Stealing Cars Through Text Message

Posted on Sep 27, 2015 in Safety | 3 comments

I miss the good ol’ days. Like back in 1998, when the economy was booming, we had a care-free president, the Dow Jones was about to cross the 10,000 mark for the first time and crooks broke into cars with crowbars and screwdrivers. Things were good. It was in 1998 that I had a Toyota Pickup stolen from a Seattle park ‘n’ ride. The thieves broke into the truck...

US Sets 54.5 MPG Automotive Fleet Goal by 2025

Posted on Sep 3, 2015 in Technology | 1 comment

Presently the leading news story transpiring in the United States is a political battle in the nation’s capital. Attempting to concoct a working plan to control federal government spending, the ability to best manage the taxpayers’ money is placed into question. While managing government finances has proven to be a difficult and contentious issue, the Obama...

The rarest GTO you may have never wanted

Posted on Sep 3, 2015 in Featured | 2 comments

Here’s an example of a chrome bumper 1968 GTO, but it’s not the same car discussed in the blog, as understandably, we couldn’t locate a photo of a factory Pink Mist GTO. Photo by author. When it comes to collecting vintage cars, generally, nostalgia, value (real or perceived), budget and rarity all come into play. Many option combinations were rare for more...

How to Make Your Teenager Crazy: Track and Record His Driving

Posted on Aug 27, 2015 in Safety | 1 comment

It’s only a pilot, but 10,000 of GM’s OnStar subscribers will participate in a test program called Family Link. This tracks the exact location of a teen’s car on a map and sends parents text messages and emails concerning its movements and whether it’s speeding. Ford’s MyKey system (shown above) is worse. It limits speed to 80 mph, adjusts or mutes stereo...

Taking Aim at the Shooting Brake

Posted on Aug 25, 2015 in Antique | Comments Off on Taking Aim at the Shooting Brake

Not long ago, Ferrari stunned the world with the introduction of the new Ferrari FF. The FF was the first production vehicle made by the prancing horse with a shooting-brake body style. Of course, the auto bloggers went wild, and for the most part, the new shape was well received. Since the term shooting-brake is rare in the US, I thought it would be a great...

Open Diff – What would you mix and match to make the perfect car?

Posted on Aug 23, 2015 in Featured | 2 comments

Good news, everyone! I have just invented the Patented Miracle Mystery Adapter, which is not at all based on the spackling properties of Torgo’s Executive Powder. This means that you and I and shkle can now adapt any part of any car to any other part of any other car. All body parts, all drivetrain components, all chassis sections are now universally...

DIY Jeep Pickup Conversion

Posted on Aug 21, 2015 in Technology | 1 comment

Jeep lovers are a unique and loyal group of people. I used to have a customer that came into my parts store that threw who knows how much money into his old ’73 Jeep Wagoneer with a 401 and never complained. He loved his Jeep, no matter how many rust spots appeared or pieces fell off. I know a lot of people like this. My favorite Jeeps, however, have to be the...

Car People (and Others) Behaving Badly

Posted on Aug 6, 2015 in Racing | 1 comment

J.C. FranceSome of you are looking forward to a three-day weekend. Others deserve to be in jail, among them some well-known car people. Foremost of these is J.C. France, grandson of Bill France, founder of NASCAR. J.C. was allegedly racing with his half-brother Russell Van Richmond on the streets of Daytona Beach. The cops charged him with DUI and cocaine...

Does a Front-wheel-drive Honda S’Accorde with Canadian Weather?

Posted on Aug 1, 2015 in Editorials | 2 comments

Pete writes: I find myself in a situation uniquely suited to seek out the counsel of the wise and insightful folks at TTAC (Sajeev, Mark, and the B&B). I have been a long time resident of Tampa, Florida, where my ’98 Honda Accord and my wife’s ’04 Honda Accord perfectly suit the needs of my family (which includes our two boys, ages one and three). The ’98...

So a Blonde Crashes a Bentley into a Ferrari, Aston Martin, Mercedes and Porsche…

Posted on Jul 21, 2015 in Safety | 3 comments

Oops …And it’s not even a joke. I’m not one to laugh, too hard, at other people’s misfortunes. In fact, unless someone’s smart fortwo ends up in a river, I’m actually pretty compassionate. But I think my level of compassion for people tapers as their bank accounts rise. Do I feel bad for the unemployed family man who gets his only car stolen? Of course. Do I...

Because You Don’t Sell Your First!

Posted on Jul 14, 2015 in Editorials | 2 comments

Dear Sajeev/Sanjeev, I own two cars (and two older pickup trucks): a 1995 LeSabre with 223,000 miles and a 2001 Audi A6 Avant with 165,000 miles on the clock. I drive 80-100 miles per day for work. Between work and personal miles, I drive about 45,000 miles per year. The trucks aren’t daily driven too often and are only used when I need to move something that...

Should Suzuki Pack Up and Go Home?

Posted on Jun 25, 2015 in Racing | 1 comment

Something’s wrong over at Suzuki. The Japanese automaker is skidding hard, as its sales are down a staggering 78 percent from one year ago. That might not surprise many people. In fact, I’ll bet most folks can’t even recall the last Suzuki ad they saw or even tell me where their nearest dealer is. Another part of the problem is Suzuki’s American lineup, which...

AAA To The EV Rescue with ‘Quick Charge’ Trucks

Posted on Jun 22, 2015 in Technology | 1 comment

‘Range Anxiety’ is what electric vehicle makers call it. It’s what some prospective EV customers suffer from when considering buying something like Nissan’s Leaf EV or Tesla’s Roadster (although probably not so much for Tesla buyers, who can afford to drop into the six-figures on an electric car). How to overcome ‘Range Anxiety’ is largely the problem of the...