Wheels inbox: June 2022 letters to the Editor

Riveting stuff

John Carey’s column (Wheels, May 2022) brought back memories of my first paid employment while I was a humble uni student.

It was in the mid-1960s and I got work at Pressed Metal Corporation in Enfield, Sydney.

At that time PMC were assembling many iterations of the Land Rover: SWB, LWB, civilian and Army versions. Four-cylinder petrol and diesel, deafeningly noisy, and crash gearbox on first and second gear.

The six-cylinder was a huge step forward in noise reduction and the all-synchro gearbox was a revelation.

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The Army versions included ambulances and trailers, all delivered to Moorebank Army base. They were flat-chat at 50mph, and the slightest paint blemish meant rejection!

PMC also did work for BMC (Austin Healey Sprites, MGBs and Morris J-Vans), Fiat 1100s, Datsun Bluebirds and Isuzu Belletts. PMC also dabbled in bus prototypes.

My job? I started with pop-riveting the galvanised trims onto the rear of the Land Rover body and then moved to vehicle delivery.

What a great job for a 17-year-old! Thanks for the memory jog!

Graeme Horsnell, Greenacre, NSW

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Rising sun

How I relished the Lexus LS400 Modern Classic feature in the April issue. So much more than just a car, this model established a brand and set standards in so many new areas.

Overall ownership experience is one, NVH another. To fully understand its impact, you need to consider where Japanese cars were barely 10 years before.

The Honda NSX is much the same, and both showed there was no niche too ambitious for Japan’s manufacturers.

The late-’80s and early-’90s really was Japan’s automotive golden era.

One niche they never quite cracked though, was the mid-size super-sedan, owned by the Germans. We never got to see a true M5 competitor from the land of the rising sun.

Anthony Aspiridis, Thornbury, Vic

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Digital classics

I imagine a large portion of everyone at the Wheels office is aware of Sony’s latest Gran Turismo game release.

While I personally haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing it, I’m told it’s a tour de force of a racing simulator.

I do laugh at the decision to price cars held high in cultural regard at their real-life enormous second-hand value; $500,000 for an ’02 NSX, $250,000 for an FD RX-7, $450,000 for an R34 GTR.

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I imagine these prices are put in place to grant respect and honour to these cherished vehicles.

Thing is, we already live in a world where these cars cost that much. Surely I can drive them on a PlayStation without having to consider my financial situation.

Hopefully you don’t want to race a Hilux around the Nurburgring.

Adam Greenwood via email

In some aspects, Adam, Gran Turismo has been overtaken by sims like iRacing for realism, but for children of the 1980s and ’90s, the nostalgia is there. On the in-game prices, who doesn’t like a little challenge and a reward?

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Take it outback

I too share Simon Telford’s respect for the new Subaru Outback (Garage, Wheels, May 2022) having chosen one as my company car about 10 months ago. I opted for the Sport model with a couple of handy options – tow bar, protection pack – and couldn’t be happier.

As you have noted, it’s just so fit for purpose, as both a load lugger, and also just a nice drive.

Point of interest. I too was annoyed by the overly loud BONG warning of speed/red light cameras, but eventually worked out that if you adjust the volume while the bong is sounding it can be reduced. Better still, it doesn’t alter the radio volume.

I look forward to the next couple of years driving the Outback but will be hoping the turbo version makes its way Down Under...

Roger Boyle, Rowville, Vic

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Mini’s Max prices

In the last six months the rise in new-car prices by some manufacturers has been outright contemptible.

I have been looking to purchase a Mini Clubman Cooper S, and Mini Australia has just made another price increase this year on April 1 of $1545.

That makes the price increase on the RRP since December 2021 of $4845, or just over 10 percent. It is deplorable how Mini can justify such a huge increase in just four months while still having the audacity to continue to offer a below-industry-standard warranty of three years.

One can only surmise with the current global situation they are making fewer vehicles and need to increase prices to maintain previous levels of profit generated from higher sales volume.

As a prospective customer, this level of blatant price wringing has lost me. I’m now looking elsewhere at brands that have a more rewarding customer focus.

Ian, Cardiff, NSW

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The question: Do you agree with COTY being awarded to the Kia EV6?

I think you got it right this year. The EV6 is a car people will buy because they can trust the brand to get it right and help if there is an issue.

I’d have one over a Porsche!

‘Roger Dodger’

Surprised you overlooked the fabulous i20 N which shows a lower-priced Hyundai is something you can feel proud about owning.

Johnny Harry