Rattle ya dags and get yourself to Fieldays

15 June, 2017

It’s that time of year again where what seems like every ute in the country converges on Mystery Creek in Hamilton for Fieldays. 2017 sees the biggest event yet with hundreds of companies spruiking their wares to the masses of visitors that’ll pass through the gates of Mystery Creek over the coming days.


The scale of the event is immense. 

The scale of the event is immense. 

Unfortunately, I’m afflicted with city slicker-itis which renders most of the products on display useless in my day-to-day life. But like any good Kiwi bloke with an imagination and an internet connection, I can dream of joining the farming fraternity. I can look at pieces of land and half million dollar tractors imagining I know the difference between a post hole borer and a cow.


The Isuzu D-Max demonstrating its 49 degree hill-crawling capabilities.

The Isuzu D-Max demonstrating its 49 degree hill-crawling capabilities.

Of course, I was interested in was the cars, and there are plenty to choose from. Some new manufacturers have gone all out in putting together amazing stands for the event. This is not only an opportunity to show off new models and their current range, but to do get in amongst the community and speak with current and prospective customers.


Toyota are taking their relationship with Swanndri seriously.

Toyota are taking their relationship with Swanndri seriously.


Volkswagen have jumped on the "clothing your car" bandwagon, too. 

Volkswagen have jumped on the “clothing your car” bandwagon, too. 


7,000kg towing capacity on show from the now right hand drive Dodge Ram.

7,000kg towing capacity on show from the now right hand drive Dodge Ram.

I was also impressed by the number of classic and race cars companies were using on their stand, be it a sponsored race car or a tidy old ute


Coresteel Brute taking pride of place

Coresteel Brute taking pride of place


Kombi pickup in stunning condition

Kombi pickup in stunning condition

For the actual farmers among us, there is certain to be some value adds for every part of your operation so we encourage you to head to Mystery Creek and get amongst the action. The event is running until this Saturday so you’d best rattle ya dags!

For more information, visit www.fieldays.co.nz

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