Phatboy

It rained a bit. Roads never really dried out. Then we hit fog on Mt Macedon. No-one was taking the corners at any decent speed cuz it was slippery.

I dunno, a bit flashy for my taste, with all the stickers on the arms. Do they actually look good on people?

In the tradition of all cruises.... please post wrap up stuff here. Thanks very much Dan for going to the trouble of doing the cruise notes. A pity about the weather, but it gave us time to enjoy the scenery. I felt really sorry for the guy in the S15 before we started the cruise. Didn't actually see it happen cuz I was looking the other way, but saw the aftermath Guess that was a very sobering warning to us all to take it easy, which we surely did with the weather. Other things of note on the cruise were: - Muztek showing up to the meetpoint then pissing off - that retarded woman in the compact SUV doing half the speed limit for 30 mins while gawking at trees - that sneaky cop hidden away behind some bushes on a side street - Hamish's front bar - the massive fog - The gold-award winning Pepper Steak Pies at Gaffney's bakery in Yea - Perfect SAU hoodie weather Was a modest group, but was kinda good in that way, as no-one got lost or left behind. Sorry Dan, just realised it should probably be you starting this thread.

I would get 3d party at least. Personally I have always got comp, as it is good in that you know you are covered for most things. eg., if someone hits you, totals your car and seriously injures you it should be your insurance company who pays all your car bills, lost income, medical bills, compensation, etc. If you don't have comp insurance in that situation, good luck getting the money from the other party (usually a penniless uninsured unregistered scumbag) in the courts. Also, in many situations you will have an accident even if you are a very careful driver. eg., if the car in front of you brakes suddenly for whatever reason and you hit them, it is always your fault. In many cases where the other party is at fault, where there are no witnesses (or worse - retarded witnesses taking the other person's side) it's just your word against someone else's, and the insurance companies don't know who is at fault.

I think so

No doubt all the bits that didn't make wagyu steak I try not to think about it when I'm digging in.

$250 + wine pp at Vue De Monde.... TBH was ok, but not as good as I expected. Cafe Vue on St Kilda Rd is great though, for lunch or arvo tea. $20 Wagyu beef burgers... duck pie... mmmmm

I am fully aware of how much GT falcons sell for. I think that'd pretty obvious as I posted up this thread initially. That doesn't mean I think it would be a good idea personally to buy one. I'm not doubting that some people buy cars for investment purposes. Some people also make money at the casino. Some people also make money betting on horses. Of course there will be always be huge winners, but I'm saying that I personally wouldn't do it, because from a purely investment POV the risk:benefit is too high compared to other safer options. If it's your dream to own the car though, that's an emotional decision, not necessarily a financial one.

I'm not looking for a pro-installation or something. No-one will see it. Just a more secure way to mount my subbie in the boot. There must be a cheap and easy way.

If he bought it an as investment I doubt he would wait decades for when it was worth half a mil to insure it.

I would be extremely surprised if JCI picked Mi-colour. To JCI cost is everything, quality is a second consideration. But anyway, let us know.

OK no worries, will go for the 800 cca red-top. I'm using it to crank engines, not really for audio. Thanks.

My sentiments exactly

OK, using these trends, would you be able to give me an example of a limited edition car, on sale now, that you would hand over your own hard-earned cash for, on the expectation that it will be a good investment in the future? I am not challenging your claims, I am genuinely interested. The sold-out W427, the most exclusive and expensive HSV, is being sold secondhand online for the same price as RRP, not more. I doubt that's going to change in ten, twenty, thirty years time. The normal SS will probably have 500 kw by then

PM-R33, I do agree with you. My favourite muscle car is the Shelby Cobra. Would I ever buy one? Possibly, if I won tattslotto. But that's because of the insane way it looks, the rawness and noise of it, and those side-pipes. Not because it's rare. If I could buy a perfect replica made in Thailand with all of those qualities for a fraction of the price and I wouldn't be able to really tell the difference, I wouldn't hesitate to buy that instead.

But how do you know if it would hold its monetary value? With the benefit of hindsight, you're saying ADM R32 GTRs are holding their value. But 20 years ago, would you have spent money buying one without the knowledge of whether they would appreciate? If everyone knew 40 years ago that a GTHO would be worth 500k now, they would have all sold out on pre-order. The difference in price between your "rare" GTS-4 and a base GTS/T - has shrunk compared to when they came off the factory floor. We don't hear about the majority of limited "collector's edition" cars that depreciate like a bitch just like normal cars, only about the few random top-op-the-range models that fetch millions. That's what I mean about inherent value. I pay for things not based on brand/exclusivity, but the product itself. I'm not banking on something appreciating in value as that relies on my future buyer willing to pay a massive price premium just because it is exclusive. Like I said, you have no way of knowing what will make you money in the future, especially now that even elite car companies are pumping out special editions a dime a dozen. I've lost track of how many different special editions of the Murcielago Lamborghini have made.

As I said, I would never buy a car as an investment, and I like to buy things that hold inherent value, and for me the base R34 GTR was the best choice for the money - a perfect combination of bang-for-buck performance, styling and modern comforts. I deliberately did not buy the R34 GTR Nur-Spec or similar because the marginal enhancement in performance/looks was certainly not worth a 60% price premium, despite it being more collectible. That is my point.

What are peopl's experiences with GL Pro in Essendon If I can't find anyone cheap/decent I think I might just go with the Autobarn on Elizabeth St. Anyone used them before? Thanks.

Is this guy like a self-owned mobile audio installer or something? Does he have a shop or website? Can seem to find any info on the net.

What I meant was, if 300,000 GTHOs were originally produced, they would be worth shit-all now, even though they would be IDENTICAL in every respect to the one being sold for 500k. The inherent value of the car has not changed, only its rarity. I prefer to buy things that hold inherent value but that's just me. For example, even if I was a multi-millionaire I would never buy one of those Vertu Ferrari 1947 phones that sell for 15k as it has less functions than my much cheaper iphone. It's not made out of precious gems or gold - only aluminium and titanium. The only reason it is expensive is because only 1947 were made, not because it is any good.

I dunno, just can't get my head around how much people are willing to pay for something just cuz it's rare... not cuz of it's inherent value. eg., if there were 300,000 GTHOs they would be worth like $10k each. If there were 300,000 F430s they would still be worth hundreds of thousands. I guess collector's editions appreciate a lot in value, but who among us would buy one for investment purposes? I for one wouldn't be buying, for example, a W427 for 150k. I know in 40 years time it'll be worth a lot more, but if you put 150k in a term deposit with the current interest rate for 40 years you end up with 2 mil at the end. In 40 years the car could have been stolen, written off, rusted through, spontaneously combusted, etc etc, and might not be worth 2 mil. I am sure there are many examples of rare special edition cars that aren't worth much cuz no-one wants them. You can't really predict it. During that time you will have to pay for storage of the car, keep looking after it, be paranoid when driving it, stop your teenage kids from trying to borrow it etc etc. So from a purely investment point of view probably not worth it. But hey, many car purchases are irrational.

Hey guys, can anyone recommend a good audio installer in Melbourne? Preferably near the city or in Western suburbs. I've got a subwoofer in a box that needs to be somehow professionally installed secured/into the boot. All the wiring has already been done - it just needs a more secure mount. A REALLY secure mount that can tolerate SAU cruises through the twisties in an R34 GTR. My subbie came loose on the last GOR even though it was secured with heavy duty bolts and L-plates onto the metal tube connected to the chassis underneath the boot lining. Thanks.

Hi guys, looking for a battery that can start my car every time, without going flat if I leave it for a couple of weeks. I've got an amp and 12" subbie but never run them off the battery alone I've heard good things about the optima batteries - and I guess the red-top would be the one I'm looking for. Which model should I be getting so that it fits in an R34 GTR (boot)? Thanks

Half a mil Falcon Holy crap... looks like it's about to rust through and fall apart. I think some show classic muscle cars look awesome (if insanely overpriced), but this isn't even in decent condition. Why wouldn't you spend a few grand to restore a car that you are trying to sell for that amount of money? Driving in this around town most people would think it's worth about $500. If I had 500k pocket money - let me see... Ferrari F430 spyder for weekends + R34 GTR as a daily or this.... hmmm tough decision

We had the 8 course thing at Nobu. Can't say I'm very impressed for the price. It was decent, but nothing too special. The decor is interesting, if dim. But then again, having eaten real japanese food in japan, and Tetsuya's in Sydney, I guess my expectations for expensive jap food might be higher.