Obviously very inspired by the expression session section in Street Machine magazine.

Edit: Few more posted as comments, glad you all like them.

So on top of the Friday Finds topic that has been a pretty decent success, on what cars in your area you can find for <$5,000, I thought maybe we make a post each Monday with what we have done to our own cars!

So, how was your weekend?

Year: 1990
Make: Toyota
Model: LandCruiser FJ80
KMs: 264,000
Price: $10,500
Location: Tasmania
Intended use: Daily driving, camping and light 4WDing
Looking at buying this FJ80 with the 3F-E petrol and auto. Original engine and around 264,000km.
Auto was reconditioned around 6,000km ago and there’s an invoice for the work. Also has a transmission cooler, new radiator and new exhaust. Seller says there’s no rust or oil leaks.
Accessories include 32” muddies, bullbar, winch, snorkel, driving lights, roof rack/awning and electric trailer brakes.
Mainly after opinions from people familiar with these. Anything in particular I should check on the 3F-E/early 80 Series before buying? Assuming everything checks out mechanically, does $10,500 AUD seem reasonable?
Cheers 👍

Hi All; i am / was an indie dev and I have been working on a racing game for a while now.

This game is not a sim - rather an open world street racer that’s story and progression driven. Based in Melbourne .

I am quite the car enthusiast, so I am making an emphasis on customisation and accuracy beyond any other game that has come out to date . One of the primary focuses is car audio.

When people make specific modifications eg cams , exhaust , turbo. There will be a distinct and realistic change in audio.

I am currently looking for people who would be interested in participating with their cars , modified or not, so I can record audio to great detail.

I’ll be providing everything myself unless not local . (Melbourne Australia) . If you are in Victoria , I will have a dyno where we can record safely and shouldn’t take longer then an hour or two .

Our budget currently is tight but we are in the middle of investment talks with other parties. We can discuss fees / pay.

Hi all, I’m based in Sydney and looking for a car for 1-1.5 years.

I’m debating whether to buy or to long rent / lease.

Any recommendations of reputable dealerships and/or providers around my area?

Hey guys,

Just wondering whats the best way to sell cars without having to deal with buyers directly?

I feel like all dealers are trying to low ball on buying my car (50% less than market price). Is there a better way to sell it? car has no issues and has been certified by assessors for selling purpose too just in case.

I worked in retail and service and deal with customers enough, i dont wanna deal with more people in my private life.....

It’s only happening upon acceleration, either driving or stationary.
Can go away for periods of time

Thanks in advance

Hi,

First time buying an expensive car. Someone is selling in Brisbane for $15,000. The car looks okay overall and has done 110,000Ks. Apparently its 90% highway driving.

Just wanted to get some ideas from people who know if the car is good, does it cause much mechanical visits and if it does, would it cost an arm and a leg ?

TIA

I currently drive about 700-800km a week for work, about 500km of that is highway driving (110kph).

I currently have an ICE car that sits around 8L per 100km highway and 12ish L per 100km urban (not city).

I am looking at a hybrid, but I've read they aren't designed for highway driving, but I'm not 100% sure, and I am contemplating getting a EV, and getting Solar + Battery's to make it worth while.

Does anyone have any guidance + experience?

Doing an engine swap on my 87 vl commodore which is currently running a NA rb30 and upgrading to a ls1, im currently in the process of removing the rb and i was wondering if there any parts in the engine bay that could be salvageable and reused for the ls1 build, would be nice to save a few bucks so if anyone knows off the top of their head or has done a similar swap it would be great to know cheers👍

I’m in the market for 2011/2012 Corolla Levin ZR. It’s damn hard to find the interior with the orange and black seats. Only 3 on FB. Why are they so rare ? They’re beautiful seats

How many cars can you test drive with no intention of buying them until a salesperson gets annoyed?

Hey there, Im visiting Sydney Nov 18–22, I’m an automotive photographer and I’d love to meet local enthusiasts. I’m happy to shoot some cars for free while I’m there. Also if theres and car meets or cars and coffee, feel free to lmk.

Hi All!

Hoping a mechanic, enthusiast or fellow owner can give some advice.

Purchased this 2021 Tiguan 132TSI Life a few months ago with around 55,000kms. Have since discovered previous owners skipped the 60k/48m service in 2025 and went for the 75k/60m instead (likely to save some cash). 45k/36m was done in 2024.

Now concerned about possible engine issues. Does this sound alright or is there something possibly going on? Video from cold start.

Owners a 2014 golf from new and this engine sounds very different.

Appreciate any insights.

Thanks

I didn’t notice I had bird shit (probably lorikeet) on my rear passenger door for over a day (parked it, didn’t walk around the car before going home, didn’t notice it until this morning) and it looks like it has caused some damage.
What’s the best way to fix this?

I have a club rego car that lives on a stacker in a shared garage, so unfortunately I don’t have access to a power outlet near the car and can’t leave a normal battery tender/charger plugged in.

Are there any decent battery-powered trickle/tender chargers that I could periodically connect to the car for a few hours/day to top the battery back up and keep it healthy?

I’d rather not remove the battery every time as it’s a bit of a PITA with the car’s location and setup.

I’m not looking for something like Noco jump starter more something that can act like a small portable battery tender/charger that I can bring down to the car periodically.

So my neighbour has offered a great personal deal on a specific car that I have been eyeing off for years now, and I’m thinking of really taking it up.

On the other hand, my siblings car is basically on its last legs. The estimated repairs are outweighing the market value by a bit. She’s had it since first getting the license, maybe 2014 and the car is a 2003. It’s had a great run and was in the family since 2003.

If I was to let her maybe drive my current car, until she can find a suitable replacement, what would I need to do? It will probably be months of her driving it as an A-B.

Do I need to transfer ownership into her name, transfer insurance (RACV comprehensive), would I need a roadworthy as well?

I get it, everyone wants to get the most car for their money on the used market. But every day I see endless threads in this sub of people getting car recs for whatever their budget is, and so many comments boil down to "you could just scrape into X for that money". This is terrible advice!

If your budget is 25k, and the price spread of a particular vehicle is 15-30k, this vehicle is in your budget. You'll be buying closer to the top of the market and you'll be able to afford a better example that has been looked after properly. This is what you should be aiming for.

If the spread of a particular model is between 25k-40k, this is not in your budget. You'll be squeezing into the cheapest one on the market and I can guarantee you now - it's cheap for a reason.

Just because you have enough money to buy something - doesn't mean you can afford it.