Would you drive this Wrangler?

Let me start off by saying that Jeeps aren't for everybody.  The Jeep SUVS are, well, an SUV with a completely different purpose than Jeep's Wrangler and Rubicon Series.  I really wanted to take the Rubicon on this little joy ride but since it was getting detailed, I decided to take it's smaller cousin: the Wrangler.  These Jeeps are built for one thing:  to go off road.  While I personally didn't get to seriously test it's four-wheel drive, I thought I'd take it for a little jaunt through Sequoia Park.  For those who don't know, there is a road that goes through Sequoia Park that's basically a one way service road that connects the main park to the duck pond down the hill.  And because of all roots under the road, even though its paved, it may as well not be as some of the roots have pushed sections of the road up as much as foot and a half!

Climbing into the cab I have to say that I really like the interior. For it's small size the cab of the Wrangler feels really spacious and everything appears really well made and sturdy.  Little things like how thick the plastic on the air vents is, and when you grab the handles to climb in there's no flex or give to them.  Solid.  I also really like the Speakers that are built into the roll cage.  That's just awesome.

Heading out I noticed that the engine has a good bit of torque to it.  Perhaps not as much as it's bigger cousin the Rubicon but more than adequate for some serious off-roading.  The suspension seemed kind of stiff as I made my way to the park, but I'm sure that's to improve the handling when not on a paved surface.  Turning into the Park, I immediately ran over a choppy section of road just to see how the suspension performed.  Still a little stiff for my taste but the Jeep didn't seem to mind.  Going down another steep rooty section I can see how this could become a lot of fun and why so many Jeep owners love their Jeeps.  It's like an awesome off-road convertible.  Having owned a convertible in the past, I can say that it's almost like riding a motorcycle.  It seems really inconvenient until you do it and realize that the exhilaration and fun that comes with it far outweighs any inconveniences. Driving it makes me wish I could strip off the soft top and head to the River! Coming to a stop at the Duck Pond I got out to admire the Jeep one last time before heading back.

Taking Care of your Vehicle's Interior

To compliment our earlier piece about taking care of the exterior of your car, I thought I'd write up something on interior care as well.  Taking care of the interior of your vehicle is just as important as the taking care of the exterior and can really help limit the depreciation of your car.  Which means when it's time to trade it in, or sell it, you'll be able to command a much higher price when your interior is well kept. With all the varieties of awesome outdoor activities up here, the interior of your vehicle can get downright dirty real quick.  But by following our advice, when it comes time to really clean your vehicle, it'll be a lot easier.

New Cadillac Interior  - Nice!

Firstly, when you go to wash your car or at the end of the week, take a second to clean out any trash that may have accumulated over the week, and shake out your floor mats.  Then using a damp micro-fiber cloth, soft T-shirt or paper towel, wipe down all the dust and dirt that's settled on your dash, center console, side window sills, etc.  These little steps take only about ten minutes and will go along way towards keeping your vehicle clean.

When it's time to really clean your vehicle, you'll need a good vacuum with a plastic hose attachment that won't scratch your interior.  Also, it's handy to have a little soft bristled (clean) paint brush to get all the dust out of hard to reach places, like air vents, before vacuuming. There's not much you can mess up when it comes to vacuuming but you don't want to be vacuuming anything plastic (generally) but if you do, make sure your not using an attachment that's going to be scratching things.  Definitely don't use metal vacuum attachments.  Depending on the interior material, sometimes you can get away with using the bristle attachment to vacuum up some of the dust and dirt, but usually it's better to just wipe all those surfaces down and save the vacuuming for the upholstery.

After all the vacuuming is done, it's time to start conditioning.  Something that's good to do maybe once or twice a year is to clean your upholstery with some type of upholstery cleaner.  This just helps keep the interior of your car fresh and stain free.  Next, use a vinyl re-conditioner to help keep your plastics looking nice.  I use Armor-all but there are a lot of options out there.  Whatever you end up using be sure to spray it onto an applicator, such as a paper towel or soft cloth and apply rather than just spraying the re-conditioner directly onto the surface.  You don't want any over spray on your glass or upholstery.  Also, it's easier to control how much your applying.

Lastly, wipe down any excess and your done!  By taking the time to keep your vehicle clean both inside and out, you get the satisfaction of driving not only a clean vehicle, but knowing that when it's time to get a new one, you're vehicle will be worth much more.  Depending on the vehicle, this can sometimes be a difference of thousands of dollars!

Driving our Latest Featured Vehicle: The Titan

I was hesitant to take this 2011 Nissan Titan out for our featured spot, but only because I knew I was going to like it.  I've always been a proponent of Japanese vehicles; properly maintained they run forever.  And this titan lives up to it's name sake.  The Custom rims just make this truck pop.  Hopping in the cab, I couldn't help but admire how spacious the cab feels.  Somehow it just feels familiar in an interesting way; there was no getting used to driving this truck.  It just felt natural.  The interior is somewhat spartan, but hey its a truck.

Starting her up, I must say I really like how this truck sounds.  Some reviewers have noted that these trucks have a heavy exhaust note.  This Titan is a TRUCK.  Not in anyway similar to the 80's Nissan's except that they both have beds... and their both made by Nissan.  Anyway, I say and I think I speak for most of us truck aficionados in this county, when I say: It's supposed to sound like that.  It's a 317 horsepower V8 with a 9500 lb. towing capacity which is plenty for all the toys. Come on now!

Heading out of the lot, I immediately noticed how easy it is to see out of the cab of this truck.  The side view mirrors are large and well placed.  Also the rail that separates the windshield from the passenger and driver's side windows is really narrow.  All these things combined make the cab feel even bigger than it actually is.  The fold up middle table scores extra points too, it's always nice to have the extra room.  Speaking about the seats, they are amazingly comfortable; with a generous amount of support and padding.

One of my favorite things about these trucks is that the rear window also rolls down!  Some of the best camping trips I've been on involved loading up the ice chests and cruising to South Fork with all the windows (including the rear) rolled down in my friend's Titan.  It feels like your in a convertible.  It's awesome.

Cruising out of town, I gave her some boot coming off the line just to see.  The V8 did not disappoint.  With gobs of torque right from idle,  I even saw the traction control light come on briefly, but the interference was so smooth I didn't notice it.  Sometimes, traction control can be kinda jerky as it engages but this was downright seamless.  Bravo Nissan, Bravo.  Heading out to to the North Jetty, I must say I really like how this truck handles.  It has a nice solid feel to it.  Responsive but not so stiff in the suspension that I feel jostled around going over bumps and not at all floaty for a truck of it's size.

Finally out at the parking lot, I engaged the four wheel drive, which is really simple.  Just stop, put it in park and turn the nob, wait for the dash markings to indicate all 4 wheels are ready and your good to go.  Shifting back was just as easy.  Under strict orders to NOT get her in anyway sandy, I resisted the temptation to take her out of the staging area.  But with the tires this truck is equipped with, I know it would handle it like a champ.  After snapping a few photos, I was ready to head back.  But not ready to turn in the keys.  I really want this truck...It's just so comfortable!  If I didn't owe so much on my dodge, I would trade trade her in for the Titan in a second!  Sacrilegious I know, but it's just so comfortable!

Waxing your car is good for you!

Notice that your car or truck's paint isn't as shiny as it used to be?  Your vehicle needs more than just a wash to look good.  And with this weather we have up here, waxing will keep your paint in excellent condition. You may think that waxing the car is something only your Grandfather used to do to his car and with today's modern paint, that car washes with their spray on wax is all your car needs.

This sadly is not true.  Spray on wax just doesn't do even a quarter of the job that real hard wax does.  If you want your baby to keep looking it's best, you need to be waxing it for a couple reasons.  First off, it's fun!  If your not single, don't use waxing the car as an excuse to isolate yourself!  Get your significant other involved!  It's a great way to spend some time together!  Pop open a couple of your favorite beverages and talk while you work.  You'll find that being productive together while doing something seemingly mundane can be a lot of fun.  I like to make an afternoon of it; if you don't have a buffer it can take about an hour or two. It's also a cheap date, all you need is the wax (two cans if there two of you so everyone gets their own applicator), some micro fiber cloth and a little elbow grease. If your doing it alone, it's a great way to invest your time in something positive.  You'll be contributing to the value of your car and you'll feel good driving that nice shiny thing around town. 

Second, waxing not only keeps your vehicle looking good and extends the life and shine of your paint, but it can protect it from being scratched also. With all the rain we've been getting, it'll also help prevent water spotting when your car eventually dries as the water will bead much better. Wax does it's magic by filling in micro-scratches in the paint's clear coat.  These scratches just happen unfortunately.  Most often from washing using a brush that's too stiff or from using a rag or sponge that picked up some abrasive road grim in the washing process.  Airborne sand or dust can also cause these scratches. But the good news is that with a well done wax job, those micro-scratches will disappear!

Now, a little bit on the wax.  You can spend about twenty dollars on the fancy waxes but I prefer the regular Turtle Wax.  It's cheap and makes a nice hard surface that can actually protect your paint from scratches.  The fancy waxes are softer, and while they may be easier to apply, they also don't last nearly as long or protect as well.  A good wax job should last three to six months.  The can says 12 but I don't know about that.  Depends on how much you drive I guess. With softer butter waxes I find myself having to redo them much more often.  Now there are a lot of different ways to do this as well as a million different products.  Hardcore enthusiasts use like 5 different products: a soap to wash, a clay bar kit to remove any other contaminants, a pre-wax conditioner, a hard synthetic wax, then a soft caranuba wax.  We're gonna do it the simpler way.

First off, wash the car.  Unlike Turtle Wax, good car detergent ain't cheap.  I recommend the regular Armor-all Soap.  It seems kinda expensive but it's also really concentrated so it actually lasts a pretty long time, bubbles really well and doesn't have a lot of harsh detergents in it.  It also preps your paint really nicely.  Once you have your baby washed and dried it's time to start waxing!  Pick a day that's not too hot.  Hardly a problem here but even so.  If you have a garage, use it.  Direct sunlight can make the wax dry really quick and then its hard to buff.  But again not really a problem up here.  Enjoy the sun if its out right?

APPLICATION!  Use the little spongy thing that came with the wax and dab it in the wax and rub a THIN layer evenly over an area.  Like as thin as possible.  Smear it around good so the paint is all covered in the little area your doing, then dab more onto the sponge and do another little area.  Work like this till you cover the whole car; I like to do a body panel at a time when applying: wax is gunky and it likes to get in places it shouldn't, i.e. between panels.  Don't put a lot on the applicator and it'll be easier.  The idea is you avoid getting in deep crevasses and on plastics.  Especially textured plastics.  Rubbing alcohol mixed with water will take it off, but best not to even have to do that.  Most of the time it'll just wipe off.

NOW BUFF!! Well, after the wax dries.  You can tell when you run your finger over it and it doesn't smear.  Then it's time to get your micro fiber cloth and buff all the wax off! Use circular motions (Wax on, Wax off!) and when the cloth starts getting all gunky switch sides or get a new one.  This is the most time intensive part but there's really not a big rush in this climate.  If you wait too long the wax can get hard to buff off.  Remember to take some breaks!

When your done, marvel at what your hard work has done! And tell us how it went!

ROSSI is BACK!

latest news from qatar motogp!

For those of you who don't know, Valentino Rossi is the Dale Earnhardt of MotoGP.  He's also the most successful racer of all time, having won the World Championship title nine times.  He's also one of the older racers at 35 years of age, and this last Sunday at Qatar he came in second to Marc Marquez! What's so exciting about this?  Last season, actually the last couple of seasons, he wasn't doing so hot... plagued by a dislocated shoulder and racing on a broken ankle he was not very competitive.  Many people, including myself, where grudgingly ready to accept the fact that their most beloved racing legend might be ready to hang up the towel.  I actually stopped watching MotoGP last season because I didn't want to see Rossi lose over and over. But this season the Rossi we know and love is back!  And I can't wait to see how this season pans out!

He's BACK! (yes that's an older picture)

Wet Week ahead, Play it safe

With the forecast calling for a rainy week, let's all be extra careful while driving.  There have been far to many accidents on Broadway these past couple weeks.  A little courtesy and attentiveness can go a long way towards preventing a situation that could really ruin your day, as well potential your life or the lives of those around you.

When your windshield starts to look like this:

It's time to slow down.

And possibly invest in some RainX or a similar product.  I use it on my truck and it makes a huge difference in visibility.  Remember to increase your following distance as well.  Just because you can see well and want to drive your normal pace, doesn't mean the person driving the '92 Volkswagen with the defroster that barely works can.  Have some courtesy toward your fellow drivers and when in doubt, play it safe.  Look twice.  Some streets in this county have really narrow sidewalks i.e. poor visibility, and can be difficult to see around.  Such as the intersection at F and 6th street where last week somebody decided they could make it, but didn't see the F-150 in the right lane and got broadsided or whatever the case was.  If the driver of either of these vehicles reads this, I realize that may not be exactly how it happened but I think we can agree that that intersection is stupid and try to avoid it when possible.

One more point: there are a lot of die hard motorcyclists and bicyclists who ride in the rain around here.  As an avid motorcyclist myself, I know what happens when it gets wet out.  From the motorcyclist's and bike rider's point of view it seems like everyone suddenly forgets how to drive. Not trying to point fingers or anything; I know that's probably because nobody can see you.  Nobody can see you most of the time anyway but when it's wet out sometimes I feel like I'm riding something with the latest military version of Active Camouflage. The point I'm trying to make here, for both Drivers and cyclists of all kinds is: Don't assume people see you.  Keep calm and play it safe.  And when it's wet out, remember to be extra courteous and play it doubly safe. 



Driving this Featured Car! The 2002 Chevy Corvette $23,995

 

 

This featured car is the 2002 Chevy Corvette.  I knew driving this car was going to be hard to describe, so I thought I'd take her for a little spin up Greenwood Heights!  The 5.7 liter V8 Engine started up with a growl; 350 horses.... I couldn't help grinning like a fool as the seat slid up into the preset position of the last driver.  I could feel the purr of the engine through the seat, arm rest, and stick.  The 2002 Corvette not only has 20 more horses than the previous run, it also received some suspension upgrades; a larger front stabilizer, stiffer rear leaf springs, new rear shock valves and re-tuned cambering for increased grip and agility.  The front stabilizer bar links and transmission cooler case were also replaced with aluminum to decrease overall weight. Under the hood she looked clean, and with less than 30,000 miles, I didn't expect anything less.

 

 

Pulling out of the lot I could feel the extraordinary racing heritage that is every Vette's birthright.  It felt so planted, so smooth.  So completely in control.  No flex or roll in the suspension like almost every other car I've drove.  I put her in second.  The clutch has a short stroke, not mushy or elongated, more like a motorcycle than a typical car.  Tooling down Broadway, I could feel the eyes of pedestrians and other motorists sliding over the Vette's curves.  Heading out to Samoa, I let her have some reigns.  She accelerated effortlessly. No thinking about it.  The purr started to become more of roar.  A hitchhiker walking the bridge waved his thumb excitedly at me.  Sorry buddy. Ain't gonna happen. Shifting into fourth as I rapidly approached the speed limit, now I was just coasting, giving her hardly any gas.  She ate up the bumps on the bridge transition like nothing.  I stilled slowed way down for those train tracks: I'm not taking any chances and those tracks are stupid.

 

 

Out Old Arcata Road, I could only marvel how comfortable the ride was.  Knowing that this Vette is about as sports car as it gets, and honestly about as much of a sports car as many of us can afford, I was surprised how relaxing and smooth the ride actually is.  Now I know why most Corvette drivers I see are going so slow.  There's no need to drive it like a bat outa hell.  Sure it's built for it, but cruzing in this car is a pleasure all it's own. Going up the Heights, this Vette has a feeling that's unique in the car world.  With the 2002's upgraded suspension and Humboldt's, shall we say, less than stellar road quality it felt silky smooth, but without any sense of floating.  The Car just felt there.  I pushed her into the turns. Still no roll.  I love it.

 

Back at the dealership, and very reluctantly, I hung up the keys, still grinning like a fool.  I looked at the clock. Uhoh, a quick spin turned into a two hour drive! Oh well, it was worth every second.