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The Datsun 240Z got a lot of things right when it was introduced, with handsome styling, strong performance and a reasonably affordable price. And while the coupes grew a strong fan base in North America, they remained quite a rarity in the UK. Decades later, a father and son in England have latched onto the car and bonded over their shared love for two completely opposite takes on this Japanese GT

There’s already quite a collection of exotics in Mel Streek’s garage, and his rat rod 240Z, which he calls the Ratsun, definitely doesn’t fit with the rest. On the outside, the Datsun looks ready to fall apart, but it’s mechanically perfect underneath. Alternatively, Mel’s son, Ollie, has a completely different take for his Z with its perfect, shining paint.

Both Zs sound amazing, though. They have a mechanical, somewhat coarse exhaust note that’s intoxicating to hear. You can definitely tell there’s some work going on under the hood. Check out this video from Petrolicious for a father and son who both find something to love in these classic Japanese coupes.

Continue reading This father and son duo terrorize the UK countryside in Datsun 240Z pair

This father and son duo terrorize the UK countryside in Datsun 240Z pair originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 12 Nov 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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South Korean buyers hoping to stomp on the throttle to hear the thundering V8 of the Chevrolet C7 Corvette have reason to be a little depressed, it seems. The South Korean government has no interest in hearing the ‘Vettes angry growl. We’re afraid it’s just too darn loud.

“The launch of the seventh-generation Corvette is being delayed indefinitely due to Korea’s regulation on automobile noise,” said Chevrolet Korea CEO Sergio Rocha during a recent media conference, according to GM Authority.

Of course, Chevy could probably find some way to adjust the C7 to quiet it down its yell to meet the regulations, but there isn’t much financial incentive to do so. According to Rocha, there are only around 12 Corvettes imported into South Korea per year. It’s just not worth the investment to make sure a dozen people can enjoy the V8’s bark. Too bad, it’s a glorious wail…

Continue reading Korea may bar new Corvette because it’s TOO LOUD

Korea may bar new Corvette because it’s TOO LOUD originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 12 Nov 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There are plenty of lists on which consumers love to see their vehicles, but the list of Most Stolen Cars is not one of them. Each year, automobile thefts costs Canadians close to $1 billion, and worst of all, this will lead to higher insurance premiums on the cars targeted by thieves.

To protect yourself from having your vehicle stolen, experts recommend using common sense when parking your car, equipping your vehicle with an alarm and immobilizing device and using your garage whenever possible. Vigilance and public awareness are also important a major way to curb car theft.

Click here to view the full list of the Most Stolen Cars in Canada, as we’ve included the Most Frequently Stolen Crossovers / SUVs and the Top 10 Most Stolen Sports Cars too. Find out if your car made the list.

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Most stolen cars in Canada originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 12 Nov 2014 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Every industry develops its own slang – mastering it brings people together as part of a group and makes communication harder for outsiders to understand. Given the less-than-sterling reputation that car salesmen have among many consumers, it should be no surprise that they also have their own insider jargon. Much of the lingo is now finally coming to light in one place thanks to an Ohio lawyer specializing in ‘lemon law’ cases who keeps a dictionary of the terms on his website.

According to Automotive News, the list is the ongoing project of lawyer Ronald Burdge from Dayton, OH. The dictionary reportedly started about 15 years ago when Burdge obtained it from a dealer’s employees as part of a lawsuit. Since then, he’s kept it up to date.

The lexicon varies from commonly understood and innocuous terms, including “low ball” and “tire kicker.” Beater, iron, sled and toad are all words for a worthless old jalopy.

However, Burdge also lists jargon for some lesser-known and often very unscrupulous acts. For example, the “five-finger close” happens when a sales manager hides a portion of a document with a hand to keep the buyer from noticing that the final numbers aren’t as discussed. The move is somewhat related to “sealing the customer,” which involves putting signed papers in a sealed or even stapled envelope as a way to hide things from buyers. There’s also the “high penny roll” where the finance computers increase payment amounts to a higher number without changing it by a full dollar to keep consumers from catching on.

Not everything is quite so negative, though. For example, most buyers might want to be known as want a “chiseler” – someone who is a hard negotiator. And one of the best terms on the list is a “gold balls” – a person with a high down payment and good credit. The whole dictionary goes into even deeper detail and is definitely worth browsing, even just for a laugh.

Continue reading Car dealer lingo dictionary is filled with gold balls and green peas

Car dealer lingo dictionary is filled with gold balls and green peas originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Fri, 07 Nov 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s that time of year again and the emails and messages are flooding in from all our readers about winter tires, all-season tires, all-weather tires, studded tires, tire chains, and the laws about using them in each respective province. You may remember an article we put out a few years ago addressing some of these questions in Canada, but we figure it’s time for a quick refresher to notify you of the changes and updates to winter tire laws in your particular province (or territory).

It’s no secret we’re a huge proponent for the use of winter or snow tires in any province (save for you British Columbia lower mainland types that escape much of winter’s wrath), and regardless of the law’s requirements, we strongly urge you to still consider spending the extra money on a good set of winter tires. The peace of mind and the added safety and control is priceless, plus we’ve even outlined how to find the best deal on winter tires to suit your budget.

Click here to find out the winter tire laws near you, as we break down the current laws province by province, in alphabetical order. When referring to winter tires, we mean tires that meet all the performance requirements for snow traction and cold weather performance, according to Transport Canada. If unsure on your tires, look for this snowflake symbol on the sidewall to indicate they’re winter rated tires… READ MORE

Continue reading Winter and snow tire laws in Canada – Do you need them or are all-seasons fine?

Winter and snow tire laws in Canada – Do you need them or are all-seasons fine? originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Tue, 04 Nov 2014 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Electric, Luxury, Car Buying, Tesla, Sedan, Ownership and Repair

Lower Lease Cost Applies Even If You Keep The EV

Tesla Motors is offering an enticing deal for potential buyers who might not be entirely sure whether they actually want to own a Model S for the long term. A deal through US Bank not only lowers the cost to lease the EV but also turns leasing the brand’s electric sedan into a long-term rental.

Curious buyers who lease a Model S are now able to return it in the first three months with no penalties and with the remaining payments waived, something Tesla is calling the “happiness guarantee.” CEO Elon Musk announced the deal on the company’s blog, and he said the payments were also as much as 25 per cent lower because US Bank “has a much lower cost of capital than us.” Tesla leasing is available in 38 US states (full list below). Canada isn’t on the list yet. Contact your Local Canadian Tesla dealer for any questions.

Of course, there is a catch for the offer. If people turn in their Model S within three months, they can’t immediately lease another one. Musk doesn’t say how long the wait is.

The new leasing deal isn’t a solution for those owners who want their Model S to always have the latest and greatest features. However, for folks who are on the fence about one of these electric, luxury sedans, the offer might prove too enticing to pass up. Of course, Tesla has a history of announcing lease details only to change them later, so we’re not sure how long this deal will last or if it’ll get better in a month.

Continue reading Tesla lowers Model S lease price, adds 3-month ‘happiness guarantee’

Tesla lowers Model S lease price, adds 3-month ‘happiness guarantee’ originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Thu, 30 Oct 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Audi, Car Buying, Buick, Honda, Kia, Lincoln, Mazda, Porsche, Scion, Subaru, Toyota, Ownership and Repair

Lexus And Toyota Continue Up Top, Lincoln Most Improved, Infiniti Loses Out

The Consumer Reports Annual Auto Reliability Survey (right) is out, and the top two spots look much the same as last year’s list with Lexus and Toyota in first and second place, respectively. However, there are some major shakeups for 2014, with Acura plunging eight spots from third in 2013 to 11th this year, and Mazda replaces it on the lowest step of the podium. Honda and Audi round out the top five. This year’s list includes six Japanese brands in the top 10, two Europeans, one America and one Korean.

Acura isn’t the only one taking a tumble, though. Infiniti is the biggest loser this year by dropping 14 spots to 20th place. Other big losses come from Mercedes-Benz with an 11-place fall to 24th, and GMC, which declines 10 positions to 19th.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s not traditional mechanical bugs hauling down these automaker’s reliability scores. Instead, pesky problems with infotainment systems are taking a series toll on the rankings. According to Consumer Reports, complaints about “in-car electronics” were the most grumbled about element in new cars. Problem areas included things like unresponsive touchscreens, issues pairing phones and multi-use controllers that refused to work right.

The biggest offender was Infiniti’s InTouch infotainment system on its new Q50, with over 20 per cent of owners reporting problems. The QX60 SUV also was dinged on its reliability. Hence, the Japanese brand dropped 14 places in just a year.

Ford has reason to celebrate, though. Lincoln deserves a gold star for the best improvement by moving up 12 spots to take 15th place. Also, improvements to MyFord Touch helped the Blue Oval to jump three places to 23rd position. According to CR, the Explorer had just a 3-per cent complaint rate for its infotainment system, versus a peak of 28 percent for the model in years past.

The data in the table above (click to expand) is based on responses to surveys from CR subscribers. The institute claims that 2014 was its largest one yet, with info gathered for over 1.1 million vehicles. Scroll down to read the full press release about the results.

Continue reading Consumer Reports says infotainment systems ‘growing first-year reliability plague’

Consumer Reports says infotainment systems ‘growing first-year reliability plague’ originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 29 Oct 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While we’re all guilty of procrastinating now and then, getting your car winter ready is something you don’t want to put off for too long (especially here in Canada!). As another cold winter driving season closes in on us, it’s time to make sure both you and your car are well prepared for the icy roads ahead.

The truth is many winter driving accidents are avoidable and the last thing any driver needs is to end up facing icy disaster or crashing a car into a snow-filled ditch. Luckily all of this can be avoided by following these top 10 simple steps to ensure your vehicle is winter ready and able to tackle any extreme weather conditions before the first snow flake hits the ground.

Click here for the top 10 tips to get your car winter ready and watch the short video below to learn how to drive like a pro in the snow.

Continue reading Top 10 tips to get your car winter ready

Top 10 tips to get your car winter ready originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Mon, 27 Oct 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While we’re all guilty of procrastinating now and then, getting your car winter ready is something you don’t want to put off for too long (especially here in Canada!). As another cold winter driving season closes in on us, it’s time to make sure both you and your car are well prepared for the icy roads ahead.

The truth is many winter driving accidents are avoidable and the last thing any driver needs is to end up facing icy disaster or crashing a car into a snow-filled ditch. Luckily all of this can be avoided by following these top 10 simple steps to ensure your vehicle is winter ready and able to tackle any extreme weather conditions before the first snow flake hits the ground.

Click here for the top 10 tips to get your car winter ready and watch the short video below to learn how to drive like a pro in the snow.

Continue reading Top 10 tips to get your car winter ready

Top 10 tips to get your car winter ready originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Mon, 27 Oct 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Having your oil changed falls under Car Maintenance 101, but doing it yourself has been a right of passage for generations of auto enthusiasts. Patrick McIntyre of The List heads to Avus Autosport in Glendale, CA for some tips on how to properly swap the synthetic on an older model BMW.

Watch as Patrick checks “change your own oil” off of his list in this Shorts video – perhaps it’ll inspire you to get under your own car this weekend.

Continue reading The List Shorts #0530: Change your own oil

The List Shorts #0530: Change your own oil originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Sat, 25 Oct 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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