Hong Kong, there be car-pawn here...
Discussion
Good thread - great pictures.
Someone I know has recently bought a 92 Saab 900T with 46,000 miles that had recently come over from Hong Kong.
It's needs some minor cosmetic attention (roof lining etc) but there is not a single spec of rust anywhere.
Price paid £1,400 - which when compared to UK cars with 3x the mileage is a bit of a bargain in my humble opinion
Someone I know has recently bought a 92 Saab 900T with 46,000 miles that had recently come over from Hong Kong.
It's needs some minor cosmetic attention (roof lining etc) but there is not a single spec of rust anywhere.
Price paid £1,400 - which when compared to UK cars with 3x the mileage is a bit of a bargain in my humble opinion
Haha! Thanks again, chaps! Always enjoy the comments you post. Easily the friendliest and most knowledgeable car forum on the interwbes imo 
Obi Wan said:
I love this thread! I'm gonna be in Hong Kong myself next week are there any places for car spots? I've been there a couple of times before and apart from one gallardo, a 575 and a couple of gtrs I've not seen anything.
How long are you going to be here for? Drop me a line via message on my Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/48817379@N03/Edited by rupertprocter on Thursday 9th May 04:31
2stis said:
Great photos Rupert - both the variety of metal and your skills at taking the photos. Here is one that I took in Sai Wan Ho recently - more for the fact that they were taking apart a supercar on the street rather than working on it in a garage!
Haha shows how much space is at a premium here. I've seen similar around Choi Hung and Kowloon Bay. I often wonder whether these little garages have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to work on these cars or whehter some people spend all their money on the cars then scrimp on the maintenance.Some photos from yesterday...
A regular sighting on a Sunday this
z_JH19733 by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Vey loud GT3 about to put the power down
Porsche 997 GT3 by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Stunning old DBS on GB style plates
Aston Martin DBS by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
A acquintance's 159
Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Classic 308 GTS
Ferrari 308 GTS by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Honda NS-X
Honda NS-X by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
A friend's Supra
Toyota Supra by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Toyota Supra by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Don't be deceived!!
I lived and worked in Hong Kong for years (until very recently) and ran a modified E55 AMG out there.
I am as big a petrolhead as you would care to meet (or not as the case may be), and the place was very nearly enough to put me off cars for life. I am just recovering thanks to intensive GT3 therapy.
Awful drivers, awful roads (with no access to the great expanses of mainland china unless you buy someone in local government a yacht), awful traffic, awful second hand market (ok, quite cheap for crap cars, but everything is clocked and good luck finding anything that has been servied (as for service history....)) and 100% tax on new cars, awful mechanics that try to rip off ex pats, awful salesmen that do the same, awful parts prices and availability, £1000+ p.a. tax on fruity cars, £300+ p.m. parking. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful.
Very possibly car hell.
Nice pictures though!
I lived and worked in Hong Kong for years (until very recently) and ran a modified E55 AMG out there.
I am as big a petrolhead as you would care to meet (or not as the case may be), and the place was very nearly enough to put me off cars for life. I am just recovering thanks to intensive GT3 therapy.
Awful drivers, awful roads (with no access to the great expanses of mainland china unless you buy someone in local government a yacht), awful traffic, awful second hand market (ok, quite cheap for crap cars, but everything is clocked and good luck finding anything that has been servied (as for service history....)) and 100% tax on new cars, awful mechanics that try to rip off ex pats, awful salesmen that do the same, awful parts prices and availability, £1000+ p.a. tax on fruity cars, £300+ p.m. parking. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful.
Very possibly car hell.
Nice pictures though!
T.K said:
Don't be deceived!!
I lived and worked in Hong Kong for years (until very recently) and ran a modified E55 AMG out there.
I am as big a petrolhead as you would care to meet (or not as the case may be), and the place was very nearly enough to put me off cars for life. I am just recovering thanks to intensive GT3 therapy.
Awful drivers, awful roads (with no access to the great expanses of mainland china unless you buy someone in local government a yacht), awful traffic, awful second hand market (ok, quite cheap for crap cars, but everything is clocked and good luck finding anything that has been servied (as for service history....)) and 100% tax on new cars, awful mechanics that try to rip off ex pats, awful salesmen that do the same, awful parts prices and availability, £1000+ p.a. tax on fruity cars, £300+ p.m. parking. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful.
Very possibly car hell.
Nice pictures though!
Cheers!I lived and worked in Hong Kong for years (until very recently) and ran a modified E55 AMG out there.
I am as big a petrolhead as you would care to meet (or not as the case may be), and the place was very nearly enough to put me off cars for life. I am just recovering thanks to intensive GT3 therapy.
Awful drivers, awful roads (with no access to the great expanses of mainland china unless you buy someone in local government a yacht), awful traffic, awful second hand market (ok, quite cheap for crap cars, but everything is clocked and good luck finding anything that has been servied (as for service history....)) and 100% tax on new cars, awful mechanics that try to rip off ex pats, awful salesmen that do the same, awful parts prices and availability, £1000+ p.a. tax on fruity cars, £300+ p.m. parking. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful.
Very possibly car hell.
Nice pictures though!
Pretty much agree with most of what you say above, but there are still some places where you can drive spiritedly especially if you get up early-doors at the weekend. The secondhand market here is a disgrace as you say. It's so easy to get ripped-off or sold a lemon, but the more people you get to know in the car scene the better. There are some very good local mechanics and trustworthy used car dealers here, but they are very few and far between and you really need to find them through word of mouth more than anything. But yeah, a driver's paradise Hong Kong isn't.
I have been pretty busy in recent weeks and that coupled with the oppressive heat and humidity has meant that I haven't been out with the camera much. Here are a few photos with a few more on the way..
Actually took this one last year, but ran into it on my hard disk and I don't think I ever uploaded it.
Aston Martin Vantage by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Very lovely DB6
Aston Martin DB6 by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
z_JH19955 by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
There are a lot of NS-X's popping up around the city as they recently became old enough to qualify for HK's equivalent of classic car tax. HK peeps love there NS-Xs and so do I.
Honda NS-X by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
A pair of Porkers belonging to a couple of very friendly fellas.
Porsche 911s by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Porsche 911 Targa by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Porsche 997 Turbo by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
More NS-Xs. There were six white ones out and about on that particular morning.
Honda NS-X Type-R by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
A friend's 993. Sounds the business, but some idiot in a minivan recently smashed in the front corner.
Porsche 993 Carrera by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Love this very pure looking 964
Porsche 964 / 993 by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
I love random 80's Japanese stuff like this Delica
Mitsubushi Delica by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Porsche 996 Turbo by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Ferrari 575M by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Nicely turned out Cayman that thinks it's a 911. This thing was loud as hell!
Porsche Cayman by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX by Rupert Procter, on Flickr.
Porsche 964 by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Porsche 964 by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Ferrari 575M by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
The rise in used Alfas on HK roads has been meteoric in the last year or so. The local Alfisti club can be found out and about on the country roads every Sunday without fail. Lots of spirited driving combined with the unmistakeable sounds Alfas tend to make.
Alfa Romeo 147 GTA by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
The Daddy.
Subaru Impreza STi 22B by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
Similar to the Alfa guys the HK BMW club are out almost every Sunday come rain or shine. They're nice blokes and they always appreciate a photo!
BMW 3-Series by Rupert Procter, on Flickr
More to come later.
A few more snaps from the weekend. This Sunday the HK Ferrari Club put on a charity run, driving kids around one of the outlying islands in their cars. I've got a tonne of photos, but these are the ones I've had time to put up for now.
On the way home on the minibus and the light suddenly took a turn for the better, so I jumped off the bus got my camera out and this was the first thing that blew past! Five minutes later the road was in shadow again. Sometimes you make your own luck.
It's good to see HK petrolheads getting their cars out in all weather conditions...
A couple from a few weeks ago
More later...
On the way home on the minibus and the light suddenly took a turn for the better, so I jumped off the bus got my camera out and this was the first thing that blew past! Five minutes later the road was in shadow again. Sometimes you make your own luck.
It's good to see HK petrolheads getting their cars out in all weather conditions...
A couple from a few weeks ago
More later...
Some of the Hong Kong Classic Car Owner's club were out this morning making the most of the surprisingly decent weather we had.
A funky old Subaru. GL I think.
Mitsuoka La Seyde
Gorgeous Testarossa
Proper nice 968 CS
Classic wedge
A friend's 575M
Rare Maser Kyalami
Ex-Maranello Sales 328 GTS
Gorgeous Pagoda
Drop dead stunning Giulietta Spider Veloce
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More to come later...
A funky old Subaru. GL I think.
Mitsuoka La Seyde
Gorgeous Testarossa
Proper nice 968 CS
Classic wedge
A friend's 575M
Rare Maser Kyalami
Ex-Maranello Sales 328 GTS
Gorgeous Pagoda
Drop dead stunning Giulietta Spider Veloce
More to come later...
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