I am not the biggest fan of books comprised merely of compilations of short stories written by different authors. Most of these books seem to offer a mishmash of writing styles and story ideas, taking the reader all over the place. But, that is precisely the charm found in “Life … Read more
This handheld cleaner gets the job done. I was given the chance to review a new handheld vacuum cleaner this month, jumping on the opportunity when I learned that the product was cordless and made by Dyson. Dyson is a manufacturer of household vacuum products, known for their chic design, suction … Read more
Built Ford Tough The most storied name in the world of pickup trucks is the Ford F-Series, a broad line of full-sized trucks introduced by the Ford Motor Company for the 1948 model year. More than six decades later the Ford F-150 and related trucks are the best-selling trucks in … Read more
We automotive writers will sometimes use language most everyday folks don’t understand. That’s a problem, because when you’re attempting to explain something in simple language, automotive jargon can creep in and leave the reader wondering what you are talking about. Big Six Auto Trends Magazine attempts to keep the language … Read more
Behind the Wheel With the Great Automobile Aficionados Automotive aficionados have helped shape the car industry we see today, men and women who possess a passion for speed, styling, engineering and technology. Without their exuberance and particularly their “need for speed,” today’s cars wouldn’t be much faster than a horse-drawn … Read more
Based on an article from the July 26th edition of Automotive News, it seems that start-up automaker Tesla plans is to sell cars the same way that Apple sells iPods. Tesla won’t have dealer showrooms – they’ll have manufacturer-owned “galleries.” Tesla won’t have service departments – they have field technicians called … Read more
Hyundai continues to challenge the market. The medium size sedan market, or D-segment, is a crowded field. The Toyota Camry and Honda Accord are the two biggest sellers, but both Ford and Chevrolet have enjoyed success in recent years with their Fusion and Malibu models respectively. Every automaker fields at … Read more
Electric cars, are they really better? Vehicle electrification is in the news thanks to recent announcements of the planned launch of several electric-powered vehicles, including the Nissan Leaf, Fisker Karma and the Ford Transit Connect EV. Electric vehicles offer distinct advantages over their gas-powered counterparts although their price premium can offset some of those … Read more
Many of today’s automotive engines are complex, as they incorporate sophisticated technologies such as direct injection and turbochargers to squeeze more power and deliver better fuel efficiency from a smaller engine. Your engine may “prefer” premium fuel in order to run efficiently, but in some cases, premium fuel may be … Read more
Ford’s EcoBoost engine technology, which was introduced last summer in the Lincoln MKS, Ford Taurus, and Lincoln MKT, will soon expand to other vehicle lines. That original 3.5-liter V6 engine represents the first of a family of direct injection, turbocharged engines, with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine up next. The smaller … Read more
One of my chief complaints about GM’s restructuring is that the automaker got rid of Pontiac in favor of keeping GMC. Not that I have anything against GMC, but when Pontiac sells more cars than Buick and GMC, and the latter only offers rebadged Chevrolet Trucks at a higher trim level, then … Read more
Driving a car is a privilege, not a right, which means you must pass a state-mandated test in order to receive your driver’s license. Actually, two tests is more like it: a written or oral test demonstrating your understanding of various signs, laws, and procedures as well as a road … Read more
E85 vehicles or flex fuel vehicles (FFV) are select cars, trucks, SUVs, crossovers and commercial vehicles which run on E85 fuel. E85 represents a blend of ethanol and regular gasoline, with 85 percent of the mixture consisting of ethanol and the remaining 15 percent gasoline. Ethanol is developed from a … Read more
Pictured above: The Scion tC has the biggest youth appeal of any of the brand’s three vehicles, with an average buyer’s age of just 24. Overall, the Scion brand has been attracting more mature drivers of late, pushing the average Scion owner’s age to 42. The Toyota Motor Corporation wants … Read more
Your Porsche Cayenne is truly one hot SUV! But, have you outfitted your ride the way that you want it to be? Aftermarket accessories and supplies can personalize and protect your Cayenne so we’ve listed seven “must have” items for Porsche enthusiasts. Porsche faithful nearly died several years back when … Read more
I am not one for seeing the federal government create endless taxpayer assistance programs, believing that the consumer is the best party to determine what he or she should buy. However, I’ve resigned myself to seeing Congress and the Obama administration spend money like no administration before it, supposedly in … Read more
GM’s announcement last week that they would consider a full or partial sale of Hummer has already brought forward the news that two automakers, competing Indian brands, might be interested in buying Hummer. Internet blogs and news sources are suggesting that Tata Motors or Mahindra & Mahindra, might be interested … Read more
If you had choose one vehicle from Chrysler produced over the past twenty five years that best represents the automaker which one would you choose? Jeep Wrangler? Dodge Ram? Chrysler 300? Something else? Personally, I would choose the company’s fleet of minivans which have been sold under Chrysler, Dodge and … Read more
When GM released the Pontiac G8 last spring, I was thrilled to see that the automaker had finally given the brand a car worthy of the Pontiac name. The G8 is a bold, strong, rear wheel driven five-passenger sedan based on the Australian Holden Commodore platform, just the sort of car needed … Read more
Cold air has pushed down from Canada while moisture is moving east out of the Rockies, a dynamic mixture that means only one thing: snow, ice and freezing rain will impact all of the midwest and northeast over the next few days, making driving treacherous in some areas. Certainly, if … Read more
The capital city of Mexico has one feature that no other city in the world can boast of: a huge fleet of iconic Volkswagen Beetle taxis to transport citizens around the bustling city of twenty million people. No, it isn’t the same “New Beetle” sold in the US, rather the original Beetle … Read more
On the surface, it is a Ford and it will be built at a Ford factory in Poland, but underneath the second generation subcompact Ka will share its platform and some of its mechanicals with the Fiat 500. Rolled out in 1996, the first generation Ka is finally being replaced by an … Read more
Every month, thousands of flood-damaged cars are sold without that information known to the buyer. Be On The Look Out For Storm-Ravaged Vehicles In the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, tens of thousands of cars were scrapped, as they were deemed damaged beyond repair by flood waters, wind, or … Read more
Britain’s famed automotive brand, MG, most noted for its line of sexy roadsters, isn’t coming back to the US after all. True, the company is now owned by SAIC, a Chinese automotive manufacturer, but the brand’s British pedigree remains intact. Fans of the MG last saw these cars sold in … Read more
Just about every vehicle sold in the United States must come equipped with a catalytic converter, a device which helps to convert noxious and polluting gases into low emissions carbon dioxide and water. Though the widespread use of catalytic converters has done a wonderful job in cutting down on air … Read more
Yesterday I mentioned that Ford is looking at building several of its smaller European cars on U.S. assembly lines in a bid to switch production from its big trucks and SUVs to fuel-efficient small cars. This week, Chrysler began to stir the pot too by announcing that its Hornet project is being scrutinized for … Read more
Gas prices have now topped $4 per gallon for regular gasoline, forcing consumers to cut back on usage or think of other ways to reduce the pain at the pump. The Automotive Oil Change Association (AOCA) offers some tips on how to improve fuel economy along with the reasons behind … Read more
Ford has apparently hit a home run with its SYNC technology, a factory-installed, in-vehicle communications and entertainment system developed by Ford and Microsoft. Ford SYNC permits drivers to bring virtually any digital media player or mobile phone into their vehicle and operate these devices using voice commands, or by using … Read more