A new attitude to car buying !!

Further to my earlier posting, we have purchased a vehicle to cope with the rigours of 'road surfaces' over here !

And here it is - it's a '99 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.  It's a bit of a beast as it's 3 litres.  



It's been a new experience to buying a car because we have had to get into the Tanzanian approach to buying a car.  Here, many cars are at least 20 years old and the price you pay is dependant on condition, primarily, and not things like mileage as most people here don't really think twice about 'high' mileages.

So my question to all you VW owners is:  would you even contemplate buying a vehicle with 265,000km on the clock and that is 15 years old ?  We did as we've bought it - what's more, as I said, vehicles attract a premium if they are in good condition - as ours is. So the princely sum paid ??  Guesses welcome.

What's even more incredible is that the vehicle, despite age and mileage,  is going to come with a 6 month warranty on gearbox and engine and will come with a new windscreen and all new shock absorbers. plus a few other minor things that need sorting.

And just to give you an idea how big it is, here's the family stood next to it. Imposing it certainly is !!

JLS 62 wrote:

So my question to all you VW owners is:  would you even contemplate buying a vehicle with 265,000km on the clock and that is 15 years old ?

If it was a Kombi then no way but as it's a Toyota then probably. Even Top Gear couldn't destroy the Hilux, which yours essentially is

Could you not find one of these ? -

harryhornet wrote:

Could you not find one of these ?  -

Believe me, if we'd found one of those it would be outside our house now.

It's only here in the UK that the perceived idiotic seven year life span for cars is really believed.
A car will keep running for as long as you want it to and are prepared to spend money on its upkeep.
My bay is 35 and there is no reason why it won't last as long as a barndoor.
Similarly, the fair lady Fishtrousers daily is 27 and has done 275,000 miles, it's a relatively highly strung 944, but that has another 2o years in it, it is just that folk consider it to be worthless.
I have no idea of the Tanzanian currency but I am going to guess the equivilant of £1500.

After much thought I'm going for 3486189.33 Tanzanian Shillings.

I reckon it's closer to 26872329.56

Perhaps 3,499,000 Tanzanian Shillings?
osg

Bernard Fishtrousers - you are so far out it's unbelievable, as are you Harry Hornet ! If I tell you it's about 2,500 Tanzania shillings to the pound, and they have no decimals i.e nothing smaller than a shilling, then any other guesses should be whole numbers. As it is though, Dizzy Lizard you are very close indeed. Sadly there won't be a prize winging it's way to you but take satisfaction in the fact that you could always get a job as a Tanzanian second hand car salesman !!

I have to confess that I wouldn't have deserved a prize if there were one, as I was a bit devious.

I went on a web site selling cars in Tanzania and saw that the rough prices of Toyota Land Cruisers of that age was about £10,000......amazing.

Think I might start an export business.

I feel much better now I have confessed    

(Btw how big are the piggy-banks over there, you'd need something the size of a dustbin to save enough shillings for a bar of chocolate    )

Hey Dizzy Lizard, being a teacher, I like a man who does his homework! That said starting an export business might be slightly problematical as cars over 10 years old that are imported here attract a tax, I am told, of 100%.

That said other western products are not as expensive as cars. Box of cornflakes (small) £4 - can't think of others, chocolate - haven't looked and haven't had any since being here - it's too hot to be eating stuff like that! On the other hand things like fresh fruit and veg are so cheap it makes you realise just how big supermarkets make so much profit - even given the hidden costs of transportation etc. Large pineapple - 37p, mangoes when in season are so cheap that they cost 2p each, 1 kg potatoes 26p and bananas are 8p each. A beer can be as cheap as 40p for half litre. Cigarettes - not that I smoke, are about £1 per pack !!