James Raia

Articles by James Raia

TheWeeklyDriver.com collaborates with eBay.com

As editor and publisher of theweeklydriver.com, I am pleased to announce my new affiliation with eBay.com. As a contributor to the site for about one year, my latest project is as a  contributing writer to a new program called Collections. The program, launching today (Oct. 22), features numerous automotive industry journalists each writing about some their favorite new and used vehicles and affiliated automotive products in 24 collections. My collections cover a diverse selection of cars and trucks, ranging from my long-time interest in Rambler to my respect for the enduring popularity of the Toyota Corolla. I’m particularly interested in vintage and unheralded cars, so my collections list has some unusual titles from the All-Ugly, All-Collectible Car Club to Improbable

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Ford Pinto? VW Thing? The All-Ugly Car Club

The Pontiac Aztek is often described as the ugliest car ever made. But who’s to argue the Volkswagen Thing isn’t equally as ugly? And then there’s the Ford Pinto. They’re all notoriously unattractive cars. And because of their status, they’re also collectors’ cars. What other cars are in the the All-Ugly Collectors’ Car Club? How about several AMC models, like the Gremlin or Matador, or nearly an vintage Citroen. And not every Ford Mustang is all that attractive. The All-Ugly Collectors’ Car Club is part of TheWeeklyDriver.com’s new Collection series on eBay.com It’s among 24 collections of different sub-sets of car and trunks  I’ve researched and commented. And they’re all for sale on eBay.com To read the text and view

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Top-10 cars in 2013 no one is buying

Competition in the auto industry is ever-intensifying. Or at least it seems that way. As a result, more vehicles have become better cars and fewer cars are outright bad. But how fast cars sell or don’t sell is a good indicator of what cars customers want and don’t want. New cars in 2013 have spent an average of 62 days at a dealership before being sold, according to the statistics of the car site, TruCar.com. The 10 slowest-selling cars so far in 2013 have all remained at a dealership for more than 100 days before selling. It doesn’t mean the slow-selling cars aren’t quality new cars. Seasonal sales factor into the equation and a brand with a new generation pending

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Luxury Tata Nano on the horizon for $3,578

Car buyers in India with a limited budget want to buy inexpensive cars that don’t look cheap. At least, that’s why the Tata Nano LX has been developed. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Tata Motors Ltd., India’s fourth-largest auto maker and the owner of Jaguar and Land Rover, will offer a luxury Tata Nano with chrome trim, hubcaps and a stereo. Tata’s original Nano, introduced in 2009, hasn’t sold as well as the carmaker expected. It originally cost the equivalent of about $2,000. Tata Motors has laid off many workers and reduced its production of the Nano. Tata currently sells around 2,500 Nanos per month, about 25 percent of the car’s peaks sales month in April,

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2015 Tato Nano coming to U.S.?

The Tata Nano, marketed in its debut a few years ago as the world’s cheapest car, could also become in 2015 the cheapest mass-produced car available in the United States. Tata hasn’t announced a price for the vehicle nor specific details of dealerships or the exact configuration of the second generation of the Nano that will sold in the United States. But the price will be less than $10,000, according to Ratan Nano, the manufacturer’s chairman. “The Smart and the Fiat 500 have high sticker prices, and people buy them because they are small cars,” Tata told Automotive News. “But everyone knows you put a lot of money into it. We hope that the sub-$10,000 car has appeal.” The Nissan

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CAR REVIEW: 2014 Volkswagen Jetta: spunky little sedan

Since its debut in 1979, the Volkswagen Jetta has steadfastly endured the ebbs and flows of the auto industry. It’s now a quarter-century old, a half-dozen editions into its legacy and enjoying a resurgence with the upgraded model for 2014. With competition in all car segments increasingly keen, VW for 2014 Jetta replaced the former 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder model with a 170-horsepower, turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder. The Jetta is the little sedan that could and continues to do so, which is why it’s VW’s best-selling car. With the engine change, the Jetta is now more versatile while maintaining its value pricing. The gas engine model (a diesel engine is optional) can now also run on E15 (a mix of gas and

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CAR REVIEW: 2014 Infiniti QX70: New name, same class

Infiniti sometimes chooses odd names for its cars, including completely new name changes for 2014. Consider: What was the Infiniti FX in 2013 is now the 2014 Infiniti QX70. But the name changes, for whatever reasons they occurred, don’t matter. The 2014 Infiniti QX70, just like its predecessor, is the upscale brand’s five-passenger sport utility vehicle. And it’s as close to a sports car as an SUV can get. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2014 Infiniti QX70 is an oxymoron. My test model for the week was the 325-horsepower, 3.7-liter V6 edition, and it weighed nearly 4,500 pounds. But it was apparent from the first time in the vehicle, the standard definition of SUVs being utilitarian didn’t apply. The

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Massive small town Nebraska car auction ready for ignition

The massive Nebraska car auction of vintage barn finds and nearly new cars and trucks that has brought international attention to an abandoned Chevrolet dealership in a small city is about to unfold. The Lambrecht Chevrolet auto auction and its estimated 500 abandoned vehicles, all dating from 1958-1980, has been featured in the New York Times to specialty automotive sites. Finally, after weeks of anticipation, it will all begin Saturday, Aug. 28 at 9:30 a.m. local time in Pierce, Nebraska. The Lambrecht dealearship, a family owned business in community for decades, closed several years ago. Some cars in the dealership were kept indoors, others outside. Online bidding for the cars began weeks ago. But the onsite bidding will start with

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Review: 2013 Ford Fusion gets sporty, flirts with luxury

Redesigned for 2013, the Ford Fusion is firmly positioned in the midsize sedan market — the most prevalent and most competitive segment in the auto industry. Available in three trims, the 2013 Ford Fusion is a four-door, five-passenger offering. Like several of its many competitors, the Fusion was also previously firmly planted in the world of pedestrian vehicles. Not any more. It’s now in a segment chock-full of cars hard-to-beat. They’re fairly priced and offer high quality in comfort and equipment with comprehensive standard equipment lists and plenty of option packages. In its new design, the 2013 Ford Fusion goes the front of the handsome line. The front grille is more pronounced and it’s meshed stylishly with a slightly wider

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Best Used Cars: Volkswagen Beetle, 2003 GLS Convertbile

No one forgets their first car. For me, it was a 1962 Volkswagen Bug. With my own savings, I bought it from family friends in 1972 for $500. It was beige, in near-pristine condition, had a four-speed stick shift, the original Blaupunkt AM/FM stereo radio and chrome front and back bumpers. The VW insignia shield, a rare decal near the front trunk handle, was intact. I drove the car everywhere and washed and waxed when it didn’t need cleaning. I learned how to change the oil and adjust the valves, which to this day is the full extent of my mechanical knowledge. (Editor’s note: We’re visiting our archives to review cars once new and now well-suited for best buy status

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Best Used Cars: 2012 Honda Civic

Introduced 40 years ago as a two-door model and soon after in a three-door hatchback, the 1972 Honda Civic included a basic AM radio, heater, foam-cushioned plastic trim, two-speed wipers, and painted steel rims with a chromed wheel nut cap. A lot has changed in four decades. Now in its ninth generation and its first redesign since 2006, the 2012 Civic showcases one of the best-selling cars in history at its best. Like all Honda models, the 2012 Civic is available in numerous configurations with gasoline, hybrid and natural gas variations. The gasoline-engine lineup includes a sedan, coupe and two Si performance versions. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Like driving a Volkswagen Beetle or Toyota Corolla, test driving a Honda

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Hyundai Azera, 2013: Strong entry in tight full sedan field

One year after its complete redesign, the 2013 Hyundai Azera remains much the same as its year-older sibling. It’s the South Korean manufacturer’s entry level full-size sedan and it’s positioned between the Sonata and Genesis. Unlike many manufacturers who sometimes make it difficult to chose from an overload of available trims, the 2013 Hyundai Azera is available in only one trim. It’s offered as a 3.3-liter V6 with 293 horsepower, a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. The Weekly Drive It’s uncommon for two different cars from the same manufacturer to be considered competitors. But the Genesis is Hyundai‘s entry point in its luxury lineup, followed by the top-line Equus. Yet the Azera could easily make the carmaker’s luxury car

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Mitsubishi Outlander, 2014: Rugged underdog improved

Mitsubishi has long been an automotive underdog and it’s dispatching cars from its lineup at a brisk pace. But in the sports utility market, the manufacturer has made a strong effort to rebound with the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander. Now 11 years since its North American debut as the replacement for the Montero Sport, the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander is vastly updated from its predecessor. Most notably, there’s improved fuel mileage, more attractive exterior and interior designs and a standard third-row seat that translates into seating for seven. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Offered in two trims, my weekly tester was the top-line GT. It features a 3.0-liter V6 that produces 224 horsepower and is matched with a six-speed automatic transmission and

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2014 Kia Forte Review: New design delivers sedan hit

Four model years after its debut in the United States, the 2014 Kia Forte represents a new look for the South Korean carmaker. Sports car sedan is an oxymoron, but the newly designed Forte’s look fits the odd definition. The 2014 edition is more aggressive-looking than its older sibling, and it’s longer, lower and wider than its predecessor, too. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2014 Kia Forte is available in base LX and the more-option filled EX model. I drove the latter, and it includes an adjustable steering wheel, foglights, LED running lights, chrome accents, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, rearview camera, sliding console armrest and a fold-down rear center armrest. My test vehicle, which included a four-cylinder with 173

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Honda Pilot, 2013: Workhorse in tough SUV segment

Nearing the end of its 12th year, the Honda Pilot is the manufacturer’s largest and only three-row sport utility vehicle. As such and after two new generations and various updates, the 2013 Honda Pilot maintains its image as the workhorse in the Honda lineup. The Honda Crosstour, which debuted in 2010, is longer. But the big, boxy and utilitarian Pilot is built with reinforced frame rails, which assist in towing and light off-road driving. It has plenty of head and legroom and a high roofline for mega hauls from the grocery store or to store camping equipment or to carry lumber to build a new backyard fence. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2013 Honda Pilot is much the same

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2013 Nissan Rogue: Value, but doesn’t lead SUV pack

The Sport Utility Vehicle segment is increasingly crowded and an underdog in the marketplace like the Nissan Rogue needs an outstanding feature or two to distinguish itself among the heavy hitters. I recently drove the 2013 Nissan Rogue for eight days and for a total of about 920 miles throughout Colorado. The Rogue was an adequate companion on my trip during the third edition of the USA Pro Challenge bicycle race. I averaged 26.8 mpg for the trip and while often driving with the air conditioning engaged and at an averaged speed sometimes great than the 75 mph posting. The Nissan Rogue, which debuted in 2008 and is in the final year of its current edition, has several good features.

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