Australian Car Advice | News Blog

Beginning 2009, GM have announced they will be producing a new small block 4.5L V8 turbo-diesel for the GM Zeta platform - which of course includes our current VE Commodore range. The new tree-hugging engine will churn out 230kW of power with an impressive 700Nm of torque available on tap at just 2,000rpm.

Fuel-efficiency is drastically improved by twenty-five percent and our ozone layer will thank the thirteen percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to petrol engines in identical vehicles.

While there is no official word on whether this engine will make it into Australian production vehicles, with Australia’s love for the V8 and fuel prices on the rise, it would seem logical that we would see it as part of the Holden line-up in the near future.

To accomodate the new engine, GM have also announced a $100 million upgrade to their Tonawanda engine plant to meet the needs of producing the diesel.

George Skentzos

Source: AutoblogGreen

Most of us only dream about owning a supercar, we see them drive past once in a while, and you can tell by the look on the driver’s face that something is going right in their life. For those of us who appriciate cars, owning the likes of a Ferrari or Lamborghini are a dream come true.

Nevertheless, the problem with buying a supercar isn’t so much the initial $300,000-$700,000 depriciating-investment but more so having to continue to sink considerable amounts of money to get parts and problems fixed. The Times Online published a report detailing the “supercar nightmare”. I suppose most of us would think that if we had the spare $700,000 to sink into a Ferrari, we would also be willing to foot the 2 thousand dollar bill to replace the side mirror.

So just how much do SuperCar parts cost?

1. Lamborghini Murcielago front bumper: $20300 AUD ($15,620 USD)
2. Maserati Quattroporte sideview mirror: $1389 AUD ($1,069 USD)
3. McLaren SLR sideview mirror: $2210 AUD plus fitting ($1,700+ USD)
4. McLaren SLR headlamp assembly: $7099 AUD ($5,461 USD)
5. Rolls-Royce Phantom Tyre : $1810 AUD / each
6. Maybach Headlamp : $4900 / each

So if your Murcielago’s front bumper costs $20,000, you’d be keen to park your car in a secured car park so no 4WD will reverse into it. Or if you drive a Phantom, you’d be keen not to get a Punctured tyre, because at $1,800, tyres have never been so expensive!

So what about Fuel? At $1.40 a litre for BP Ultimate, the Lamborghini Murcielago uses $40 of fuel to go 100km.. so 29Litres/100km.. and thats when you drive it conservatively!
Full article here

The annual NRMA vehicle survey has found that costs around $260 a week to run an average Australian Family car. Those driving the likes of a Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore (and V8s) were most affected with a 10% increase in running costs due mostly to rising petrol prices.

The survey took into account

• fuel consumption
• insurance and registration
• depreciation.

If you have been on this website long enough you might remember an article I posted sometime ago about the depriciation of Australian family cars. NRMA president Alan Evans said petrol prices, which have risen from an average of 108 cents per litre in June 2005 last year to 137.5 in June 2006, are the main reason for the increase in running costs.

“These figures are staggering, families that run popular six cylinder family vehicles like the Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon, Subaru Liberty and Toyota Camry are spending on average over $55 per week on fuel - due to the near 30 cent per litre increase in fuel over one year.” Mr Evans said.

Mr Evans also noted that higher petrol prices have contributed to a surge in inflation, and the anticipated interest rate rise later this week should only make life more difficult for car owners

“If Australian families are subjected to yet another interest rate rise this week, as has been predicted, then it will become even harder to keep the family car on the road.”

Offcourse its not only Big V6s (and inline 6s for those with a little more appriciation for finer detail) that are suffering from the petrol crisis, big V8s (e.g. Holden Commodore SS, and Ford Falcon XR8) and not surprisingly, four wheel drives are the most expensive vehicles to run, with popular models costing an average of almost $300 each week.

The survey found the most expensive vehicle on the market was the Nissan Patrol Ti, with a weekly running cost of $376, while the cheapest, the Kia Rio Hatchback, cost $113. If you want more detail you can see the earlier article about the Kia Rio Hatchback being the cheapest car to maintain. Now I don’t encourage anyone to buy that car, but its food for throught.

The cheapest SUV to run and maintain is the Honda CR-V. While the cheapest Hybrid car to own is the Honda Civic Hybrid

I don’t know how many emails I get with these questions every single day:

• Which car is the least expensive car to run?
• Which car depreciates the less?
• Which car has the lowest running costs?

To be honest, there is no real right answer. As I mentioned in a post about the Depreciation of Australian made cars, the Commodore and Falcon are definitely not the cheapest cars to own. Not because they break down or are not reliable or even that they are not fuel efficient, but more so because they depreciate faster than stocks in OneTel. Nevertheless, there seems to be an answer, finally.

The Royal Automobile Association of South Australia (RAA) has labelled the Kia Rio as the cheapest car to own and maintain all around. If you haven’t noticed already I am not the biggest Korean car fan boy, but I have to hand it to Kia for making a small car that is cheap but doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to maintain.

The 2006 Vehicle Operating Costs survey showed that the Kia Rio, at an average cost of $117.50 per week, was the cheapest to run of all cars surveyed and was 4 percent less expensive to run than its nearest competitor in the Light Car class.

Even the RACV have listed the Rio as the cheapest car to maintain in Victoria with the average operating cost for the Rio dropping to $111.20 per week. The survey calculations are based over a five-year, 75,000km ownership period, and take into account standing costs that include

• depreciation,
• loan interest costs,
• registration,
• licensing
• insurance.
• fuel
• tyres
• servicing.

Although I bad mouth the cheap Korean cars quite a lot, Kia is quick to point out that the Kia Rio’s low cost of ownership doesn’t come at the expense of Quality.

“Rio was recently ranked highest for initial quality in the sub-compact (light car) category in the JD Power and Associates 2006 Initial Quality StudySM (IQS) in the United States. In that toughest of car markets, Rio was judged equal highest for quality in a comprehensive study that measures 217 vehicle attributes across eight categories, including driving experience, engine and transmission, and a broad range of quality problem symptoms reported by vehicle owners.”

The 1.6-litre Kia Rio manual 5-door hatch sells for a recommended retail price of $15,990, with air-conditioning, six-speaker audio system with CD, dual airbags, full-sized spare wheel, power windows and mirrors and remote central locking all fitted as standard. Automatic transmission is available for an extra $2,000.

Okay, okay, so maybe the Rio isn’t that bad if you are after a cheap car to get around and have absolutely no taste in cars what so ever, but that still doesn’t take away the fact that its bloody ugly!

Honda has jumped on the news that the Honda CRV has been listed as the cheapest car of its category to own and maintain in Australia. The results are from the RACV survey which recently found the Honda Civic Hybrid as the cheapest hybrid car to own and maintain.

“The survey shows what we’ve been saying for some time – the CR-V is the ideal choice for customers wanting value for money, The range starts at $29,990, and for that price you get heaps of space, a raft of safety features and 4WD. Add the fact that it uses less fuel than the average Aussie sedan and you’re looking at a very family-friendly package.” said Honda Australia Director Lindsay Smalley

What Mr Smalley forgets to mention is that although you get better fuel economy and 4WD, the CRV’s ride, much like the Toyota RAV4 leaves a lot be desired, however for the price and given the survey results, if you are after a small compact SUV then the Honda might be worth a look.

The RACV Survey shows that the Honda CRV costs $189.85 a week to run and maintain, which is $12.06 less than the nearest compact SUV. The top four are listed below:

HONDA CRV 4D 4cyl 2.4L 5 SP Auto $189.85
NISSAN X-TRAIL ST-S 40th ANNIVERSARY 4D 4cyl 2.5L 4 SP Auto $201.91
SUBARU FORESTER X 4D 4cyl 2.5L 4 SP Auto $202.02
TOYOTA RAV4 CV 5D 4cyl 2.4L 4 SP Auto $202.27

However if safety is a big concern you have to think if the extra ~$12.50 that you will save by owning a CRV, as oppose to the Subaru Forester which is the safest car in its class, is worth your life!

The RACV (QLDs RACQ equivalent) has announced the Honda Civic Hybrid as the cheapest hybrid car to own, run and maintain according to their running costs survey.

“The Civic Hybrid costs less to purchase, costs less to run and is worth more after five years, the Civic Hybrid looks just like a regular Civic so is perfect for customers who want to make an ecological difference without sacrificing the comforts of a regular sedan. The Civic Hybrid also starts and runs just like a normal car – just turn the key to start it up and drive as normal.”

“The on-board computer controls the electric motor so the driver doesn’t need to switch it on or off, the Civic Hybrid also gains features normally reserved for top-spec models – such as curtain airbags, climate control air-conditioning and a six-stack CD player.” said Honda Australia Director Lindsay Smalley.

So you might be thinking, what about the Toyota Prius? Well according to the RACV, the Honda Civic Hybrid has a running cost of $169.34 a week compared to the Toyota Prius’ $193.91 weekly cost. The Honda Civic hybrid has been somewhat neglected as a car since its launch in Australia in 2004. Currently it retails for only $32,000 compared to the Toyota Prius which sells for 37,000.

The fuel efficiency of the Toyota Prius is slightly less at 4.4L/100km for combined City and Highway while the Honda Civic Hybrid is 4.6L/100km for the same test. However perhaps one of the important factors to note is that the Toyota gets to 100km/hour in a respectable 10.9 seconds while the Honda Civic Hybrid gets to 100km/hr in 13.4 seconds.

The Civic Hybrid retails from $31,990 (recommended retail price) with the following features:

• 1.3-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor
• 85 kW (170Nm)
• CVT automatic transmission
• 4.6 litres per 100 kilometres fuel consumption (ADR81/01)
• 15-inch alloy wheels
• Leather steering wheel
• Driver and passenger front i-SRS airbags
• Driver and front passenger side SRS
• Front and rear curtain airbags
• Cruise control
• Front fog lights
• Low rolling resistance 195/65 R15 tyres
• Climate control air conditioning
• 6-stacker MP3/CD tuner

labeledI haven’t stopped going on about Mitsubishi’s failures in the last few months, but things have started changing a little for the struggling Mitsubishi 380. Finding itself in the wrong place at the wrong time, the 380 has been selling well below Mitsubishi’s estimates and has also failed to bring the company out of its troubles.

In the recent Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) report, the Mitsubishi 380 was labeled the safest car in the Family Class available in Australia.

If that wasn’t good news, the Mitsubishi 380 has also been given the title of the Safest Australian Car Ever Made! The Mitsu scored an almost perfect 15.69 out of a possible 16.0 in the side impact test, and a maximum 4.0 out of 4.0 points in the head, chest and pelvis crash tests. The overall Safety rating was 4/5 which rivals many European cars!

‘We set out to design a fundamentally excellent family car, and spent a lot of time developing the body shell and engine management systems locally, so that we knew 380 would be an internationally competitive car,‘ Mitsubishi’s CEO, Mr Robert McEniry said.

But wait, there is more, the Mitsubishi 380 has also been labelled by Australian Motoring Clubs as the cheapest Australian Family Car to run and maintain, Mitsubishi are quick to point out that the running costs of the 380 are almost the same as Toyota’s glamour hybrid, The Prius. With the Mitsubishi 380 coming out to roughly 72.55 cents/ km compared to Toyota Prius’ 71.87 cents/km. Not bad for a Mitsubishi!

Of the local family cars, Australia’s Best Cars winner, the Mitsubishi 380, was the cheapest to run at $209.28 (per week), with this lower cost of ownership given a kick along by the recent price cut.

If we compare this to the other Australian Family cars, namely the Ford Falcon (79.70 cents/km) and the Holden Commodore (80.25 cents/km), both are not only more expensive to maintain but apparently also depreciate more! I wrote a little piece about Depreciation of Australian Cars a while ago and although I am not sure how they measured the depreciation of the 380, unless the future of Mitsubishi is a solid one, the 380 may still struggle. However with it’s excellent Safety Rating and Low running costs, Mitsubishi are assured of at least some increase in sales.

Drive.com.au has posted a rather interesting article about the huge lumps of money people are flushing down the toilet in buying new Falcons and Commodores. Up to 35% of the purchase price of a family car could be lost within the first 12 months! (According to GlassGuide). I personally don’t have the biggest faith in Glass Guide, but I do hold lots of trust for Redbook.com.au. So I thought I would do a check. Here is what Redbook thinks:

Hmm doesn’t look good at all! There is a whopping 33% depreciation (at best) for the Commodore and an even more unbelievable depreciation of 37% (at best) for the Ford Falcon. It can run up to 46% if you KMs are high! That is truly unbelievable! So what is the big deal! Why the massive depreciation? Fuel of course! Who wants to buy a 6 cylinder car these days? Hardly anyone. I have been trying to sell my Falcon for the last 6 months. Not even the dealers want it anymore.

CarAdvice’s tip of the day: Don’t buy a 6 Cylinder Car!

What should you buy instead? Something that won’t nearly halve in value in a matter of 12 months? What about small cars? Drive.com.au’s article mentions that the 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid only lost 12% of its value in the same 12 months, and RedBook notes that the 2006 Toyota Prius lost 20% of its value, which is somewhat higher than what I can see people selling their Pruis’ for online.

Since fuel prices don’t seem to be going down at all; usually what seems to be the case is they go up dramatically in a matter of 2 to 3 weeks and then ease down just a little bit so we think its okay. You would think you would be safe in buying a car that runs on the smell of an oily rag. But lets be serious here, who wants to drive around in a 1.3L (or even 1.5L) engined car? Not me. Besides, those cars don’t exactly keep much of their value to begin with, and even more importantly, as I mentioned in the Holden Barina - Safe as a cardboard box article, the depreciation of safer cars is a write off against the value of your own life. However I am not trying to encourage you to go out and buy a Toyota Landcruiser (~20% depreciation in 12 months) but maybe instead of spending ~35g on a brand new Falcon and losing 15g in the first 12 months (that’s more than $1,000 a month in depreciation) try looking at cars that are one or two years old. Not only will you be the one saving $15,000 but the difference between the 06 and 05 model is hardly noticeable for the Falcon and Commodores.