Matthew Wilde

Articles by Matthew Wilde

Episode 29, Stunning new Lexus, bad tires and RV woes

The 2018 Lexus LC 500 is arguably the most attractive car made in the past several years. It turns heads in parking lots and gets stared at on the open road. Strangers point at it and give a thumb’s up. The new Lexus belongs on the list of the 100 most attractive cars ever made. It would be among the few modern-day vehicles on the subjective selections automotive publications publish about every 10 years. Bruce Aldrich, co-host of The Weekly Driver Podcast, and I shared driving duties in the new Lexus from Sacramento to the Delta hamlet of Courtland and back last week. We were on assignment at Hemly Cider, the craft cider maker. We discuss the new top-of-the-line Lexus

Read more

Rare Tesla offered as children’s fundraiser giveaway

Kimbal Musk, often cited as a global social entrepreneur, is conducting a fundraising campaign through Omaze for fans to the chance to win the philanthropist’s personal and fully customized Tesla Model 3, the sixth model ever made. Musk, the younger brother of Elon Musk and founder of Tesla, is considered the “founding father of the modern food movement.” Proceeds raised from the campaign will benefit Big Green, Kimbal’s initiative to provide healthier futures for kids through learning gardens and food literacy programs. Your donation will help Big Green establish a culture in schools that promotes youth wellness and reduces preventable diet-related health disparities. Funds raised can provide seeds, plants and supplies for a school’s garden; give students access to brand new

Read more

Episode 28, Rats eating cars, winter driving, Genesis shines

If you live near a river and your vehicle is parked outside and near trees, there’s likely one more reason to be concerned about its welfare — rats. Owners of cars from several manufacturers are increasingly reporting that rodents are eating their vehicles from the inside out. Reports in several states by owners of Honda and Toyota vehicles, as well as other carmakers’ models, are claiming rats are devouring the wiring in their cars and causing major costly repairs.  The problem, owners claim, is that “green car” concerns have resulted in manufacturers using soy-based engine wiring and coverings. Several lawsuits have been filed, with Honda and Toyota stating the litigations have no merit. But several years ago, Honda introduced a

Read more

Richard Petty set to auction career of racing stuff (live)

Richard Petty, the legendary NASCAR driver, is 80 and it’s time to purge his stuff. The winner of five Daytona 500 races and scores of other races, is selling some of his most well-known racing cars trophies and other items May 12 in an auction scheduled at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Petty’s iconic day-glow red and blue 1974 Dodge Charger is among the expected highlights of the auction. Petty, who had 200 career wins, drove the ’74 charger to 31 wins, including his fifth Daytona 500 victory. A 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Petty drove in 1979 when he won his seventh series championship and a 1992 Pontiac Grand Prix he drove during his farewell tour are also set for

Read more

5 Best Online Car Games For 2018

If you’re a car buff, your love of cars doesn’t stop in researching and fantasizing about your favorite models and ideal car. If you’re an avid car lover, your love doesn’t stop with reading car magazines, it extends into other aspects of your life — the movies you see, the books you read and the games you try to master online. Finding the best car games to play can be difficult and tedious. As fellow car enthusiasts, we’ve sifted through the many options of car games available and boiled it down to a list of the top-five favorites we think are most worth your time. These games greatly vary, but they all have one crucial thing in common — cars.

Read more

Genesis cruises past Audi, tops Consumer Reports’ best car list

Genesis, the newcomer luxury brand from Hyundai, has accelerated past Audi and is now top-rated by Consumer Reports in its annual ranking of automotive brands. Audi was ranked No. 2, followed by BMW, Lexus and Porsche in the top 5. The remainder of the top 10 in order: Subaru, Kia, Tesla, Honda and Toyota. The magazine’s annual report card ranks brands based on road and safety tests, owner satisfaction and reliability. Lexus stood out in the rankings more for its reliability and standard advanced safety features than its road test scores, which often have trailed rivals. The magazine reported every Audi model tested, which totaled eight in the latest survey period, and every Genesis tested, just two models, are all

Read more

Hertz, Avis among agencies, banks to sever NRA relationships

At least six car rental agencies and several companies that finance and insure cars and trucks have ended their relationships with the National Rifle Association (NRA) after the fallout from the organization’s statement following the massacre of 17 people at a Florida High School. In addition to several banks, Enterprise Holdings, which owns Enterprise, Alamo and National car rental groups, announced it will end the discount offering it has with the NRA on March 26. Hertz announced in a tweet it’s also ending its NRA rental car discount program. A partnership between the NRA and Hertz and advertised on the association’s website has been removed. Avis and Budget, owned by the same company, were also listed as discount providers on

Read more

Episode 27, The legacy of one family’s 1986 Chrysler Lebaron

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:05 — 31.7MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreThirty-two years ago, Karen Saylor’s parents drove into a downtown Sacramento, California, car dealership and drove away in a new 1986 turbocharged Chrysler Lebaron convertible. Like the legacies of many family cars, Karen Saylor fondly recalls going shopping with mother with the Lebaron’s convertible top down. She remembers trips to the Monterey Peninsula when mother and daughter had their hair blowing in the wind. A neighbor in East Sacramento, Saylor is our guest on episode #27 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. She recalls a lot about how much cars meant to her parents and to her husband with whom she owned several Ford Thunderbirds.

Read more

Tips, best practices for buying a new or used car

Many people take owning a car for granted until they don’t own one. Having your own mode of transportation is ideal because you don’t need to depend on someone else to drive you around. You don’t need to live your life according to bus schedules. You can go places whenever you want. If you’re thinking about buying new or used wheels, here are several key considerations and tips to help you make a financially sound decision. Decide if you’re going to purchase a new or used car. It’s important because there are pros and cons to each option. A new vehicle is less likely to have mechanical problems and, as a new vehicle, will be accident-free. With rare exceptions, a

Read more

Report finds California needs tougher drunk driving safety laws

SPONSORED CONTENT A report published by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety revealed California’s traffic safety laws are leaving drivers and pedestrians vulnerable. Drunk driving was identified as a particular concern, though the state was praised for its laws surrounding seat belts and child seat safety. The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C.) rated the country’s 50 states based on their road safety. They explored which states had adopted the recommended regulations designed to tackle the biggest risks to traffic safety. One key process that has been created to combat drunk driving is an ignition interlock device: this locks the car ignitions of any convicted drink-drivers, and only provides access once the

Read more

California’s new highway stripes herald self-driving cars’ arrival

SPONSORED CONTENT Self-driving cars are unlikely to be a common sight on America’s roads for several years. But that hasn’t stopped the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for preparing for their arrival. Caltrans will be placing six-inch stripes along Interstate 5, between Orland, California, and the Oregon border. The work will be performed through June 2018, and new strips will replace the current four-inch stripes. The longer stripes will help self-driving vehicles to read and navigate roads in the coming evolutionary shift. The new stripes’ makeup varies between a thermoplastic material and another similar tape. the former has a longevity of between two and three years; the latter is expected to last five years; Both materials are made with miniscule

Read more

Elon Musk delays production of Tesla Model 3 – again

Production of Tesla Model 3, the affordable electric sports car the manufacturer’s owner, Elon Musk, hoped would bring his vehicles into the mainstream car-buying market, has a weak battery. Tesla has announced it won’t begin full production of the vehicle until the end of June. It will mark nearly a year since the Fremont, California-based company began manufacturing the entry-level Tesla in limited numbers. Musk previously announced an expected production of 5,000 model 3s a week by December 2017. In November, he announced a delay of that goal to March 2018. Now the company said it would produce 2,500 Model 3s by March and the original goal of 5,000 by June. Tesla said it has between 400,000-500,000 refundable deposits of

Read more

Episode 20, 2017 year-end observations, goodbye to 21 cars

Every year, cars come and go. In 2018, nearly two dozen vehicles available in 2017 won’t be available as new models. Some of the cars, like the Chevrolet Spark, have been failing for years. Some of the other departing vehicles, like the Honda Accord coupe, come as surprises. In Episode 20 of The Weekly Driver Podcast, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia bid farewell to the departing vehicles. Some we’ll miss. But for others, good riddance. With the new year upon us, we also look back on some of the popular topics in the auto industry during 2017. What exactly will happen beginning January 1 with the new marijuana laws beging is anyone’s guess. How will law enforcement officials handle

Read more

Head-up display devices helps drivers, quality varies

The list of cool automotive features is expansive — head-up display, vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity, self-parking, backup cameras and energy-converting brakes. Much of the technology in the newer vehicles is designed around data sensing and processing. Drivers get a complete view of the road and their surroundings as well as safer and less-distracted driving. Head-up display (HUD) is among increasingly popular technology options. Drivers get a new perspective on the road, and it could change how we interface with our cars and our surroundings while we drive. Instead of a traditional dashboard, HUD enables more intelligent displays by featuring the information a driver needs at the right time and place. This could be speed, navigation, warnings and backup camera displays or collision

Read more

Does keyless entry make your car more secure?

SPONSORED CONTENT I recently purchased a new car, and I’m usually a pretty straightforward, base-model shopper. But there was an intriguing difference between base and upgraded models — keyless entry doors. I decided to investigate. I’m not an auto expert, nor a locksmith, so I went to a local car locksmith in Los Angeles to get what I hoped would be expert advice on keyless entry doors. This is what he shared: Of course, I knew convenience was supposed to be a big thing. I had seen the commercials of the woman struggling to dig through her purse to locate her keys while another woman passes by her and has her car unlock automatically once she is adjacent to the

Read more

Honda Odyssey woes return with second massive recall

The Honda Odyssey is among the most versatile vehicles in the automotive industry. Now, about 800,000 units of the popular mini-van in the United States dating to 2011 are being recalled because of a second-row seating issue The voluntary recall covers Odysseys from 2011-17 model years. The issue: A release lever for repositioning the outer second-row seats may not latch properly, causing the seats to slide forward or backward without warning. The company will notify owners of affected minivans. Dealers will install additional brackets and springs to resolve the problem for free. Customers can call Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138 for additional information. In the meantime, the company also has posted instructions for properly latching the second-row seats. Honda said

Read more
Previous Next