Quick rant thread.

[B.M.W Ltd 950]

I'm physically ok thanks Olaf and I'm unsure at the moment what is happening with the investigation / insurance . Plenty of witnesses and Heli cam cover. Their stolen vehicle was used for a burglary/home invasion by 4 who were captured. I've done all I can at the moment... claims in

BTW the wife owned a swift for 13yrs from new. Was a great little car that suited her needs. Very reliable small vehicle.

Edited April 11, 2019 by B.M.W Ltd

[kiwi535 538]

13 hours ago, B.M.W Ltd said:

I'm physically ok thanks Olaf and I'm unsure at the moment what is happening with the investigation / insurance . Plenty of witnesses and Heli cam cover. Their stolen vehicle was used for a burglary/home invasion by 4 who were captured. I've done all I can at the moment... claims in

BTW the wife owned a swift for 13yrs from new. Was a great little car that suited her needs. Very reliable small vehicle.

We have a swift too.May not be the most spectacular but at the time we bought it it was head and shoulders above other cars in the same class 

[lord_jagganath 421]

Sad day today, my old e34 in Malaysia is going to the breakers, as the drivetrain and interior is shot after it was stolen.

[Jacko 2156]

Thrashed a rental 2019 corolla over the crown ranges today.

Stuck it in sport mode, slapped the transmission into manual and was prepared to be thoroughly underwhelmed. 

Smashed the go pedal and started tapping through the gears, and it was wickedly responsive, nearly like a DCT! bang bang bang.. and there were 9 of em! Only a little bit of slip, and it changed cogs in milliseconds. Very impressed by what I thought would be a horrid slushbox. 

Got home and googled what kind of insane box this was and how they fitted so many cogs in it

 

... Its a friggin CVT! My world has been shattered. 

[B.M.W Ltd 950]

You need to try the Kona 1.6T DCT7 Chris

Edited April 17, 2019 by B.M.W Ltd

[KwS 2425]

People that still rubbish CVT are either recycling old stories of early CVT, and/or haven't lived with a good modern one. 

Love my one in my daily. Wouldn't want to go back to a trans that has gears. 

[M3AN 4016]

Why does a CVT even have a gear shift?

 

[Driftit 2078]

8 hours ago, Jacko said:

Thrashed a rental 2019 corolla over the crown ranges today.

Stuck it in sport mode, slapped the transmission into manual and was prepared to be thoroughly underwhelmed. 

Smashed the go pedal and started tapping through the gears, and it was wickedly responsive, nearly like a DCT! bang bang bang.. and there were 9 of em! Only a little bit of slip, and it changed cogs in milliseconds. Very impressed by what I thought would be a horrid slushbox. 

Got home and googled what kind of insane box this was and how they fitted so many cogs in it

 

... Its a friggin CVT! My world has been shattered. 

A mate has two of the top spec Corollas.  He loves them.  Great commuters.  But he said he would still rather a manual and said the CVT is still a bit of a dope at times.

[Jacko 2156]

6 minutes ago, Driftit said:

A mate has two of the top spec Corollas.  He loves them.  Great commuters.  But he said he would still rather a manual and said the CVT is still a bit of a dope at times.

Yeah in auto mode it can be a lil weird, the "real" first gear/clutch kinda bogs the engine when your creeping in traffic, still WAY better than any other CVT Ive driven. 

[Driftit 2078]

10 minutes ago, Jacko said:

Yeah in auto mode it can be a lil weird, the "real" first gear/clutch kinda bogs the engine when your creeping in traffic, still WAY better than any other CVT Ive driven. 

I remember they were so bad that Nissan parts wreckers would pay you $2000 and give you a full manual conversion for your P11 Primera just for your CVT.  They would then make a mint from them.

[Allanw 1071]

On 4/18/2019 at 8:29 AM, M3AN said:

Why does a CVT even have a gear shift?

 

Because people really want manuals?

Apparently it's so they "feel" like an autobox.

And as far as Autos being a bit dopey - they always will be - They can never know what I'm thinking - I don't even know half the time!

 

[qube 3570]

On 4/18/2019 at 9:03 AM, Driftit said:

I remember they were so bad that Nissan parts wreckers would pay you $2000 and give you a full manual conversion for your P11 Primera just for your CVT.  They would then make a mint from them.

wow, the p11 primera is actually a really decent car with a great engine, the CVT was the let down, manuals arent too common last time i checked.

[coop 261]

3 hours ago, qube said:

wow, the p11 primera is actually a really decent car with a great engine, the CVT was the let down, manuals arent too common last time i checked.

Most of the NZ new ones were manual. We never had the CVT option, just 4 speed auto, and sedan. 

Back when Nissan had a decent line up in NZ show rooms - R34 GTR, R34 GT-t, 200SX, P11 Primera, TD42 Patrol. Maybe the SR20 SSS Pulsars at the same time as well, I can't remember.

Look at the absolute sh*t they are flogging off today. No wonder they need to offer 1% finance to move it. 

[balancerider 758]

9 hours ago, coop said:

Most of the NZ new ones were manual. We never had the CVT option, just 4 speed auto, and sedan. 

Back when Nissan had a decent line up in NZ show rooms - R34 GTR, R34 GT-t, 200SX, P11 Primera, TD42 Patrol. Maybe the SR20 SSS Pulsars at the same time as well, I can't remember.

Look at the absolute sh*t they are flogging off today. No wonder they need to offer 1% finance to move it. 

This is top of the (sh*t) pile

[coop 261]

I would rather have a Y62 Patrol than any over those over priced, over rated, wanker attracting fashion statements. It will do everything better too, unless you need to move something like a fridge or motorbike (that’s what trailers are for, and kinda a moot point since most of the flogger driven utes have hard lids or canopy’s anyway). 

At least the Mercedes has a decent engine, but you pay for it, most of them have sticker price of over $90k. 

Option up a ranger and you’re looking at $80k. Usually when you spend that sort of money on a vehicle with leaf springs, drum brakes and extremely basic plastic interior, it’s a factory optioned 1960s desirable muscle car from the USA which hold or go up in value, not depreciate like a stone when the latest fashion statement is realeased two years down the track. 

 

[Driftit 2078]

14 hours ago, qube said:

wow, the p11 primera is actually a really decent car with a great engine, the CVT was the let down, manuals arent too common last time i checked.

I imported a couple back in the 90's.  Ran around in one that Autech had fiddled with for a few years before I moved to 180sx's.

It was a great car.  My Dad had a manual NZ new P11 Primera SE at the same time.

 

[balancerider 758]

30 minutes ago, coop said:

At least the Mercedes has a decent engine, but you pay for it, most of them have sticker price of over $90k. 

The non 3L versions are running Navara engines

[coop 261]

2 minutes ago, balancerider said:

The non 3L versions are running Navara engines

Which is pretty much a Renault engine. 

I think they are having trouble moving them, rrp up around 72k. Last time I checked there are still 2018 plated ones on trademe with nearly $20k knocked off them. 

[Jacko 2156]

Nissan arent even the worst, they still have 370Z and GTRs... have you seen what mitsubishi have turned into? Shitty softroaders only.

 

Kinda on topic, drove one of the new LDV vans the other day, automated manual. Total pile of sh*t, had 2000km on the clock and drove like a 1980 holden camira with 400000km on it.. ..  The gearbox was interesting though, its a manual box with essentially a robot changing gears and using the clutch. Really bizarre to drive, its like having a truck driving ghost change gears for you. Its slow and clunky, but entertaining  

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2957]

7 hours ago, coop said:

I think they are having trouble moving them, rrp up around 72k. Last time I checked there are still 2018 plated ones on trademe with nearly $20k knocked off them. 

That’s an understatement, they are really struggling to move them. Had offers and incentives from second month of sale, not a good sign!

[gjm 3258]

The collaboration is unlikely to last long.
https://www.caradvice.com.au/750340/mercedes-x-class-and-nissan-navara-to-go-separate-ways-report/

[coop 261]

4 hours ago, E30 325i Rag-Top said:

That’s an understatement, they are really struggling to move them. Had offers and incentives from second month of sale, not a good sign!

Not surprising. I had a look and it appears that the discounted 2018 models are gone, but the four cylinder X Class new and optioned demo stock have comparable pricing to V6 Amarok, and are nearly $30k more than an SR5 Hilux and $20k more than XLT Ranger. So no wonder! lol. 

[coop 261]

40 minutes ago, gjm said:

The collaboration is unlikely to last long.
https://www.caradvice.com.au/750340/mercedes-x-class-and-nissan-navara-to-go-separate-ways-report/

It would be quite disappointing if they abandon a new model further down the track. Especially with their plug in hybrid models becoming more popular. Bring something revolunary to the segment as all of these Utes are way, way over priced for what we get. i.e. plug in hybrid and four cylinder turbo petrol similar to the E Class at 2.5l/100km.

Its not like they don't have the expertise to bring out something class leading - Sprinter, Vito, Actros etc.  

Mercedes could have differentiated the current X Class by using their own 2.1 and 9 speed out of the ML etc. Something like 150kw and 500nm. With low range and more realistic price tag it could be a decent piece of kit.  

ATM its just an over priced segment purchased by sheep trying to keep up appearances.

[richard 384]

As a driver of a ford Ranger 2016 on a daily bases I have to say I'm pretty happy with what they do. Its a work vehicle.  

I don't drive it up maintains ,riverbeds or carry live stock. But I do carry supply's ladders and scaffolding etc. But the real reason I have it is to tow things...... car transporter, race car and a tray full of tools, spares, ezyup etc and all my race kit in the back seat, and still room in the front.

When other manufactures start building outside of their comfort  zone they will produce over priced under rated vehicles like the Xclass (I put the x5 in this category) or cheap unreliable junk like The Great Wall.

There's a reason the Ranger is the top selling vehicle. Like 65 to 1 

[coop 261]

Yeah there is a reason why it’s top selling. Refer to my last sentence in the post above. 

I have driven rangers and Hiluxs for work and I cannot see the justification of the price premium between Ranger and Hilux. I don’t think the ranger does anything better than the Hilux. If anything the Hilux is built better, has a better stereo, doesn’t have that awful SYNC 2 infotainment set up, and the SR5 seems to be consistently $5-10k cheaper than the XLT. 

Despite what I’ve written above I don’t think an SR5 is bad buying at $45k. 

They have their place and it reads as though it is the best vehicle for your situation. But you have to laugh at the floggers who use these vehicles for purposes that a Toyota Corolla will fulfil. 

Recreational towing and carrying around the family... there are a lot of SUVs that are a superior all round vehicle to the archaic double cab Ute. 

As a diesel mechanic I scratch my head at the amount of franchises and contractors who choose these as service vehicles, albeit mostly extra cabs. 

I currently have a V8 cruiser with boxes, air compressor and gas set on the back. Not ideal for the job, but it does the job. 

Despite being rated for 1 tonne over the rear axle this is a joke and they need after market springs or airbags. 

It is even worse trying to get that sort of weight in the tray of the double cab Thai specials. 

A Mercedes Sprinter has superior payload (3.5t), easier access to toolboxes with both side doors, more space inside and on the roof for any large items. A 2.5 tonne tow rating. And is a much nicer drive. 

I guess this goes for most tradies but they seem to persist with the Ute. I can only put it down to sheep mentality and upholding an image.