Culture|Garage

I was leafing through a bunch of automotive websites lately, and other than the normal spew about “green cars” and “the death of Detroit,” I noticed an interesting trend- the gravitation towards the hot hatchback in the United States. In Europe, hot hatches are a fixture, an institution, a part of the landscape. They are the backbone of European car enthusiasts, and almost always promise a good drive, lots of fun, and decent quality, all at a manageable price. With the (thank you God!) Euro-spec Focus making it’s way to US shores in the next few years, and the Ford Fiesta set to make a comeback tour, the hatch is the next big thing. Read the rest of this entry »

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I’m willing to bet that some of our wonderful commenters out there have spent some time in school, and thus can relate to the plight of finals. Yes, the one week where an academic career can be made-or broken- by simply filling in the wrong bubbles on a scantron form. Having said this, I will be partaking in my last set of finals for my undergraduate career next week, so late night study sessions have been the norm in my world. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and with your help, I can get there. The skinny after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

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Ooh, I have a treat for y’all this week. Now then, I know there are contingents of folks who visit the site every day, searching for content and coverage of the JDM brands. Well, this week, it’s a battle royale, as you, our readership, will be the judge. Read the rest of this entry »

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Undoubtedly, you have seen plenty 05+ Mustangs on the street, and the Dodge Challenger is making its way to dealerships nationwide. The Chevy Camaro is due out before too long, sure to please the bowtie faithful. But with all this going on, are we seeing a resurgence of the muscle car, or is that era dead and gone? Although I still lust after RWD, V8 musclecars, I believe the latter to be true. Read the rest of this entry »

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Track events are a good time. It doesn’t matter whether it takes place at a drag strip, a cone-filled parking lot or a muddy field, enjoying your car, truck or bike with other enthusiasts is always fun. Some are club-sponsored and well-organized, while others are simply meet-and-go type affairs. So here’s the question: What kind of track/off-road events do you enjoy?

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You know, the Brits really got it right in the ’70s. Japanese manufacturers were primarily focused on economy in their cars. Here in the states, American manufacturers were building barges and burly pickups (punctuated occasionally by a couple of small cars). The British, however, were slapping (almost literally) together interesting little roadsters, coupes and sedans, reminiscent of those popular in the early ’60s. Read the rest of this entry »

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I have a bizarre Saab fetish (as you can probably guess by the slight Swedish slant that this site sometimes takes).  I don’t really know why, it’s just a “different” car, it doesn’t blend in, it’s “quirky,” it’s like the sexy-quiet-nerdy girl from high school.

But I will be damned, they are not the most reliable vehicle.  I just took my car into the shop for the second time in as many days, this time because the outside temp is reading 144 degrees (it’s 40) and turning the AC on.  This is something that I just paid for a few months ago.  It burns more light bulbs then gas.  I have gone through three stereos (and no you can replace it with after market thanks to fiber optic wiring–seriously, who the hell uses fiber optics?).

I always put up with the pain in the ass it provides.  And I don’t know why.  I don’t like FWD.  I miss having the hatch (I have a 9-3ss).  It’s not fast.  It doesn’t have the potential to be fast.  It depreciates like a lead brick.  Any every time I speak to my family they ask, are you still driving Saabs?  Why?

It’s just “different” and that’s why I like it.  So, what about you?

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Ahh, the open road. Who doesn’t like a trip to nowhere, with no schedules, worries, or problems glutting up the way? I mean, if you don’t count gas, or lodging, or baggage, or food, which begs the question… Read the rest of this entry »

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