Where to Shower if You Live in Your Car

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Whether you live in your car out of necessity or your love of travel, you need a plan to ensure good hygiene. Thankfully, there are many great free or cheap places to shower. With awareness of car safety, community resources, and a little creativity, living out of your vehicle can be a worthwhile experience.

Gyms offer more than exercise equipment

For a small fee each month, you can purchase a gym membership and gain access to workout equipment, fitness classes, and hot showers.

Our Home on Wheels provides some handy information about maximizing a gym membership while living out of a van. Many gyms go above and beyond and also offer a pool, spa, massages, yoga, sauna, rec room, and some gyms even offer food. Showering at a gym is nice because the showers are warm, clean, and somewhat private.

Also, most city recreation centers include a gym, showers, and other recreational sports. Most rec centers offer cheap yearly or monthly memberships, and many offer day passes for as little as $5. Rec centers often provide family restrooms and locker rooms, making it much easier for parents with little ones.

Take your shower with you

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Portable showers offer a convenient solution for showering on the go. There are various mobile shower options, ranging from simple, cost-effective choices to pricier, high-tech options.

Portable showers allow you to fill a designated container with water, attach a compatible shower hose to it, and shower with soap and water. Many portable showers can be warmed using sunlight or other methods.

You may choose to use a pop-up shower tent for privacy if it’s practical for your location. A shower tent can provide enough privacy for you to get completely clean without risking public nudity.

Many campgrounds provide shower access and other helpful amenities

Campgrounds can be particularly helpful if you’re living out of your vehicle. Be aware that some campgrounds require a tent or RV for you to stay overnight. If you have a tent, this can be a great way to stay in one location for a few days or more. Campsites typically include a firepit, which means you can cook hot meals on an open fire.

Whether you stay overnight at a campground or visit one during the day, many include a bathhouse providing access to clean water and warm showers. Some campgrounds even have a small laundromat, pool, trails, and other amenities.

Other options for bathing 

If a relative or friend offers you a hot shower (and maybe a meal), don’t be afraid to accept. It’s OK to ask for help, too, but don’t take advantage of their generosity. Most friends and family members are more than happy to help a loved one and appreciate the time together.

Plus, many public parks and beaches provide basic outdoor showers for swimmers to rinse off. These are typically outside and in public locations, so wear appropriate swim clothes. Often, outdoor showers are located near restrooms, making them convenient for you to rinse off and then head to the bathroom to towel-dry and change.

If none of the other options are available, you can head to a public restroom at a local park or rest stop. Take your washcloth and soap with you, and use the sink to clean yourself. A sponge bath isn’t as thorough as a shower, but it will help you look and feel cleaner.

If showers and bathrooms aren’t available, it’s a good idea to keep baby wipes or hygiene/bathing wipes on hand. Good old-fashioned soap and water are your best bet for getting clean, but when that’s not an option, disposable wipes are a quick and easy way to clean off sweat and grime. You can also use disposable rinse-free shampoo caps to clean your hair.  

With a little creativity and ingenuity, there are plenty of options for maximizing comfort and cleanliness while living in your car.

The post Where to Shower if You Live in Your Car appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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5 Collector Cars You Might Want to Buy Right Now

by Gabrielle DeSantis

While some cars come and go, other cars are forever. Collector cars have a short shelf life of availability before such oddities might disappear forever. Some classic cars on this list include an old BMW race car, a sweet yellow Volvo, and even a Fiat / Ferrari creation.

The other Ferrari collector car: 1968 Fiat Dino

The 1969 Fiat Dino Spider is a cool classic car | Touring Club Italiano/Marka/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The 1968 Fiat Dino name refers to Alfredo Ferrari, who happened to be the son of Enzo Ferrari. Alfredo happened to be a fan of V6 engines that he designed while ill. In 1967, the FIA decided that the cars used in Formula 2 races needed to be produced to run on the street. A “minimum of 500 units had to be built for the street, after which the engine could only be used on the circuit,” Classic Driver said.

With that, Enzo set off to create the 1968 Fiat Dino with the V6. Thus, Ferrari and Fiat came together in this creation. A 163 bhp manual engine modern marvel that has resurfaced after 51 years in the same home. The Verde Scuro color original from the factory and makes it quite the collector car.

Price: $158,639

A restored 1995 Land Rover Defender

Coolnvintage restored the 1995 Land Rover Defender 110′ in 2019. It has the 300Tdi Engine and five-speed R380 Gearbox. Aquamarine is the listed exterior color. The inside is oxblood red leather.

It has full air conditioning, power steering, power windows, and some extra gear. A Slimline II roof rack, top tent, mount kit, and even a shower arm for camping. This one is ready for adventure!

Price: $158,000

The last classic car by Ferrari: The 1996 Ferrari F355

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The example of the 1996 Ferrari F355 listed here is already sold, but there are others out there. Classic Driver says this car was one of the last “classic” Ferrari cars to look like a Ferrari. It does have a very Miami Vice feel to it.

It comes equipped with a naturally aspirated V8 engine and a Targa roof (in some cases). Ferarri created only 454 right-hand drive Spider models between 1994 and 1995, making this option even cooler.

Price: $105,000(ish)

A track-ready 1981 BMW 635 Csi Gr.2

The 1981 BMW 635 Csi comes equipped with an FIA Historic Technical Passport and is ready to race! Just kidding, please do not race it. Back in the 1970s, BMW was known as BMW Motorsport and quickly took to race circuits.

The in-line six-cylinder engine was an improvement over the original three-liter version. With an ideal weight distribution of 53.6% in the front and 46.4% in the rear, the Csi had it all. Not many of these were made in this configuration. The Gr. 2 M30B34 dry-sump engine with 340 hp raced at Spa and Le Castelet. With the included paperwork, the previous owner said it is ready for a track day once again.

Price: $34,778 – $366,090 (Not a typo, just a wide range of possibilities)

The cream yellow 1995 Volvo 850

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A lovely cream-yellow 1995 Volvo 850 T5-R Estate with 217,480 miles. What’s not to love? This Volvo has 217,480 miles and a black leather interior. Classic Driver noted that “the 850 T-5R is one of the most iconic Volvos of the last decades. ”

Volvo created about 6,964 units at the time alongside Porsche. It has a 225 horsepower five-cylinder engine coupled with a Garrett turbo. The 850 has a top speed of 146 miles per hour (235 kilometers per hour). It has some modern offerings like airbags and overall, is in good condition.

Price: $19,525 – $25,626

The post 5 Collector Cars You Might Want to Buy Right Now appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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Airspeeder Flying Car Races Set For Later This Year

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Airspeeder is gearing up to begin its flying car series starting later this year. These will be uncrewed and remotely piloted. The remote operator will control the combined F1 race car/fighter jet/helicopter from the ground. In many respects, these are like oversized drones. 

The Airspeeder’s design is inspired by 1960s Grand Prix cars

Airspeeder racer |Alauda

Airspeeder unveiled its Mk3 prototype at last year’s Goodwood Speed Week. Its design is said to be inspired by 1960s Grand Prix cars. The frame and fuselage are carbon fiber but the next version of Airspeeder will be of a monocoque design. LiDAR, Machine Vision, and Radar collision avoidance systems are part of the package to avoid mid-air collisions. 

Battery storage allows for quick replacement during a race

Airspeeder flying race car in the air
Airspeeder flying race car | Alauda

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Slide-and-lock battery storage allows for quick replacement during a race. Each racer will be allowed a 14-second pit stop for battery changes. These pit stops are necessary due to the intense drain from the 320kW electric motors. 

Strategies surrounding the battery life will be explored in testing. Right now there is debate as to whether it is better to go as fast as possible, requiring more battery replacement. Or if it is better to slightly throttle back for battery longevity.

The 0-62 mph performance is achieved in 2.8 seconds. Uncrewed, each Airspeeder weighs 287 lbs and can lift more than half of its weight. Its thrust-to-weight ratio is better than an F-15 Strike Eagle jet. The Airspeeder is able to climb to 1,640 ft. and can hit speeds of 75 mph.

All of Airspeeder’s systems are monitored by telemetry

Airspeeder flying race car battery
Airspeeder flying race car battery | Alauda

Redundant systems are incorporated into the build just as in aircraft use for safety in case one system fails. All systems are monitored by telemetry so any problem is instantly announced allowing the crew to land the Airspeeder safely. 

Though these initial races will be uncrewed, by 2022 the company plans on beginning crewed racing. Its format will be like Formula 1 with a pilot sitting in the cockpit just as one does in an F1 car. This will be the first such racing event ever in the world. 

The uncrewed races are necessary to serve as a test of the technologies used for the Airspeeder. Engineers have come from McLaren, Babcock Aviation, Boeing, Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, and Brabham. 

Racers can pass around or under other Airspeeders

Airspeeder flying race car rear view
Airspeeder flying race car | Alauda

Racing will be in remote locations and up to 10 Airspeeders will race in close proximity. Racers can pass around or under other Airspeeders for thrilling air-to-air action. A “force field” of sorts will surround the track so that racers can’t cheat and cut corners or sections of the track. Cameras will be placed to capture and stream every portion of the track and racing action.  

So far Alauda, the parent company of Airspeeder, is finishing up 10 vehicles right now. They will soon be parsed out to teams for testing. They’re calling it, “The future of motorsports in the not too distant future.”

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Does the 2021 Honda Ridgeline Sport Include Enough Value?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Usually, critics review the top-tier trim levels of whatever vehicle they have. But today, we’re going to start from the bottom instead. We are looking at the 2021 Honda Ridgeline Sport, the base trim of the Honda Ridgeline, to see if it’s worth buying. 

How much is the 2021 Honda Ridgeline Sport? 

2021 Honda Ridgeline | Honda

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline Sport starts at about $36,490. This is a higher price compared to other base models. For example, the Ford Ranger begins around $24,820 and the Toyota Tacoma has a starting price of about $26,400. 

But the Honda Ridgeline may include enough bells and whistles to make its higher starting price worth it. For example, according to Truck Trend, the Honda Ridgeline has standard all-wheel drive. Adding 4×4 to rivals can get expensive quickly. 

What comes standard with the Honda Ridgeline? 

RELATED: The Honda Ridgeline Tried Off-Roading and Surprised Everyone

Aside from AWD, the 2021 Honda Ridgeline Sport includes a standard 3.5-liter direct-injected VTEC V6 engine. It provides 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, which is a solid amount of base model power. However, it’s also the only engine option, so picking a higher trim doesn’t give you more muscle. 

According to Edmunds, the Ridgeline can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 7.2 seconds. That’s an impressive speed for a midsize truck, but it can only tow up to 5,000 lbs, so it lags behind competitors. However, it does have the best-in-class payload capacity of up to 1,583 lbs. 

Each Honda Ridgeline model comes with a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen. There is no upgrading to a larger screen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also come standard. With certain models, you can include an optional in-bed audio system. 

The Ridgeline Sport has a spacious interior with cloth seat inserts that include contrast stitching for pops of color. However, the Truck Trend team mentioned that they missed the feel of leather seats and would probably miss ventilated seats in the summer. 

There are plenty of standard safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and adaptive cruise control. However, blind-spot warning isn’t standard. 

How does the Honda Ridgeline perform?

A red 2021 Ridgeline Sport with HPD Package driving on a dirt road
2021 Ridgeline Sport with HPD Package. | Honda

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline Sport provides a peppy acceleration, smooth ride, and quiet cabin. It’s incredibly comfortable and easy to maneuver around tight spots. However, the low ground clearance and lack of low-range gearing prevent it from keeping up with rivals while off-roading. 

Plus, the Ridgeline has the largest cabin in the class. It provides plenty of space for passengers to stretch out and makes installing child seats easy. You’ll find plenty of cubbies, a massive center console, and a flat storage area under the rear seats for organizing all your gear. 

The Honda Ridgeline gets an EPA-estimated 18 mpg in the city and up to 24 mpg on the highway. This is a pretty good fuel economy. It’s a little better than the Tacoma but a little less than the Ranger. 

For 2021, the Ridgeline got a restyled front end and a new rear bumper with dual exhaust. It looks like a confident truck, but instead of being an off-road champ, it provides a smooth and relaxing ride with responsive handling. Also, it’s still well equipped to do truck stuff without requiring you to spend more on higher trim levels.

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