Articles by Bryce Levido

The Honda CRX will be making a comeback of sorts when the Hybrid CRZ is released on the world this year.  It’s been a long time between drinks for Honda’s compact sports range.The early 90s was a time when manufactures were looking for variety in their line up with a “something for everyone” approach.  The Generation 3 CRX coupe (sold overseas as the Del Sol), that replaced the successful ED Civic based CRX hatch, filled Honda’s sports car space nicely.The new shape was introduced to compete head on with the Toyota MR2 and Mazda MX5.  The overall look of the car made many people think it had a mid mounted engine.  Overly curvy lines were a departure from the earlier squared off hatch look of its predecessor.MODEL WATCHThe Generation 3 CRX features electric windows, power steering, ABS with four wheel discs, front and rear sway bars, and a manual hard top convertible roof.  The electric rear window gives a true wind in the hair convertible experience, unlike other targas like the Nissan NX Coupe and Toyota MR2. The roof unclips on both sides easily and stores in the boot on a rail mount.  This mount allowed plenty of boot stowage without having to remove the roof to get access to your bags.  An easy job for two though it’s tricky on your own. The CRX featured the rev-happy 115kw B16A Twin Cam V-Tec engine which was brand new to the Australian market.  Unlike more modern iV-Tec engines the main premise behind the earlier V-Tec was power rather than economy. There were plenty of storage compartments behind the seats and a reasonable centre console with cup holders.  A nifty fold up cover for the dash head unit dispelled prying eyes when the roof was off at the beach.In recent years some Grey Import examples of the Trans-Top Electric Roof models have infiltrated the Australian market. The Trans-Top, never sold locally, automates the CRX’s aluminium roof with a platform that rises from the boot area.  This unique automated hardtop was a marvel at the time but is prone to expensive motor failure.  Japanese delivered vehicles also have the lower spec 1.5L Single Cam engine and 3 speed auto transmissions.IN THE SHOPEarlier examples are getting tired now with most clocking over 200000ks.  Look for models after 1994 with a facelift giving a driver’s side airbag, improved roof seal design, improved seat fabric and minor engine tweaks.  Close to every CRX will have roof leaks, so expect to fork out at some point for replacement seals.  A recall in the mid 90s resolved some roof noise issues and leaks though this was not compulsory. The CRX is still a popular car for P plater boy-racers with many being heavily modified.  Look for as close to original condition as possible.  The low factory seats and ride height are often exaggerated by lowering to the point where the cars are very difficult to drive and often illegally modified.Check closely for door sill rust, mildew smells in boot and cabin, and previous accident damage.  A worn clutch is common, though gearboxes and engines are Honda bullet proof.Like all Honda’s a full service history is a must, with these engines requiring frequent oil changes and premium unleaded as standard.  Servicing costs are reasonable though with filters etc being shared with more modest Honda vehicles.Maintenance of the roof seals is required regularly as they are sensitive to cracking.  A good squirt of lanolin based oil will do the trick.ON THE ROADThe CRX is a nippy performer but takes a bit of right foot gusto to get to its sweet spot.  The V-Tec cam lobes kick in hard at 4500rpm up to the 7600rpm rev limiter.  Lower in the rev range it needs a bit of encouragement, but will happily pull you through peak hour comfortably.Based on the Civic (EG) chassis, which to this day is acclaimed as one of Honda’s greatest performers, the CRX was not afraid of the corners.  Coil-over shocks all round and up-rated sway bars give the little coupe fairly balanced handling with little understeer that typifies front wheel drive sports cars.  Braking was sufficient at best, with responsive steering and a short ratio gear box helping the engine rev out that V-Tec howl nicely.AT THE PUMP In the city a CRX will get you around 9-11 L/100 km depending on how often you hit V-Tec. On the freeway you’re looking at around 8 L/100 km.IN A CRASHAs far as older convertible cars go the CRX was ahead of the game with a built in roll over bar.  This adds to the structural integrity of the car and reduces flex in the body also.  Later models featured a drivers airbag and all models have ABS as standard.OWNERS SAYAs an owner of this model for 3 years I found it to be a quick and easy daily drive.  The carnivorous boot is great for shopping, though not so practical for trips to Bunnings.  The two seater is useless for carrying any more than your partner around unfortunately.  With go-cart like performance, they are a miser on the fuel with low maintenance costs, but watch out for leaking roofs.LOOK FOR· Honda build quality and reliability· Petrol miser· Leaks· Rev happy engineTHE BOTTOM LINEWell built and sporty convertible with looks and fuel economy too.  But steer clear of heavily modified examples.

Ignoring the pleas from my friends and family I went ahead and bought a 2002 BMW 318Ti Hatch.  Unsurprisingly within a week of ownership the car was overheating with a blown radiator expansion tank, much to the dismay of my wife who drives it to work on a daily basis.Seeing as though I have never owned a European car before now, and have only owned Japanese cars, this did come as quite a shock.  My wife’s previous car, a Honda CRX, had zero mechanical issues since new in 1997.Going into this new adventure in luxury motoring I was totally prepared for the Beemer to burn a big fat hole in my wallet.  On the contrary I have found that all the issues that occur with these cars are quite common, and fairly easy to fix, with plenty of “better than factory” replacement parts available online.I have said it before and I will say it again, when looking for used or new car parts, look everywhere.  From the local wrecker, to web forums in the US and UK, to Ebay and the Trading Post.  You will find the parts you need at a decent price even for luxury Euro brands.After a bit of web forum hunting, and orders through US distributors online, off to the mechanic I went.  A few days later the car is all good and my wife is once again ecstatic about her pure driving machine.  Thanks Inter-Webby!

But this is no longer an option in NSW, with the State Government proceeding with plans to install what they are calling Safety Cameras at 200 locations around the state.   The cameras will be digital and will be able to take shots from both the front and rear plates.  The signage will only state ‘Safety Camera Ahead’ and there will only be one sign on approach, unlike the several warning signs before approaching existing fixed speed cameras.There is a problem I can see with these cameras.  Say you’re coming towards a set of lights in an 80 zone and you see the light change to amber say 20 meters from the intersection.  You toss up whether to stop at the lights by slamming on the brakes or keep going.  The first option risks being rear-ended or sliding through the intersection, where the second option risks the fine from the red light camera or speed camera.  I can imagine crashes changing from T-boning at the intersection itself to rear-end smashes just before the intersection.So will it save lives or simply be further revenue raising?  Only time will tell.  More information is available on the RTA website and FAQs.Locations of the first 50 cameras to be installed are outlined below.  Initial 50 Safety Camera Locations: Initial 50 Safety Camera Locations

What is a grey importIt’s a vehicle – new or used — that is legally imported outside the manufacturer’s official import channels.HistoryIn the mid 90’s the various state motoring regulatory authorities and the federal government agreed that a scheme — should be put in place to allow Australians to buy used vehicles from overseas that were never sold in Australia.  The initial focus of the scheme was performance vehicles such as the Toyota Supra Twin Turbo, and Nissan Silvia Turbo. The cars became known as grey imports due to the vast number of grey-coloured cars arriving here as they were often the cheapest available in the auction houses of Japan.  The scheme now also covers any car manufactured before 1989 as well as many people movers, and various diesel models.The rulesCars brought in using the grey import scheme must go through a compliance process on arrival in Australia to conform with ADR requirements, including changing to Australian standard tyres, emissions control gear, and AC gas.Only certain models that are in some way different to any locally delivered example are allowed to be imported under the scheme.  Any other models are hard to comply as the car must go through full ADR testing including a full crash test process.  Some regulations have been relaxed in recent years – for example, the forced replacement of every seatbelt.Why buy a grey import?Most of the models available through the grey import scheme are heavily optioned compared to comparable models in Australia.  High performance turbo engines, rear wheel steering, all wheel drive, and multi-zone climate control air were all common as early as the 90s on even basic models in Japan. Basically, if you could buy a comparable model in Australia you would have paid more-for-less.  The cult status of many grey imports also makes them appealing.  The current plethora of Nissan Skylines on Australia’s roads attests to grey imports popularity.  Choice of turbodiesel powerplants has also driven the grey market when looking at 4WDs and people-movers in car yards.Owning a grey importBack in the early days of the scheme, when grey import dealers were few and far between, it was extremely difficult to acquire spare parts for many of the plenty of spare parts dealers and many manufacturers such as Nissan are able to bring in brand new parts from Japan to suit.  There are also a multitude of specialty vehicle clubs and web forums devoted to these cars with members who are only too happy to help out with parts — or even help with entire engine swaps — for a very reasonable price.The true costsMany people fall for grey imports due to the bang-for-bucks factor.  Cars such as the Nissan 180SX offer great looks and performance for a bargain basement price in comparison to say a Subaru WRX of the same year.  The trade-off comes when you look at the lack of any service history, and possibly wound back odometers.  A full mechanical check (pre-purchase) is a must!Most non-diesel grey imports coming from Japan will require premium unleaded as the quality of fuel in Japan is higher than Australia. And like any performance car they will also need love and attention in the service department too with frequent oil changes.One of the biggest turnoffs for people looking to buy a grey import is the cost of insurance.  There have been a lot of insurers who simply cannot insure them due to their underwriters refusing them. In recent years the situation has relaxed with even heavily modified performance grey imports being insured by several big name insurers.  You should expect a slightly higher premium, or excess at least, than an Australian delivered model, especially if the ‘T’ word – turbo — is added to the end of the model name…SummaryDue to the number of grey imports in the country now and the cult status they have gained no one should be turned off buying an import.  Do your research, trawl the information, get a proper inspection and you could be driving away with a unique, and extremely well-equipped car at bargain price.Top 10 grey importsNissan 180SX and Silvia variantsNissan Skyline and Nissan Stagea Wagon variantsNissan Elgrand People MoverToyota SupraToyota Hilux SurfMitsubishi FTOMitsubishi DelicaMistubishi Evo IV and VHonda Civic Type R EP3Toyota Soarer / Lexus SC400 

 Apart from European hot-hatches such as the Renault Cleo Sport and Peugeot 206 GTi seldom have we seen any manufactures brave enough to bring 3 door hatch variants into our market.  Sure you can get an entry level 3 door Yaris but what about a nice 3 door Corolla Sportivo, um… sorry they don’t come in 3 door in Australia.This pattern seems to have started in the late 80s with the introduction in droves of mass produced front wheel drive hatch backs.  Remember the Pulsar SSS?  Yep that came in 3 door hatch in Japan.  How about the Corolla GTi, or Mazda 323?  Yep 3 door again overseas.At one stage in the early 90s even the iconic Golf GTi was only available in 5 door in this country.  For years Australia has been denied many of the accessories and engine options that are prevalent in Europe, the US, and even the rest of Asia, but they are happy to throw in an extra 2 doors for nothing.  There are some companies that have bucked the trend like Honda, but even they gave in to with the “5 door hatch only” Civic model a few years back.  And now it looks like the Europeans have caught on to this trend.  We are missing out on the 2 door BMW 1 series hatch it seems…Though through the gloom comes the news that Australia will shortly see the new 2 door VW Polo.  A brief hint of fun in a sea of practicality it seams.I really can’t see any reason why the Australian market seems to be so against the 3 door hatch… especially when it comes to the performance market. 

The sole event for Drift Australia this year brought 32 drivers from around the country to battle it out for the title of 2009 champion. Due to a lack of a major sponsor -- and a change of management -- this was the sole Drift Australia series event this year. But far from being a cut-down format, the weekend was chock full of thrills and spills. Some rainy periods in the afternoon caught out even experienced drivers on the already challenging Oran Park circuit. The track itself is ideally suited to drifting with several off-camber corners and the notorious concrete barriers along the main straight ending in a tight left-hander. With extra grandstand seating at the end of the straight, the action was easily seen by all. Luke Fink continued his success from previous years in the series, with the overall first place in this year’s competition. Fink's driving was, as always, hard to fault and combined with his bullet proof Holford Motors S14 Silvia he was a strong performer throughout the weekend. Coming a close second was drifting newcomer Simon Podlewski in the Toyo 180SX. Referring to his drag racing background Simon commented to an enthusiastic crowd that "this drifting makes drag racing look weak". Third place was awarded to Jake 'Drift Squid' Jones who was competing in his first Drift Australia outing. It was an amazing achievement for a total newcomer who paid for his car himself, going to show that the series is well and truly open to competitors at any level. The new management team also announced at the awards ceremony that next year will feature five events throughout the year. Word is that there will be rounds in Brisbane, Sydney, and Perth, and either Adelaide or Melbourne with the final back in Sydney in September. Bring on 2010!  

The R34 GTR, up until the R35’s release, was Nissan’s true performance flag ship car. A car that, to this day, fetches prices ranging up to a staggering $150,000 on the second hand market. Japan, and the rest of the world, just couldn’t get enough of this Skyline. Hundreds of them have been heavily modified with some pushing in excess of 1,000hp at the wheels. In the years following the final run of GTRs, in 2001 Nissan’s tuning arm, Nismo, even purchased quality second hand examples and rebuilt them into the now infamous Z-Tune GTR … with over 400kw from the factory. In celebration, Skyline Australia recently arranged a R34 cruise to Mount Wilson west of Sydney. This picturesque location at the top of Bells Line of Road presented a typical Japanese autumn photo-op for close to 100 Skylines that turned up. The view of an endless line of stove-top tail lights was truly as site to behold as the procession led its way up the mountain. A show and shine, Japanese sword skill demonstration, and traditional Kimono wearing grid-girls were all part of the day. However it was the sound of all those straight six engines that truly stole the show. From a Mines GTR replica to well sorted original R32 GTRs the event was one of the largest ever gatherings of Skylines in Australia and a real tribute to the passion of the Australian Skyline owners community. Happy anniversary and long live the mighty GTR.

I wasn’t immune to this disease, however misguided I was in the early days.  Now, back in the mid-90s there were only two import cars that were affordable, ‘chuckable’, and not made in Korea.  The Nissan Pulsar SSS and the Suzuki Swift GTi.The later was particularly affordable with close to new models for around $14000.  A real bargain at the time, and a bargain I couldn’t resist.Being 19, I was super-keen to turn the interior purple, paint the engine bay in a variety of colours, and put masses of stickers all over the car.  Rice-it-up, in other words.  Oh, the perils of youth.So in went the purple vinyl door cards, purple-sprayed rocker cover, lowered springs (on stock shocks mind you), a loud muffler, race steering wheel, racing harnesses, and finally a ‘phat’ stereo with double 10”.  All installed by yours truly.Having just completed the install of all these parts over a period of six months, I took my partner at the time and some friends on a nice Sunday drive to the Jenolan Caves.  A 1.3 litre car with lowered suspension and four people onboard, and a massive sub-box in the boot is not quite the ideal vehicle for such a cruise, but none the less we headed off.During the trip, my DIY stereo system started playing up and eventually gave up the ghost all together, and the rattle in the boot that had been bugging me for months of course decided to rear its ugly head once more.  Turning a leisurely two-hour drive into a highly annoying trip to hell.Finally arriving at the top of the seriously tight winding road heading to the Caves, we got out of our convoy and headed into the caverns to check out what all the fuss was about.  By this time we were tired and the weather was turning sour.  And just our luck, halfway through the first cave the lights went out…Leaving the caves by torchlight and being told `show’s over folks’, we headed off back to Sydney.  An hour later our convoy buddy was on the mobile calling for a lunch stop.  Then without warning, buddy’s car comes to a grinding halt in the middle of the Great Western Highway.  Apparently when they meant stop for lunch, they meant right now.  Being then a more sprightly 20-year-old, I managed to stop the car in time to avoid an accident.  Unfortunately the three cars behind us were not so lucky.  We were slammed into our buddy’s car three consecutive times.After the police arrived and saw that most people were OK (one person hit the windscreen and was taken to hospital but was later discharged), my car was analysed.  The damage to the little Swift wasn’t too bad, though the bumpers were hanging down a bit low, and it was towed to a holding yard in Blackheath for the rest of the weekend.We all got back to Sydney on the train and the next night -- shaken and stirred --I received a call from Blackheath Police.  The night of the accident, the holding yard was broken into and my newly modified GTi had been stripped bare.  Some bastard had taken everything… seats, stereo, rims, steering wheel and even the battery.  From a locked, fenced holding yard.  I was shattered.  All that time…all that money…and for what?  And just to sink the boot in, the holding yard held no responsibility, meaning I lost my no-claim status.But you live and learn.  My ideas about how one should modify a car have matured over the years, and all those bling items have been avoided in my later cars.  I’ve also avoided the Caves since that day.  Damn I hate that place…

The three separate classes attracted a wide variety of entrants from professionals to first-timers. In its second year, the full field of more than 60 different cars was dominated by highly modified Evos and Skylines. No other format in the country lets you get personal with so many highly modified street cars and track cars at one event… like improved production on steroids. Time Attack, as the format is known in Japan, has been around for the past two decades with super-tuners like HKS, Greddy, and Spoon building cars specifically for timed-racing. In simple terms, it doesn’t matter what you drive, how it’s modified, or how much was spent on it. It’s all about the fastest lap time. This isn’t panel-to-panel racing — though high-speed overtaking is rampant. Ten-minute sessions for each group meant that every time you looked there were different cars on the track. Even in its infancy in Australia the format is attracting a lot of interest with the obligatory trader alley stuffed with sponsors wares. The Hi-Octane R34 GTR was one of the stand out competitors. Very much built for the task, it features a tuning bible full of high performance parts from a 3 liter block to fully seam welded body. And the brilliant black on black paint job belonged at AutoSalon…rather than the track. The day went down without major incident, with only a few offs by some over-zealous Club Class competitors. Surprisingly, the first turn out of the extended GP section of the track even caught out experienced drivers like Brett Middleton in the MRT EvoX at times.   Superlap Results Pro Class Winner – Tilton Interiors Evo 9 2nd – Advan/Hi Octane Racing R34 GTR 3rd – Notaras Racing Evo 9   Open Class Winner – Southern Motorworks Toyota-powered Lotus Elise – Driven By John Boston 2nd – Bilstein Racing RX-7 – Driven By Ryan Brown 3rd – Insight Motorsports/Elias Augerinos Honda S2000 – Driven By John Boston   Fastest 4WD – Mark Rayner Evo 9 Fastest RWD – Southern Motorworks Lotus Elise – Driven By John Boston Fastest FWD – Pro Concept Honda civic – Driven By Jacky Yick Fastest 4 Cylinder – Southern Motorworks Lotus Elise – Driven By John Boston Fastest 6 Cylinder – SM Motorsport BMW M3 – Driven By Sam Markov Fastest 8 Cylinder – Caltex Guildford – Driven By Peter Hennesy Fastest Rotary – Bilstein Racing RX7 – Driven By Ryan Brown Fastest Naturally Aspirated – Pro Concept Honda Civic – Driven By Jacky Yick Fastest Owner Driver – Bilstein Racing RX7 – Driven By Ryan Brown   Clubsprint Class Winner – Jeramiah Thomas Evo 9 2nd – Jason Naidoo Evo 8 3rd – Mark Tomaszewski Evo 9   Fastest 4WD – Jeramiah Thomas Evo 9 Fastest RWD – Evan McCormack Mazda RX7 Fastest FWD – Tim Ware Honda Integra Type R Fastest 4 Cylinder – Jeramiah Thomas Evo 9 Fastest 6 Cylinder – Bill Miller Nissan R34 GTR Fastest 8 Cylinder – Brad Lowe HDT Special Vehicles VE Commodore Fastest Rotary – Evan McCormack Mazda RX7 Fastest Naturally Aspirated – Tim Ware Honda Integra Type R  

Venues like Amaroo Park and -- soon -- Oran Park are becoming distant fond memories in drivers minds.  So the launch of the Marulan Driver Training Centre (MDTC) is timely.Based 20 minutes from Goulburn, the MDTC gives drivers the chance to push their cars hard in a very inviting and safe setting. The track is so tight that you won’t get into the higher cogs… but if you think never getting out of second gear isn’t fun, you need to give this a try. The track is just one kilometer long, so the 12-minute sessions allow at least eight laps each … something unheard of at larger settings.  Not having to worry about changing gear so much also lets you concentrate on what you’re there for -- improving your driving.The track has just about every type of turn, angle, and run you will ever experience on a track or on the street.  Off-camber corners, sharp downhill turns, crests leading into double S-bends, a hairpin, and a main straight right in front of the pits.  Race driver instructors are on-hand all day to give you pointers.  Don’t want to take your own car?  A group of race-prepared MX5s are available for hire there. The design of the track is no accident.  Garry Willmington and his family built the facility, starting in 1991 and drawing on more than 30 years of race knowledge, including multiple Bathurst belt-notches to Willmington’s credit.  A final resurfacing allowed the venue to open in August last year.  Yes, close to 20 years since conception.  One can only shudder at the thought of all the red-tape Willmington went through… and the persistence and determination it requiredThe first event at the MDTC was organised by Circuit Club – a non-CAMs affiliated group that asks for no member fees.  The members are the drivers who turn up on the day.  No strings attached.  And this attitude allowed a variety of drivers to enjoy a particularly well organised day free of pressure.Drivers in a range of cars from stock-standard Astras to full race-spec Civics and Turbo MX5s put their skills to the test.  All up, the track saw a field of 60 different cars over the weekend. All the organisers served as marshals, keeping everyone safe and answering any questions.  I was also treated to a hot lap in Circuit Club director Narada Kudinar’s S2000, and a very nicely tuned Lotus Elise. An organization like this brings a level of experience and professionalism to first-time drivers, so Circuit Club has given me an experience that was out of my reach till now, and one that no one should be afraid of exploring.Being my first track day, my nerves were on edge.  It’s well know that motorsport has risks -- not only to the driver, but to the car.  And my beloved Nissan Skyline is a car I have worked on for the past two years, carefully preparing it for this day: its track baptism. With this in mind, the organisers gave me, and all the other novices, a helping hand through the day.  A slow and steady approach was encouraged to start with.By the end of the day my trusty steed had pulled through with flying colours, with my newly-installed suspension keeping me well planted on the road all day. By the fourth session a hunger hit me for just one thing...  grip.  Until you start pushing your car to the limit, you can’t grasp how much you still have to learn about driving and how poor your `performance’ tyres really are.  So it’s straight off to eBay for me, hunting down a nice set of semi-slicks for the next outing. Yes the track bug has bitten, and bitten hard.  Do yourself and your car a favour and head out to a Circuit Club event.  Trust me, its love at first drift.