Author: Roy Bailey

My test 2010 Mini Cooper S Clubman has a very unique exterior paint color which is referred to simply as “Hot Chocolate.” And much like that tasty hot beverage that goes so well with itsy-bitsy marshmallows, this hot rod wagon is sweet, tasty and gets you just a little bit high every time you drive it. This surprisingly roomy wagon-let is so fun to drive it should really be labeled by the government as a controlled substance.

Exterior Styling

While some Mini purists were aghast at the notion that Mini was turning the cute little two door coupe into a two and a half-door wagon, time has definitely mellowed those concerns once they realized the Clubman drives just like any other Mini. In fact, thanks to the longer wheelbase it actually has a smoother ride (not to mention rear seat legroom for actual humans).

The 2010 Mini Cooper S Clubman maintains many traditional Mini design cues like the wide “bulldog” stance, smiling front headlight/grille treatment, chromed door handles and old school chrome effect gas cap cover. What sets the Clubman apart are the clever barn-style rear doors that open one at a time for easy access to the surprisingly roomy cargo area.

The other unique aspect of the Clubman is the third door on the passenger side that aids entry and exit to the rear seats. This mini doggie door (more on that later) allows easy entry and exit to the rear seats. There may not be a ton of …

Recently our daughter, who just turned 15, advised us that she wanted to get her learner’s permit and begin driving. I feared the day that this would happen. Being a bit nervous at the wheel of a car trying to teach a brand new driver, I thought a little professional help might be needed. So I found a wonderful company that has not only taught our daughter to drive but has included me in the process and brought me at least some peace of mind. I’m not sure the parent of a new driver can ever have total peace of mind. But we are one step closer. The company is called The New Driver Car Control Clinic.

Statistics show that 1 in 4 teenagers are involved in a car crash every year. Supposedly this is due to the lack of experience and lack of attention. The New driver Car Control Clinic tries to avert these issues with teens by their unique education program. Not only does it offer hands on experience, but it also offers advise a workbook and a DVD. parents are encouraged to attend the first information meeting with their teen. You are also encouraged to watch the video and work with your teen in their workbook. Before graduating from the course, not only does the teen have to pass the driving portion, but they have to complete the workbook. Only then will they receive their certificate of completion.

The state of Florida does not require drivers’ education …

The 2009 Buick Enclave is something special both in value and performance, and the average consumer should be able to recognize that fact rather quickly. For lack of a better expression, the 2009 Buick Enclave has the “WOW” factor that car shoppers look for, and lives up to the advertising hype. At a starting manufacturers suggested retail price of $35,805, the 2009 Buick Enclave gets pretty decent gas mileage at 16 miles per gallon in the city and 22 miles per gallon on the highway. Described by Buick as a luxury crossover, the 2009 Buick Enclave is just that, and just one look is all it takes to know the Enclave is unique.

In safety, the 2009 Buick Enclave is built with many of the standard features Buick is known for. Driver and front passenger airbags, a remote keyless entry and a tire pressure monitoring system are always good to have, The Buick Enclave also has an ONSTAR automatic crash response to beckon assistance when the driver can’t due to accident. In application, this feature alone can and will save many lives.

The performance of the 2009 Buick Enclave is exceptional, due to a 3.6 Liter, V-6 engine that has a 288 Horsepower output at 6,300 RPM’s. With 4 wheel independent suspension power steering,4 wheel disc anti-lock brakes and a wheel base of 118.9 inches, the 2009 Buick Enclave holds the road incredibly well. A six-speed automatic transmission is better than most in this class.

On the exterior the 2009 …

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the Ford Mustang. It will also most likely mark the end of the fifth generation of this muscle car, as rumor has it that the 2010 model will be redesigned to start a sixth generation.

This years Mustang will definitely be a great choice for your next muscle car. It has some great options, and some great new features.

Engine size this year for the GT is a 4.6 liter 24-valve SOHC V8, with dual exhaust. It is 300 horsepower with 320 pound-foot of torque. It is also available in a 4.0 liter SOHC 12-valve V6. Don’t know how to drive stick? No problem! It is available in either the 5-speed stick shift, or the 5-speed automatic. But I will warn you that you will get better gas mileage with stick shift.

But it isn’t too bad on gas either. At an average of 17 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, you can get both good gas mileage along with power. This is definitely hard to come by.

One of the options I found to be the most interesting was that the 2009 model offers a glass roof option. The entire roof will be made of reinforced glass. This is so much cooler than a sunroof.

The grille on this car is awesome, giving it a tough look to go along with its even tougher engine. It is an egg-crate shaped forward leaning grille that really sets off the look of the car. The …

Described as a sports utility wagon, the 2009 Subaru Outback is a wildly popular vehicle due in part to it unique diversification of abilities and uses. While other auto makers have attempted to copy the Subaru success story, the original Subaru Outback is still clearly the leader, and gets progressively better with each model year. With a starting manufacturers suggested retail price of $22,295 the 2009 Subaru Outback is quite a bargain given it’s extraordinary features. With gas mileage of 20 miles per gallon in the city and 26 miles per gallon on the highway, the 2009 Subaru Outback helps consumers considerably at the gas pump.

The performance of the 2009 Subaru Outback is superior with a 2.5 Liter, 16 valve 4 cylinder engine that has a 170 Horsepower output at 6,000 RPM’s. A fully synchronized 5 speed manual transmission, power assisted rack-and-pinion steering, and a 4 wheel disc anti-lock brake system with electronic brake-force distribution are outstanding mechanical features. The has independent front strut suspension and rear multi-link suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars.

On the interior the 2009 Subaru Outback has all of the amenities of a luxury car, without the heavy price tag. A 6 way adjustable driver’s seat, a 3 spoke steering wheel with cruise control, and a tilt and telescoping steering wheel are just the beginning of the 2009 Subaru Outback’s quality features. Power windows and door locks, air conditioning, and a center console with dual cup holders put everything at your fingertips. The …

Have you ever seen the movie Dawn of the Dead? Well this very popular movie was filmed in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Most of the scenes from the movie were shot inside the historic Monroeville Mall. The Monroeville Mall features many different attractions including a boiler room walkthrough with lifesize zombies, maul of fame which is like the famous Hollywood Boulevard but with a zombie twist of bloody handprints, and a gift shop. Monroeville Mall also has a miniature model of the 1978 mall layout, a zombie gallery, and a motion simulator ride. Once in a while tha mall comes up with events having to do with zombies. The zombie car wash that I attended on August 28th was one of my favorites.

The car wash was open from 10AM to 6PM. I drove my car into the rear parking lot between Burlington and JC Penny around 2PM. The parking lot was packed. There were tons of people in zombie costumes. If you came to the car wash in a zombie costume you were discounted two dollars from the original ten dollar price. So, it only cost me eight dollars. I wore a plaid button-down shirt, that I tore up on the seams. I also wore a pair of old, dirty, ripped jeans. I smeared some red lipstick on my face and rubbed it in with my hands as to make it appear as if it were blood. The zombies washing the cars had the best makeup jobs. It seemed as if …

The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee is everything it is supposed to be, and a little bit more. Anyone searching for an upscale sport utility vehicle built for toughness and packed with all of the comfort features can’t go wrong in checking out the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The folks at Jeep have again taken the basic product, added a ton of bells and whistles, and presented a leader in the class with the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee. At a manufacturers suggested retail price starting at $31,080, the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee is certainly moderately priced. With gas mileage of 16 miles per gallon in the city and 21 miles per gallon on the highway the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee does well given all of it’s capabilities.

In the area of performance the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee delivers, powered by a strong 3.7 Liter, V-6 engine. With 4 wheel anti-lock disc brakes, rack-and-pinion steering, an electronic stability program, and an excellent 5 speed automatic transmission the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee is very well made mechanically. To top all of that off, the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee has independent front suspension and live axle rear suspension to give a smooth ride on all surfaces.

The exterior of the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee has the look of a winner, starting with the 17 inch aluminum sparkle silver wheels mounted on Goodyear all terrain tires. With chrome tubular side steps, a MOPAR rear spoiler, deep tint sunscreen glass, and power heated side mirrors the …

Long car rides can be a lot of fun if travellers want to play games with each other. Try these games, and for added fun, play multiple games at once for a roadtrip biathalon or triathalon.

5. The Alphabet Game
   Look for the letters of the alphabet in alphabetical order, using any thing seen out your side of the car. Start at "A", first one to "Z" wins. Feel free to use signs, license plates or any letter seen in any capacity, outside the car. Depending on whether you're driving through a crowded city or a desert, this game can take 5 minutes or an hour.
6. Padiddle
   The rules depend on your travel companions. Play at night. When a player sees a car with one headlight, he or she calls 'padiddle'. The family version dictates that any player who gets three padiddles gets to make a wish. Friends travelling together can decide that anyone calling a padiddle can ask any or all of his or her companions to remove an item of clothing. Play at your own risk.
7. License plate bingo
   Players challenge one another to find state license plates of other states. First player to complete their list wins.
8. 20 questions
   A good game for the whole family, this game is a classic. One player thinks of something. The rest of the car asks "animal, vegetable, or mineral?", and that person must answer whether it is an animal (including people), a vegetable (any plant), or anything not living. The everyone