Hello all from a new member
Discussion
Well after a few months of spying on the chats in here from a distance, I have decided to join in the fun. I would also like to thank all the people who gave me advice (albeit without their knowledge at the time) about 3200GTs. I now own one, although the full story on that one is a whole post all by itself (and a bit of a cautionary tale).
I would also like to say "Hi" to all the other members in the group - although I must say with some of the other hardware in the room, I feel a little like a pleb with my little Masser (mind you, that all changes when I get in it and go for a blast). And they are just the relatively normal ones like Lambochick (2 very hot cars in a row - kudos, respect and jelousy), CUE 99T, D8ean etc. The less said about Mr Bridger the better - if he isn't walking around with a constant grin, something is terribly wrong (actually, if he walks anywhere I would be surprised).
Lastly, I am an expat Englishman who resided in Perth, Western Australia, so if anyone would like any questions answered in that regard, I should be relatively qualified (particularly if the questions relate to how much more expensive it is to buy Italian exotica here - I am right up to speed on that one). Obviously, if there are any other Perth people on here, shout out (I know there is an Australia room, but it is the most boring slice of cyberspace I have visited, and I choose to hang in here).
Well, enough from me for now, hello to you all, and in the next few days I will post my experiences with my car to date. No matter where you live, or what you own, you should find that one interesting reading.
I would also like to say "Hi" to all the other members in the group - although I must say with some of the other hardware in the room, I feel a little like a pleb with my little Masser (mind you, that all changes when I get in it and go for a blast). And they are just the relatively normal ones like Lambochick (2 very hot cars in a row - kudos, respect and jelousy), CUE 99T, D8ean etc. The less said about Mr Bridger the better - if he isn't walking around with a constant grin, something is terribly wrong (actually, if he walks anywhere I would be surprised).
Lastly, I am an expat Englishman who resided in Perth, Western Australia, so if anyone would like any questions answered in that regard, I should be relatively qualified (particularly if the questions relate to how much more expensive it is to buy Italian exotica here - I am right up to speed on that one). Obviously, if there are any other Perth people on here, shout out (I know there is an Australia room, but it is the most boring slice of cyberspace I have visited, and I choose to hang in here).
Well, enough from me for now, hello to you all, and in the next few days I will post my experiences with my car to date. No matter where you live, or what you own, you should find that one interesting reading.
Pretty much correct - the luxury car tax makes them expensive to start with, but the sheer rarity of these cars over here is what keeps the used prices high. Not sure if I am supposed to post real numbers on here, but to give you an idea, my car is a 1999 3200GT manual, black/ivory, and tubi with 60,000km, and I bought it fairly well at $100,000. Given an exchange rate of about 2.5, that equates to about 40,000 pounds (sorry, keyboard doesnt have a pound sign), which from what I can gather on this site is more than double the UK prices. Still, I guess it is all relative, and I will get more than double for it at the end of my tenure.
As for your friend, I understand why you would ask the question, but the geography of Australia is something you have to experience to comprehend properly. Queensland is more than 3,000km away, and you tend to revolve in your own little circle, mine being on the other side of the island. I have plans to go to Queensland, but as yet have only managed Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney (where I bought the Masser). I guess that last point provides some perspective - imagine having to travel more than 3,000km to find a 3200GT for 40,000 pounds, and you get a better picture of Australia's exotic car market.
As for your friend, I understand why you would ask the question, but the geography of Australia is something you have to experience to comprehend properly. Queensland is more than 3,000km away, and you tend to revolve in your own little circle, mine being on the other side of the island. I have plans to go to Queensland, but as yet have only managed Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney (where I bought the Masser). I guess that last point provides some perspective - imagine having to travel more than 3,000km to find a 3200GT for 40,000 pounds, and you get a better picture of Australia's exotic car market.
DavidA - You mean Mandurah I think, but no, I live in a place called Mt Lawley, about a mile from the CBD in a little old house (well as old as houses in Perth get - early 1900s). The speed traps are a bit of a pain, but a radar detector I purchased a few years ago continues to pay for itself.
rviant - sure is a rare sight, which always strikes me as odd, as Perth is fairly well known for having more than its fair share of wealthy people, and I know Barbagallos (the sole dealer for Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Jag, Aston) are not doing badly, so I assume most of their clients keep their cars as weekend drivers, and therefore they don't get out much. Mine is a daily driver, and with the Tubi on it, it gets noticed even before it is seen. Will start a seperate post with my tale of woe very soon - hopefully get some time tonight.
rviant - sure is a rare sight, which always strikes me as odd, as Perth is fairly well known for having more than its fair share of wealthy people, and I know Barbagallos (the sole dealer for Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Jag, Aston) are not doing badly, so I assume most of their clients keep their cars as weekend drivers, and therefore they don't get out much. Mine is a daily driver, and with the Tubi on it, it gets noticed even before it is seen. Will start a seperate post with my tale of woe very soon - hopefully get some time tonight.
Mattserati said:
DavidA - You mean Mandurah I think, but no, I live in a place called Mt Lawley, about a mile from the CBD in a little old house (well as old as houses in Perth get - early 1900s). The speed traps are a bit of a pain, but a radar detector I purchased a few years ago continues to pay for itself.
rviant - sure is a rare sight, which always strikes me as odd, as Perth is fairly well known for having more than its fair share of wealthy people, and I know Barbagallos (the sole dealer for Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Jag, Aston) are not doing badly, so I assume most of their clients keep their cars as weekend drivers, and therefore they don't get out much. Mine is a daily driver, and with the Tubi on it, it gets noticed even before it is seen. Will start a seperate post with my tale of woe very soon - hopefully get some time tonight.
rviant - sure is a rare sight, which always strikes me as odd, as Perth is fairly well known for having more than its fair share of wealthy people, and I know Barbagallos (the sole dealer for Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Jag, Aston) are not doing badly, so I assume most of their clients keep their cars as weekend drivers, and therefore they don't get out much. Mine is a daily driver, and with the Tubi on it, it gets noticed even before it is seen. Will start a seperate post with my tale of woe very soon - hopefully get some time tonight.
Yup Mandurah - thats the place just kwinana, had a rather nice lunch on the pier there. Can't mention Perth without letting everyone know that there is a pub called "The Lucky Shag"
just next to my favorite resteraunt as well! Only ever saw one ferrari in perth a nice 575 giving it some welly up the main st on a weekday
I'm not jealous at all:
Well done with the purchase - I know how hard it van be to get your hands on a car like that out there. Have a relatives & friends out in your area. Haven't been for a while but remember having a flaming lamborghini on the way to the casino!
Also a great chines restaurant called something like the black swan?
enough of that - some great roads to drive especially south of Fremantle and north up to Sharks something (Bay?) sorry along time ago.
Do the petrolheads still go to the beach car parks and put bleach down and wheel spin on it to make extra smoke? Don't advise it!
Also a great chines restaurant called something like the black swan?
enough of that - some great roads to drive especially south of Fremantle and north up to Sharks something (Bay?) sorry along time ago.
Do the petrolheads still go to the beach car parks and put bleach down and wheel spin on it to make extra smoke? Don't advise it!
Mattserati said:
although I must say with some of the other hardware in the room, I feel a little like a pleb with my little Masser
Welcome aboard, Matt.
Your humility does you credit but is entirely unnecessary. A 3200GT is a cool as anything here, and good deal more "entertaining" than many.
Again, welcome.
crikeymikey said:
Mattserati said:
although I must say with some of the other hardware in the room, I feel a little like a pleb with my little Masser
Welcome aboard, Matt.
Your humility does you credit but is entirely unnecessary. A 3200GT is a cool as anything here, and good deal more "entertaining" than many.
Again, welcome.
Well said...
And in the order they came in:
events - the flaming lamborghini you refer to was my bosses car - used to work at Barbagallos (Lambo dealer) and that was his driver. As isolated an incident as it may seem, he also set fire to a Testarossa a few years back on the freeway. He was lucky someone behind him let him know, because he had absolutely no idea there were flames leaping out of the back.
Having been an avid racing bike owner in a previous life, I am quite familiar with the "fun" roads in and around Perth - looking forward to getting the Masser on them when I get it back.
I avoid the beach like the plague, but I think the days of burnouts are still with us, and I don't doubt that on a Friday or Saturday night down at Scarborough, it would smell like an open night in a blow-up doll factory.
burriana - if you know anything of designing/building houses, I would be more than happy to have you. The hours are great, the money keeps rolling, and the sun shines most of the time (apart from right now, but it is 11pm)
crikeymikey - thanks for that. I will now walk around with an engorged head, knowing that I have the best vehicle in the whole wide world (well at least in my world anyway - until I work out how to steal a Vantage)
events - the flaming lamborghini you refer to was my bosses car - used to work at Barbagallos (Lambo dealer) and that was his driver. As isolated an incident as it may seem, he also set fire to a Testarossa a few years back on the freeway. He was lucky someone behind him let him know, because he had absolutely no idea there were flames leaping out of the back.
Having been an avid racing bike owner in a previous life, I am quite familiar with the "fun" roads in and around Perth - looking forward to getting the Masser on them when I get it back.
I avoid the beach like the plague, but I think the days of burnouts are still with us, and I don't doubt that on a Friday or Saturday night down at Scarborough, it would smell like an open night in a blow-up doll factory.
burriana - if you know anything of designing/building houses, I would be more than happy to have you. The hours are great, the money keeps rolling, and the sun shines most of the time (apart from right now, but it is 11pm)
crikeymikey - thanks for that. I will now walk around with an engorged head, knowing that I have the best vehicle in the whole wide world (well at least in my world anyway - until I work out how to steal a Vantage)
Mattserati said:
crikeymikey - thanks for that. I will now walk around with an engorged head, knowing that I have the best vehicle in the whole wide world (well at least in my world anyway - until I work out how to steal a Vantage)
Good for you. We like to encourage free thinking here!
I had my mother's 15 year old FIAT Tipo on my drive at Christmas. One of my neighbours said "Got rid of the Lambo I see?". I said "I don't know what you're laughing about, that thing's more fun to drive than your bloody Boxster". I THINK we were both joking.
It's funny, but I never had any idea how much car a 3200GT actually is until I had flown to the other side of the country, bought it, and had it shipped over. In all seriousness, I bought it because of the tail lights and the sound of the Tubi. It was one hell of a bonus to discover, once I owned it, that it is so much fun (and a handful that I am not conceited enough to suggest I have mastered yet) to drive. I know there are faster cars out there, but when the turbos start singing, it is just epic, and I can't get the smiles off passengers' faces, let alone my own. Very happy with my latest unnecessry frivolity.
Mattserati said:
It's funny, but I never had any idea how much car a 3200GT actually is until I had flown to the other side of the country, bought it, and had it shipped over. In all seriousness, I bought it because of the tail lights and the sound of the Tubi. It was one hell of a bonus to discover, once I owned it, that it is so much fun (and a handful that I am not conceited enough to suggest I have mastered yet) to drive. I know there are faster cars out there, but when the turbos start singing, it is just epic, and I can't get the smiles off passengers' faces, let alone my own. Very happy with my latest unnecessry frivolity.
Agreed, if you see my thread on what car to get next the masers definately have that grin factor, the magic something that makes you want to drive everywhere all the time. Some cars are prettier, faster, more capable but don't have that magic something.
FYI there is a model shop that has scale models of the 3200 in Perth (didn't have any 4200 spyders when I looked) its the one just near that big cd/record shop on the road with all the shops behind the offices (if that makes sense!)
matthew, congrats. that car must be a real beaut to drive about in that area..thinking of coming back over myself, worked in perth in 99...the best place i have ever had the pleasure of living...think things have changed a bit..we used to rent a place on marine parade in cottesloe for peanuts...anyway...does that luxury tax thingy apply to motors that one brings over...my spider would just love it over there. ps about your car being nicked..nightmare. recently told about something you can put on the car so that even with the keys, the car will stop within 20seconds if it aint you in the driving seat. basically you have a personalised action you take before turning the car on, such has twist lights on/off. if the theiving scroats dont to this, then the car stops.sounds good.
DavidA - not sure the shop you mean, nut I have hunted through Perth, and also on the net, and the only 3200GT model I can come up with is a a Trofeo racing model, all stickered up. Would like a plain one. I have a TT as well, and models for that are a dime a dozen.
pneumothorax - might look into that - he only had it for about 5 hours, but 2 minutes would certainly have been better. It doesn't sound like a very complex bit of kit, so hopefully won't be too frightfully expensive. Oh, and Perth is definitely a different place now - in the last 2 years alone, the average house has jumped about 60% in value. Cottesloe is definitely not somewhere you will find a "cheapie" rental anymore.
In terms of importing, you have 2 problems. Firstly the tax and import duties are fairly prohibitive, and secondly the car market here is such that a private import is instantly worth a fraction of the value of a car sold here new. If you were ever looking at selling it, you would drop a fortune. You pretty much have to just accept the fact that luxury cars are more expensive here, but you get more at the other end. To give you an idea, there are a couple of 2002 spyders floating around at the moment for about $150,000 (divide by about 2.5 to get pounds).
pneumothorax - might look into that - he only had it for about 5 hours, but 2 minutes would certainly have been better. It doesn't sound like a very complex bit of kit, so hopefully won't be too frightfully expensive. Oh, and Perth is definitely a different place now - in the last 2 years alone, the average house has jumped about 60% in value. Cottesloe is definitely not somewhere you will find a "cheapie" rental anymore.
In terms of importing, you have 2 problems. Firstly the tax and import duties are fairly prohibitive, and secondly the car market here is such that a private import is instantly worth a fraction of the value of a car sold here new. If you were ever looking at selling it, you would drop a fortune. You pretty much have to just accept the fact that luxury cars are more expensive here, but you get more at the other end. To give you an idea, there are a couple of 2002 spyders floating around at the moment for about $150,000 (divide by about 2.5 to get pounds).
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