Fourteen rare cars, trucks set for online auction

,

Fourteen rare cars, trucks and a motorcyle, a 1927 Ford Model T Roadster to a 1994 Argo Conquest Amphibious 8×8, all located in Auburn Airpark in Auburn, California, will be auctioned beginning June 16 through the online site, www.GovLiquidation.com. According to the auctioneers, the vehicles are all in working condition. Bidding on each vehicle starts at $25. Here’s the list of vehicles: 1948 Lincoln Continental 2-Door Hard Top Coupe; 1960 Willys 4×4 Wagon; 1944 Studebaker M29-C Weasel; 1929 Ford Model A Rumble Seat Sport Coupe; 1994 Argo Conquest Amphibious 8×8; 1980 Ford Model A Shay Roadster; 1965 Ford Mustang Coupe;

Read more

Mazda3, Pontiac Vibe among best used cars for under 10K

Consumer Reports has plenty to say about new cars and trucks, but it also has some practical advice for buyers seeking the best used cars on tight budgets. It’s compiled a varied (and sometimes surprising) list of its top-10 best used cars for under $10,000. The publication recommends several criteria while searching for a good used vehicle. The more important: good reliability, stability control, the newest used car you can afford, buy from a reputable seller and seek the car’s past history.   Here’s what Consumer Reports writes about two of its choices, followed its top-10 list of best used

Read more

2016 Acura ILX: Strong drive, good luxury value

The 2016 Acura ILX is the fourth year of the first generation of the upscale brand’s midsize, entry level luxury sedan. It has been refreshed this year with several interior and exterior updates, including a larger engine and additional safety features. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The updated base 2016 Acura ILX is available in six equipment levels, all with oddly cumbersome names. My weekly driver was officially called the 2016 Acura ILX Tech Plus A-Spec, a sport-oriented trim. For 2016, the Acura ILX updates include the dispatching of the previous standard 2.0-liter for a four-cylinder, 2.4-liter offering. It was

Read more

How to find a reputable mechanic, auto repair shop

No matter how well you take care of your vehicle with proper regular maintenance, it will eventually need to be repaired. A reputable mechanic is invaluable. But finding the right mechanic isn’t always easy. But there are ways, particularly if you need a quick repair way to help find reputable mechanics and quality auto repair shops Here are suggested guidelines: 1. Get Referrals From Friends This method is easy. Nearly everyone has a car and has had it serviced. If they’ve had a good or bad experience, they’ll share. If doesn’t matter if you live in Piedmont, Calif., Pinehurst, N.C.,

Read more

Hello, Tesla, welcome the 2,400 hp SP-200 SIN supercar

, ,

PSC Motors in Las Vegas has announced its pending entry in the hybrid supercar business with the limited manufacture of the awkwardly titled SP-200 SIN.  The 9.0-liter V8 with a combined 2,400 horsepower has a promoted top-speed of more than 280 mph. The start-up said it will build only 35 of vehicles with a carbon fiber and composite aluminum frame.  The 1,000 gas horsepower engine will be mated to at least two electric motor that will push the vehicle to its predicted 0-60 mph acceleration in 2.6 seconds. PSC Motors said it began working on the SP-200 SIN five years

Read more

2016 Mazda 6: Watch out Honda Accord, Toyota Camry

,

It’s hard to believe the 2016 Mazda 6 marks the 14th year since the manufacturer replaced the Mazda 626 with its current midsize sedan. The current third generation debuted in 2013, and the new offering is packed with considerable improvements — particularly in the highest-level trim. The Weekly Driver Test Drive A five-passenger sedan, the Mazda 6 is offered in Sport, Touring and top-line Grand Touring trims, and my weekly driver was the latter. It has so many changes, how could it not be a new generation? For 2016, the Mazda 6 features revised front and rear styling, making it

Read more

2015 Honda Civic EX-L Navi: Most versatile new car?

The Honda Civic has been near or at the top of compact sedan segment for so long, maybe one day an upgraded trim or a new generation of the now 46-year-old vehicle will debut that just doesn’t hold up. But it’s not the 2015 edition. New competitors — Mazda3, Ford Focus and Kia Forte — offer increasing competition. But Honda keeps tweaking the Civic lineup, including this year’s addition of the mid-range SE trim. Now in the fourth year of its ninth generation, the Civic remains among the most successful automobiles in history. It’s is available as a coupe and

Read more

Michael Schumacher improving, his $229,000 watch debuts

Like many sportsmen, German race-car driver Michael Schumacher fancies watches. The former Formula One champion was an ambassador for Audemars Piguet, the famed Swiss timepiece manufacturer. Five years ago, Schumacher, who is now still in guarded condition as a result of his tragic skiing accident on Dec. 29, 201, issued a challenge to the watchmaker. According to a recent article the Wall Street Journal, Schumacher said to Francois Bennahmias, the CEO of the Audemars Piguet: “You say you are the world’s best watchmaker. Then make me a watch that times laps one after the other.’ ” Bennahmias detailed in the

Read more

Driving the Tour of California in a Lexus SUV #3

With two days remaining in the nine-day Amgen Tour of California bicycle race, I stopped for my third refuel of the trip. The 2015 Lexus NX 200t F Sport had taken me from Sacramento to Santa Clarita, and the new luxury sport utility had done well for itself. The weather in the previous week included predicted warm and windy conditions and also a two-hour trek in a nasty rainstorm near Los Angeles. The inclement conditions were only outdone by the nastiness of the mess called the Southern California freeway system. And exactly why is it that some drivers speed up

Read more

2016 Volvo XC90: Style, safety in new luxury SUV

The first generation Volvo XC90 SUV was introduced in 2002. Worth the wait 13 years later is the second generation 2016 Volvo XC90. It offers a new level of sophistication and utility. The 2016 XC90 is new from badge to backup camera. It’s the first plug-in hybrid SUV offering three rows of seating for seven. Our drive with Volvo’s mid-size SUV introduced us to a memorable luxury experience, a suite of modern safety features and superior efficiency in a package that dresses to impress. Driving Impressions Volvo is offering two versions of the redesigned 2016 XC90: the T6 and T8.

Read more

Airbag apocalypse: Takata recall leaps to 34 million

Takata, the Japanese airbag supplier, has jolted the automotive industry with its announcement Tuesday that 34 million vehicles from 10 manufacturers were equipped with defective inflator mechanisms. The total is double the previously released total, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The recall is believed to be the largest in NHTSA’s history. Under an agreement, NHTSA issued what’s called a consent order to Takata. It requires the company to cooperate fully with the agency’s investigation. NHTSA also announced it will begin a formal legal process “to organize and prioritize the replacement of defective Takata inflators under the

Read more

2015 Honda Accord Hybrid: Iconic sedan gets better

After a seven-year hiatus, the Honda Accord Hybrid was reintroduced for the 2014 model year and has no major changes for 2015. The hybrid trim further adds to the versatility of the already iconic sedan, a perennial top-10 seller for decades. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Honda Accord is available in three trims in gas and hybrid offerings. My weekly driver was the hybrid with the Touring trim. It’s chocked-packed with features. It includes all of the equipment of the hybrid EX and EX-L models. The EX trim equipment: 17-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, automatic headlights, dual-zone

Read more

2015 Mazda CX-9: Power, comfort, fair price

A full-sized crossover sport utility vehicle, the Mazda CX-9 debuted in 2006 as a 2007 model. It’s been refreshed and tweaked along the way. But the original generation of the three-row, seven-passenger sport utility vehicle for 2015 remains largely unchanged from last year. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Mazda CX-9 is offered in Sport, Touring and Grand Touring trims, and my weekly driver was the top-line Grand Touring option with front-wheel drive. It’s available with all-wheel drive and a towing package. Like all Mazdas, the CX-9 has a long list of standard features. The Sport model’s equipment includes:

Read more

Driving the Tour of California in a Lexus SUV, #2

Navigation systems vary greatly. During 10 years of writing The Weekly Driver column, the best I’ve used is the system Hyundai vehicles called BlueLink. The overriding reason is its simplicity. The navigation system utilized by Lexus is also commendable. Lexus calls its navigation and technology integration package EnForm. It’s the system installed in my 2015 Lexus NX 200t F Sport, my vehicle during the Amgen Tour of California. The navigation has kept my good company since last Sunday. I’ve driven more than 650 miles so far and my appreciation for a GPS companion literally came into sharp focus last night.

Read more

Driving the Tour of California in a Lexus SUV, #1

,

After driving the first three stages of the Amgen Tour of California in my weekly driver, a 2015 Lexus NX 200t F Sport, I stopped for my first refuel of the race’s 10th edition. Lexus is a sponsor of the event and it has provided vehicles for staff and media members. The Lexus NX 200t is a five-passenger, compact luxury crossover new for this year. The sport model I’m driving for 10 days embellishes the standard equipment with a half-dozen items to make the vehicle, well . . . more sporty. The upgraded features includes 18-inch wheels (instead of standard

Read more

2015 Toyota Corolla: Steady, enduring sedan

,

Following a complete redesign last year, the 2015 Toyota Corolla remains the same as its one year older sibling with a few minor exceptions. The new edition of the best-selling car in history now has a fold-down real center armrest in all trims except the base L model. The Toyota Corolla for years has had a lengthy list of standard features, and it’s now even better. The upper level trims for 2015 get the Driver Convenience package as standard equipment. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The S trim premium was my weekly test drive, and it’s most equipped of the

Read more