A season of sadness with a dash of potential

If you live in the wonderful, northern portion of the United States you know what time it is. Yes, do not be afraid, but be aware winter is on its way! Unless you want to end up like the guy on the left, its usually a good idea to put your special car away. Summer tires, carburetors, and convertible tops don't bode well in the harsh winters, especially where I'm from in Buffalo, New York. People with classic cars, I understand they can be driven and were driven and are currently driven by people in the snow, but come on do you really want to subject your machine to such salty and moist conditions if you don't have to? People with more modern specialty cars (S2000s, Challengers, C63s, etc.) your cars could run pretty well in the winter but to extend the life of your vehicles, do yourself a favor and stow it away. Here's a list of some easy things to do to get your vehicle prepared for hibernation:

• Find a garage or a quality temporary car port
• If possible, cover the floor of your garage with plastic. It prevents any moisture from the concrete to find it's way to the floor boards, frame rails, and pesky bolts of your sleeping beauty.
• Make sure your engine's coolant has enough antifreeze in it. Too much water and the coolant could freeze, causing your block to spit out it's freeze plugs or even crack.
• When you put your vehicle away it will most likely have gas in the tank. Winter conditions last at least 4 or 5 months (where I'm from). Modern gasoline will lose its potency as time passes. A fuel stabilizer can help maintain your gasoline for up to a year. There are some products out there that even help prevent moisture within a metal fuel tank.
• It may be valuable to take your car's battery out especially if the garage is not heated. If a battery freezes, the lead inside will crack making your battery ineffective when the warm weather comes. A battery today is not cheap, they generally cost $100 or more.
• Pump your tires up. If your car sits for a while your tire could become flat in that spot just from sitting without rotation. When driven again the tires could feel lumpy. Nobody likes lumpy tires.
• Wrap it up like a burrito. A good car cover is invaluable. Just as you like that North Face jacket of yours, a car likes to stay protected. I always throw extra covers and blankets on it just to make sure its out of the elements.
• Put some poison around the garage to exterminate those unpleasant animals that love to eat carpet, wire, and seat cushions.
• Something I always do is tape up the exhaust pipes. A gross little creature could crawl in there and live. 
• Give it one last kiss goodnight. 

It sounds like such a sad process. It doesn't have to be! Start planning on what can be modified for next season. Cars are ever evolving and there is always something to do to it to make it fit your style. Start researching that big engine build or which coil overs will give you the least amount of ground clearance. Spend the time to really think out your next move so that when the time comes around that you can take it out and start wrenching. I find you can really appreciate your car more when you haven't driven it in a while. You re-kindle that lost affection after busting your knuckles on stubborn strut bolts or getting that lovely speck of rust in your eye. 

Fiat 500 Abarth

I'm not ashamed to say that I love the Fiat 500. Its one of my favorite cars. When I saw the Disney movie, Cars, I asked my dad what kind of car Luigi was. He told me it was a Fiat 500. I never really heard much about Fiats or cared about them again until I was watching Top Gear many years back and I saw Jeremy Clarkson romping on this tiny little car.
It was white with the red Abarth rocker stripes and red side view mirrors. It looked absolutely perfect especially with the optional 17" wheels on it. Ever since that episode something clicked inside my head where I just started loving Fiats. Some call me crazy for my large passion for such a small car. I get it and I admit there are better, faster, more reliable, cheaper, practical cars out there. The Fiesta ST is about the same price (or slightly cheaper) and way faster. Its been praised for its handling over the past year. I think its a better built car and it has more doors. If I had to buy a new car I would probably buy the Ford just for peace of mind. Which would I rather own? the Fiat.

It sounds odd, I know. I'm a very cautious auto enthusiast. I bought a front and differential skid plate for my Subaru Legacy wagon because I put lowering springs on it and didn't want ice chunks to hurt anything. I'm way more passionate about that cute, little, possibly unreliable Italian gem.

First off have you ever heard one? Its exhaust is largely unrestricted and its as raspy as a smoker's cough. It grumbles and sounds feisty, like it has way more than just 160 horses.
The SPORT button actually does something! When you press it, it tosses 20 more lb-ft of torque at you for a total of 180.
It has two baby intercoolers at each corner of the front bumper (just something I find cool).
The scorpion badges are a pretty mean little detail.
You can get them in obnoxious Ferrari and Maserati special editions that are way to expensive but still cool. (Speaking of special editions the 1957 Fiat 500 is beautiful in the original pastel colors and over sized steelie wheels.)
If you can't afford an Abarth, Fiat will sell you a 135hp 500 with a de-tuned Abarth engine. This model also gives you the Abarth front bumper (minus the scorpion).
When else can you buy something cheap and Italian that will work for a little while?
The car is very retro which is very cool right now.
It has a little mustache!
Finally, its a car with character. Often overlooked, it won't be as fast as the Fords or Volkswagens but it doesn't have to be. The Abarth will be your faithful companion with spunk.

The Lazy Board

I understand some people can't help themselves, a new "thingy" comes on the market and it's a must have item. A new iPod perhaps, or the latest "Talking Elmo". For some odd reason companies are coming out with these self balanced, electric moving platforms. Very similar to a Segway, all you do is stand and lean in the direction you want to travel. They have no handle bars, just two wheels on a flat board with electric motors and sensors. If you think you can fall off easily you would be correct. They have minimal ground clearance, they don't go up inclines well, and they can be tricky to mount/dismount.

Granted these "hover boards" are quicker than walking most seem to have a top speed ranging from 6-13 miles per hour which is faster than I thought. A 3 hour charge gets you between 9 and 13 miles. There are only 3 benefits of these boards that I can come up with; they will get you somewhere faster than walking, some boards offer Bluetooth speakers built in and if you have a physical disability I suppose these could be of assistance.

But come on people is this it has come to? We can no longer continue walking to class or taking strolls through the park without the aid of electronics? These contraptions weigh in at more than 20 pounds. So when they run out of juice, you have to carry it around. If you are on rough terrain or steep inclines you have to carry them around. You stand on them with a wider stance so they aren't exactly ideal for cruising through narrow gaps or heavily crowded areas.

One may think the price is reasonable until they roll next to a mirror and realize they look like complete dorks, the boards light up and flash. Not that the rider will actually pay attention, they're too busy using their cell phones or doing something hipster-ish.

What does this mean for weight gain? How does this promote anything good? This pretty much takes the body's easiest function and makes it even easier. Hopefully when the next generation of children are born they will just be taught how to stand and take two steps. Screw the laborious process of learning to walk or run just hop on one of these bad boys with flashing bright blue lights, blaring Skrillex. School yards will be filled with hover boards playing tags or cops and robbers.

So far I've seen a few people who actually use these. A kid in my town using it to cross a street  and a guy on campus. Brave, brave individuals they are. I really hope hover boards die out and can be laughed at 20 years down the road like every piece of 1980's exercise equipment.

I liked walking the way it was before. But if you decide walking really isn't your thing anyways you'll be happy to know bicycles still exist.