One of the things we enjoy most about automotive culture is the vast array of friendships we have. The car world is like that and it’s one of the most endearing qualities about it. We are thrilled to share the love of automobiles with enthusiasts all over the globe.
Gumtree, an Australian classified ads community, is one of our newest friends. They started in 2007 as a way to connect people moving to a new area or different neighborhood. Their community serves people and helps them find what they need, from an apartment to furniture; to a nanny or car.
Their blog covers multiple topics, including automobiles. One post, “7 Regularly Scheduled Car Maintenance Tips to Save Money,” I found quite helpful as a former Service Advisor and Manager.
In the post, the author highlights the importance of things like tires, fluid levels, oil changes, and air filters. You might be surprised how much the latter gets overlooked. Often, my technicians would pull an air filter to find it loaded with dust, dirt, and other debris. In extreme cases, the air filter would be rotting and that’s no good. The author writes: “a clean air filter can improve your fuel efficiency by up to 10%.”
Don’t forget to check your cabin air filter too. Although not all cars have them, there were times I talked with customers who were unaware their vehicle did. The life of an air filter depends on your driving habits but I would recommend having them inspected every oil change.
Another post, “Could this be the most amazing car ever made in Australia,” really caught my eye too. It details the Holden Efijy, a beautiful concept that never saw the market. One of my most favorite cars, The Pontiac G8, was produced by Holden and based off their Commodore design. The GXP variant was easily the most sought after by car enthusiasts with its 6.2 V8 engine. While Pontiac is no more, Holden still continues a number of operations for General Motors throughout Australasia.
The first tab on the Gumtree Australia site is Cars &Vehicles. Similarly, on the Gumtree UK site, Motors appears first. I imagined myself as one of the people Gumtree often caters too – a person who has just moved to a new area. This would be substantial as I am a United States citizen and would be, not just moving to another state, but an entirely new country. After learning more about our new friends at Gumtree, I would consult their site first, should life ever take me outside the United States.
I would need some things, like a vehicle for example, to help me get around in a new country. However, in Gumtree’s automotive categories, I can search not only for cars but for parts, campers, motorbikes, and vans. Perhaps I find a different style of transportation is more accommodating when I move? With Gumtree, I am able to find a variety of vehicles, suited to all types of driving situations.
I saw everything from a Ford Transit to a Peugeot in the search I did.
Keeping with the idea of me being in a new place, I checked out the Jobs tab. I found a number of things I am qualified for, with the most promising careers involving both sales and automobiles. I was also able to find and view places to live and office spaces for rent too.
If you sense a move to Australia or Europe in your future, I would trust our new friends at Gumtree to help make the transition easier for you. Perhaps by then, Holden will release the Efijy so you can park one in the driveway of your new home?
*Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog.net and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
