No, Your ‘Rare’ Car Isn’t Going To Shoot Up In Value

Posted on Jun 15, 2017 in Editorials | 1 comment

I wish I had $100 for every time someone told me their rare car was going to shoot up in value. If I did, I would invest it in the stock market, which is something that actually might shoot up in value. Their rare car, of course, will stay behind, largely due to the old adage that just because something’s rare doesn’t mean it’s valuable. I remember the first...

Cool Thoughts on Electric Fan Conversions

Posted on Apr 22, 2017 in Editorials | 1 comment

Robin writes: Hi Sajeev, Back with a topic that might be real to many Texans and others of warmer climes. I’m close to 220,000 miles on my 94 Nissan D21. She’s still motoring along and I’m doing my to keep her maintained. We’ve just come through the dog days. Back when it was hitting 112° in Dallas, I was finding myself stuck in afternoon rush hour traffic on...

You Get One Guess As To Where ‘TEXAS EDITION’ Badges Come From — And I’m Going To Give You One Of Them

Posted on Feb 21, 2017 in Editorials | 1 comment

If loving Texas is Rong, I don’t want to be right. I’m referring, of course, to my pal Blake Z. Rong, who currently lives in, and sort of loves, the Lone Star State. One of the best (or worst) parts of living in Texas is the unhealthy codependency between the people who live there and the trucks they can barely afford and never use for trucky things but insist...

Cold Feelings About Depreciated ICE?

Posted on Jan 10, 2017 in Editorials | 2 comments

Bruce writes: Hi Sajeev, In the comments for “QOTD: Are All These Turbocharged Cars Going to Last?” there was a long discussion on whether dashboard entertainment systems were also a weak point in modern cars. Well, it’s turned out to be a weak point in my 2004 Acura TSX. It’s a first-generation TSX with a 6-speed manual gearbox and a total hoot to drive, but...

Elio Motors Brings Latest Prototype, Stock Sale & Other News to Detroit

Posted on Dec 23, 2016 in Editorials | 2 comments

The small crew of folks who make up Elio Motors brought the latest, fifth generation, developmental prototype of their reverse trike to the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Paul Elio gave a press conference going over what progress the company has made moving towards actual production, including some details about their recent stock...

Frontier E-brakes Getting Shafted?

Posted on Oct 17, 2016 in Editorials | 2 comments

Greetings, Another longtime listener, firsttime caller … I have a two-parter. First: My 2007 Nissan Frontier will soon be due for a rear brake job. I’ve never worked on rear disks. Should I replace the emergency-brake shoes as well as the service brake pads, or will a simple inspection of them do for now? Also, I’ve had varying advice here: should I have the...

BFGoodrich KO2 in the Snowy Hills of Maine

Posted on Sep 19, 2016 in Editorials | 1 comment

BFGoodrich’s All-Terrain T/A tires can be found everywhere, from your local construction site to the most grueling of off-road races. I’ve fitted some of my trucks with the original KO and used them on and off-road, so I was curious what improvements BFGoodrich could bring to its latest iteration: the new KO2. BFGoodrich brought me up to Bethel, Maine to test...

What Would You Drive If You Were Exactly Like You?

Posted on Jul 13, 2016 in Editorials | 1 comment

In the latest installment of the worldwide internet sensation, Ask Bark?, we hear from Josh, who’s struggling with deciding what to buy for his family of four. Josh writes: I need advice. I’m looking for a new car. I’m 40 and married. I have a good job and two kids. I’ve owned old Volvos, Saabs, VWs (and paid those bills) and even a black 1969 Lincoln. (I’m...

What’s Going On with Volkswagen’s Golf GTI?

Posted on May 24, 2016 in Editorials | Comments Off on What’s Going On with Volkswagen’s Golf GTI?

Dealers are shaving thousands off of Volkswagen’s Golf GTI — up to $5,000 at some dealers — and the hatchback is relatively easy to find at rental car counters across the country. So, is everything going OK with 2015’s North American Car of the Year™? For starters, in Volkswagen’s defense, most of its cars are available with at least a few thousand dollars off...

A Very Special Feature

Posted on Mar 3, 2016 in Editorials | Comments Off on A Very Special Feature

Supposedly, there’s a Powerball ticket somewhere in this house. It’s Wednesday night as I write this, a few hours before the drawing. By the time you read this, you will know that I did not win the Powerball, and neither did you. I feel mathematically justified in believing that not a single TTAC reader is in any danger of actually winning the Powerball....

The Real Cost of Being a Car Guy

Posted on Feb 21, 2016 in Editorials | 3 comments

Forgive me father, for not only have I sinned (at least for right now), but I’m going to make a sordid confession about my daily work life that will tick off 99 percent of the people here. I find that auto enthusiasts — that’s you — are completely irrational. In fact, sometimes you’re just plain nuts. It has nothing to do with conspiracy theories, the federal...

Mid-Engine Corvette Closer Than Ever

Posted on Jan 15, 2016 in Editorials | 2 comments

It is no secret that GM has flirted with mid-engine Corvettes for decades. Until now, the company has lacked the motivation, consensus, and/or resources to move to a mid-engine layout. However, this is the new GM. The feds are no longer calling the shots and the General has been upstaged by Ford for too long. GM now possesses the financial wherewithal, control,...