http://www.thecarconnection.com/tips Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:22:06 -0500 Tips and Advice -- find out how to maintain, service, insure, wash and wax, and change the oil in your car with tips from TheCarConnection.com. Lifestyle/Fashion http://static.thecarconnection.com/website/tcc-feed.jpg http://www.thecarconnection.com/tips http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038644_adwatch-mini-cooper-convertible-spot-touts-protection http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038644_adwatch-mini-cooper-convertible-spot-touts-protection Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:59:00 -0500 Let's face it: MINIs have a lot of curb appeal, but the company's advertising campaigns frequently come up short. A new spot for the MINI Cooper Convertible proves that point beautifully. Compared to yesterday's ad featuring the Alfa Romeo MiTo, this clip feels clunky and under-rehearsed -- although the potentially clichéd punchline somehow ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038623_videogame-designers-love-the-tesla-roadsters-quiet-ride http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038623_videogame-designers-love-the-tesla-roadsters-quiet-ride Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:24:00 -0500 Tesla and its Roadster are a product of DIY ingenuity -- a perfect example of what can happen when a bunch of people come together and say, "Hey, no one else is doing this, so why don't we?" In that same the DIY spirit, game designers at Microsoft have cleverly recruited a Tesla roadster for their own purposes: recording road noise for driving ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038566_adwatch-alfa-romeo-mito-video-is-simple-clever-jeans-free http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038566_adwatch-alfa-romeo-mito-video-is-simple-clever-jeans-free Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0500 Last time we heard from Alfa Romeo, we wondered what new drugs had found their way to Europe. (Seriously, that genes/jeans campaign from London's Performance PR was terrible.) The latest ad for the Alfa Romeo MiTo comes from Milan's Fabbrica Virali agency, and it's equally bizarre -- but in a totally good way. The spot features Mozart's ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038452_tlcs-family-armor-goes-inside-texas-armoring-corporation http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038452_tlcs-family-armor-goes-inside-texas-armoring-corporation Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:23:00 -0500 We aren't entirely sure how an unassuming Mormon family from San Antonio, Texas found themselves in the armored car business, and we're even less sure how Texas Armoring Corporation scored a reality series wherein they convert "everyday cars into bulletproofed, bomb-resistant, gadget-filled fortresses, equipped with cutting-edge getaway gizmos ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038177_video-taylor-swift-complains-about-your-parents-driving http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038177_video-taylor-swift-complains-about-your-parents-driving Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:22:00 -0500 Apart from her music, we don't have anything against Taylor Swift. In fact, we felt pretty bad about that whole VMA thing with Kanye and Beyonce and the Henny and the internet meme that just wouldn't die. However, after seeing Taylor on Saturday Night Live last weekend, we're beginning to wonder if she shouldn't be interrupted more often. Case ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038133_adwatch-mercedes-benz-e-class-estate-ad-goes-off-track http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038133_adwatch-mercedes-benz-e-class-estate-ad-goes-off-track Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:10:00 -0500 There are lots of things you could say about Mercedes-Benz's new ad for the E-Class Estate. The first thoughts to cross our minds were, "Wow, that's a nice slot-car track" and "Wow, that voiceover is a great example of German efficiency -- but not in the good way". Sadly, the one thing none of us thought was, "Oh, this is a car commercial". ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038134_holiday-preparations-know-the-rules-of-shotgun http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038134_holiday-preparations-know-the-rules-of-shotgun Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:25:00 -0500 It feels like summer just ended, but another round of mini-vacations lies just around the corner. Holiday road trips aren't usually as fun as the summertime variety, since they typically involve moms, dads, and eggnog-scented aunts, but a few precautions will make them slightly more enjoyable. We suggest flipping through The Official Shotgun ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037919_wtf-renault-loreal-create-first-ever-spa-concept-car http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037919_wtf-renault-loreal-create-first-ever-spa-concept-car Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:24:00 -0500 The ZOE Z.E. concept car stems from a curious collaboration between French automaker Renault and luxury skincare company Biotherm (a division of L'Oreal). The ZOE Z.E. offers the usual complement of EV conceptual goodness -- it's battery-powered, boasts zero-emissions, is quickly rechargeable, and makes use of solar power -- but it also has a ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037769_extreme-tailgating-with-the-scion-kogi-xd-from-mv-designs http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037769_extreme-tailgating-with-the-scion-kogi-xd-from-mv-designs Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:24:00 -0500 Looking for something out-of-the-ordinary to wow your fellow tailgaters? You could go the obvious route with an impressively oversized SUV, but really, where's the fun in that? Far more interesting is this sweet ride from MV Designs, which crams everything you need for beers and brats into a modestly sized Scion xD. Preferring Pabst over ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037622_monday-wtf-video-wacky-serbian-guy-drives-half-a-car http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037622_monday-wtf-video-wacky-serbian-guy-drives-half-a-car Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:45:00 -0500 Monday means two things in our book: (1) heading back to the office and (2) finding ways to waste time once we get there. In service of item #2, we present this video of a man driving half a car, which is not only idiotic, dangerous, and thoroughly awesome, but it's also a little tricky to engineer. Apparently, the mechanics in Serbia are a ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037620_video-ferrari-world-theme-park-on-track-for-2010-opening http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037620_video-ferrari-world-theme-park-on-track-for-2010-opening Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:25:00 -0500 Good news, Ferrari fans: the much-ballyhooed "Ferrari World Abu Dhabi" theme park is on track for its 2010 opening. The Zaha Hadid-esque structure you see at left will house numerous entertainments, including auto racing for children and the world's fastest roller coaster. We hope to give you our personal impressions of the park, but first ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037172_the-convenience-of-a-desk-right-on-your-steering-wheel http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037172_the-convenience-of-a-desk-right-on-your-steering-wheel Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:21:00 -0400 As if there weren't already enough gadgets for cars, a company called Mobile Office is now offering something called the "Laptop Steering Wheel Desk". That isn't exactly the catchiest name on record, but it's a pretty accurate description of the product. Basically, the "desk" is like one of those food trays from Sonic, but instead of hooking ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037073_video-mythbusters-test-golf-ball-theory-on-ford-taurus http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1037073_video-mythbusters-test-golf-ball-theory-on-ford-taurus Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:06:00 -0400 We've mentioned the FastSkinz applique a couple of times on TCC. It's a wrap for cars that's dimpled like a golf ball, and the manufacturer says it boosts fuel efficiency by 18% to 20%. According to what we've read, those claims are wildly inaccurate, but that didn't deter the Discovery Channel's Mythbusters team from running a similar ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1036958_seasonal-fare-cal-auto-museums-hearses-the-last-rides http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1036958_seasonal-fare-cal-auto-museums-hearses-the-last-rides Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:52:00 -0400 In case you haven't been paying attention, next week is Halloween. To celebrate, many people will go trick-or-treating, visit haunted houses, or throw costume parties, but gearheads have a better option:  motoring over to the California Automobile Museum in Sacramento for its "Hearses: The Last Ride Exhibition" (on view through December 11). ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1036899_for-the-savvy-plutocrat-the-dartz-prombron-armored-suv http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1036899_for-the-savvy-plutocrat-the-dartz-prombron-armored-suv Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:27:00 -0400 Life in Russia comes with its share of hardships: brutal winters, a touch-and-go economy, and a legacy of cultural isolation. (But hey, at least somebody's doing something about that pesky snow.) In a country where things seem to be in transition, and where the divide between rich and poor is vast, armored vehicles are a necessity. That's ..]]>