January

The Nissan Leaf - or “Leading environmentally friendly affordable car” to use its full name (shouldn’t it be LEAFC then?) - is a fully electric car. Sure it looks like a Tiida with the nose of a bottom feeding fish but what it lacks in style and excitement it makes up for with its frugality. You see if you spend $100 on petrol in an average sized car now the Leaf will go the same distance for $20. And prices for used ones are starting to look quite attractive. Read more.

This fourth generation ’64 Ford Thunderbird may be a bit crispy under the hood but it’s certainly worth saving. It’s not a convertible but the hardtop version is just as sexy, and this one’s potentially a real gem with a long history on NZ’s roads. And it’s still registered so should be a straight forward restoration.

It may not be fast and it may drink petrol like a rugby team in a sports bar but this 1985 Mercedes 280SE will carry you in comfort and treat you like king/queen. But not only that, this classic Merc will do its job year after year, kilometre after kilometre and you’ll look like a boss the whole time. Mercedes from this era were built to last and they are still one of the best value everyday classics you can buy.

It’s too easy to write-off modern French cars, especially when the likes of Jeremy Clarkson are quick to stick the boot it. Sure, some models suffer from fragility as they age and they aren’t always screwed together as well as they might be. But the Citroen C4 has some cool features, impeccable World Rallying credentials and, in the case of this 2010 example at Turners Whangarei, a very low price expectation.

From the odd-ball files comes the Chrysler Crossfire, a car that was literally caught in the crossfire of an unhappy relationship between Chrysler and Daimler (owner of Mercedes Benz). It never stood a chance. But the Crossfire is a better car than most people remember despite Jeremy Clarkson damning it when describing it as looking like a dog having a poo. Now you can’t un-see that image, can you? But maybe it’s time to re-evaluate the sporty Crossfire, and Turners Wellington can help.

Every February Napier celebrates its Art Deco heritage with a weekend of dress up, nostalgia and vintage everything. If you are into cars of the period then Art Deco weekend is an event not to be missed. Hundreds of old cars congregate in the city, like Beach Hop but for even older cars. So if you need a car for your Deco experience then Turners Napier can help.