Car Care
Where do the worst drivers live?
Allstate studied insurance claims in 200 cities over a two-year period.
Why were crash dummies male?
Beginning with 2011 model-year vehicles, federal regulators have required automakers to use petite female crash dummies in frontal...
Staying safe in the school drop-off lane
The thing that causes me anxiety about sending my child off to school is the school drop-off and pick-up routine itself.
How to handle a stuck gas pedal
"Runaway car" incidents led to a massive recall of Toyota vehicles. Experts agree on these basic steps to try if you're ever involved in...
How much cupholder can $126,000 buy?
The Porsche 911's retractable cupholder recalls a Pontiac Trans Am. That can't be good.
Bill seeks child-seat anchor upgrade
A federal highway bill that passed Congress last month could improve the safety of children in child-safety seats during a side-impact crash...
Chevy to recall 44K Sonics over faulty windshield washers
General Motors is recalling 44,668 2012 Chevrolet Sonic subcompacts to check for and correct faulty windshield washers, the National Highway...
Pumped diesel in error? Drain before you drive
Q-I have a 2011 Buick Regal and, by mistake, put diesel fuel in it and drove before realizing what I did. What is going to happen? Can it be...
Turbo mileage gets new charge
It is almost like getting extra horsepower for free. At least that is how some people describe what a turbocharger can do for an engine...
Review: CarTalk Breakdown Lane app
This iPhone app finds the nearest mechanic and guides you through common roadside repairs.
Fewer tech-savvy teens are driving
The more time young people spend connecting through texting, email, Facebook and other social media sites, the less interest they have in...
Collector-car auctioneers set sales record
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — The return of European bidders and an impressive lineup of cars helped the major collector-car auctioneers...
DiCaprio, Bieber caught up in Fisker Karma hybrid recall
Leonardo DiCaprio and Justin Bieber will have to take their megabucks cars back to the shop after luxury hybrid maker Fisker Automotive...
More junk in your trunk
Cargo space isn't just a nice-to-have for consumers; shoppers demand it. On a five-point scale of importance, 87 percent of Bankrate.com...
App keeps tabs on texting drivers
Texting while driving has become a nationwide epidemic, one that the developers of a new smartphone application hope to eradicate.
New gas mileage rules delayed
Remember the federal government's corporate average fuel economy rules?
Worriers should trust the owner's manual, sensors
Q: The owner's manual for my 2008 VW Jetta specifies changing the brake fluid every two years. Is this really necessary? I have...
Air freshener test: Will they whiff?
Automotive air fresheners are no longer just simple cardboard pine trees. Clearly, expert guidance is required.
Parents still aren't getting car seats right
A study finds a decline in car seat use and an increase in children being unrestrained in cars.
Rust spurs heap of worry
Q: My 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser is starting to rust. The car has no dents or dings. The rust is just appearing out of the blue. I...
Recall Alert: 2011 and 2012 Ford Transit Connect
Ford is recalling 16,330 model-year 2011-12 Transit Connects because the wiper arms might not be correctly riveted, which could cause...
Recall Alert: 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV
Mitsubishi is recalling 261 model-year 2012 i-MiEV electric cars for an airbag fault that could deactivate the frontal and side airbag...
Get a grip: Tips for choosing the right tread for your car
Your tires grip the pavement with an area only about the size of an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper, so it is important to select the right...
Bulletproof provenance
Before Al Capone's 1928 Cadillac rolls across the RM Auctions block in Plymouth, Mich., on July 28, one 93-year-old Chicago native took a...
Mazda recalls Tribute SUV to fix throttle problem
Mazda Motor Corp will recall 217,500 Tribute sport-utility vehicles sold in the U.S. to fix the same sticking gas pedal problem that Ford...
Tough luck on liftgate lock
Q: I own a 2004 Lincoln Aviator. The lock on the liftgate window is loose and when I shut the liftgate window, if I don't hold the lock...
Ford recalls 421,000 Escapes; consumer group calls for fine
Ford Motor Co.on Thursday launched a recall of 421,000 Escapes sold in the U.S. because of a problem that can cause the gas pedal to stick.
Donating your car to charity: 5 tips
Donating your car can benefit a charity — and your tax return. To maximize the benefit for the charity and for yourself, keep these...
Paintless dent repair can spruce up exteriors for less money and time
In today's world, you can update your appearance with cosmetic surgery. Seems the same is true for your car
Boat industry no longer sinking
Sales of new boats — especially pontoons — and boating accessories increased last year for the...
4 'very important' Ferrari cars to go on block
A rare collection of four Ferrari cars is expected to sell for a combined $20 million or more at the Pebble Beach Concours d&...
Porsche recalls pricy Panamera Turbo sedan over fire risk
Porsche owners are discovering that paying a lot of money for a car won’t protect you from recalls.
Owners of GM vehicles with OnStar can start renting them out
Own a GM vehicle? Start your own car rental business.
Chicago looks for green light from Indiana signal system
— In a perfectly engineered traffic world, signals would always be green when vehicles arrive at intersections.
Switch behind bad Vibe
Q: A friend just bought a used 2003 Pontiac Vibe. It has a nasty habit of shutting off while on a highway. This causes loss of power and...
Not so funny car: Nitro fuel's a drag
Q: No matter how careful or slowly I fill the tank on my 2007 Dodge Nitro, it always overflows eventfully. Some deficiency preempts the...
Best deals in used cars
Lessons from the Great Recession are still resonating with car buyers. Choose a new vehicle and depreciation slices up to 20 percent off the...
Get data from stalling car
Q: I have a 2002 Grand Am that stalls when coming to a stop. Also will almost stall when decelerating and going into a curve between 25-35...
Transmission's time is up
Q: I have a 2008 6-cylinder Camry LE. For some time now the car chatters when the transmission shifts from 4th to 5th. It is very slight...
Honda recalls Civic sedan for possible drive shaft problem
Honda Motor Co. said it will recall approximately 50,000 model-year 2012 Civic passenger cars in the U.S. to inspect the left drive shaft.
Shoppers purchase used recalled cars that aren't repaired
The editors of Edmunds.com’s online auto forum recently noticed a wave of complaints about engine fires in older-model GM vehicles,...
Watch for wildlife when driving in warmer weather
Mild spring weather that brings out the tulips can also be the reason for an increase in animal-vehicle collisions on the road.
Ask Kim: Which are the cheapest new cars to insure?
Q. I'm shopping for a new car and want to compare insurance premiums for the models I'm considering. How can I look that up, and what are...
231,000 miles down and many more to go
Q: My car has now reached 231,000 miles and is running fine. I'm not seeing any reason to replace it as long as it remains reliable. I...
Focus on safe nighttime driving
Night driving entails a whole host of challenges, not the least of which is the frequency with which that same sappy love song pops up on...
Carmakers can get creative, not always successfully
Throughout their history, automakers have tried to fill holes in their lineups or expand into new territory.
Smart phones spur interest in vehicle connectivity, communication
The proliferation of smart phones such as the iPhone and Droid has led to a rising interest in communication- and connectivity-related...
Fuel for thought: Tips on saving gas
If you're not ready to buy a more fuel-efficient car, you can still save money whatever vehicle you drive.
Click it, even if it doesn't warrant a ticket
Buckling up not nearly as habitual for back seat passengers.
Used car deals: How to drive a bargain
As new cars are sold, used cars enter the market. But over the past few years, new-car sales fell off a cliff, and so did the number of used...
These used cars right for any age
Whether you're just starting out, enjoying your golden years or stuck somewhere in the middle, there's a car here for you.
An about-face on children's car seats
The nation's largest organization of pediatricians is telling its members and parents that children riding in cars should remain in rear-...
How to choose the right car insurance
Americans are overwhelmed by car-insurance ads on a daily basis. Don't worry; choosing your amount of coverage is more important than...
Go low as possible with gas octane
Q: A car dealership told me to use only the recommended octane fuel for my vehicle. They said that using a higher octane level actually...
Gen Y car buyers favor hybrids, demand connectivity
They are young, connected, outspoken, aware. They tend to know what they want, they know how to shop and they account for about one...
Gauging accuracy: How accurate is that gauge?
Whether it's the bathroom scale or the car's gas gauge, we tend to believe what we see. Like it or not.
Bundle up your car to get through winter
These features in your car can make life in snow country a lot easier:
Car-sharing in Chicago
Looking to get around without getting tied into monthly car payments? There are several car-sharing options in Chicago. Here are a few.
Auto burglaries appear to target unlocked doors
A slew of burglaries to vehicles in Wilmette are likely the result of people failing to lock their doors, according to police reports....
Ten things your automaker isn't telling you
You've done your research. You've test-driven the vehicles you're considering. You think you're a well-informed consumer, right?
More for Your Money: Verify savings from hotels' gas, gift card offers
If your family budget is running on fumes, getting free fuel for the car is mighty appealing. But before you book your summer vacation...
Car cam to teen driver: Kid, you're busted
9,000 families have installed video cameras in cars so parents can monitor their children's driving.
2010 crash test safety ratings
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does not test all cars. Like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, IIHS...
Cheapest cars to own
If you're looking to save money with a gas sipping car, don't stop at the sticker price and fuel economy. Other ownership expenses can...
Must-have car supplies: Road-trip essentials
Once you've left home, calling the parents is no longer an auto-emergency option.
Drivers and mechanics charge ahead on unfamiliar electric vehicles
Those electric vehicles popping up in driveways look a lot like their gas-powered cousins. But under the hood, they're different machines,...
New generation of transponder covers hide the ugliness
They go by several names — E-Z Pass, I-Pass, i-Zoom — but the main thing those plastic toll transponders have in common is...
Big, boring and slow cars best for teens
Cars with electronic stability control get the green light from safety analysts.
Ghost in the machine: Plexiglass Pontiac sedan was cutting edge in 1939, and still pretty cool today
Mention concept cars to most people and they think of Buck Rogers' dream machines, like the 1951 Buick Le Sabre, with its rocket nose,...
Roadside services abound for stranded drivers
Most people can remember a time when they ran out of gas or had a flat tire on a busy road and were left wondering what to do. Fortunately,...
Retromobile car fest: Magnifique
Just inside the entrance to the cavernous Paris exhibition hall stood two 1962 Ferrari 250 GTOs, capitalizing on the 50th anniversary of...
Underinflated tires cost 9 cents per gallon
Properly inflated tires can improve fuel efficiency by 3.3 percent, saving consumers 8 cents to 9 cents per gallon at the pump, the...
Save money on fuel, even without a fuel-efficient car
If you're not ready to buy a more fuel-efficient car, you can still save money in a number of ways in whatever vehicle you drive. Cars.com...
Why cars break down: 5 common car failures
Nothing can slow down a road trip like car trouble, and seeing that "check engine" light flash on the dashboard is a surefire way to put the...
Escalades, Corvettes among costliest auto thefts
If you own a Mini Cooper, Toyota Prius or Nissan Murano, breathe easy.
Testing OnStar's add-on kit
With a suite of safety services and technological features, OnStar, an in-car communication system, is quite the incentive for families...
Car gawk: Cruising nights lure collectors and their classic rides
Even though he spends his days as a service adviser for an auto dealer, Chicagoan Jerry Marichal's favorite summer pastime is checking out...
Prices for used fuel-efficient cars and hybrids rise with gas
Just as in past gas spikes, the prices for used compact cars and hybrids are starting to rise quickly, according to auto information company...
What factors determine my car insurance bill?
Calculating an insurance bill involves many factors and knowing what they are could help you avoid costly rates. Your age, driving record,...
Debunking myths fueled at the gas pump
The next time you fill up at the pump, you'll want to make sure that you don't fall for these myths. Save money, time and pointless...
Where have all the 80s gone?
There's a missing generation in American car collecting, people who came of age between 1974-1990. Collectors of cars from that period are...
Choosing the right child safety seat
Forward-facing convertible seat. Rear-facing infant-safety seat. High-back booster seat. These are just a few of the many child-safety seats...
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TribLocal Auto Mart
Information from local advertisers- Aurora Car Dealership Gartner Hyundai Saab Celebrates 'National Fuel Efficiency Month' 07/30/2012, 6:45 a.m.
- Aurora Car Dealership Gartner Hyundai Saab Celebrates 'National Fuel Efficiency Month' 07/30/2012, 6:45 a.m.
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