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BYD and VIN numbers
https://www.drive.com.au/news/byd-under-fire-customers-in-vin-mixup/
Considering that the VIN number needs to be inspected and verified for each vehicle during the entire Import/Compliance/Distribution/Delivery process, this is a pretty big balls-up.
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Why do you need light bars?
What is with dickheads getting light bars on their cars now. I live in a rural area and not right on the road, trying to sleep and then at 12:38am some dickhead's got his light bar on and my whole room is illuminated, and the part of the road he was on... at least a kilometre or two away! WTF are they trying to see that their high beams won't show them? Are they trying to stun wildlife so they can hit them?
It's really difficult trying to drive at night now too, if the white head lights on new cars aren't burning your eyes out, you get one of these idiots come along. It's not just SUVs and 4WDs either, I've seen them on hatchbacks and sedans as well.
Sorry for the rant - unless you use a light bar in semi-rural areas that is
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[Solved] NSW road rules: Stay behind turners on single lane roads?
Imagine you're in the blue car, wanting to turn left:
Green is turning right. There is only one lane.
Two options I see:
(1) Stay behind the green car, to the left (and behind the crossing) until they leave.
(2) Pull up to the left of the green car (as if there were two lanes).
I assume (1) is correct given there is technically only one lane, but I can't find any materials on the NSW site or driving handbook about it and (2) is something I see other people do.
(I have my license test next week)
EDIT: Solved, option (2) is the right one. see https://www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/roads-safety-and-rules/sharing-road-overtaking-and-merging/overtaking-safely
> The only time you can overtake on the left is when the vehicle you’re overtaking is: > * waiting to turn right or make a U-turn from the centre of the road
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Former Lake Macquarie coal mine site to become multi-million-dollar racetrack for car enthusiasts
www.abc.net.au Former Hunter Valley mine site to be transformed into tourist attraction for motor racing enthusiastsA multi-million-dollar racetrack and resort will be built on the former Rhondda Colliery site in New South Wales as part of a wider plan to rehabilitate former mine sites.
The former Rhondda Colliery site will be turned into a $95-million motorsport park.
The project is part of the NSW government's ambition to repurpose old coal mines.
Construction of the park is expected be be finished by 2026.
- www.choice.com.au New cars are tracking everything you do. Can you stop it? | CHOICE
For months Toyota refused to refund this Queensland man his deposit for a car after he learned it would have tracking features.
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New and used car prices are still soaring and show no sign of dropping
www.abc.net.au New and used car prices are still soaring and show no sign of dropping. Here's whyThe cost of new and second hand vehicles has sky-rocketed, adding to cost-of-living pressures already being experienced by most Australians. This is the reason, writes Vinh Thai.
Despite most businesses around the world returning to some form of normal after the pandemic, supply chain problems continue to disrupt the manufacturing and availability of new and second-hand cars.
This disruption has caused vehicle prices to sky-rocket, adding to cost-of-living pressures already being experienced by most Australians.
Car prices in Australia rose throughout 2023 with an average increase of almost 20 per cent since April 2020, even faster than the consumer price index.
- theconversation.com Electric vehicle fires are very rare. The risk for petrol and diesel vehicles is at least 20 times higher
Reports of electric vehicle fires might lead some people to fear the growing numbers of these vehicles will increase fire risk. In fact, replacing petrol and diesel vehicles is likely to reduce it.
I thought that the media was a little over the top with reporting every electric car fire.
Little did I realise just how blown out of proportion it was:
"...electric vehicle battery fires are rare. Indeed, the available data indicate the fire risk is between 20 and 80 times greater for petrol and diesel vehicles. "
- www.abc.net.au 'There will be one in your neighbourhood': Queensland government promises EV chargers every 150 kilometres
Energy Minister Mick de Brenni tells those making the switch to electric: there will be an EV charger nearby.
- www.theguardian.com Australia may increase standard car parking spaces as huge vehicles dominate the streets
Critics say boom in sales of SUVs and dual-cab utes has been disastrous for safety and the environment – and car parks may be at risk of collapse
- www.abc.net.au As the world becomes more environmentally conscious, what does this mean for classic and prestige car lovers?
Experts believe the future of vehicles will include a mix of technologies as the planet becomes more environmentally conscious.
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QLD Caravan owners don’t know what they are doing.
www.abc.net.au Rob loves camping in his caravan, but a check found something simple putting his family's safety at riskHundreds of caravans and camper trailers crash every year. Police in Queensland say about 90 per cent of recreational vehicles weigh too much, creating a safety hazard and potentially voiding the owners' insurance.
Apparently, 90% of caravans are overloaded in QLD.
New Caravan owners also don’t know how to tow.
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Ferd Fteenthousand
YouTube Video
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Before the Chevy Goliath came the Ferd Fteenthousand 🤣
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2024 Chevy Goliath - "Finally, a normal size truck"
YouTube Video
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Ai generates the images, but it's becoming all too real 🤣
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Wakefield Park's new owners plan reopening after closure cost Goulburn economy 'millions'
www.abc.net.au Raceway's new manager promises 'completely revamped' track as closure hurts local economyWakefield Park Raceway's shutdown was a blow to motorsport enthusiasts in Goulburn and beyond. But the track could reopen by the end of the year, fuelling hopes of a regional racing renaissance.
cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/2795760
> Wakefield Park raceway was closed last August after a court limited race days to four per month. > > It's estimated the track contributed almost $17 million annually to the Goulburn economy. > > It was sold in March and the new owners have plans to reopen the track by the end of the year.
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This is Rally 19 | The best scenes of Rallying (Pure sound)
YouTube Video
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The skill and absolute balls of these guys. Makes me wanna fire up Colin McCrae rallying again.
And idk why, but those Group B cars hit different
- www.drive.com.au Tesla opens 30 Superchargers to rival electric cars in Australia
Almost half of Tesla’s Supercharger network in Australia can now recharge electric vehicles from other car-makers.
- reneweconomy.com.au Wind and solar strangle coal and gas, but diesel SUVs are killing us all
Latest data shows wind and solar having a big impact on coal, gas and emissions, but the Australian switch to big diesel SUVs is eliminating most of those gains.
But there was also 5% increase in emissions from road petrol consumption and a 1.4% increase in emissions from road diesel consumption over the year to March 2023 – taking it close to, but not quite as high (3.6% below) pre-Covid levels.
According to the report, the “strong increase in diesel consumption since 2009” is largely driven by trends in the road transport sector, including the increasing popularity of diesel options for passenger vehicles – increasingly in the form of massive new SUVs.
Australia’s diesel vehicle stocks – including passenger, light commercial, freight and buses – have increased 84% since 2014, while petrol vehicle stocks have increased only 5% over the same period, albeit off a higher base, the inventory says.
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help choosing a car
Need help choosing a car. Cross posted into cars as well
Need a car that primarily has the capacity to tow 2 tonnes, as it's going to be used to tow a 1.6T car + dual axel trailer + loaded with sundries ect for Melbourne and Sydney and inbetween to take a car to carshows. Expect to be towing 2 weekends a month.
Is also going to be the only everyday use car so needs to get into the underground/multistory carparks just fine.
My building is a 1.7m height limit on the parking garage due to using stacking carlifts. So anything that is a classic 4WD is most likely out.
Not too concerned about make/model but I don't want to just go with a SUV or a dualcab ute (personal choice, getting up into those raised cars is actually harder for wheelchair access). Things like the old outbacks I've seen put into the SUV category on carsales but i wouldnt consider them a SUV as the seats are at normal car height.
What's out there that I might have missed on the second hand market around the 20-25k that is going to be a balance of city runaround and towing??
Top contender right now is the Golf wagon alltrack.
- www.drive.com.au Opinion: Why it’s time to raise the speed limit in Australia to 130km/h
We can and should be allowed to drive faster on our freeways and motorways; but don’t think governments will let it happen overnight.
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EV conversions: Aussie utes going electric
www.ecogeneration.com.au EV conversions: Aussie utes going electric - EcogenerationAustralians love their utes and local startup Roev is converting the traditional gas guzzlers into clean and green machines.
Like many great ideas, it was incubated by the watercooler when Roev founders Robert Dietz, Noah Wasmer and Paul Slade worked in the cloud division of technology giant Atlassian.
Classic car conversions are an investment in passion - the Kombi conversion cost Wasmer $70,000 - but Dietz says Roev is pitched squarely at economic rationalists.
"The engine is the heart of a vehicle," says Dietz.
Dietz says the goal for the Roev team is to convert a modern vehicle in one day.
"We're hoping the kit is going to be reproducible enough that we can set up in other regions fairly quickly," says Dietz.
While a pocket of drivers is hesitant about giving up on ICE vehicles, Dietz has also found many of them simply love their brands.
For them, the electric vehicle experience involves a leap of faith, from levers and buttons to a touchscreen interface.
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New (April 2023) Victorian Distracted Driving laws
What are peoples’ opinions of the new Victorian distracted driving rules?
My interpretation is that they are more lenient than the previous rules in some ways but much more onerous in others.
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Here are 8 things to ask about your new electric car
The global outlook for electric vehicles is nothing but up.
Volvo EX30 Plus Pure Electric 67.5/100 While rating the same as Tesla Model Y in lifecycle carbon emissions (35/50), Volvo has a much better carmaker’s policy at 19.5 out of 25 thanks to its good decarbonisation targets and strong supply chain.
The improvement of EVs will minimise negative impacts of their manufacture, use and disposal, minimise resource utilisation, and maximise their energy efficiency, it says.
Eight things to consider when buying EVs While there are numerous complexities with picking out EVs, the TEC suggested a few “no-brainer” environmentally important questions to ask yourself when buying your next car: size – is the car big and/or heavy?
LFP batteries are bigger, and heavier, but more robust (less flammable) and can handle repeatedly being charged to 100 per cent without the “risk” that comes from minerals like cobalt.
- thefifthestate.com.au EVs may well be part of a low-carbon future but are we ignoring some inconvenient truths?
Property owners and managers are starting to talk about the risks, costs and insurance implications of EV charging stations in underground carparks but there’s another risk that’s bigger – electric light vehicles.
The recommendations emerged from a major piece of research done for ABCB by EV FireSafe, a private company that receives seed funding from the Australian Department of Defence to research EV high voltage battery fires and emergency responses to those fires.
Rake did say that an EV fire is different from a conventional car fire and for that reason the ABCB was working with the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council to "Make sure we are all preparing for this adaption".
Although statistics show conventionally powered cars are far more likely to catch fire than EVs, EV fires can be far more toxic and less predictable and firefighters are rightly concerned about the risks posed to first responders.
It wants fire authorities to be consulted during the planning and design phase for the implementation of EV charging equipment and the introduction of EVs within the built environment.
Adequacy of space left between cars to prevent fire spreading because of the directional flames that jet in EV fires.
The types of special hazards linked to EV fires include the potential for the fire to damage the structural integrity of a building, the potential of fire to expose high voltage DC and AC electricity and the production of toxic and combustible vapour that existing air systems will likely not be able to cope with, and which could lead to explosions.
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Two Mazda-powered ‘Holden Kingswoods’ sell at auction in Japan - Drive
www.drive.com.au Two Mazda-powered ‘Holden Kingswoods’ sell at auction in JapanThe Roadpacer was Mazda’s attempt to sell one of Holden’s most recognisable models in Japan – but with a rotary engine. However, the failed project was axed after two years and about 800 sales.
- thenewdaily.com.au Second-hand EV’s in short supply as sales of latest models boom
Only one in 100 second-hand vehicles for sale is electric and it could take three years for the situation to significantly improve
Only one in 100 second-hand vehicles for sale is electric and it could take three years for the situation to significantly improve, experts warn. Greater government subsidies targeting fleets and second-hand vehicles may boost supply, they say, which could otherwise slow the wider uptake of zero-emission vehicles and cuts to transport pollution.
“That’s the reality of the market for us is because the supply is so short.”
Subsidies and rebates needed “Somewhere between the three to five years from now we’re going to have a significant presence of used electric cars versus what we have today,” she said.
Australian Electric Vehicle Association national president Dr Chris Jones said the prices of second-hand electric vehicles remained stubbornly high due to short supply. Electric vehicle sales broke records by making up 8.8 per cent of new car sales in June, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
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Opinion: It's too easy to get a driver's licence in Australia - Drive
www.drive.com.au Opinion: It's too easy to get a driver's licence in AustraliaThe barriers to entry for driving on Australian roads are not high enough. Here's why it's a problem.
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Volkswagen Passat, Arteon and Golf wagon axed amid EV rollout - CarSales
www.carsales.com.au Volkswagen Passat, Arteon and Golf wagon axed amid EV rolloutGerman brand says niche sedans and wagons need to be culled to make room for electric vehicles
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Brisbane Airport’s billion-dollar Auto Mall dealership and race track cancelled - Drive
www.drive.com.au Brisbane Airport’s billion-dollar Auto Mall dealership and race track cancelledCar dealership giant Eagers Automotive and the Brisbane Airport have axed plans to build the $1 billion ‘Auto Mall’ showroom and race track precinct.
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2024 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Review - Throttle House
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This one's personal 😞
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Huge penalties expected for L-plater who hit 250km/h - Car Expert
www.carexpert.com.au Huge penalties expected for L-plater who hit 250km/hA 20-year old man is expected to be sentenced next week after being caught travelling 253km/h in Adelaide earlier this year.
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Electric-car market is “overheating” says top Volkswagen executive - Drive
www.drive.com.au Electric-car market is “overheating” says top Volkswagen executiveThe boss of Volkswagen's Chinese operations warns the electric vehicle market faces some serious challenges and supports the continued development of internal combustion engine vehicles as a reliable back-up.
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Used car prices back on their way down in Australia - Car Expert
www.carexpert.com.au Used car prices back on their way down in AustraliaAfter a couple of months of higher used vehicle prices, the market appears to be back on its downward trend.
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MG with NSW plates
I dont wanna alarm anyone, but I saw an MG the other day with NSW plates on it. They've obviously got the reliability to a point where you can at least make Albury to Melbourne. Maybe in 2-3 years it can make QLD.