Thanks for the tip. I only live two hours from the Allegheny National forest and I've never been there.  I'll have to go check it out.

The Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. Start in Durango and head east. The views are spectacular. I did it in a Jeep Comanche that I bought in Los Angeles and drove home to PA.

I loved mine for all the same reasons you liked yours. Life shouldn’t be taken too seriously, and other than on the autocross circuit, my Mini wasn’t serious. 2013 Mini S with every JCW and GP upgrade that was logically possible. Ultimately I yearned for a BMW NA 6 cylinder and bought the M3 in the background to…

I wonder why they kept the 500X, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in the wild. I see 500s and 124s quite frequently, according to my local dealer the 124 Abarths moved off the lot quickly and hence they kept many in stock.

BMW and Jeep are my favorite vehicle brands. From BMW, I’ve had an e39 M5, e36 328is, e36 M3 and an R56 Mini. From Jeep I’ve had a Comanche.

Petty much all BMWs sold after 2000 were intended to be perceived as luxury cars. The 3 series would be entry level luxury but none the less luxury.  The e46 in the US was only offered with 6 cylinders. No cheap 4 cylinder options.  Only leather seats as well as cloth at the time was perceived as low end.  Those were…

My family took the approach that if it isn’t useful or wanted, don’t get it. My mother to this day still claims that the best gift she ever received is the replacement gas trunk strut for her car.  I bought one for everyone in the house, and every one loved it.  If you can't think of anything, we'd rather not have it…

I like the Tacoma for two reasons. One it’s the best looking of the mid sized trucks, and two it’s one of the only offered in a manual. I’d also consider the Gladiator for similar reasons. The Ford and Chevy are ugly in my eyes.

Sounds familiar. I had a friend order a new manual Jeep Jk Rubicon unlimited with cloth heated seats and no nav. Well the dealer ordered the wrong color, black instead of army green. My friend refused to take delivery of the black one and the dealer said it would be next to impossible to seel the back one. Apparently…

Definitely the dealer. The local Fiat dealer stocks mostly manual 124s. It’s because most people they said actively seeking the car were looking for the manual and in Abarth trim.

The last time I valet parked my manual car, there was just about a fight over who got to drive it among three valets.  I bearly got the time to pull my luggage out of the trunk before the guy pulled away. I don’t know what happened to my e39 M5 that day, but it was still in one piece the next morning, I hope someone…

This comment deserves way more recognition than it got.

Having driven in Italy, Americans don't approach driving the same way.  Their goal is to keep fast smooth flowing traffic.  This is because most of their cars have under 100 hp and need acceleration space, they drive everything flat out.  I had some good fun driving a 65hp Lancia Yuplsion the last time I was there. …

I had an XTS as a rental, it was very disappointing compared to every other Cadillac I’d ever been in.

I agree. I have a 1999 Oldsmoblie 88, and honestly it kind of rocks. It’s a large 90s car tuned to comfort perfection. It has usable power from the great 3800 series II, and a very predictable 4 speed auto. That powertain is what I want in every newer rental car I’ve driven with too many gears and no low end torque.

My mother always hated minivans. She said they were difficult to drive. Too big and also not easy to see out of. Granted she only had two children, my twin brother and I. The initial solution was a used Benz 420SEL then two BMW e38 740iLs. She deeply misses the Oldsmoblie Cutlass that the Benz replaced but a two door…

Momentum is key. With appropriate momentum I’ve been able to get through any depth of snow required and get up any hill needed. All done in silly winter cars like my BMW e36 M3 or JCW Mini. Admittedly the LSD and snow tires help a lot.

3-4 inches is a snowpocalyspe? That’s just another day in northwest PA.

But the Bronco is huge.  If you've ever driven a Samurai off road, you'd know how awesome it is to have a light small vehicle. 

When I was in Italy this past February, I saw a Jimny in a dealership.   Had I had more time I would have gone and taken a test drive.  I'm not sure I'd feel unsafe in one, I have a lot of seat time in an 88 Samurai, and it doesn't phase me one bit to drive it in traffic.   Granted I also daily an AH Sprite in the…