automationgame.com

I am sad to admit, I don't actually have a drivers license. I only have a motorcycle license.

A combination of once being a poor student, and having no full license driver friend to do the hours you need to get a license in Australia, anyway that has now changed and I am working my way to getting a license.

Daffyflyer can attest to that I can drive quite well, even though I have not driven a car in years.

Anyway, what car have I brought?

Well here are some pictures:





Yeap it is a Suzuki Cappuccino, she is a 1992, imported in 1999. Everything seems sounds, gear box syncro's for first and second a bit iffy, but that is a known cappo issue, and a certain brand of oil is known to magically bring them back to life, so it is worth a go.

Really happy with it, she is a bit loud so going to book it in to get a larger muffler cut in.

That thing is pretty mutant, makes boost from 2000rpm, and goes really hard for a 660cc!

I blame your good driving on all the Forza with clutch and shifter

i like it.
now i know were the picture came from in the (guess the car game)

Second last photo - you can see our car! Zeussy your Suzuki Double Shot Caramel Latte is lovely. And I can vouch for it making silly noise, even just around the carpark!

Are those Integra Type R rims? They suit the car nicely.

They are some form of 15" Honda rims, but not sure off what

Im almost certain they are from a 96' ITR.

Although it looks like they have been painted as they originally would have been championship white and no red stripe. (like below)

They must be much more common over there, but here a good set is worth $800... Here we have to pay the "JDM tax"

What type of handbag did the car come with? or was it just a little purse

nice little car mate, a woman at work had one, just looked...well so small it was pretty awesome. Dont know how they go at all, but look like they can fly!

It sure does fly, for a 660cc it feels torquier than most 2L+ cars I've driven

Corners really well too, but a bit darty and "caffeinated"

well here in austria u have 3 choices in getting the B (car) licence.

1) u r 18 (or will be shortly); go to a theory class, AND drive in special cars, mostly Golfs, with a second set of pedals, and a driving instructor next to you for 20 hours.

2) u pay less, and get reduced hours of instructed driving, but do some hours with a guy with a licence (since at least 7 years, and no car related offences in the same time).

3) u r 17 (or will be shortly after the the whole procedure), get the same class as the other two, the the least instructed hours (6 i think), BUT drive 3 times 1000km with a guy like in 2); each time you both go to a test, which is basically driving around, but this time u have a second passenger, the instructor, who looks for errors.


after u got your licence (practical and theory tested) u still have to go to a driving center 2 or 3 times i think. At these centers u have basically various areas with simulations of the different adrenalin creating events.

eg: driving with 50 kph (~30 mph) on a wet track and in a straight line over a couple of metal strips, but one of them will move sideways when your rear axle is on it => unexpected drift, get the car stable

or water columns simulating a sudden barrier on your lane etc.

alltogether u pay around 1k € or more

Haven't been in Melbourne long enough to have any idea about what licence-acquiring involves here, but in Canberra the options are:

Learn with a fully licensed (not learner and not probationary, but it doesn't matter how long for - which is why Daffy can supervise Zeussy!) driver.
Learn with an instructor.

Then:

Take a test (I'm fairly sure if you do this you need to complete a record of hours driven and have done a minimum number of hours) or
Do the "log book", which is doing a number of sessions with a driving instructor, getting competencies ticked off one by one, with the final session being a drive around town checking multiple competencies at once, but not as many as if you'd done the test.

Taking the test is faster, if you already know how to drive and are confident it's the way to go. But the log book is less stressful, and if you want to get marked off as you learn it works well. I did the log book, because I already knew how to drive an automatic but the only manual I was allowed to drive was my parents' truly abominable kia carnival. The gears in that car were like custard mixed with concrete and it was traumatising to drive The parents wouldn't let me drive Daffy's car to learn! So I did the log book in a much nicer learning car from the driving instructor company.

I'm pretty sure Daffy just did the test, plus he got a NSW licence to start with which is different too? Stupid interstate differences. Still, he's been driving since some ridiculous age and didn't need the pansy option like I did

well in the licence here there are some caveats, like need glasses? noted, if they see u without they can fine you; learned and took the test with automatic? noted, dont get caught with manual TM...

Haha, yeah I know about glasses. My licence is marked with an "S" for Spectacles. Theoretically there is a weight and passenger limit as well, but they're higher than I'm ever likely to need.
For manual/automatic here, if you only got your licence with an automatic, you can automatically drive a manual after you've had your licence for one year (Well, legally you can. You don't just mysteriously and instantly know how to do it if you didn't before...) or you can resit the test in a manual before then.

the car licence her is limited to 6 passangers plus driver and 3.5 tonnes weight of everything (car + ppl + their stuff + 750 kg (iirc) trailer) u want a heavier trailer? u need the E (extension) part to the B licence, but that doesnt increase the 3.5 t limit.

everything above 3.5 t is classed as lorry (C licence with possible E xtension).

Mine is "C" and on the back says

"Licence Class
C - Motor Car seating up to 12 adults including driver, to 4.5 tonnes GVM; Tractor, Implement other than a motorcycle"

So... I can drive a tractor loaded up with 11 passengers? Woohoo!