Ken's 10 Most Underrated Cars

Here is my list of the most underrated cars. Bear in mind I'm a Kiwi and so this list will be biased toward cars that were available down under. They all held up well and I'm weighting for that fact principally, but also important is the car's utilitarian usefulness, reliability and cost of ownership. Without further ado, in ascending order:-

10. 1950's Standard Ten

A cute little car that held up well, they're still used on a daily basis in NZ, mostly by little old ladies who as we all know, know their cars. The great little Triumph Herald came later, and the Ten gets little mention as a result.

9. Lada Niva

Heh, the Suzuki Vitara copies this car, imitation being the sincerest form of flattery of course. The Niva people invented the crossover SUV with this brilliant car. It is almost never rated unless they're a serious off-road driver or German farmer.

8. 1960's Humber Super Snipe

These cars last forever and you would be foolish to discount it even today if you're looking for something cheap and indestructible.  Older versions have won just about every demolition derby, but the 60's models are great rides and are just modern enough to be acceptable still.

7. Jaguar Mk X

I just about wet myself whenever I see one of these. I've owned Jags, including a Mk1 and 1967 S-Type but always wanted a Mk X, I just never found one in good enough condition. They tended to get thrashed (they're very powerful).  A big car this.

6. Ford Ka with black bumpers (pre 1999)

Such a practical car and a good secondhand buy though you rarely see it mentioned.

5. Leyland P76 with the V8

Considered the biggest failure in Australian car manufacturing they're actually a good car. They have a boot that will take a couple of sheep.

4. Trekka

A useful New Zealand car and still in everyday use. They're powered by a Skoda engine. Usually mentioned is the Kiwi Duzgo (it does go...get it?) which was a dud to be honest, despite the hype and faithful few who promote it. Always overlooked is the Trekka, which was a success.

3. Vauxhall Velox LIP

The 6 cylinder car in the Wyvern body. Don't think about going over 70 mph and the suicide doors are a joy. Later Velox models get all the credit but this car is amazing. My father got a 1951 LIP as his first company car and he kept it until the early 1980's when he sold it for a few dollars. It was thrashed its whole life, got rarely cared for yet just kept on going.

2. Ford Anglia c. 1960

Bullet proof, just about.

1. Studebaker Champion c. 1950

My most underrated car. Reliable, robust, modern, own it today and it will go just fine. 

My Novel Basketball Obsession

My novel Basketball Obsession  will be available free from the Kindle store on Wednesday November 25, 2015. It's an easy read and suitable for age 14 and up. The story is set in a town at the top of the South Island in New Zealand where it isn't rugby the locals are crazy about, it is basketball.

Richie McCaw to fly helicopters

So much for all my earlier prognostication, Richie McCaw is to take up flying helicopters, working toward his commercial license. Well good on him and I wish him well in that pursuit.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/74143235/richie-mccaw-ends-all-blacks-career-with-retirement-from-professional-rugby

Canaries Roosting On The Backhoes

Following on from my earlier post about Caterpillar's troubles, JCB now report a huge plunge in sales.

>>Click Here<<

Quote:-

“In the first six months of the year, the market in Russia has dropped by 70%, Brazil by 36% and China by 47%,” said JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald in a press release.

Yeah, not so good.

Update on Caterpillar. Their share price continues to fall, from a high of just over $106 within the last year, they're now at $69.39 as at the close of trading in New York a few hours ago. That's a drop of about 34%. Caterpillar now fall into the buy territory with a P/E lower than 15. 


(Note: These opinions are information only and do not constitute investment advice. If you need investment advice on these stocks or anything else for that matter, talk to your recognised and professional investment adviser. Better still, do your own research and act on it confident in your own ability.)

Jihadi John Got His

An interesting view from the Express; Jihadi John was killed as a result of Russia getting heavily involved in Syria...

>>Link<<

Personally I think Russia is going about things the right way. First, they're mopping up the rats and mice before crushing ISIL. Then later on they'll likely stab Assad in the back.

Why Russia?

I'm getting a bit sick of the constant attacks on Russia. The latest is the cry to ban them from the Rio Olympics.

Doping in sport is widespread, back when Marion Jones and many other Americans were busted, was the USA banned? And what about all those British athletes. And is it just genetics and training that has those Jamaicans running so fast? Hmm?

It's all politics at the moment, and I'm sick of it. How about handicapping athletes who dope, or run separate races for those who do. 

Another Mining Fatality

It's been a bad year for mining in New Zealand. Another mine worker has been killed, this time in a Southland gold mine.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/73751507/Mining-operations-suspended-following-Waikaia-Gold-death

He was killed in the workshop - very dangerous places. 

Deaths are preventable, read my post concerning the death of Murray Taylor earlier this year http://kenhorlor.blogspot.com/2015/06/quarry-operators-new-zealand.html

Where to now for Richie McCaw?

Richie McCaw has just captained New Zealand's All Blacks to their third Rugby World Cup, the first back-to-back championship since the event started in 1987 ( which NZ won). The All Blacks are now poised for a 'three-peat'. Heck at this rate they'll go four years unbeaten (hope so). New Zealand are getting so good at Rugby they're making everyone else look pedestrian. Maybe in future the World Cup will decide who gets to meet the Kiwis in a World Series?

But heh, let's not get too carried away.

Many have noticed McCaw has not retired as was expected. What's up? He wasn't named in the Crusaders squad that was recently announced and he'll have to be playing Super Rugby if he's to qualify for NZ and the chance to earn that 150th test cap (he's on 148).

Tempting to speculate, so let's do that...

* Maybe he's going to the Highlanders? He's from Otago and went to Otago Boys High School. The Press in Christchurch claimed him as a Canterbury son on their front page Saturday - well he isn't actually, so there.

* Maybe he's going up to Auckland to player/coach them?

* How about he's going straight in on the All Blacks coaching staff and then replacing (Sir) Steve Hansen when his contract expires.

* Then there's that Japanese Super Rugby franchise, maybe he's negotiating to player/coach them?

* He may have been recruited for the National Party list at the next election. It's no secret National have lusted after having him on their ticket (don't do it (Sir) Richie).

What do you think?