December

Putting a big engine in a little car is not a new trick but it is a good trick. The 135i dispensed with the 4 pot engines usually found in the 1 series and squeezed in a 300hp twin turbo straight six and sent all the grunt to the rear wheels. It’s a trick that never gets old and it’s not all that expensive either. This example at Turners Tauranga provides plenty of bang for buck. Read on...

The BMW F10 M5 is a supercar for the whole family at a very un-supercar price. It has an 8 cylinder, twin turbocharged engine that pumps out 550hp with a sub 4.5 second 0-100kph time. But unlike other supercars it also has plenty of room for the kids and a couple of dogs, all of which will be truly excited/terrified every time you hit the loud pedal. All of this with an auction estimate of under $16k. Read on...

The Suzuki Swift is one of our favourite small hatchback. They are affordable, cheap to run and fun to drive. And the Sport version may be the last old school hot hatch. Whether you have $5000 or $15000 you can get yourself one of the most rewarding lightweight hot hatches on the market with a manual gearbox. There is always plenty to chose from, too. Here are two at Turners right now. Read on...

Do you live a bit out of the way? Is your drive home a bit of a challenge for a Toyota Land Cruiser or Hummer? Never been able to find a vehicle tough enough for your lifestyle? Well, we may have the answer. Introducing the MAN HX 18.330 4x4 cab Chassis. It’s designed for military use so should be tough enough to get you to your secret mountain top retreat. Read on...

Engine bay fires are a nightmare and often the damage is extensive and the car can’t be saved. But in this case the damage doesn’t look too bad. The auction information states this 1976 Mk3 Cortina doesn’t run, which will be a familiar feeling for many owners of 70s British cars, but I have a feeling this one could run again. It’s still registered and being auctioned online. Read on...

If you need a car for your daily commute then this 1997 Jeep Wrangler Sport will be perfect for you...if your commute involves war zones, mountains or boulder strewn muddy fields. It will also be perfect for the school run if the school is located on top of a mountain with no road access. This classic example in Sport trim is being auctioned next week now. Read on...

Mazda’s MX5 has been with us for 37 years now, and the current generation, the ND, is still in production after 11 years. But we don’t get bored of it because it’s so good. It is still nearly as small and light as the first generation NA, but with more safety and a bit more tech. And crucially, it’s pretty good on petrol too. This one owner, NZ new RF LTD edition could be yours today. Read on...

Every dog has its day, which is usually preceded by a spell in the wilderness. At its lowest point in the 80s the Valiant, along with many other big Aussie cars of the 70s, was on the skids. They were a relic of the past, driven only by young mulleted bogans who bought them cheap and drove them hard. Needless to say good ones, like this one, are now highly sought after. Read on...

The late 90s and early 2000s was a hotbed for automotive nostalgic design in new cars. We had the Mini, the Beetle, PT Cruiser, Mustang, Fiat 500 and many more. But one that maybe didn’t catch on was the Ford Thunderbird. They got the exterior look right but didn’t nail the interior, which was kind of bland, grey and plastic. The engine was a V8 Jaguar unit and the performance was OK at best. But they are rare and maybe just a bit cooler today than they were on release. Read on...