Considering buying a classic? Check out Turners Cars’ massive line-up!

15 November, 2016

The National Classic Car Online Auction at Turners Cars is gathering steam with some truly amazing cars up for sale.  The online auction will run from Friday, November 25 and will close on Monday, December 5. No matter what level of collector or enthusiast you are, there’s sure to be something that’ll tickle your fancy — and cars will be on show at the 11 Turners Cars branches throughout New Zealand, so you can get along to your nearest branch, or organize a road trip to check them all out, and have a  look and see if you find the car of your dreams.  

If Fords are your thing, then there are plenty here, from the 1929 Ford Pickup Model A Roadster to the 1974 Ford Capri, with a couple of great Mustangs and a 1964 Ford Thunderbird in-between. There’s also three rare Fords that will turn anyone’s head; a 1970 Ford Shelby Cobra Mustang GT500, a 1974 Ford XB GT Falcon, and the extremely rare 1970 Ford Falcon XW GT-HO Phase II that was one of only 14 that raced at Bathurst in 1970, driven by the legendary Bob Holden.

If you daydream about the era of drive-in movies, then perhaps the 1959 Cadillac De Ville, the 1956 Dodge Royal Lancer, or the 1956 Chevrolet Belair will pique your interest. Going back even further towards the birth of the modern motor car, we have a Dodge Senior 6 from 1929 and fully restored 1928 Willys-Knight.

For the project-minded the 1965 Mk2 Jaguar could be the car for you, or for those after the thrill of the chase perhaps the Oldsmobile 88 Delta CK with Sheriff’s livery will do the trick. Or for the Japanese-minded there’s a 1980 Suzuki CXG Coupe that’s only done 142kms, as well as a potentially one-of-a-kind 1974 Toyota Crown Coupe  in incredible condition, giving a window into the luxury sports models of the early ’70s.  

There’s plenty more; BMWs and Mercs from the ’80s, three beautiful MGs … the list goes on! All the cars are on Turners Cars’ website, with lots of information and plenty of pictures.  If you have any enquiries, the consultant for each vehicle is specific in each listing.

And remember,  if you’re thinking about selling your car, then this is the time and place to do it. Entries will be accepted until November 18, 2016. 

Polishing to perfection

The secret to a show-stopping finish is colour sanding, no matter which paint system you use. Even a good painter, no matter how experienced or talented — like my mate Bruce Haye, CEO at Ace Panel and Paint in Whitianga — can’t shoot to a perfect mirror finish. To get that level of perfection, you need to colour sand.
It used to be called ‘rubbing out’ or ‘cutting’, and it was done with pastes that came in cans. They worked — sort of — but the compounds really just rounded off imperfections instead of eliminating them, and they removed a lot of paint in the process. But now your new finish can be made flawless, thanks to microfine sandpapers that come in 1000, 1500, 2000, and even 2500 grit ranges, and Farecla G3 polish — available from automotive paint suppliers.

NZ Classic Car magazine, March/April 2026 issue 404, on sale now

BMW’s flagship techno showcase
The supermodel 1995 BMW 840Ci is simply elegant and perfectly engineered.
BMW’s 840 Ci flagship Coupe provides superb comfort and equipment packaged in a stylish body, with grand-touring performance and surprisingly competent handling for its size.
It’s the kind of machine that stands apart from the start. When BMW first unveiled its flagship Grand Tourer at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show, the automotive world blinked twice. Sleek, low, and impossibly modern for its era, it combined drama with a sort of purposeful understatement. This silhouette still looks striking today, long after its peers have faded into obscurity.
Initially offered with a range of engines, the model you’re reading about is the V8 iteration, featuring a 4.0-litre eight-cylinder heart under its long bonnet and a smooth five-speed automatic at the back. It wasn’t about blistering sprint times so much as effortless velocity. There was power on tap, sure, but the way it delivered thrust felt unhurried and measured – the automotive equivalent of a deep exhale on a long drive.
Poster 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, C2