StockTalk

Quote from: Basil on Oct 07, 2026, 11:01 AMWith all due respect to the author we've had ultra cheap Chinese made ICE cars for quite some time at really low prices as little as $19,990 drive away with a 10 year warranty, see  this link https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/mg/mg3/listing/4561195520 so I hardly think a $32,000 drive away pricing on a very small short range Chinese EV, (less than 200km in the real world) is going to make one iota of difference.  EV's are not free to run, you have to pay to charge them up and then there's road user charges as well so I'm not sure if people would ever recover the $12,000 price difference.  Aside from that, who wants ongoing range anxiety with less than 200 km real world EV range !  Medium sized EV's with decent range are a hell of a lot more than $32,000 !    e.g. https://www.bydauto.co.nz/vehicles/atto-3-evo  $60,000 for the base model of a pretty small / medium sized EV.

Maybe a bit thick.

We just bought a MG4 EV Urban ($40k and 400 km range) - and if I refill it at home, we pay $3 in power for every 100km driven. Our older Ford Fiesta Diesel took something like 5 liter per 100km, i.e. something like $17.50 per 100km.

Both cars pay RUC.

So - pricesavings currently $14.50 per 100km. Ah yes, and the MG4 offers more space, a larger boot and all the electronic features you could dream of.

Obviously - sure, if US loses their running looser and price driver, diesel might go down again, but who knows? He has another 2.25 years and another endless January 6th to keep his power forever. Too many Americans are dumbed.

Assuming nothing changes - we save with 15ooo km per year $2175 just for buying an EV.

Not sure, what a new Fiesta Diesel would cost these days and whether they have similar features, but lets put it on $30k? - this means we get the cost for the EV in 4 years back and this is not even taking the 10 years warrenty and the three years free service inspections into account.

Actually - I think it makes a lot of sense these days to buy an electric car ... and they don't have to be dear. Its just that Americans and European carmakers have been too dumb to build good and sensible priced EV's.

Its so amazing to drive with an EV past the petrol stations and actually enjoy the prices.

Obviously - a bit too early to comment on quality and longevity of the MG4, but so far it looks like SAIC learned a lot from producing VW cars for many years - and with a bit of luck I will need less replacement parts than with our old VW (prior to the Ford) and they will be cheaper as well.

But hey, I didn't wanted to turn this into a EV thread, but I just found that some of the comments which might have been valid 10 years ago, don't agree anymore with reality.

chart of govt borrowing.  interesting.

see the farmer complaining on TV looking for tax payer handouts last night?  Like they are the only ones without connectivity in the hills.

Spending money on traditional connectivity is pointless with satellite tech now, soon it will all be satellite - the tesla nazi is disrupting the mobile cellular network. Star link hardware is cheap.

Why is the national govt handing out money to farmers for water tanks?  Shouldn't this be in the farmers business plan?  Record prices for sheep and beef. 

A wealthy client commented many years ago to me.  "If you don't fly business class you can be sure your kids will".  This is what he was getting at.
https://www.kinghornlaw.com/law/if-you-dont-fly-first-class-your-children-will/

As an owner of a 2004 Nissan Sylphy I notice other drivers driving them
There are a great number still on the road, in Christchurch and around the South Island.All seem to be in very good order.
Parts are available from the huge number of local car wreakers should Nissan be out of stock.Every reasonable sized town/city has wreaking yards..
The Nissan Bluebird Sylphy engine is used in a number of other Nissan models.Only part I have had to order from Nissan was a drivers side sun visor.

up nicely today on news.

Cogstate 1Q27 Business Update
All figures in US$, unless stated
Cogstate Ltd (ASX:CGS), a global leader in clinical trial endpoint data quality and digital cognitive assessments,
today releases a business update for the quarter ended 30 September 2026 ("1Q27").
Net sales contracts executed during 1Q27 totalled $25.1 million. The result reflects continued execution of the
Company's strategy to combine scientific leadership in CNS endpoint quality with a growing channel partnership
ecosystem, allowing sponsors to access Cogstate's expertise while working with their preferred clinical technology
providers.
A table of recent quarterly results for net sales contracts executed is provided below for context:
FY27
US$ Million
FY26
US$ Million
FY25
US$ Million
Sep Quarter 25.13 21.42 11.40
Dec Quarter N/A 20.29 8.90
Mar Quarter N/A 25.44 7.01
Jun Quarter N/A 21.85 13.95
Total Sales Contracts Executed 25.13 89.00 41.26

The September quarter sales results demonstrated Cogstate's ability to win market share in mood disorders,
including the competitive win of five Phase 3 trials in either bipolar or depression, across two customers,
contributing over 80% of the total contract sales value executed during the quarter.
Sponsors commonly retain providers from earlier phases of development when progressing to Phase 3 studies.
The Company's channel partnership strategy was an important factor in its appointment to these programs. By
enabling sponsors to work with their preferred data capture and clinical technology providers, while leveraging
Cogstate's expertise in endpoint quality and complex global study execution, Cogstate was able to secure work
that may historically have been more difficult to win independently

A few thoughts.
Parts:- Nissan are a well established brand that's been in N.Z. for over 60 years but you may find after their very recent restructure and parts outsourcing, that you can't get parts for a car that old even if you can eventually find a mechanic in a remote place. prepared to come to your car and try and help you. 
Risk of breakdown in a remote place with all the associated drama's with that: Much higher in a very old car.
Risk of injury to occupants in a crash- A LOT higher with a very old car that doesn't have all the modern safety systems
Ease of ingress and egress - Much easier with a modern SUV
Quality of driving experience with a decent modern vehicle: Chalk and Cheese compared to your old banger.

For what its worth, in my opinion their latest Nissan X Trail E-Power hybrid is a very good vehicle...well within your means and if you crash it, which is more likely as you age, you'll be far better protected by its safety systems than you current car..  It also probably uses about half the fuel your vehicle does and has a 10 year warranty.  Parts are readily available because its a current model car.    Live a little mate, you've pot plenty. 

Most of Turners vehicles are under $20K, most Chinese EV's are over $40K...My thinking is you're making too much of the substitution risk.

In terms of interest rates and their NIM, you're right that in a rising interest rate environment the tailwinds they have enjoyed to their NIM could potentially turn into headwinds but from memory Turners repriced their loans more than a dozed times in the last interest rate upcycle and I think they will manage the risk very well.

Mechanical breakdown insurance noise from the looney left is just that...noise.  Future changes to clean car regulations...anyone's guess.

Quote from: HAWKDOG on Oct 09, 2026, 07:14 AMIf you are curious as to why the greens are surging in the polls:

Its because the coalition of clowns are pushing their agenda to hard - if they just slowed down did proper consultation, listened to kiwis, they would be leading the polls but no have to ram everything down people's throats.

https://www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/story/luxon-s-three-years-of-war-on-nature-2023-2026-updated-timeline/?utm_medium=nickofnz&utm_content=postid-79347&utm_source=twitter

#1 in the list

On December 3, 2023, six days later, they announced they were cancelling the New Zealand Battery Project. The Battery Project was designed to provide large-scale long-term storage to give security to the electricity network. We need this security because fossil gas has been declining for the last 20 years, the grid is moving to close to 100% renewable electricity, and we are electrifying transport and industrial processes. The Battery would have stored around 5TWh (5,000,000 MWh) of electricity in a pumped hydro scheme to cover the risk of a dry winter. This is about 1000 times the storage in the world's largest lithium battery, or about 25,000 times Meridian's largest lithium battery in New Zealand currently.


This is a major fk up.

The govt should be maximising energy from all sources. 

https://www.notboring.co/p/the-electric-slide

Although I think TRA is an extremely well run business,I am not recycling any of my 2CC funds into them at present.
Perhaps when the downtrend turns up.
There are a few issues facing the sector,including higher interest rates,mechanical insurance in the spot light, and possibly more Clean Car regulations,together with the huge number of new Chinese electric cars being sold.
At this stage I do not like what I read about Electric cars,expensive insurance,excessive tyre wear and concerns over crash and general service being hindered by lack and delays with parts,together with a lack of electric servicing personal..
MY 2004 Nissan Sylphy went straight though a WOF last month and after its regular service is running well.
Should it break down at Arthurs Pass or any where on The West Coast any local mechanic can fix it.

Yes one less distraction.