Tis the season, deer season.  Fall is when hunters are allowed to go out and shoot deer, with either a bow or a gun.  Although the exact weapon season itself fluctuates throughout the fall, as soon as it gets chilly expect more deer movement.  More deer movement translates into deer and other animals being on our highways, where they would normally avoid.

There is one product on the market that claims to prevent automobile accidents with deer.  It's a whistle, specifically a deer whistle that mounts to the front of your car.  The product claims to produce a noise that animals can hear, if the vehicle is traveling at least 35mph.  There are those out there that feel it's just a hoax and the product itself does not help in preventing drivers from colliding with deer crossing the road.

These deer whistles claim that they produce an ultra sonic sound that stops deer in their tracks or alerts deer to your vehicle.  However, tests have been done that prove that the deer cannot hear the pitch produced by the whistle.  Furthermore, whistles that deer can hear do not always 'stop them in their tracks', which is hopefully off the side of the road.

The best way to prevent accidents with deer when driving this fall?  Be vigilant, pay close attention to the road, and never over drive your head lights.  Safety starts with the person behind the wheel, not some cheap plastic deer whistle stuck to the front bumper.

When car buyer moves past the status of "owner" to "enthusiast", the can of worms opens up to a whole new world of customization, tuning, and modifying.  One of the first and easiest modifications a car nut can complete is to find a nice, finely tuned and crafted exhaust system?  Why replace the exhaust first?  Oh, there's lots of reasons: sound, appearance, performance...  If you've ever heard or felt a V8 rumble or a Diesel bellow, you know exactly what I mean!

There are hundreds of design types out there on the market to choose from.  Some people like nothing...literally...pipes cut off and the sounds of crop-dusters meet you on the roadway.  Others go for a chambered style, hoping to recapitulate the sound of their once-had muscle car from the 1960s.  The last primary design is a straight-through setup, where the exhaust gases are allowed to resonate inside the system with minimal flow restriction and completely refined sound.  One slick maker I've relied on for years is Magnaflow Exhaust.  These folks have consistently focused on making sure customers get the most value and quality for their dollar, bar none.

The Mclaren Mustang was what the SVO was supposed to have been, pure crazy performance from a 4 cylinder and handling capable of hitting the track and laying solid numbers.  However, what we were given was a European inspired, under the thumb performance blunder.  It was an 80's attempt at making a fuel efficient sports car and it failed.

Now don't get me wrong, the SVO Mustang is a great collectors item.  Also, for it's time the performance wasn't that bad, but still wasn't enough to please enthusiasts, especially at $25,000.  But what we should have received was what Mclaren created in 1980, the M81 McLaren Mustang.

There were only 250 McLaren Mustangs built, but of those they were track ready and packed a big punch.  Of those 250, 7 were built by Bob Fehan and Ron Fournier and were created with all steel.  The McLaren Mustang was an F1 frame wrapped in bulging fenders, racing inspired lower skirts, and a functional hood scoop.  Under the hood of the McLaren Mustang was a timid 2.3 liter 4 cylinder engine, turbo charged to the tune of 300 horsepower.

What Bob and Ron created was what the US should have received, that was later known as the SVO Mustang.  Imagine where Mustang enthusiasts would be today had the McLaren Mustang been mass produced?

McLaren Mustang

1980 SVO MCLAREN TURBO MUSTANG SPECS INFO PHOTO 80 79    US $8.55

ASC Pen Buick Grand National GNX Mclaren Mustang    US $15.00

This is a completely unsolicited post for one of the greatest automotive products ever made, RAINX.  The answer is YES, yes RainX is worth every penny.   As of late I've been appreciating this inexpensive, yet incredibly useful product a lot more.  In Southern Indiana we've been exposed to more rain this year than I can last remember and RainX has made seeing in the rain no problem.

RainX acts as a kind of wax for your windshield, which then assists with removing water.  When water comes into contact with your windshield it beads up and rolls right off.  Unlike untreated glass where the water does not bead and requires more assitance from windshield wiper blades to push the water off.

RainX Comparison

As you can tell from the comparison, inbetween wiper blade swipes visibility is greatly improved.  There is virtually no excuse for not at least trying RainX if you are living in a wet area, which during the Spring almost everywhere is.

Applying RainX to the windshield is also a snap.  Simply spray the product onto the windshield or soft clean cloth and evenly wipe the product over the glass in a circular motion.  Application is done much like you would wax your car, only waxing off is not needed.

Roll Pan

It's been awhile since I've been interested in modifying a truck, but as of late I've been focusing on some cosmetic kits to customize my truck.  One of the most common modifications is a truck roll pan.  A roll pan is a replacement for a bumper that essentially deletes the bumper and makes it look like a rounded bottom to the back of the truck.

A roll pan makes a truck look very clean and often will hide the trailer hitch.  A common practice is to hide the trailer hitch behind the license plate, which is mounted to the back of the truck roll pan.  The only downside is that the cleaner and smoother apperance isn't as functional as a rear bumper.

The stock rear bumper of a truck is more function than form.  Not only does it serve as a step for access to the truck bed, but it also provides protection in the case of an accident.  Most bumpers are designed for five mile an hour impacts, but will deflect damage and impact at higher speeds.  The most typical experience with impact bumpers are on parking lots where there are slower speeds.  The rear bumper will protect the body of the truck in case of a small bump from another car.  If you have a roll pan, there is more likely a chance to damage the paint and rear body work.

Most roll pans come unpainted, so that they can be better matched to your vehicles paint color.  This adds another cost to the purchase of a roll pan, but is required.  So keep that in mind when ordering your next body piece, the cost of painting can sometimes eclipse the price of the part itself.

Design 911 Porsche Specialist

It's hard to contain yourself when a tuned up Porsche passes by.  The Porsche in stock trim is an impressive piece of machinery, known for power, handling, and luxury.  However, start throwing some after market components at it and it becomes a different level of sexy.  For those Porsche enthusiasts lucky enough to get their hands on a 911, 997, Boxster, or even a Cayenne SUV the mod bug can take over quick, especially with so many parts and kits available.

If you live in the UK there is only one place to visit for specialized Porsche service, Design 911.  Furthermore, Design 911 is a world wide shipper of quality Porsche components like body kits, interior items, engine performance parts, and exhaust.  They have built their reputation on 60 years of combined experience, specifically related to servicing and modifying Porsche cars, race cars, and SUVs.

Design 911 is active amongst the Porsche community.  In 2008 they were an official sponsor for the Porsche Club Great Britain.  In 2009 Design 911 received the Who's Who of Britain's Business Elite award.  It's quite obvious when ordering parts from Design 911 you are not just dealing with any other internet business, this is a brick 'n mortar Porsche specialist.

Design 911 Facility

Looking for a Porsche service center?  Design 911 offers a full service center that is capable of handling every Porsche ever made.  The experienced team offers complete solutions from simple maintenance to full on restoration and engine rebuilds.  Furthermore all body work is also performed in house, to keep fixed costs down and allow for the highest of quality control.  The folks at Design 911 know what they are talking about, are familiar with their products, and can make recommendations on Porsche performance and tuning parts.

Design 911 also has an extensive Project Car Page that documents small projects like body kit fitting to full on Porsche race car conversions.  Light weight door swaps, engine swaps, and my personal favorite Project Orange as seen below.  Some of their more extensive projects can be seen at automotive events like the AutoSport NEC.

Project Orange Porsche

Business Information:

Headoffice & Showroom
Design 911 UK (Sideline Design Ltd )
Unit 5, Bracken Industrial Estate
185 Forest Road,
Hainault Essex, London.
IG6 3HX UK
tel:0044(0)208 500 8811
fax:0044(0)208 501 3015

Design 911 PDF Catalog

With spring comes one of the classic American past times; cruising on a joyride in a convertible.  Whether you drive a Mazda Miata or a BMW Z3, new or old, it doesn't matter... there's no feeling quite like cruising down a country highway with the top down, music blasting, and the summer sun shining down on you.

However one of the dilemmas many owners face are the need for replacement convertible tops after a few years. Unlike automotive paint which is designed to withstand the elements, the sun and snow can be particularly brutal on your canvas top. Even if you are lucky enough to have no rips or tears in it, the harsh UV rays are almost guaranteed to fade the fabric overtime... turning your black cloth top into an ugly gray. You see this frequently with the VW and Miata convertible tops. Unfortunately, this can make an otherwise meticulously maintained late model convertible look aged beyond its years

How to care for a convertible top?

Keep it Clean – Be sure to always keep your canvas top as clean as possible. Using a simple DIY pressure washer (such as at the self-service car wash) will help remove sediment that is build up within the fabric. The last thing you want is the top on your late model Mazda Miata to become permanently stained already because you allowed the dirt to stay on it too long.

Use a Protectant – Just like people wax their paint to protect it, you can also use certain products to protect your convertible top. There are a number of inexpensive ones on the market which you rub on using a cloth. Your local auto parts store should carry several. This is especially important with the early generation Mazda Miata convertible tops because they were made with a less durable, softer fabric which is more susceptible to the elements. After the initial application, be sure to apply the protectant regularly (as often as the instructions recommend).

Avoid the Sun – While this may seem like an oxymoron considering it's a convertible... it's true. When you are not driving it, be sure to keep the car out of the sun. Sometimes this can be difficult though – i.e. Your new Porsche Boxster convertible top that sits in an unshaded parking lot when you're at work. What's the solution? Get a car cover to block those harsh UV rays from prematurely aging the canvas. Spending a little on a car cover and using it daily could save you a lot of money later on by extending the life of your car's convertible top.

It's true that it may too late and the damage has already been done to your car, if it wasn't cared for properly in the past. But, if your convertible top is still in prime shape, you can keep it looking good for years to come by following these simple steps.

It's just like the brain slugs from Futurama, something has attached itself to the heads of our youth and sucked the smarts out.  It's forced normally sound inviduals to place ungodly looking stupid spoilers on their vehicles, content with the looks, and convinced others find it appealing.  After all, most spoilers are only for show and on these vehicles they look more like a tumor.

I'm sure once age sets in and wisdom shows these folks the error of their ways they will understand why everyone was laughing at them.  These car spoilers are just out of hand and go to show you just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Active Park Assist

Ford and Lincoln have announced that starting next year they will offer an advanced parallel parking system in 4 different models.  This new technology is comparable to radar that senses when you are close to an object and assists with the problem of parallel parking on busy streets.  It shall be called SkyNet...lol, joking, it's actually called Active Park Assist System.

Active Park Assist is more than just radar, it will also automatically adjust the steering to guide your vehicle into it's parking spot.  According to Ford, the system will ask the driver to place the vehicle into the proper gear (Drive, Reverse) and gently press the gas.  Basically the computer technology will handle the rest, making the fear of parallel parking disappear.

"You do everything but turn the wheel," Miglio said. "Leave the hard part to the car."

My concern is the liability of such a system and how it will create lazy drivers.  Some owners may become so accustomed with the Acive Park Assist that they may never bother to even look behind them.  So tell your kids and little fluffy you love them, because there is a new driver on the street and it's name is APA.

Twilight car decals are now available from The-Grayline.com automotive store, with 3 styles to choose from.  Twilight only decal, I drive like a Cullen, and I heart Edward Cullen are available and in stock now.  Buy for only $1.95 each.

Twilight I heart Edward Cullen

Buy Now $1.95 - Click Here

Twilight Car Decal

Buy Now $1.95 - Click Here

Twilight I Drive Like A Cullen

Buy Now $1.95 - Click Here

Each Twilight Vinyl Decal is roughly 7" x 3" and made of high quality vinyl that will resist fading and last for years.  Each car decal purchase will also come with detailed instructions on how to install.  Furthermore, the vinyl will adhere to almost any surface, so can be applied to more than just your car.  This twilight sticker will also work on notebooks, computers, or anywhere else you feel like confessing your love for the Twilight Series.