Car Minded

by tgriffith

Accord Drops V6 in Favor of 4-Cylinder Turbo

The Honda Accord V6 was one of those cars that American families once loved for its comfort, reliability, responsiveness, and speed. It was a stalwart in the Accord lineup and the go-to choice for power-hungry parents.

You might have noticed the past tense I used just now. Over the last couple of years, people stopped buying the V6 Accord in favor the more fuel-friendly 4-cylinder version. Plus, the V6 engine in the Accord was basically a 20-year-old design that didn’t hold up to today’s emissions and performance standards.

With the unveiling of the new 2018 Accord, we’ve learned that the V6 is the latest casualty of turbo-powered 4-cylinders. While the Accord V6 is officially a thing of the past, there’s plenty to look forward to as the big Honda sedan morphs into the future. Continue reading >>>

by tgriffith

The End of an Era: Viper Ending Production

In 1998 a friend purchased a used 1994 Dodge Viper. I’d never seen a Viper in person, and the car took my breath away. Its glistening red paint and exotic curves were unlike anything I’d seen on a car before.

I got more than my fair share of seat time in that car and am even proud to say I got at least one “Viper Kiss,” the infamous burn on the calf from the exhaust pipes mounted just under the doors.

As time went on, my taste in cars shifted more toward German engineering, but the Viper always held a special spot in my car-loving heart.

Next month the Viper, which has had a tumultuous past couple of years, will cease production and fade into the past as a relic of a gas-fueled era. Continue reading >>>

by tgriffith

Honda Ridgeline: The Best Midsize Pickup?

2017 Honda Ridgeline

Don’t say you saw this coming: The Honda Ridgeline is making a name for itself as a competitive midsize pickup.

In fact, it’s creating a new niche of buyers who want the handling, ride, and everyday drivability of a sedan with the ability to haul loads of stuff every now and then.

The Chevy Colorado and Toyota Tacoma offer that combination platter of capability, but the Ridgeline turns the dial up to 11, and buyers are taking notice.

The thing is, Honda is scooping up buyers before Ford has the chance with its all-new Ranger. Continue reading >>>

by tgriffith

Should the United States Go Gas-Free?

Like it or not, we are moving toward a future of gas-free automobiles.

We discuss the topic often, but two recent developments suggest that the end of the fossil-fuel era could happen sooner than we once thought.

Volvo now plans for all of its vehicles to be either electric or hybrid starting in 2019, and France has said it will ban all gas and diesel vehicles within the next 20 years. Should the U.S. follow suit? Continue reading >>>

by tgriffith

New Teslas Could Last 1,000,000 Miles

We’ve all known people who sell their cars before they turn past 100,000 miles.

That was probably a wise move back in the 1980s, but today’s vehicles can live well past that mark, even doubling or tripling it with proper care.

Diesel engines can go even farther, routinely cruising past 500,000 miles.

The longevity of gasoline and diesel motors are ultimately limited by all the moving parts and heat generated by the process of turning liquid fuel into energy. Pistons, valves, injectors, gaskets, and more are subject to eventual failure, thereby limiting how long a motor can last.

Electric cars don’t have those parts and are sometimes advertised as needing less maintenance. But just how many miles can an EV go? Continue reading >>>

by tgriffith

The Best Vehicle for a Summer Family Road Trip?

The open roads of America are hard to ignore this time of year. Millions of people heed their call and embark on trips throughout this grand country. Whether you’re the kind of road-tripper who lackadaisically putts down quiet 2-lane roads in search of lost American culture or blasts through states at 75 mph on the nation’s Interstate system, the vehicle you choose for your adventure will play a vital role in your trip’s success.

Choose a car that’s too small and you’ll drown in stuff. Choose one that’s too big and you’ll spend more money than necessary on fuel. Choose one that doesn’t offer the perfect seating position and your back may never recover. Continue reading >>>

by tgriffith

Fog Lights: The Latest in Obsolete Car Tech

Fog is a known killer on highways around the world, but a popular accessory to battle the soupy stuff is starting to fade away from today’s vehicles.

The New York Times says,

Fog was a factor in nearly 20 percent of deadly multicar pileups involving 10 or more vehicles.

Fog is especially prevalent in some regions, including much of the Southeast, northern New England, the Pacific Northwest and the Central Valley of California, and it forms most often in winter. Deadly multicar crashes generally occur when cars and trucks traveling at interstate speed drive into what is essentially a low-lying cloud and quickly lose visibility. Drivers may not see the slowed cars ahead until it is too late, with one vehicle crashing into the next, including huge tractor-trailers.

Fog presents a real danger, and many car shoppers make sure their new cars are equipped with fog lights. In fact, the lower lights are expected on higher-end cars, trucks, and SUVs.

Some automakers, though, are removing the lights, because they’re no longer deemed necessary as headlight technology improves. Yes, add fog lights to the once-common list of features on cars that are going away forever. Continue reading >>>

by Matt Smith

Boston to Nashville: A Cheap Car Challenge Results in a Bargain Mazda RX-7

Cheap_car_challenge

When people shop for cars, they typically stay local. But a new CarGurus study revealed that expanding your search to other metro areas can yield substantial savings. Buying a Ford Mustang in Miami, FL, rather than Albany, NY, could save you close to $2,000. Picking up a BMW 3 Series in Albuquerque, NM, instead of Dallas, TX, might net you as much as $1,900 in savings—all after considering the cost of airfare and gas for the drive back home. Continue reading >>>

by tgriffith

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Coming for the Millennials

Any luxury automaker that doesn’t have a premium compact on the market is missing out on a huge, and potentially imperative, market.

No longer are BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi in the business of selling only large luxury vehicles to well-off Boomers. The market has shifted in favor of millennials, and with that change comes the need for a smaller breed of luxury-brand vehicles.

That’s why we’re seeing mini crossovers, tiny sedans, and hatchbacks from Audi and BMW. Now, after 20 years of existence in European countries, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class will join the party. Continue reading >>>