$5000 later . . .

[4Vforever]

$900 tax? What exactly did the government do to deserve that?

That's the governments cut for allowing him to spend his hard earned money that he had already paid a tax on to earn. They get you coming and going. It's the same here in the good old USA. God Bless America we learned everything we know about Taxation from the Brits.

Well said,

It would be fair to say that governments are over taxing their peoples in most developed countries these days, and sadly, they keep on inventing new ways to tax us more.

Greg.

I'll correct that for you Greg, the governments aren't just taxing its people's, it's over taxing the backbone of the country, the workers. Those of us who go to work just to pay more tax or a new levy or whatever else they can get away with or what else they want to call it, all the while those that contribute nothing into the country's economy get a free ride and demand more for doing nothing.

I want to post, I want to post! I would likely receive a warning for being on a political rant about the forced redistribution of wealth and consolidation of power in the form of a "we know what is best for you" under informed and corrupt central government. I do feel for all of you owning American cars overseas. It takes money and determination. Hang in there.

LOL, you know you want too, but if you do, uninformed people just call you a (insert whatever name you feel here) Unfortunately the governments of the developed world sold us all out decades ago, to help developing nations, but there was nothing at all in it for any of them. Really though owning an American classic car is not really that much cheaper (sometimes it is though) than a local classic car. Some stuff I've bought for my Mustang has been cheaper (including shipping) than buying things for my XA GS. The only real downside to buying stuff from suppliers in the U.S. is the shipping and some countries have no way of getting out of paying taxes on their purchases, at least in Australia it's tax exempt under $1000 Aus. That's the only downside as every place I've purchased things from in the U.S. has been great to deal with and are very customer oriented, unlike the half assed service you get here in Australia, a lot of places could learn something from the suppliers over there.

 

[Luke]

That's the governments cut for allowing him to spend his hard earned money that he had already paid a tax on to earn. They get you coming and going. It's the same here in the good old USA. God Bless America we learned everything we know about Taxation from the Brits.

Well said,

It would be fair to say that governments are over taxing their peoples in most developed countries these days, and sadly, they keep on inventing new ways to tax us more.

Greg.

I'll correct that for you Greg, the governments aren't just taxing its people's, it's over taxing the backbone of the country, the workers. Those of us who go to work just to pay more tax or a new levy or whatever else they can get away with or what else they want to call it, all the while those that contribute nothing into the country's economy get a free ride and demand more for doing nothing.

I want to post, I want to post! I would likely receive a warning for being on a political rant about the forced redistribution of wealth and consolidation of power in the form of a "we know what is best for you" under informed and corrupt central government. I do feel for all of you owning American cars overseas. It takes money and determination. Hang in there.

LOL, you know you want too, but if you do, uninformed people just call you a (insert whatever name you feel here) Unfortunately the governments of the developed world sold us all out decades ago, to help developing nations, but there was nothing at all in it for any of them. Really though owning an American classic car is not really that much cheaper (sometimes it is though) than a local classic car. Some stuff I've bought for my Mustang has been cheaper (including shipping) than buying things for my XA GS. The only real downside to buying stuff from suppliers in the U.S. is the shipping and some countries have no way of getting out of paying taxes on their purchases, at least in Australia it's tax exempt under $1000 Aus. That's the only downside as every place I've purchased things from in the U.S. has been great to deal with and are very customer oriented, unlike the half assed service you get here in Australia, a lot of places could learn something from the suppliers over there.

Good point Jason. In some instances owning an American car can be cheaper a Boss 351 being a great example. 50-60 grand would by a very nice example mechanically near exactly the same as a GTHO phase 3 and 70 thousand would by an absolute pig GTHO. Engine gear box diff are all the same but a correct Boss part would be a 1/5 the price of the HOey stuff like wise repo parts the stang would be cheaper even with the frieght. Same with firebirds Camaros GTO chevelles all cheaper than Monaros. Funny as a kid we got the Aussie muscle stuff because we couldn't afford the cool yanky stuff now we can't afford the old local stuff and US muscle is cheaper. I would say as a whole here in Aus at least, old cars are expensive regardless of origin.

 

[mrmach1]

It's funny if you watch the Wheeler dealers on TV they make buying cars in the US and other countries and selling them in the UK look very profitable. I see a lot of US classic and muscle cars at auction going over seas and with the current exchange rates it must be a good deal. Correct me if I'm wrong I really don't know if that's true it just looks that way to me.

 

[72HCODE]

if you google 'wheeler dealers' you will be greatly disappointed. it is heavily scripted TV and the success rate for there flipped cars is VERY tiny.

most of the cars they did are no longer on the road or registered. they did one show after season 1 where they went back to find the new owner of a car they did, they could only get one to show up on TV for an interview and Edd found the car to have been sitting for about 2 years and the car was not drivable.

many cars they had on the show belonged to crew members and they used actors and pre scripted segments to show the wheeling and dealing for the cars. the only cars that are know to have survived were the classic cars as they had the most value, but all the later model cars all ended up scrapped.

they did a Nissan Drift car(going from memory here) where they took the car and modified for drifting and put a big wing on the back and made a big deal about learning how to drift the car with a race between edd and mike. they couldn't give that car away somebody parted the motor out and the car was scraped.

the economics on that show never worked out and they never added in all the hidden and extra costs on each car, many people complained about it on various forums... basically i liked the show but when i found out how fake it was i gave up on it.

 

[Thin Lizzy]

. . . buying cars in the US and other countries and selling them in the UK look very profitable

There's a steady flow of US muscle cars being imported to the UK. The classic car market over here is going crazy and prices are on the up, so importers are make money. Some of the imported cars are nice, but I've heard from Mustang Workshop, quite a number have fresh paint, shiny wheels and are from "dry states." Dig a little deeper and a lot of these cars are a bag of nails. They told me they've fixed up plenty of these fresh imports.

 

[mrmach1]

if you google 'wheeler dealers' you will be greatly disappointed. it is heavily scripted TV and the success rate for there flipped cars is VERY tiny.

most of the cars they did are no longer on the road or registered. they did one show after season 1 where they went back to find the new owner of a car they did, they could only get one to show up on TV for an interview and Edd found the car to have been sitting for about 2 years and the car was not drivable.

many cars they had on the show belonged to crew members and they used actors and pre scripted segments to show the wheeling and dealing for the cars. the only cars that are know to have survived were the classic cars as they had the most value, but all the later model cars all ended up scrapped.

they did a Nissan Drift car(going from memory here) where they took the car and modified for drifting and put a big wing on the back and made a big deal about learning how to drift the car with a race between edd and mike. they couldn't give that car away somebody parted the motor out and the car was scraped.

the economics on that show never worked out and they never added in all the hidden and extra costs on each car, many people complained about it on various forums... basically i liked the show but when i found out how fake it was i gave up on it.

Wow they had me fooled. But I have seen a lot of American Muscle going abroad so I know there is a good market for these cars.

 

[Austin Vert]

if you google 'wheeler dealers' you will be greatly disappointed. it is heavily scripted TV and the success rate for there flipped cars is VERY tiny.

most of the cars they did are no longer on the road or registered. they did one show after season 1 where they went back to find the new owner of a car they did, they could only get one to show up on TV for an interview and Edd found the car to have been sitting for about 2 years and the car was not drivable.

many cars they had on the show belonged to crew members and they used actors and pre scripted segments to show the wheeling and dealing for the cars. the only cars that are know to have survived were the classic cars as they had the most value, but all the later model cars all ended up scrapped.

they did a Nissan Drift car(going from memory here) where they took the car and modified for drifting and put a big wing on the back and made a big deal about learning how to drift the car with a race between edd and mike. they couldn't give that car away somebody parted the motor out and the car was scraped.

the economics on that show never worked out and they never added in all the hidden and extra costs on each car, many people complained about it on various forums... basically i liked the show but when i found out how fake it was i gave up on it.

Wow they had me fooled. But I have seen a lot of American Muscle going abroad so I know there is a good market for these cars.

Hi there,

briefly, how it plays out is this - We all know that major developed countries have their own economies happening at the same time. Monetary exchange rates play their part as well.

So speaking for my country Australia as an example, you start off with looking to buy, say, a 1973 Mustang Mach 1 in pristine condition in the US. I think American asking prices are realistic at the moment for our 123 cars. Lets say you manage to purchase it for $20,000.00 American.

Given that the current exchange rate is around 78cents Aus to $1.00 US, YOUR TRUE PURCHASE PRICE FOR THAT CAR IS $25,500.00 Australian straight up. Now you have to import this car to Australia. In this sense, their are several private and Government costs associated with doing this.I won't list these costs in detail, but in this case it will cost in total, around $10,000.00 to $15,000.00 Australian to bring the Mach 1 into Australia, and put it on the road to drive around.

So doing the math on that deal, you have a total of close to $35,000.00 to $40,000.00 Australian to pay out to buy, own and drive this car in Australia. Remember, the car started out with a purchase price of $20,000.00 American,but that same car will cost an Aussie $35,000.00 or so to own out here. And that's what it's all about in reality.

Then, your nightmare could begin, when you may discover that the car needs more money spent on it because it has mechanical, interior, or body issues with it as well. Parts are expensive to buy here in Oz, because of shipping costs and markups, Aussie labor costs are expensive as well. It all adds up, and makes for owning and driving these cars around here in Australia much more expensive than in America.

My example i've just quoted for Australia, should have similar things in common with other developed countries as well, costs wise.

Here is a major Australian car ad company called JUST CARS. It gives you an idea of asking prices of many US classic cars on our current market.

http://www.justauto.com.au/justcars/

Greg.

 

[EdM]

When we moved to Brisbane I was stunned to find a casual Australian chardonnay we drink selling for twice what I buy it for in the State's. When I arrived Feb 2013 I believe exchange rate was 1.02 AUD to USD. I do hope you good folks get things sorted over there. Great country.

 

[4Vforever]

Well said,

It would be fair to say that governments are over taxing their peoples in most developed countries these days, and sadly, they keep on inventing new ways to tax us more.

Greg.

I'll correct that for you Greg, the governments aren't just taxing its people's, it's over taxing the backbone of the country, the workers. Those of us who go to work just to pay more tax or a new levy or whatever else they can get away with or what else they want to call it, all the while those that contribute nothing into the country's economy get a free ride and demand more for doing nothing.

I want to post, I want to post! I would likely receive a warning for being on a political rant about the forced redistribution of wealth and consolidation of power in the form of a "we know what is best for you" under informed and corrupt central government. I do feel for all of you owning American cars overseas. It takes money and determination. Hang in there.

LOL, you know you want too, but if you do, uninformed people just call you a (insert whatever name you feel here) Unfortunately the governments of the developed world sold us all out decades ago, to help developing nations, but there was nothing at all in it for any of them. Really though owning an American classic car is not really that much cheaper (sometimes it is though) than a local classic car. Some stuff I've bought for my Mustang has been cheaper (including shipping) than buying things for my XA GS. The only real downside to buying stuff from suppliers in the U.S. is the shipping and some countries have no way of getting out of paying taxes on their purchases, at least in Australia it's tax exempt under $1000 Aus. That's the only downside as every place I've purchased things from in the U.S. has been great to deal with and are very customer oriented, unlike the half assed service you get here in Australia, a lot of places could learn something from the suppliers over there.

Good point Jason. In some instances owning an American car can be cheaper a Boss 351 being a great example. 50-60 grand would by a very nice example mechanically near exactly the same as a GTHO phase 3 and 70 thousand would by an absolute pig GTHO. Engine gear box diff are all the same but a correct Boss part would be a 1/5 the price of the HOey stuff like wise repo parts the stang would be cheaper even with the frieght. Same with firebirds Camaros GTO chevelles all cheaper than Monaros. Funny as a kid we got the Aussie muscle stuff because we couldn't afford the cool yanky stuff now we can't afford the old local stuff and US muscle is cheaper. I would say as a whole here in Aus at least, old cars are expensive regardless of origin.

Yeah Luke you're so right about the P3 stuff and its crazy prices, everything from parts right up to the car itself. As I've said many times for the price of a P3, you could buy a Boss trifecta, a 302, 351 and a 429 and probably still have change and the when it comes time to sell, these cars will have a bigger following than a P3, thus a worldwide market rather than a very limited one with the P3. That's right when we were kids we'd see an American muscle car and think how great it would be to be able to afford one of those and nowadays it's basically the other way around. I mean when I was looking for a car, the American stuff was the best way to go, as the Australian stuff was stupidly priced, let alone the price of parts for the local stuff these days is just crazy sometimes. For an instance I recently paid $125 for the spotlight switch for my XA GS as someone pilfered it before I got it (along with the spotlights and brackets, but left the grille) and that was cheap as I've seen them go for over $200 on Epay. I really want to put a GT/GS hood on it (but a lot of XA GS didn't have them) but the prices are just crazy, a NOS one going for $7000, that's right $7000 and that doesn't include the scoops or the pins, and decent (not good) hoods are going for $2000+. Even XB/XC GT/GS hoods are going for $1000+ for a good one, imagine that sort of money for a 71-73 Mustang ram air hood, as they are basically the same design. I remember when XA ones would for around $100 and the XB/XC one for $50-$80 and really good ones for $150 absolute tops. Back around that time I knew a guy with a 68 Camaro and the price he was paying for parts back then, you could buy 5 maybe 10 of the local cars parts. My how times have changed.

When we moved to Brisbane I was stunned to find a casual Australian chardonnay we drink selling for twice what I buy it for in the State's. When I arrived Feb 2013 I believe exchange rate was 1.02 AUD to USD. I do hope you good folks get things sorted over there. Great country.

Don't worry Ed, it's still just as expensive, probably more and dollar is down the crapper too. You're right it really is a great country, but unfortunately the place will never get sorted out while we have useless, self indulged politicians looking after themselves, overtaxing the workers and looking after the bludgers and those who hate us, but love the benefits and all the free stuff they keep getting. There's a belief down here which is, Australia- the greatest country on Earth, but ran by the greatest pack of self indulgent useless morons we could find.

 

[gpierce]

Hey Mark,

I feel your pain, and you have my complete sympathy. I too have just paid out $5,500 Aus to have mechanical repairs done to my newly bought '73 Mach 1. Finding a really good mechanic that doesn't overcharge, is everything as well.

I have ranted on in other threads that owning, repairing,driving and upgrading these cars in overseas countries away from America is a much more expensive proposition than doing the same thing in America. I won't go into details, but it just is this way.

So for the average Joe in a foreign country, this is an expensive hobby for sure. Even if you can do some or all of the work yourself for example, it's still expensive in any event to own and drive these classic American cars. And that sir, is the reality of the whole thing. As the saying goes - I HOPE YOU HAVE DEEP POCKETS!:s

Greg.

Dude, you got mad paint skills, I can do mechanicals, and Luke has all the parts. We need to start an Aussie co-op and start a growth business. I'm in are you?????

 

[Austin Vert]

Hi Greg,

good to have you back on board. Thanks, your plan sounds interesting, but the logistics would be impossible.

Life has taught me that a man can be good at doing many things in his life, but not outstandingly brilliant at any one particular thing at the same time.

We all have to pay the piper throughout our lives in one way or another.

Example - I don't perform my own dental work.

How's the Vert going?

Greg.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Wow I cannot believe it cost so much to work on your cars. I guess I was lucky when I broke the transmission in my 1950 ford my dad said, "I guess you will have to fix it". It was 1964 and I made $1.00 an hour working after school and on Saturday on house construction.

I had to learn how to fix everything that went wrong so read lots of books and got Motors Manuals from my uncle that was a mechanic. I have only paid for one automatic trans rebuild and front end alignment. If it needed paint I painted it, if the engine needed a rebuild I did that. I was lucky to be forced to learn.

I spent the month of April in Cuba, wanted to see it before the gates were opened so went in the back door. Cubans are some of the most inventive and creative mechanics in the world. Imagine having to keep your car going for 50 years with no supply of replacement parts. There is no NAPA to get your parts from. The average pay is $22.00 to 25.00 a month with an MD making $45.00 the tobacco farmer had the highest pay at $47.00. They hustle to make every penny they can. The cars went from really nice to I don't see how it runs. Most have Korean or Jap diesel engines and the front suspension out of whatever they can find. Some had hand hammered out quarter panels. They are surrounded by salt water. Do you think we could bring some of the mechanics over and pay them double their salary? Check out the taillight lens and gas cap on the blue Plymouth.

David

 

[Don65Stang]

Still cheaper than a new car payment.

Drive it, enjoy it, and know that every so often stuff happens.

Good post. I'm glad you got it all fixed up. I have to go down that road myself.

 

[Thin Lizzy]

Well, I've learnt over the years, when ever you buy a second hand classic car, what ever condition they say it's in, it will usually need work. I'm just glad that it's been done and mechanically I've got a good car now .

It's off to the body shop next . . .

 

[gpierce]

Greg,

Cars going good, but it's been the garage for some time as we have had sh):&& weather down here not conducive to verts

Yes impossible logistics as you say. Well unless you make a move