I typically keep a car for 6 months to a year tops. One thing I have realized is that every make has a great model. I never in a million years thought I would own a Pontiac, yet I had an '05 GTO and that car was great to me. Now I'm driving a Nissan 350Z. Nissan didn't "do it for me" much over the years., but I now realized the Z is another example of great bang-for-buck.

I thought I would create my own personal list of top models for each make. These cars made the list based on several factors. My top measurement in recent years has been the BFB factor (bang-for-buck). Buy your next car based on this alone and you will be amazed. The second is build quality, always important to most car buyers. Another is reliability, an equally important factor for long vehicle life without headaches.

I chose to touch on the more popular brands in the U.S. market today, Unlike the writers of most auto blogs and magazines, I don't feel the need to put the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, or any other "super car" on my list. This is a collection of cars for the masses, which makes up the majority of this countries car buyers.

Acura- TL
It's lines were once sexy, but that sex appeal is now in the on board electronics. The TL is a car made for even the most modest computer geek.

BMW- 3 series
This car has been leading the luxury class for decades and won more awards than any other. It's well-balanced, from ergonomics to performance and handling.

Buick- MDX
It's Buick's version of the Edge and gives Lexus RX a run for it's money.

Cadillac- CTS-V
Just the fact that Cadi has beat out Lexus in build quality the past two years says enough. To top it off this sedan is in the top ten for track times at "The Ring".

Chevrolet- Corvette
King of "bang-for-buck" sports cars. Nothing screams American muscle better than the flag wearing emblem of the General's Vette line.

Ford- Mustang
This car just won't die! Being the first, and longest living pony car on the market says enough about Mustang. It transcends 5 generations of sports car passion.

GMC- Sierra truck series
Ford trucks may have always been number one, but GMC just makes a nice, smooth looking truck and no better example yet than this year.

Honda- Accord
This sedan has always impressed me. Unlike it's younger brother (Civic), this car isn't found on every corner. It also offers most bells and whistles available on a 3 series BMW

Jaguar- XF
Wow! Jaguar, now owned by India based Tah Tah Motors, came out with barrels blazing when the all new '09 XF was released. It's an excellent alternate to Bimmer or Benz.

Kia- Forte
I'm digging this new Civic/Corolla comparo car. Never have I owned a Kia or desired to, but this car offers a lot of auto for a little money.

Lincoln- MKZ
Lincoln has been behind the luxury bell curve in recent years, but this car comes very close to it's European rivals.

Mazda- Speed 3
I have owned three Mazda's over the years and all have been great to me. The Speed 3 is a real sleeper, offering power and reliability in a neat little package.

Mercedes Benz- C63 AMG
While I loved my E55 AMG, the newest C63 AMG takes the cake. This little entry level Mercedes has been tweaked to the extreme and can take any comparable luxury on.

Mercury- Milan
It's a mid-size car with good MPG and a great starting price point...but it's a Mercury

Mitsubishi- Lancer EVO Sport
While Mitsubishi has been struggling with market share stateside, the Lancer has always shined through. It's rally roots and aggressive looks make it a hot ticket.

Nissan- 370Z
Think of it as the Japaneses version of the Mustang. The Z line has really been around since the 60's (Datsun fairlady Z). It feels like a BMW but cost thousands less!

Pontiac- G8 GT
It might have an arrow on the grill, but this is an Aussie born car. Between the Gas sipping V8 under the hood and Zeta chassis, you get a sweet sedan for under $30k

Porsche- Cayman
Everyone loves the 911 and most Porsche lovers say there is no better. I say save your money! With the right computer tune the Cayman will take the 911 with ease.

Subaru- Impreza WRX
Another rally born car, the Impreza is very impressive for being Subaru. These guys are the king of all-wheel drive and turbos. This car shows off great examples of both.

Toyota- Prius
Ugly? Yes, but I give Toyota credit for leading the hybrid movement...even if it was started by GM's EV1 back in 1996. It's not the first time Toyota raped GM's playbook

VW- Jetta TDI
Many think of diesel as a horrible form of fuel. Little known is it that today's diesels are cleaner than most gas powered engines. This example gets up to 50 miles per gallon!

Volvo- C30
This little 3-door made a big splash for this once king of safety company. Meant for the gen X/ gen Y crowd, even baby boomer's found a soft spot for this little sport car.

Motor on, Lance

The VCSWheels crew had an opportunity to visit the Murphy Museum recently, and caught it all on video for you. I was very impressed with the random assortment of cars at this museum. Most collections have a "theme" of sorts, rather it be make, model, or era. At this venue we found everything from model T's to to Indians.

The reason for such a wild assortment was quickly explained on our tour. This isn't a collection of one individual, but rather a collection of dozens. All participants loan their vehicles to the museum so they may be enjoyed by the masses.

If you want to enjoy a nice, climate controlled car show, this is the place for you! Check it out now on our exclusive video below.

Happy Motoring, Lance

There was once a popular past time known as "cruising". I'm known as a gen X, but even my generation was big on cruising. If you worked hard enough to own a car, you deserved to be seen in it! Wondering what I'm talking about? Rent the movie American Graffiti, it's an excellent example of cruising at it's finest.

Today with climbing cost of gas and stricter vehicle enforcement, cruising has all but disappeared. No more picking up your buddies and driving up and down the boulevard hoping to catch the eye of the other sex.

But wait! Just when you thought it was dead, someone comes along and revives it for the masses. Thanks in part to the The Old Town Merchants Association, along with the Channel Islands Chapter of the Pontiac-Oakland Club International. Now you can experience a tradition known in car culture for over fifty years.

This free cruise night and car show takes place the fourth Friday night through Sept. 25, from 6 to 9pm. Classic cars from 1980 and older line the lot of the former courthouse while dozens of cars cruise Ventura Blvd.

Catch a glimpse of the June cruise below.

Happy Motoring,

Lance