280CE sticking ignition key

I had a problem with the 280CE sticking ignition key. This can turn into a real problem as the way to change the tumbler requires you to be able to move it, so if you cannot, then you end up having to take drastic measures to remove it. It is much better to replace it while it can still move.

You have two options to replace – you can buy a tumbler from Mercedes that has the same keys as the doors and the original tumbler. This an be ordered from the dealer with the data card. Or you can […]

2014 French Car Day

Today was the 2014 French car day. Like last year, the event is put on by the French car clubs in Sydney, i.e. Peugeot, Renault, Simca etc. It was a lovely day and a good turnout – especially of DS including a few cars I had not yet seen in the club. A couple of cars in particular:

– A yellow D Special that was for sale not long after my car and was purchased by a club member and subject to a well documented restoration on Aussiefrogs.

– A red Safari that was purchased in bits a few […]

Scrapping an E39 BMW

My brother has been removing items from the interior of the E39 BMW before it goes off to become beer cans. Scrap dealers only offer a few hundred dollars, so this can be a good way of making a bit more from the wreck.

The black leather front seats will make great chairs in the house too!

Rigid passenger safety cell at work

These photos are a good example of how the Rigid passenger safety cell works. You can see how the front of the car has crumpled, the bonnet is crumpled, both front wings are crumpled – as they are all designed to. However, the passenger cabin is still intact, all four doors open and close properly and there are no intrusions into the passenger space.

A good example of the reason you would buy a well engineered car. This was the BMW 523i I reviewed about 9 months ago, and it hit another car on the freeway yesterday. It is […]

Car manufacturers influence proposed NSW car registration changes?

NSW already has the most expensive car registration in the country, with no change from $1,000 to register the typical car – and that is just the Greenslip, Registration fees and other Government taxes.

NSW also has a particularly useless conditional registration scheme, whereby collector cars can go on ‘club’ plates and be used only for club events. Great if you are able to make a lot of club events, but not so great if you have to work a lot, or have a young family and want to drive your car when you can.

Now they are at it […]