The future of the automobile over the next few years is going to be very exciting, or even unbelievable.   Who would think we will have driverless taxi cabs in the next two years? (Or so says the news; let’s hope this is not fake news.)    As electronics, computers and great designs get more refined and smarter, running at incredible speeds at lower cost, they will dominate the automotive world.   Electronics and motors are so very dependable now, cars are chock-full of them. I still remember the cars of the ‘60s: “Don’t get the option of power windows because it is just one more thing to break.   That is not the case anymore; just about all cars in the U.S. have power windows.    Advanced electronics give cars autopilot capabilities.   Electric motors have landed in electric vehicles, including the Tesla, BMWi3, Fiat 500e, Ford Focus electric, Kia Soul EV, Mercedes B250e, VW e-Gu ... read more

If you read my column often, you will know I’m a gadget person.  My home is very automated, turning on and off lights with motion detectors and timers, setting the heat, controlling bathroom floor heat with inputs such as outside/inside temps, time of day and motion in the home. My shades also go up and down on time and temp.  It’s makes my home friendly and inviting. It’s fun to figure it out, wire it and then program it. It’s like a crossword puzzle for a nerd. A modern vehicle is so complex now, the most complex item that folks own. Some of the more complex vehicles have more lines of programing code then the newer Boeing 787 or Dreamliner! I have just bought a 2018 vehicle with more “bells and whistles” than any other vehicle I have ever bought. Nice things like heated seats and steering wheel! Oh, so nice in this cold weather. Keyless entry and start, no more digging around in pocket or purse to find your key,  love it. Automati ... read more

Your vehicle is one of the most expensive objects you own and it loses value every year. Vehicles just about always fall in value as you “use” them for your day to day travels. To call them an investment would be a poor choice of words unless you calculated time saving.  A vehicle gets you to your destination quickly, saving your un-renewable asset called time. Over the past 43 years of maintaining vehicles I have my own theory of how to minimize the expenses of owning a car. This theory includes the top three reasons people buy new cars. The first is the same reason you buy new clothes. Your old clothes are not worn out; you just need a new “fashion” statement. The second reason for buying a new car is your old one is worn out, undependable, needs a lot of repair, has too many dents, lack of shine. The third reason is it doesn’t fit your life style anymore, family expanding or contracting, and you need for larger or smaller vehicle. When I buy ... read more