Fellow dads, try this out. It’s the 4th quarter, the 2 minute warning just ended and your favorite team has the ball but is down by 5 and going for it on 3rd and long when your kid wants you to do something NOW. It better be pretty important, right? So return the favor.

Where was the earth-shattering kaboom?

Before you read a childhood favorite to your kid re-read it on your own. That way you will know what’s coming and can decide if, when and how to share it with your child. I made the mistake of not doing that with Barbar - I loved the book as a child but with an adult’s knowledge it was horrible. For young kids it’s ok…

The Ridgeline's biggest problem is that it's the truck most people who WANT a truck actually NEED.  But they want a Raptor or a heavy duty diesel 4x4 with dualies.

Until they get to 5, listen to them (not the same as giving them what they’re whining for). After that, whine back. It’s fun. Except if they want a hug. Then just do it. Unless you're driving.

I’ve got a deer. At night. Sober (ahem). I knew it was a deer even though it ran off and I called the cops. “I thought it was a deer” means “I hope you can’t prove otherwise”.

If you buy stuff that's too precious to use, you don't own it - it owns you.

If you buy stuff that's too precious to use, you don't own it - it owns you.

Two words: Isuzu X90

Most people can barely drive, forget flying.  And even most pilots I've known don't maintain their cars at the level you have to maintain an aircraft.  I'm ok with flying cars in the road if it keeps them out of the sky!

Mercedes figured out ages ago that there's no profit building cars that will last 30 years for people who lease them for 3.

Volvo P1800 shooting brake, and no the C30 wasn’t.

Yup, minivan. I’ve rented all sorts of small fwd crossovers that didn’t handle as well as our van and only bested it’s fuel economy by a couple mpg. Besides, McParland recommend an outback which get lousy milage. As for the comment that you can drop 50k on one- sure, you can. You can also drop 50k on a wristwatch.…

Why the hate? It's an overlander.  Sure it's bloated to the point of uselessness but so are lots of modern overlanders.  If you want to get away from it all but a tent and some good hiking boots.

I really wanted to like the golf wagon. If it had the engine and suspension of the GTI I bought instead... But vw notched a sale so why would they care? Before that I had a legacy gt wagon with a turbo and a stick. Subaru sold 800 in the whole US of A before giving up on the fast wagon thing.

1. A good chef’s knife. I have a Wusthof but they are pricey - Victorinox is more affordable.

1. A good chef’s knife. I have a Wusthof but they are pricey - Victorinox is more affordable.

That was a Mazda MPV.  Ask them how that worked out.

So my oldest is about to get their learner’s permit and I’m sweating which car to inflict them on to learn stick - GTI or Miata - and remembering how my folks car never went into first great smoothly after one of my drinking lessons. This sounds absolutely brilliant.

So... Track lights for tricked-out trucks?

When will LS swapping everything with more than 2 wheels go out of style?  Not only is it usually silly, there's no originality in it.

When we really need to know: is it as breathtaking as a shorn scrotum?

When we really need to know: is it as breathtaking as a shorn scrotum?