Archive for the ‘Maintenance’ Category

Although combustion engines will remain a part of the car mix for several decades to come, it seems pretty clear that electrics are the way of the future. And while many will be sad to see gas engines go the way of their fuel source (i.e. the dinosaur), there are many things we won't miss about 'em -- like all those moving parts that tend to break down. On the other hand, without all those moving parts, we wouldn't have nifty displays of gearhead virtuosity, like this clip of a guy who changes his VW fan belt with the motor running. Don't try this one at home, y'all:

[YouTube via JV]

Although this summer's Cash for Clunkers (CARS) program provided the right kind of push for some owners to replace their guzzling jalopies with new cars, it's probably not so surprising that new-vehicle buyers plan to hold on to their vehicles longer than ever before. So-called "rapid replacers" have backed off on plans to get what's hot almost every year, while a growing number of buyers are keeping vehicles for six years or more. Other families hobble along with second or third vehicles that have well over 100,000 miles.

According to AutoPacific's 2009 New Vehicle Satisfaction survey, conducted this spring, about 59 percent of recent...

TCC's Frugal Shopper ALERT: If you drive a small, aging econocar—or even a mid-size sedan—and have been thinking about new tires, get them now, because several weeks from now you might be paying $20 or $30 more for a set.

--

Last month the federal government imposed a controversial new 35-percent tire tariff on passenger car and light-truck tires imported from China. The tire industry—including a number of retailers—had been opposing the tariff and predicted that prices will rise as a result-at an inopportune time, with affordable tires most affected at a time when owners can't afford the extra cost.

The tariff was heavily influenced by...