Consumer Reports experts help you make the right decisions for your family when buying a car
If you are buying a car, there are several things to consider -- from knowing what youโre paying for to deciding if you should lease or buy. We turned to the experts at Consumer Reports to help you make the right choice for you and your family.
I-TEAM: Jacksonville records 900 catalytic converter thefts in 11 months as thieves steal auto parts at alarming speed
The News4JAX I-TEAM has learned Jacksonville police alone worked 900 cases of catalytic converter theft in the first 11 months of 2022. Many cases involve multiple vehicles at the same address, making the total number of converters stolen greater than 900.
Feeling pinched by car insurance premiums? Here are some ways to save
As inflation drives the cost of everything from groceries, gas and housing higher, many Floridians are looking for ways to save money. With several factors driving the stateโs car insurance premiums to be the highest in the nation, there are ways you can try to cut that cost.
Gas prices are still relatively high: Hereโs how to save on that road trip
Whether youโre trying to plan a safe and affordable road trip before the school year starts or just looking for ways to cool your car without wasting fuel -- we found out everything you need to know from the auto experts at Consumer Reports.
Your bumper stickers may reveal more about you than you realize
They seem innocent; bumper stickers that reveal to passing motorists how many children you have, where they attend school, the sports they play and hobbies your family enjoys, but to a would-be criminal they may signal an opportunity to target your children or your home.
Hyundai announces $5.5B electric vehicle plant in Georgia
Hyundai Motor Group confirmed Friday the company will spend $5.5 billion on a huge electric vehicle plant near Savannah that will employ thousands โ a deal Georgiaโs governor called the largest economic development project in the stateโs history.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/WN3W6QLUG5DYPE6GVSAQ7YQG5I.jpg)
Amelia Island Concours dโElegance still on, but later in 2021
AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. โ The Amelia Island Concours dโElegance is still happening in 2021, but itโs moving closer to summertime. Instead of being held in March, the annual car show that attracts people from around the world is moving to May 20-23. A statement from the Amelia Island Concours reads in part:โAt the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Amelia Island Concours dโElegance Foundation made a promise to put the safety of our spectators, volunteers, entrants, judges, vendors, sponsors, staff and board of directors first. We also set benchmarks that would require us to pause.โThe Concours says moving the date will allow more time for the distribution of coronavirus vaccines, and it hopes that moving the date will increase attendance. Tickets and event packages purchased directly from the Amelia Island Concours dโElegance Foundation will automatically be carried forward to the corresponding events during the week of May 20-23.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/COKDIMIE3JD4POQOY7WSVQPNSM.jpg)
Why you want to buy this London taxi thatโs in Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ The steering wheel is on the wrong side, itโs powered by a sluggish 60 horsepower engine and itโs got dents, scratches and rust. As world famous YouTuber Doug DeMuro -- a role model of mine -- points out in the post on his website Cars and Bids, proceeds from the sale of the London taxi will benefit Spina Bifida of Jacksonville. The winner will also get four tickets to the upcoming Concours dโElegance in Amelia Island. According to Daddy Doug, the taxi was donated to The Amelia Island Concours dโElegance Foundation from a donor in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Just promise me that if you buy it, youโll let me and Richard Nunn take it out for a spin!
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/QABDNLNRAZCA5GUQMDBGX5YT4E.jpg)
Florida to boost electric vehicle charging stations
Ron DeSantis says he cant afford a Tesla, hes all in on adding electric-vehicle charging stations to the states highways. This comes as Floridians and Americans continue to purchase more and more electric vehicles, DeSantis said while at the Turkey Lake Service Plaza in Orlando. EVgo, with the largest network of fast charging stations in the U.S., got three. A total of about $25 million of the states share is supposed to go for charging stations. Last year, the state announced the expansion of privately run charging stations at Florida Turnpike service plazas.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/BLXT2H57QJFEXGI4L2INVI4WDY.jpg)
This advice will make you want to drop whatever youโre doing and drive around the block: โRodents ate my carโ
Even though life, in some ways, has started returning to normal, itโs safe to say that many of us still arenโt driving our cars as often. Whatever the case, Susan Reed, of Kalamazoo, has some advice for you: Take your car out every day, even if itโs just for a quick spin around the block. โRodents ate my car,โ Reed told Zak Rosen, the host and creator of โThe Best Advice Show.โIt wasnโt a cheap repair, either. But youโll definitely want to make sure youโre driving your car at least semi-regularly. โThe Best Advice Showโ is a product of Graham Media Group.
Gas prices expected to again top $2 a gallon
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. With coronavirus-related restrictions lifting and Floridians beginning to travel more, gasoline prices are the most expensive they have been in nine weeks. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Florida is $1.90, up 2 cents from last week and 14 cents from a month ago, according to the AAA auto club. AAA spokesman W. D. Williams said he expects prices will top $2 a gallon in the next week or two. We all know that as the demand increases, the prices are going to increase as well.Gas prices are still down 70 cents a gallon from a year ago. The bottom of gasoline prices are behind us, and we are going to see continued increases coming up in the future, Williams said.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/WL27WB2NVJCN3IPYE54IYVZBXY.jpg)
My car has been sitting and the battery is dead. Now what?
And what if your car wonโt start because of a dead battery? To revive a dead battery, first make sure each car is in park or neutral -- and turned off. Then, connect one end of the cable to the positive terminal of the donor battery, and then connect the other end to the positive terminal of the dead battery. Let the dead battery charge for a few minutes, and then turn the ignition on the vehicle of the dead battery to see if it starts. This only applies if you:a) Have someone to take you to a repair shop or the store right away to buy a new battery.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/L3THIIRKHBC2FNXA3OLD7XM32Y.jpg)
Donโt ignore your vehicle! 5 ways to prevent auto troubles as your car sits idle
Here are five tips to avoid problems that can come up with sitting vehicles:Make sure to run your car every once in a while. But just in case a car isnโt being used or a two-car household has turned into a one-car household where the other vehicle is just sitting idle, running the car is still vital. Gas does degrade over time, and in some cases, it will go bad in less than two months if a car remains idle. In addition to running the car, treating it with fuel stabilizer can extend the life of your carโs gas. If the gas already is bad, there are ways to remove the bad gas from the tank, according to itstillruns.com.
This 1900s popcorn wagon costs more than your dadโs Porsche
AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. โ Itโs a question Iโve asked myself numerous times: Do I go with the new 718 Cayman, or do I really splurge and drop some serious coin on that horse-drawn popcorn wagon Iโve always wanted? Maybe youโd rather drop upwards of $60K on a prime example of a Cretors Model D Popcorn Wagon from the 1900s. If option B is more of your thing, youโll find one on the auction block Saturday at the RM Sothebyโs auction during the Amelia Island Concours dโElegance. READ: Car owned by Prohibition-era gangster could fetch $2M at Amelia Island ConcoursPhoto: RM Sotheby'sAccording to the auction listing, the consignor bought the wagon unrestored in California back in 2005. About the 2020 Concours dโEleganceRoger Penske, the founder and chairman of Penske Corporation, will be honored at the 2020 Amelia Island Concours.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/BQFEFJRAIBAU3HA24K5F75QQH4.jpg)
Car owned by Prohibition-era gangster could fetch $2M at Amelia Island Concours
The auction house calls it โa mobsterโs ride.โAccording to RM, this particular example was owned by the infamous underworld figure John โJake the Barberโ Factor. Half brother of cosmetics magnate Max Factor, โJake the Barberโ took his nickname from his early training in hair care. The auction listing says โJake the Barberโ ran a stock scam in England that netted him $8 million back in the 1920s. RM says the car was originally sold through Wide World of Cars in Spring Valley, New York. About the 2020 Concours dโEleganceRoger Penske, the founder and chairman of Penske Corporation, will be honored at the 2020 Amelia Island Concours.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/F7AXHQ5OLJCGFJQ5JP7OS2C6DA.jpg)
Museum filled with historic race and collector cars opens in Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ A museum filled with more than three dozen iconic race and collector cars opened Monday afternoon in Jacksonville. The Brumos Collectionโs 35,000-square-foot interactive museum on San Pablo Road South gives a look at racing and automotive history. 1923 Miller 122 Grand Prix: Driven by Bugatti racer Count Louis Zborowski, this is considered one of the most complete surviving Millers. 1972 Porsche 917-10: A Can-Am Racer powered by a twin-turbocharged engine thatโs capable of 200-plus mph speeds at 1100 horsepower. 1979 Porsche 935: The final evolution of the legendary 911 Carrera as introduced by Brumos Racing in 1973, it boasts a 700-plus horsepower, twin-turbo racer capable of speeds exceeding 200 mph.