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 […]
Takata Airbag Recall for Dummies
Published: 24/07/2017
With all the hype in the media about the Takata airbag recall, it’s little wonder our phone has been running hot with import owners wondering if their cars are affected. So I thought I’d whip up a quick FAQ (bearing in mind I’m no airbag expert) to help you understand what is going on, […]
Revised SEVS Criteria Thresholds: The good news ain’t so good (part 2)
Published: 1/11/2016
In part 1, you heard about the worst bits of the proposed changes to SEVS after 2018. If you can’t be stuffed reading it all, the cuts are looking pretty savage – with people movers gone, at least 72% of cars being currently complied via SEVS will be chopped from the new scheme. […]
Revised SEVS Criteria Thresholds: We’re in for a bumpy ride (part 1)
Published: 28/10/2016
It’s taken me a long time to gather my thoughts and write this article. I’ve tried to give myself as much time as possible to digest what the Department of Infrastructure considers to be a suitable model for the future of imported used vehicles in Australia after 2018; to paint the best light […]
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 […]
Twelve Lies You’re Being Fed About Parallel-Imported Cars
Published: 4/08/2016
Dumping ground. Flooded market. Organised crime. Nuclear fallout. Death traps. Do these phrases sound familiar? If you’ve followed the news lately, you may know that the Motor Vehicle Standards Act is currently being reviewed, a process that has taken three years so far. Tucked away in the report was the suggestion that Aussies should be allowed […]
The Rise of the Entitled Douchebag
Published: 15/07/2016
Entry #5096 of ‘Angry Man Shouting at Clouds’… Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you will have noticed that, of late, the western world’s distribution of wealth is becoming less and less equal. In other words, the rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer. In Australia, we even encourage ‘wealth creation’ […]
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 […]