When it comes to Japanese cars, there is perhaps no brand more legendary than Toyota. Across the lineup, no other name in the automotive industry conjures up such strong connotations of reliability and dependability. If you ask the average person on the street what the most reliable brand of car is, they will almost certainly … Read more
Subaru has never been the biggest Japanese car manufacturer in terms of the volume of vehicles produced or sold. However, over the years Subaru has built up a legion of loyal followers – especially in countries and locations with challenging winter climates and road conditions. For example, here in NZ where the Garage Dreams editorial … Read more
The Nissan 350Z is one of the most popular Japanese sports cars of the past couple of decades. Owing to decent affordability when new and high production numbers, you still see lots of 350Zs on the road (or in some markets you might see the JDM version – the Fairlady Z). In some respects, this … Read more
The Nissan Skyline is one of Japan’s most beloved automotive creations. Despite being relatively challenging to buy in the United States (due to its legal status) the Skyline is considered to be one of the most desirable “JDM” cars. Most of us know the Skyline for the GT-R model – the ‘Godzilla’. With its combination … Read more
Let’s face it, the humble cassette tape is ancient technology. I’m pretty sure that along with the animals that went two-by-two on Noah’s Ark, there was an original Sony Walkman as well. But in all seriousness, while the cassette tape is very much tech of the past, it does have some relevance for the motoring … Read more
In the 1990s, Mitsubishi was one of the heavy hitters of the Japanese motoring industry. They produced incredible cars such as the 3000GT/GTO, the Lancer Evolution range, and of course the FTO. When the Mitsubishi FTO launched in Japan in 1994 it won the coveted Japanese Car of the Year award, becoming the first sports … Read more
There are many advantages to driving an older/classic car. From saving money (if you’ve already got a perfectly serviceable car) to enjoying a more “connected” driving experience in the case of many classics, older cars are still a common sight on the road for a number of reasons. However, there is one area where new … Read more
The Volkswagen Beetle is one of the most iconic cars of all time. Used by millions, loved by many, and famously hated by the entire cast of Top Gear, there are few cars as instantly-recognisable as the Beetle. The original ‘people’s car’ (that’s what Volkswagen stands for in German) has provided affordable and economical transport … Read more
The Volkswagen Golf is one of the most popular cars ever produced, with over 30 million cars sold since the mid 1970s. Loved by drivers worldwide for its excellent blend of performance and practicality, the Golf is one of the all-time greats. In a recent edition of Car Facts we looked at why the Volkswagen … Read more
Almost all modern cars come with some ability to connect a device to play or stream music, but for those with older vehicles it can be a bit more difficult. This is only made worse by the fact that many newer phones don’t feature an audio jack, so plugging in a device to the car’s … Read more