My fiancés father is the same way. He works in the medical field and when seeing patients he keeps his iPhone at his desk outside the patient room since his pockets are filled with necessary tools, which often results in missed calls/texts if it’s a 30+ minute appointment. He wants an Apple Watch so he doesn’t miss…

I purposefully took a job in Skokie right off the Edens so I can take all highway back to my place in South Loop, right off the highway to Van Buren. Stop and go on the major roads doesn’t bother me, but it takes me just as long to Cicero and Belmont because heaven forbid the stop lights or stop signs be arranged in a…

Verbolten is a fascinating ride. I haven’t been on it in a few years, but I used to work in operations for Busch Gardens and loved going inside the building to give tours while ride was running. We'd have guests ride first, then go behind the scenes so they could learn how it worked.

Capacity is a huge issue. Roller coasters are limited in how many guests can ride per hour by the train size and blocking system. All rides have a max number of riders per hour (capacity), with simulator rides hitting capacity every hour is usually more feasible than with a coaster. Notice that in Florida many theme…

Completely agree, here in the US big chassis and big motor are still the luxury standards. Unfortunately people are leasing 4 cylinder 5-series and CTSs, so displacement is being replaced. In my opinion, if a V8 isn't an option, it's not worth my $50+k, but increasingly the turbo mills a moving vehicles off the lot.…

I laughed when my boss told me I was going to be working in Skokie. Then I got there, and it’s diverse, as long as you’re Eastern European, Jewish, or Asian...

A 1972 El Camino SS. It was my first car, we picked it up for $800 running, but in need of lots of work. My dad had just gotten rid of his race car and was itching for a project. We had it for about 3 months, made sure it was mechanically sound, but then the worst happened. I’d made plans to take auto shop at my high…

I was 23 when I bought a 2012 FR-S, and my payments were much lower than my last car since I finally had a job and credit. I sold it to move to Chicago for a better job, but as soon as I move back east I’m getting a 10 or so year old luxury sedan that will serve me fine until home ownership/family life dictates a…

My dad still to this day spends 2 hours going between an HHGregg and Best Buy that are less than 1000ft from each other, playing one off the other to get maybe a $100 discount or free extended warranty. He grew up poor and still does the same things his parents did back in the 1960s to save.

I wanted a BRZ, but after dealing with dealers in eastern VA when they first came out I couldn’t get one for under $30k once dealers had adjusted pricing due to “demand”. I promptly went to the Toyota dealer down the street and got an FR-S for $1100 under the MSRP since my body shop purchased parts from them. I’ve…

This is the thought I had exactly, start by bringing over cars from their other brands and just rebadge as a VW. Quick and easy way to put “fresh” products in dealers and they’ll be distinctly more European than what’s currently offered. Take a loss on them for a few years, then once redesigns come around prices can…

I agree with you completely. Even non lifted trucks coming up behind my FR-S. It shouldn’t be hard, set a federal standard for how headlamps should be aimed; keep them from blinding drivers at night, bring the auto beam technology here, and require state safety inspections every year that check the aim or your…

Navy Pier is the worst for taking transit to. My fiancés little cousins are coming to town for the weekend and I dread getting them over there. There will be 6 of us and I have a strong disdain for Uber, but I think 6 years aren’t going to want to walk from Grand to the Pier and then walk around all day.

I owned a 2013, only got rid of it because I got a company car and moved to Chicago, but I’d buy another just as it was, but with a bit more refinement. Honestly my only issues were the first year quirks like leaky tail lamps and a shift boot that had poor stitching. I would love more power, but I bought the car with…

My first car was an 89Si with 4WS, we paid $1500 for it in 2006. It had 180k miles on it, but for about $500 my dad and I redid the motor, water pump, and alternator so I got another 2 years and about 25k miles out of it before I sold it to a family friend. He promptly blew the motor and I was driving a bright yellow…

I think it cost something like $60 for two people to see The Force Awakens in 3D and in a 21+ only theater on opening night. As often as I go to the movies, if I had a higher quality surround setup I'd be all over this since I want to see the movie when it opens but I don't want to deal with the crowd. $150 box isn't…

I’ve wondered for a while now why no one went this way, or followed up on the GM trucks by attaching a hybrid system to the transmission. It seems this would be the easiest way to boost an entire fleets fuel mileage. So many automakers use the same engines and transmissions across the board, you develope a small…

The Element and CRV from older generations are just really easy to reach and just high enough off the ground that they can slide underneath the car without too much effort. Most places are selling the cats for scrap to someone who melts it down for the metal inside. Mid 2000s Hyundais come in a lot too, but the…

I'm an insurance adjuster and I've written probably 5 estimates in the last 6 months for Accord Sport wheel thefts. All in the city of Chicago, 3 of the 5 with wheel locks. Between those and Honda Elements with stolen catalytic converters, they're the easiest estimates to write and unfortunately happen very often.

I don't see all the issues with it that everyone has pointed out. I choose to view it as someone learning as he goes, experiencing a formidable foe for the first time. This version of Superman isn't the Boy Scout yet, I think that's what Dawn of Justice will be setting up. There are issues with the movie, but I don't…