http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/
DCFF1E61857E1338CA25745900124E2A

SBS has finally announced the hosts for this year’s new Top Gear
Australia television series, the Antipodean spin-off of the BBC’s super-
successful motoring show headed by the irreverent Jeremy Clarkson.

Expatriate Aussie commentator Charlie Cox, cartoonist Warren Brown and
advanced driving instructor Steve Pizzati have been chosen from an
Australia-wide talent quest, which attracted a claimed 4000 applicants,
as the Australian show’s answer to Clarkson and co-hosts James May and
Richard Hammond, with “an Aussie cousin” for The Stig also being
confirmed.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,23782825-5014108,00.html

Police urge motorists to steer clear of GPS

GPS directions leave motorists stranded on off-road tracks
Police recommend using old-fashioned maps instead of GPS
Technology: More news and reviews in our tech section »

STATE police have urged motorists to use maps instead of GPS devices to avoid
being stranded on remote roads.

Police in Bright, Victoria, have reported at least two incidents where tourists
have followed GPS directions and found themselves stuck on four-wheel-drive
(4WD) tracks.

Most recently, a family with a young child used GPS to navigate the shortest
route home via Bright. The satellite navigation unit directed their sedan to a
4WD track in the Tea Tree Range, where they became stranded on a steep, wet
slope and had to contact police for assistance.

”Incidents like these use a lot of police resources and other agencies to find
and rescue motorists who are stuck on difficult tracks,” Senior Sergeant Doug
Incoll said.

Hey Gonz, can i ask what you drive? the bar is big for a reason mate its
called animals and the reason it sticks up above the bonnet is so they
dont come through the windscreen, BNS is the rural way of life, aerials
are designed to send the signal long distances.... carried on the utes
in the city to locate in the rectum of the odd annoying rice burner
owner... and talk about pedestrians, well it wasnt the bar that killed
em, it was the fact they got ihit by a 1.5 tonne car traveling at 50 k
.... i bet if you asked that bloke with the commie ute, what your car
looked like to him he'd probably say a useless riceburner?

All mother-outlaw jokes aside guys, I'd appreciate your input here.

OK two years back we got her out of her aging 1990 Pintara and into a slightly
used ('05) Corolla auto hatch, based on her available funds. She's 82 and we
figured this car would outlive her. Not so - last Sunday she managed to stack
it. She walked away with a scratch on her nose, presumably from the airbag.
Just got the call, insurance is writing it off, she'll be getting a payout of
~$17K.

Last time after shortlisting we tossed up between a new Getz or a slightly used
'rolla (as the new one was over-budget). By the time you upgraded the base Getz
with two extra doors, larger donk, auto, etc the difference was very small vs
the used Corolla, not sure what the current scenario is on that score. Wasn't
excited by Kia's offering either. Not at all sorry we went with the Toyota.

So what is she going to be able to get on-road for say 20 tops, four door, auto,
good rearward vision (through rear window), well-built and not with known
issues? All sensible suggestions will be explored. Thanks.

Anyone noticed the print-ads in all the motoring sections today (The
Age, SMH, Telegraph) for the new Mini? Looked closely?
For those who haven't, there's a photo of the car and it's surrounded
by a description of special features. You know the type; for example
trip computer, extra airbags, alloy wheels etc with lines running from
the words pointing to each special feature.
For the Mini ad we have.......
* see-through windscreen
* Fully functional fuel cap
* 6-speed transmission (that's 1 more than 5)
* Waterproof roof
* All four wheels included
* Pre-dried paint
* Moving mechanical bits inside [with a line pointing to the bonnet]

At the bottom is a giant star with the blurb "now with guaranteed
future value!"

Cute ;-D

most bullbars are fitted to vehicles to prevent animals strike, i myself
own a 5 poster, they are built stronger than ur average "LOOP" bars and
are high because the deflect the animal under the vehicle not through
the window, and yes i hav 4 aerials and 6lights and 8 sidemarker lamps
and is classed as a bns ute not only driven for show and work and it is
4wd, i also hold a truck license and i see people in sedan do the
stupidest things when im driving the truck, 5 posters or any type of
bullbars dont kill ppl, its the fact they got hit buy a 1.5 tonne car
travelling at 50k idiots!

Holden have a radio add on at the moment, where a young kid sings the
model range of the Holden Ute.
Since when did we have a HZee and a VZee ute?
In Oz isn't Z prounced Z not Zee?
Shame Holden Shame. Trying to Americanise us.

Bob

Some of the replies are pretty funny :-)

<http://www.audiforums.com/m_693578/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#693578>

Hey guys, I've got a 98 1.8T. I've had a k04 and chip for a while and
wanted to get more performance. I was recommended to port and polish
the intake and exhaust. We found out they used abrasive material to do
it like gritty sand. So I got with my friend that tunes Hondas and we
decided to try it ourselves. We got a bag of sandblasting sand and
hooked up into the intake and started the car. We had to hold the gas
so it would run. He wanted to let the engine suck in the sand through
the intake so it would port it out and then push it out the ehxaust so
it would port the exhaust manifold.

Dear Sylvia.

With the ever increasing petrol prices, I thought it pertinent to ask
you this question now.
I'm considering turning my car engine off at the traffic lights to
save petrol.
With an small to medium sized engine, how long does the engine need to
be turned off to save money? I remember being told some petrol is
wasted when starting an engine but I assume this is more relevant to
old carburetor models, particularly when the engine is cold rather
than late model EFI.

Kind Regards,
HLIII