Two baffling things that are *everywhere* in Auckland...

1: Gangnam Style.
Guilty admission: I like this song. It's silly fun, not too serious, and I can see why the ridiculous video became an internet meme. I laughed out loud the first time I saw it. Here in Auckland? It's completely transcended the internet and is omnipresent. I've heard it many times on every type of radio (the local bilingual Hindi/English Indian station are using it as their lead-in at the moment!), blaring out of nightclubs, booming from car stereos, being played over the PA system in K-Mart(!), and I've seen the video on broadcast TV, in restaurants, bars, and even being projected onto a large outdoor screen at a trendy waterfront cafe. There's even a local media outlet using a still from it on their billboards. Ooookay!

2: Toyota Cavaliers.
These things are almost as common as their similar-year Chevy counterparts are in North America. They are all over the place. (There's one parked on the street outside my window right now.) The completely nonsensical thing is they were never sold here new, so every single one has had someone who wanted it enough to ship it down from Japan, where they are actually kind of rare and not very desirable. Granted, there's nothing really wrong with them as basic transportation, but when you have the entire spectrum of gently used JDM imports available to you why would you go for one of these?

A. I like the job you did on the plate blur

B. The ute with a topper is a much more interesting find than a crapiler, no matter what brand it was under.

B.) Japan probably sent the Cavaliers down to New Zealand and abandoned them at port before they could be sent back.

Mitchell wrote: B.) Japan probably sent the Cavaliers down to New Zealand and abandoned them at port before they could be sent back.

Kinda like lighting a bag of poop on fire and ringing the doorbell?

Umm, you do know that Gangnam Style hit #2 on the Billboard charts for the US as well as #1 in NZ? Not everyone is tired of something 30 seconds after the YouTube video is released. It's a big hit, regardless of whether you think it's a novelty tune or not. So yeah, it's going to keep showing up for a little while.

NZ gets a huge number of JDM imports from what I understand. I'll bet the Toyota Cavalier is one of the least expensive cars to buy in a fairly expensive market.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

What Keith said...the NZ car dealers would buy at auction in Japan cheapish 'Toyotas', and flog them to unsuspecting Kiwis who had no idea they were rebadged Chevys. Most car guys advise others not to buy them, there was a story that windscreens for Cavaliers were over NZD1000, and insurance companies hated forking out to replace them (as most NZ insurance full vehicle policies have no excess/deductible on windscreen/glass cover). Some of the two doors are attractive enough (I almost bought one at auction many moons ago) but those 4 doors are ugly.

LoneWolf wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: What Keith said...the NZ car dealers would buy at auction in Japan cheapish 'Toyotas', and flog them to unsuspecting Kiwis who had no idea they were rebadged Chevys. Most car guys advise others not to buy them, there was a story that windscreens for Cavaliers were over NZD1000, and insurance companies hated forking out to replace them (as most NZ insurance full vehicle policies have no excess/deductible on windscreen/glass cover). Some of the two doors are attractive enough (I almost bought one at auction many moons ago) but those 4 doors are ugly.

so it's a tavesty when you buy a used Toyota that is a rebadged Chevy in New Zealand, but it's no big deal when you buy a used Chevy that's a rebadged Toyota in the US?

and those 'Yota Cavvies are awesome- they have power folding mirrors on them..

Keith Tanner wrote: Umm, you do know that Gangnam Style hit #2 on the Billboard charts for the US as well as #1 in NZ? Not everyone is tired of something 30 seconds after the YouTube video is released. It's a big hit, regardless of whether you think it's a novelty tune or not. So yeah, it's going to keep showing up for a little while. NZ gets a huge number of JDM imports from what I understand. I'll bet the Toyota Cavalier is one of the least expensive cars to buy in a fairly expensive market.

That's funny, I had no idea Gangnam Style got so much mainstream cover in "the west." I don't really follow the pop charts so I was assumed it was an internet fad outside of Korea. Like I said, I like the song, so no complaints here. It's kind of refreshing to hear something all over the airwaves that's not another generic "rock"/ballad/whatever.

I have no real hate-on for the Cavalier, it just baffles me how popular it is here. They can't have made that many of them. Parts would have to come (expensively) from the US as I doubt Toyota distributors keep them in stock. Considering the boatloads of actual Japanese cars and parts that arrive every day I see no rational reason to have a Cavalier as an appliance car.

That said, there are a few LHD 70s/80s Ford and GMC pickups trundling around town too, although I don't think anyone would import those for any "practical" reason.

The woman in the cubicle next to me has a UK radio station streaming and they play Gangnam Style a few times per day. It was #1 on the charts there a while ago.

Those Cavaliers, though, are tough in ways that Corollas could only dream of.

SWMBO had a Z24 w/ 3 pedals of that generation, and it was a rocket of a 4 banger - tons of fun to drive. Looked good too with the z series (iirc) 17's and body kit. Shifter feel was meh, but it handled quite well. Some upgraded shifter bushings and firmer engine/trans mounts, and you'd really have something...

not hers, but dead nuts identical

I had to check that out, not my scene I'm afraid

Live/work near Washington DC, hear Gangnam on the radio all the time.

Jay wrote: That's funny, I had no idea Gangnam Style got so much mainstream cover in "the west."

Oh yea, it is everywhere.

As for the whole JDM cavalier thing, if GM sells products there, it shouldn't be too hard to source parts. No different then ordering JDM parts through dealerships in Canada (as long as you have the part number).

its no different than buying a vibe here.....

Jay wrote: That's funny, I had no idea Gangnam Style got so much mainstream cover in "the west."

It's so popular, it's being parodied.

Klingon Style

yamaha wrote: its no different than buying a vibe here.....

except the Vibes were built here... the Cavvies were built here and exported there...

somewhere online, there exists a list of the GM part numbers for all the Toyota specific parts for a Cavalier.. yes, they had a GM part number for Toyota badges. also electric folding mirrors, a windshield with the radio antenna built into it, and front fenders that were bulged out a little bit more than the Chevy versions.. all of this stuff is like teh coolest stuff for teh hardcore Cavalier owners to have on their cars- it's their version of JDM...

RealMiniDriver wrote:

Jay wrote: That's funny, I had no idea Gangnam Style got so much mainstream cover in "the west."

It's so popular, it's being parodied. Klingon Style

I laughed.. and forgot how much I loved the woman's starfleet uniforms from the original series

novaderrik wrote:

yamaha wrote: its no different than buying a vibe here.....

except the Vibes were built here... the Cavvies were built here and exported there... somewhere online, there exists a list of the GM part numbers for all the Toyota specific parts for a Cavalier.. yes, they had a GM part number for Toyota badges. also electric folding mirrors, a windshield with the radio antenna built into it, and front fenders that were bulged out a little bit more than the Chevy versions.. all of this stuff is like teh coolest stuff for teh hardcore Cavalier owners to have on their cars- it's their version of JDM...

I totally want to order a Toyota badge from a GM dealership. Hmm, how many makes are available through the GM parts system?

You could get Corolla badges for you GEO Prism.

I wanted to make Toylet badges for my mom's 87 Nova

RealMiniDriver wrote:

Jay wrote: That's funny, I had no idea Gangnam Style got so much mainstream cover in "the west."

It's so popular, it's being parodied. Klingon Style

West Point's parody:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/zekejmiller/west-point-cadets-dance-to-gangnam-style

Keith Tanner wrote: Hmm, how many makes are available through the GM parts system?

Besides Chevy/Buick/Caddy/GMC/Pontiac/Olds and Saturn?

Let's see, in no particular order.

Opel, Vauxhall, Holden, Daewoo, Suzuki, Isuzu, Toyota, SAAB, Subaru. Not 100% if those last two count because they sold Subarus and Chevys as SAAB but not the other way around.

I can't begin to probe what kind of badge-engineering was done in Australia. That E36 M3 is just baffling.

I'm not going to even think about the use of GM parts in other cars, then you'd have to include Volvo, BMW, Jaguar, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari...

Knurled wrote: Those Cavaliers, though, are tough in ways that Corollas could only dream of.

They are near indestructible. Totally built for rednecks who aren't into cars and maintenance and built for neglect.

mattmacklind wrote:

Knurled wrote: Those Cavaliers, though, are tough in ways that Corollas could only dream of.

They are near indestructible. Totally built for rednecks who aren't into cars and maintenance and built for neglect.

my winter beater this year will be a 2 door 98 Cavvy with a 2.2/5 speed and rocker panels that have been eaten away by the iron oxide monster... it has 295,000 miles on it and it looks like it's only been lightly rolled due to the amount of bondo that's coming off of the roof in large pieces and complete lack of any straight body panels.. paid $200 for it with a blown head gasket (which i fixed) and it even came with a set of the stylish Beretta 15" honeycomb mesh wheels on it..