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"New" stuff on your car? It may be older than you think ...

Some of the technologies on your car may seem high-tech, but they've been around for quite a while: anti-lock brakes, airbags, and starter buttons, for example. Find out more in my Sympatico Autos story.

In review: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK 350

I've always liked the GLK, and now it receives a new V6 engine (along with a diesel) that improves the fuel efficiency. Find out more in my Sympatico Autos review.

All about auto platform sharing ...

You may have heard of "platform sharing," but have you ever wondered what it is? I found out ... and it's here in my Driving Force column in Metro.

Strange stuff at the New York Auto Show

A vacuum (which sucks, but doesn't!), a Cadillac at Lincoln, and 007 ... I have a wrap-up of some of the odder stuff at the New York Auto Show in the Toronto Star.

(But this guy wasn't included. This is Log Dog. That's all I know, and that's all I want to know ...)

All about Ed "Big Daddy" Roth

Back in 1987, I had the good fortune to meet Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, famous for his wild custom cars and that little character there, the Rat Fink (that's a key chain I bought from him). He was certainly one of a kind, and you can read all about him in my story over at Sympatico Autos.

What's a boxer engine?

You've probably heard that Subaru has a "boxer" engine, but do you know what it means? Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro.

Look in the distance - it's a Nissan!

Of all the things that designers have to consider when they create a vehicle, I never thought that distance would be one of them - but it's true. Read more about Nissan design Taro Ueda in my Toronto Star story.

In review: 2013 Cadillac XTS

Every so often, a car comes along that's equal parts of wrong and right, and that's the Cadillac XTS. What's wrong with it? Its suspension is way too soft, its steering is too light, and it's just a barge.

What's right? That's exactly what its target audience wants, and it serves them in style. Yes, I'll admit it: I loved driving my big-n-squishy 1976 Buick Park Avenue, and I loved driving the XTS for the same reason. Visit Sympatico Autos to find out more.

You can, but you shouldn't ...

Portholes on a Mazda are bad enough by themselves, but when they look like rubber doorstops...

Do you walk the same way you drive?

When you walk, do you weave all over the sidewalk, slow down to talk on a cell phone, or step out in traffic without looking both ways?

If you do, then maybe you should take another look at the way you drive. But first, check my rant over at Sympatico Autos.

Pet safety: Is your best buddy buckled in?

A huge number of people let their pets roam loose in the car, but it can be extremely dangerous - both to the pet, and to occupants in the vehicle. Buckling in your pet can potentially save lives. Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro!

In review: 2013 Mercedes-Benz B-Class

It's pricey for a hatchback, but it's a reasonable price for a Benz. The last-generation model was practical but a bit underpowered; the new model takes care of that. Read more in my review at Sympatico Autos.

In review: 2013 Volvo S60

Volvo always presents a conundrum for me: the cars are handsome and nice to drive, but I always think they're pricier than they should be. And as it turns out, someone else said the same thing 44 years ago. Find out more in my Sympatico Autos review of the 2013 Volvo S60.

Why does your car crumple in a crash?

Many people think that old cars were better in crashes, because they sustained relatively little damage, whereas new cars just "crumple up like tissue paper." But they're supposed to. Read more in my story in Sympatico Autos on how a car that crumples can help to save your life.

Recall? TSB? What's the difference?

Do you know what they are? And just as importantly, do you know the difference? Find out more in my Sympatico Autos story!

Who killed the electric car? Originally, Cadillac ...

It's somewhat ironic that Cadillac is introducing the ELR, its first electric vehicle, since it was primarily responsible for the demise of battery-powered vehicles in the first place. Find out more in my Toronto Star trivia column!

2014 Chevrolet Impala: All-new and way better

The old Chevy Impala makes a good taxicab or rental car, but really, would you want one in your driveway? You won't say that about the new one, which is a considerable improvement over the last one (which, by the way, will stay in production!). Find out more in my Toronto Star story by clicking here.

Do auto writers hate electric cars?

That was a question posed to me from a reader, who suspected a bias when auto journalists drive and write about alternative vehicles. So I put together a blog piece for Sympatico Autos - click here.

Spring's coming - are you ready?

Your car's had a rough time all winter, so as the weather gets warmer, it's time to show it some love. I have some tips in my Driving Force column in Metro (along with a handsome model for the photo!) - click here.

In review: 2014 Mazda CX-5

The CX-5 was a great idea when it was introduced for 2013 - nimble, practical, roomy - but it suffered from a sluggish engine that put a damper on the whole thing. For 2014, there's a second powertrain choice that makes everything better. Find out more in my Sympatico Autos story by clicking here.

Stop and steer: Why ABS matters

Just about everyone has heard about anti-lock brakes, or ABS, but do you know exactly why cars use this system? Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

In review: 2014 Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester has been redesigned for 2014, including a new turbo engine and improved transmission choices. I went out to Vancouver Island to drive it, and came back very impressed with it overall. Find out more at Sympatico Autos by clicking here.

What's cool? Hot rods!

Nosing, decking, striping, and even flamethrowers - there's a lot you can do to a hot rod to make it cool. Find out more in my slide show over at Sympatico Autos by clicking here.

No rain-sensing wipers - hooray!

Mazda has the greatest thing going. It has rain-sensing wipers. I hate rain-sensing wipers. But if I go into the touch-screen and check out the vehicle settings, I can switch them from the awful type to the gold standard of variable intermittent. How cool is that? Cool enough that I said so at Sympatico Autos - click here!

In review: 2014 Mazda6

Hard to believe that I was driving a 2014 during the second month of 2013 (why not just bring out the 2017s and be done with it?), but I sure enjoyed the trip ... the Mazda6 is a really nice makeover. Read all about it in my Sympatico Autos review by clicking here.

Thanks a lot, Bruce Springsteen ...

The Boss will never know all the trouble he caused with a single song, namely "Pink Cadillac." When it's the biggest hit in the universe, don't get stuck with a real pink Cadillac that won't run. Find out more in my Sympatico Autos story by clicking here!

The guy who brings your truck to market ...

I had the opportunity to interview Michael Cairns, head of engineering for Chrysler's Ram Truck division, and discovered there's a lot involved in bringing a truck to market. Find out more in my Toronto Star story by clicking here.

Tiny last rides!

Brooklin Models, which already makes some exquisite antique car models, is now producing a line of cars that fascinate me - hearses and ambulances. Find out more in my Toronto Star story by clicking here.

When you're driving ... here's what NOT to do!

I caught this ad for the Honda Accord on television today. It looks like everyone's staying safe and sound when the car detects another vehicle stopped in front of it ... but wait a minute. What on earth are these people doing?

First of all, when he thinks he's going to hit the car in front of him, the driver takes his right hand off the wheel and puts it in front of his wife. My mother used to do this with me, back in the 1960s, when none of us wore a seatbelt, and dashboards were solid metal (not that it would have helped...). Today? Dumb, dumb, dumb. He has no steering control if he has to make an evasive move, and his hand is now in the way of the airbag ...

But that's a moot point, because when she thinks they're going to crash, his wife puts her hand on the dash. Yes, on the airbag. Which, if the cars do collide, will deploy at some 300 km/h, breaking her hand, her wrist, and possibly her elbow, and slamming her hand back into her face, where it will do even more damage.

What was Honda thinking? Didn't anyone check this over before it went out? 

Distracted driving: Teens think it's dangerous

A recent poll found that if anything's going to stop young drivers from driving while distracted, it's because it's dangerous, not because they could get a ticket. Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Fuel consumption labels: Which one do you like?

Natural Resources Canada is redesigning the EnerGuide labels for new cars -- the ones that show fuel consumption, along with CO2 emissions and estimated fuel costs and savings over the coming years.

There will also be new ones for electric vehicles, and for hybrids with plug-in capability. The government's asking your opinion on the designs you like best, so head over to the website and vote for your favourite.

A first look at the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The big news for 2014 is the return of a diesel, and it's a sweetie: a 3.0-litre provided by Fiat. The major issue with it will be is that it's only in the top lines, and these models get really pricey. Find out more in my Toronto Star story by clicking here.

Who was Von Dutch?

Despite all the T-shirts and hats that made the rounds a few years ago with the Von Dutch logo on them, he wasn't a clothing designer, or a motorcycle company, or any of the other things that those wearing the clothes might have thought.

Instead, he was a pinstriper, and perhaps the one who really made this style of custom car adornment fashionable. He was immensely talented, but he was also a tormented and difficult man. Read more about him in my Sympatico Autos story by clicking here.

Tips for off-road driving

Most trucks and SUVs never leave the pavement, but if you have one with four-wheel capability, you're probably itching to take it out into the wild blue yonder. I have some tips for beginners at Sympatico Autos - click here!

Going racing ... in a Jeep!

I was going through some boxes of photos and came across this oldie-but-goodie. It will probably surprise most of my friends who know that I don't care for racing (unless horses and jockeys are involved), but I drove in the inaugural Targa Newfoundland road rally in 2002, along with Sylvie Rainville.

We were in the Trial division, and what a time we had. There were some growing pains in the event, and possibly the first was that since no one knew what was going to happen, we were sent to a car race with an SUV. No matter; in fact, after one particularly challenging stage, we proudly overheard someone tell his friend that "I never knew a Jeep could go that f***ing fast!" And we also had a few times when we were sent away from the other racers, and even stopped in the middle of a stage, because the marshalls all drove Jeeps and some people thought we were just officials, not driving participants.

We ended up finishing second in our division, and that's mostly because a storm kept many of us (our team included) from arriving in time for the orientation meetings. When another team complained that they didn't understand the rules, their penalty points were wiped out, and we slipped out of first place.

It was cold, it was wet, it was long days and little sleep, but it was the experience of a lifetime. I've been back to Newfoundland twice since then for vacations, because I just fell in love with the place. What a time it was indeed.

Locked liftgate? Kick it open!

That's the deal behind Ford's hands-free power liftgate, which opens or closes automatically when you have the key in your pocket, and you kick your foot under the bumper. Read how it works in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Whose bright idea was THAT?

When the folks who create automobiles get together and come up with new ideas, some of them are good ... and some of them, well, aren't. I've assembled a list of "bright ideas" that really didn't work out the way the automakers intended. Find out more at Sympatico Autos by clicking here.

All about Stanley Steamers, BMW's prop, and rationed gas ...

How's that for a title that encompasses everything? It's my trivia column in the Toronto Star, which sheds some light on all of those things...click here to see!

In review: 2013 Chevrolet Trax

It's small, it's cute, and while some of its competitors are better vehicles, I still like the Trax on its own merit -- well, all except for a seriously awful method of controlling the stereo. Read more in my Sympatico Autos review by clicking here.

Hyundai eye-tracking: Who needs buttons and knobs?

Hyundai recently rolled out its HCD-14 concept, but the big news was inside. The car has no conventional centre stack. Rather, it uses a system that includes eye tracking and 3D hand gestures to operate such things as the radio or climate system. Learn more in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Timing belt or timing chain? Which do you have?

Most manufacturers have moved away from timing belts, but if your car is older, that might be what's lurking inside your engine. If it is, you'll need to follow your maintenance schedule, to be sure it doesn't break and leave you stranded ... or worse. Find out more in my Sympatico Autos story by clicking here.

How do you build a Porsche? With a pencil!

I was interviewing Porsche designer Michael Mauer last year for a story on his auto designs, when he happened to mention that he prefers to sketch with a pencil.

Up went my ears, because I'm a contributor to Pen World magazine, a publication for crazy pen collectors like me. So I spoke with him a second time, primarily about how he uses pencils to create his work. And now, I've got a story about pencils, including Mauer, in the February edition of the magazine ... click here!

All about auto depreciation ...

As soon as you drive your car off the lot, it loses some of its value. But you can use depreciation to your advantage if you're buying a used vehicle, especially if you do your homework. Find out more in my Sympatico Autos story by clicking here.

Older car with low mileage: Good deal, or trouble in the making?

Many people think they've hit the jackpot if they find an older vehicle that has really low mileage. But while that can be a good thing, it isn't necessarily so. Find out why in my Sympatico Autos story by clicking here.

What is badge engineering? And should it matter to you?

"Badge engineering" is when a manufacturer makes a vehicle - such as, say, a Dodge Grand Caravan - and changes the trim and features to make another model out of it, such as the Volkswagen Routan pictured here. So what does it mean to you as a car buyer? Find out more in my Sympatico Autos story by clicking here.

Cars are getting better ... yes, really!

I love my old cars, but I never fool myself into thinking that automakers haven't made great strides. I very seldom see cars overheating on the side of the road ... in fact, unless they obviously haven't seen any maintenance in the last ten years, I very seldom see any cars stranded on the side of the road.

Find out my thoughts on the matter over at Sympatico Autos ... click here!

In review: 2013 Dodge Journey

I wasn't too impressed with the first generation of the Dodge Journey when it came out, but the remake has turned it into a pretty decent family hauler. Read all about it at Sympatico Autos by clicking here.

Should you buy used car parts?

It depends on a number of factors, including what type of part it is, what's been done to it (if anything), and how old the donor vehicle is that provided it. Find out more in my Sympatico Autos story by clicking here.

I hate car auctions!

Not all of them ... just the chrome-porn ones, where it's all about how many ridiculous dollars someone is willing to pay for a car that really isn't worth all that much, and may never be driven again because it's just too "valuable." The rant's on Sympatico Autos - click here!

What's a VIN? And why should you know?

That long line of numbers and letters on your vehicle ownership, and stashed under your windshield, is your car's fingerprint. You'll need it when you're getting your car repaired, and especially if you suspect there may be a recall on it. Find out more in my Sympatico Autos story by clicking here.