Badgerdog
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2019
- Messages
- 382
- Reaction score
- 265
- Points
- 63
- Location
- Auckland
- Members Ride
- ZB Calais V
I Paid just over $50K Kiwi brand spanking new in my own color choice for my Calais V. Closest competitor on our market was the twin turbo Kia Stinger which had a retail of $70K at the time and the best deal I could get was $65K drive away in late 2018. I preferred the 4WD of the Calais, the handling, the shape, the lower weight, steering feel, 9 speed auto and general fit and finish. Stinger was ahead with outright power and torque, has nice quality paint and its advantages ended there.
There's nothing on the N.Z. market with the high level's of technology, excellent handling and decent performance for the money I paid and I am happy with my decision. My car is two years old next month and I conducted a survey of Trade Me and its looks like mine has a fair value in the low $40K range today with 23,000 km's. People told me when I bought my car I would lose my shirt with depreciation but it looks like it has only dropped 20% from its brand new purchase price in 2 years so I think that's a very good result.
My first car had a spectacular engine failure at 800 km's which I have posted about before. For many I reckon they would have exited the brand after that but I have persevered and the replacement car hasn't missed a beat, uses no oil and gives a satisfying driving experience for what is pretty modest money these days. I think the 9 speed auto is a particular highlight of the car. 99% of the time this is a really superb world class bit of kit with super quick and super smooth gear changes and I find it never gear hunts, (unlike the Ford 10 speed auto in the Mustang which I found to be prone to rough gearchanges and gear hunting). Just occasionally when slowing down to a set of traffic lights and they change and instead of wanting to slow you decide you want acceleration the 9 speed can be indecisive but its easy to learn to work around that situation by simply just asking for moderate acceleration at first.
I also appreciate the pretty reasonable fuel consumption, (can easily get into the mid 7 L/100 km's on a trip) and the fact that its 91 octane not the often outrageously priced 95 or 98 Octane, (the latter can be as much as 50 cents a liter more than 91 in N.Z. at times). There's plenty of power on tap if you want it for overtaking but otherwise I find my car is the consummate cruiser and touring car.
There's nothing on the N.Z. market with the high level's of technology, excellent handling and decent performance for the money I paid and I am happy with my decision. My car is two years old next month and I conducted a survey of Trade Me and its looks like mine has a fair value in the low $40K range today with 23,000 km's. People told me when I bought my car I would lose my shirt with depreciation but it looks like it has only dropped 20% from its brand new purchase price in 2 years so I think that's a very good result.
My first car had a spectacular engine failure at 800 km's which I have posted about before. For many I reckon they would have exited the brand after that but I have persevered and the replacement car hasn't missed a beat, uses no oil and gives a satisfying driving experience for what is pretty modest money these days. I think the 9 speed auto is a particular highlight of the car. 99% of the time this is a really superb world class bit of kit with super quick and super smooth gear changes and I find it never gear hunts, (unlike the Ford 10 speed auto in the Mustang which I found to be prone to rough gearchanges and gear hunting). Just occasionally when slowing down to a set of traffic lights and they change and instead of wanting to slow you decide you want acceleration the 9 speed can be indecisive but its easy to learn to work around that situation by simply just asking for moderate acceleration at first.
I also appreciate the pretty reasonable fuel consumption, (can easily get into the mid 7 L/100 km's on a trip) and the fact that its 91 octane not the often outrageously priced 95 or 98 Octane, (the latter can be as much as 50 cents a liter more than 91 in N.Z. at times). There's plenty of power on tap if you want it for overtaking but otherwise I find my car is the consummate cruiser and touring car.
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