Show me an electric vehicle that can travel 1000km in a day towing a caravan! There isn't one and will never be one unless battery systems change markedly.

A second hand car can have more problems than a new car as you could be buying someone else's lemon.

I prefer to buy a new car and treat it well with full servicing, check-ups, etc., so I know it has not been abused. I then use it for at least 10 years to get my money's worth out of it. Hopefully we will be able to get our usual 500,000+ km out of our Patrol, like our previous cars (500,000 and 650,000 km).

Our Patrol may have cost over $100,000 but it can do anything we ask it to do. It drives better than any other car we tested. It handles rough terrain equal to or better than all other cars we have travelled with. It is wonderfully luxurious inside with plenty of leg room for all seats, a centre console fridge which we use every day, heated and cooled leather seats (a must on Canberra mornings when minus 7 degrees, and summer days at 40 degrees), etc.

I know its a lot of money but I think its worth it.

By 2025 Gibb River Road will be sealed & they will stick charging in.

I started working part time at 15. A few years later full time. Didn't get into the field I wanted to as there were no jobs. Bought my first property in 89 at 17% interest, paid it off in 15 years. Didn't have a holiday for a very long time.

Effectively only had 3 cars. Always paid cash. The first two +250k km each. The current one bought in 2014. Could have easily bought one for twice the price, but didn't see the point.

We still pay cash for most things as we have a tangible way to watch our money vanish to expenses. In supermarkets we mostly buy what's on special & not what we need that day. Maybe our pantry is a bit full!

Bicyclecamper wrote:

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 I cannot, for the life of me see where, one can afford vehicle's at these prices, and considering that electric vehicles are on the way, why in hell one would pay $100000 -plus for a new 4WD, knowing they wont be worth much within the next 5 years. And where do you guys get the money to do it every coup-le of years. It is a lot to lose over the life of the car. I did an idiot thing myself 11 years ago and paid $65000 for a vehicle that worked okay for 5 years, and became a lemon over the last 6. I should have been shot for wasting that money and then some, on a b....y  car.

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 My 1st car at 17 was a 2nd hand bomb dangerously put together that cost just a handkerchief and soon came apart at the seams, at 42 I bought my 1st new car for $42,000 after being in business for 8 years and working 60 hours plus pw. From then on I have always had a new 4wd but kept it below the luxury vehicle price until the last 15 years (I am now 78). Over the kast 25 years of my working life, I changed cars when the lease expired every 3 or 4 years, it that is entirely the right of every purchaser.

My last vehicle, which I still drive, I bought just before I retired in 2010, a Landcruiser, which I bought for cash, it cost $108,000. frankly, after working between 60 & 70 hours every week for over 50 years and only having 2 weeks holiday at Christmas every year, I reckon that I worked for it, earned it, and have every damn right to buy and own it, every one that has such a vehicle is obviously in the same position or has every right to buy their own personal choice of whatever they like.

An interesting topic. Interesting to see why others do what they do.

I bought a new BT50 in 2011 (60 years of age) It was a great workhorse. The plan was for it to last till I was 75 then downsize to something like a rav4.

The BT50 is a great tug & great on the highway, but a pain in town & parking. Sick of 3 point turns to get into shopping centre &  doctor car parks etc.

After a couple of health scares in the last 3 years, I decided to change to a MUX for a bit more comfort, & a lot more visibility around town.

I went down to 650kg pay load, but I can live with that. 

I am able to do this mainly because I was prepared to move to places where I could make good money.

My goal throughout the last 15 years of work was to be able to retire at 60, which I achieved. Prior to that I never thought of retirement & probably didn't visualize myself getting old.

That's my situation, what others do is entirely their business.

Cheers Pete

dieseltojo wrote:

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Phillipn wrote:

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We had  PM who said their would be millions of trees planted and no children would live in poverty by  the year 2000.

The people whe believed him also believe in the tooth fairy, the easter bunny and father christmas.

The same applies to people who believe Australia will be all electric by the year 2025.

I think not.

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 He didn't lie though...He chucked out a bag of seeds from an aeroplane. Planting done.... Then got on with the job of having no children poor before 1990.

-- Edited by dieseltojo on Friday 4th of December 2020 12:06:18 PM

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 And the seeds were fertilized with the crap that poured out of his mouth.

I brought my 1st new car in 2015, when I was still working as a subcontractor and therefore had an ABN.

It was a LC200 series, $85k, but was able to claim back $7k GST, $6.5k luxury car tax and about $5.5k stamp duty, all up about $19k through the business.

With $15k trade in deducted, it was about $51k total which I thought was reasonable for my 1st brand new car.

House paid for, new van in 2017, new Rav 4 for Jayne in 2018, debt free and those vehicles and van will have to last me the rest of my driving days.

It can be done but give the Govt as little as possible.

Cheers Bob

Cars may seem to be 'expensive'. But when you put it into perspective with the average income they are cheaper than they have ever been. According to the ABS the average Australian wage is almost $90000.00 a year in 2020. That'll buy a decent set of wheels. It was $6000.00 in 1970. My first new car cost me $2700.00, (Torana), in 1972. More than a year wages. You can buy a nice car now for $30000.00. 1/3 of a years average wages. So typical when folks look at one number without looking at the 'real' figures.