Review: 2025 BMW 320d xDrive M Sport Pro

If German trains can't run on time, what hope do the Italian ones have?

At least that was my thought when planning my recent trip to Italy. Rome has an extremely convenient direct rail link from the airport to the city center, but when looking at transit options from there to the Amalfi coast, it was...less confidence inspiring.

Review: 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLA250 4Matic

One of my best friends doesn't 'get' cars.

Don't get me wrong, he isn't willing to spend money on some random piece of crap. He will do the needed research to buy a quality car, quality tires, where and how to get quality maintenance done, etc. He even has a dream car (Audi A8).

But a car is just a "vehicle" to him. As such, if he even chooses to rent a car at all during vacation, he'll pick the cheapest option that lets him do whatever he needs to do.

Pragmatic and reasonable, of course, but it's in stark contrast to my approach.

First time living with an EV (2023 Polestar 2 Review)

With so many differing opinions on whether EV's make sense or not, I figured the best way to find out for sure was to try it for myself. So, during a recent trip to Toronto, I rented a 2023 Polestar 2 dual motor for a week. I then did the same thing again when I got back home, trying it out on home turf.

Now, this isn't a discussion of ethics. Yes, EV batteries are made in a dirty, non-environmentally friendly way, and EV's are subsidized by governments. Not the direction I want to take this post in, however – this is about real-world livability from a car guy's perspective.

With that out of the way, let's begin.

Waiting in the Shadows

Not long after the final chunk of driving before the pandemic started, I drove my little Zastava the hour or so to my mechanic's shop. The aim was to fix a plethora of leaks, change the belts, plus to finally get it to freakin' start reliably, before another driving season would occur.

The car ended up producing some sort of worrying, clutch-like smell about 30-45min in (it's been so long now, I can't remember exactly why). With a strong desire to not have to call a tow truck, I pulled onto the hard shoulder of the highway and waited for the smell to subside before continuing. Eventually, we reached our destination, but not before the brake pedal suddenly got as hard as a rock.

So I Changed My Game Plan

My little Zastava is in the shop, getting all its gaskets replaced (among other things). I always say that hopefully this is the last shop visit before it's fully driveable, but I won't say that this time. No, I think I'll change my game plan and only talk about what's already been done, ignoring its intended impact on the car's future.

Aside from dealing with the Fića's return to form, I've also spent the last five or six years looking for a modern performance car. The basic criteria was a powerful engine, rear wheel drive, two doors, and most importantly, a manual transmission. Extra points if it's brand new.

Easier said than done.

Review: 2019 Dodge Charger GT

Do car owner stereotypes matter when you're renting?

No. No, they do not.

I suppose the worry of being mislabeled as someone who's just waiting to be reckless in traffic isn't really relevant, when you know you're returning the thing in a week anyway. It didn't help that this particular Charger still had the splitter shipping guards on, an organic trend that isn't exactly helping the image these cars have.

Even the manufacturer has gone so far as to say people need to take them off (even if dealers aren't), because they're ruining aerodynamics, and are actually damaging the paint people think they're protecting.

The actual issue for me, though, was that I was under the impression these cars weren't all that good.