Halloween is one of the most likely days of the year for your car to be vandalized. Trick-or treaters will ply our streets for candy. A very small percentage may also have some random mischief in mind. Here’s what to do if your car is targeted.
Car Doctor Q&A: Can’t Get the Bra Off
This isn’t what you’re thinking. Read on. Q. When I purchased my 2010 Malibu LTZ, I paid the dealer to have a protective plastic film [Ed. Known in the industry as a “car bra”] installed on the hood, as well as the side mirrors and front bumper. Unfortunately, now that the car is almost 10 […]
SAFETY: Were Headrests Really Designed To Break Windows?
A Facebook image is circulating suggesting that headrests were designed to be removable so that the metal adjustment rods can be used as a glass-breaking tool. Truth or fiction?
Car Doctor Q&A: Why is My 1984 Chevrolet Celebrity Hard to Start?
John Paul answers a question from the olden days, when your phone hung on the wall and you had to walk 18 feet across carpet just to change the channel.
BUYER’S GUIDE: 10 Things To Look For When Test Driving A New Car
According to DealerRater, the car buying public is basically ignoring the opportunity to test drive cars now. “55 percent of car buying consumers only test drive one car before they make the decision to buy. Another 22 percent drive just two — essentially equaling the entire population of consumers that test drive three or more,” […]
How Serious Is Filling Your Car With Diesel Fuel? We Talk to the Experts
The Brockton Enterprise reports that a fuel supplier inadvertently filled an underground gas tank with diesel fuel, rendering dozens of cars in town inoperable. We talked to AAA Car Doctor John Paul and Car Talk about the issue to learn what you can do if it happens.
BUYER’S GUIDE: When Should You Stop Repairing and Buy New?
It’s a question we never stop getting: “My mechanic tells me my car needs $3,400 worth of repairs. Should I do it, or think about buying a new car?” This might help make your decision easier.
BUYER’S GUIDE: When Does It Make Sense to Buy an Extended Warranty?
You’re just buying a new — or new-to-you — car. Why are you worried about it breaking down now? Because mechanical failures in modern cars can be insanely expensive.
Car Doctor Q&A: That Smoking Good Deal is Smoking for a Reason
Sometimes a good deal is a pretty bad deal in the long run, like this ’07 Navigator that’s throwing a lot of scary sounding codes. Q. I recently purchased a 2007 Lincoln Navigator in what I thought was in really good shape at a smoking good deal. The after having it for a bit, engine […]