Switching gears this week.

There’s no better feeling than four wheeling.

Somewhere deep down it hurt me to say that.

I’ve been a car guy ever since the days of playing with Hot Wheels on the classic carpet mat every kid can remember having in the basement at some point or another. I have my taste, I have my own opinions, but I can appreciate everyone’s differences. This week I got the chance to join some co-workers on an adventure. I’ve never been out for a proper four wheeling, country music listening, bonfire having type of night.

Outside of Anola, you can usually find a group of guys enjoying the pits. If you know how to get there that is. Tucked away in a secluded little spot, the trail opens to a huge empty field. After a good amount of snow this year, some of the drifts were well past my ankles and plenty deep enough to get stuck in. A huge bank on the far side gives a great obstacle for any adventurous trucker.

Growing up in Alberta, there has always been some form of country in my life. Country music always played on the radio at home or in my grandpas truck. Living so close to a feedlot when I was growing up meant the smell of cow was always fresh in the nose. When I moved to Ontario I managed to escape some of that life. I found my calling in the big city of Toronto. Always busy, always something to do. I bought my car in Ontario, I found a huge social network in Ontario. I thought I’d left my country roots behind.

Apparently not.

Rudi’s Suzuki Aerio (technically)

A winter beater is the only way you can save from driving your baby during the harsh winter months. Anything with four wheels that drives. It doesn’t have to have A/C or power windows. I’ve never been lucky enough, or financially stable enough to afford two vehicles so in the three years of owning Blu, I’ve had to drive her every winter.

This will be the first year of owning my car that I haven’t driven it during the winter. I managed to park her before the snow fell and with the way my funds are being allocated I may not have her ready by the time spring weather rolls around.

I’d like to introduce “my” winter beater. A Suzuki Aerio. The ultimate driving machine with a blazing fast 2 litre engine. This amazing piece of machinery has gotten me from point A to B all the way down to G, back up to F and I’m almost to P without fail. Yes, she has some kinks. No 50 Shades fans, keep it in your pants. First of all, it’s a hatchback. Super convenient rear door to load in larger items or whathaveyou. Would be nice if said hatch opened…. ಠ_ಠ

Now, four doors means more doors right? I think that’s how the saying goes… Have you ever been driving with that group of friends and the guy that no one really likes in the group decides to invite himself to your bro lunch date? With this black stallion of the automotive industry, put him on the passenger side and make him sit in the back. I don’t think this is a feature most models share, but the best part is while your other two passengers can get in without hassle, unless someone pulls the lock knob thingy up from inside, that door isn’t opening for anyone.

Inside you’re greeted with the highest quality cloth seats, plastic dash and head unit that only features the wonders of radio. Who actually listens to CD’s anymore anyways right? It would only be a waste to put a CD player in the car. Now what about a cassette player? NO. Welcome to the 21st century.

Needless to say, this thing is a beast. Front wheel drive means less distance between the engine and the drive wheels which means more POWER! (kidding)

Plus the foot worth of suspension travel means no obstacle can hold you back. All your friends have trucks and go 4x4ing every weekend? The Aerio will keep up to those lifted hunks of junk no problem.

Mud?

Easy.

Snow?

Clearly not a problem. Look at that flex!

In all seriousness, this little guy has treated me well over the past few months. While Blu is out for repair I’ve been lent this little trooper. It has taken everything that Winnipeg can throw at it. It starts in -30 temperatures, it takes $40 to fill, and it can flex its little heart out. When Blu is back I can safely say I’m going to miss this little guy.

Chaves’ Subaru WRX

This week is a throwback to last year. New Years Eve I got the chance to shoot a first generation Subaru WRX. Owned by a good friend this car has been around the block quite a few times.

It’s past owner used to autocross the car and nicknamed it the “cone catcher.” This car has seen a lot of action and unfortunately it wears those scars in the form of a broken front lip and some missing pieces here and there.

“I love the sound, the JDM look, the rally lights the boxy look, the way she slides and the power,” Chavez said.

“I love making heads as my straight pipe blare down the streets, it’s just adrenaline rush to me. It’s like the a new car parts you bought and you can’t wait to put it on, you’re just all smiles.”

I’m a huge fan of this car for many reasons as well. The engines can take a beating and still put out power. The front end is aggressive, like its glaring down on you. It’s especially noticeable when you’re being followed by one. Chaves’ in particular features a massive four-inch straight pipe exhaust so no matter what, you’ll always hear him coming.

When I’m drifting or even just taking a cruise and rolling through the gears, it just feels like no other car. It’s just a great feeling.”

Next week I’ll have another Volkswagen to review. I want to try and get into some trucks while there’s some snow on the ground so if anyone is willing to go on a photoshoot with me leave a comment.

Driving Songs

I’m in a bit of a musical mood today. Taking some influence from Jen’s Soundtrack, I wanted to put together a playlist list of some of my favourite songs to listen to while I’m driving.

Now I’ve always had a fairly large collection of music, across many genres. The best part of this is that I get to have a huge range of music for any driving experience. Road tripping to Alberta? Driving up to Gimli? heading across town? why not crank some music and enjoy? Now let me start off by saying these are mostly the songs I listen to when I need a little stress relief.

First up, a great tune for cruise night. Windows down, bass up, all it takes is some smooth roads and good weather to free up your mind and calm you down.

On the same note, another bass heavy song. Sometimes you just want to rattle a few windows.

Switching up the genre a bit, a little heavy metal gets the blood pumping.

So this is probably where I’ll lose most of you. Either way, some good angry music is great to slam through gears with. Feeling upset and need a good way to get that out of your system? I’ve got a couple songs for you.

What about rap, you say? What if I need some more hip-hop in my life? Perfect! I’ve got you covered, to a point I guess. These are a couple of my favourites to drive to.

Along the same lines, except a little less well known.

I bet you expected this to be all “Life is a highway” or AC/DC. Not to say anything against them, they’re great songs to drive to, but they’re the classics your dad listens to when he’s working in the garage. Yeah, I probably could have put some of my favourite 80’s classics in here but the same thing applies to those. I grew up listening to my mom’s music so I grew up with the 60’s to 80’s tunes stuck in my head.

I want to give a shout out to Jen for the inspiration for this blog post. Make sure to check out her blog here for some great posts! She’s super funny and has a great taste in music.

Next week I’ll be bringing you a little feature of a Subaru WRX I got the chance to shoot after Christmas. Leave a comment with your favourite driving song!

2015 Volkswagen Beetle.

This week I found myself behind the wheel of a brand new 2015 Volkswagen Beetle. The new generation of Beetle definitely looks better than the one that came before it. It looks a whole lot less bubbly, definitely something I could see more people being interested in.

The Beetle I got to drive was a 2015 Sportline with the 2.0 litre, turbo engine, and the 6-speed auto-shift manual. The boost is noticeable and gives a nice kick when accelerating off the line and the suspension seems to respond well in tight cornering and responsiveness. The interior is bright and classy with accent lights around the door speakers and bright gauges. The steering wheel is soft and comfortable with all the controls you could possibly want within arms reach.

If there’s anything the new Beetle has going for it is the styling. The way the back hatch falls to the bumper mimics the styling of the classic Beetle. A huge improvement over the last design that seemed to be the dream car of every teenage girl learning how to drive.

In the showroom is the Comfortline version, featuring a 1.8 litre engine and some slightly different interior features. The projector headlights give a great modern look to this classic icon, the best of the new with the same classic styling. Some of the differences from the Sportline to the Comfortline include color matched trim pieces around the steering wheel, and along the dashboard. The Sportline definitely feels like an edgier version of the Beetle with leather interior and a pod of gauges above the navigation system. The Comfortline feels roomy and more at home, not in a bad way, Volkswagen still included plenty of awesome details in the center console, gauge cluster, and other trim pieces.

I would have loved more time with this Beetle to get a good idea of how it drives, but for the time I got I’m impressed. I never thought I’d see the day when I enjoyed driving a Beetle. Everything from the look to the power, to the atmosphere inside the car. Everything about it makes me want to take a second look. The Comfortline starts at $30,488 and the Sportline at $35,018 so they may be a little outside of the student budget but for anyone with a better career than I’ve got it’s pretty affordable.

For anyone looking to pick up a new vehicle this year Tim Mitchell at Auto Haus Volkswagen can take care of you. Auto Haus has plenty of options for financing and if you’ve got a trade in, they offer great rates. Contact Tim directly to book an appointment on his cell at 204-599-7612 or at the dealership 204-284-7520 ext 446

Head on down to Auto Haus today to check out what they have in store!

660 Pembina Hwy, Winnipeg MB, Canada

tmitchell@autohausvw.com

www.knightvw.ca

Blu’s Update

So for this week I don’t have a review or a feature for you. I apologize to everyone who actually reads this blog for its content. I didn’t have the time to get a shoot done for Volkswagen due to all the school projects due for the week. I haven’t done an update on my own car for a semester now and I figured I’d take the time to say a little something.

As of today, my car is still sitting in a barn in Niverville Manitoba with its engine sitting in a shop maybe 100 yards away. I knew the engine was on its last legs because of the unnatural amount of smoke that was pouring out of my exhaust, however, Blu finally let go.

Bad joke, I know.

Luckily, I wasn’t too far away from my girlfriends house and her parents graciously let me store my useless hunk of metal, plastic and glass in their barn. I took the engine out, found a replacement and disassembled for the rebuild. It’s been over two months now without Blu. I miss my car, so because of my Prelude withdrawal I want to share some of my favourite Prelude videos from around the web.

First up is a Canadian!

Mike lives in British Columbia and drives possibly the cleanest fifth-generation Prelude I’ve ever seen. Mike is a great photographer and a huge inspiration for myself.

Next is the first Prelude video I’ve ever watched. The color, the music, the wheels! Everything about James Olivers Prelude is perfection.

Last of all, Stephen Bentley’s Electron Blue Pearl masterpiece. Huge wheels, tight fitment, the classic “low and slow.” Our roads in Winnipeg may not be so smooth, but Lord help me if I’m not this low come spring.

I’d suggest everyone shoot me a comment with their favourite videos or inspirations! I want to see some of the things my readers are into. Hopefully, as things go back to normal next week I’ll be able to cover that 2015 Beetle from Auto Haus.

Stay tuned!

2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI

For the first (major) post of 2015 I had the opportunity to take out a 2015 GTI from Auto Haus Volkswagen. A good friend of mine who works at Auto Haus, Tim Mitchell, wanted to help me get into some newer cars. From the outside, the first thing, I noticed, was the stylish exterior. Compared to the regular Golf its much more edgy. The model I got to drive came with the 18-inch alloy wheels and the push button start.

Just sitting in the car you can already tell how much thought they put into the drivers experience. All of the gauges are accented with chrome, the six-speed shift knob feels heavy in your hand rather than the lighter version from the older Volkswagens. The steering wheel is covered in a soft leather and the seats hug your body just tight enough to keep the driver secure during turns. The back seats are surprisingly roomy considering the size of the car, and red stitching can be found all throughout the vehicle, from the seats to the shift boot. The navigation system is easy to operate and very responsive. We cranked some music and the Fender audio system pumped out great quality sound with a surprising amount of bass from the factory subwoofer.

As for the driving experience, let’s get to the good part. Now to be fair the roads were pretty snowy and it was my first time back behind the wheel of a manual in a long time. The first thing I noticed was the torque, it doesn’t take much to put you back into your seat. Then next was how sensitive the brakes were. Even in the snow I feel like it could stop on a dime.

She’s got some pickup for sure, the 2.0 litre TSI engine mixed with the new MQB platform makes this GTI super light, quick and responsive. There are so many options in this car as well, the rearview camera pops out from behind the badge on the hatch so it doesn’t get as dirty as it would just mounted to the bumper. The accent lighting in the door sills gives a nice little pop of colour when you open the door.

I didn’t get a lot of time behind the wheel but what I did get, I enjoyed. its comfortable, stylish and it’s a quick little car starting at a base price of 27,995. It’s probably worth it to spring for some of the upgrades, like the 18-inch alloys, the front LED fog lights, or the push button start. Next week we’ll be taking a look at the all new redesigned 2015 Beetle, a Volkswagen icon for over 60 years.

For anyone looking to pick up a new vehicle this year I’d personally recommend Tim Mitchell at Auto Haus Volkswagen. They’ve got plenty of options for financing and if you’ve got a trade in, they offer great rates. Contact Tim directly to book an appointment on his cell at 204-599-7612 or at the dealership 204-284-7520 ext 446

Head on down to Auto Haus today to check out what they have in store!

660 Pembina Hwy, Winnipeg MB, Canada

tmitchell@autohausvw.com

www.knightvw.ca

Drift Day 2014

Welcome back!

As my school semester begins again, so do regular blog posts. On New Years Eve I brought a couple friends out, and with the help of MB Imports we took over the West Beach parking lot in Birds Hill Park and slid till the sun went down.

For anyone that hasn’t seen the video I posted last week, here it is! I know I had a lot of fun that day, it was great getting out on a day with good weather.

As is custom in winter, the rowdy teens and their tuner cars get out and tear up parking lots, causing trouble everywhere they go. By no means is that untrue. You’ll always find rusty junk cars sliding in busy parking lots, those kids deserve to be ticketed. When we take the time to find a closed off, uninhabited parking lot, as long as proper safety precautions are taken there shouldn’t be a problem. We like to keep it safe and responsible, no dangerous areas and keep speed within the limits the driver is capable of handling. With practice comes experience and with experience comes better quality.

For my upcoming posts I’m working with Auto Haus Volkswagen to take a look at their new 2015 line of cars and SUV’s.

I’m looking forward to the new opportunities in my life coming up and really looking forward to getting out while the snow is on the ground to get lots of footage and new videos to post.

Who Doesn’t Love To Get Sideways?

New Years Eve 2014

I had the whole day off and if I sat at home one more consecutive day I probably would have gone insane. I packed up what little camera gear I have and met up with some friends for a little slide-a-thon. Birds Hill Park is a great place for some drifting when the sun is out because theres plenty of space and, to be honest, no one really treks all the way out there so the roads were empty. I put together a little video to try something new. Hope you all enjoy.