Archive for November, 2008:
Average gas prices—November 17, 2008
Average gas prices—November 17, 2008
Gasoline and diesel prices continue to drop from the week before. The national gasoline average is now more than a dollar cents below the price this time last year—$1.03. Diesel fuel is now 60.1 cents below this time last year.
2008 SEMA – Personal Picks
2008 SEMA – Personal Picks
Hiking GPS units – Garmin eTrex Venture HC
Hiking GPS units – Garmin eTrex Venture HC
2008 SEMA - Walking the miles of aisles
2008 SEMA - Walking the miles of aisles
2008 SEMA – GPS Buddy adds two-way interactivity
2008 SEMA – GPS Buddy adds two-way interactivity
2008 SEMA: Cargo Sock protects SUV cargo area
2008 SEMA: Cargo Sock protects SUV cargo area
Get on the stick: Manual transmissions can save gas and money
Get on the stick: Manual transmissions can save gas and money Conventional wisdom says that manual transmissions deliver better gas mileage than an automatic, especially if the majority of your driving is done on highways. A stick shift may also give you improved acceleration (particularly helpful if the car’s got a small engine) and the unquantifiable fun factor (many drivers feel that driving a manual is really driving). But do these old adages still hold true? Consumer Reports purchased and tested numerous vehicles in the past few months in both
manual and automatic form to see. In the subsequent tests, we’ve found
that a stick shift can improve gas mileage by a notable 2 to 5 mpg,
compared with an automatic transmission, and can cut a car’s price by
$800 to $1,200. But there are downsides to driving “old school.” For example, not as many vehicles are still available with a manual; you need some experience to operate a stick shift and clutch smoothly; getting going with a manual transmission on hills can be a challenge (think San Francisco); and driving a manual in city traffic can be a tiring hassle (push the clutch in, let it out…). Depending on the model, a manual may also make it harder to sell your car since many people are intimidated by the aforementioned list of living with a stick-shift car. See the highlights in the accompanying video, and read the larger report, “Save gas and money with a manual transmission.” –Desiree Calamari
Average gas prices—November 10, 2008
Average gas prices—November 10, 2008
Gasoline and diesel prices continue to drop from the week before. The national gasoline average is now 88.7 cents below the price this time last year. Diesel fuel has fallen below $3 / gallon, and it is now 48.1 cents below this time last year. National retail fuel price averages More »
2009 Infiniti M
Infiniti’s mid-size sedan, the M, has been around for quite some time, but it’s still one of our favorite luxury sport sedans. We lived with an M45 for a full year, and not once did it require repairs. Even those in the office who didn’t initially understand the M45’s place in the automotive world came away from the test in awe of how good this Japanese BMW-fighter really is.
Tags: 2009 Infiniti M
2009 Mercedes Benz CLS550
As I drove home in the CLS last night, I couldn’t stop thinking about Jaguar’s XF. The Mercedes has a dramatic presence that the XF is missing. I don’t find the CLS gorgeous - especially the headlights - but it does stand out in the crowd. What a great concept Mercedes has. Build the E-Class for the more traditional Benz buyer and the CLS for the person who wants a bit more style. Unfortunately, the CLS doesn’t drive as well as the Jaguar. The Mercedes V-8 is very strong but the seven-speed automatic is slow to downshift. I also find the air suspension really disconnects the driver from road. It is too floaty and I don’t like constantly having to toggle the suspension switch to try to contain body motions. In the end, I wish the XF was more dramatic like the CLS but that the Mercedes drove as well as the Jaguar.
