Archive for January, 2014
Here's Why you Should Upgrade your Car in 2014
The start of 2014 brings mixed news for the car industry around the world. Although car usage is more than looking strong, the automotive industry in Australia is shaky, and with the new that Holden is to leave in 2017, it leaves a lot of people asking, ‘where next?’
On a personal level however, the start of the New Year is a great way to start thinking about a new car. Been promising yourself the latest model of the car you’ve already got? Thinking about your finances and getting bored of shelling out on a rust bucket? Worry no more, here at Private Fleet we look at some reasons why 2014 should definitely be the year you upgrade your car.
You Deserve It
There’s something nice about buying a new car that feels like you’ve earnt it. That new car smell, the fact it’s your pride & joy and nobody can touch it or clean it but you. It’s also, fundamentally, a treat. There’s no point patching together ancient cars and you need to ride around in something you can enjoy.
Safety
Nobody can argue with the fact that new cars are safer than old ones. Not long ago, even having a minor crash meant that you were dicing with death, but statistics show now that you’ve got a far greater chance of surviving – especially in more modern and technology advanced cars. The world of safety in the automotive industry has become so much more advanced; and by purchasing a newer car you are making the most of this.
You Get More for Your Money
Cars companies at the moment are falling over themselves to pack more technology and gadgets into their cars than ever before. It means that in 2014, what you’re paying for is a great car, but also an excellent entertainment and navigation system, an enjoyable and comfortable place to sit and a very safe and technologically advanced
Warranty and Offers
Buying a new car has certain assurances, and manufacturers at the moment need to be able to sweeten the deal with consumers by offering extended warranties and good finance packages. You can never underestimate the importance of having certain assurances when buying a new car – if there are any faults you’ll be able to get them fixed for free and have peace of mind when you first take it out.
Can Be Delivered to Your Specification
No more trawling the listings for something that matches your dream. When you buy a new car you’re able to pick what you want and know you’ll be able to get it. Many car manufacturers offer a huge amount of options – and we have seen the issue of customisation really come to the fore in the last couple of years. The real boom in online shopping has helped with this, but even buying your car through more conventional means, you’re able to pick exactly what you want down to the finest details.
To find out more about the work Private Fleet carries out, visit the section of our site and find out how easy it can be to order your new car. Additionally, if you’re stuck in two minds, be sure to check out our car review section for more information about specific cars.
The Greatest Video Game Ever
Well at least now I have got your attention.
Video games are in a constant state of development, with better game play, graphics and fun with every new release. However, in much the same way as many oxygen breathing humans get with areas such as fashion, music and of course cars, the value of ‘vintage’ is most definitely on the up. I have played a host of games in the past on various platforms and consoles, everything from strategy, fantasy, war and, shock horror, racing games.
We are living in a world dominated by Forza, Gran Turismo and by extension, the driving options available in games such as Grand Theft Auto. The graphics may be unbelievably clear and the driving physics as close to realistic as is possible in a virtual reality, but none of these would win the prize as my all time favourite racing game. I realise that the title I gave this post was a little on the eccentric over-reaction side of life, but in my humble opinion this game will always be my number one in virtual motor sport.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to TOCA 2 Touring Cars.
The British Touring Car Championship was at its best during the 90s, and one of the greatest of these legendary years was 1998. Some of the highlights include a down to the wire championship battle, the introduction of mandatory pit stops, and Nigel Mansell. But why type a selection of words and phrases into my laptop to describe an amazing year, when I could just muster the power of video to explain my point… would you ever believe me if I said there was a BTCC race where Nigel Mansell (in a guest drive) started last and nearly ended up winning? No?
WELL then, watch this…
One of the greatest races ever, 1998 BTCC Donington Feature ft. Nigel Mansell
As John Watson so pointed out, “The British Touring Cars have totally eclipsed anything we have ever seen”.
TOCA 2 Touring Cars was released on the original PlayStation (the PS1 if you will), and was based on the 1998 BTCC season. Players had the chance to participate in the championship in one of three difficulty modes, which decided how many races the season would consist of. In addition, there are your usual time trial based modes. However, the game also gave players the chance to participate in the support car championships that were in effect in 1998. The game truly offers a full and comprehensive mode of play that truly reflects the giant of motor sport history that was the British Touring Car Championship of 1998.
TOCA 2 Touring Cars in all its glory
Based on the picture you can now see with your eyeballs, you are probably making some comment on the poor quality of the graphics but what do you expect from a PlayStation One? And this game is in no way devoid of other issues. I will be the first person to admit that this game is dripping with issues. For example, the driving physics, as amazing as they are most of the time, have a habit of being massively unpredictable. When it comes to racing games, I am something of a perfectionist. And when a car has a habit of spinning wildly out of control for no reason although you have taken the corner no different to normal, it does vex me greatly. And I do not often use the word vex.
And I am not done either.
When it comes to competitive racing, it would appear that the AI cars seem to be possessed by some form of demonic spirit. When it comes to the first corner of any track on the calendar, I can promise you that the competition will find a way to take the corner at 5 times the speed that you have, whether through the gravel or on the tarmac, which usually means that you end up facing the wrong way in last place. Not only that, but it would seem that this satanic influence gives your opponents the ability to crash you off the road with a single touch, yet remain immovable when you try and return the favour.
All in all, the combination of these problems does definitely create rage filled controller flinging experiences. I can do nothing but apologise to my parents for the screaming, the shouting and definitely the damage as a result of my playing this game in my younger years.
Brutality is definitely the name of the game
And yet…
When everything comes together, the pure magic of the game becomes apparent. I mean yes there are faults left right and centre with the game quality, but what do you expect? And then again, in many ways it adds to the fun you can have with it. There is a level of madness and unpredictability that will wave goodbye to many hours of your life. And will you regret it at the end? No way.
What if I also told you that some aspects of the game were so forward thinking, that it took until the PS3 generation for other games to catch up. For example, usually in multiplayer modes, the number of opposition reduces to only 6 cars. However, in the co-op championship mode, you are still given a full grid of other cars. The problem I have with modern games is that they seem to assume that none of us have physical friends any more. New generation games seem to only offer multiplayer modes online, as if two friends would never DARE want to play a game together in the same place at the same time.
“Hey man, do you want to play some F1?”
“Yeah that would be awesome, i’ll see you in a bit yeah?”
“Wait, where you going?”
“Well you know, I have got to go home, log on and grab my head set”
“Oh yeah true that, see you in a bit!”
You know, some people seem to think that video games are making us less sociable. I wonder where that comes from.
In many ways, the game was as exciting as the real deal…
As I have said, the combination of all these different elements, both good and bad, make this game a titan of video gaming. The competitive nature of the game make it more special and more exciting than anything you can get from a modern game. The driving physics are real yet ridiculous; you actually get different levels of handling from the different cars in the game. Trying to wrestle a Peugeot around a track often ends as badly as it did for Harvey and Radisich in ’98.
The original TOCA game never really did have the same spark, it lacked the same competition. And afterwards with the rise of TOCA Race Driver and beyond, the game began to look better and better, but somehow it just did not seem as fun. The level of co-op ability decreased, and in the case of TOCA Race Driver they tried to add the single most ridiculous over-Americanised story line known to the mind of mankind. Something about getting revenge for the death of your dad by becoming the greatest race driver ever…or something. I don’t know.
Recently, I managed something I was never able to do as a child. I completed what I would like to call the standard grand slam. 18 rounds. 18 wins. Only one thing remains. The expert mode takes racing games to a whole new level. I feel like I need some form of a professional workout regime to be able to psyche myself up for such a challenge.
And so, TOCA 2 Touring Cars may not be perfect, but it is the flaws that make it special. It reflects the no holds barred thrill that was the 1998 BTCC season. For anyone that has not played it, I really do hope that you will give it a go. There is after all a reason I came back to it 10 years after my first time.
No one is ever too old for video games. Good video games will never be too old.
TOCA 2 Touring Cars: a timeless classic
Keep Driving People!
Follow me on Twitter: @lewisglynn69 (I talk about this video game quite a lot)
Peace and Love!
Welcome Back!
Hello everyone, Private Fleet, its staff and contributors hope you all had a great Christmas/New Year’s period and the scales haven’t groaned too much!
Sadly, our roads were not trouble free, with too many losing their lives needlessly over the last couple of weeks with perhaps the most tragic the story of the four year old that apparently ran out in front of a vehicle. Without knowing the full details it seems that a situation such as this was utterly unavoidable in regards to the person driving the vehicle. Our sympathies and thoughts are with both families.
So, what did YOU end up doing for your Christmas break? With two sub seven year old children and retail work it was a pretty quiet one for our household. Christmas Day at home, Boxing Day drive in Holden’s wonderful SV6 six speed manual down to just north of Wollongong with a stop 
at Stanwell Tops to watch the para- and hang gliders whilst New Year’s Day was a drive down to Botany Bay. A little bit of ham, a little bit of vege, a bit of wine….was a nice break. The roads were quiet, unsurprisingly but what was surprising was the relative lack of a police presence seen. I think we saw more on the road leading into the Royal National Park from the south than at any other time.
As we all know by now, Holden has confirmed its cessation of manufacturing here; what isn’t known is where Toyota stand on the matter but it’s fair to say they’d be hard pressed to stay as a viable manufacturing entity in their own right and that leads to another whole set of issues. It’s not just about the workers directly involved, it’s the suppliers, their staff, courier driver and truck drivers and parts of the railway network that will all have some sort of impact upon their roles, even down to local shops and lunch bars. But with 68 brands available in Australia compared with 38 for North America and 42 in the UK, we have to question, with a population of under thirty million, why so many?
On the other side of the coin was the sales numbers; well over a million for 2013 with the Toyota Corolla 
snaring first place. The Commodore came fifth on the back of increased sales from the VF range after a runout of the VE series 2, but of some concern in some quarters was the number of SUVs delivered, over 333, 000. Adding to the fragmentation and confusion though, is that not one SUV made the top ten sales list. For the record: 43,498 for the Corolla, 42,082 sales for the Mazda 3, 39,931 sales of Toyota’s HiLux, 30,582 for Hyundai’s award winning i30 , 27,766 for the VF/VE Holden Commodore , 24,860 with the Toyota Camry, 24,512 for Mitsubishi’s capable but aging Triton , 24,421 sales for Holden’s Cruze (due for an update in 2015 apparently), 24,108 for the Nissan Navara (new model available) and 21,752 for the Ford Ranger.
With 2014 underway and the FBT situation seemingly buried; repeat, seemingly and with predictions for sales this year to be in excess of the 2013 numbers, come have a chat to Private Fleet about your next vehicle. Again, hope you all had a great festive break and thanks for being part of the Private Fleet family.
Level 2, 9 Help Street