Now that warm weather is here, drivers will be hitting the road in earnest. In fact, according to Hankook Tire's latest Quarterly Gauge Index, 56 percent of Americans are planning to take a road trip that involves driving 50 miles or more. On average, they estimate they will drive 1,025 miles. What is it about spring - besides the obvious pleasurable weather - that has so many people hitting the road?
There’s something pleasantly old-school about this car, and this is a bit odd since it’s a crispy new, redesigned (although familiar) model from a maker known for engineering brilliance — that is, Honda. No, we don’t have to crank the engine by hand (a pushbutton does that), but there is a third pedal under the dash and the only switches on the deck around the gearshift lever are for the seat heaters. There are no knobs or buttons labeled “Normal,” “Sport” or “Sport plus,” or even “Snow”; there’s no monkeying with the suspension, steering or throttle, nor is there an auxiliary electric motor to call upon. Just push in the clutch, engage first or reverse in the 6-speed gearbox — by hand — and drive off. Want to go faster? Push harder on the pedal on the right.
If you worry about the kind of car your teen will drive, you're not alone - especially in this age of distractions behind the wheel. In a survey commissioned by USAA, 81 percent of parents put reliability first when choosing a vehicle for their teens, followed by a high safety rating. The good news is that teens also want cars with the latest safety features. Here are features parents and teens should look for in a vehicle:
Q: Hello, Greg! I remember many years ago you wrote an article about car songs and the Beach Boys and Jan & Dean that I saw in a car magazine. It had to do with the best car songs, and I’d love if you could touch on some of these great car songs again. I remember you mentioned a performer by the name of Dick Dale in that article, and would love to learn more. Janet S., Illinois.
My boyfriend recently purchased a new 2010 Mercury Mountaineer. He’s having a problem with the brake pedal being too small and his foot often slips off of it. Do you know if Mercury, or anyone for that matter, makes a larger pedal to correct this problem?
Auto owners can do some of the work themselves to lower maintenance costs. Anyone interested in saving money and increasing pride of ownership by doing their own work can spend just a few minutes and accomplish the following four maintenance tasks easily, without any expensive tools or training.
Somewhere on the continuum between Toyota’s Prius C and the new million-dollar gas-electric hypercars from Porsche, McLaren and Ferrari (really), there’s a zone that separates hybrids as economy transportation from hybrids as ultimate speed sleds. We know that electric motors can help small internal-combustion engines stretch a gallon of gasoline from, say, 30 miles to 50 or more, at least at low speeds. But for big gas engines, add-on electric motors are now providing extra wallop—carving a second or two off the 0-to-100 MPH sprint, for example. The GS450h sits in the zone that divides these types of hybrid cars; it enjoys some of both benefits.
I fill the gas tank every week during my lunch break. I took my co-worker with me last week and he said not to overfill the gas tank. I told him I can usually get another gallon in. He said this is not a good idea, but could not tell me why. Is this true and why?
Summer is the time for road trips, whether they cover thousands of miles across the country, or are staycation day trips. Whether you're driving for hours or sitting in traffic, you will want to make sure your vehicle is ready for the road.
I'd like to know about what happened to the Lincolns from back in the 1950s. Up until 1958, I thought the styling was quite nice for a luxury car. Then in 1958, Lincoln came out with a massive piece of monstrosity that to this day I think was the biggest Lincoln to date. What happened in 1958? Chuck L., Evanston, Ill.
