2019 Ford Ranger back but with a few warts, flat tires

After an eight-year absence, the Ford Ranger was re-introduced to the North American market late last year as a 2019 model. It marked a 60-year timestamp since the nameplate’s debut on a 1958 Edsel Ranger. The Ranger name was first used on a pickup in 1983 when Ford replaced the Ford Courier. With its return, the Ford Ranger is now mid-sized, comparable to its sibling, the Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The latter debuted in 2006 and was discounted a few years later. The new Ranger is available as a SuperCab (2+2 door extended cab with 6-foot bed) and SuperCrew (4-door

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Maintaining proper tire condition help drivers’ safety

When you drive a lot, you may not think much about your tires enough. You may think getting from place to place is all that matters. The condition of each tire, however, is equally important for your safety. Tires’ conditions and the way you treat them could mean the difference between you staying safe or getting in a horrific accident. Here arecompelling reasons to visit a tire shop. Change of Season It can snow in any month in Calgary, but the snowy season typically starts in October and ends in May. That’s seven months where there is consistent snowfall. Due

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2019 Subaru Ascent arrives with SUV street cred

The sport utility vehicle market apparently hasn’t reached its saturation point — at least Subaru doesn’t think so. Welcome the Ascent, the largest car the Japanese manufacturer has ever made. Five years after Tribeca was discontinued, the 2019 Subaru Ascent is the manufacturer’s second and bigger three-row SUV. Subaru is hopeful its new people mover will fare better than its predecessor. When the Tribeca departed, it was among the country’s worst-selling vehicles. The Ascent, which features seating for as many as eight, arrives as the SUV segment remains increasingly strong. During the first three months of this year, 15 of

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ToyMakerz Season 3 finale, bigger badder plans (video)

The season finale of Season 3 of ToyMakerz, the increasingly popular automotive reality television show hosted by David Ankin, will be broadcast on April 28. It will feature a guest appearance by Dean Cain, the actor who portrayed Superman ad Clark Kent on the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Ankin is a repeat guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia, talk in Episode #84 with Ankin about his three years on the show and plans for future seasons. We also discuss his friendship with Cain, the veteran movie actor. The

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#84, David Ankin, ToyMakerz hit season 3 finale

The  finale of Season 3 of ToyMakerz, the increasingly popular automotive reality television program  hosted by David Ankin, will be broadcast on April 28. It will feature a guest appearance by Dean Cain, the actor who portrayed Superman/Clark Kent on the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Ankin is a repeat guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia, talk in Episode #84 with Ankin about his three years on the show and his plans for future seasons. We also discuss his friendship with Cain, the veteran movie actor. The final episode’s

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#12, Experts discuss GIG car’s Sacramento debut (video)

Tony Bizjak, the long-time transportation writer of the Sacramento Bee, is the first of our two guests on Episode #83 of The Weekly Driver Podcast, video edition. Our second guest is Mike Blasky, the Media Relations Specialist of AAA for Northern California, Nevada and Utah. He’s based in Walnut Creek, California. Bizjak recently wrote an article and was the driver in the publication’s online video about GIG. It’s the new on-demand one-way rental car service available in Sacramento and other select cities. GIG (Get In, Go) is working in conjunction with AAA on the project. GIG relies on the Toyota

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#83 GIG one-way rental car debuts in Sacramento

Tony Bizjak, the long-time transportation writer for the Sacramento Bee, recently wrote an article and was the driver in the publication’s online video about GIG. It’s the new on-demand, one-way rental car service available in Sacramento and other select cities. Bizjak is the first of our two guests on Episode #83 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Our second guest is Mike Blasky, the Media Relations Specialist of AAA for Northern California, Nevada and Utah. He’s based in Walnut Creek, California. GIG (Get In, Go) is working in conjunction with AAA on the project. GIG relies on the Toyota Prius hybrids

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#11, Libby Edelman writes on women loving cars (video)

Libby Edelman spent years raising a family, living in several locations around the United States and working as a fashion editor for national magazines. She also spent a lot of time thinking about women who love their cars, a curiosity prompted by a headline in The National Enquirer. While waiting in line at a grocery store one day, Edelman read in the supermarket tabloid about a woman who loved her car so much, she was buried with it. The result, while less bizarre but equally dramatic, is the new book Lovin’ My Car: Women in the Driver’s Seat. Edelman is

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#81 Author Libby Edelman on women who love cars

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:01 — 42.6MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreLibby Edelman spent years raising a family, living in several locations around the United States and working as a fashion editor for national magazines. She also spent a lot of time thinking about women who love their cars, a curiosity prompted by a headline in The National Enquirer. While waiting in line at a grocery store one day, Edelman read in the supermarket tabloid about a woman who loved her car so much, she was buried with it. The result, while less bizarre but

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2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio: raving beauty with faults

Organizers of the Tour of Italy introduced the Stelvio Pass into the country’s most celebrated bike race 66 years ago. It rises above 9,000 feet and includes a few dozen hairpin turns on narrow roads. Alfa Romeo has branded its first compact sport utility vehicle with the same name. The Stelvio route in the Ortler Alps near the Swiss border has been canceled several times because of inclement weather. Many cyclists have successfully negotiated the rugged trek, others have failed because of mechanical failures in the nasty elements. As such, the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio has a rugged legacy to

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Dave Ankin, guru of ToyMakerz, shares his passion for cars

By David Ankin I first felt “the itch” when I was a kid, growing up in the heart of motor country in Indiana and Michigan. Watching my dad, a skilled car fabricator nicknamed “The Iron Man” for his impressive metalworking skills, I yearned to build my own custom rides. And so I learned to tinker and create my first custom Toyz! I’d modify my bike — once I extended the front fork by hammering together two regular bike forks — my first Chopper! The funny thing is, even though my father is a welder, it didn’t occur to me to ask

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#10, Toyota Camry, Elon Musk, WeatherTech (Video)

There’s never a dull moment in the automotive industry — recalls to new technology, debuting vehicles to car shows. In many ways, the world revolves around transportation. Co-hosts Bruch Aldrich and James Raia discuss several issues in episode #80 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. As an weekly automotive columnist for Bay Area News Group (the San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek), I periodically receive letters from readers. Last week, two letters referenced my recent review of the 2019 Toyota Camry. Another reader emailed asking advice about her ailing more than 20-year-old Ford Escort. Bruce has the

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#80, Elon Musk, Toyota Camry and WeatherTech Raceway

There’s never a dull moment in the automotive industry — recalls to new technology, debuting vehicles to car shows. In many ways, the world revolves around transportation.  Co-hosts Bruch Aldrich and James Raia discuss several issues on Episode #80 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. As a weekly automotive columnist for Bay Area News Group (the San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek), I periodically receive letters from readers. Last week, two letters referenced my recent review of the 2019 Toyota Camry. Another reader emailed asking advice about her ailing more than 20-year-old Ford Escort. Bruce has the

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2019 Mazda CX-9: versatile SUV with sedan tendencies

The Mazda CX-9 debuted in 2006 as a versatile, well-equipped addition to the fraternity of family haulers. The first generation endured for nine years in the ever-expanding segment of urban taxis. The 2019 edition is the second generation’s fourth year. Tweaks have been added each year as SUVs become increasingly attractive to large clans and families of one. New this year for CX-9: Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a retuned suspension and a surround-view parking camera. Mazda’s largest vehicle remains available in Sport, Touring, Grand Touring and Signature trims. All choices present Mazda at its best, including the base model.

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#79 Autonomous future featured at GPU Technology Conference

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:54 — 34.2MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreThe huge truck cab couldn’t have been any more conspicuous. It dominated the back of the main showroom at the recent GPU Technology Conference in San Jose, California, and attracted plenty of attention. The all-electric prototype from TuSimple is aimed at providing cheaper, more-efficient long-hauling trucking. TuSimple, with offices in China and the United States, is among numerous startups working to automate parts of the long-haul trucking and parcel delivery industries. As part of the technology, semi-trucks would be allowed to operate beyond the

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Peugeot prepping for US return, details remain secret

What styles, when they will arrive and how they will be sold are all unknown. What’s certain is Peugeot will be re-introduced to the North American market within a few years. It’s been absent for nearly three decades. Groupe PSA, the multinational manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles sold under the Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhall brands, announced its intentions in late February. Larry Dominique, President and CEO, PSA North America, Inc., was a recent guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast. It’s the broadcast I co-host with Bruce Aldrich and available on all major podcast platforms. Dominique cited facts, figures

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