National
Motorists
Association

Maybe Idiot Lights Aren’t So Idiotic…

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 ...

Should You Trade In Your Car Or Sell It Yourself?

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Out with the old, in with the new -- but what to do with your old car? Should you trade it in? Or sell it yourself? There are pros and cons to each approach. Trading-in Most people trade-in ...

The Color Of Trouble?

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Red means stop and green means go -- but what are the colors under the hood of your car trying to tell you to do? Engine Oil Fresh oil looks like honey, light to dark amber and ...

Understanding Vehicle Depreciation

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist When people go car shopping, they tend to focus on the sticker price -- and how to haggle it down. That's important, but don't forget to factor depreciation rates into your new car buying equation. The average ...

How To Cope With Traffic Jams

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Among life's minor tortures, sitting in traffic has to be near the top of the list. Millions of us face this ordeal every morning -- and then again for the trip back home. Is there any escape? Short ...

Which Matters More: Brand Reputation or Warranty Coverage?

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Two of the factors most people consider when shopping for a new car are its overall reputation for quality and reliability (as well as that of the company which built it) and the warranty it comes ...

Things We Do To Our Cars: What’s Worse?

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist What's worse? Under or over-inflating tires? A couple extra psi of air pressure in your tires will result in a harsher ride as well as faster tread wear. Tires inflated significantly above the maximum recommended pressure may also ...

Don’t Believe Everything You Read: 10 Driving Urban Legends

Snopes.com is an invaluable resource for sniffing out urban legends, which have a tendency to take a life of their own when forwarded via email. What follows is a collection of urban legends compiled from the Snopes archives. If one ...

The Car Shopping Checklist

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist The main thing about buying a new car is not the stress (that will pass) but avoiding a rip-off or just not getting the best deal possible (which you'll have to live with if you don't.) Here ...

Sticking Gas Pedals: Not Just Toyota Affected

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Sticking gas pedals are not unique to Toyota vehicles. The main problem Toyota owners are dealing with -- loose or out of adjustment floor mats that jam the gas pedal down -- can happen with other ...