Just people doing it tough.
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I’ve got something similar.
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But I’m saving up for one of these Bentleys.
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Meh.
I’ve seen stacks of six-wheeled cars in StreetView.
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I think one of the biggest current issue for EVs in Australia are when they’re written off for vehicle accidents that cause minor battery damage, and the subsequent increase in insurance costs from the insurers that are writing them off. Writing off EVs earlier than they need to be, for this reason, negates a lot of the green benefits that they bring.
However, I do think this will resolve itself once there is enough demand for businesses to start repairing car battery packs, to fill a growing need in the market.
What is the current insurance policy on writing off cars? I have seen plenty of cars with what looks like minor damage written off.
I reckon that is an argument that can be levelled at many modern cars not just EV.
Have a good friend who is a panel beater and specialises in restoring classic cars now because repairing new vehicles requires specific equipment and with cameras and sensors is more difficult and expensive. He also says that dealing with Insurance Companies is more tedious than ever.
I had a very minor bingle in my Tesla 3 where I rolled into a Porsche SUV. Small dent in the front of my car, have to take it to an approved Tesla repair shop as Tesla will not sell parts to anyone not approved, so either front is being replaced at about $8000.
Porsche did not have a visible mark on it, but its “repair” is neatly $10,000.
Hence insurance cost are higher and often it is much cheaper just to write it off. Not sure the EV battery is the main reason either, as the Tesla design is made to be safe, which doesn’t make repair any easier.
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I think its like damage over 30% or 35% cost of vehicle to repair.
But during covid and maybe still now where parts were taking 12 months to receive, they were writing cars off much more.
Not official just guesstimate after talking to panel beater from memory.
Obviously depends on insurer too and make/model car. For example if hit wallaby with a kia damaged bumper bars because that had headlights etc all included they were writing cars off just due to that.
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Lorbek has this wide (very wide) Shelby Super snake. Looks mint
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My brother was a panel beater back in the day, and I worked at Nissan car factory in paint process control. Pretty much since they moved from metal to plastic bumper bars, minor accidents began to need new bumper bars instead of repaired ones. We had some of the very few sprayers about that could respray repairs on metallic coated plastic bumper bars (as well as generally match metallic coating elsewhere). For some years, BMW used to employ Nissan to repair minor paint issues their cars incurred during freight to Australia, and we had 2 of our 30 or so sprayers who were capable of doing the job to standard.
I read an article within the last year that specifically talked about the increase in EV write-offs due to the inability to repair very minor battery damage, and due to the cost of new EV battery packs in Australia, EVs were beginning to be written off more often. I’m sure that’s also due to the extra charges we incur in Australia due to low stock of spare parts, as well as the extra cost to ship them here, so probably ends up applying to more than just batteries in EVs, and also to non-EVs to some extent.
However, we do need to develop a second hand battery repair process in Australia. It’s just that that might take longer for us than some other Western countries, due to smaller stock numbers with our wide variety of vehicles, low population, and remoteness from other countries.
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Which car do you drive more, your Porsche? or the Tesla?
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Anyone remember back in October that a Shelby Cobra that was stolen from a dealer out Fern Tree Gully way? It was returned a few weeks later and the dealer, Craig Dean, was interviewed. It turns out he was one of my first students back in 1978. His father Peter Dean had a boat dealership and was an off shore power boat racer and owned a large property down on Cape Otway. Craig invited me to visit his old man early in the year and l accepted the invite as l was holidaying not far from there over Easter. I fully intended to let Peter know that his son could be a fair little buggar. Anyway l met Peter who gave me a tour of his property, he also commented that he thought his property would make a better classroom than the sterile grey bessa brick buildings of Moorabbin Tech.
I decided to follow up and test Peter at his word and asked Craig if his old man would have the class down to the property to learn a bit about farming. Peter readily agreed to us spending a school week on his property working for him and preparation became a full class project. For my part l had to get a bus licence, as the school had a couple of buses for excursions. Kids who had part time jobs were tasked with getting fruit, vegetables, meat, bread etc. As l was still only in training as a teacher my supervisor also had to attend. We had a great time, l might expand on it a bit more in a later post, as there were many memorable moments.
In any case l am now intent on catching up with Craig and reliving some of the moments from the camp.
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A lot of nice cars out today at Highball @ Bosch in Clayton.
Too many to take photos of, the MX5 is probably the most accessible. The Hellcat will be a collectors item. The Mazda 6 GTR is just never going to happen.
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Ive been looking at a new Type R civic. Just tyre kicking mind you.
One its hard to justify as we only need one car. I love to walk everywhere.
Two Its an expensive toy and the missus really wont drive a manual(she can but wont want too. Good for me i guess)
Anyhow these are cars that had 12-18 months waiting lists during covid.
Now theres plenty on the docks ready to go, I could get delivery in 10 days here in Sydney.
I am wondering if its the same for other cars with massive waiting lists?
Anyone else found waiting lists have evaporated?
Finally done with being “serviced” by Kia, moving out of the warranty period.
Whilst my SUV is being done, I get a call asking if I’d like my blown number plate globe replaced, front wipers replaced & rear wiper replaced.
For a grand total of $150, $50 for each item.
So many responses in my head as answers, but went with No thanks.
That was after booking the appointment & asking them if they could look at an occasional slight knocking sound when downshifting under no braking.
For that they were willing to charge $300 just to diagnose, for something that could’ve been as simple to find as an universal joint.
Will use the local mechanic from now on, who charged half the price for what Kia wanted, to replace some control arms & bushes recently.
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I shifted to the local mechanic for the 2015 Sorrento last year. Much nicer people, better service, better price. Only downside is that I’ve lost the automatic roadside assistance cover you get if you go to a registered Kia service every 12 months.
That pit stop for the new paint job must have been tricky.
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Technology developed on the PS4, Need for Speed and GTA6