Automotive News

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Ford F-150 has dubious honor — most stolen pickup truck

Pickup trucks are stolen so often, it’s an automotive epidemic. At least that’s the one-word description of the data compiled by the National Crime Insurance Bureau (NCIB) in Des Plaines, Illinois. The Ford F-150 pickup was the third most stolen vehicle in the United States in the past five years. Via statistics through 2018, the Chevrolet Silverado was the fourth most stolen vehicle during the past five years. Pickup truck dilemma: lots stolen According to the NCIB, the reason older Ford F-Series and GM trucks are stolen at such a high rate is because in 2007 most vehicles began having anti-theft systems installed. Older pickup trucks are also more targeted because they can easily be dismantled and have parts sometimes

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U.S. Postal Service under fire again, this time burning trucks

For more than six years, the most susceptible truck to fire isn’t a newfangled high-technology machine with lots of electronics that can go wrong. Surprisingly, it’s U.S Postal Service trucks. According to Motherboard, the investigative component of Vice.com, more than 400 U.S. Postal Service trucks have been damaged or destroyed by fires since May 2014. It’s an average of about one fire every five days. The website’s reporter, Aaron Gordon, received a tip on a handwritten letter that read: “File an FOIA with USPS for LLV truck fires.” Long Life Vehicles (LLV)) are the delivery trucks synonymous with the postal service. The FOIA acronym stands for Freedom of Information Act. U.S. Postal Service trucks burning Motherboard reported LLVs are built

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LA car hoarder’s legacy chronicled in new book

Graveyards of rusty, battered and weed-adorned cars scattered along backcountry roads are a stamp on society’s reliance on motor vehicles. Junkers are junkers, often hoarded and defining automotive blight. But in the chaos of crunched metal, cracked rubber and shattered glass is also history and sometimes rare riches. They’re piles of nirvana for automobile aficionados. Junkyard, the coffee-table book sub-titled Behind the Gates at California’s Secretive European-Car Salvage Yard (Motorbooks, $40) defines the latter. It’s history and mystery acres of abandoned vehicles in fields and warehouses and purposely collected behind high walls in Southern California by the now-deceased Rudi Klein. Originally published in Germany in 2017, the new English-translated volume is the collaborative effort of German photographer Dieter Rebmann and

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Informa Tech announces WardsAuto top-10 best auto interiors

SPONSORED CONTENT Informa Tech Automotive Group has announced its 2020 WardsAuto interiors list that annually recognizes the best in design and engineering. This year’s winners display unique, customer-first and innovative approaches to interiors. The winners: Audi e-tron, Bentley Flying Spur, BMW X6 M, Chevrolet C8 Corvette Stingray, Hyundai Venue, Kia Telluride, Lincoln Aviator, Mercedes-Benz GLB, Nissan Sentra Toyota Highlander. Meet the 2020 Winners HERE WardsAuto will celebrate its 2020 list You’re invited to celebrate with us as we honor the winners through a virtual award ceremony August 19. It will be part of this year’s TU-Automotive Detroit, ADAS & Autonomous Vehicles, WardsAuto Interiors Conference and WardsAuto UX Conference. Registration is now open, so join us Aug. 18-20, 2020 for three

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#140, RV expert Chuck Woodbury discusses Covid-19

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:48 — 45.0MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreChuck Woodbury has traveled in his motorhome for as long as two years at a time. He recently returned to his Washington state home from a seven-month RV trip that began as an expected far shorter journey. It quickly changed. In February, the first outbreak of COVID-19 occurred in a nursing home in Kirkland, Washington, six miles from where Woodbury lives in Everett. At least 37 people died. Early in their trip, Woodbury and his companion Gail Meyring heard the news from home and decided to remain on the road. Woodbury, the editor and publisher of RVTravel.com, is our guest on Episode #140 of

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#138, Tom Britzman: A 1917 Saxon and 80 years of driving

Tom Britzman learned to drive at age 10. His father was enamored with automobiles and quality father-son time behind the wheel of an Austin seemed right. It was 80 years ago, but it could have been yesterday. “It was stupid,” said Britzman, a Korean War veteran who worked for 32 years for Sears, Roebuck and Co., following his Army service. “But at the time, when you’re a 10-year-old kid and you live out in the country, it was pretty exciting.” Britzman, who lives in East Garrison, California (formerly Ft. Old) is our guest in this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Britzman about his 80 years of driving. Now living with

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Internet myth: Hand sanitizer doesn’t explode in cars

If you carry hand sanitizer in your vehicle, don’t worry about leaving it in the vehicle during hot weather. Despite mainstream internet and television reports that it may explode, it won’t. It’s a myth. While flammable and quick-burning when ignited, it will not catch on fire if left in a vehicle during extreme conditions, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Hand sanitizers use either ethyl or isopropyl alcohol as the basis for their formulas. “These alcohols have a low flashpoint,” said Guy Colonna, the Director of Standards for NFPA. “The flashpoint is the temperature at which the liquid begins to give off vapors.” Colonna said for the alcohol used in sanitizers, the flashpoint is somewhere between 60 and

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Extreme RVs keep getting more extreme on truck chassis

Extreme RVs keep getting more extreme with companies like Global Expeditions making RVs on truck chassis. The Missouri-based company creates its vehicles utilizing several truck manufacturers. Its latest creation is the $650,000 UXV-MAX. It can be constructed on the chassis of a Ford-750. A kitchen, dining area, (king-sized bed) bathroom and are mainstays, just like an RV. But there’s a lot different. A dishwasher, washer and dryer part of an optional upgrade. There’s also a healthy supply of high-end features: custom granite countertops, a sink, single burner induction cooktop, 6.4-cubic foot refrigerator-freezer and a convection microwave oven. Extreme RVs get further extreme The UXV-MAX also has 2.36-inch walls for superior insulation and increased security. With its extreme construction, it’s ready

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Escape the coronavirus at the drive-in in 5 comfortable cars

The movies are classics and there won’t be new releases for a while. But in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, drive-in movie theaters are experiencing another renaissance. Escaping to see a movie in your car is safe entertainment. But certain vehicles make better seats on wheels than others. Cars.com, the Chicago-based automotive classified website, has released new research detailing that 42 percent in-the-market car shoppers plan to visit a drive-in movie theater this summer. “Drive-in theaters are making a comeback this summer as the destination of choice for movies, music and other forms of live entertainment that people can experience without ever leaving the safety of their vehicle,” said Matt Schmitz, Cars.com’s assistant managing editor. Drive-in Movie Theaters: Ideal

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Ford F-150 pickup trucks face brake recall

Ford trucks have dominated the industry for so long, many current buyers weren’t born when the F-150, its siblings and distant automotive relatives didn’t reign. But even the country’s perennially best-selling vehicle sometimes has problems. In this instance, it’s used Ford F-150 pickup trucks. About 350,000 trucks in North America, including 292,3111 vehicles from the United States and model years 2014-2017 are being recalled for a faulty brake master cylinder, Ford announced. Ford F-150 has braking issues The brake master cylinder can leak brake fluid into the brake booster, and ultimately reduce braking power to the front wheels. Drivers may feel more pedal travel that requires more force to press the brake. The loss of power could also trigger an

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Nissan Altima woes return, 2 million recalled

The Nissan Altima, once the Japanese manufacturer’s best-selling vehicle, is increasingly doomed. Nissan recently announced the recall of nearly two million midsize cars in the U.S. and Canada to fix a nagging latch problem that may allow the hood to fly open while cars are moving. The latest recall covers nearly 1.9 million Altimas and includes cars from the 2013 through 2015 model years that were recalled earlier. It’s also been expanded to 2016 through 2018 model years. Nissan‘s latest recall covers nearly 1.9 million Altimas and includes cars from 2013 through 2015 model years, previously recalled. Nissan Altima recalled times 4 It’s the fourth recall involving the Altima. In recent years, the Nissan Rogue small SUV has overtaken the

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Kansas car junkyard: worthless rust or gold?

One person may see automotive gold, another may see a far-as-the-eye-can-see car junkyard of worthless rust-plagued classics as exactly that — junk. At least the seller of a junkyard in Great Bend, Kansas, full of classic cars, trucks and RVs in various states of disrepair hopes the first description is accurate. As detailed on eBay.com, craigslist and BarnFinds.com, the seller has so many vehicles, he’s not exactly sure what’s in the salvage yard. But the seller, who lists an address and phone number but not his name, knows he has some desired relics. Car junkyard has some surprises Some of the potential projects the seller is offering: a 1962 Chevy step side pickup and a 1964 Dodge Pickup 1/2 ton

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#136, Prof. Brian Marks talks cars, Covid-19

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:48 — 42.3MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreBrian Marks is the Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program at the University of New Haven in West Haven, Conn. He has a Ph.D. in Economics, a law degree, several additional titles and plenty of academic responsibilities. Marks’ opinions are thought-provoking and concisely address the COVID-19 and how it has and will continue to affect the automotive world. While covering many areas of the industry, Marks is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia, continuing our social- distancing podcast, speak with Marks from Bruce’s backyard in Sacramento, California. Our guest joins us from his

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New drink honors iconic Laguna Seca turn 8

(At the top of this post is an encore presentation of our recent podcast with Barry Toepke, the marketing and communications director at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Several changes for the 2020 season were announced after the orginal podcast brodcast April 14, 2020.) Like all businesses, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has altered its plans several times this year as the COVID-19 pandemic situation remains ever-evolving. When the multi-disciple racing season finally begins this summer, visitors to the Monterey Peninsula may wish to taste a new cocktail, created to celebrate the delayed-but still-scheduled season. To commemorative the start of the unique season, Estéban restaurant in downtown Monterey has created the Corkscrew Paradise. It celebrates the iconic corkscrew turn 8 on the

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#135, Buying a new car like it’s 2019

If you’re interested in purchasing a vehicle, why not considering buying a new car that’s nearly two years old? There’s a huge inventory of 2019 vehicles available, particularly for consumers interested in Dodge. Here’s the deal. The covid-19 pandemic stalled production of 2020 models for carmakers and resulted in the temporary closing of many car dealerships. Sales suffered. But a positive emerged from the health crisis, and Julie Blackley, an analyst at iseecars.com, is our guest on this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast to discuss the issue. Dodge Caravan: New Car, Nearly Age 2 Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Blackley and she details the reasons why such large inventories of 2019 vehicles are available from

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Buy Tom Brady’s custom 2017 Cadillac Escalade for 300K

Quarterback Tom Brady likes expensive cars as much as the next celebrity. But he’s not so attached to his vehicles that he can’t part company with his luxury wheels — like a 2017 Cadillac Escalade. Brady is selling his heavily customized Cadillac Escalade ESV edition for $300,000. It costs $350,000 new. Becker Automotive Design in Oxnard, California customized the one-of-a-kind sport utility vehicle. Brady called the Escalade his “sanctuary.” Tom Brady’a 2017 Cadillac Escalade Specs: * It was stretched by 20 inches, with the rear doors extended by 10 inches. * The roof was raised five inches and enforced with steel support ribbing so that it exceeds U.S. Federal Safety Standards and Crush Resistance Laws. * The Escalade features extra-large,

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