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At an age when most teenagers are still learning to drive, 17 year old Brisbane teenager Renee Gracie has become the first female driver to contest the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship. Renee, who turns 18 in January, will take to the track in 2013 driving her Fujitsu Racing Porsche 997 Cup Car. Renee, a former Rotax Pro and CIK karter, has been part of the Fujitsu 'Cool' Driver Program since its inception in 2010 and for the last … [Read more...]
A car is an essential for any busy woman. It helps us get to the shops, ferry the kids to school and driving on a country road is a great way to relax and unwind. The problem is that cars can be a huge drain on the bank balance, especially if they aren't looked after properly. Here are a few tips to keep your car running smoothly. Check your oil and water levels This is especially important if you have an older car. A lack of oil can … [Read more...]
Daily Addict on the move presented by Lexus CT 200h Daily Addict Editor, Carrie Kwan, is always on the move scouring cities for hidden gems and the best places to shop, eat, drink and experience. During the month of July she’s behind the wheel of the world’s first luxury hybrid hatch, the Lexus CT 200h, finding three of the latest hotpots you need to know. Don’t forget to enter the Daily Addict competition to win a luxury Daily Addict … [Read more...]
Your new car could depreciate by more than 60% in the first five years of purchase. In the current economic climate 58% of Australians believe it makes more sense to buy used rather than new when it comes to buying a car. Australian made cars are the biggest depreciation offenders. Putting further pressure on the local car manufacturing industry is the fact that seven of the top ten depreciating cars on Australian roads are Australian … [Read more...]
Daily Addict Editor, Carrie Kwan, is always on the move scouring the cities of Sydney and Melbourne for hidden gems and the best places to shop, eat, drink and experience on the east coast. During the month of July she’s behind the wheel of the world’s first luxury hybrid hatch, the Lexus CT 200h, finding three of the latest hotpots you need to know about it. Chasing Willow They’re not hard to spot — they’re the ones draped in … [Read more...]
NRMA Motoring & Services and the NSW Centre for Road Safety have released safety ratings for used cars involved in crashes, and introduced a Safe Pick rating for the very best vehicles in each category. NRMA vehicle safety expert Jack Haley said the annual Used Car Safety Ratings provided consumers with essential information about the safety performance of vehicles in protecting drivers in a crash. “The Used Car Safety Ratings are an … [Read more...]
Ford Australia has decided to simplify the ever-confusing conversation with the local mechanic, so the next time you walk into a garage - you can do so with confidence. Know the basics- Most people couldn’t care less about the inner workings of their car, but a little book work goes a long way when dealing with a grease monkey. Think of it as a job interview, if you can pretend you know what you’re talking about - it’s almost as good as … [Read more...]
The Volkswagen Golf and Subaru Outback have won two of the most popular categories in the Australia’s Best Cars awards, presented at a gala industry dinner in Melbourne last night. The Golf 118 Tsi Comfortline won the award for Best Mid-size Car over $30,000, while the Outback 2.5i picked up the popular Best Recreational 4WD category in Australia’s Best Cars, an independent awards program conducted by the Australian Automobile Association … [Read more...]
Day Four of our Koleos It’s A Sweet Life adventure meant home time. Alas. How we loved our short stay in Sydney, and could have easily spent another twenty years exploring the enriching tendrils that seem to snake down every single laneway and waterway. I actually decided, when we dragged our carcasses out of bed far too early this morning, that I’d like to live in Sydney again, and so asked Husband if he could please organise a posting … [Read more...]
Hooray! No rain for day three of our It’s a Sweet Life family road trip; just a small smattering upon entry to Taronga Zoo, which soon disappeared for a cloudy but delightful day with more sunbursts than cloud. We zipped across the Harbour Bridge in the Koleos this morning, ready and set to go early to beat the ‘crowds’ but the roads were virtually bare, being the Monday public holiday. Ahh. Lovely. There was even free parking at the … [Read more...]
Day one of our Renault Koleos road trip dawned dank and rainy in Canberra with promise of more dank rainy-ness in Sydney for our arrival. We didn’t even pack coats, we were so hopeful the weather man got it wrong. Three-quarters of the way to Sydney, we were thankful we’d at least packed a couple of brollies. And it was eight degrees outside most of the way. Talk about unprepared. … [Read more...]
Goodie goodie gumdrops! Only four more sleeps and we are off on our very special road trip as part of the Renault Koleos test drive experience. For those of you who haven’t a clue what I’m rambling on about – our lucky duck nuclear unit is testing out a family-friendly Koleos for a whole month, and we also get to do a road trip (our choice was Sydney) to see how this baby travels on the run. Boy, am I itching for the kids to give their … [Read more...]
I’m so excited. In around two weeks’ time, Renault is delivering a brand new Koleos to our house. Then, they’re going to leave it with us for a whole month - and I’m going to drive that baby, and drive it and drive it and test it and suss it right out. We’re even going to take this vehicle on a four-day road trip to test out its kid-friendliness for real. We’ll be heading to Sydney for four days on a very special adventure, which … [Read more...]
We all love our labels. Some labels carry brand names that make us feel cool, while other labels provide us with valuable information, such as how many grams of fat are in each biscuit. When it comes to cars, labels can be just as important. I’m not talking about the one that sits in the middle of the bonnet, but the one that sits on the windscreen of a new car; the Fuel Consumption Label. Yeh, I know, there are no celebs or models pushing this … [Read more...]
The high cost of petrol is getting a lot of people thinking about their current car. If you have made the decision to purchase a new car and fuel efficiency is key, use the following list to facilitate the process. Note that the figure shown is based on a “combined cycle” which is based on both city and highway driving. If you use your car more in the city - often stopping, starting and accelerating, you will use more fuel. According to … [Read more...]
There is a standard list of things every driver should do in an effort to improve fuel efficiency. Saving on petrol is not just in the type of car you own, but in how you drive it and how you maintain it. For starters, your driving habits need to change to save on petrol. Think about your driving habits in terms of slowing down, accelerating more slowly, and avoiding extremely high speeds. Most vehicles are aerodynamically designed to be fuel … [Read more...]
Vehicle maintenance is not a tedious chore. In fact, making sure your car runs properly with scheduled visits to the mechanic will most likely keep your car out of the repair shop and on the road. Most mechanics are honest, but some do try to convince you to perform maintenance more often than you need it. Keep this checklist and your owner’s manual handy to avoid any unnecessary auto repairs. … [Read more...]
People often ask me what they can do to get a good used vehicle for a good price. While the answer isn’t always simple, it’s safe to say there is a little bit of information that can go a long way toward that goal. Here are three tips that if followed, will benefit you the most when it’s time to buy your next used vehicle. Before visiting the auto dealership, follow these three tips. … [Read more...]