University of Illinois Motorcycle Licensing Course Review and Recommendation

Last month I attended the University of Illinois Basic Rider Course at a Caterpillar plant in Montgomery, Illinois. I had always wanted to experience riding a motorcycle but never knew how to get started until a coworker brought up the Basic Rider Course offered by U of I. One of the greatest parts about the course is that it is funded by the State of Illinois so all you need to pay is a deposit of $20 which you get back at the end. The course lasts for three days and includes time in the classroom learning the basics behind motorcycle riding in order to take the test on the last day. The best part about the course was the seat time you get in an actual motorcycle. I ended up riding a Kawasaki XT225 and first was taught how to "ride the clutch" and keep the motorcycle moving without using your feet. This is probably the most useful teaching point as getting going was the hardest thing for me personally to grasp. Even after driving manual cars for 6+ years riding a motorcycle proved to be much, much different. Everything you've learned using your feet and hands is inverse on a bike with the throttle, clutch, and brake operated with your hands and the gear changes with your foot. Even with the steep learning curve, the structure of the course includes exercises that let you build your confidence. This, combined with the fact that the instructors are extremely patient and helpful, made this one of the most well laid-out classes I've ever been in. Without help from the instructors I would have surely failed the riding test that the DMV issues for licensing purposes. I ended up passing both the riding and written portions of the test, allowing me to waive any testing by the DMV and recently recieved "M" licensing certification on my driver's license. While I do not plan on purchasing a motorcycle in the near future, it is nice knowing that I now have the skills to be a safe rider. I highly recommend this course for anyone interested in motorcycles as it provides a low-stress environment for learning the skills you need. Trust me, if I can do it with my sense of balance, you can too.

-Course only gives you certification for Illinois but similar programs exist in most other states

Top 5 Sporty Cars Under $30,000

Here's my list of the top new and used cars under $30,000

5. C5 Corvette Z06:

When the C5 Z06 first came out in 2001 it was one of the fastest and best handling cars in the world. While 15 years has seen 400 horsepower go from supercar territory to sedan territory, the Z06 still offers some of the best performance for around $30,000. When trying to determine which car should be in the number 5 sport I was stuck between the early Vipers and the Z06. What ultimately led me to choose the Z06 was the sound of the LS6 and the pop-up headlights which is one of the features I miss most from 90's cars. Because of the low weight of the Z06 (3100 lbs!) with a few mods this vette can run with the best of today's supercars.


4. 2016 Fiat 124 Spider:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5wlHNyE7mhxGLuYHx10F6CbIqsEH1hd2Kjm9hyphenhyphenYzp2pchpcJpXkh_8oHQ4WRLksUFdAXKttkzdW8JmCr1-X_WGNxGpqM6-G_tym5vXnkl8eVGl5EjXK1x6Bw5zJki2-CYBm5kApfYvA/s1600/FIAT-124-SPIDER-17.jpg

The Fiat 124 Spider is one of those cars that only comes around every few years. Jointly developed with the Mazda Miata, the 124 shares many parts with its counterpart. What this car has to offer that the Miata does not, however, is soul. The 124 has that unique look and when mixed with the growling 4 leads to a truly special machine.

3. 2016 VW GTI

http://media.caranddriver.com/images/13q2/510832/2015-volkswagen-gti-first-drive-review-car-and-driver-photo-511664-s-450x274.jpg

When I reviewed the GTI I said it didn't have enough flaws almost to a fault. For most, this would be a great thing and the GTI excels in every area you could imagine. This, combined with the fact that you can now get a brand-new GTI for about $22,000 means that this is the steal of the century for a new car.

2. Nissan 370Z

http://wallpapercave.com/wp/EUm7RX4.jpg

The 370Z has never been a car I have particularly liked but have always respected. While I don't think many people can argue that the 350 was a better looking car, the 370 is unique and can be personalized to make it your own. With the VQ series V6 this car is also just waiting to be modified. With very lightly used versions under 30 grand, this is a tempting option.

1. 2012-2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302

http://f.images.boldride.com/ford/2012/ford-mustang-boss-302-1317741667-25016.jpg

The Boss is by far my favorite mustang special edition (GT350 included) and exemplifies everything that's right in recent automotive history. The track-special even when new was still somewhat attainable and now with the GT350 prices for these are starting to dip below $30,000. 440 naturally-aspirated horsepower, side exhausts, and only a 6-speed stick offered. Perfect.

2016 Volkswagen GTI w/Performance Pack Review

I realize that this is supposed to be reviews for the "enthusiast" but I recently had the opportunity to drive the Mark 7 GTI and was not about to say no. This particular GTI was a 2016 model with the 6-speed manual, autobahn package and performance package. Included in the autobahn package was "leather" seats, a power sunroof, a backup camera, fender audio system and a host of other non-essentials I would never consider if I was spending my own money on a new car. The performance pack, however, was something I was very curious to experiment with. I have also driven a 2015 non-performance-pack 2-door GTI briefly but I can tell you the performance pack provides the best compromise between ride and handling of any front-wheel-drive car I have ever driven. While the 2015 model I drove was no slouch in the corners, understeer was non-existent in the performance pack. Power on mid-corner in my 2006 A3 and there's a good chance you'll end up eating the median as the tires squeal for mercy. Limited-slip differentials are not a new technology but have truly been perfected with the newest GTI.

http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/f94e9dfe7a6bb5c761bcaffdf9191cc37d7c3d37/c=145-154-1723-1340&r=x393&c=520x390/local/-/media/DetroitNews/DetroitNews/2014/11/13/635514764948450120-2015-gti-1.jpg

From a power perspective, the performance pack brings an additional 10 horsepower due to a less restrictive exhaust. The extra power is unnoticeable and I predict just a way to separate the 2 models and justify the extra two grand you'll pay for the package. The base GTI has enough power to get you into trouble in a hurry and while related to the engine in my Audi, feels like it has more than a 20 horsepower advantage. This could be due to the sub-3100 pound curb weight as compared to 3300 in my A3. Power delivery is also a big difference as VW has discovered how to make a turbo-4 with a linear power curve all the way to redline. This makes the GTI almost feel slower behind the wheel because there is no longer the surge of power associated with turbo lag. This is one of the things I always found fun with the A3 because once I discovered where the power truly was I could put the hammer down and feel like I'm driving a much faster car. Instead, the GTI is unflappable, delivering power with the efficiency and lack of emotion you'd expect from a German car.

Overall, the GTI is a brilliant car that offers 4-door practicality, sports car flash, excellent fuel economy, and speed. My only gripe with this car is that its almost too perfect. Its hard to have a connection to a car that has so few flaws. The tire-melting FWD burnouts (not my car but you get the idea) in my A3 would be impossible in this car because it is too well-behaved, too mature for that...


Fun:            8/10
Practical:    9/10
Fast:           9/10
Total:        27/30

The First Week's Best Posts

New to EverydayAutoEnthusiast and want to view only the must-see content thus far? Check out the best posts from the first week of the greatest auto blog of all-time. Here are some of the posts that will help you catch up with the rest of the EAE Community.

1. About Me- Learn more about the founder of EverydayAutoEnthusiast to see if you can relate or share some of the reasons you became a gearhead. Also be sure to check out the mission statement and method to the madness on the purpose page.

2. Why Do We Love Cars?- This post was focused on why us enthusiasts fall in love with our form of transportation and how it becomes so much more than that when we involve our loved ones with our hobby.

3. Top 5 Most Disappointing Car Powerplants- Lists some of the most promising concepts and other cars that were let down by truly dismal engines.

4. Top Gear Episode 4: A Retrospective- Check out this post that compares and contrasts fellow blog Autoblog's view on the "new" Top Gear series thus far. I also give my thoughts on why the current show has failed and what the producers should do to fix it.

5. 1999 Ford Mustang V6 Review- The review of my favorite car of all-time and what inspired me to create a blog for those that also believe that even the slowest of cars can put a smile on your face. Those familiar with the expression slow-car-fast will appreciate this review.


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Turtle Wax Ice Spray Wax Product Recommendation

I recently received Turtle Wax brand's Ice Spray Wax for my birthday and thought I'd try it out on my Audi. Usually I buy the Turtle Wax's liquid wax as I have always thought it did a better job of protecting the paint than the spray products. I was amazed, however, at how well the spray wax did. The concept behind spray waxes are not new, however, in recent years it has become extremely popular as a more time effective way to protect your car's paint. For the Ice Spray Wax 3 or 4 squirts of the bottle was more than enough to cover about a square foot of car. What I liked most was that I only needed a microfiber towel and a little elbow grease to get an even layer on the A3. Instead of having to repeatedly remove and buff out the wax I could just spray, wipe and be done. While perhaps not as cost efficient as using the traditional liquid wax, the spray wax was far more time-effective with me being able to finish the entire car in about 20 minutes as opposed to more like 45 with the liquid wax. I also noticed that even after the waxing was complete, the car retained its post-wash shine. This could be due to using the "Ice" brand as I had not used it in the liquid form before.

The ability to choose how much was I wanted in certain areas was also a handy feature. For example, the Audi tends to get bug splats and small rocks right near the license plate area. Usually, I cannot get a good layer of wax in this narrow space as it would require hulk levels of elbow grease. The spray wax, however, made it easy as I sprayed the area about 5 times and and just wiped as best I could. Again, with buffing not necessary this makes waxing your car much easier as you don't have to worry about the wax getting too dry before spreading it. Overall, I would highly recommend this product to anyone as either a supplement to traditional liquid wax or as your new wax of choice. I will warn that the spray bottle tends to run out faster and is more expensive than liquid so keep that in mind if you wax your car frequently.

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1999 Mustang V6 Review

This is the one that turned me from a kid that played racing games into the lifelong enthusiast here today. Its been 5 long years since I grasped the wheel of this gem but I still remember the driving experience well enough to give you the most biased review you'll ever see. First, I'll give a rundown of what the Green Machine included from the factory and then I'll describe the mods my brothers and I tacked on over the 8 plus years we owned the car.


Engine: 3.8 "Essex" V6
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Options: Power Driver Seat...and that's about it
Mods: Pypes True Dual Exhaust, Bullitt-syle wheels, K&N Cold Air Intake

The first thing I will tell you about the '99 Mustang is that the difference between the base V6 and GT V8 is similar in magnitude as the difference between the space shuttle and a bottle rocket. There's a reason why people looked at the V6 model as the couldn't-afford-the-V8 model. While it worked fine for sorority girls and on rental lots, the V6 was hopelessly under-powered. So what did my brothers and I do when we realized that it wasn't going to win any stoplight races? We made it sound like the V8. The Pypes brand straight pipes were installed during my oldest brothers tenure and it transformed the mustang with trans-am levels of noise. The sound on start-up made all the right burbly noises and the crackle and pop on throttle down was insanely addictive. Next were the Bullitt-style wheels which were worth every penny spent on them as they gave it the deep-dish retro look of the 60's (and made it look like the GT model, which was important at the time).

So 0-60 felt like it took at least 8 seconds, how about the handling? The communicative nature of the hydraulic steering allowed even the smallest of rocks to be known to the driver and really did let you know when the traction limits were close. The handling was also better than you'd expect and while there was plenty of body-roll, the car was almost always neutral with oversteer possible if you were really aggressive with the right foot. The live rear-axle was really the only thing that could ruin your day as expansion joints would upset the car almost to the point of losing control. The long-throws of the 5-speed were straight out of the 70's and made it truly an effort to initiate a shift.

What made the '99 Mustang great was that it wasn't trying to be something it wasn't. There was something great about being able to hoon the mustang without having to worry about breaking the car or the speed limits. This goes back to the adage that its more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. Being able to experience the limits of the mustang made it far more rewarding to drive than driving a Porsche at 50%. As you can probably tell, I miss the mustang more than I'll miss any car I'll ever own.

Fun: 10/10
Practical: 6/10
Fast: 5/10
Total: 21/30




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EAE's Mission for Automotive Excellence

What EverydayAutoEnthusiast brings to readers is a different reading experience than you will find on Autoblog, Jalopnik, Hemmings, etc. While EAE will include the automotive news and car reviews enthusiasts are accustomed to seeing, this website will yield bolder commentary and thus a close-knit (and likely smaller) automotive community. This blog is not trying to compete with the automotive giants and readers that follow me into the fray will be rewarded with writing that mirrors their own sentiments (unless you're a die hard automatic transmission aficionado, or an extreme environmentalist, in which case why are you here?). News of new cars likely to be complete disasters will be met with pessimism instead of the usual hold-judgement-until-we-drive-it mentality so common in other blogs. EAE will also bring more in the way of automotive gaming. I realize that many enthusiasts are either too poor, too young, or not willing to shell out thousands of dollars to purchase a new car and instead settle their need for speed with a controller. I was raised on Gran Turismo and still play Forza 6 everyday. Practically everyone can play video games and relate to both game reviews and reviews of cars in the game. Those interested in photography should also check out the blog as while I am no means a professional photographer, I have been shooting cars for about 10 years and have a very unique style. I like to photograph cars on the fly instead of going on photo shoots and picking a spot ahead of time. If you take a look at my review of the last-gen Audi A3, you'll see a couple of examples of what I am talking about. Overall, this site is meant to exist alongside your other blog favorites instead of as a replacement. Browsing Jalopnik and then coming back here should yield two different automotive reading experiences for the true enthusiast.

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Top Gear's Episode 4: A Retrospective

I was recently reading Autoblog's review of the latest Top Gear episode and found that the post highlighted the show's struggles just about perfectly. The review largely compared the "new" Top Gear to the old show. It is worth noting that "old" Top Gear is my favorite show of any kind, and it blended automotive knowledge with comedy more seamlessly than any TV show in history. While reading the post I couldn't help but wonder if the new crew on Top Gear was given an impossible task; recreating the old show with different people. Mr. Turkus' view was that the new show failed at using the old show's "skits" like racing different modes of transportation and cheap car challenges. My concern about the show's success lies deeper. Instead of trying to make new people fit the old system, my thought is that you let the presenters build a relationship on screen and then cater the "skits" to the presenters themselves. A simple reboot of the same material seen in the old Top Gear leads to audiences expecting that the show deliver the same level and type of entertainment. The old Top Gear began with purely car reviews by Jeremy Clarkson in the 80's and only used the format we have grown accustomed to after Clarkson, Hammond, and May had established a relationship on-screen. Top Gear still has potential as millions of viewers still watch the show despite the obvious deficiencies. Developing new material would eliminate any comparisons to the old show and give the show a chance to succeed.

Making Top Gear "right" is essential to the automotive community as it is really the only program that offers true comedy that enthusiasts can relate to. Further, the old Top Gear brought even those with little interest in cars into the automotive universe with this comedic ability. The failure to keep those viewers will likely mean fewer "turned" enthusiasts who gain interest in car culture from the show. At least we can still look forward to The Grand Tour...

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Jalopnik's Reign over the Everyday Enthusiast

I posted yesterday about an article on the car blog Jalopnik and thought I'd share some of the similarities and differences between our 2 blogs. I've been following Jalopnik since about 2009 and have seen the site grow from more of a niche blog to one that competes directly with the established automotive publications such as Motor Trend and Car and Driver. Despite its best efforts, Jalopnik has went from a site with a few loyal followers to one that appeals to the "mass" automotive community. While I still enjoy the content on Jalopnik, I feel that they have traded some of their boldness of content for writing that appeals to a much bigger audience. This is not to say that I wouldn't do the same thing, the ability to gain thousands more followers and build a larger community is almost always worthwhile. I, however, miss the days of Jalopnik writers telling it like it is regardless of what car companies or others felt. This is the niche that EverydayAutoEnthusiast will try to fill. One of the first things readers will notice is my advocacy of manual transmissions. If a car is not offered with a stick, I am not interested in it. This was something I noticed with "old" Jalopnik that I rarely see in their more recent blog posts. While dual-clutch automatics and torque converters have certainly gotten better and may have turned former manual-lovers to the dark side, I believe that writers are afraid to offend those enthusiasts who like autos. Also missing in newer material are the inside jokes that only loyal followers will understand. One specifically that comes to mind is the "pretty sure that's a lambo, dude" quote from the bugatti crashing into a lake video. This became a sort of inside joke within the Jalopnik community and the blog began to use the phrase to describe any new super car. While the joke ran a bit too long in the comments section, its one of the things I miss from the "old" Jalopnik.

Dad's Impact on Our Love of Cars: Learning Stick

One of my favorite car blogs, Jalopnik, recently created a post asking readers to share their favorite car-related memories they had with their dad. (http://jalopnik.com/what-are-your-best-car-memories-with-dad-1782244783). I highly recommend checking out the comments section as it will no doubt remind some of you of similar experiences with your dad. Those of you that read my "About Me" and "Why We Love Cars" posts know that my dad heavily influenced my passion for cars. Reading all of the stories of people learning to drive reminded me of one of the fondest memories of my teenage years: learning how to drive stick.  Even after looking up multiple YouTube videos of people's feet working in harmony to shift with a clutch, I was still nervous as my dad pulled the Mustang into the high school parking lot. After a half-hour of awkward lurching and stalls, I eased out the clutch and successfully engaged 1st gear for the first time. Naturally, I was overcome with excitement. My dad, however, didn't think he'd have to tell me how to brake as well. With the available real estate in the parking lot running out, he said "OK, great now hit the brakes". Not thinking I would ever get this far, I fumbled with the pedals and couldn't work out in my mind which one was the brake. Instead of hitting the brake I pushed the clutch in as hard as I could. Now coasting and about 10 feet away from the curb my dad yells "BRAKE!! THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE!!!!". By the time I looked down my dad had managed to reach his leg across the center console and hit the brakes; stopping the car and narrowly avoiding disaster. To this day I don’t know how he was able to shoot the gap and fit his leg into the driver footwell, let alone with enough accuracy to hit the brakes. After this experience, most people would probably wrap it up for the day, but not my dad. Instead he tells me to get the car turned around and try again. At this point I was no longer scared because that was pretty much the worst case scenario so it didn’t take long after that to get used to the intricacies of a manual transmission. I even ended up driving home. 

Top 5 Most Disappointing Car Powerplants

Here's 5 cars where the style writes checks the engine can't cash...


5. Jaguar XJ220

http://wikicars.org/images/en/e/e2/JaguarXJ220supercar.jpg

While the XJ220 was definitely not underpowered (540 hp in 1992!), promises of a motorsport-derived V12 by Jaguar led many in the automotive community to be disappointed when the company ended up ditching the engine for a Twin-Turbo V6. About 1500 people put deposits down for the supercar before the final engine was chosen and many ended up backing out because of the switch. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar_XJ220)




4. Honda CR-Z

http://auto-database.com/image/honda-cr-z-2013-wallpaper-207458.jpg

3. Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86/Scion FR-S

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/12/02/2016-subaru-brz-series-hyperblue-quick-spin-review/

2. 1999 Mustang Cobra

           http://media.caranddriver.com/images/media/561621/1999-ford-mustang

Just look at the CR-Z. All it needed was the S2000 engine in an si model and it would have been lust-worthy. Instead it got the wheezy hybrid powertrain from an Insight. Somehow Honda still produces the CR-Z 6 years after its debut. At least you can get it with a stick.






The "Toyobaru" twins were supposed to be the legacy of the legendary AE86 Corolla of the 80's. They followed the recipe a little too well, however, as the BRZ/GT86/FR-S barely had a better power-to-weight ratio than than its predecessor.







The 1999 Mustang Cobra was disappointing for a different reason. While Ford claimed the 32-Valve V8 produced 320 horsepower, multiple independent tests suggested it made more like 285. Ford even halted production of the Cobra until it was "fixed". Ouch.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang_SVT_Cobra)



1. Delorean DMC-12

http://cdn6.3dtuning.com/info/DeLorean%20DMC-12%201981%20Coupe/factory/7.jpg

The stainless-steel wonder that defined the 80's looks like it should be powered by a jet turbine. Too bad it was actually powered by a Peugeot-Renault-Volvo V6 with 130 horsepower. Reaching 88 mph never took so long...
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLorean_DMC-12)

2006 Audi A3 2.0T Review

This is my 2006 Audi A3 2.0T and before you start commenting about how the author is supposed to be a poor college student know that this particular example has 135,000 miles under its belt. As I have been driving this car since 2012, I'll start out by giving a little history of my ownership. The vehicle was purchased new by my dad and had enjoyed a life of highway miles to and from his office. As my Mustang began to slowly die, my dad handed me down this gem to finish out high school and eventually take to college.

The first thing you need to know about this car is that its equipped with a 6-speed manual and Front-Wheel Drive. You might be thinking, "wait a minute, isn't this an audi? Where's the quattro?". Back in 2006 Audi still offered its A3 and A4 with front-wheel drive. At first, I was put off that I was essentially driving a VW GTI with audi badges but that isn't such a bad thing. The A3 is a much better looking car than the 4-door GTI and doesn't give up any of the practicality. All-Wheel Drive is great for the 5 days a year when conditions are that bad but all Quattro does in an A3 is ruin the driving experience by adding weight and increasing the ride height.

My 4+ years with the car has led me to conclude that this is the most versatile car in the world. Let me illustrate, in what other car can you move out of your college apartment and still knock the phone out of your passengers hand with a goose of the throttle? What other car can put a smile on your face during any drive, get 30 miles per gallon and seat 5 comfortably? I don't know of one. What makes this car so fun to drive is its throttle response and steering. Turbo-lag is virtually non-existent and putting the throttle down at 2000 rpm leads a shove in the back like no other car I've driven. After about 5000 rpm the engine runs out of steam but the diesel-like torque at low rpm is insanely addictive. This, combined with steering so light that I can use one-finger to turn the wheel in any situation, leads to a car that is not at home on a track but perfect to have fun on the streets. Time after time I'll search for a replacement but after a drive in the Audi I'm always left feeling "why would I need anything else"?

Scores:

Fun          9/10
Practical  9/10
Fast         8/10
Total      26/30

Why Do We Love Cars?

This is one of those questions that seems like a no-brainer until you try to tackle it. Why do people fall in love with their mode of transportation? The simple answer is that many people do not. While many claim to be enthusiasts and purchase their brand new Porsche as evidence, only a select few use excuses to hit the open road. These people are the true lovers and their lives would simply not be the same without cars.

Part of the reason we love cars is likely due to the fact that our parents, brothers, or friends loved cars and influenced us to take part in the culture. Similar to a dad bringing his kids to a baseball game and they in turn fall in love with the game, cars are typically something we learn to love over time. For me, it was riding in my dad's 1997 Mustang Cobra convertible that forever turned me into a car lover. The burble and crackling of the 4 valve V8 making all the right noises has quite the impression on a 5 year old. 

http://www.businessinsider.com/fast-and-furious-inspired-by-racer-x-2015-4

I think, however, that there is another aspect of why we love cars. This lies more in the connection between man and machine. Having control over something so powerful and forceful is a feeling that can hardly be replicated by any other experience. The shove in the back on acceleration and g loads in corners make us feel powerful and contributes to our want to discuss these feelings with other people. So much of car magazines and auto blogs are purely describing how a particular car feels to drive. Just imagining these feelings is enough to spark interest in the automotive community. The ability to bond over what "looks" and "feels" best allows us share these experiences; allowing people to come together with a common passion. 

In short, I think that loving cars boils down to the way we were raised and having an experience that makes us interested in these machines. From there, meeting others who share our knowledge for these machines makes us truly love them. 

About Me

Jay Woods is a fairly average college student with a decidedly unusual passion for cars. I grew up in the Midwest and as in many cases had the enthusiast seed planted early on in childhood. The strategic placement of Car and Driver, Road & Track, and Motor Trend throughout the house by my father ensured that I would become a gearhead. As a kid, the path to becoming a race car driver meant grasping my PlayStation 1 steering wheel and earning all of the licenses in Gran Turismo 2. As I got older, the realization that becoming a race car driver meant actually having talent (or money) meant that I had to make my first car, a 1999 Electric Green Mustang V6, my own race car for the streets. To a 16 year-old this meant removing the mufflers and lowering the car to an inch of its life. Driving that rusted pile of American Iron made me realize that driving is an experience and not just a way to get from A to B as quickly as possible. While I am a very different person now than I was back then, my passion for cars has never left me. The cars I've owned, while certainly not classics, have brought me more joy than I ever would have anticipated. The reason I've started this blog is therefore to build a community of people that are tired of reviews and news about cars they will never be able to own. If you have any recommendations for posts, feel free to email me at horsepwr500@yahoo.com.

My First Car- Loud and Slow (Perfect for a 16 year old)