Here’s what MOTOR readers had to say this month

Tell us how you really feel. Got something on your mind, or a question that needs answering?

We want to hear it, and have a 12-month subscription to MOTOR magazine to give away each month to the most entertaining wordsmith that lands in our inbox.

This month, we want to hear about your most heroic or disastrous driving moment (preferably the latter). So go on, send us a letter at motor@wheelsmedia.com.au, you know you want to.

Read on to see what your fellow MOTOR readers had to say this month.

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Ditch the Luxury Car Tax

Lockdown has been pretty damn boring for me, so I thought I’d while away the time and figure out quite how hard done by Australia is when it comes to buying performance cars. For this measure, I have taken a base model Porsche 718 Cayman with no options and have attempted to see how much of the median annual income for that nation the car represents.

I was fully expecting Norway to top the nations I selected and sure enough a Cayman there represents 189.4% of the median salary. Italy came next at 174.7% with Australia squeaking into the bronze medal position at 156.51%, just ahead of Japan at 154.6%.

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Then came four European nations, France (143.9%), the UK (130.1%), Germany (121.2%) and Switzerland (113.16%). The USA was the only one of the nations I sampled where you could buy a Cayman on the annual median salary and still have change left over, assuming you’re pretty handy at tax avoidance. It represented a mere 91.2% of median annual pay.

Bear in mind these are RRP prices before on-roads. That data could skew the figures again, but while I’m bored, I’m not that bored. Actually it wasn’t as bad in Australia as I was expecting, but the sooner we can ditch LCT the better.

Alan Smith, via Email

The national importers get to choose what standard equipment comes with their cars and Australia tends to run rich on the gear we demand. Couldn’t agree more on LCT. Wheels is set to run a comprehensive report on it. We’ll bring you the good bits – Ed

9

Andy is Wrong

While making my way through the October edition of the magazine, I was surprised by the venom directed toward manual gearbox enthusiasts by Editor, Andy Enright.

Perhaps he was feeling a little defensive for reviewing automatic cars. Anyway, MOTOR insulting people who prefer a manual gearbox is a bit like Gillette accusing all its customers of assaulting women.

Suitably chastened after the first paragraph I moved on to the next article. Oh the irony.

There on the opening page of an article about Unlikely Driver’s Cars is a full page picture of a manual gear stick. Looks like someone wants to have their cake and eat it, too.

Chris Percival, via Email

It’s okay to love lobster bisque without demanding it for every meal. – Ed

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Andy is Right

It’s almost a heresy to say in an enthusiast publication that manual gearboxes are not a one-size-fits-all solution. I’m fed up with the narrative that somehow you’re not a ‘real’ driver if you don’t drive a car with three pedals and a stick.

I do. I have a Lotus Elise and I absolutely love working the six-speed gearbox up and down the ratios. The notion of an automatic Elise just fills me with horror.

I also own a Porsche 991 Carrera S and that’s fitted with a PDK transmission. I’ve tried a manual 991 and that seven-speed is, not to put too fine a point on it, junk. It makes the car slower, less smooth, more laborious and simply less enjoyable to drive. Had I chosen the manual option, I’d always have that nagging suspicion that I’d chosen badly.

So I absolutely endorse the point that Andy Enright made in ‘Automatics For The People’ in the October issue. Having the understanding of which solutions work in which particular instances is what makes us car enthusiasts, not the application of some crude, broad-brush trope.

It’s a point that most enthusiast titles would be afraid to make. And that’s exactly why I love MOTOR.

Gerry Patrick, via Email

We welcome all viewpoints here at MOTOR but encourage a broad and open take on performance driving. People who pour scorn on modern autos often tend to be the same people who label some cars as fit for hairdressers and front-drivers as ‘wrong-wheel drive’. Haven’t we moved on a bit from all that? – Ed

9

Cheers to That

I just finished reading September MOTOR cover to cover and in two issues’ time will be renewing my subscription again.

I loved Andy’s sign off where he said “If the days of internal combustion are numbered, I think you owe it to yourself to see them out on a high.”

I reckon these prophetic words would make a terrific t-shirt, maybe with a MOTOR logo graphic or something else appropriate. I would like one in XL please, white with dark blue lettering thanks.

Seeing as it was my suggestion, I reckon I get the first one for free. What do you reckon, Andy?

Dave, via Email

Cheers Dave, we’ll see if we can rustle something up for you. – Ed

Run out of Ideas

A few years ago I had a BMW E60 5 Series that was fitted with run-flat tyres and the ride was absolutely dire. I hated them.

As soon as I could, I swapped them for non-run-flat tyres and not only did ride quality improve but the cabin became significantly quieter as a result of the rigid tyre carcass not transmitting as much noise, vibration and harshness into the vehicle.

I was recently looking at buying a new Lexus UX that is fitted with Bridgestone run-flat tyres and was wondering if it’s likely that I’ll have the same issue once again or has the technology improved in the last fifteen years or so?

Vic Harris, via Email

Yes, run flats have improved markedly. There are two types, self-supporting ones, which use the sidewall to support the tyre or the support ring system where a separate ring of rigid rubber supports the vehicle in the case of a deflation. Bridgestone DriveGuard run-flats use the former system. They’re a lot more sophisticated than run-flats of old, but we’d still recommend test driving the Lexus to check whether you agree. – Ed

9

On the Tube

I thought I knew quite a bit about performance cars, but was completely stumped when asked what was the last production car to be sold with de Dion tube rear suspension. A bit of Googling revealed that Caterhams still use this set up. Why?

Peter Nicolaou, via Email

In the early ’80s Caterham considered independent rear suspension (IRS) but stuck to the de Dion tube. This was largely due to time, cost and capability restraints, but Caterham also realised the de Dion system worked well and offered excellent dry-road grip and was better for them in terms of weight and packaging. There was also a historical link with the Lotus 11’s de Dion system that Caterham was keen to preserve. Not all models get the de Dion rear end either. The new 440kg 170 still has a live axle. – Ed

9

Dunger Detective

I love the small print at the start of the Letters page where we’re encouraged to share a story. Last month you asked about our most inspired used car purchases.

I travelled to the UK a few years ago and was intrigued by a television advert from a company that promised to buy any car from you. Surely not anything?

I visited their website and claimed that I owned a Ferrari 250 GTO and obtained a quote for it. They were offering £500. I’m no expert on 250 GTO values, but this seemed to be a bit of a lowball.

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After that, just for the fun of it, I entered the details of a car that I’d seen advertised on a local website for £300. Their quote was £1000. I soon realised that there was a certain sort of car that was of niche interest and just about roadworthy that you could double or triple your money on.

I became an absolute sleuth for these cars, learned more about the UK’s ridiculous rail system than I ever imagined and when I’d amassed a decent sum, I decided to blow it all on an Alpine Renault GTA Turbo. This lasted about 60km before blowing its internals onto the M25 motorway, firing oil over the rear tyres and sending me sideways into the guard rail outside Thurrock services. To add insult to injury, the insurers valued this £15k car at £5k. Karma can indeed be a bitch.

Guy Barraclough, via Email

The toilets at Thurrock are ‘vile’ according to Tripadvisor. – Ed