National Motorists Association Blog


5 Cars That Died… And Probably Deserved To

Posted on August 19th, 2010 in , | 2 Comments


Over the past three years, more brands of cars — and specific car models — have been sent to the glue factory than at any time since the early ’30s, in the wake of Great Depression 1.0

Did they deserve to die? You decide!

1) Saturn Sky

Based on GM of Europe — AKA Opel’s — GT, the Sky (and its late lamented Pontiac stablemate, the Solstice) was a stunning car to look at; much more dynamic and stylish than, say, a Mazda Miata.

But unlike the Miata — which was a great car to drive — the Sky and Solstice weren’t.

For one, the engine sounded terrible — like a high-miles economy car four fitted with a cheap aftermarket “fart can” muffler. While other sports car engines sang when revved, the Sky’s cleared its throat like a phlegm-laden old trucker.

Handling was clunky, too.

But the worst offense was the ’69 MGB body integrity. The Sky’s convertible soft top fit poorly and leaked both air andwater, which dribbled down onto the door side panels. It was impossible to hold a conversation without shouting at speeds much above 60 mph. The power window switches were located so far back on these panels it was almost impossible to use them while driving. Ditto the cupholder, which was mounted on the very rear of the center console, making it all-but-unusable while the vehicle was moving. The gas gauge was dime-sized and buried a foot deep in the gauge cluster, making it a guessing game how close you might be to empty.

Verdict:
A pretty car whose comely exterior hid numerous unattractive flaws. Looks alone won’t cut it — and didn’t.

Read the rest of this article »


19 Interesting Driving-Related Legal Rulings From This Year

Posted on August 17th, 2010 in , , , , , | 7 Comments


There are hundreds of motorists-related cases that come through the court system each year, but most never attract the attention of the average motorist. What follows is a collection of interesting legal rulings from this year that you may not have heard about, but could affect you or someone you know.

The list was culled from the archives of TheNewspaper.com, a valuable source of information for drivers across the country. A short summary is included with each ruling and clicking on the title will take you to a more-full featured article.

1) Maryland Attorney General Upholds Right to Video Traffic Stops
Maryland attorney general rules that state police were wrong to charge motorist with felony for recording his traffic stop.

2) Oregon Appeals Court Overturns Car Impound On Driver Property
Cars cannot be seized from the driveway of the owner without a warrant, according to Oregon Court of Appeals.

3) Texas: Court Rules Home Offers No Escape From DUI Arrest
Texas appeals court rules that making it home is not enough to escape a drunk driving charge.

4) Minnesota Appeals Court: Avoiding Police Justifies Traffic Stop
Minnesota Court of Appeals rules that legal driving away from a police officer is suspicious.

5) California Court of Appeal Publishes Red Light Camera Hearsay Decision
California Court of Appeal declines traffic camera company request to depublish Santa Ana appellate decision.

6) Tennessee Court Rules Overturns Turn Signal Traffic Stop
Tennessee Appeals Court rules police must show failing to signal caused a hazard to initiate a traffic stop.

Read the rest of this article »


Maybe Idiot Lights Aren’t So Idiotic…

Posted on August 10th, 2010 in , | 3 Comments


By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist

The other day, our truck overheated because most of the engine coolant seeped out through a leaky hose. But my wife did not notice it immediately. She just happened to glance down at the instrument cluster and saw the temperature gauge needle was pegged at the “H” side of the scale.

Luckily for the truck — and our bank account — she happened to notice this before any damage was done. But it could just as easily have gone the other way (badly) had she not happened to look at the instrument cluster and failed to notice the abnormal gauge reading in time.

This is the problem with gauges: You have to be paying attention to them!

The truth of it is, though, that people sometimes don’t. And that can be very bad news for your car (and your wallet).

Read the rest of this article »


2011 New Car Preview

Posted on August 5th, 2010 in , | No Comments »


By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist

2011′s shaping up to be a pretty good year for cars, even if the economy’s still got a hangover. Here’s a look at what’s on deck. And here’s to hoping we can afford to buy some of ‘em!

1) COMPACTS/ECONOMY CARS

2011 Chevy Cruze (base price $16,275)

Chevy hopes the Cruze will have the Right Stuff to meet segment leaders like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla on equal terms — unlike previous efforts such as the so-so Cobalt (and the downright awful Cavalier).

The Cruze is all-new “premium” compact economy sedan equipped with standout features like 10 (count ‘em) air bags, including a driver’s knee air bag as well as front seat and rear seat side-impact bags, a six-speed manual transmission, air conditioning and 40 mpg highway fuel economy potential — if you choose the ECO version. It comes with low rolling resistance tires and a 1.4 liter turbocharged engine designed for maximum economy with acceptable on-demand acceleration (0-60 in about 9.2 seconds).

The only obvious downsides to this car are its fairly high $16k-ish base price — expensive for the segment — and the fact that at least for now, the Cruze is only available in sedan form while many of its competitors are also available as coupes or hatchback wagons.

But given the features you get (such as standard rear seat side-impact air bags, which aren’t even available as extra cost options in the competition) the price may well be worth paying.

Read the rest of this article »





Free Weekly Email Newsletter

Enter your email address below and click subscribe.


© National Motorists Association