The Hunt for the New Old Car

The boss came over at 0630hrs to pick me up for work on Saturday morning. Fortunately he was punctual as I might not feel comfortable very long standing in the cold Winter dawn even though I observed that I seemed to have a higher tolerance to cold to people around me.


We had small chats along the way as he filled me in with more industrial knowledge of what we are doing and stuff as well as small bits of information such as that huge white mansion that stuck out outstandingly near the junction of Armadale Road and Warton Road was actually 'built on chooks' (The owner was a egg farmer). Those who drove along this stretch would have noticed that house for sure, a tidbit of gossipy info for you then. Interesting to know.


Anyway, the boss concluded that we were an unusual lot who would work on the Saturday of a long weekend. Well, we are a small company unfortunately. We can't afford to be late for our deliveries if we can help it. The day ended interestingly when boss handed over the keys of the company yute so that I could go home myself. (He knocked off earlier, bastard) It was a monster of a drive. A big model of the Toyota Hilux. It looked somewhat like that, but with a longer tail.


Now I know why Aussie folks love these vehicles. My driving view was significantly higher than even some big MPVs along the way. I could see far and that made driving much easier. It was surprisingly stable when it came to cornering and could stay stable circling up to the next highway at 80km/h or so. I would expect a clanky drive like those pick-ups I drove before fetching workers in Singapore when the supervisor was on MC. Nothing of that sort. The one was very well insulated and all I could hear during the whole 30km journey was the pleasing sound of a working turbo charger (or so I assumed). Despite its weight, it accelerated almost twice as fast as Barry White in probably all gears. When I reached speed limits like the common 60 - 70km/h and 100km/h, I felt that I was actually traveling slower than the odometer suggested. Some kind of theory of relativity was working here.


Apparently Jen seemed to love big monsters too. She was already asking to drive this once too often. Maybe I will allow her to make a few rounds in somewhere deserted before taking over the drive later today because this is obviously only insured under the company's staff.


Anyway, with this thing loaned to me temporarily, I may be able to hunt for Barry White's replacement. I have not decided Barry White's fate, it remains parked at the colleague's front porch. That will come later. I have shortlisted a few cars within my tiny budget and will sort things out as soon as possible. I am considering getting a backup car for Jen so that she could use it to commute in any emergencies. I have been getting that uneasy feeling for months that I should be doing this so I better do trust my gut feelings more regularly.


Hunting for a new old car is quite a chore. It is much much simpler if I am buying a new car. All I need to do is to sign on the dotted line and shake leg at home. Used car hunting is much more complex as there are many things to look out for. It can be fun for some, annoying for some. Unfortunately I can't afford a new car so here we go again. Interesting things always happen when you source for a used car. You see good ones, crappy ones for the same price. These are just some identifiers of a free-er market. It simply means that you can find undervalued cars and even make a profit by re-selling them (I'm sure that could be done) and at the same time being ripped off totally. I am no expert in cars. I know next to nuts so I aim not to get ripped off too badly at least. That's all I ask for.


So silly things happen when it all begins.

Check out this car's exhaust pipes

I would have bought this if it is A$3,000 but of course no way





The hunt goes on.

10 comments:

  1. What will you call the 'new' ride we got from mandurah?

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  2. 4x4's and utes to go outdoors, and really large moves.

    Keep test driving and keep body sensors close to handling, mechanism, engine. Would be good to test drive 15 cars both from dealers (consumer act covers you on some areas) versus private sales (cheaper without the former) before making a decision.

    What's your budget anyway? I'm sure some here would have a word or so to contribute

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  3. Once you get used to the Hylux, you won't feel satisfied driving a compact car anymore....

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  4. how about fuel efficiency?

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  5. Thats why one can only buy sell two cars in a year if Im not wrong but of course you can buys cars under others' name too.

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  6. Wow! Your boss was so generous to loan you that auto! It will surely help you scout a new vehicle if you don’t have one yet. Car shopping can be a bit frustrating at times, especially if you have lots of choices on your list. But I think you can narrow it down based on your budget, style and taste. With a short list, you can easily pick the vehicle that you like and make a deal right away. I hope you can find a car of your liking! If you already have one, update us STAT!

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  7. Have you found a replacement for Barry White? Well, the Hi-Lux seems to be intimidating to drive due to its massive size. But surprisingly, it's very maneuverable and quite a good car to take on long road trips.

    -Clint Moore

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    Replies
    1. I really like the Hilux, but it is well above my budget. I am driving an old Daihatsu Pyzar now

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  8. “I would have bought this if it is A$3,000 but of course no way”--- Haha! You really have no chance! Well, that vintage reminds me of the car used in the movie “Titanic”. It’s really marvelous, right? I wonder if I will ever get a chance to drive a classic car like this in my lifetime? ;)

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    Replies
    1. Yes you are right. Having said that, it is probably not priced out of us if we really, really want to buy that. so that's the chance for you to take.

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