One of my simple joys in life is driving down the road and happening to come across a new car that more or less begs me to stop and check it out first hand. From the new curves, to the sweet new noise it makes, to that new leather smell, new cars can certainly be a site to behold. Here is a Gallery of what you can expect to be seeing on the road in the coming years.
Author Archives: mikewiencek
2013 Lexus LS spy photos
It seems like Lexus is finally giving their LS model a much needed face-lift for 2013. Continue reading
TV Show Rides: That 70’s Show: The Vista Cruiser
We all know the popular sitcom, “That 70’s Show”, which aired from 1998 to 2005, and honed in on a group of 70’s era working class suburban kids as they make their way through the trials of high school and teenage life. Several journeys took place in Eric Foreman’s (Topher Grace)’s 1969 Oldsmobile Vista cruiser. The car was the place where Eric and Donna (Laura Prepon) began, and ended, and began their relationship again. It was where many important talks took place as well. Not to mention, it was the set for many of Eric and Donna’s dates. A hand-me-down station wagon from father Red Foreman (Kurtwood Smith), this old roadie machine got the gang to the water tower, to the dances, to the radio station, bowling alleys, Price-Mart, and Fatso Burger. Now that the show is over, what has become of the green Cheese-stained pantie-bearing wagon? Well, not to worry, the car is in good hands.
The G-Wheel Wheelman
It’s not every day you see something so unique and innovative, you could swear there is nothing like it anywhere else in the world. And that is exactly what came to mind last night. It was around 10:00pm, me and a few of my buddies were sitting outside on the porch of their corner apartment, drinking a few beers and having a hookah session when we saw a kid no older than us stroll into an old parking lot across the way from where we were. He brought along with him what appeared to be at first, a moped with the top portion cut off, and no seat. He fired it up, and the sound of a 50cc motor interrupted the silence, and all of a sudden, we saw him start skating around as if he were on a long board. All of us couldn’t help but stop and stare at this new never before seen motorized skateboard. He spent nearly an hour just cruising around the parking lot, getting used to the feel and handling of the skateboard, before curiosity got the best of all of us, and we just had to walk across the street to see just what this two wheeled skateboard was all about. That is when we met Eric, the owner of the futuristic skateboard that we would then learn the name of; the G-Wheel Wheelman
At first, we only knew two things; one, we had never seen this before, and two, we wanted to learn more about it. He filled us in on the details of the Wheelman, and what we found out was pretty interesting. The wheelman was designed originally in Japan. It’s a two-wheeled skateboard powered by a mid-engine 50-cc motor from what we thought was a leaf blower, judging by its sound. It’s beefy tires enabled it for all-terrain use and on top of all of that, it didn’t look half bad. The plastics and construction of the Wheelman were designed for abuse, which meant that wiping out would only mean you would pick it up and try again, rather that dealing with mechanical or cosmetic issues. Eric was riding around and demonstrating the basic abilities of the G-wheel rather well, and despite a few falls here and there, he was making it look easy. But after I asked him about how long he had it and and had been riding it, he stated that he had been practicing on the Wheelman for a couple days; and that he could only make left turns. Making right turns would cause him to lose balance and fall over, and he said he intended to spend many more hours practicing before he could conjure up the courage to take his Wheelman Skills to the street. Coming from someone who knows his way around a long-board is saying a lot in terms of the skill level required to actually ride one. In short, it’s no walk in the park, but once you get the hang of it, it’s definitely worth the investment.
You can order your G-Wheel Wheelman HERE. Prices start at $499, a bit on the higher side, but with practice, definitely worth it.
check out a demo of the Wheelman in action HERE
An update for my viewers
I’ve been blogging for a little bit now, and as you may have seen, I haven’t posted any new topics onto my blog recently. The explanation for that is short and sweet: me and a few friends have started a new blog (Still on wordpress, so don’t worry). As a result, I have been writing all of my major posts on that website (followingourownadvice.com) in an effort to populate the new blog with content and media for everyone to enjoy. What I am doing now, is re-structuring my writing process, so that I may provide variety for my readers on both sites, rather than simply cutting and pasting from one to the other. I want my readers to see my posts on following: our own advice and click over to Everything Cars and be able to see even more, unique media to take a look at. This will happen, it just means i’ll be spending more time at the computer and getting more information so that I may publish more posts for you to read. It’s a process, but it’s a simple fix, and it won’t be long before Everything Cars is blooming with new info every week. Thanks for your patience.
Happy motoring!
-Mike
A Sad day for Camaro Lovers Everywhere ((pics))
Seeing a car you love in a scrapyard isn’t always something that is the highlight of your day. I’m sure many of us go about our driving, seeing cars pass us by that have been on the roads for decades and wonder just what the story behind their long-lived lives are. Then, you see a product of today’s demand, a machine that on the inside, a scientific feat brimming with the latest technology, with fifty different settings for the position of your seat, but on the outside, you see a modernized version of a classic car; its got all the same curves, but everything is just more contemporary. There aren’t many questions that flow through my mind when I see a car like this pass me by. In fact, it will catch my eye for a few seconds before I shrug it off and continue on my way. What gets me, is how so many people who own today’s modernized classics can be much more unaware of their surroundings, and why I see more recent cars in pieces on the backs of tow trucks heading for the crusher, because the accident that they got it into was unfortunately its last. I am a Camaro lover, and seeing the way the car developed up until GM decided to pull the car from the market for what much of the outside world believed to be the last time we’d ever see the Camaro name on the market at all, was a sad day for all of us. But when Chevrolet brought back the Camaro from the dead in 2006, our hearts started racing once again. It was bigger, better, faster, and it wore a body with styling cues evident of the original model from the 60’s, which pleased every Camaro fan that set their eyes on it. Seeing these on the roads today, as a production car not far derived from its original concept form pleases me. What doesn’t please me, is seeing one on the back of a flatbed.
No, you are not dreaming. That is a jet black Chevrolet Camaro sporting tinted windows, blacked out rims, a clean finish; and an unfortunate side impact. I saw this on the way home from college yesterday, and the feeling that struck me was the same that i’m sure the driver of the Camaro felt, when the car that put his beloved muscle car icon on the back of the tow truck gave his car that nasty blemish earlier that day.
It’s a sad sight to see. A car that is no more than a few years old, sitting in a pile of twisted metal headed for the nearest scrapyard, where it will spend the remainder of its short-lived life rotting away, as people strip her of her working parts, before she is drained and crushed for scrap metal in the near future. Though the accident does sadden me, as i’m sure it does with other Camaro enthusiasts like myself to see this, what saddens me more, is that this Camaro didn’t live the life it deserved. It’s a car that represents an icon , but was never truly able to live up to its name, and will never have the chance to. And for that reason, it is a sad day for Camaro lovers everywhere.
Campus Cruiser Spotlight: Jake “Grizzly” Hodgeman
When you think big city automotive, you normally think of either big luxurious sedans and SUV’s, or those new ridiculous, but improving green city compacts that are filling up the roads. However, when we take a closer look, there are remnants of a still avid American Dream. For a while, many of us believed that the current economic situation was well on its way to killing this dream, but there are still believers out there who beleive that the dream is still alive and roaring down the highways. I think it was pretty interesting that I happened to find such an example on a college campus.
Driver and Muscle Car fan Jake Hodgeman is doing just that with his Firebird. The UW-Milwaukee sophomore got his first car, complete with a gta appearance kit, with his father when he was just 17 for a bargain deal at $2600. I asked him what made him want to take this one off of the lot. He stated that “I’m into american muscle. It was new enough for me to modify it and do what I wanted to it so that people wouldn’t ask why I didn’t [fully] restore it. I’m a fan of hatchbacks, and I like to stand out, and the back seats were somewhat useful, more-so than a corvette.”
But don’t think Jake simply signed the dotted line and drove off; he wanted to make the car his own, so I asked him about the modifications he had made to the Firebird since he bought it. He gave me a list of mechanical updates; a new fan, a new fan motor, water pump, Bosch titatium racing spark plugs, new wires, suspension, exhaust, a new racing steering package, and interior cosmetic fixes are among the list of things he has done to the car; and this according to his ambitious plans for the car, is just the beginning.
In addition to mechanical fixes and upgrades, he also beefed up the audio performance as well. He took out the stock stereo in favor of a much stronger Sony XPLOD system, complete with a 500 watt amp, and the ability to defen ears courtesy of a 1000 watt Kennwood sub. The entire set only cost Jake $200; which is a great deal for a great sound. This car screams good times, and I asked him just what the best memory he’s ever had with the car was. I kind of anticipated an interesting story.
He actually gave me a few good stories: his best memory, he stated, was “The first time I got it to top out before I replaced everything. I had just gotten the car, and wanted to see how fast It would go. It was limited to 115, while I was topping out, I went over the crest of a hill, and as I went over and started coming back down, the wind lifted the front end of my car off of the ground.” Needless to say, this would get anyone’s heart racing, and keep it that way for the duration of the mini-shock that anyone would have in this situation. Another fond memory he has with the Firebird comes the day after receiving a citation for going 30 mph over the speed limit. “It was the day after I got the ticket for going 30 over, and me and my buddy actually pulled off a race that spanned a 7 mile stretch of road. The road forks at the end, with my lane going right and the oncoming lane going left. A cop happened to see me and flipped on his lights. After he realized that he wouldn’t be able to catch me, he simply turned off his lights.”
Of course, everyone loves their first cars, but there are always the lingering set of questions that hovers throughout everyone’s head: his favorite and least favorite thing about his Firebird. His answers were pretty simple and straight forward. “[my favorite thing about the car] is the V8’s rumble from the straight-piped catback exhaust. [my least favorite thing] is that it’s not fast enough from 0-60 in under 6 seconds. Jake knows that he’s got a while before he can make the Firebird his very own unique Pontiac, but that hasn’t stopped him from dreaming.
I asked him what his plans were for the muscle car, and he responded with a list that came from what seemed like hours of avid dreams and ambitions. eventually, he hopes to put a twin-turbo-charged 427 motorblock in her, which will produce over 900bhp. He plans to couple that motor to a Trimac t60 6-speed manual transmission, and plans to mount the motor and tranny on a Corvette under-body. Just like the Vette, he plans to put a torque tube underneath the car, along with magentic ride suspension. In the back, Jake plans to put a corvette differential in as well. to complete his custom performance package, a hidden roll cage will stiffen the chassis and improve handling. Cosmetically, he wants the car to be a real head-turner. A 3-inch fender flare wide body kit will give the car a lower and more aggressive appearance, and LED lights will keep up this aggressive image when the sun goes down. He plans to surround himself with a custom interior, including custom gauges and 3-tone upholstery. He plans to finish the car with a carbon grey paint job, along with orange accents throughout.
Jake is a mechanical engineering student, who is going to Arizona in the fall to finish school. He’ll be staying with relatives, which means he’ll be spared the expense (and drama) of living in the dorms. He believes that these benefits, along with consistently nice weather will accommodate him better, and that he will be able to focus more on getting his degree figures he will be much more accommodated with his new home, and with all of that saved money, he’ll be able to focus on making turning his dream car, into a reality.
Gallery: Grizzly’s Firebird
Are you a college student? Think your ride has what it takes to be a featured campus cruiser? Send us a picture of your ride, along with why you think you have what it takes for your chance to be the next featured campus cruiser.
Car & Driver and the Social Media
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Click the logo to visit the sight
Twitter is one of the many faces of today’s social media that is connecting millions of people worldwide, and changing the way we communicate as a population. The popular automotive publication, Car & Driver, uses twitter for just that purpose. Car and Driver is an automotive magazine that reviews and informs the everyday car enthusiast on what’s on the road now, and what’s coming up later. The website also offers user feedback, known on the website as “Backfires” on each review they do, allowing for people to comment on reviews that they read on the site. Thanks to Social media, Car & Driver can take their reviews beyond the home page, and get them out to an even wider consumer base. Through their twitter connection, they are able to connect with followers and promote their brand as a company rapidly. Car & Driver use Twitter to promote and get recently published articles photos and blogs out to their followers so that they are easy to access and are immediately informed on the latest happenings from the automotive world. Through twitter, Car & Driver are not only able to get a wider fan base through the numerous followers they have, they are also able to keep their readers up to date by the minute, allowing the convenience of using Car & Driver to be even more easily accessible. Twitter has made Car & Driver an even more knowledgeable automotive publication.
The Mercedes Benz CLS Shooting Break; a Merc gone A-WOL?
Hey all you soccer moms and dads, Mercedes has created a beast just for your garage; and even better news, it’s a station wagon. But don’t be fooled by the conventional look that the new Merc wagon has, or its four doors, or its class. This is an entirely new animal, and it is packed full of surprises.
It’s called the Mercedes CLS Shooting Break, and I have a few things to say about it. First, there is the issue of the name. Normally, when a car is labeled “Shooting Break” this term denotes a 2 door station wagon. What Mercedes have done, is ignore the rules and decided that they would put the name on the CLS station wagon anyway. That’s not the only thing wrong with this car. For years, owning a premium station wagon was very popular in Europe because of style, performance, and practicality. The CLS shooting break may look like a station wagon, but it definitely does not carry the practicality factor of one; nor does it really have much to give in the area of sleek styling.
The Wagon doesn’t really have much in the way of performance options either; but that doesn’t mean that buyers will be complaining. The CLS comes with one engine; the M157 5.5 liter twin turbo V8, which puts out 518 hp, and can be wound up to 550 hp if the buyer so chooses to upgrade to the performance package. That means that getting to and from soccer practice will take almost no time at all. And if you’re grocery shopping, getting home before the ice cream melts won’t be an issue either.
The CLS shooting break has an improper name, it’s unnecessarily fast, it has limited cargo space for a station wagon, it can go around corners, and if there is one thing you can be sure about, it’s 5.5 liter v8 will rattle the bleachers at your child’s next soccer game. It’s an interesting design, but I’m not quite sure many buyers will take interest in a coupe-gone 4-door-gone-rogue. In my eyes. what you’re buying is a merc gone A-WOL.
See a 60 second Presentation of the New Mercedes Benz CLS Shooting Break Here
Summer Driving Tips: Save gas, have a blast
It’s that time of year again; where the weather is warming up, and drivers all over can finally turn off the heat, and the de-frost and spend a little extra time in bed, as they don’t have to worry about scraping the ice off of their windshields in the mornings any longer. It’s that time when any enthusiast will call up any number of their good friends and go for a nice drive on a curvy challenging road, and stop by the lakefront grill for a burger and a shake with friends and family. But let’s not forget one important factor associated with all of this: Gas prices. It’s pretty common to see more vehicles on the road during the warmer months, which means that this summer, gas prices will be higher than ever. So, you may be wondering what you can do as a driver to enjoy summer driving, and save money at the pump at the same time. Well there is no need to worry, there are a few simple tips to consider that will save you plenty at the pump, and allow you to enjoy those long summer cruises you’ve been looking forward to.
When you drive, it is important to remember that the more aerodynamic your car is, the less fuel you will use. Whether your windows are up or down play a huge role in the aerodynamics of your vehicle, and can make a substantial difference in how much gas you’ll use in the same time span. When you’re on the highway, keep the air-conditioning on, rather than the windows down. A/C uses fuel, but compared to keeping the windows down, will use substantially less when you’re going faster that 50 miles per hour. You’ll stay cool, and your significant other’s perfect hair won’t be ruffled by the wind, which means that you’ll save yourself the money, and the complaints. It’s the best of both worlds. However, don’t get to close with the air-conditioner, because it can turn into your worst enemy off the highway.
When your off the highway, do the exact opposite. Turn off the A/C, and close the vents, and open your windows. Aerodynamics isn’t a big concern when you’re driving below 40 miles per hour, which means that your windows being up or down won’t have an adverse affect on fuel consumption. However, the air-conditioner will. A/C uses alot of gas, and when you’re off the highway, consuming city mpg’s, this can bring your needle down much quicker than you’d want it to. Open your windows, roll back the sunroof, turn up your radio, and let the natural breeze flow throughout the cabin. Your girlfriend won’t complain about her hair getting ruffled, and you can enjoy your summer cruise, while saving money at the pump.
With gas prices climbing, and no sign of them slowing down as we approach the summer months, it is important to know how to keep gas in your tank and drive conservatively as well. Take these two basic tips into consideration and you’ll not only save money at the pump, but you’ll enjoy being able to spend more time on the road, and less time at the pump. I follow these two tips every summer, and they work very well. Spend a summer following these habits and you’ll come to find that the extra money in your wallet can go towards that summer family vacation you’ve always wanted to go on. Drive safe, have fun, and enjoy your summer.
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