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Daily coverage of the world of cars.

Car Shopping

Best Old-School Road-Trip Cars


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1965 Volkswagen Microbus

Summer’s finally here. Even for those north of the Mason-Dixon line, the 70-degree weather is here to stay. While many people already have their summer vacations planned, there are those of us who just want to go on an adventure. Let’s be honest—who didn’t want to join Jenny as the VW bus whisked her away from Alabama and headed for San Francisco in “Forrest Gump”?

In our quest for the ultimate “old-school road-trip car,” we’re looking for something spacious, utilitarian and ready to travel from coast to coast. Here’s a list of our top pick for a number of categories.

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The Best Cars and Trucks for Snow and Ice: 2011/2012 Edition


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In this day and age, it doesn’t take long for things to become obsolete. Digital cameras? No need, I have a smart phone. E-mail? Nope, I’d rather text. That Facebook status from 30 seconds ago? Puh-lease. Latest news only, thank you very much.

So I’m just a little surprised that a blog post from two years ago still gets people fired up. The subject matter, though, is as timeless as the seasons: the best vehicles for snow and ice.

I’ve taken some mild criticism for that post. One such comment began, “This might be the worst list ever for snow vehicles…”

Ouch. While some of the cars and trucks on that list might be questionable choices, I stand behind them and would drive any of them in a snowstorm and feel comfortable. Well, a Seattle snowstorm. You know, one that drops maybe 3 inches of the white stuff. For vehicles built to survive a serious Syracuse-style snowfall, keep reading!

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The Most Fun Cars to Drive Under $30K


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There are cars that are “nice to drive,” and there are cars that are “fun to drive.”

Plenty of options exist for the people who prefer a smooth ride, luxurious cabin, numb steering and no real connection between driver and pavement. I won’t name names here, but feel free to make assumptions.

On the other hand, some cars simply beg to be driven hard, because doing so provides an overload of sensory excitement and pure joy. Yes, many of those cost upward of $100,000, but for mere plebeians like me, driving joy can be had for $30K and under.

Keep reading for seven examples of inexpensive greatness.

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What AWD Sedan Would You Recommend to a Friend?


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The winter of  2010-’11 has so far been defined by blizzards, freezing temperatures and deep snow. Pretty harsh stuff!

There’s been more than once, even in my AWD SUV, when a simple jaunt to the grocery store turned into an epic quest reminiscent of Top Gear’s drive to the North Pole.

This winter I’ve certainly made a lifelong commitment to AWD, and it seems I’m not alone. I got a call from a friend who wanted advice on what used AWD sedan to buy in place of her aging MINI Cooper. She had narrowed her choices to a Volvo S60 AWD, an Audi A4 Quattro, an Acura TL SH-AWD or a Lexus IS AWD.

All are fine choices, but I took the opportunity to point out a car she hadn’t even heard of…

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CarGurus Launches Free Car Listing Tool with “Instant Market Value” Guidance


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Instant Market Value

Helps sellers answer the question “What’s my car worth?”
Pricing guidance based on live data from 2+ million active listings

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., November 29, 2010 — CarGurus® (http://www.cargurus.com/), a leading online automotive community, announced today the launch of a free car listing tool that includes “Instant Market Value” pricing guidance. Based on the analysis of 2+ million active car listings, “Instant Market Value” price guidance takes into account numerous factors including maker, model, year, trim, mileage, options and location to deliver an accurate, up-to-date valuation for consumers looking to sell a car online.

Transparent Information
Unlike other opaque pricing tools, CarGurus’ “Instant Market Value” provides complete transparency as to the value of the seller’s car. Sellers are shown the four most relevant comparable listings that justify the suggested pricing as well as a graph that plots all the price points analyzed to derive the suggested pricing.

Consumers also get additional feedback on the relative merits of their chosen price. As the seller enters different price points for their car, they’ll receive instant feedback on whether their chosen price is a “good deal” or “bad deal” for buyers and where their listing will rank vs. other listings in their area.

Integrated with Free Listings
While the web offers numerous free auto listings services, CarGurus’ is the first to integrate free pricing tools in the listings process to help sellers properly value their cars. Sellers not only get a free car listing on a dedicated automotive site with 3+ million unique visitors a month but also free advice on pricing.

To get started, sellers simply click on: http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/sell-car/, plug in their zip code and then fill in information about their car. As they input this information, sellers immediately get pricing guidance.

“While free listing sites like Craigslist exist, they are not automotive-focused and don’t provide consumers with any pricing guidance,” remarked Langley Steinert, CEO/Founder of CarGurus. “Pricing a car properly will maximize anyone’s chances of selling the car as well as the seller’s eventual realized profits. With CarGurus’ free listings service, we are bringing full transparency to the process of listing and pricing a car.”

About CarGurus LLC and DealFinder
Located in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Mass., CarGurus LLC is a leading online automotive community founded by Langley Steinert, formerly chairman/co-founder of TripAdvisor LLC, the 2nd largest online travel site in the world.

CarGurus’ DealFinder is an online car shopping service that helps consumers find the best deals on new and used cars in their local area. Indexing over 2 million listings a day, CarGurus’ DealFinder analyzes each car listing and compares the listed price against historic pricing models to gauge whether the listing is a good deal or bad deal. CarGurus’ DealFinder helps consumers save time and money when shopping for a new or used car. For more information about CarGurus, visit us at www.cargurus.com.

Contact: Kerry Metzdorf, Plum Advisors
978-463-2575
kerry@plumadvisors.com