Last Commented Automotive Blogs (377)

I know BMW advertises their cars as the ultimate driving machine, but in the hands of an idiot, they become the ultimate crashing machine. When the Highway Patrol pull you over, they come to the passenger side of the vehicle for safety.
A Police officer in Fairfax, Virginia was speaking to a driver he had pulled over. The dash-cam shows just that and in the distance an 'out of control BMW' slides across the median backwards then side swipes the stopped car with such force that is bends the guard rail, hits the police car forcing it to slide back a car length.
The office saw the BMW and tried to run for cover but was struck to the ground, literally inches from disaster.

It's reported the BMW was driving more than 120 miles per hour when it lost control and spun around.

Video clip:


News link:







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For people who don't know how to parallel park, there's the all electric Hyundai MOBIS with the c-Corner System. Each wheel has a motor and steering control to turn 90 degrees.



Not only can it drive sideways, it can do a 360 degree turn in it's own space and do a tilting 90 degree turn. On the road it can change lanes with all 4 wheels tipping the the car stays straight.




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Last year I was internet shopping for a new car. Something a little larger than what I currently own. There's nothing wrong with my car, I just want to up-size. With 42,000 miles, the factory tires have enough tread for a few thousand miles more. The problem is the interior noise when driving on the highway is noticeably louder. Less rubber, more road noise.

I bought tires for my previous car a little over 3 years ago for around $600. A few months later I changed cars. Today's prices for new tires with mounting, road hazard and free flat repair is going to run around $1,000. If I'm going to change cars... now is the best time or I'll be buying tires. At that point, I'll wait another year before car shopping again.

A few months ago I went through the motions trying KIA, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota and Subaru. Nothing jumped out as my #1 choice. They each had some nice features, but none had all the features I really wanted. Strange... the things I think are important aren't many, but to get those items, it requires additional feature packages costing thousands more.
Okay, I'll get over that.

The dividing line is a cross between a hatchback to a small SUV.
Who/What are the possibilities?

Subaru Crosstrek, is a car that's jacked up a few inches. It's big on safety features but weak on the electronics. I do like the old-fashioned hand brake. This is a possible for simplicity.

Honda H-RV is an SUV, bigger for 2023 than the previous model. Lots of features, I didn't like the height of the front hood. The car had an offensive odor, possibly from the leather seats. Maybe that will go away. Good availability, I could have one in the model and color choice within a week.

I'm ruling out both KIA and Hyundai. Beautiful cars, I don't think they are going to last 10 years. That's what I'm seeing in reviews and from personal experience.

Today, I went to Mazda and tried a Mazda3 hatchback and the CX-30 SUV. Both are nice. The SUV has sufficient horsepower, but it was tame both in steering and braking. I tried some rough driving and it wouldn't accept it. Slamming on the brakes didn't happen. It stopped quickly, but the car is very computer controlled and rides like a larger vehicle. I do like the ground height. Seats were firm but comfortable.
The hatchback handling was more to my liking. Quick lane changes and jamming the brakes produces a quicker stop than the SUV.
Both cars have nice seating, but lacked on the 'visual' of the electronics. I'm told the GPS map needs an upgrade. Both have a large (but different) center console, not to my liking and their choice of color is limited. Priced within my budget... Mazda is near the top if I had to choose.
Also, Toyota keeps sending me emails to buy my car... but they have nothing to offer me this year. Three months now they said I could test a Prius Hybrid but all coming in are pre-sold and no chance to test drive or actually sit in one for comfort. They are taking NON-REFUNDABLE deposits to order one with a 2 to 3 month wait. It won't be a Toyota this year.

I read this story this morning and this afternoon it's already 'gone viral' on YouTube and many news services. Caught on a dashcam of cars driving along the freeway in California, where a pickup with oversized tires completely loses the front left tire just as a KIA Soul comes up on the left side. The tire goes under the front of the KIA making it flip more than 10 feet in the air where it rolled and crashed. the tire rolled back bounced on something (out of the view of the camera) then rolls back hitting the KIA in the rear.
While this is happening, the pickup truck with three wheels continues driving and appears to be heading toward the right shoulder.
While the top of the KIA was crushed, it was reported no one was seriously hurt.

Flying KIA...




Amazing!

I've seen a few news links about catalytic converters being stolen from cars. Tonight one article revealed data from insurance companies stated what was thousands per year are increasing in numbers. One of the most targeted vehicles is the Ford F-Series truck. The truck is high enough that someone can slide under with a wrench and unbolt the unit in a few minutes.

Personally, I had an engine fail on my 2014 Hyundai Veloster caused by a piston ring that sent 3 quarts out the exhaust. My mechanic found a used engine, one recovered from a rear end collision. It wasn't running correctly and the suspect was the catalytic converter had clogged due to the oil. We could have shorted out the sensor, re-piped the exhaust and reprogrammed the brain, but that had some restrictions. I didn't want to drive a car with a tampered exhaust system so I bought a re-manufactured catalytic converter and the car ran like it did before the engine blew up.
At that time, new catalytic converters for that model were around $1,500 and re-manufactured around $500. Either way, it was a big chunk of money.

I did find flaws in some the stories I've read.
Most cars have alarm systems that are set off when you bump the car.
So, how is it possible someone can jack up a Honda (for example) and unbolt a converter without setting off the alarm?

Some stolen converters are used to replace defective ones in other cars while other are sold for the precious metals they contain.

Okay, police have suggested engraving them with a unique traceable number.
In the real world, just like stolen guns... grind off the number.
I believe possession of a gun with a tampered serial is illegal, but I doubt there are laws to cover converters.

If it's so easy to unbolt a converter... SPOT WELD the joints so only someone using a grinder could break it loose.

Maybe more thought needs to go into a method to deter the business of stealing catalytic converters...

I left out speeding and attempting to run away. Several motorcyclists in Florida were driving recklessly Friday night when police told them to pull over. One guy didn't quite make the getaway...

Captured on body-cam.
Maybe a broken bone or two... the guy is lucky to be alive.

Story:

I had dinner at a sports bar tonight with TV screens wrapping around the building. Several satellite stations were in the lineup and when they went to commercial break, the viewer was pounded mostly with Pizza, battery operated ear washer and electric SUV's.
Lexus has a whole fleet as well as Cadillac.

Back home and I Googled electric SUV's and found a few companies I've never heard of before (like Fisker) and all the major manufacturers offering at least one electric model.

Complain all you want about purchase price, finding a place to charge, exploding batteries, limited range and a few other negatives

Domino's Pizza is advertising electric delivery vehicles that are good for the planet. Who cares? That doesn't fix the taste of crappy pizza... having it delivered in an electric car doesn't make it better!

Like it or not, with all the negative aspects, electric cars are here to stay.

COVID hit and car buying changed. New cars were in short supply with no new inventory to replenish stock. Used car prices shot up where cars coming off a 3-year lease are selling for the same price is new.
One day I'm reading that's all going to change and another day I'm reading this inflated car prices isn't going away anytime soon.
I'm getting messages from the dealer where I bought a few years ago... they want to buy back my car. I'm just out of warrantee and have been toying with the idea of something slightly larger. In doing so, I'll miss having a car that gets around 35 miles per gallon.

I keep shopping, but nothing interesting has jumped out to get my attention...

I have an issue with aggressive drivers using a merge lane. Yesterday, must have been aggressive driver Tuesday. In the morning on the way to an appointment, driving in a construction zone I was approaching a merge lane where two lanes merge into one.
There were lots of warning signs, traffic cones and plastic guard rails in a 30mph zone. Having passed this road several times before, I was already in the main lane and not the merge lane. Traffic was slow, but 2 drivers in Tesla's had to force their way into the merge pushing out other cars that 'gave-way' or be involved in an accident.
Usually, it's someone in a BMW doing a stunt like that.
I worked for a guy who had a truck with oversized bumpers and jacked-up tires. He always pushed into a traffic situation that forced the other drivers to stop, letting him in, especially when he tooted a horn as loud a train.
Last night was a close call. I'm on the interstate highway in the left lane that opens to the express lane. It's after 9pm and traffic is moving smoothy. There is a merge lane for people exiting the express lane that feeds back into my lane. Unexpectedly, someone shot out of the express lane and attempting to eclipse me. It happened quickly as I didn't see him accelerating. The warning light came on my mirror but there wasn't enough room for 2 cars. I shifted to the right as a white BMW passed me within inches of side swiping my car!
I like my car and though I'm shopping for a new one, I'd like the purchase to be by choice and not because my car was trashed by an aggressive driver in the merge lane.

This involves Tesla's operating in FSD (Full Self-Driving) mode and unexpectedly abruptly braking. This week, it caused an 8-car pileup on the San Francisco Bay Bridge.
Video shows the car entering the tube and stopping. I'm thinking it has to with loss of GPS signal, but some comments from Tesla test drivers have experienced the same problems on the open road.
This safety glitch could be serious.



Link to the pileup videos:


Link to the Yahoo story: