Used car value

Automakers make over large cars for young buyers 05-07-2012
For decades, Americans embraced the full-size car. It was the heart of the new car market.

Making vehicles right is mantra for Marchionne's Chrysler 05-07-2012
If the 2013 Dodge Dart succeeds — and based on its price, fuel economy and features, it should — some credit should go to a meeting that took place before the new compact sedan was even in development.

Motoring Q&A: Synthetic oil a good choice 05-07-2012
QUESTION: I purchased a new 2012 V-6 Ford Escape. The vehicle is just over halfway to the 5,000-mile oil and filter change recommended by the dealer and owner’s manual. 

Mercedes SLK350 finally cleans up its act 05-07-2012
I don’t feel particularly poetic when I test-drive a car.

SkyActiv, whatever that is, adds zing to Mazda3 05-07-2012
The first couple of times I heard of Mazda’s new SkyActiv powertrain system, I shook my head. Did he say "sky active"?

Ford Flex fit to hold multiple generations 05-07-2012
Ford’s big crossover, the seven-passenger Flex, gets a makeover for 2013, including a new base engine that has more power, yet slightly better fuel economy, the automaker says.

Dodge loads Dart compact with features 05-07-2012
NEW ORLEANS — Chrysler threw in some of what Louisiana natives call lagniappe to sweeten the deal and get customers to try the automaker’s first compact sedan in years, the 2013 Dodge Dart.

Motoring Q&A: Overheating has several possible causes 04-30-2012
QUESTION: My daughter drives a 1998 Dodge Stratus ES with more than 120,000 miles.

Jaguar XF's feel validates 'alive' allusion 04-30-2012
Current Jaguar ads use the phrase "As Alive as You Are" and refer to the "growl" of the engine as one of their cars’ main attractions.

Under the Hood: Intermittent issues discomfit drivers 04-30-2012
QUESTION: I have an enigma that even the auto dealer can’t fix. My 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee goes out with no problem at all.

Abarth adds racy edge to Fiat 04-30-2012
Tempestuous Italians make great spaghetti and high-stepping, heartbreaking cars.

M2012 Buick Verano a breath of fresh air 04-30-2012
Most of us pride ourselves on being open-minded, able to accept a new experience without prejudice.

BMW 528i xDrive hits home run but auto-stop strikes out 04-30-2012
BMW bats .500 with the new fuel-saving technologies in its 2012 528i xDrive sport sedan.

Toyota Prius C poised to meet high-mileage demand 04-23-2012
With just about any new consumer product, being in the right place at the right time often can mean the difference between success and failure.

Before tapes and CDs, there was Highway Hi-Fi 04-23-2012
Saturday is Record Store Day, meant to celebrate the glory of independent record stores, which have suffered as music has grown more portable, especially in the car, where eight-tracks, cassette tapes, CDs and now iTunes have displaced the radio as the main source of entertainment.

The last engine you'd expect could change auto industry 04-23-2012
There’s a new class of super-engine on the road, and it’s not what you expect.

Motoring Q&A: Mileage emphasis 
is a good used-car strategy 04-23-2012
QUESTION: My sister is looking for a 2004 or 2005 Toyota RAV4, but she will not look at one with more than 40,000 miles.

Hyundai Azera steps into large-sedan ring 04-23-2012
In a quiet, forgotten corner of the automotive landscape, there is a segment of vehicle called the large sedan. 

Under the Hood: Finicky starter 
can be coaxed back to reliability 04-23-2012
QUESTION: I just bought a 1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille, in mint condition, with only 69.873 miles on it.

Fiat 500 Abarth brings sizzle to street 04-23-2012
There’s plenty to criticize about the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth, but the little Italian runabout is irresistible.

Tomorrow's taxi? I'll take yesterday's Crown Vic 04-16-2012
The New York International Auto Show, which runs through this weekend at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, is held in a city that has, as a Toyota executive put it, "12,000 taxis and 800 miles of subway track."

Foreign automakers offer peek at pipeline 04-16-2012
You may have missed some hot news about upcoming vehicles. Most of the attention on the New York International Auto Show focused on Detroit-born models like the Chevrolet Impala, Lincoln MKZ and SRT Viper, but foreign-based brands served up some tasty morsels.

Nissan Juke lovable in spite of looks 04-16-2012
You might call Nissan’s newest trucklet, the 2012 Nissan Juke, ugly. Or the Nissan Joke.

Motoring Q&A: Short commute 
can mean moisture in your engine 04-16-2012
QUESTION: My daughter has a 1999 Volkswagen Jetta with a 2.0-liter engine and 108,000 miles. 

CX-5 shows Mazda's philosophy of efficiency 04-16-2012
If there’s an ideal vehicle for every buyer, consider matching Mazda’s 2013 CX-5 with Zeus or better yet, his kids’ baby sitter.

Chevrolet scrimps on gas with Malibu Eco 04-16-2012
Chevrolet’s best-selling car, the midsize Malibu sedan, gets a complete makeover for 2013, and one of the four models has already gone on sale — the fuel-saving Eco version.

Under the Hood: Look to 
emissions system to explain chugging 04-16-2012
QUESTION: I have begun to have a problem with my 2001 Escape with the V-6 engine. 

Honda CR-V has its limits 04-16-2012
"A man’s got to know his limitations." Inspector Harry Callahan, aka Dirty Harry, utters those words before his bad-cop lieutenant incinerates himself at the end of "Magnum Force." Great flick, interesting thought.

Ford Taurus edges into luxury space 04-09-2012
Less than three years after giving its Taurus a complete makeover, Ford Motor Co. for 2013 rolls out a "freshened" version of the iconic large sedan, complete with more high-tech features and better fuel economy.

Great cars that were never built 04-09-2012
The 2012 New York International Auto Show, which wraps up April 15 at the Jacob Javits Center, marks the end of this year’s auto show season.

Turbo, hybrid versions of Porsche 
Panamera S in industry's vanguard 04-09-2012
The 2012 Porsche Panamera S turbo and hybrid are an immersion course in modern powertrain technology and a roadmap to where the whole auto industry is headed.

Save on gas without buying a new car 04-09-2012
You don’t need to change your life — or buy a new car — to save money on gasoline.

Motoring Q&A: Diagnosing a stubborn stalling issue 04-09-2012
QUESTION: I have a 1996 Camry LE with a four-cylinder engine and about 165,000 miles; we’ve owned it since it was new.

Mazda3 has free spirit, but less vim 04-09-2012
Somehow, wacky Jack Nicholson got stuck in my Mazda3.

Under the Hood: Why are electric cars so complex? 04-09-2012
QUESTION: Since we have solar panels on our house and produce more electricity than we use, I am looking for an all-electric car.

Volkswagen Touareg goes up against luxury SUVs 04-02-2012
The 2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI is a fine $52,355 luxury SUV that raises the question: Why on Earth is Volkswagen selling a $52,355 SUV?

Prius C has unexciting ride, thrilling mileage 04-02-2012
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — If you had to describe the Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid in one sentence or phrase, what would you say?

Wait lists a solid indication of hottest cars 04-02-2012
One of the more arcane numbers automotive pundits follow is sales inventory, or how many selling days worth of cars are sitting on dealer lots nationwide.

Motoring Q&A: Elevation can allow for lower octane 04-02-2012
QUESTION: The owner’s manual for my new vehicle recommends gasoline with 87 octane or greater.

Under the Hood: How to wring last miles out of truck 04-02-2012
QUESTION: I bought a 2002 GMC Sierra 2500 HD two years ago at 150,000 miles.