In the first of a series of hangouts we have planned to support our new video series, Ain’t Fuelin’, I chat with special guest Eric Cook, a.k.a. EricTheCarGuy on YouTube. Eric and I run long on a bunch of fuel economy and car maintenance, including: is it worth it to have an engine rebuilt on a car with 200K on the clock and is there a market in refurbishing older fuel efficient cars, like the Honda Civic and Volkswagen TDIs?
2013 Dodge Dart Rallye Review
MPG-o-Matic 2013 Dodge Dart Rallye Review Summary: For many folks, the old Dart wasn’t legendary (Klick and Klack aside). It was a compromise, the little Mopar you bought if you couldn’t afford one of the truly sought-after models, like the Barracuda, Challenger, Road Runner, Charger, or GTX. Be that what it may, today’s Dart is a splendid and affordable sedan, with a chassis that owes its heritage to Alfa Romeo and a power plant swiped from the mighty little Fiat Abarth. With plenty of interior room and top-notch in-cabin technology, the Dart is well worth a look.
How High Will Gas Prices Climb This Time?
Hold onto you wallet. Gas prices have risen consistently over the last month, edging ever upward. Once again, California leads the nation into the abyss, with a state average of $4.203 per gallon, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. While today’s prices are still below the records set last fall, we’ll see those historic numbers eclipsed if the rise is unabated. In all likelihood, it won’t be long until that happens, as prices typically rise into the summer driving season, when demand peaks.
So what’s pushing the roller-coaster up hill this time?
2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI Manual Convertible Review
MPG-o-Matic 2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI Review Summary: If you’ve ever dreamed of a fuel-efficient clean diesel convertible, those dreams just came true. The 2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI is the most fuel-efficient – and only diesel – ragtop offered for sale in the USA today. When equipped with the six-speed manual transmission, it delivers a driving experience unlike anything else on the road. The joy of heavy pedal rapid-fire 3000 RPM shifts coupled with light-footed fuel-stingy glides is positively splendid. While the back seat is tight and the styling is not everyone’s cup of tea, the Beetle TDI delivers competently.
GMC Yukon Gas Mileage: 1992 – 2013
If there was a competition for poster boy for the excess consumption of gasoline, the GMC Yukon would surely be among the finalists. While the hybrid version of the Yukon 1500 may be rated at 20 miles per gallon in the city, the 2500 is rated at half that amount. Nevertheless, the Yukon Hybrid hasn’t found a huge number of buyers. The best solution for the Yukon would be a turbo-diesel engine, but General Motors hasn’t had the gumption to drop a Duramax between the fenders, for whatever reason. A properly geared diesel would likely outshine the Hybrid on the highway. Even better if it ran B20 domestic renewable biodiesel. Fingers crossed we see it soon …
I know some folks say, it’s too big, it uses too much gas
Some folks say it’s too old, and that it goes too fast
But my love is bigger than a Honda, it is bigger than a Subaru
– Bruce Springsteen/Pink Cadillac