Journey to the Centre of the Earth: The Story Untold
Published: 24/12/2018
Like finding a well-hidden key and unlocking a side-quest, you have found your way into the mythical third chapter of our Shitbox Rally adventures that never made it to print back in 2012. There was no juicy blow-up in the corridors of High Performance Imports that caused this to happen, it was more that I […]
Proposed Changes to Import Legislation: A Turd Rolled in Glitter
Published: 17/08/2017
Grab a coffee and a Tim Tam or two; this is a long read! After four years, two changes of government, and two separate ministers, it has come down to this. Minister for Urban Infrastructure, Paul Fletcher, has announced the proposed changes to the Motor Vehicle Standards Act, which oversees which vehicles are eligible […]
Red Tape, Greed and Persecution: The Death of a Car Show in Melbourne
Published: 24/09/2016
I’m not actually sure where to start with this topic. I think I’m still in shock, but mostly, I’m just exhausted and really disillusioned at how things have arrived at this point. As many of you will know, I have been part of a team of car enthusiasts who has been running ‘All […]
A Love Letter to the R33 Skyline GTS-t
Published: 12/08/2016
Great pic, great car. Photo credit: Stance Nation You’ve all heard the boat jokes before. The memes. The insults. The public shaming. I was once at the lights in my R34 GT-R and watched a young bloke in an auto R33 GTS-t pull up alongside me, with his car rocking a louder exhaust and […]
The Year is 2050
Published: 5/08/2016
The year is 2050. The government is growing increasingly concerned about the number of football players engaging in illegal activities out-of-hours. Football clubs become incredibly frustrated by the players’ behaviour, because a small number of bad eggs are making ALL footballers look bad. The clubs issue numerous statements distancing themselves from these players, going […]
Biannual Bargain Hunt: July 2016 Edition
Published: 10/07/2016
If you’ve become disillusioned by some of the astronomical prices that GT-Rs and Evos are fetching at auction lately, don’t despair! There are still plenty of great buys out of Japan. Here is a snapshot of what the market is like as of July 2016, which we’ll post for you to peruse every 6 months […]
Imported Cars and the Mainstream Media: Why You Only Hear One Side of the Argument
Published: 9/06/2016
A small article in a mainstream newspaper was passed across my desk this morning, as is often the case when such things get printed. Once again, Joshua Dowling, News Corp’s “National Motoring Editor” and FCAI (Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries) corporate lap-dog, has gone on another attack about how allowing private buyers to import their cars […]
Left Hand Drive Registration: Australia’s Biggest Pissing Contest
Published: 27/05/2016
I recently had the privilege of helping out with the importation of this incredible hypercar: a 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari, valued deeeep into 7-figure territory (a gentleman never tells!). Let’s just say the tax bill alone would be a decade’s salary for some people. As of tomorrow (May 28) this amazing piece of machinery will be on […]
Classic Porsche 911: My Short-lived Love Affair
Published: 12/07/2014
My role as a broker is never dull; each day brings interesting new problems to solve, most of which involves me sitting in front of a screen for hours on end. So it’s little wonder that I relish the opportunity to take customers’ cars to complete the registration process in South Australia where possible. The […]
E-Fame vs Haters: The Death of Modern Car Culture
Published: 17/02/2014
Don’t like it? You’re just jealous! (Photoshop credit: Mestari Tikku) At what point does a following become a bandwagon? I’ve been following the highs and lows of one particular internet forum and its associated page on Facebook and have mused over this many times lately. The rise of social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and […]
Journey to the Centre of the Earth: Disaster Strikes
Published: 21/08/2012
It’s a very rare moment when the demise of a car seemingly devoid of any redeeming features reduces two grown men to tears, but I’m happy to admit that this was the case for us. For those who didn’t have a chance to read part 1, I had chosen an 850cc 3-cylinder Daihatsu Move to […]
Journey to the Centre of the Earth…in a Daihatsu
Published: 20/07/2012
“We’re going to die, aren’t we?” In fairness, my co-pilot’s response was to be expected. With a budget of just one thousand dollars, finding a suitable car to drive from Melbourne to Cairns via the Australian outback as part of the Shitbox Rally was always going to be a tough ask. Sure, there […]