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No worse than a Suzuki X90:
images.honestjohn.co.uk/imagecache/file/fit/730x70...~(2).jpg
Edited by bathtub tom on 08/10/2017 at 21:01
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Beauty is most definately in the eye of the beholder, so if you don't like the looks of the car that is fair enough 72dudes.
As to whether or not it is a future classic, well that is a bit more subjective, but i think you may be looking at this simply from the point of view of someone who thinks it looks ridiculous. What makes a car collectable?, rarity would surely have to be up there. going by ebay and autotrader, this is the one and only example for sale in the UK (for a comparison, there are 4 bugatti's currently on autotrader). It has relatively humdrum mechanicals, a 3.2 V6 as used in the isuzu trooper, it's vauxhall twin the monterey, and the frontera. So there should be no problem obtaining standard servicing parts, interior trim looks like generic isuzu/vauxhall stuff. Replacement body parts could be an issue, but other than that, no more difficult to run than a trooper with the same engine. The trooper is a very robust and reliable machine, so there is no reason to think the vehicross will be any different. Easy to drive with the auto gearbox, and a proper 4x4 so you can use it all year round regardless of weather conditions.
Is it worth £7690?. Put it like this, i looked up 1998 landrover defenders on ebay. Of the 'non auction' examples, the prices ranged from £3495 (for a scruffy looking but sound swb diesel pickup with 118k miles) to a scarcely believable £36995.
I gues it is a matter of opinion, but personally i think it is a very reasonable price for such a rare, distinctive, but usable vehicle.
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Prices for the better greys, especially recent imports which won't have seen any UK salt baths, appear to be rising, where they were once the poor cousin of the UK car the (usually) lack of any serious corrosion means the sensible buyer is starting with a vehicle in the underbody condition of a one or two year old UK car.
Factor in simpler vehicles altogether due to design period, a bit unusual, Japanese reliability, and the reasons they hold their values add up, its an unusual looking vehicle, and not unattractive and not a blinged up horror like too many of the latest faux 4x4s fashion offerings which are simply cringeworthy.
I would say its a fair price, if someone prepared to look after it buys it and fully rustproofs it then it could well be a depreciation proof vehicle that should give years of service.
The only thing i'd be wary off is that according to the 4wd diagram on the dash it looks to me like its RWD in normal road use and has a lockable centre diff so switchable drive to the front wheels, having had that set up the wet road handling can be er interesting, very tail happy, and on those chunky tyres (look like winter pattern to me) it might be a handful in the wet...you can run thse types in 4wd in the wet but you have to keep it in mind, if you come off the wet and into say a multi storey car park suddenly offering good grip, the car will not like it and damaging transmission wind up a possibility, even a wet tight turn on a grippy surface will cause juddering due to this.
Edited by gordonbennet on 08/10/2017 at 23:10
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I can vouch for your comments about the "greys".
When I decided to buy my V6 Estima import I was able to drive and examine it before purchase.
The underneath was frankly amazing with no signs of the sort of corrosion etc you would find on a UK/Euro car...and it's amazingly well spec'd.
Obviously it was then fully undersealed as future protection against the UK road condtions.
It is simply pure luxury with a tried and trusted 1MZ-FE V6 3 litre lump which I believe is recognised as one of Toyota's finest.
The overall general condtion is akin to a 2 year old UK vehicle...inside and out (and it's 2003 model.!)
In May this year it sailed through its second MOT with NO advisories.
It's no wonder that the imports are gaining popularity...you do get a lot for what is not a lot of money.
From what I've seen of prices recently, I doubt I would "lose" a great deal should I want to sell it now...(and I don't.!).
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Definitely a Jap import, and as such will like a new car underneath. My Miata is the same, 20+ years old, but never seen salt. As advised above, waxoyled it and it will last another 20 years, plus cars of this age and condition are impossible to find if not imported. A good (but pricey) buy if you want a quirky keeper.
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As a commited impulse buyer of many years standing, I see nowt wrong with it at all, either price or appearance wise.
Of course in the metal it might send me screaming for the hills, but then again I'm someone who once test drove, but (thank God) didn't buy, a Lada with a body kit.
Edited by argybargy on 09/10/2017 at 10:59
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"Definitely a Jap import, and as such will like a new car underneath. My Miata is the same, 20+ years old, but never seen salt."
... got me wondering, why don't they use salt in much of Japan? Their winters are worse than ours (or so I believe - even the monkeys take hot baths!)
expatsguide.jp/features/everyday-life/winter-drivi.../
Which is the bigger pain: having salted roads, or having to fit proper winter tyres (not I presume Michelin Cross-Climates!) every year?
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"Definitely a Jap import, and as such will like a new car underneath. My Miata is the same, 20+ years old, but never seen salt."
... got me wondering, why don't they use salt in much of Japan? Their winters are worse than ours (or so I believe - even the monkeys take hot baths!)
expatsguide.jp/features/everyday-life/winter-drivi.../
Which is the bigger pain: having salted roads, or having to fit proper winter tyres (not I presume Michelin Cross-Climates!) every year?
I believe they don't salt the roads in Scandinavian countries either. Proper winter tyres and chains when necessary.
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Slightly off topic, but not by much, today I saw both a citroen 2CV and a renault 4!. What are the chances of that these days?. And no, they weren't together, this was 2 separate places.
The 2CV I saw at lunchtime, it had the 'plum and custard' 2 tone paint scheme, and looked standard.
The renault 4 I saw on the way home sitting outside a small business unit. It was silver, clearly had been lowered and was sporting a set of alloy wheels from (I think) a mk1 renault 5 gordini turbo.
Can't remember the last time I saw an example of either in the flesh, so to see both in the same day within 10 miles of each other was a bit of a shock!.
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Maybe the 2CV was better protected against rust than the Renault 4 (it could hardly have been worse), as I still occasionally see a 2CV but can't remember when I last saw a 4.
Also Renault stopped making the quatre in about 1984 whilst the deux chevaux soldiered on till 1990.
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I see very few if any deux chevaux about except when there are classic car event "runs" but there are two Renault 4's seen about in our little french town, used on a daily basis, not polished up as a classic etc.
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What makes a car collectable?, rarity would surely have to be up there. going by ebay and autotrader, this is the one and only example for sale in the UK (for a comparison, there are 4 bugatti's currently on autotrader).
Although briefly their flagship sports saloon, my rare German RHD import (Audi A8 SWB W12 sports quattro) is even rarer - I can see none on autotrader or ebay at present and only about fifty were sold here, but I doubt if it would ever be collectable because it looks and sounds (most of the time) completely anonymous and unassuming. The only article in motor journals I found about it was in a Polish motor magazine. I see BMW has just caught up with the ability to combine 4WD with a 12cyl engine.
Edited by John F on 10/10/2017 at 10:06
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What makes a car collectable?, rarity would surely have to be up there. going by ebay and autotrader, this is the one and only example for sale in the UK (for a comparison, there are 4 bugatti's currently on autotrader).
Although briefly their flagship sports saloon, my rare German RHD import (Audi A8 SWB W12 sports quattro) is even rarer - I can see none on autotrader or ebay at present and only about fifty were sold here, but I doubt if it would ever be collectable because it looks and sounds (most of the time) completely anonymous and unassuming. The only article in motor journals I found about it was in a Polish motor magazine. I see BMW has just caught up with the ability to combine 4WD with a 12cyl engine.
Lamborghini had combined a 12cyl engine with 4WD 15 years before Audi.
Just sayin......!
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It may just be a concept to the original Compagno but I sure miss Daihatsu:
www.carscoops.com/2017/10/daihatsus-tokyo-concepts...l
That looks fun!
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That is an intriguing looking device, is it my imagination or can I see a hint of Lady Penelope's Rolls Royce in there somewhere?!
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I wonder how many of these met an early end because their owner mistakenly thought they were amphibious.
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Note the new Toyota Century on Groaver's link page?
Absolutely lovely, handsome and reserved, so glad they didn't let that apprentice cycle off down to the accesory shop again to buy any unsold garish spoilers or reject grills, the ones which they've been ruining Lexus' with in recent years.
Edited by gordonbennet on 11/10/2017 at 22:37
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LURVE those Toyota Century's..
I still lust after such beasts, being an after-war baby and growing up in the 1950's with a large American influence when it came to cars.....here's us driving about in a 1000cc Austin 10 (et al) and the Yanks in big floaty V8 beasts...all metal, chrome and fins..seemed another planet to me then.
The nearest my Dad got was a Ford Zodiac..(though considered quite "up-market and posh" then...lol)
I've always been a big fan of the Lexus LS400 too.
I guess I come from that era when there was "no substitute for cc's".!
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I see BMW has just caught up with the ability to combine 4WD with a 12cyl engine.
Lamborghini had combined a 12cyl engine with 4WD 15 years before Audi.
Just sayin......!
Thanks - interesting - I had never seen pics of the off-roader LM002. I should have qualified the observation with 'in a normal looking saloon car'. A scrap LM002's bonnet would do as a garden hut!
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You can be excused for not being aware of the 'Rambo Lambo', wasn't a sales success, I think most went to to their target audience (a new toy for rich Saudi prince's to pound the dunes in). The huge size and thirst (>10mpg) made them impractical for most!. The 455BHP 48V V12 meant it was pretty rapid (for its size) hitting 60mph in about 7.5 seconds (if memory serves) and running on to 125mph. Interestingly, when they 1st came out, i read that Lamborghini planned to make a more hard core off road version using a marine spec V12 of around 7l (presumably a power boat engine), which had slightly less bhp but much more torque. But as far as I know, none were made.
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By the way, John F, I recently took on a new customer (I'm a window cleaner) and the house across the road has a gold triumph TR8 sitting on the drive!. Don't know if it is genuine or a converted TR7, but it looks good!.
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