So... what car do you guys drive when not flying?

[hydrabyss]

Saw this up for sale at Classic Throttle Shop in North Sydney. A good daily driver at that price! How many of these do you have hidden in sheds or shipping containers again, @Cossie ?

View attachment 492428

Cheers,
Matt.

I have been looking for sometime for something different to drive and most modern cars are an absolute pain to work on.
This is not it but it got me thinking and I found this.
https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/1986-ford-sierra-cosworth-rs-manual/SSE-AD-19621866/
If engine produces anything close to those numbers make it a decent car to drive and rear wheel drive to boot. Plus with a decent following overseas parts would be attainable maybe not cheap but not Italian prices either.
Theres an older guy in my warehouse complex that has an 8 year old C63 coupe and last year I mentioned I thought of buying one for my partner. I could tell by his face and when he mentioned what he paid for his he thought I was dreaming. I will have to find out from Cossie if one of these will match his C63 in performance.

 

[Cossie]

It depends on what model it really is. There was a guy selling an RS500 in Canberra a few years ago, but it wasn't one of the 500, it was an ordinary Sierra Cosworth with bits added.
Ford had to make 500 special models to get them homologated for motorsport. Genuine road cars would be rare now. Rebirthing of these cars has also been a problem, so it can be difficult to know if it is a real one or not.
There are still new shells out there, so you could do a new build if you wanted to......

 

[Quickstatus]

one of the responses was

I remember one time some years ago, I went to a car dealer to look at a VW golf V GTI. They only had a manual version, but could not test drive because it was at the back of the car lot and the sales people ones there could only drive an automatic.

3 on the tree

I had a 3 on the tree until last year. The Chryler voyager totally gutless even with a 3.5L V6
but super reliable.
I also had a Datsun 1200 years ago with a 3 speed automatic but eventually turned into a 2 speed with no reverse.
I believe the previous 1000 was a column shift but not the 1200

@Cossie might know. I think the 1200s were heavily modded for racing.

 

[Cossie]

Definately 1600's are, still many being rallies. Back in the ice age, I navigated for a friend in a 1200 rally car. Every panel was bent, but it was a quick car.
Attached, a datto 1600 last Nov near Lakes Enrance.



My mk3 Zephyr had 4 on the column.

 

[equus]

Ford had to make 500 special models to get them homologated for motorsport.

Back in the 80s I knew someone who had one of those genuine 500 - he owned a major Ford dealership or two, as well as a few other car yards.

He had it in the paddock at an equestrian event, with the bonnet up running a PA system off the battery. Never seen an engine compartnment so absolutely packed tight - not a spare gap anywhere.

He also had other exotics like a Shelby Cobra replica - but was more usually seen with the F150 at the equestrian events.

 

[prozac]

This is a post by the niece of a friend in US whose Perth based cousin passed away in 25. He was a fastidious car collector; my friend has been telling me about his cars for years. They were always garaged and not dailies. I can't answer any detailed questions about the cars but the auction house in Perth should be able to put you straight.

 

[prozac]

Anyone familiar with interstate vehicle transport? I am contemplating the Cadie in previous post and if I pull the pin it would need secure enclosed transport to Sydney. Something you might know something about @Cossie ?

 

[Cossie]

Anyone familiar with interstate vehicle transport? I am contemplating the Cadie in previous post and if I pull the pin it would need secure enclosed transport to Sydney. Something you might know something about @Cossie ?

Numerous companies do this, I have had 2 cars sent from Perth to Canberra. Also a couple up to Brisbane and back and several to and from Sydney, 2 from Melbourne.

Some companies specialise in covered transport, which would be an option for that car.

I do have a friend that does this for a living, although I'm not sure about as far as Perth, he regularly goes to Adelaide. I only have fb details for him and on ista, I'm on fb, but not the other.

Jack Monkhouse https://www.instagram.com/jackmonk/

 

[lovestotravel]

Having put down an "deposit" of sorts on the new Subaru Outback, I've now changed that to the new Subaru Trailseeker - Will be our first electric car

Sadly, need a full switchboard re-wire for 3 phase charging, as we use ALOT of electricity here and it's not balanced correctly and we need a few other new circuits.

2026 Subaru Trailseeker headed Down Under - carsales.com.au

Not due into showrooms for a few months, so will wait for the 27 plated ones to arrive

 

[prozac]

Having put down an "deposit" of sorts on the new Subaru Outback, I've now changed that to the new Subaru Trailseeker - Will be our first electric car

Sadly, need a full switchboard re-wire for 3 phase charging, as we use ALOT of electricity here and it's not balanced correctly and we need a few other new circuits.

2026 Subaru Trailseeker headed Down Under - carsales.com.au

Not due into showrooms for a few months, so will wait for the 27 plated ones to arrive

Everyone has an opinion. FWIW mine is I would not get an offroad capable vehicle as plug-in electric. Forester has a very good hybrid system borrowed from Toyota. Never run out.

 

[hydrabyss]

Everyone has an opinion. FWIW mine is I would not get an offroad capable vehicle as plug-in electric. Forester has a very good hybrid system borrowed from Toyota. Never run out.

I was impressed by the corolla hybrid I hired and once you worked out the throttle limit to stop the petrol motor kicking in it was nice to see the range not change around town. Although I am pretty sure the cars behind me did not have the same feeling as me as I took off from the lights at part throttle.

 

[Brissy1]

I was impressed by the corolla hybrid I hired and once you worked out the throttle limit to stop the petrol motor kicking in it was nice to see the range not change around town. Although I am pretty sure the cars behind me did not have the same feeling as me as I took off from the lights at part throttle.

I think that you are a very patient person. I've been hiring one of those for the last several days. I like the calm when stopped but find quite annoying the vibrations when the petrol engine starts up every time, a few seconds after taking off from the lights and even then the acceleration is meh.

 

[pauly7]

Has anyone had any experience with the Zeekr 7x?

In space of two weeks, two work colleagues have grabbed one, they went in to get a Volvo electric and walked out with a Zeekr

Have been for a short ride in one, pretty impressive tech and trim.

Having put down an "deposit" of sorts on the new Subaru Outback, I've now changed that to the new Subaru Trailseeker - Will be our first electric car

Sadly, need a full switchboard re-wire for 3 phase charging, as we use ALOT of electricity here and it's not balanced correctly and we need a few other new circuits.

2026 Subaru Trailseeker headed Down Under - carsales.com.au

Not due into showrooms for a few months, so will wait for the 27 plated ones to arrive

This looks really interesting - thx!

 

[lovestotravel]

Everyone has an opinion. FWIW mine is I would not get an offroad capable vehicle as plug-in electric. Forester has a very good hybrid system borrowed from Toyota. Never run out.

If you asked me a few months ago I was NO NO NO to an EV - I even said that on here..

I wanted a Outback Turbo but that only comes in the Wilderness model in Australia which is even more ugly and lacks a few features

So I was hoping Subaru would bring the Outback out in a hybrid form - but that hasn't happened, but a little talk about it recently with no date. For me that would be perfect - However based on the Subaru Forester Hybrid it still uses around 6.5l per 100km instead of the 7.5l per 100lm on the normal Forester.

So back to the drawing board, and Subaru finally announced the Trailseeker would come to Australia in a few months. Given the savings I may end up salary packaging it which may mean I lose the "deposit" I put down for the Outback from the dealer.

Range of around 450+km for me is perfect, I rarely do long trips or go offroad. We uses the other car for that which is a Subaru Outback....

Given the new Trailseeker will be free to charge for me with 3 hours free power each day we'll end up taking this car on the longer roadtrips/where we can charge at the destination. The houses we normally rent have all said no ev charging...so that's another consideration.

The only time that I'd take the petrol outback is on the snow trips, which is Mt Hotham/Falls creek and is around 350km each way and would mean a charge would be needed before going up the mountain in Bright or Mt Beauty etc and there are only 4 superchargers in Bright and 2 (I think) in Mt Beauty. So on a busy Friday afternoon/evening I wouldn't want to risk that..

 

[prozac]

If you asked me a few months ago I was NO NO NO to an EV - I even said that on here..

I wanted a Outback Turbo but that only comes in the Wilderness model in Australia which is even more ugly and lacks a few features

So I was hoping Subaru would bring the Outback out in a hybrid form - but that hasn't happened, but a little talk about it recently with no date. For me that would be perfect - However based on the Subaru Forester Hybrid it still uses around 6.5l per 100km instead of the 7.5l per 100lm on the normal Forester.

So back to the drawing board, and Subaru finally announced the Trailseeker would come to Australia in a few months. Given the savings I may end up salary packaging it which may mean I lose the "deposit" I put down for the Outback from the dealer.

Range of around 450+km for me is perfect, I rarely do long trips or go offroad. We uses the other car for that which is a Subaru Outback....

Given the new Trailseeker will be free to charge for me with 3 hours free power each day we'll end up taking this car on the longer roadtrips/where we can charge at the destination. The houses we normally rent have all said no ev charging...so that's another consideration.

The only time that I'd take the petrol outback is on the snow trips, which is Mt Hotham/Falls creek and is around 350km each way and would mean a charge would be needed before going up the mountain in Bright or Mt Beauty etc and there are only 4 superchargers in Bright and 2 (I think) in Mt Beauty. So on a busy Friday afternoon/evening I wouldn't want to risk that..

Was at Bright and Mt Beauty recently. Didn't think to look for chargers. The Outback 3.6R flies up the mountain to Falls.