Good oil: The resurrection

If you're shopping around for an oddball classic car, don't cross old funeral hearses off your list - they are becoming a style statement in Britain and go for a song. Hearses tend to be based on premium nameplates such as Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Volvo, Cadillac. They are well looked after - when was the last time you saw a hearse with rust or a smoky exhaust, or doing wheelies? And they come with all the luxuries of the base vehicle. They are usually traded in because they are out of fashion rather than being too costly to maintain. Binz UK, which distributes E-Class Mercedes-Benz hearses, is selling old stock, if you're interested.

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A United States survey asked buyers which three sources of information were most helpful in deciding what vehicles to put on their shopping list. Their responses: TV ads, 43 per cent; newspaper ads, 42 per cent; newspaper website ads, 30 per cent and other internet ads 25 per cent; magazine ads, 21 per cent; radio ads 11 per cent; and outdoor ads 9 per cent.

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British motorists regard those who use cellphones at the wheel as dangerous, anti-social law-breakers. An insurance company poll indicates that using a mobile while driving has become as anti-social as dropping litter or queue-jumping and has resulted in angry confrontations between drivers. Several motorists in a London suburb have had their tyres slashed and a note left on their windscreens telling them to stop using their mobiles. In the poll, 58 per cent said they felt intimidated by other motorists if they used their mobile.

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A Labour Weekend shindig promises to be the biggest gathering of Mini cars seen in New Zealand, say the organisers. The Mini Car Club of Auckland is hosting the 12th annual get-together of national Mini clubs and expects about 120 examples from 1959 originals to this year's models. Activities wind up on Monday at the Pukekohe race circuit, where the Minis will join the Living Legends Dunlop Targa display.

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United States lawyer John O'Quinn has shelled out $530,000 for the Batmobile from the 1995 movie Batman Forever. It was one of four high-profile cars he bought at a charity auction. The others were a 1938 Cadillac used by the Vatican, a 1941 Packard owned by former US President Harry Truman, and a Lamborghini autographed by Hollywood celebrities.

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A fellow wearing a President Ronald Reagan mask got away after robbing a Bank of America branch in San Diego - but completely botched the job. The San Diego Union-Tribune said the robber's mask fell off after he ordered a teller to hand over the loot, his pistol snagged on the cape he was wearing, his getaway was blocked in an alley by a delivery truck, which he rammed, provoking an argument with the driver; and the dye-pack in the bag of money exploded in the back seat of his car.