America has enough natural gas to last for hundreds of years. It’s plentiful, relatively inexpensive, and burns far more cleanly than coal and petroleum. Until now, compressed natural gas (CNG) has not been popular as a transportation fuel, other than for specific applications such as …continue reading
Tasers as Entertainment at Big League Baseball Games?
There was an unfortunate incident at Citizens Bank Ballpark last night in Philadelphia. An incident that may lead to a strange new form of entertainment at professional baseball games across the country.
In the eighth inning of a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the …continue reading
Hyundai Genesis Coupe Heats up the Pony Car Wars
Back in the day, the Mustangs and Camaros fought off challenges from upstart American cars. In order to do battle properly in the pony car wars, you had to have a V8 engine under the hood. Fewer than eight cylinders didn’t deliver the horsepower or …continue reading
Where is the Remote?
Of all the mysteries of modern life, the frequent disappearance of the remote control provides a disproportionate contribution to family strife.
It always seems to happen at an inopportune moment… immediately before someone’s favorite show, for example. Or when something inappropriate for younger eyes suddenly …continue reading
Would You Drive an Electric SUV?
Among some circles, Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) get the bad rap for contributing to the demise of the planet. Whether you buy into the theory or not, most SUVs tend to use disproportionate amount of gasoline. But what if you could drive a fully-electric SUV? …continue reading
Ford Taurus: Stealthy Cool
Can a Ford Taurus be cool?
Once upon a time, the Taurus was nearly ubiquitous. Year-after-year, the Taurus was the best-selling car in America in the nineties. But a pair of redesigns missed the mark and Taurus sales plunged. America fell out of love with …continue reading
Heated Seats: Option or Necessity?
Does your car have heated seats? If so, how frequently do you use them?
The more vehicles I drive (and I drive a lot of vehicles), the more I’ve come to realize that heated seats are one option that I don’t want to live without. …continue reading
VW Golf TDI: Fuel-Stingy Fun
Want to minimize the amount of time you spend at the service station and maximize your enjoyment behind the wheel? With a 14.5 gallon fuel tank and an EPA rating of 42 miles per gallon (MPG) on the highway, the 2010 Volkswagen Golf …continue reading
Does Your Car Have Bluetooth?
There’s little question that distracted driving causes accidents. Argue if you wish, but cellphone use is a primary factor. The authorities have banned the use of cellphones while driving here in the Garden State … unless the driver uses a hands-free device. The law has …continue reading
What Does it Cost to Heat Your Home?
Home heating costs can be a budget breaker. When I tally up the amount spent on heating oil here at Ranchero Indebto each winter, it makes me wince. We have an oil-fired hot-water boiler with an appetite for pricey fuel oil. The last delivery of …continue reading
Audi A3 TDI: Small Diesel = Big Fun
There’s a common misnomer among Americans that fuel efficient cars are not fun to drive. A recent controversial advertising campaign for the Audi A3 TDI seeks to dispel that myth. The “Green Police” want you to know that while it might be true …continue reading
Human Powered Snowthrower
We’re almost finished digging out from the latest round of Snowmageddon 2010 and we’ve put the shiny new snow shovels to good use. Through the round after round of shoveling, I came to the full realization (new shovels or not) that it’s time to finally …continue reading
2010: The Year of the Electric Car?
2010 is shaping up to be the year that the electric car takes off. Although a lot of folks have been swept up by the promise that electrified transportation holds, only a handful have been able to put a highway-capable electric vehicle in …continue reading
Check out an Auto Show Lately?
A trip to the auto show is one of the high points of the year for car-crazed kids of all ages. There’s no other place where you can see so many new vehicles in one place at one time. Things are changing quickly in the …continue reading
2010 Cadillac SRX: Euro+Tech
Ever picture yourself driving a Cadillac SUV? Something with crisp lines and a European heritage?
Put aside those thoughts of the oversized Escalade; the 2010 Cadillac SRX is half the Escalade’s size and three times as cool… if you enjoy driving, rather than …continue reading
How Much Do You Spend on Coffee Each Day?
I became addicted to coffee at an early age. My first full-time employer provided free coffee to their employees. It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t a perk. It was merely the grease that kept the gears of the giant machine turning.
Once you’ve become addicted to …continue reading
Hybrid Gas Mileage: Does It Add Up?
Does you car deliver the level of fuel economy that you were promised? Does any? There’s been a good bit of controversy whether hybrid gas mileage is all its cracked up to be. A number of disgruntled hybrid owners have even gone so …continue reading
2010 Buick LaCrosse: Gramps Goes High Tech
Ask most folks under the age of fifty or so what they think of the new 2010 Buick LaCrosse, and there’s a mighty good chance they’ll reply that an older relative swore by the brand, back in the day. For better or for …continue reading
Waiting for the White Sales?
What is it about the dead of winter that gets folks out and about and buying bed linens? Why it’s the January White Sale, of course! Legend has it that Philadelphia department store magnet John Wanamaker first coined the term to spur sales during a …continue reading
2010 GMC Terrain & Chevy Equinox SUVs: Downsized or Rightsized?
For many American families, giving up that treasured Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) would be like swearing off apple pie. But change is clearly afoot, with the popularity of the 2010 Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain marking a turning point. Although GM’s …continue reading
Spare Batteries
Of all the things that should be on your holiday shopping list, but aren’t, spare batteries hold a unique quality. If you buy the right type of battery, you can save tons of money over time. Make this the year you stop throwing out money …continue reading
Avoiding Black Friday
The whole Black Friday thing just doesn’t work for me. The thought of waking up in the middle of the night to stand in line at a big box store to purchase someone’s idea of a bargain is painful, at best. Needless to say, I’ll …continue reading
Alt Fuel Hot Rods Rule the World
There’s little question that the fuel we use to power our personal transportation is about to change in a big way. But there’s a wave you don’t hear much about in conventional media. The public’s seemingly overwhelming fascination with electric vehicles is being fed by …continue reading
Dodge Ram 1500: Coil Springs = Comfort
While America’s love for the full-size pickup truck spans decades, there’s always been room for improvement when it came to the ride. Without weight in the bed to compress the traditional leaf springs, pickups can exhibit a choppy ride character. With the new …continue reading
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited: 4 Doors of Open Air Adventure
Need to tackle the toughest 4×4 trails with a full crew and gear? Crave open air off-roading? There’s just one four-wheeler that fills the bill. The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is the only game in town when it comes to topless four-door fun. The …continue reading
Hyundai Elantra Touring: Can a Wagon be Cool?
Some folks don’t want to call the Hyundai Elantra Touring a station wagon … after all, the term station wagon has a stigma. Or had. Once upon a time, station wagons were cool. At some point, a marketeer decided that station wagons were …continue reading
2010 Mustang: Tradition Meets Tech
Spending time in a 2010 Ford Mustang V6 is a bit like going back to the future. Slipping behind the wheel brings back memories of every Mustang you’ve ever ridden in before. For me, those memories are quite vivid. While I’ve never owned …continue reading
Office Soundproofing (Or Lack Thereof)
I woke up this morning to the sound of heavy equipment on my street. From the moment I opened my eyes, I knew that I’d have to rearrange my plans for the day. Recording those voice over tracks would have to wait, as my home …continue reading
2010 Toyota Prius: Larger Engine = More MPGs?
After spending a week reviewing a 2010 Toyota Prius, I’m still shaking my head. The gasoline engine in the 2010 model is larger than the previous year’s model (1.8 liters vs 1.5 liters), yet it’s more fuel efficient. One might think that a …continue reading
