Imports?

[Smifffy]

We aren't much further advanced really, when you consider the specification and price of new vehicles in other markets, particularly the USA.

[Edbear]

yeh only good compared to the rest of the crap, 80s were not a good time in the car industry. Jeez I must be getting old to remember them

There were some good cars in '89, among the Jappas. But yeah, you're not wrong.

I had a 1979 Morris Marina 1700L.

WOW - What a car! - Carpets, a Radio, and even Head Rests.

"Take that you Japs" - says Mr British Leyland.

Then the Marina became the 'Ital' and that Alegro just got better and better. By the time the Maestro and Montego came along..............

Beating the British out of the automotive market must have been like stealing toffee from kids.

I think the Brits beat themselves out of the market in the end...

[Indiana_Jones]

Hmmm interesting thread.

I wonder if my landcrab came with power sterring when it was sold new here or was that option only on the home market cars?

Don't be too hard on the British cars Yellow Dog....but then again I know you owned a TR7....

BMC was good in the 50's and 60s. Problem was that they didn't re-invest and failed to do research to what joe blogs wanted. They just assumed they would blindly buy their cars. What reason would they assume otherwise? the public lapped up the mini and 1100/1300 like hot cakes. Not to mention Mr. Issigonis wasn't to be questioned!

Then when the 1800 failed to get the same numbers did they start to think "wait a minute...." lol

I think BL summed it up best with the wedge..... 'The shape of things to come!'

-Indy

[YellowDog]

Don't be too hard on the British cars Yellow Dog....but then again I know you owned a TR7....

I swore I'd never buy another Triumph anything again..................

Oops......

The BL problem was as simple as: merge several small companies together under a nationalisation banner so that the resulting enormous organisation is then run by bureaucrats, knowing very little about the industry, AND the result will be an absolute disaster.

I liked the V-12 Daimler best: The one where the lefty union fellows felt the need to insert loose nails in the cylinder heads to teach the capitalist pigs buying the cars a lesson they won’t forget. Yep they certainly learnt a lesson about not buying another BL car.

It was all about employing the masses rather than building cars that people want.

[Indiana_Jones]

I swore I'd never buy another Triumph anything again..................

Oops......

The BL problem was as simple as: merge several small companies together under a nationalisation banner so that the resulting enormous organisation is then run by bureaucrats, knowing very little about the industry, AND the result will be an absolute disaster.

I liked the V-12 Daimler best: The one where the lefty union fellows felt the need to insert loose nails in the cylinder heads to teach the capitalist pigs buying the cars a lesson they won’t forget. Yep they certainly learnt a lesson about not buying another BL car.

It was all about employing the masses rather than building cars that people want.

Too true.

BL management had a hard on for Triumph it seemed and just left the MGB to history.

The Riley name was dropped for cost cutting and just focusing on the Wolseley name for their 'bank manager' cars.

Upper management lacked vision, workers just made unions and crippled an already dying company.

Simple fact is, had they made cars that worked and people wanted they'd still be here today.

-Indy

[ducatilover]

Hmmm interesting thread.

I wonder if my landcrab came with power sterring when it was sold new here or was that option only on the home market cars?

Don't be too hard on the British cars Yellow Dog....but then again I know you owned a TR7....

BMC was good in the 50's and 60s. Problem was that they didn't re-invest and failed to do research to what joe blogs wanted. They just assumed they would blindly buy their cars. What reason would they assume otherwise? the public lapped up the mini and 1100/1300 like hot cakes. Not to mention Mr. Issigonis wasn't to be questioned!

Then when the 1800 failed to get the same numbers did they start to think "wait a minute...." lol

I think BL summed it up best with the wedge..... 'The shape of things to come!'

-Indy

In the Brits defence, the Rover P5B coupe and P6 were great cars, my P6 went great and was stupidly comfortable. The ride quality was amazing, better than any Jap car I have driven with the exception of a Lexus/Toyota LS400/Celsior.
16mpg was okay..... Atleast it sounded tits with one pathetic muffler and a dirty Holley.
'Twas a Nelson assembled car in early '73.

[avgas]

How does anyone feel about imported vehicles?

The reason i ask is because i was wasting time the other day and was looking around a merecedes benz dealer forecourt, i had no intention of buying one and told the dealer so. I said if i would ever consider getting a european car i would get an import cause they're so much cheaper. He looked at me like i was from another planet and told me with a straight face, that those cars weren't made for the new zealand conditions! they wouldn't have enough power to get up the steep hills and they use different oil that you can't get here and the tyres would be different.
i assume because of these new zealand conditions i keep hearing about.
this isn't the first time i've heard this sort of drivel.

i watched an ad for some hyundai thing on the telly and they said the suspension was tuned for new zealand conditions!?

do kiwis really believe this crap? what's so special about nz roads that manufactures are making special vehicles for this tiny, special market?

what would put you off buying an imported vehicle? speedo in miles perhaps?

I thought about bringing a bike or two back with me from the uk when i go over, lots of european stuff over there. Would i be able to sell them, or wouldn't they be up to the nz conditions?

I swear the room just felt like 1981, some old guy was telling us how imports are rubbish while we all sat on swappa crates.
Then we all got into the Pug 404 and said "Please go car" before dad turned the key. By the third "Please go car" it would usually splutter into life.

So happy we got a civic after that. Then when dad got really rich we bought a brand new Hilux. It was so flash it didn't have ripped seats or anything.

[Indiana_Jones]

-Indy

[Edbear]

Too true.

BL management had a hard on for Triumph it seemed and just left the MGB to history.

The Riley name was dropped for cost cutting and just focusing on the Wolseley name for their 'bank manager' cars.

Upper management lacked vision, workers just made unions and crippled an already dying company.

Simple fact is, had they made cars that worked and people wanted they'd still be here today.-Indy

Pretty much. The Unions were all powerful and sloppy assembly was the norm. The industry had some very good designers and engineers but no-one cared too much as the Gummit would take care of everything. The telling point really is in that the Japs took the British designs and built them properly, paying attention to quality and detail and then proceeded to develop them further, witness the Nissan/Austin models.

The landcrabs including the Tasman/Kimberley were ahead of their time and were great cruising cars let down by that attention to detail that may have saved them. Their ride quality and space utilisation are only now being exceeded. They were torquey and economical with good brakes. Ergonomics weren't that great but they were comfortable to drive.

My Bro-in-law raced an 1800 in dirt-track, locked in 2nd gear and I think locked diff, replacing the rubber uni-joints with solid joints, it was fast and reliable and revved like a banshee! He could do wonders with those old pushrod motors! It was almost unburstable and it eventually got too beat up to continue.

[ducatilover]

I swear the room just felt like 1981, some old guy was telling us how imports are rubbish while we all sat on swappa crates.
Then we all got into the Pug 404 and said "Please go car" before dad turned the key. By the third "Please go car" it would usually splutter into life.

So happy we got a civic after that. Then when dad got really rich we bought a brand new Hilux. It was so flash it didn't have ripped seats or anything.

We had a near new VK Commodore Berlina, red top 5 speed when I was a kid, was dual fuel, CNG/petrol. Was a good car, apart from the rust, sold it at 370,000km for $300. We had a brand spankers Lada 2105 wagon for mum....worst car ever. That got sold for a VH SL/X, then finally that got sold in 96 for an 89 Mazda Familia, everyone in the family thrashed the tits of that 1300 4 speed beast, it died sadly wen i put the front into an object at a slight pace, 374,000km on the clock, biggest issue it had was the radiator top tank exploded in Wellington near Te Papa once...$250 for a new radiator.

That was our families first Jap import, my old man now has a Corolla that's nearing 400k and it has never had an issue (Fucking shit car to drive though) and a Hilux that hasn't had an issue either since we got it in '02.

[gunrunner]

My dad keeps going on about imports because a lot of countries put salt on the road to clear ice and it causes corrosion on cars.

I think the special thing about NZ roads is that they are crap. Highly doubt they change the cars in anyway though!

Funny u should say that , i imported my last bike from japan , the wheels were all corroded due to there roads but it was an easy polish out .
My last car was a private import aswell and i had it 7 yrs and it never missed a beat and it looked as good as the day i bought it ..

[Indiana_Jones]

Pretty much. The Unions were all powerful and sloppy assembly was the norm. The industry had some very good designers and engineers but no-one cared too much as the Gummit would take care of everything. The telling point really is in that the Japs took the British designs and built them properly, paying attention to quality and detail and then proceeded to develop them further, witness the Nissan/Austin models.

The landcrabs including the Tasman/Kimberley were ahead of their time and were great cruising cars let down by that attention to detail that may have saved them. Their ride quality and space utilisation are only now being exceeded. They were torquey and economical with good brakes. Ergonomics weren't that great but they were comfortable to drive.

True. A lot of people over look the impact of such cars as the mini and 1100/1300. Their basis/idea are still used to this day.

As for the 1800. I like them so much I sold my MG and got another Wolseley 18/85

-Indy

[avgas]

That was our families first Jap import, my old man now has a Corolla that's nearing 400k and it has never had an issue (Fucking shit car to drive though) and a Hilux that hasn't had an issue either since we got it in '02.

My old man would have kept his 91 Lux, but I kinda fucked it up nicely taking a 90degree turn at 110kph with no power steering.
It never was the same after that.

I am currently driving a 2009 Ford Focus TDi. Heap of shit. Give me a 10 year old import anyday - will drive a shit load better than this. Don't get me wrong - I do have good moments with the focus, but my god it has a big collection of bad design features. This is the 4th euro we have had, they really know how to fuck it up good.

[YellowDog]

True. A lot of people over look the impact of such cars as the mini and 1100/1300. Their basis/idea are still used to this day.

As for the 1800. I like them so much I sold my MG and got another Wolseley 18/85

-Indy

I finally stuck that 1800 unit with twin webbers in my TR7 to replace the three and a half 2.0 ltr failed units.

So much better in every respect

[Indiana_Jones]

1800 B series is one of the best they made

Very rarely do you see a TR7 with it's stock engine...

YD knows why this is lol

didthe headlights both pop up or did the prince of darkness, AKA Lucas, work his magic lol



-Indy