Author Archive

Mar
23
1958 Edsel Ad, Favorite Car Ads: 1958 Edsel

1958 Edsel Ad

The Edsel was no worse, nor much better, than other American cars of its day. The brand’s failure has been attributed to a number of factors, but as an armchair historian, I blame three things: a shock-and-awe launch, confusing marketing, and false hope, that latter point relates to the ad seen here.

Mar
16
Plymouth Voyager III

Plymouth Voyager III Concept

Forgotten Concepts, Forgotten Concepts

This is an installment in a series of posts looking back on show cars that we feel deserved a little more attention than they got. If you have a suggestion for a Forgotten Concept topic, please shoot us a line or leave a comment below.

Mar
14
1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse

1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse

When the Mitsubishi Tredia and Cordia compact coupe and sedan came online in the mid Eighties, they were among the first affordable turbocharged cars. Before that there were Saab and Volvo turbos, as well as Mercedes diesels, but those cars were pricey. Sure, there was the Pontiac Sunbird—and a few Buick Skyhawks—fitted with turbocharged engines, but those cars were so failure prone I hesitate to mention them.

Mar
09
Vehicles Selling for the Most Over MSRP

2023 Jeep Wrangler

If you’re old enough, and were paying attention, you may recall that certain automotive paint pigments were hard to come by in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake in Japan. The pigments were sourced from a single factory located near the Fukushima power plant, which also suffered damage as a result of the quake. The paint shortage affected mostly black and red hues.

Mar
07
Electric meter and level 2 charger, How Much Does it Cost to Charge an EV?

How much does it cost to charge an EV? Read on…

How much does it cost to own an electric vehicle? Sadly, it’s too early to say. Variables including long-term maintenance costs—which should be very low—and resale value are still unknowns. But, there are some expenses we can estimate with a degree of precision, including charging costs.

Mar
06
2023 Toyota Prius

Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

Whether you drive a car, need a car, or just occasionally bum a ride with friends, you’ve come to the right place. Join Jill and Tom as they break down everything that’s going on in the auto world. New-car reviews, shopping tips, driving green, electric cars, classic cars, and plenty of great guests. This is the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast.

Mar
01
A Wonderful New World of Ford, Favorite Car Ads: 1960 Ford

Favorite Car Ads: 1960 Ford

Man, they don’t make commercials like this anymore. Nor do carmakers spend money heralding the arrival of their new-model year offerings. We live in the era of target marketing and micro ads. The odds of consumers today being exposed to ads for products they might not want—or cannot afford—are relatively low. Modern advertisers know who we are, and they know where we live.

Mar
01

Road Trip Safety Checklist

 

You’re right. No one does this stuff anymore. No one walks around their car and checks stuff out before hitting the road. Cars and crossovers have gotten so reliable that the odds of a serious breakdown occurring during your 1500-mile vacation drive are very low. Still, bad stuff does occasionally, though rarely, happen.

Feb
24

Fat Cars Die Young

We’re talking about 350 pounds here. That’s the difference in weight between a new 1966 Volvo and a same-year Dodge Coronet—the latter depicted here as having “died young.” The text in this ad is interesting, and makes a good case that American cars of the era were simply larger and heavier than consumers really needed them to be.

Feb
21
1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Convertible

1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Convertible

When I think Cutlass, I think of the 1984 Cutlass Supreme seen below. The near-premium personal-luxury coupe was almost absurdly popular in its day, and was usually the best-selling car in the Chicago area every year.