cars

Come On Time To Step Up

Posted on by noahmielke

This is just an opinion, and it’s what I see daily, but it is limited to my view. What are the American car companies plans when their supportive generation is gone? I still see a lot of older people pick Ford trucks and Chevy trucks over the better competition brands based off brand loyalty. A loyalty that honestly has been worn down over the years by crappy office politics, and non-class leading ideas. I don’t think you have to be a fan of Tesla to see how change can be made when taking a real risk. Some day picking the sleepy safe bet isn’t gonna sell cars. The thing that really irks me about these companies isn’t their inability, it’s the fact they choose this path when they have clearly had the resources to push many times. If Chrysler had used their K-platform wisely it would have tuned and built lasting quality into their life raft they choose to build during the 80’s. Instead, they counted on American consumers to want less. Guess what – it didn’t last, they couldn’t compete with the smaller companies on foreign soil. Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and in fact Hyundai can thank American car companies personally for leaving that door wide open.

During the 80’s the big two spent more money lobbying against importing those better options than creating better options. For companies that like to advertise themselves as true red, white, and blue they sure don’t like working hard and pulling themselves up from their bootstraps. We spent the 90’s watching ford build better cars in Europe, because they have tougher competition, and people who had higher standards. While we received those sweet mustangs and FWD Escorts. Europe was dealing with Cosworth AWD editions including Recaro seats. Here, Ford is barely able to compete with Honda on their own soil because they still undervalued their consumer market. I just have a lot of respect for these massively capable designers and engineers held back by lower standards by their business bullshittery company rudders. I think its by time some of these idiots leave and let more capable hands take over before they are just companies talked about in museums because if they keep this crap up, they don’t deserve the present they can keep the past.

Hidden Gems

Posted on by noahmielke

There are somethings that don’t need to be expensive to enjoy. There are so many fabulous rides out there with their own beauty behind the wheel. Their own experience, and the fact they are still fairly cheap while being rarer on the road only makes them more fun to drive, and talk to people about at shows. Lets look at some non-heroes the cars that bring a sense of special, hidden gems right out in the open Craigslist.

The base model stick versions of classic rally cars. Neat looking fun to drive and most importantly cheap to own. Keep them stock or build them up your gonna have a great time. Lets start with the Fifth Gen Toyota Celica. Pop up headlights smooth body work a hatch back version with a 5-speed can be had for $2000 what a deal. Did I mention it had pop up headlights, also the dash board wraps around the driver.

Now lets talk about a car I love but most people don’t notice, a fourth gen Mitsubishi Mirage 4dr with a stick. Im talking cheap slow car. But it is the same body on the old Evo III’s. Again cheap around $1000 dollars but you can enjoy the drive and modify it and just enjoy the rally look.

Last one I promise tonight, but it floats around everywhere and could be way cooler. Older Ford Escort hatchbacks. America got some pretty boring ones but make it look like a Cosworth edition and blow people away. Again super cheap and not fast but fun and could be tuned. Slap down $1000 dollars and clean one up.

Now Im not saying these are out here to destroy other cars, these are cars you can love the looks of enjoy a drive tune up a bit and enjoy for your self. Sometimes you need something more you and more fun. These are cars for a poor mans habit that will grant you some respect at the show. Different and fun.

Badge Bitches

Posted on by noahmielke

Let’s talk about this dumb ass badge pride, something car guys deal with or dish out on the regular. The arrogance of feeling like your better than your brother because you have that special badge. It’s a reoccurring event in all performance package brands. BMW, Mercedes, VW, Ford, Chevy, Chrysler-Dodge, and now even Hyundai.

Look I got lucky and I spent more money than I should for an N model Veloster. It’s a fantastic car, and I joined all the groups talk about and love my car. But it only took like all of two seconds before the groups I joined to start bad mouthing other Veloster models. When did getting something so great mean dumping on others? I absolutely love the whole line because they all have their benefit. In car groups or shows this should be shamed fast. It alienates other people that supposedly have the same passion as you, and silly enough shows how little you really care about joining a community. If you want to prick it up, then make a group for yourselves where you can just bash and be bashed by other assholes like yourselves. Not everyone likes what you have or think the dollar amount gives you more clout.

When my wife got her BMW, she was so excited to join a group, and little by little her enjoyment of the car community was spoiled by these same validation whores. When I got my Hyundai Veloster N my wife posted in her group how proud I was of my purchase. Is it funny that right after she posted I had to warn her people are going to be mean about it? I’m ok with it, but the look on her face as comments poured in just left her sad, angry, and humiliated. I remember her immediately leaving the group and feeling bad that she had to see these people are everywhere.

So how about try to remember your in a community people will tolerate you as long as you join in building the group if your tearing it down no ones gonna give a crap what you drive.

Car-Tharsis

Posted on by noahmielke

Memories are the core of who we are, and as we develop they help mold us. Defining our world and perception. It got me thinking about my earliest memories with cars, the ones you never talk about just the private things you see that stick with you. Dusty winds, burning sun, and frozen winters in a desert called Pasco Washington. The smell of rain touching down on fresh dry dirt is ingrained in my psych, and a certain line of cars stretching down the back of my grandparents farm. I spent the better part of my earliest memories exploring the ruins of old fat fenders, and a square back VW. Freedom to expand my horizons was mine at the ripe age of five. I could spend all day weaving in and out between these derelict behemoths, and admiring every line, every detail. Fighting off rattlesnakes to get a closer look inside. Most of them were missing an engine and transmission. Even if they were locked you could slide under them and go up through the trans tunnel. Then I’d dust off the seat and put my hands on the steering wheel and just get lost driving in my mind for hours. It was my Never Never Land, and even now as a grown man with kids reaching voting age I cuddle that memory in the back of my head. It was where my land of make believe, and reality met my gateway into a world I still find in my heart. I’ll leave this memory here the rest are mine to keep to myself.

My Favorite Western Is A Car Movie

Posted on by noahmielke

Just imagine your eighteen and a trailer is out for a movie about the car scene. Its got amped up Limp Bizkit music, shows customized cars racing and dodging the cops, looks amazing. The trailer for the first Fast And The Furious might be farther from the material than it looks like at first. Being movie number one of a massive block buster series kind of takes away from what it was. Let’s forget all the other money printers made after this 2001 summer hit. Let’s forget about the ridiculousness it turned into and remember why the first movie was so good. It’s honestly because the car world was just a cover for one of the best modern westerns ever made. It’s an old western at heart, change the cars to horses, and the bustling city to a small pioneering town on the fringes of modern society. It’s about a law man joining a gang to take it down, then understanding what they were about before letting them get away. It’s quite an amazing piece of filming. Even the very first scene is a insane stage coach robbery going well before the law catches up with them. The black civics with green under glow were black horses in the night. The second scene catches up with Brian O’Connor practicing in his police provided tuner car. Respectable but not quite real deal. As the movie unfolds he looses his car and himself into their family gang, and builds a car with them culminating to him having a showdown with the leader Dom at the end. The movie covers all the aspects of an amazing fight, good guys vs. bad guys and the grey in between. A lot of westerns circle around this same issue. When you have heroes that blur the line between good guy and bad guy. After a spectacular crash (which by the way was unrealistic enough to be fun but no where near the hilarity of later movies) you watch as Brian hands over the keys to his own car and lets the bad guy get away. It shows how complicated honor can get. The movie covers so much more than it advertised, and its legacy is marred by fun but silly movies that’ll never really feel the same cause eventually it turned into a faster crazier series to impress. The first one wasn’t written or even directed by car guys and Having us car guys stay to the cars actually made the movie so so good. So when you get a chance watch it again but put those western glasses on, and take it in.

For The Love Of Cars

Posted on by noahmielke

Hi! I am Cori – Noah’s partner. We thought it might be fun to switch things up and share what it’s like loving a car guy! It’s fair to say, when Noah and I met, I didn’t know ANYTHING about cars. More than that, I didn’t want to know anything about cars. I mean, I drove them, they got me where I needed to go, but it wasn’t for pleasure. Little did I know then, how much I would come to both love and hate cars.

I knew Noah and I spoke different car languages when we met for the first time. Noah and I met online through a dating website for single parents. We both were trying to manage single parenthood as full time custodial parents, work, and find time to grow our relationship. We finally decided to meet in person for a lunch date, but I needed to meet at his apartment during nap time, because he didn’t have child care. I am terrible with direction, actually it’s worse than terrible. Noah needed to give me good directions because he lived in a large complex. He told me I would know I was in the right place because I would see a cool muscle car in front of his dwelling. What do you think of when you think muscle car? Well, my little knowledge instantly thought of the usual suspects. Camaro, Chargers, or Mustangs…what I saw eventually was a baby blue four door HUGE car with some dings and dents. Not a muscle car, not even close. I almost ran. I wasn’t dating him because he had a muscle car, but this was the first clue that we didn’t see eye to eye and I was worried if that was his idea of a “muscle car”, where else might see things so differently.

A few weeks in, we were able to go on a midnight drive in this muscle car. There was something magical. It sounded amazing, it had a beautiful bench seat, and the original stereo. We turned the radio on, and started singing with the windows down, and got lost in the moment. So lost that Noah actually drove home on the wrong side of the road for a brief second… because we were totally captivated in this moment. After that, every time we stopped for fuel we’d get so many compliments. It’s when I learned that loving cars is more about the passion and sound and comradery than it is about the car. Because of that I learned to love cars, because I loved this person who loved cars with such a passion that he can’t not talk cars. It isn’t in his DNA. We actually still have this car. This car is weaved through our life and it tells our story. Noah sold it, so he could afford to buy me an engagement ring. A few years later, we found the owners – and I bought it back for Valentine’s Day. Noah’s written about Horton before; if you want to learn more about our muscle car check out this blog.

Since then, we’ve owned what feels like a million cars. We’ve had a mini van, Land Rover, Buick, Mercury, Audi TT, Quattro, A6. We’ve had a Mitsubishi Eclipse that we changed the timing belt together…that was not easy, an old Ford truck that couldn’t hold fuel..(We don’t talk about that one!). Now I drive a BMW X1 i28 and I’m sure you’ve seen Noah’s car. Finally, I understand. The cars we drive are an extension of who we are. Some cars are refined and dignified. Some are loud and go balls out. Some are stealthy and strong.  I thought, I was going to be writing a blog about loving a car guy, but instead I wrote about a car guy teaching me to love cars. -Cori

Good Scars

Posted on by noahmielke

Scars can be good reminders of a some of the best memories. People have so many adventures and it’s pretty cool to have little reminders from them. I said I would explain the picture in my last blog, and I won’t let you down. See, Franklin and I have been itching to get out there and start filming car drives for a while. About a month ago we excitedly met at our first early morning Saturday drive. We wanted to get those sweet sunrise shots; except we didn’t really plan. In fact, we hung out in the parking lot for a bit, taking some shots and trying to plan out the scenery. Not such a great idea when the sunrises before you get everything together. We finally started driving out of the parking lot and that’s when a good scar happened. I pulled up to the stop sign and my friend franklin came to a stop behind me in his beautiful pearl white WRX. As he grabbed his camera (that he had forgot to set up) a last-minute thought captured him. We should grab footage on the way out -plus he had the only camera between us at the time. His foot slipped off the clutch, and my new 2020 Hyundai Veloster N protected his car from going out in traffic. Clearly, my Veloster saved Franklin from a very dangerous situation. I am so glad I can help. 😊

He did bump my car and it was like one of those slow-motion moments. First thought “Oh shit! That was a bump” but quickly I had a second thought and this time it was about my friend. I knew Franklin was going to feel like terrible. We had just started our sweet adventure, the first one! Right away I could see his face; all the ego and excitement out the window. He didn’t care about his car… he just stared – looking so sorry and sad. I couldn’t be mad. I could have easily made the same mistake. Talking on the phone through our car’s infotainment connection (SAFETY FIRST 😉), we drove it to our spot and checked out the damage closer. It wasn’t that bad just a little crack. Plus, he got a tiny bit of blue smudge on his white bumper. We talked about insurance and all that stuff but instead I opted for a roadrunner horn and racing seat brackets for way less than the cost to repair my bumper. I wanted to preserve this memory, so I drift stitched the back bumper and gave my new car a little more street cred. I love that memory! It’s a funny situation to be in and now I’ve got a cool scar to show off.

Our next trip we went out early, this was the first time using our Dragon Touch camera. I didn’t turn up the exposure, so all our footage was dark. The wind noise was atrocious because we didn’t have furry covers for the microphones. The point is; none of us are perfect, but friends are in it to win it together. So, I hold dear all these great memories. After all, they are with the very best people.

Still got some great shots that day!

Carving A Path

Posted on by noahmielke

Sometimes life takes you in a different direction than you expected. I could have told you at four years old what I dreamed of being. Car designer extraordinaire. Mocking up clay models and bringing beauty to steel and plastic. I drew all day EVERY day until I got my first set of real car keys. By then the teenage desires and life’s miss steps blindsided my focus. I never stopped loving cars. I was always working on them so I could really drive them. I have never been satisfied with normal cars as my transportation. Some where my choices forced me to give up on my true desires. Life is a road we all learn from. I don’t regret my path, but its interesting to see where you’ve landed.

My family is incredible. I have learned to be a lot less selfish, and my better half is the most supportive human I have ever met. (She’s also a decent editor 😉) She knows me.  It’s why I am here writing this despite being tired and getting ready for the rest of my work week. My passion for car design has never stopped, it continues. I might not be a famous designer, but my children have all picked up my weird habits. I draw cars. It’s my passion and one of my favorite ways to spend my time. The best gift I could get as a kid was a drawing pad with pencils. When my children get bored these are the first things I hand them. They are so much more talented than I ever was.

We painted a mural in the garage that has our car Horton on it. My daughter Lola (11) drew the penguins hanging around the car. They are a cool touch, she’s an amazing cartoonist. My son Aidan (15) also blows me away with his artwork, and same with my youngest daughter Scarlet (10). They all have an impressive grasp on art, and they aren’t just limited to mechanical things like I was. Its funny to me to see these things not as echoes of the past but like a song building momentum. The final big guitar strum is them with their extraordinary gifts. My dream wasn’t really all that great, what I have now is so much better. It’s where I am meant to be; with the people I love. -Noah

Yep that was a common site as a kid. Can’t believe I wore that hat.