Ah yes, it's the everlasting American muscle car. It has been 45 years since the original rolled off the notorious Ford assembly line in Dearborn, Michigan (Mar. 9, 1964). Now five generations later Ford's pony car still lives on stronger than ever.

Years ago I worked for a company which specialized in producing race suspension components for late model ponies. This is where I learned how awesome this car was for it's time. Before that I was a GM guy. I helped several friends beef their Camaro Irocs, Dodge Darts and Chevy Chevelles to take on the mighty Mustang. It wasn't until the Fox body generation that I fell in love with the bang-for-buck formula of a 'stang.

Mustang took on a nostalgic look starting in 2004 (debuted at the North American Auto Show). This soon to be released as '05 model was the fifth-generation and by far the biggest throw back to the sixties.

To keep with change Ford has decided to give the present Mustang a bit of a face lift. This is a smart move considering the recent release of the Dodge Challenger and the highly anticipated sale of the all new Camaro. So where did they trim and add to give this four-year old face attention?

On the surface you will find several queues to let you know it's a 2010. Most accent lines have been tweaked including; the rear quarter, the doors and the hood. The most evident exterior change is found at the rear of the car. The once soft rear-end has been reworked and not for the better. What once reminded you of the '64 has now been blurred with a post-modern flare. On a positive note, I will say that the new lines have given a sportier stance.

Inside you will notice changes in the dash and center-stack. They have swapped out plastic for brushed aluminum in some areas. Other trim pieces have a better quality plastic than presently found.

A few things beneath the surface that will help in the performance department are; new spring rates for improved handling, optional 3:73 gearing (a great match to the drive train), standard "advance Trac" stability control and additional option sizes for wheels.

Overall I think Ford did a good job keeping the Mustang fresh to ever changing times in auto design. The Mustang is as good a value as ever and transcends all generations as a great American automobile classic

Drive Safe and Happy Thanksgiving,

Lance

Among the 40 debuts at the L.A. Auto Show this year, one typical "Gen Y" car stood out among the rest. The look may be trendy but the style is all it's own. We first saw similar style cars venture over from Japan in the early 2000's.

I speak of the new to North America Nissan Cube. The original Cube was released in 1998 across the Pacific in Japan. it wasn't until the just released third generation that we got to see this vehicle on U.S. soil.

This is a a box on wheels like it's direct competition (Kia Soul, Honda Element, Toyota xB) but with a bit of flare. What caught my eye are the lines throughout the car, from oval-edged windows to a rounded dash. Think of an xB with major influence from the Jetson's. Literally if I gave an 8-year old a piece of paper and pencil and ask he draw a car, this is what it would look like.

Now I'm not sure if the Cube will transcend the target audience as the Element and xB did, but I am willing to bet it will have a sure following. With a 122-horsepower 4 cylinder and 6 speed transmission, you should see 30+ miles per gallon.

If you want the modern mini SUV for junior, look no further. It might be labeled as a box, but it is drawn outside the lines of most. The Cube will hit your local dealer in April 2009. The rumored price is to be around $15,000.

Motor on,

Lance

Check out my video on the Cube from the L.A. Auto Show here

Find out more about the 2009 Cube at Nissan USA

Greetings All,

It's that time of year again, the most popular car show is here. I speak of none other than the annual L.A. Auto Show. This show has quickly become the show of shows to unveil new releases and prototypes from around the world. I barely made media days as I just returned from holiday in Ireland (keep an eye out for my blog on right-hand drives).

Last year we did video as well as several print pieces on what the show had to offer. This year we kicked it up a few notches for your viewing pleasure. It just so happens we launched our all new auto site today. This was no coincidence that it was unveiled the same day as the show opened to the public. Among a fresh new look, we have also added a video player. This video player is home to VCSWheels.com webcast hosted by your's truly.

Being that anything with an engine is my passion, we decided to exploit that by sharing what I enjoy. You will be able to see local reviews of new cars, walk through of local car shows, fun runs around the county and more.

We also brought a special treat to the table. This year starting Monday, we will release a new auto review from the L.A. Auto Show everyday. I will look at everything from micro cars to the latest in exotics.

To hold you over until Monday, you will currently find a review of the '09 Flex, the '08 Challenger and a walk through of the Westlake Auto Show from September. Feel free to contact me with anything you would like to see me check out related to cars, bikes or boats in our community.

The video player can be found here

Sincerely, Lance

In the past I have talked about maintenance in broad strokes. Now I want to drill down on specific things to help everyone better understand. Today's topic is the battery. I will explain the automotive battery, how it works and how to service it.

Let's start off with why your car needs a battery. Depending on your age you may remember the old cartoons or TV shows where car owners would have to walk to the front of the car and use a hand-crank to start it. That got replaced in 1911, first on Cadillac's by the electric starter. The electric starter obviously needs electricity to work and that's where the automotive battery came in. The battery since has taken on additional responsibility but at first starting the car was the primary roll.

What is an automotive battery, also known as a SLI battery (Starting/lighting/Ignition) or a shallow cycle battery consist of?

Your car battery is designed to give quick bursts of energy. After the vehicle is started they are consistently being charged by the alternator. These are mostly lead-acid batteries consisting of lead and lead-oxide. They consist of something called electrolyte. Electrolyte is a mix of 65% distilled water and 35% sulfuric acid. Lead plates are emerged in this solution and that's where the magic begins. A chemical reaction occurs between the plates and the solution and this in a nutshell creates the electrons needed to start your car.

How do you maintain your battery?

Now let's get down to a few old school ideals that no longer apply. Back in the old day's car batteries were not insulated so while out of the car they needed to be placed on a non-conductive or grounded surface. This is why your grandpa puts his batteries on pieces of wood in the garage! With the insulation today there is no need to worry about putting a battery on the ground.

Another thing of the past is "topping off". Almost all batteries today including those made by JCI (DieHard, Optima, Costco brand) or Exide (Kragen, K Mart, etc.) are all maintenance-free. So stop your friend from prying off the tops of your battery if they say maintenance free. Tampering with the vent caps on a maintenance-free battery voids the warranty. Now if you don't have a maintenance-free battery and it needs topping off, simply used distilled or deionized water. Never use tap or rain water as they may have a high mineral content which can hurt the batteries performance!

Changing and jump starting a battery.

When changing a battery always detach the ground first so as to avoid possibly grounding the battery while detaching the positive. For jump starting, always connect the cables to the dead battery first. In case the battery is under pressure or at breaking point, attaching it first before the jumper battery will ensure you are a safe distance from the car when making the jump connection.

Happy Motoring,

Lance