Before You Buy Your Teen a Safe Car, Invest in Safe Driving Skills
Posted on Aug 11, 2022 in Safety | Comments Off on Before You Buy Your Teen a Safe Car, Invest in Safe Driving Skills
We’re in the midst of National Teen Driver Safety Week, which runs through Oct. 24. That gives us a great reason to point out the variety of opportunities available for your teens to get into an advanced driver-safety program thanks to companies like Kia, Ford, and BMW. John F. Paul, a AAA spokesman in New England, says these programs can be invaluable for...
Read MoreAre Dash Cams a Necessity or Problematic Accessory?
Posted on Aug 4, 2022 in Technology | 1 comment
Dash cams are still somewhat rare in the United States despite their wild popularity in other nations. They are almost ubiquitous in Russia and parts of Asia, where the unblinking electronic eyes help to deter scams and police corruption, as well as capturing the occasional meteor explosion or plane crash. Thankfully, we live in a country where the police and...
Read MoreDo Your Tires Last as Long as You Think They Should?
Posted on Jul 29, 2022 in Safety | Comments Off on Do Your Tires Last as Long as You Think They Should?
Who knew tires could be so controversial? Back in 2009 we posted a blog about the need to replace new tires after just 20,000 miles. At the time I had a new vehicle that required new tires after just 22,000 miles, which turned out to be pretty common as evidenced by the people who left comments on the post. In the years since, I’ve purchased other cars and...
Read MoreReflections on Driving in Japan
Posted on Jul 21, 2022 in Editorials | 2 comments
A few weeks ago, one of Best and Brightest asked for my thoughts on driving in Japan. It’s not the first time the topic has come up. There were several comments in response to the series that documented the importation of my Town & Country, but I’ve been content to avoid the subject up ’til now. I’d like to say I’ve abstained explaining driving in Japan...
Read MoreDisappointment is the gap that exists between expectation and reality
Posted on Jul 20, 2022 in Antique | Comments Off on Disappointment is the gap that exists between expectation and reality
Expectations are very important in the automotive world. They align with reputation and are used to create a persona for a brand. This persona creates desire and respect which in turn sells cars. For example, even before Rolls-Royce introduced the new Wraith, the expectation was that it would be a very expensive and finely crafted automobile of exceptional...
Read MoreSCCA creates autocross classes for pre-1975 sports cars
Posted on Jul 18, 2022 in Featured | 2 comments
The Sports Car Club of America has announced the creation of two classes for pre-1975 sports cars in its popular Solo autocross program, giving owners of classic cars a way to participate against cars of similar technology. The rules for the new classes, Heritage Classic Street and Heritage Classic Race, can be found on the SCCA’s website. Howard Duncan, the...
Read MoreCan You Get Your Car to 200,000 Miles?
Posted on Jul 10, 2022 in Safety | 1 comment
On the road to 200,000! I want to drive to the moon. Not literally, of course. The moon is about 240,000 miles away from Earth, and last I heard, the highway there hasn’t been completed yet. I do want my car to last at least that long, though. We’ve shared stories over the last few weeks of readers who have managed to coax their cars past 200,000 miles and even...
Read MoreWill Chevy Follow Ford and Introduce Aluminum Trucks?
Posted on Jun 28, 2022 in Safety | 1 comment
Ford’s gamble with the aluminum 2015 F-150 could have ended two ways: As an embarrassing failure As a trendsetting new way to build trucks Ram, with its little comment about aluminum’s best use being for beer cans, pretty much secured its future of steel bodies. Chevrolet stayed pretty quiet on the issue, presumably to take a wait-and-see approach. Watching the...
Read MoreNine You’re Fine, Ten You’re Mine
Posted on Jun 26, 2022 in Safety | Comments Off on Nine You’re Fine, Ten You’re Mine
How fast is fast enough? Last week I mentioned a spur-of-the-moment trip my wife and I took from Washington to Colorado. We embarked on the trip because we found a boat for sale that we had to have. Yes, there were other boats closer to us, but this one was the correct year, with the correct engine, in great condition, and at a price we couldn’t pass up. With a...
Read MoreNostalgia is a seductive liar
Posted on Jun 17, 2022 in Antique | Comments Off on Nostalgia is a seductive liar
This week I wanted to showcase some vehicles that are both nostalgic and unusual. I have never posted about trucks before, but they reminded me of a time when style and function met in a very beautiful way. Many of the vehicles featured have modern counterparts, but none have the panache and ingenuity of these classics. From a simple bus that carried passengers...
Read MoreEl Diablo: Miata Style
Posted on Jun 12, 2022 in Racing | Comments Off on El Diablo: Miata Style
An average car will run a quarter-mile drag race in 15–16 seconds. That’s not a blistering pace, but it’s just enough to give a slight rush while accelerating up an on-ramp before settling into a steady stream of 65-mile-an-hour commuters. The Mazda Miata, while relatively sporty and fun to drive, typically falls somewhere within that average time in stock,...
Read MoreThis Duesenberg is Even More Hideous in Person
Posted on Jun 5, 2022 in Editorials | 2 comments
The high-dollar-custom Ridler Award at the Detroit Autorama gets a lot of worthy attention, but real salt of the earth Detroit car culture can be found in Cobo Hall’s basement, The promoters bill the area as Autorama Extreme, and I always make it a point to check out the cars and people downstairs. There’s usually something worthwhile down there like “the first...
Read MoreGasoline Direct Injection: Fad or Future?
Posted on Jun 4, 2022 in Technology | 2 comments
The internal combustion engine is 150 years old and its thermal efficiency – the amount of energy converted from combustion into mechanical work – is unlikely to achieve parity with emerging alternatives. For the performance enthusiasts among us, harboring anxiety over the future, you are not alone. Although the internal combustion engine’s monopoly on...
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