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Driving

• Auto Transmissions: How Many Speeds Do You Need?

  Not so long ago, a four-speed automatic transmission was still the norm. Four-speeds began with GM's Hydra-Matic, which debuted for the 1940 Oldsmobile. As more manufacturers adopted automatics... Read More

• Off-Roading 101

  Enamored by the freedom and capability of a 4x4, you went out and bought an SUV. It looks great and holds everything and everybody you'd ever want to share a drive with. Now you've grown restless... Read More

• Snow Then Sand in a New F-150, Part 2

  Two days later I got another call. "Justin, we're doing the weekend out past Gordon's Well. You wanna come?"... Read More

• Snow Then Sand in a New F-150, Part 1

  Some of the best stuff happens on unplanned adventures. Ray called. "Dude, let's go riding this week." He was thinking Snow Summit—in the Big Bear area above San Bernardino. Good snow this... Read More

• More Exploring in the Colorado Mountains

  With a few days in Colorado Springs behind us, several pounds heavier and a little less enamored with turkey, my girlfriend and I scooted west and north on State Route 24 toward Wilkerson Pass. It... Read More

• Big Sky's the Limit

  The Ford F-150 is the world's best selling vehicle with well over 800,000 sales in 2003. As a result, the F-150 accounts for a good part of the profit generated by the world's second largest... Read More

• Life with Unintended Acceleration

  News Item: A woman, who was driving a neighbor's car, crashed into her own house, through the kitchen, out the back, across the yard, through the fence, across the alley and into a ditch. "It... Read More

• Top 10 Driving Tips

  Virtually all Americans think they are "above average" or "average" drivers. (The four percent that are "below average" are everywhere!) Most U.S. males think they should be in NASCAR instead of Tony... Read More

• Hydraulic Hybrid System

  The Environmental Protection Agency is testing a cheaper, simpler hybrid technology it hopes can greatly increase the mpg of American vehicles. The agency has 20 patents on the system and has already... Read More

• AUto NATURAL

  Imagine metal junkyards—the ugly graveyards of rusting cars and trucks—magically transformed into compost centers. The idea of cars being turned into organic matter, although seemingly... Read More

• E85: Flex-Fuel Vehicles

  Nearly five million alternative-fuel vehicles are currently on U.S. roads—and many of their owners don't even know it. Flexible-fuel (flex-fuel) models first appeared in 1991. Since then, each... Read More

• Autotainment

  It's no secret that a premium sound system can enhance any driving experience. A spirited drive gets even better and a boring drive can almost be fun. Cruising anywhere without the benefit of some... Read More

• Living With Your Alternative-Fuel Vehicle

  Back in the 1950s, drivers of tiny imported cars often encountered derisive glares from pilots of domestic V-8 land yachts. A few years ago, the buyer of an alternative-fuel vehicle might have faced... Read More

• Alternative Fuel Glossary

  Alternative fuels have earned plenty of publicity lately. Even so, most unconventional fuel sources and powertrains are in a state of infancy.... Read More

• Scooter Travel

  You have to "have it bad" for motor scooters, according to one website dedicated to the Vespa brand. Vespa, in fact, may be the quintessential example of the scooter one visualizes when thinking of... Read More

• Auto Recalls

  Massive recalls have littered the automotive landscape throughout the summer of 2005. In early September alone, Hyundai recalled a quarter million Elantra sedans with an airbag problem; four million... Read More

• Know Your Car

  From the right seat it was clear that my student in the high-performance driving school was approaching the hairpin corner far too fast. But he braked only lightly. "Brake," I urged. "Brake hard!" I... Read More

• 2WD Vs. 4WD

  If the world of off-roading calls-out to you, and you're ruing the limitations of your two-wheel-drive light truck, then read on. While 4x4s are the kings of rock crawling, mud bogging and all other... Read More

• Nanotechnology

  Scientists, using new processes and equipment, are now able to get right down to the molecular level of a material and manipulate the atoms and molecules to make better, stronger or entirely new... Read More

• Getting Carded

  In an age when convenience is king, automakers are working harder than ever to capitalize on potential buyers' lust for new technologies that offer valuable time-savings and increased functionality.... Read More

• Engines of Change

  Over more than a century, the automobile has presented itself as a fascinating microcosm of technological evolution at work, with humble beginnings that embraced bicycle wheels, a tiller to steer,... Read More

• Surviving Winter Roads

  To paraphrase Formula 1 World Champion and Indy winner Emerson Fittipaldi: on snowy and icy roads, bad drivers go too slow where the traction is good, and too fast where there's little grip. Here's... Read More

• Roadside Remedies

  Breakdowns happen to the best of us, even those who scrupulously adhere to their auto maintenance schedules. The best way to survive this sort of trauma is to stay calm; the best way to stay calm is... Read More

• College and Auto Insurance

  While you are packing extra long sheets, the right laptop, and other electronics for your college-bound freshman, add auto insurance to your checklist. Whether your student is taking one of the... Read More

• Giving Teens a Driving Edge

  The usual driver's education course doesn't prepare teens for dangerous situations, where their skills and the vehicle are on the edge of disaster like an out-of-control car that doesn't respond to... Read More

• Weird Science

  In the film "Back to the Future," Doc popped the hood of his time-traveling DeLorean and tossed kitchen scraps and beer cans into his gigawatt fusion converter thingamajig. It functioned much like a... Read More

• Automobile Insurance Fraud

  As gas prices continue to soar, the economy barely gets rolling, and all of those great deals we saw over the past few years for buying new cars begin to dwindle, Americans are calculating and... Read More

• Drive Like a Cop

  The FBI says police officers are about as likely to be killed in a vehicle crash as with a criminal's gun. Cops drive in a high-threat, workload-intensive environment: blaring sirens, flashing... Read More

• Automotive Anomalies

  Sport Activity Vehicle. SportCross. Five-door hatchback. Crossover. Sportwagon. Sportback. Outback. What happened to the "good old station wagon?" Gone the way of the dinosaur, my friend. Gone the... Read More

• Teen Driver Survival Tips

  Parents of teenagers: I share your pain.... Read More

• Skid Row

  "Turn in the direction of the skid," said your Driver's Ed teacher. It was bad advice. Unless, that is, he took you to a track or a snowy parking lot and allowed you to develop skill in catching a... Read More

• The Dilemma of Older Drivers

  When should elderly drivers hand in their car keys? That question jumped from a family to a national quandary after an 87-year-old driver plowed into a street market in Santa Monica, CA, killing 10... Read More

• Towing Basics

  Master tow-vehicle drivers appear to have the skill to thread a needle with their trailers. Whether it's a boat, cargo trailer or camper in tow, the trailer seems psychically connected to the... Read More

• Involve Yourself: Become a Better Driver

  There you are, stuck in traffic on the 405 some Friday afternoon. You've spent a fair share of days behind the wheel of a car, and you think, "I'm good. Real good." Rolling into Silverlake adjacent... Read More

• Handling Defined

  A good handling car—you know EXACTLY what that means. So did my grandmother. And I guarantee her definition didn't agree with yours.... Read More

• Saving Gas in a Crunch

  During the last gas crisis in the Persian Gulf in the 1970s, American motorists could only squeeze 15 miles out of a gallon of gas, however, that gallon only cost 38 cents. Today, gas prices have... Read More

• Graduated Licensing

  Sweet sixteen is the most hazardous year in a driver's highway lifetime and giving a lift to teen friends ups the danger exponentially. In the United States, 16 year olds have almost 10 times the... Read More

• Night Driving Success

  An old military adage says that the known enemy is preferable to the obscure one. After all, when you know what you're dealing with, you can formulate a plan for success. The driving experience is... Read More

• Adjusting Mirrors

  Most people don't think twice about adjusting their car's mirrors. If a cursory glance confirms rearward and peripheral vision, the average driver just shifts into gear and goes. However, taking a... Read More

• Aftermarket Parts Vs. OEM Warranties

  Capitalism is rooted in making a buck. Philosophically, the less one pays, the more one keeps. Trying to get a company to part with its money can be frustrating, even if you've parted with yours... Read More

• How to Beat a Traffic Ticket

  If you drive much, it's inevitable that one day you're gonna get nailed. Even if you're not an inveterate speeder or lane-changing fanatic, eventually you'll be caught tuning the radio when you... Read More

• Resolving Warranty Disputes

  Nobody likes a lemon. The car companies don't want problematic vehicles souring their reputations, especially in these days of the much-publicized customer-satisfaction studies. Following suit,... Read More

• Red Light Cameras

  Depending on whom you ask, running red lights is either a major threat to life as we know it, or not really that big of a deal. That polarized difference of opinion has been brought to a boil by one... Read More

• Driving Cheap

  Driving is a costly business, but most Americans have no practical alternatives. Besides, no other mode of transportation offers the same level of freedom to go where you want, when you want.... Read More

• Wanted: High Tech Technicians

  With an uncertain economy and high unemployment, you'd think young people would be flocking to careers that promise high earnings and job security. Sadly, students are shunning one of the most... Read More

• Virtual Driver's Ed

  Getting a driver's license is the high water mark in a teen's life, but it also marks the deadliest period they will ever spend, statistically, on the highway. How do we ready them for the crowded... Read More

• Gas Octane

  Just as proper building implosion requires big bangs at the right times at the right places, internal-combustion engines rely on controlled explosions. The correct amount of compressed air and fuel... Read More

• Crash! Bang! Boom!

  There were a staggering 6,394,000 car accidents in the United States during 2000. Over 2 million people (about one-third of all accidents) claimed injuries. 37,409 were fatally injured. Even more... Read More

• Winter Driving Tips

  A vehicle's most vital safety feature is its driver. In the winter, vehicular equipment such as four-wheel drive, tire chains, ABS and dual airbags can't always compensate for right-foot incompetence... Read More

• The Mature Driver

  The boomers are heading over the hill into retirement. The graying of the American motorist is prompting changes in roadway and vehicle design as well as driver licensing. By 2030, nearly 70 million... Read More

• Auto Recalls: Fixing the Problem

  If you find out about a safety recall by reading a report in a newspaper or magazine, or on an automotive web site, don't dash right down to the nearest dealership to demand immediate satisfaction.... Read More

• Pothole Tech

  Public Works offices around the country warn motorists that potholes can take bites out of your tires, damage your wheels and even sling your car out of alignment. Every time severe winter cold is... Read More

• Sound and Heat Shield Install

  Everybody appreciates a quiet car and that solid "thunk" you hear when the door slams shut. But there's more to sound insulation than just personal comfort. High levels of noise can also interfere... Read More

• Tire Basics

  Driving to and fro, it's often easy to forget about the most basic of things that make the motoring miracle possible. One of the pivotal innovations in the history of the modern automobile was that... Read More

• Sound Investment

  It's impossible to imagine zipping down the highway without the dulcet tones of Kid Rock, U2, or Keith Urban wafting through the car. To make sure you keep rockin' while you're rollin,' we have a few... Read More

• Snow Tire Sense

  To most folks tires are things that wear out, go flat, or just cost a big pile of money when it comes time to replace them. While all these things are true to a certain extent, the important thing to... Read More

• Tactical Tool Buying

  It's said that behind every great man is a great woman. Well, behind every great mechanic is a great set of tools. A great tool set can help any professional-garage or driveway-amateur mechanic get... Read More

• Synthetic or Conventional Oil?

  Traditional wisdom tells us that a synthetic creation is usually not quite as good as the original it strives to emulate. (The difference between clothing made of polyester versus silk comes to... Read More

• Tow Far, Tow Good: Trailer Tires

  It's obvious that not all tires are created equal. There is great disparity in quality and purpose. Although less understood and appreciated, the same holds true for the tires on your trailer.... Read More

• Tire Truths

  Most of us rarely, if ever, think of our tires as long as they hold air. The time they enter our consciousness is usually when they're making the "flubbidy-dubbity" sound, signaling the end of their... Read More

• Lighten Up

  Drive through the countryside on any given night and you'll see a circus of lighting variations. You'll encounter good, old-fashioned stock headlamps with their yellow blur, pinpoint blue-white... Read More

• Tow Far, Tow Good: Trailer Maintenance

  Nothing opens the door to recreational opportunities wider than the lowly trailer, be it for hauling a boat, motorcycle, ATV, horse or whatever your pleasure. Often overlooked and unappreciated, this... Read More

• Tow Far, Tow Good: Handling a Trailer

  In our first installment on towing tips, we covered five basic points on preparing for a trip, from maintenance to practicing various maneuvers. Now we'll go into a bit more detail on the actual... Read More

• Tow Far, Tow Good: Hauling Hints

  Towing a trailer is not as simple as some might think. On the other hand, it's not an overly difficult skill to learn either. The following tips can help to ensure that your towing experience is a... Read More

• Tow Far, Tow Good: Prep Time

  Even if you've never been a big fan of Willie Nelson, the words of one of his songs probably ring in your ears every time you hitch up your trailer and hit the road: "On the road again. Ain't it... Read More

• Tow Far, Tow Good: Get Hitched

  Proper preparation is a key component toward successful trailering, and in a sister article, we covered some basic points about preparing for a trip. With major items taken care of well ahead of... Read More

• Safety Tips for Winter Driving

  Winter weather takes many interesting forms. In Southern California, it brings rain; in Florida, it brings tourists. But in the mountains or above the Mason Dixon Line, it means something entirely... Read More

• Tires: Your Biggest Bang for the Buck

  Except for the driver, tires are the single most important performance component on your car. A tire upgrade will produce the biggest bang for your car-modifying bucks.... Read More

• What Kind of Fuel Am I?

  Many people pick a gas station based on price and/or convenience, probably because they feel that most brands of fuel are pretty much alike. Is that really the case, though? Since your choice of... Read More

• Simple Fuel Mileage Tips

  Gas prices keep rising and falling, usually stabilizing at higher levels. There's not much you can do about that, but there are several easy and inexpensive things you can do to your vehicle to get... Read More

• Winter Tires

  One of the most common motoring misconceptions: Many drivers think that an M+S (mud and snow) rating stamped on their tires' sidewalls assures decent traction in sloppy conditions. Granted,... Read More