Automotive News

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Top 5 tips for being a responsible driver

Learning to become a driver and getting your own transportation can be one of our biggest freedoms. When you have your own car, you don’t have to rely on public transport. Sure, public transport can be great. It can be low cost and better for the environment. You can focus on work or leisure while on the road rather than focusing on driving. But you are also constrained to specific timetables and subject to strikes, delays and cancellations. You have to get to and from stations. You’re required to carry your own luggage physically. When you drive, everything is simplified. If you have children, the scenario can become easier; you don’t have to worry about your children getting lost or

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Are Motorcycle Accidents Increasing or Decreasing in California?

Riding a motorcycle can be a wonderful experience. But depending on which kind of rider you are, you could either be part of California’s yearly motorcycle accidents crash or a safe driver. It’s disheartening to see motorcycle crashes make up nearly 15 percent of road accident deaths in the United States but are only three percent of the country’s registered motor vehicle owners. The number of motorcycle accidents in California depends on various factors. For example, car accidents typically increase during specific times of the year. Most of these cases involve increases in car traffic, driving while under the influence or bad weather conditions. The latest year-to-year comparisons of accident rates by vehicle type show how using mobile phones and

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TheWeeklyDriver.com expands free coverage, seeks support

TheWeeklyDriver.com, the independent new car review and news website online since 2004, has expanded its content platform in several key areas. With the addition of PRNewsWire content, readers can now visit the site to read general interest automotive business news updated daily. A separate daily content news feed features only Truck News. The new content supplements the mainstays of the site, new car reviews and automotive news. The site features more than 700 reviews of vehicles driven beginning in 2004. For more than four years, the website has also featured The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I have broadcast wide-ranging, 30-minute episodes with guests from the automotive landscape — authors to analysts, vintage car owners to industry experts.

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Walmart looks to the future, buys 4,500 Canoo vans

Walmart, the country’s largest retail began with founder Sam Walton driving often a 1979 Ford F-150 pickup truck loaded with merchandise, has taken a giant leap of automotive faith. It has purchased 4,500 Canoo electronic Lifestyle Delivery Vehicles (LDV). The futuristic-looking van debuted as a concept vehicle in 2019 at the Los Angeles Auto Show and will be used for delivery of the company’s online orders. Walmart First Canoo Fleet Buyer Walmart bought the vehicles, announced in 2021 with a starting price of $34,750, as part of its goal to eliminate emissions from its operations by 2040. The Canoo is on track to start production in late 2022 and will be delivered to the first customers, including Walmart, in 2023.

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Celebrity cars, big money in Monterey Auto Week

Michael Schumacher, the retired seven-time Formula One world titlist, hasn’t been in public for nearly a decade. He suffered major head injuries in a skiing accident in 2013 and was placed into a medically induced coma. But Schumacher’s unmatched career legacy remains, in keen focus via his son Mick, a current F1 competitor. Among the cars the elder Schumacher drove is a Ferrari F300, Chassis No. 187. It was driven by the German champion in his four victories during his 1998 World Championship season. Equipped with a 3.0-liter V-10 engine, a maximum engine speed of 17,500 rpm and producing 800 horsepower, the supercar will be among several celebrity vehicles offered for auction in August during Monterey Auto Week. Like real

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5 Tips For Proper Truck Maintenance

Proper truck maintenance is essential for the reliability and longevity of your truck. It also helps avoid expensive repairs and accidents. And it can prevent you from getting stopped by law enforcement for a “fix-it ticket,” like having a broken taillight. It’s easy to take your truck for granted. It’s parked in the garage, driveway or on the street most of the time. But that doesn’t mean you can ignore its basic maintenance. Here are five tips for proper truck maintenance: Get Regular Tuneups To avoid breakdowns and costly repairs, regular checkups are essential. Engine problems are most common due to the wear and tear of the car. So it’s recommended to get your engine tuned every 10,000 miles. You

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Toyota Tundra sales plummet, few changes planned for 2023

The Toyota Tundra full-size pickup truck had its peak annual sales 15 years ago when the 2007 year-end tally was just under 197,000. With increased competition, the truck’s selling success has never been anywhere close. Since 2018, sales of the Tundra have drastically dipped from 118,258 in 2018 to 81,959 in 2021. It was the poorest sales tally for the Tundra since 2009. In 2020, the Tundra was sharply criticized, including by U.S. News & Report. It wrote: “It’s been 13 years since this Toyota got a complete redesign. Most full-size rivals have more comfortable interiors, smoother rides, better composure, and higher-end cabins. Though the Tundra comes standard with a powerful V8 engine, it still can’t tow or haul as

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Elon Musk faces more woes including massive lawsuit

Elon Musk can seemingly never escape controversy. The latest? The electric vehicle pioneer and two of his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, are being sued for $258 billion. According to Bloomberg, the business news service, the CEO of the country’s increasingly popular EV, is facing a massive lawsuit filed by Keith Johnson and announced on June 16. On the same day, employees of SpaceX, sent a letter to the company’s executives detailing that Musk is a “distraction and embarrassment” to the company. Elon Musk: Dodgy Dogecoin? “Elon’s behavior in the public sphere is a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment for us, particularly in recent weeks,” read the letter, which was provided to Reuters, the international news service. Musk was also

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Ford recall numbers skyrocket, another 3 million affected

For the fifth time in five years, Ford is recalling vehicles. The culprit this time is the possibility of nearly three million cars rolling away after being shifted into park mode because of degrading transmission components. The recall covers certain 2013 to 2019 Escape, 2013 to 2018 C-Max, 2013 to 2016 Fusion, 2013 to 2021 Transit Connect, and 2015 to 2018 Edge vehicles. Ford Recall: Latest Defect Cause Unknown According to a Ford recall report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a damaged bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission could degrade or detach in the affected vehicles. Ford said the cause of the defect is unknown. A damaged or detached bushing could prevent the

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Parts Authority Turn5, Inc. schedules annual charity event

The annual Parts Authority Turn5, Inc. Charity Auto Show, the automotive community event held to support Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, will be held Oct. 1, 2022, at the Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania. The show expects to attract more than 8000 muscle car, truck, and off-road enthusiasts. Highlights include Make-A-Wish’s opening ceremony parade, a muscle car burnout competition, dyno competition, RTI ramp and teeter-totter for Jeep/Off-Road vehicles, raffles and a muscle car revving competition. In addition to thousands of vehicles, events will be held throughout the day with proceeds adding to the more than $400k Turn5 has raised to date. Turn5 is proud to support Make-A-Wish as its grants heartfelt wishes to children coping with a life-threatening

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Volkswagen hints toward new electric pickup truck

Nearly 40 years after Volkswagen stopped selling pickup trucks in the United States, it will do so again. At least that’s what VW of America CEO Scott Keogh suggested recently during an interview with Business Insider. “I think it’s the chance of a lifetime in this segment because electrification gives you a reset moment,” Keogh said. “It gives you a chance to bring some, let’s say, alternatives and some new ideas into this great segment.” VW leaning toward pickup truck return Keogh said an electric pickup is something VW is “actively investigating.” Volkswagen has twice suggested it would re-enter the U.S. market. Its previous pickup was last offered in 1983. In 2018, the automaker unveiled at Atlas Tanoak concept which

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What car would you buy? Vintage over new always, but . . .

Not too far into the future, 300 million vehicles will be registered in the United States. More than 30 current car manufacturers have lineups currently available; plenty of other carmakers are defunct and either revered or best forgotten but with models still driven. The staggering number of vehicles on the road and hoarded in garages further dilutes an often-asked question: “If money were no object, what car would you buy?” There’s no right answer, but vintage simplicity is far more appealing than impress-the-neighbors bling. A 1954 Kaiser-Darrin, 1967 Mercedes Benz 250 SL Convertible or a 1991 Nissan Figaro? Yes. Any new Tesla, Hummer or tanked-sized family SUV? No. A $15,000 Chevy Spark and its 40 miles per gallon has plenty

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Helio Castroneves goes for record fifth Indy 500 win

Eight former winners, including Brazilian Helio Castroneves, are among the field of 33 drivers assigned to cars for the 106th Indy 500 on Sunday, May 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Defending titlist Castroneves, who also won in 2001, 2002 and 2009, will be joined by two-time winners Juan Pablo Montoya (2000, 2015) and Takuma Sato (2017, 2020). Former one-time winners Scott Dixon (2008), Tony Kanaan (2013), Alexander Rossi (2016), Will Power (2018) and Simon Pagenaud (2019) are also in the field. Castroneves joined A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears in the most prestigious club in motorsports – four-time winners of the Indy 500 with his victory last year. Indy 500: Seven Rookies Racing Castroneves, 47, would become the third-oldest

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New cars are fine, but vintage wheels always better

Not too far into the future, 300 million cars will be registered in the United States. More than 30 current manufacturers have new cars currently available; plenty of other carmakers are defunct and either revered or best forgotten but with models still driven. The staggering number of vehicles on the road and hoarded in garages further dilutes an often-asked question” “If money were no object, what car would you buy?” There’s no right answer, but vintage simplicity is far more appealing than impress-the-neighbors bling. A 1954 Kaiser-Darrin, 1967 Mercedes Benz 250 SL Convertible or a 1991 Nissan Figaro? Yes. Any new Tesla, Hummer or tanked-sized family SUV? No. A $15,000 Chevy Spark and its 40 miles per gallon have plenty

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What’s Important About the Ford MT82 Transmission Recall

Ford MT82 Transmission Recall notice: Mustangs and Mustang GTs from 2011 to 2019 were equipped with a Ford MT82 transmission with a six-speed manual. Many owners have found the transmission faulty. Further, according to Car and Driver, Ford was aware of the problem since the car began testing in 2010. The company had issued no less than seven notices to dealers on how they could fix the problem. The transmissions, supplied by Getrag, had a wide array of issues, and it led to Mustang owners to file a Class Action Suit. Problems Included • Issues with the gearbox• Transmission that slips, jerks and harshly engages• Incurs premature internal wear• Increased shift efforts• Inability to drive• Some suffered complete transmission failure.

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Buying a new or used car? Study pros, cons and be prepared

When shopping around for the best possible car, make sure to have a good checklist to help determine what vehicle will work best for you. Cars provide independence and freedom, both strong reasons why buying a new car should be taken seriously. Determining the proper steps toward pursuing a need is imperative to a successful purchase. As such, here are some of the key ideas to keep in mind, not only to purchase the best car but to enhance the freedom and independence a vehicle can provide. New Or Used Car One key decision: Should you buy used or new. It’s a constant discussion in the automotive world. There are pros and cons to either choice. Buying a used car

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