| Author | Message | ||
     Peter Res Unregistered guest Posted From: 220.240.40.173 |
Classic Throttle Shop in Sydney is currently selling a Spur II (H31520). Lovely car, but I'm sure it's not Australian-delivered as it has been advertised. The speedo is incongruent with Aust-delivered cars (and appears to be identical to Asian-delivered RRs with kmh on outer and mph on inner). Further, it is claimed that the car was delivered new by Bentley Sydney in 2001, which is odd given that York Motors was the new RR dealer in Sydney at the time. Can anyone shed any light? The listing is here ... http://www.classicthrottleshop.com/modernclassic10.html (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1472 Registered: 6-2009 |
Peter, The only thing I can suggest is that you visit the RREC Build Sheet Purchase Page and drop them an e-mail. The build sheets for the car should indicate where it was to be shipped upon completion. They were very helpful in answering a couple of questions for me regarding SRH33576 as far as original delivery, etc., and I did not purchase a full set of records. Brian | ||
| Peter Res Unregistered guest Posted From: 121.216.146.198 |
Hi Brian. Perfect advice - the build sheet was sourced through Bentley Sydney, who confirmed that the vehicle was delivered new in to Hong Kong. Not Australian-delivered as advertised. In the interests of fellow RR enthusiasts I have chased Classic Throttle Shop to make this correction to their advertisement. They have yet to make this important amendment to their online advertisement, but I will keep chasing to ensure this is done. Thanks again, Brian. (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1477 Registered: 6-2009 |
Peter, Glad you could find the information you were looking for. From what I've been led to understand one generally really wants to avoid cars that have lived any significant portion of their lives in Hong Kong, for several reasons. Bless you for being tenacious in insisting that false advertising be revised. Brian | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1681 Registered: 4-2003 |
Brian, Hong Kong cars must be avoided for the following reasons: 1. The are invariably affected by body corrosion due to the hot, humid and wet marine climate. 2. Many cars are a status symbol and are driven by chauffeurs; when taking the owner/guests to functions, the driver has to wait to take them home and to stay comfortable will park the car and leave the engine running and the air conditioning/climate control operating for a period of several hours. The distances travelled prior to handover in 1997 were usually short and I have not been to Hong Kong since the handover so cannot comment whether this practice has changed. This results in low mileage cars with abnormally high engine wear. When I used to hold self-help meetings for NSW Branch members, several participants had purchased imported low-price used Hong Kong vehicles which had a myriad of problems. The cost of rectifying these problems invariably exceeded the price difference of purchasing a similar Australian-delivered vehicle. Peter, The listing has been edited to remove the reference to Australian delivery however is still very deceptive as it should contain information relating to the fact that it was an overseas-delivered vehicle subsequently imported to Australia on a specified date. It might be appropriate to refer this to the NSW Office of Fair Trading for corrective action. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Prolific User Username: bob_uk Post Number: 272 Registered: 5-2015 |
Also it's not unknown for clapped out rusty UK cars to be exported to HK and bodged up with bondo and shinny paint. The cost of labour in HK was cheap and a HK guy used to buy Shadows in the late 80s from the UK. I met him once nice guy. He looked at my car before I brought he turned it down because of price. He brought 3 others all a bit iffy on the cheap. I worked with an Indian mechanic from Bombay. He said no matter whats broken on a car in india some one will fix it on the cheap. The prestige of RR cars is mega huge in Asia. So leads to cheap repairs and home made parts. However in India there are a few pre war RRs usually with a weird body. I look at it this way. I am only going to buy one Shadow I am not going to make it a habit. The old adages buy cheap buy twice and for every pound saved in purchase is an invoice for 2 quid soon. So only buy good cars. It may cost 2 to 3k quid more but 4 tyres exhaust battery and a brake job will soon burn up 3k. Then add 4 bondo wheel arches and a rusty floor pan. Plus incorrectly repaired accident damage. Seen it all over the years. Any expensive car attracts a cheapo job and make a quick buck. Jaguars are the same. | ||
| Paul White New User Username: pjcwhite Post Number: 9 Registered: 2-2015 |
I've tried emailing the RREC a couple of times in the past to try to get information on SRH39187 with no luck. First time I got an "out of office" automated reply and no follow-up. Second time nothing at all...  | ||
| gordon le feuvre Frequent User Username: triumph Post Number: 79 Registered: 7-2012 |
The RREC can be like that. My impression is there are only one/two ladies doing everything. My experience was trying to hire tool. I had to CHASE. | ||
| Paul White New User Username: pjcwhite Post Number: 10 Registered: 2-2015 |
Thanks Gordon, glad it's not just me. I shall persist. Cheers Paul | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1484 Registered: 6-2009 |
My understanding is that the RREC is an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff. I have learned that one must cut a lot of slack as far as responsiveness goes when that's the case. That's not meant as an insult, either, just an observation on reality. Volunteers have "real lives" that likely have issues that must come first on many occasions. Things also tend to "fall through the cracks" a bit more frequently no matter how good the intentions to follow through. When I last had contact with the RREC regarding the history of SRH33576 a kind lady named Barbara Westlake was the one who was handling this stuff. Since that's now heading into 10 years ago that has very likely changed. Brian | ||
| Mark Aldridge Prolific User Username: mark_aldridge Post Number: 229 Registered: 10-2008 |
Brian the RREC has some volunteers, but most of the Hunt House staff are paid employees. Mark | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1488 Registered: 6-2009 |
Mark, Thanks. That's pretty much the same setup as the RROC-US uses. Brian | ||
| Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Prolific User Username: soviet Post Number: 286 Registered: 2-2013 |
I got a lot of information about my Camargue from the Hunt House option although given the scribbly writing from those inside RR at Crewe I wondered if they had all trained as doctors first before going to RR. The Hunt House info you get clearly states exactly where the cars is exported to and even states how much. Fortunately for me the Camargue spend very little time in Hong Kong before it was shipped back to the UK where they blew the electrics with a 24volt jump start. I think I won the lottery in a way finding the car in New York with a suspect engine as the body has exceptionally little rust and the interior is immaculate with the paint being an 8 out of 10. Just because Classic Throttle Shop has tried to pull this one they go on my "never to buy from list" permanently and once on that list they will never be removed as there is no excuse for this type of mistake at all. I once worked for a luxury car dealer in Sydney and this fellow was a poisonous shark. I later learned he lost his licence for life but not before he had sold a lot of very dodgy cars. People like this are best put to the sword. The really nasty thing about all this type of caper is the litigation road used to be a dead set waste of time because the legal system is woefully slow even with a good lawyer and the difference between party party costs and client solicitor (lawyer) costs makes the act of going to court a financial nightmare especially if you are not mega rich. Dodgy car dealers will along with other social misfits like banks and insurance companies stonewall you and most people give up before the trial has started let alone finished. As a well known barrister (litigation advocate) once announced "innocent until proven broke!" | ||
| Peter Res Unregistered guest Posted From: 14.202.209.96 |
A lot of very interesting discussion here. Thank you all for your time and contributions. I too feel that Classic Throttle Shop should be more forthcoming about the status of the vehicle. Although they removed the 'Australian-delivered' status, they should really disclose the car's Hong Kong delivery. Perhaps they know that being so open about it might scare off a lot of buyers and/or result in a selling price far lower than that being asked. Probably both! (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| Bob Reynolds Grand Master Username: bobreynolds Post Number: 305 Registered: 8-2012 |
I think that would be self-evident. Why would they add information to the advert to make the car less appealing? They have removed the untrue fact from the advert, which is all they need to do. All I can say is 'Buyer beware'. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 341 Registered: 5-2015 |
Stupid does as stupid does. This dealer is a stupid man. All he has to do is make no mention of where the car came from unless asked. Then when asked launch into that the car is a genuine Hong Kong car and how well the cars are maintained in Hong Kong etc. This is salesmans puff which isn't illegal. This guy lives from month to month and hardly thinks about next year. I have mates who dabble and they only buy good cars to sell on. Why buy a shed when there's loads of good cars around. Dealers like this are only in it for the money and the make of the car is unimportant. If he can't find good RRs then find good Mercs or Jags. A stupid man. | ||
| Carl Jones Experienced User Username: carl888 Post Number: 14 Registered: 4-2013 |
David, I'm not aware that disclosing the country of delivery for any vehicle advertised for sale is a requirement in any part of Australia. I (Now) don't find the advertisement misleading at all. If you don't notice the speedometer nor bother to check the books, I suppose you could be classed as fair game! Regards, Carl. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1737 Registered: 4-2003 |
Carl, The problem is the content of the advertising was false and misleading by suggesting the car was Australian-delivered when it was not thus hiding the fact it had been sourced from a location that has a known history for supplying problematic used vehicles. This is an offence under NSW Fair Trading laws and most likely this would be the same in Victoria | ||
| Carl Jones Experienced User Username: carl888 Post Number: 15 Registered: 4-2013 |
David my apologies, I read your message as suggesting as such after the advertisement was amended. Regards, Carl. |
