Maybe I can’t play Plants vs. Zombies while I drive (or maybe I can!*), but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of useful apps for the average driver. In its August issue, Consumer Reports reviews a bunch of apps for motorists, both free and paid, that promise to help you remember maintenance dates, get the correct info after an accident, or find your car in a big parking lot. [More]
cars
Consumer Reports Tries Out Chevy Volt, Enjoys Driving It
By 6.30.10
Yes, Virginia, there is an electric car. Sibling Consumer Reports got their hands on a pre-production model of the Chevy Volt, a new plug-in electric car hitting the asphalt this fall. It has a range of 40 miles on just electric. After the battery is depleted, the gas engine kicks in, extending the total range to 300 miles. Yep, you can plug it in to a standard outlet. But how’s the ride? [More]
How Much Street Space: Car vs Bus vs Bicycle
By 6.29.10
This poster, said to be from Munich’s transportation department, shows how much street space it takes to transport the same amount of people via car, bus, and bicycle. It seems that if you choose buses or bicycles there’s more room for lederhosen parades. [More]
Extended Warranty Junk Mail Designed To Look Like DMV Letter
By 6.29.10
The letter was from “Motor Vehicle Services.” It warned Serra that his car’s manufacturers warranty is expiring. It accurately listed the monthly payment he was making on his car, and the number of payments he had made. It was even written in that typewriter font beloved by mechanics and bureaucracies. But it wasn’t from the Department of Motor Vehicles, it was a piece of extended warranty junk mail gussied up to look official. Here’s the letter: [More]
Auto Dealers Win Exemption From Financial Protection Bureau Oversight
By 6.25.10
Some shady auto dealers are known to fake financial docs to get customers approved for loans they can’t afford. They refer to senior citizens as “people with oxygen tanks” and even straight up steal money from their ATM account. So, good thing that they can afford good lobbyists, because in the final hours they succeeded in making it so the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau doesn’t apply to them. [More]
Drunk Driver Catapults Car Over Tollbooth
By 6.21.10
This is not how you avoid paying an airport toll. Repeat, do not hit the concrete barrier at a high rate of speed and go all General Lee over the tollbooth. Your car may burst into flames and you might die. [More]
Hypocritical Adults As Likely As Reckless Teens To Text While Driving
By 6.19.10
Great news, teens! Next time an adult tells you not to text while driving, call them a dangerous hypocrite. For authority, tell them about the recent Pew Internet & American Life Project, which found that being in a car could be much more dangerous than you thought. [More]
Does Chrysler Even Know Where Its Cars Are Made?
By 6.17.10
If the vuvuzelas haven’t scared you away from watching the World Cup, you may have noticed a Chrysler commercial that salutes all things American, including, of course, the company’s cars. Just one problem: The car featured in the ad was made in Canada, using German technology and Italian funding. [More]
Using H2O As Wiper Fluid Might Turn Car Into Pneumonia Breeding Ground
By 6.16.10
If you’re cheap and/or lazy and use only water as your windshield wiper fluid, you could increase your risk of contracting Legionnaire’s disease and pneumonia, according to a new study. That’s right, treat your car poorly and it will try to kill you. [More]
When You Boycott BP Gas Stations, BP Can Profit
By 6.14.10
You need gas. On the right is a BP. On the left is a supermarket gas station. Which do you choose, and why? If you skip the BP to go to the other, you might actually be putting more cash in BP’s stained pockets.
Like this story? Check out, “BP Gulf-Sized Spilling Occurs In Nigeria Annually, But Nobody Cares.”
10 Tips For More Fuel-Efficient Summer Driving
By 6.1.10
It’s the summer holiday season, which for many people means long hours on the road headed to the beach, the countryside, the mountains, the lake, amusement parks… and of course back home again. With gas prices still putting a crimp in many drivers’ wallets, the grease monkeys at AutoMD.com have come up 10 things you can do to enjoy your warm-weather ride with a few less worries. [More]
People Making Ends Meet With Car Insurance Fraud
By 5.17.10
Citing National Insurance Crime Bureau stats, AutoBlog reports people are staging 46 percent more car accidents in order to get a little green flowing in their direction. This despite rampant unemployment lowering the rate of actual car accidents due to decreased traffic. [More]
Newer Air Bags Could Be Doing More Harm To Belted Drivers Than Good
By 5.15.10
Buckling up is the law, but a new study is raising an important question — is the very act of clicking the seat belt in place putting drivers and front seat passengers at more risk from their air bags in a crash? [More]
Outsource Used Car Haggling To Pros At Carsala
By 5.7.10
For those without the temperament or time to engage in the scrum that is negotiating with a used car dealer, Carsala will do it for you. The site boasts a team of professional negotiators who will contact an average of twenty dealers and work to get you the best price possible. No more getting befuddled by the Four-Square or “Oh, I’m sorry, I really want to make this work but my manager in the back will only agree to…” The pros at Carsala charge a commission of 20% of the difference between Blue Book value and the final price. And, unlike some other car shopping sites, they don’t take kickbacks. Handy! Or you can just use their free tools to check out how a price you’re quoted compares to others in the area, and whether the car you want really fits your budget. [More]
Tips For Buying A Used Car This Year
By 5.4.10
The sorry state of the economy the past couple of years has actually led to higher prices for used cars, writes Kiplinger. That’s because more people started buying used cars, which tightened the supply while also reducing the number of fresh trade-ins. It may be a couple of years before prices drop again, but Kiplinger has some suggestions for saving money if you plan on buying a used car this year. [More]
What Was Your First Car?
By 4.30.10
Yesterday, we posted Consumer Reports’ selections for the best cars for teen drivers. That list, on which the least expensive car was priced at $9,900, drew quite a bit of heat from readers who thought the listed cars too pricey for teens. That’s why we want to hear about your first ride. [More]
The 13 Best Cars For Teen Drivers
By 4.29.10
It’s almost graduation time, which means that lots of parents and recent graduates will be in the market for a dependable car for heading off to college or full-time work. Our cousins with the cool test track at Consumer Reports have come up with their annual list of Best Cars for Teens. [More]
What State Uses The Most Gas?
By 4.27.10
Is your state the gassiest? This graph over at Infrastructurist compares how much each gas each state uses per person. Green is low use, blue is moderate, and red is high. What’s interesting is when you look at each state’s fuel use per capita, “High-use states like New York actually have low per-capita usage, while states like Alabama, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, and North Dakota — all states with smaller populations and large distances required for drivers — have higher than average consumption.” [More]
