Dan Gray

While folks in more temperate climates might get a break in their utilities bills this time of year, winter comes at great expense for those who live up north. We have four distinct seasons here at Ranchero Indebto, marked by the movement of the programmable thermostat switch: from cool, to off, to heat.
Spring and fall [...]

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 2009 Dodge Ram 1500, the days of compromising ride for the ability [...]

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 stretched version of the iconic Jeep delivers a bounty of interior room, [...]

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 no longer cool. This likely coincided with the development and introduction of [...]

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 a Mustang, I flashed back on three mid-sixties ‘Stangs that were key [...]

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 office has no soundproofing, whatsoever.
For the little guy working in [...]

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 larger displacement would lead to more fuel consumption, rather than less … [...]

Care to share any tips on you keep your home office organized? I’ve been fighting the clutter for eons. It’s a never-ending battle around these parts. Each time I implement a small office organization tactic, it works for a while … but over time, papers and other junk still pile up everywhere there’s open horizontal [...]

After spending a week test-driving the 2010 Honda Insight, I’ve come to a conclusion. If saving money is as (or more) important than saving gasoline, the Honda Insight shines when it comes to overall cost of ownership. While there’s no question that the Toyota Prius gets better mileage, the impact of a five mile per [...]

I get to spend my time in a wide range of vehicles, but I’ve never been in one quite like the Nissan Cube. Make no mistake about it, the Cube produces polarizing feedback. With the Cube still new to American streets, the range of emotions exhibited by passers-by runs the gamut, from one extreme to [...]

Do you drink bottled water? Have you ever taken the time to calculate how much you spend on bottled water in any given month? I can’t put an exact number on it, but I know that it’s been a considerable sum here at Ranchero Indebto.
While there’s no question that bottled water is convenient, the costs [...]

If you want to cruise through life unnoticed, don’t drive the new Camaro.
I knew something was up, just minutes after pulling onto the highway after picking up a 2010 Camaro V6 for testing. The first evidence was a guy in the next lane frantically waving and giving me the thumbs up. I wasn’t sure what [...]

It took AT&T a while to get around to setting an end date for its CallVantage VoIP service.
The mystery is over. A letter arrived in the mail yesterday with the exact date…
All AT&T CallVantage services nationwide will be discontinued on or after October 20th, 2009.
While AT&T’s set the date, they’ve failed to provide a migration [...]

The 2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe marks a beginning and an end. With a limited production run (reports vary from 1100 to 2000), this hardtop version of GM’s two-seat convertible sports car has been granted instant collectible status. Graced with what just might be the most gorgeous roof line and rear end to ever appear [...]

Have you done away with your conventional telephone line? I’m giving it serious consideration here at Ranchero Indebto.
Back in the day, a family had one telephone line… perhaps two, if a “teenager’s line” was added to the bill. And a hefty bill it was. These days, everyone in the family has their own cell phone. [...]

Are you ready for an LCD dashboard display in your car? Last month, I had the opportunity to spend an extra-long weekend with a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. This space-age, yet low-key sedan offers a host of compelling features - including the best gas mileage ratings in its class (along with Microsoft Sync). But the [...]

You’ve seen them scooting around town, but you’ve never quite gotten it. Perhaps you’ve asked yourself, “why would someone want to drive such a tiny little car?”
Until I drove my first MINI a year ago, I never fully understood.
Sure, I’d heard that they’re wickedly fun to drive, that they handle like go-karts, and are quite [...]

I’m (reluctantly) in the market for a new VoIP service plan, as AT&T has announced that it is discontinuing its CallVantage VoIP operation. Although I’ve been a relatively happy CallVantage subscriber for five years, it came as no surprise when AT&T’s email announcing the impending discontinuation of service quietly landed in my inbox a few [...]

Over the course of the last year, I’ve had the opportunity to spend a total of three weeks with two Toyota Yaris and one Prius. After spending seven days with a 2009 Yaris five-door last month, I’ve come to the conclusion that when it comes down to pure dollars and cents, Y > P.
I’ve been [...]

Confession time: until earlier this spring, I’d never driven a Cadillac.  I had a picture in my mind of how a Cadillac would handle, how I’d feel behind the wheel, and how much gas it would use. After spending a week with a 2009 Cadillac CTS earlier this spring, I have quite a different opinion.
The [...]