What type of vehicle do you have ??

Hi all,

I drive a 95 Mercedes S class.

The reason why:
We lived near a busy intersection in Brisbane and over a 3 year period saw many accidents and deaths.  Very Scary & horrific…… whichs makes you paranoid.  The only thing you have in an accident is the metal around you and with 3 small children l want to protect them best l can.  Our first Merc was pretty old but very reliable – Solid as.  The older Mercs are not as expensive as one might think.  You can pick up an E class 95 & 96 models for around $10,000. 

We have our own business so the company bought the next Merc and all expenses including petrol are company expenses.  We have 4 properties at present and are currently looking at investing in commercail real estate.

It is interesting the responses you get from agents if they notice your car.  Some see you as professionals and offer you discounts that you wouldn't normally get.  Others think your made of money and try to rip you off.

Linda

A 2001 Falcon SR wagon with 200k on the clock, picked it up for $6000 an absolute BARGAIN!!!!!! Great to drive, no funny noises just a big number on the odometer.

We also got an 02 Nissan PAtrol ST for the weekends shooting and for towing the ski boat to the river. Got it cheap too!!! my motto: like buying IP's "buy under market price" and we did: $22k.

My problem, i like cars but have to win the misses over before we do, therefore its as calcualted as the next move on the investment path.

Interesting thread…

I co-owned a Hyundai 1993 hatchback with my housemate for 2 years. I paid $1700 for my share of it. I moved to Sydney 3 years ago and decided to give the rest of my car ownership to my housemate. Less than a year later, the car had to be written off as he loaned it to a friend who crashed it.

Now, I rely on feet and public transport to commute around Sydney. Much better for my pocket and helps the environment.

Sometimes I do miss driving — that's when I borrow someone else's car to run errands for them or go on road trips and hire a car.

Houses don't Appreciate, you claim depreciation every year at tax time, the land is what appreciates.

Bought my car for $40,000 two years ago. Now worth over $125,000 tax free.
HO phase three fords were under $100,000 grand a few years ago. Now you will not find one under $500,000 with some for sale at the mystical figure of 1 MILLION.
So all though i do agree in general , at the moment there is a muscle car boom on and big profits are being made for early aussie muscle cars. So for those looking for something different its worth checking out.

I have a 1998 Holden Combo…the "barina, come postie van"…its so bloody handy that I just can't get rid of it…and NOTHING has gone wrong with it since 2002…fingers crossed. I also have a 2002 Ducati Monster 620, to make up for putting around in a gutless van…

Wife has a BA Falcon….

i discovered leasing after owning more than 35 cars (i just love fixing them up !)
when my lease was up i sold my last hi lux and used the money as a deposit on a house ! yehah
leased a new hi lux the next day.
i think of it as a good way to build a deposit ,
my beautiful wife has a 90 bmw that goes like stink uses no fuel ,built like a baby tank and is really easy to have repaired by a skilled tradesman if i am away
 i would and do reccomend these cars to any one  (see rich people arent stupid ! )
we also have a scooter which i ride for all errands in my post code, and even took to sydney last job i did there (82 vespa appreciting and fun, uses about $5fuel  a month)
and a big bike for fun
and a mustang  which we bought as a doer upper not sure if we will make a profit , but who would have known the us $ was going so far south
if i had some spare cash id be buying muscle cars off sub prime loan holders in the us  right now !
i used to share house with an accountant and ride a motorcycle worth a years pay, we discussed my situation often and i decided to keep at least one toy
when the stock market crashed about  two years of work and sacrifice went with it  ,i had more fun

Check out  australianmusclecarstables.com.au Similar site to the one mentioned above. My group a walkinshaw is for sale there. Im getting out now incase things get rough next year. Best to pay a big chunk of my PPOR i think and set up a nice buffer. Although i will get another cheaper toy as well. Gotta live and have fun too.Nice tax free profit.

I have a 2000 Daewoo Matiz – a tiny Korean car that I thought was very cute when new, but isn't quite so cute now it's showing it's age….

You've struck a nerve here! I had a "motivational speaker" publicly label me a "loser" in a seminar some years ago for not aspiring to own a prestige car. He said "but surely you want a better car", and I said that no, I didn't really. He asked me "if somebody offered you a Matiz or a Mercedes and there were no other differentials, what would you choose?"

I said "Mercedes, of course", and he said "see, you really do want a Mercedes". I said, "no, because I'd sell the Mercedes, buy a Matiz again, and use the excess funds for investing…" He got so furious – because I'd negated his point, perhaps? – that he felt the need to attack me, I guess, and shouted "then you're a loser and you'll always be a loser". Some example, hey? I bet they were all lining up to have him be their "life coach" after that outburst!

I don't object to anybody else having a luxury car – it's just not important to me. And after this experience, I'm more determined than ever to never drive a prestige car. And you know what, I'll be happier in my Matiz than this jerk will be driving a prestige car that he can't really afford, and only has because it's part of his "image".

My vehicle is an 'old style' discretionary trust. My second is the Pty LTD (I think that's a Ford). My wife drives – a hard bargain.

Give nothing away.