The Audi S8 of 2006-2010 may not be the first choice of BMW M5 or Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG fanciers, but don’t underestimate its deeply interesting 5.2-litre V10 or the value of its quattro system when conditions are less than ideal. Audi S8, £10,995: And what a talking point that lump is. It’s closely related to the V10 in the Lamborghini Gallardo and, while it’s less powerful, with 444bhp to the Gallardo’s 552bhp, it’s just as torquey, although at half the revs (3000rpm). Other S8 talking points include the car’s aluminium body (reasonably dent resistant but difficult to repair if it gets a bad knock) and suspension. However, things to keep under wraps are a heroic thirst of around 20mpg, a firm ride and high servicing costs – cylinder 10’s spark plug in particular is expensively difficult to access. Our interest in this Audi flagship was prompted by a 2007/07 S8 with 93,000 miles that we found, advertised for £10,995. It’s finished in black and has been serviced every 10,000 miles, although we’d want to scrutinise every invoice to establish exactly what was done. It’s had two previous keepers, the last one its custodian for the past six years. The car is for sale at a dealer with a 12-month MOT. We’re a risk-averse bunch so we’d check the engine for leaks from the cam covers and oil pump, and that the six-speed Tiptronic ’box performs smoothly. Turning to the suspension and brakes, any noises from the front end would have us running for the hills – it could mean replacement of whole suspension arms is needed. Worn brake discs are super-expensive to replace and we’d want to be sure there are no issues with the electronic parking brake. The size of a Land Cruiser but with two doors plus a couple of miniature suicide ones, and powered by a 4.0 V6 with 239bhp, the FJ is an uncompromising beast with a spacious cabin that’s full of details. This ’02 car has done 114,000 miles. Some say the 309 GTi’s stiffer body gave it the edge over the 205. With the numbers of both falling like a lift, it no longer matters. This 1991 309 has 150,000 miles but, says the seller, it runs sweetly. Seats and door cards have just been restored, too. Not pretty in its day but by Jove this one-owner XM estate, with 26,000 miles and a full history, looks the business now. It’s had its suspension spheres and LHM fluid replaced and has no rust, dents, scratches or tears. The velour seats are fully electric. For sale at a Ford dealer, this old Model T is fresh from a restoration at a motor museum. It’s authentic in every detail but has a few mod cons including a push-button start for those times when turning the crank handle seems like too much effort. Auction watch Never mind that this Bluebird made £4000 at auction, has done just 86,000 miles, is over 30 years old (it was registered in 1988) and has one owner in the logbook; more remarkable is that it survived the 2009 scrappage scheme. You’d have thought such an unloved repmobile would have been ripe for the crusher but no, some free spirit had the sense to save it. Its 1.8 turbo engine makes 135bhp and is good for 0-62mph in 8.6sec, and being in Executive spec it has leather, air-con and a radio – in 1988, all sought-after options on more expensive cars. Future classic For a time it looked like the prices of Saab’s big saloon were stabilising, but it was an illusion and now they’re entering the basement. This £3600 SE is a 2010 car with 112,000 miles on the clock and a recent full brake and cambelt service. At the other end of the spectrum, prices peak at around £10,000 for a 2011 TiD with 46,000 miles. However, we’d prefer to put our money in one of the rarer petrols, such as the 2010 2.8 T Aero XWD with 98,000 miles we saw for £7650 (new price £37,795). Clash of the classifieds Brief: Find me the best Q-car for under £5000. 2004 Audi S4 Cabriolet, £4995 2002 Jaguar S-Type V8 R, £4995 Mark Pearson: We’d nearly given up on the dear old S-Type when this humdinger came along, with an Eaton-supercharged 4.2-litre V8 making near enough 400bhp and 0-60mph in 5.3sec. Rock and roll! It’s the perfect Q-car, unlike your, what is it, an Audi A4 convertible? Max Adams: Have you seen the grille on the S-Type? Subtle it is not! Unlike my gloriously understated Audi that also packs a 4.2-litre V8 with 344bhp on tap. MP: Only 344bhp? Why so low? Has it got a fault? I’m surprised it can push that heavyweight drop-top along at all. Mine can carry five fast and in discreet luxury. Wood and leather, old boy… MA: Wood and leather won’t make a car fast; if anything, your luxo-barge will weigh more than my stealthy convertible. MP: So it should, it’s built to impress. Luckily, the S-Type R has got more than enough shove to make life fun – you can hang the tail out and everything. I can’t imagine that Audi’s much fun. MA: Your argument hinges on sliding the tail out? That’s not the fastest way round a corner, so I
Origin: Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 2 August
them
The Corvette C8 will never get a manual because no one buys them: engineer
The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8Chevrolet The C8 Corvette is changing the game in a lot of ways for Chevrolet: it is, of course, the first mid-engined sports car its ever built. And weve now learned it is, unfortunately, the brands first sports car to forego a staple of the segment: the manual transmission.In a conversation with Motor Authority at the cars reveal, lead engineer Tadge Juechter simply said No when asked if the manual transmission would make an appearance in the C8.We couldnt find anybody honestly whod be willing to do it. Because just like the automatic, the DCT, it would have to be a bespoke manual, Juechter said.Its low volume, very expensive. The reason is its a low-volume industry. That industry is dying building manual transmissions.The numbers have changed vastly from when the Corvette first appeared on the scene, he said; now only 15 per cent of Corvette buyers choose the manual. Every year it goes down, down, down, down, Juechter lamented. Ouch. So not only will people not buy them, Chevrolet cant even get anybody to build them one at a decent cost, but it makes sense considering the requirements the C8 had for a transmission.According to Jeuchter, there isnt much room behind the driver to fit the engine, let alone the transmission, so it had to be compact. The engine is already dry-sumped to give it a small oil pan, and all the cooling devices associated with the engine also needed a place to go. Also, there had to be a place for the owners golf clubs, and thats more important than any performance options.Making the engine anything but an automatic posed too many problems for the team, so the manual was not even considered, marking the end of the row-your-own Corvette. Will you miss
Origin: The Corvette C8 will never get a manual because no one buys them: engineer
Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 12 July
Eleven years since it was launched, the Scirocco’s concept car looks have served it well. Production stopped at the end of 2017, although there are some 2018/18-reg cars around. It was facelifted in 2014, when it gained new lights, restyled bumpers and uprated engines. However, at heart, it remained the Golf Mk5 that it was based on, a model launched way back in 2004. You can feel that relationship in the crashy ride of more extreme Sciroccos and see it in the cliff-like dashboard. The long doors weigh a tonne, too, although strong catches ensure they don’t swing uncontrollably into adjacent cars. If they did, the other motor would come off worse. The Scirocco’s steel is that strong. There are loads for sale at all ages, mileages and prices. We went mid-market and found a 2009/09-reg 2.0 TSI GT, the 198bhp version, with 70,000 miles. It’s a manual rather than the DSG automatic. There are claims that the auto gearbox was a little troublesome and that it was only from 2012 that VW truly sorted it. That said, fitted with paddle shifters, it’s quick and hugely entertaining. One trick when checking out a 2.0 TSI is to remove the dipstick while the engine’s running. If the motor stutters, all’s well, but if it runs on smoothly, there may be a problem with the crankcase ventilation system. Checking that second gear engages smoothly is another. Misfires may be the coil packs playing up but they’re inexpensive. Our find has full service history and only two previous keepers. Finished in sparkling white, it looks good – if you can live with its tan leather interior. This S60 saloon, a 2018/18-reg with 7000 miles, is less than half the price it was new, when it cost £37,050. R-Design Lux Nav is loaded with kit and the D4 diesel engine is economical. If you can stand its plodding handling, it’s a decent buy. Unlike the ugly ducking, Suzuki’s stubby-booted, two-seat T-top never turned into a swan but it was at least fun and stood out from the crowd. This 60k-mile 1997/R-reg has a new battery, cambelt and exhaust. Marcos Mantula, £13,600: The Mantula was one of the better-looking products of the UK’s specialist car makers. This 1986 one uses a 3.5-litre Rover V8 and has done 28k miles. Its history folder is 5in thick. The car has new suspension and has been kept in a dehumidified garage. A new Mercedes S350d AMG Line or this 52k-mile 2011/11-reg Ghost with full service history and stacks of extras, including a panoramic roof and 360deg cameras? It has just been wrapped, though, which raises a few questions, chief among them ‘why?’. Auction watch At launch in 1994, the original four-wheel-drive RAV4 3dr thrilled car buyers with its secure handling and strong performance. Sadly, subsequent generations of the model porked out and the moment passed. Fortunately, you can relive those happy days from £500 for a 1995 M-reg with 146k miles and a new MOT. Meanwhile, someone was feeling a little more flush when they bid £1100 for this tidy 1997 R-reg 2.0 with 89,000 miles. It’s in Stax trim, a special edition. The RAV4 was never short of creative trim names, others being Heat, Reebok, Max and Giant. Get it while you can As the Octavia’s replacement draws near, pre-reg vRS Challenges are appearing at low prices. We found a 2019/19-reg DSG with one mile for £24,733, or, as the main dealer’s advertisement claims, £6437 less than new. It needs to be that cheap, though, because as this was written, Skoda was supporting sales of new Octavias with an additional £1000 discount, a £2500 finance deposit contribution and cheap servicing. Clash of the classifieds Brief: Find me a car that depreciates slowly for less than £20,000, please. The task John has set is to find a slow depreciator, but I think I’ve found something that could be on the cusp of actually going up in value. The 928 is one of those Porsches that has yet to find the classic car spotlight, but it will, because this was a revolutionary car when it arrived: it was the European Car of the Year winner in 1978. This example has the fantastic Pascha inserts in the seats, air conditioning, cruise control, pop-up headlights and only 74,000 miles showing on the clock. Buy one now for just £16,928 and watch as prices rise. Max Adams Usually praised more for its agility than its durability, the noble Elise has enlivened our roads for more than 20 years, but this lightweight sporting paragon – so light that without a human sitting in it, it’s in danger of floating off – is rock solid in one very important area: residual values. A regular topper of polls to find the slowest depreciators, an Elise bought now will probably be worth more when you come to sell it. No wonder: nothing else is as immediate, as responsive or as much fun to drive. This original example has been well cared for and comes with a minimal mileage. Mark Pearson Verdict: It’s a close call but the 928’s time has finally
Origin: Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 12 July
Why some Japanese people are renting cars — but not driving them
General Motors’ new car-sharing service, Maven, will provide customers access to highly personalized, on-demand mobility services. A reported pilot program could extend that service to include vehicles owned by customers. At first it was confusing. Orix Auto Corp, a car-sharing company in Japan with around 230,000 registered users, discovered a portion of its rented vehicles had “traveled no distance,” meaning those who’d paid to use them hadn’t actually driven anywhere. As it happens, Orix wasn’t the only company to have noticed the trend, reports Japanese national newspaper The Asahi Shimbun. A leading provider in the car-sharing space called Times24 Co. (1.2 million users) also noted a lack of miles being added in some instances. So it did a survey of its customers and found some interesting answers to the question ‘What were you doing in that rental car if not driving?’ One person said they’d used the cars to store bags and other items when local coin-operated lockers weren’t available. Another said they’d paid for cars to nap or work in. “Usually the only place I can take a nap while visiting my clients is a cybercafe in front of the station, but renting a car to sleep in is just a few hundred yen (a few dollars), almost the same as staying in the cybercafe,” said one survey respondent. Following the earthquake that devastated parts of Japan in 2011, some cars were used as charging points for cell phones. Another survey responder just wanted a place to eat. ”I rented a car to eat a boxed meal that I bought at a convenience store because I couldn’t find anywhere else to have lunch,” said the 31-year-old man who definitely also needs a hug. With car-sharing rental prices starting under $5 for thirty minutes of use, and bookings made instantly through apps, it’s easy to see how we got here. Makes one wonder: is this happening in Canada’s cities, too? If you’ve used car-sharing for something other than driving, we want to hear about it in the
Origin: Why some Japanese people are renting cars — but not driving them
Almost 100,000 Jeeps recalled over defect that could shift them to neutral
Fiat Chrysler is recalling 10,485 Jeep Cherokee SUVs in Canada because the transmission could accidentally shift into neutral while driving, keeping the vehicle from moving forward.Including Jeeps sold in the U.S., some 91,650 vehicles are affected, specifically Cherokees from the 2014 model year equipped with the 3.2-litre V6.On affected vehicles, a stuck valve in the transmission valve body can keep the clutch from deactivating, which may shift them into neutral while moving and cause an abrupt stop, increasing the risk of a crash.Fiat Chrysler hasnt outlined a specific fix yet for the issue, but nevertheless expects to begin the recall early August. No crashes or injuries associated with the issue have been
Origin: Almost 100,000 Jeeps recalled over defect that could shift them to neutral
Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 5 July
With looks inspired by the Vision SLR concept unveiled at the 1999 Detroit motor show and a galvanised body guaranteed to prevent the rust that corroded Mercedes’ reputation throughout the 1990s, an SLK R171 is a great second-hand buy. It was launched in 2004, facelifted in 2008 and expired in 2010 – long enough, then, to generate a fair quantity of motors ranging in price from around £2500 for an early SLK 200 to £11,000 for a late-plate 300. Feeling flush? Tidy – and potent – SLK 55s start at around £12,500 and go to £20,000 for a 2009-reg. Our choice would be a 2008 facelifted model (it gained a new nose and rear end plus more than 650 other new parts, including a new instrument cluster). Given the SLK isn’t the last word in performance and handling, we’d save our money for something undemanding such as the SLK 200 auto we found. Registered in 2008 and with 63,000 miles, it has a full history, black leather trim, silver paint and the essential Airscarf neck warmer. All good so far, but we’d be keen to check the timing chain is quiet from cold and that the auto ’box shifts smoothly, especially into reverse. A quick spin around the block should tell us how the front and rear antiroll bars are behaving (the bushes are a weak spot), while a poke about underneath will give us a chance to check no springs are broken. While there, we’ll check the rear subframe for corrosion. Finally, to the SLK’s party trick: its folding roof. It’s sure to work but lack of use can allow dust to clog the microswitches. Now you wouldn’t want that, would you? One of our number still pines after the 405 2.0 GLX he once had. This 1995-registered 1.8 has a year’s MOT and only 60,000 miles. The 405 was a classy repmobile that was also fun to drive. A casualty of its success was the larger and similar-looking 605. A B3 Coupé is still a handsome beast worthy of inspection. This 2.3-litre example has just 134bhp, but marvel at the rust-free galvanised body and the overall impression of solidity after 90,000 miles – and wonder how you’ll see over that sky-high belt line. Reliant SS1 T1, £2450: Not the prettiest thing, but the SS1, launched in 1984, deserved to do better. There are a few naturally aspirated 1.6s around, but we found a tidy 1988 1.8 turbo (it’s a Nissan Silvia engine) with 43,000 miles. It’s a daily driver, too, apparently. Here’s an interesting Q-car – a sort of Focus GT launched in 2011 whose 179bhp 1.6 turbo motor would find its way into the Fiesta ST two years later. We’ll let you have first dibs on this 2012-reg, 90,000-mile alternative take on the Focus. Auction watch ‘A bargain basement entry into Lotus ownership,’ gushes the sales catalogue for this 1990 Lotus Excel. It could have added ‘tough and reliable’, given that some major parts came from Toyota, at the time a shareholder in Lotus. The Excel also had a galvanised steel backbone chassis to complement its glassfibre body panels. Corrosion and breakdowns were licked, then, while performance was covered by a 160bhp 2.2-litre engine good for 0-60mph in 7.1sec. Handling and ride came courtesy of Lotus’s expertise. At £5265, it’s a bargain. Get it while you can News that the current XJ is no more will have bargain hunters flocking to see what pre-reg pickings can be snaffled. We found a 2019/19-reg 3.0 diesel Portfolio with 100 miles on the clock. The ad says it’s a dealer demo, but it can’t have been busy… Still, it’s specced to the eyeballs, taking the OTR price from £72,620 to £79,924 with options. To get it off their hands, the dealer is now offering it for £43,400 – a discount of almost £36,000. Clash of the classifieds Brief: Find me a comfortable car for £12k. The original, wonderfully iconoclastic LS 400 took the luxury limo world by storm, and all of its good qualities were carried over to the 600h hybrid version. It was magnificently comfortable, with a pillow-soft ride and a sybaritic interior that could teach Britain’s luxury car makers a thing or two. Immense build quality, too. This one is Presidential spec with a rear comfort pack, below-average miles and a full Lexus history. It’ll be cheap to tax, and if you get tired of wafting it’ll lift up its skirts and sprint from 0-60mph in just six seconds. Mark Pearson I admire Mark going down the ‘self-charging hybrid’ route, and it’s true that silent motoring is pretty relaxing. But so too is a super-smooth and virtually silent V12, which is what you’ll find stuffed under the bonnet of my S-Class. Okay, it’s not a Zonda engine, but there’s still 367bhp to play with, and because it has only covered 45,000 miles, it’s barely run in. What’s more, the S-Class has a better image and a nicer cabin to relax in, with electrically reclining rear seats – just like the LS. The only difference here is that they do so for around £4000 less than the price of Mark’s Lexus. Bargain. Max Evans Verdict: The Mercedes is so tempting, but the LS’s Presidential spec
Origin: Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 5 July
Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 28 June
, £2208: Workaday estates with four-wheel drive and a punchy motor are always fun – such as this 113,000-mile V50 T5 of 2004. It uses a detuned version of the turbo five-pot in the Ford Focus ST and shares that car’s chassis, so it handles well but is brisk, not quick. Seeing a motor described as the seller’s everyday car is always reassuring, which is how this 100,000-mile 1997 Brooklands caught our eye. It has full service history plus new brake spheres and reconditioned brake pumps. Who needs a pretty face when you’re as practical as a Rodius? The seven-seat MPV is that rare breed: a people-carrier with space for people. All seats swivel, slide, fold and come out. This example is a 2006-reg car with 77,000 miles. Yes, it has a rock-hard ride and visibility is woeful but the DS5 of 2012-15 is such a good-looking thing that we forgive it. Even this luxury-focused Style version looks genuinely sporty. It’s a 2013-reg model that has done 90,000 miles Auction watch Just 2000 of these roof, door and windscreen-less Smart Fortwos, launched as a concept at the 2001 Geneva motor show, were made. Tuned by Brabus, the special edition’s uprated 600cc motor produced 70bhp, ample in a car weighing 740kg. This one, number 0063 with 4600 miles on the clock, achieved £12,880 at auction, or around half what it cost new. Singer Robbie Williams owned a Crossblade for a while. He took delivery of his car, numbered 0008, in 2002 and called it “innovative and unconventional”, but by 2007, it was being advertised for sale at £14,995. Get it while you can As Autocar reported recently, a revamped F-Type is on the cards for next year. Judging by the generous deals available on the current model, it can’t come soon enough. You can get £2600 off the price of a brand-new, entry-level 2.0-litre coupé for cash, or a whopping £5800 if you take out finance. Alternatively, try your luck with a pre-reg such as the 2019/19-reg example with 100 miles on the clock that we found. It’s priced at £42,329 from a Jaguar dealer – around £10,000 less than it cost new. Clash of the classifieds Brief: Find me a performance diesel saloon for £10,000, please. If we’re talking about quick diesel saloon cars, then you’ll want power, efficiency and plenty of top tech; so I present to you the BMW 3 Series. I’ve specifically gone for the mighty 330d with a 245bhp 3.0-litre straight six diesel engine because it covers 0-60mph in 6.2sec, does 155mph and is still capable of high-40s to the gallon. The example here is a 2011 car with a full BMW service history and it comes loaded with leather, the professional media iDrive system and heated sports seats with adjustable thigh support in the front. The price? A mere snip at £8995. Max Adams Really pleasing diesel cars are few and far between but there’s no doubting the indomitable S-Class – the truly, deeply and unbelievably wafty S-Class, the best all-round car in the real world and the default luxury limo for the well-heeled. This purveyor of high-class motoring is at once great to drive and wonderfully comfortable to travel in. Despite such outstanding refinement, this 255bhp saloon has to be reined in to 155mph and its combined fuel consumption figure is a meritorious 46mpg. To top it all, this is a 2011 car with a barely run-in 78,000 miles on the clock, and it’s in immaculate condition. Mark Pearson Verdict: The big S goes straight to the top of the
Origin: Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 28 June
Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 21 June
You can say what you like – dozy recirculating ball steering, awkward looks – but a Chrysler Crossfire will always be an intriguing old thing. But why would anyone have chosen to buy one over its close relative, Mercedes-Benz’s Mk1 SLK R170, back when it was launched in 2003? Chrysler Crossfire, £5999: Possibly because as the Chrysler came on stream, that version of the SLK was being replaced by the more expensive Mk2, with its longer-lasting galvanised body. The Crossfire convertible was prettier than the coupé and looks best in red. We found just such a car, a 2006-reg manual with 82,000 miles and eight stamps in the service book. It has a black and cream leather interior with smart alloy facings on the dashboard and centre console. This regular Crossfire is powered by a 3.2-litre V6 that makes 215bhp and helps the car from 0-62mph in 6.4sec. The sportier SRT-6 auto, with the same basic engine but supercharged and tweaked by AMG, gets 330bhp for the same sprint in a frankly unbelievable 4.8sec. This version is rare, although we did happen across a tidy 2006 example with 37,000 miles for £10,500. So what to look for when perusing a standard 3.2? Rust, for a start. If the car’s been parked outside for most of its life, it’ll be there somewhere. Also check that the engine isn’t due a major service, which includes 12 new spark plugs and eight litres of oil. On the test drive, feel for propshaft trembles between 30 and 70mph (hopefully it’s just the rubber doughnut coupling) and check the active spoiler works. Finally, damp carpets point to poor roof seals, while water in the boot will likely knock out the central locking module. Mad four-wheel-drive repmobile launched in 2004 with a turbocharged 2.3 petrol motor making 256bhp. They’re rare, but we found a 2006 example with 99,000 miles and full service history. Old Audi estates still have the power to impress and most impressive of all are the jacked-up A6 Allroads. Interiors are rock-solid and that 3.0-litre TDI engine comes with 332lb ft up its sleeve. This 2007-reg example has done 130,000 miles. Midas Gold convertible, £2495: The Gold embodies the qualities of lightness and a low centre of gravity that are still prized today. The Metrobased Midas kit launched in 1989 for £4500, making this one, based on a 1985 Metro, a bargain. It’s for sale at the Titty Ho Motor Company In the wake of our CLK 55 buying guide, here’s its sister car, the limited-edition DTM, launched in 2004 costing £235,000. This 2006-reg example, one of only 40 right-hookers, has just 9000 miles under its boots. Auction watch Is there a prettier small car than the Ford Racing Puma 1.7? It was limited to 500 copies and cost more than £23,000 new in 2000, but this 75,000- mile example went under the hammer at £8800. Compare that with the £13,000 and upwards sellers tend to be asking. It wasn’t tatty, either. There were 11 stamps in the service book (fingers crossed the exposed brake pistons were cleaned each time), while a recent MOT had no advisories. It also had a new timing belt at 74,000 miles, and its ‘FRP’ registration was even included in the sale. Get it while you can Not a huge saving here, but all the same it’s interesting that it’s on a model as new as the RAV4, and this one a 2019/19-reg with 1600 miles. There are others, too. The thing is, you can bet that if you’re shopping for a new one, you’ll be told discounts are next to zero. Indeed, under current offers, there’s not even a PCP deposit contribution from Toyota. So buying this nearly new one will save you a bit of cash, and it still has most of its five-year warranty. Clash of the classifieds Brief: Find a charming Brit classic for £5k. MG MGB convertible, £5000: Nothing says ‘charming British classic’ like a rorty little sports car, and perhaps the most popular example of that is the MGB. More than 500,000 were produced over the model’s 18-year production run and, because of that, there’s a huge following behind it. It also helps that the aftermarket support for the MGB is really good, so owning one should be a doddle. This 1972 example has only 53,000 miles on it and, aside from a colour change, it’s in original condition. What’s more, it’s sporting plenty of chrome and has natty leather seats and a wooden dashboard. How charming is that? Max Adams Reliant Scimitar SS1, £4499: Michelotti was a brilliant car designer but there are some who have expressed doubts about the styling of the SS1. Pourquoi? It’s a cute, small, glassfibre-bodied open-top roadster in the best British traditions, and it comes with the double blessing of all-round independent suspension and also of looking like nothing else on the roads. It can shift, too, thanks to the 1.8-litre turbocharged Nissan four-pot under the bonnet. This one is much modified in engine and chassis, but even the standard car could see off the 0-60mph sprint in 6.7sec. Go on, tell me you’re not a little bit
Origin: Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 21 June
Ontario government eyes raising driving fees months after freezing them
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pictured during a photo opportunity with New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs at the Ontario Legislature in Toronto on Wednesday May 22, 2019.Chris Young / Canadian Press Less than a year after freezing driver and vehicle fees in Ontario, the Progressive Conservative government is considering raising them again, while bracing for a negative reaction.In a proposal quietly posted to a regulatory registry for public comment, the government says it is seeking to introduce annual fee increases of two per cent across the board for various driver, vehicle and carrier products and services.These moderate fee increases will allow the government to continue delivering services and move towards full cost recovery without increasing taxes for all Ontarians, said the posting.Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek said Wednesday that he is looking at implementing predictable increases, after the previous Liberal government introduced multiple increases per year at larger amounts.We are looking to see how we can attain that cost recovery model, but in a way that reflects peoples ability to pay and were going to try to tie it to inflation, but as I said, no decisions have been made and I look forward to peoples responses on that, he said.The posting on the regulatory registry was up for just five days and removed on Monday. Only two comments were received, the ministry said.The fee increases would start July 1 and continue for five years, under the proposal.It is anticipated there will be a neutral to negative reaction from drivers, vehicle owners and commercial carriers, with the impact on drivers and vehicle owners estimated to be low as proposed increases are minimal and will be spread over a five-year planning horizon, the proposal says.The government froze some driver fees last August, cancelling increases that had been set for the following month, leaving the fee for a new drivers licence, for example, at $90 instead of $97.People are fed up with paying more and more every time they need to renew their licence or take a driving test, Premier Doug Ford said in a statement at the time.Later, the government also cancelled increases for some passenger, commercial and farm vehicle and driver fees that were set to take effect Jan. 1, 2019. Interim Liberal leader John Fraser said the government is saying one thing and doing another.The Ford government made a big deal about not raising license fees and now theyve done this quietly, hoping no one would notice, he said in a statement.The Ford government has put themselves in a very tight fiscal box. Theyve reduced their revenues through tax cuts for the rich and corporations as well as ending cap and trade. When revenue is reduced, it limits your
Origin: Ontario government eyes raising driving fees months after freezing them
Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 14 June
: Wrapped (as in vinyl and not around a tree) CLSs like this one really look the business. It’s a 2007/57-reg car with 117,000 miles and dressed to look like a 55 AMG right down to its boot badges, quad pipes and interior. You wonder why anyone would go to the trouble, except that, being a 2007-reg 500, it has the later 382bhp 5.5 V8 under its bonnet for 0-62mph in a near-AMG-rivalling 5.4sec. (The 470bhp 55 AMG cracks it in 4.7sec.) It went into the ring with a bundle of workshop receipts, although there’s no mention of them adding up to full service history. The hammer fell at £7504. Get it while you can Last month, Autocar reported the recent fall in registrations of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs); a result of the government’s decision to withdraw its PHEV grant, as well as supply difficulties caused by WLTP testing. It’s an issue that could be coming home to roost in the form of lower prices for certain nearly new and pre-reg PHEVs. We came across a 2019/19-reg BMW 530e M Sport auto with 3000 miles for £32,850, or £17,000 less than the new, on-the-road price. That’s some reduction on a model as efficient as this. Clash of the classifieds Brief: Please find me a surf dude’s motor for £1000. Jeep Cherokee, £999: Surfer dudes need something that’s good on sand, so four-wheel drive is a must, and you’ll also need a strong and robust diesel engine to get you out of trouble if you get stuck in a rising tide. You’ll also need a fairly high driving position, so you can see round those high-hedged Cornish lanes, five doors for easy egress and a capacious and easily cleanable interior for your boards and wet suits. This Jeep’s got a relatively low mileage and a service history. I love it, don’t you? It makes me feel slightly tingly… Mark Pearson Citroen Berlingo, £950: Back in the day, California surfer types rocked around in Volkswagen Kombis because they were simple and cheap to run and had wipe-down interiors. Today, I’d argue, the modern equivalent is a Citroën Berlingo. Its van-based mechanicals are tough, you should be able to get nearly 40mpg from this 1.6-litre petrol example and the rugged interior needs only five minutes with a broom, even if half of Newquay beach ends up in it. For a mere £950, I can’t think of a finer low-cost board carrier. It even comes with two fresh tyres and recent MOT. Max Adams Verdict: If I can’t have a Vee-Dub, that Jeep will do
Origin: Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 14 June
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