Australian Bureau Of Statistics - Motor Vehicle Census, Australia

[GongZ]

This topic has been started in response to this post -

 

http://www.viczcar.com/forum/topic/14251-back-into-it/  Post #20

 

Hi

 

Slight Hi-Jack

 

Shame we don't have a website like this for Aus

https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/datsun_240z#!tax

 

shows how many of any car are actually registered and 240Z's have increased in the last couple of years - Imports

 

 

 

A few years ago I was looking for this kind of information for the Australian market. I discovered that the Australian Bureau of Statistics had collected some data and called it the 'Motor Vehicle Census, Australia'.

 

Unfortunately the data was not presented as a simple chart like the English one that Peter posted. To access the data, you have to download and install a piece of software called SuperTABLE, then download and decompress the data files for each year.

 

In short, it is a real pain and it takes ages!

 

The data covers all vehicle makes and models, so you need to laboriously filter it to produce results for specific cars.

 

Remember that these numbers are for registered cars only, and I assume that cars with Historic/Club registration are not included.

 

This page gives some information about the scope of the Census -

http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/9309.0Explanatory%20Notes131%20Jan%202015?OpenDocument

 

The only years (that I can find at least) where the make and model numbers can be extracted are 2001 through to 2012.

The model years for the cars covered are listed as 1961-1970, 1970-1980 and 1980-1989. Where applicable - I have shown these dates. 

 

I have processed the numbers for the following models;

 

Datsun 240Z - 1970 + 1971-onwards

 

Datsun 260Z - there is no distinction in the data between 2 seaters and 2+2's

 

Datsun 280ZX - up to 1979 + 1980-onwards

 

Datsun 240K - I included these because of their close relationship to the S30.

 

Datsun 1600 - The 1600's are quite popular stablemates for S30's and lots of members  here are owners/fans (note - this would include all variants such as 2 doors and wagons). There is something weird going on with the data for the 1600's - they seem to have hardly existed outside Queensland in until about 2006. This maybe because they were not listed as 1600's in the other states at the time - I don't know what the explanation would be, but obviously something went wrong.

 

Datsun 1000 - This is a personal favourite because my mother bought one new ($1,835!!) in 1968 and it was the car I used when learning to drive. Note that the numbers given below would include 4-doors sedans, and 2-door sedans, wagons, coupes and utes.

 

So , without further ado ....

 

Datsun 240Z

 

Datsun 260Z

 

Datsun 280ZX

 

Datsun 240K

 

Datsun 1600

 

Datsun 1000

Edited December 16, 2015 by GongZ

[gav240z]

So this has been keeping you quiet lately? Interesting data I'll consume it in more detail later , but from a glance there is 20 1970 model 240z's on the road across the country, is that about right?

 

It certainly would explain why I never seen any on the road these days!

[GongZ]

So this has been keeping you quiet lately? Interesting data I'll consume it in more detail later , but from a glance there is 20 1970 model 240z's on the road across the country, is that about right?

 

It certainly would explain why I never seen any on the road these days!

 

Yes Gavin, it has been keeping me quiet and driving me slightly more insane.

If anybody would like to download the software and data to check my figures - be my guest!

 

And yes, the data shows 20 1970 240z's with full road rego in 2012. 7 were in NSW and 4 each in Victoria and Queensland. There were 2 in WA and one each in Tas, ACT & SA.

 

Collectors like Graham in WA may have significantly affected the numbers since then however.

[PeterAllen]

re: 240Z.

 

So it all peaked in 2009/10. An uncannily accurate coincidence with the 40 year theory!

[PB260Z]

Nice work Ian, will have a much closer look a little on.

 

The number of 260Z's on the road is a lot lower than I thought.

 

It is a real shame that in Aus we don't have the SOAR or similar whereby a car is not registered for road use but is still on the register as existing.

 

Cheers

 

PB

Edited December 17, 2015 by PB260Z

[gav240z]

Agree Peter the number are lowered than I expected for both,  but if the Early Girl Bingo thread is anything to go by, most of the cars that still exist are not on the road, rather in the middle or restoration, in storage, used for racing or last seen as a shell for sale.

 

The number of road registered cars is very small.

 

Since I rarely see these cars on the road anymore I guess it makes sense.

[PB260Z]

I would be curious as to how many cars are left that have any chance of being return to running condition.

[Yamahacam]

Thanks for going to the trouble of putting this info up for all to read and thanks for including the 240k.

[gav240z]

Wow yes, 240K is very very rare now!

 

Last time I saw a coupe on the road would have been 2001. It was blue like the 1 I posted in the Classifieds recently, I could have been the same car. Since it was for sale in the area I saw it.

[MyEnquiringMind]

I expect that there are some 1970 Z cars that are fitting into the category of 1971, my own car for example #283 has a compliance plate marked 1/71. obviously a 1970 car, but not registered/complied until 1971...

[PB260Z]

Looking at this data it would suggest that the 280ZX is rarest of registered Z's in 2012  now that is a surprise

Maybe I shouldn't scrap that rusty roller I have ?

[Mr Camouflage]

Interesting data, but it shouldn't be considered as gospel. 

 

Data for WA 240K is wrong.

 

There were more than zero registered between 2001 and 2012.  I know because I was driving one in that time period, and another guy from facebook said his was registered in that time as well.

 

The Data for 240Z and 260Z is also wrong. I know from going to our Z meetings for the last 11 years there were more than that registered. Most not on any sort of club rego.

 

The fact that the WA rego department screwed up alot of the records when converting between computer systems probably doesn't help the accuracy of these numbers.

 

My 240z is officially listed on the rego papers as a Datsun H530 Sedan. I dare say there are alot of other H530 Zeds in WA 

 

 

 I assume that cars with Historic/Club registration are not included.

 

 

 

You assume correctly. From the link, does not include:

 

- veteran and vintage vehicles registered for restricted use only

[gav240z]

Sadly I think the ABS often puts out numberwang.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjOZtWZ56lc

 

Hmm...

[GongZ]

I have serious doubts about the data too. As I said, the information about Datsun 1600's is obviously wacky, and casts doubt over all the other numbers.

 

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any other source for this kind of information.