Price list for early 1948 from Motor Manual. It tells us a lot about the state of the Australian industry at the time. Comments below.
Disconnected Ramblings
- Thread starter Russell Hall
- Start date
Two notable points about this price list. A small choice of vehicles. The prices were all over the place. Why would anyone buy a Peugeot 202 or Renault Juvaquatre when you could have a Chevrolet for a lot less? The answer of course is that very few could get the American cars. Australia was desperately short of cars but few were available. Motorists were becoming increasingly frustrated with shortages and the continuation of rationing. Particularly the hated petrol rationing. Postwar prosperity may have been just around the corner but it seemed a long time coming. Unwisely the Chifley government had kept food and other rationing in place in 1947 so as much as possible could be sent to Britain. The question alluded to in the pages of the motoring press was didn't we win the war? England was unable to supply enough cars to Australia because they were so in debt to America they were shipping as many cars as possible there. Australia was suffering a shortage of dollars (the dollar crisis) so imports of American cars were strictly limited.
In 1948 it was still necessary to obtain a permit to purchase. Cars were still subject to price controls. But not imports of new models. Which is why the Peugeot 202 and FIATS were comparatively so expensive. The waiting lists of cars blew out to two years, more on American cars. The only readily available cars were expensive British models and new imports like the Peugeot. There were actually no Peugeots on sale in Australia at the time of the list or even on the water. Nor were there any dealers. When they did arrive they were sold on the basis of availability -"Take home a Peugeot not a promise".
A black market in cars soon developed. Speculators known in the trade as sharp shooters would place 50 pound deposits on models in demand. Before delivery they would advertise them for a substantial premium. An 800 pound Pontiac would realise 1500 pounds. Buyers of American cars were made to sign contracts not to resell within two years. York Motors had the contract upheld in a case before the NSW Supreme Court.
The currency situation opened the door for French imports. Australia had a major wool export trade with France and Australian pounds were welcome there. Sales in 1948 topped 80,000 vehicles for the first time since 1928.
In 1948 it was still necessary to obtain a permit to purchase. Cars were still subject to price controls. But not imports of new models. Which is why the Peugeot 202 and FIATS were comparatively so expensive. The waiting lists of cars blew out to two years, more on American cars. The only readily available cars were expensive British models and new imports like the Peugeot. There were actually no Peugeots on sale in Australia at the time of the list or even on the water. Nor were there any dealers. When they did arrive they were sold on the basis of availability -"Take home a Peugeot not a promise".
A black market in cars soon developed. Speculators known in the trade as sharp shooters would place 50 pound deposits on models in demand. Before delivery they would advertise them for a substantial premium. An 800 pound Pontiac would realise 1500 pounds. Buyers of American cars were made to sign contracts not to resell within two years. York Motors had the contract upheld in a case before the NSW Supreme Court.
The currency situation opened the door for French imports. Australia had a major wool export trade with France and Australian pounds were welcome there. Sales in 1948 topped 80,000 vehicles for the first time since 1928.
The sales of new vehicles (sedans) in Australia for June 1955 with a breakdown of state sales. When commercial vehicles are added in, Peugeot sales are slightly higher than for March 2024. 1955 was a boom year for sales. Demand was at last satisfied and old cars retired. In 1956 nearly all pre-war cars were valued at no more than 50 pounds. NSW was the main source of Peugeot sales. No sales for Tasmania or the NT. Peugeot was by far the largest selling French and Continental make in Australia. The market was dominated by Holden but there were enough makes on offer to make motoring interesting.
The commercial vehicle list includes the Peugeot wagons, vans and utilities. Again NSW is the dominant state for purchases.
Correction - VW was the largest selling European but I never thought of them as continental.
Trade in values Spring 1955. A dealer guide compiled by the Service Stations Association of NSW.
Why people said buy a Holden, it has good resale value. Peugeots always had a high depreciation rate which disadvantaged those who bought a new car every two or three years. It also discouraged commercial users who changed vehicles frequently. On the other hand a two or three year old Peugeot represented good buying and many enthusiasts bought their first Peugeot this way. This is probably why the price fall leveled out after three years.
Why people said buy a Holden, it has good resale value. Peugeots always had a high depreciation rate which disadvantaged those who bought a new car every two or three years. It also discouraged commercial users who changed vehicles frequently. On the other hand a two or three year old Peugeot represented good buying and many enthusiasts bought their first Peugeot this way. This is probably why the price fall leveled out after three years.
I'll leave my posting on this thread for a while. I don't think there is much interest in the detail of serious 203 or Peugeot research. Lots and lots of yellowing documents. That have been surprisingly expensive to acquire. Not the style of the forum. People like light chatter, stories that people tell and photos. So it should be. I'm not prepared to post photos from my collection unless I can supply authenticated provenance. Too many internet experts waiting for the mistake. Once I put up a photo of a 203 at Bordertown and experts told me it was somewhere else. But I took it myself. I'll leave that field to others and won't show the bad manners of correcting.
I'll continue to post in the general threads, easy and good fun, the less you know the more you can say.
My last picture is a somber one, of the most photographed 202 in the world, the Oradour 202 in its eightieth anniversary year.. Not something I will develop here but a complex story that has an awful relevance for today. Not for those who get their history from comic books or Wikipedia. The past is not so detached from the present.
I'm sure the Peugeot Clubs will have a lot of activities around the 75th anniversary of the 203 in Australia. Mine would have pride of place but neither it nor I fancy a trip to the city. I will post a new photo on its anniversary.
I'll continue to post in the general threads, easy and good fun, the less you know the more you can say.
My last picture is a somber one, of the most photographed 202 in the world, the Oradour 202 in its eightieth anniversary year.. Not something I will develop here but a complex story that has an awful relevance for today. Not for those who get their history from comic books or Wikipedia. The past is not so detached from the present.
I'm sure the Peugeot Clubs will have a lot of activities around the 75th anniversary of the 203 in Australia. Mine would have pride of place but neither it nor I fancy a trip to the city. I will post a new photo on its anniversary.
I would say there are more people here than you think who appreciate your postings and dedication to peugeot history,I am one of those people and will look forward to any posti g's by you, Russell James (jim) harrod
I agree with Jim. Your postings about the history of Peugeots are "gold" and are compulsory reading for, I suggest, the overwhelming majority. I find it hard to understand why anyone would be negative.
Unless there is someone I don't know about, you are the only one doing this kind of research and publishing it either on AF or in book form.
Unless there is someone I don't know about, you are the only one doing this kind of research and publishing it either on AF or in book form.
Me too, where else am I going to learn there was only one new Reliant sold in Australia in 1955?
Now where is it now?
Now where is it now?
Just speaking for myself I think there is plenty of interest in 203 research and information. I believe that on the Redex tribute the Victorian club ran last year it seemed to me amongst the many 203 owners there there was plenty of discussion and interest on this topic. Below is my fathers 203 parked in our Footscray back yard in the mid 60s. I have 8mm movie film of me as a kid working on this car and another early crash box 203 where dad cut off the back half of a 203C and welded it onto the early sunroof car so we had a 203 with a sunroof and big back window which I dont think you could get then. I welcome your comments on this.
A I log on every morning the first thing I check is any posts in this thread!
A I log on every morning the first thing I check is any posts in this thread!
Attachments
Gratifying to know there is interest in the subject.
I'll take a break for a while and in the words of Arnie, "I'll be back."
I'll take a break for a while and in the words of Arnie, "I'll be back."
Please do! Although I'm basically a 'Renault man', I'm interested in all cars. Perhaps because I was around when a 203 won the first Redex (and Peugeots subsequently won lots of rallies), the 203 has almost 'hero car' status for me.
In any case, I find all of your posts interesting.
Your posts are much appreciated, as they are always illuminating and offer stuff which many of us are too busy to Dig up or for which we lack the skills/connections
Clearly a lot of work involved and I am sure that you have a life as well, so enjoy the break in the knowledge that anything you are able to produce will be gratefully hoovered up by many
Best Wishes and many thanks
Andrew
Clearly a lot of work involved and I am sure that you have a life as well, so enjoy the break in the knowledge that anything you are able to produce will be gratefully hoovered up by many
Best Wishes and many thanks
Andrew