How Would This Do As A Weekend Driver?

[m3gtr]

Im wondering what you guys and girls think of this car as our investment.

Its a 2004 mercedes CLK 320 in Wine red.

33000 kms on the clock, full leather, Shaken until next year in June ( well inside the 1 year rule ) full service history, looks well maintained and is available for between 2.6 million and 2.9 million Yen which works out to around 27 to 29 thousand Oz.

I think thats very cheap for a car of this condition and with that low amount of kilometres.

Constructive comments only please.

http://page18.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/w20388127

[sewid]

[m3gtr]

Ahahaha, i guess that means you dont like it then eh, Sewid?

[Bumblebee]

i think that it should be ur daily driver.. and ur weekend car should be a wicked GTR of some kind

[m3gtr]

i think that it should be ur daily driver.. and ur weekend car should be a wicked GTR of some kind

not possible. We can only afford one and its either going to be that or if im lucky something along these lines...

http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/m50588261

The other thing too is that it will be worth much more than what i paid for it here, in Oz. Hence the benz or the bm.

I use the train to work every day anyway so id only have time to use the car on weekends and during holidays.

If i really need a speed fix ill buy a dunger drifter and thrash the rings out of it.

Edited February 15, 2008 by m3gtr

[Bumblebee]

gorgeous M3... maybe save a few more pennies and get one of those

[funkymonkey]

if you're gonna personal import something and invest money in it... make sure its:

a) unobtainable easily in australia

b) gonna command a higher price here than in japan (that's kinda easy, most of them do)

c) worth the hassle of importing

d) desirable enough to the australian public that they'll overlook the taboo of buying a grey/personal import.

anyone in the market for a merc or a beemer locally will just walk into a dealership and buy either of those.

[m3gtr]

gorgeous M3... maybe save a few more pennies and get one of those

ive seen one listed for 30k at a car yard in CarSensor magazine but the car didnt have any shaken ( vehicle inspection ) on it.

That made me think...why so cheap?

heres a dodgy phone pic...

[m3gtr]

its unbelievable still, to me that cars like this are so much cheaper here than in Oz...

[m3gtr]

if you're gonna personal import something and invest money in it... make sure its:

a) unobtainable easily in australia

b) gonna command a higher price here than in japan (that's kinda easy, most of them do)

c) worth the hassle of importing

d) desirable enough to the australian public that they'll overlook the taboo of buying a grey/personal import.

anyone in the market for a merc or a beemer locally will just walk into a dealership and buy either of those.

Ok...cool. Shan, so if i go by that logic, what kind of cars do you think would be along the lines you just mentioned? Because by my reasoning, why wouldnt someone want to save over 10 thousand on a car that is in better condition with much lower kays?

"a) unobtainable easily in australia"

..like an AMG merc for example?

Edited February 15, 2008 by m3gtr

[hungry6]

You'll find a private import luxury like merc, bmw or porsche are given a wide berth by alot of local car yard and there arent alot of support around to sell,insure orfinance them..

[m3gtr]

You'll find a private import luxury like merc, bmw or porsche are given a wide berth by alot of local car yard and there arent alot of support around to sell,insure orfinance them..

sorry, im not sure i understand you.

Its not going to a car yard. It will be a private sale. I dont understand why someone wont insure them if it has been complianced in Australia? As for financing, again..im confused... would you care to elaborate?

[(OO)SKYLINE(OO)]

Dude thats a weekday car. Leave the Skyline for weekend. LOL!

[ras1983]

The m3 is nicer than the CLK. I'd imagine they'd be tough to sell in Australia though, with the local imports and all.

[R34GTFOUR]

sorry, im not sure i understand you.

Its not going to a car yard. It will be a private sale. I dont understand why someone wont insure them if it has been complianced in Australia? As for financing, again..im confused... would you care to elaborate?

You'll find that besides the fact that you there are BMW and merc dealerships in Australia, if you import one personally (even though its complied in Aus) insurance companies raise the insurance premium cause its now classified as an import, kinda like the r32 skylines, the local delivered skylines are cheaper to insure, even though are the exactly the same as the imported version but thats the way it is.

As for finance, most financial institutions wont offer a personal secured loan on a car that isnt physically here, even though you can prove that its on the way. The only way around this is an unsecured loan which you will pay a little extra in interest, or if you have a house draw againt the loan for that OR if you have the money sitting there doing nothing then you obviously dont have to worry about finance.

You find that if you have patience and dont mind doing the extra work, importing a car like this can literally save you thousands, but it isnt just a matter of paying the money and getting it here, there will be hick-ups alond the way. My old man just imported a Bayliner (a boat) from the USA, the amount of bullshit if he gone through to get it here (warfies are wankers) its been quite a headache, but in the end hes saved close to $50,000 so its worth it.

[eMsta]

nice car, but probably better to get that as a daily....

what other cars do you have now?