i know, VW's and Audi's that are manufactured in Mexico are the only ones destined for the North & South American market.

Australia receives all its shipments from EU (European Union) Germany.

Edited January 19, 2008 by Barbarian

[ylwgtr2]

ok then...yeah its a fantastic idea...i think you should by one

[Spunky Munky]

Not me either... if I had the cash, I'd get myself a R34 VSPECII GTR that's tuned by Nismo... Jap cars have the tough, streetwise sporty look, no European car can have this.... when I get older, sure, stop all the turbo, rims etc and get something more elegant... but not now... no way!

[eMsta]

Nope try South Africa or India or China or even Korea for a Merc,

All the parts are made globally and the actual putting together is done in Mexico and Germany for alot of Mercs and VW's. But depending on demand they will subcontract to other car factories overseas to meet short supply issues.\

Any car you can buy could be a lemon

but then couldnt any car be done that way? as in the parts made globally and then put together in germany, japan, usa, aus etc...depending on the car make?

im just going from what i heard about the new merc though - i know the previous ones were made in South Africa. Its like the jazz, civic and standard accord - they are made in thailand or soemthing....

[eMsta]

If you are over Jap cars, you were never into it in the first place - you just jumped on the bandwagon.

I am passionate about Japanese sports cars. European cars are very nice, but I would Only go for there true sports cars/tourers and thats only if I was comfortably well off.

Its a shame we dont get newer Japanese imports here as much - most peoples idea of a jap car is something along the lines of a s14/r33 both of which are nearly 13 odd years old. Even an R34s interior is rubbish but you dont buy the car for that.

I had the opportunity to drive some V35 Skylines when I was in Perth, and with the CVT autos, bose sound systems, electrics, nav, DVD etc they are light years ahead of the common japanese imports we have around. Very smooth and refined. Not to mention they look damn good! With the new V36 already out I bet that they are again another step ahead in technology.

So before going ahead stereotyping all japanese cars to be like 15 yo shitter R32/s13s - just remember we dont get the good Japanese cars in Australia.

true - it could be that barbarian maybe wants to get away from the coupe scene and into a more saloon scene.....

[KURAUN]

i have a saloon, still a jap car and i love it

[scotty014]

im not over jap cars i have been driving them for a couple years now i started in a subaru rx and now my r34 and i just love it. never driven a turbo yet so i dont know what it feels like but i cant wait.

check out the toyota soarer's they are pretty luxurious for there age and they are jap cars. also if i went european it wouldn't be a base model it would have to be the top of the range like m series and Amg etc.

[Do-Luck]

If you are over Jap cars, you were never into it in the first place - you just jumped on the bandwagon.

I disagree. Since when are there rules for that?

I myself was never much into cars when I first turned 18. Yeah I had a slight interest, but nothing like I have now. My interest in Jap cars gradually grew as I learnt more and more about cars. So did I jump on the bandwagon?

Anyway, back on topic, I sometimes feel a little sick of my 180sx, but it's mainly due to the hole it's putting in my wallet, and always having to save for new parts. My Fairlane is just a daily car that I don't have to spend a cent on. However, as soon as I jump in the 180 and stomp on the loud pedal, all is forgotten

[Howie]

I hear what you're saying, but due to the age of the 180sx now the fact it's probably not as strongly built (no offence intended) as some of their other nissan counterparts (mainly v-series, rb-series) you're no doubt going keep burning a hole in your pocket. Been there with the 180 and the exa's, they were money pits. The soarer, lexus and skyline's however have been the most reliable cars i've owned. So you can't really discount jap cars based on the experience of one car (not saying that's the case with you).

[mid life crisis]

i think a lot depends on ya needs at the time personally i really only need one car . i have a r33 that gets driven weekends and maybe once during the week bit of a waste really .

on the othere hand i have a large boat that i enjoy alot as well but cant tow it with the skyline so i have a falcon wagon as my daily and boat puller .

ideally i should sell the line and the falcom and buy a nice 4wd for towing the boat and going off roads doing other fishing that i really enjoy.

i think the skyline is a bit of a indulgence i could live without but my mrs would kill me if the skyline went lol so what do i do