Car Minded

You Could Buy an F1 Race Car! But You Probably Shouldn’t

Last updated: Dec 9, 2019 at 4:01PM
Published on: Nov 14, 2014 by tgriffith

Yes, that’s correct, you could buy a used F1 race car. For the right amount of cash, any regular guy or gal can shop online and find the perfect used racer to suit his or her needs.

I discovered this fact while reading about a car for sale: a Red Bull RB3 Formula One race car that was driven by Australian Mark Webber during the 2007 season. The car didn’t do particularly well that season, but it would sure be enough to wow your friends and win a trophy or two at your local track day.

The above 2001 Jaguar F1 car is also for sale.

There are two catches, though, when shopping for a used F1 car:

They are incredibly expensive (upward of $400,000 for the RB3).
Sometimes they don’t include an engine (this is the case with the Jag).

For those of us without an F1 budget, but with the desire for speed, check out one of these used cars that’ll fight the good fight on track day.

And probably come with an engine, too.

The Perfect Car for a Picky Driver

Last updated: Dec 9, 2019 at 3:59PM
Published on: Nov 10, 2014 by tgriffith

The requirements weren’t easy to meet:

Fuel efficient
Fun to drive
Easy to zip through traffic
Not a 2-door, but not a lot of extra room for too many passengers
Not a sports car
Not a Honda, Toyota, Hyundai or Kia
Must be new and available for lease
Relatively inexpensive
Not an electric car
Reliable

A dear friend is moving from Washington to Los Angeles and needs a car better suited for SoCal than her current Hyundai Santa Fe. Things can get pretty snowy and cold up here in Washington, so all-wheel drive was a requirement, but front-wheel or rear-wheel drive will be preferred down south.

I set my mind loose to think up suggestions, but had a tougher time than I expected.

Trunk-Or-Treat!

Last updated: Dec 9, 2019 at 3:58PM
Published on: Oct 30, 2014 by zwaller

The end of October approaches, and that means Halloween is this Friday. If you haven’t already, it’s now the time to dress up your kids, your house and, yes, even your car. Lots of people are participating in a newer Halloween tradition. It’s called trunk-or-treat, and it seems to be getting more and more popular. The idea behind trunk-or-treating is that you decorate your car, ideally to match whatever costumes your kids plan to wear. Your car becomes an extension of the costume, a continuation of the theme. You then fill what room you have left with candy, and kids go to your trunk, instead of your front door.

Cars That Have Gone From Bland to Grand

Last updated: Dec 9, 2019 at 3:42PM
Published on: Oct 24, 2014 by tgriffith

Automakers know that boring doesn’t sell like it used to.

Think back a decade or so, and I’ll bet you can name five boring cars right off the top of your head. I know I can. There were still a lot of beautiful and fun cars in existence, but plenty of mass-produced cars back then didn’t have anything to offer in design, power or handling.

Today some of those same models have experienced a renaissance and have gone from completely bland to utterly grand.

Keep reading for some of the cars that have graduated from transportation appliance to royalty of the road.

How’s the Car Culture in Your Town?

Last updated: Dec 9, 2019 at 3:40PM
Published on: Oct 23, 2014 by tgriffith

Who knew a guy could nearly be assassinated for trying to pump gas.

I forgot that in Oregon, basic human rights don’t exist. Oh sure, you can marry whoever you want and ride around on bicycles without any clothes, but try to pump gas by yourself, and the Calvary brings out its firing squad.

It’s illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon, so the job is performed by attendants who run ragged between cars, grabbing credit cards and swiping with reckless abandon while barking things like, “Fill ‘er up?” and “Regular or premium?”

It’s like living in 1955.

Speed limits in Oregon are from the same era. Even four-lane Interstate highways are limited to 65 miles per hour.

Yes, Oregon is automotively oppressed. But they sure have nice cars.

Car Minded

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