The Good Oil

It’s that time of year when you trudge back to work after an all too brief Christmas break. The traffic hasn’t got any better, your inbox is horrifyingly full and your car feels like it has indulged more than you over the break – older, shabbier and less enthusiastic. It might be time for a new car but new cars cost the most. However, a near new car makes sense. Read on...

If your New Year’s resolution was to buy a new car that’s fast then this BMW E60 M5 ticks one of those boxes – the most important one. It’s not new but who cares when it’s this fast? It has a 10 cylinder engine that pumps out 500hp and was the fastest four door sedan in the world when released. It’s also about the price of a new Holden Barina. Read on...

There’s an unwritten rule when buying gifts for the significant other in your life – anything that represents chores is off-limits. Ironing boards, hedge trimmers, vacuum cleaners, weed sprayers, just don’t go there. The same applies when buying them a car as a gift. Don’t get them something dreary to drive to work in, pick up kids from school in or take rubbish to the tip in. Get them something fun, like this Toyota MR-S. Read on...

There’s been recent talk of lowering speed limits on some of our roads but if you want to take direct action then this 25 foot long 1979 Oxford caravan is sure to slow traffic behind you wherever you tow it this summer. As caravans go this is a mansionvan with all the questionable tastes of 1979 interior design still very much intact. Read on...

Playing the “Future Classic” game is tricky but with this 2005 low mileage Mazda RX8 it could be a game worth playing for two reasons. Firstly, pretty much every rotary powered Mazda has become collectible and has increased in value over time so the future should be bright for the RX8. Secondly, these are simply really good cars at low prices that’ll be fun to own and drive. So is there a downside?

Saturday’s classic auction at Turners Christchurch was a resounding success with some standout performers being snapped up by the large crowd in the room as well as many more bidding online. Here are a few of the highlights. Read on...

It’s been a long year and you’re ready for a holiday. But it has also been a long year for your car. So is it in need of some loving before you hit the long hot NZ summer holiday period?

As is traditional with our December issue of the Good Oil we take a look at some automotive related gifts - good and bad - for the car mad people in your life. As with Newton’s third law of motion “For every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction” the same can be said of gifts. For every useful and thoughtful gift there is a useless and thoughtless gift. Let’s carefully tiptoe our way through this minefield.

If you’re into your classic and thoroughbred cars then Christmas is coming early at Turners Christchurch this Saturday. This auction line-up has some pretty rare and desirable cars as well as some entry level classic beauties. It’s a live auction which you can follow, and participate in, online. Come Christmas day you could have something very special under the tree to drive...I mean open. Read on...