Compact pickup trucks are among the top choices for those in the market for a versatile vehicle. Why? Because, for those that need a decent work truck, they can carry and tow loads. They provide interior space and comfort for long rides with multiple passengers. And, for the rugged and adventurous of heart, they can handle almost any on or off-road conditions.

The Chevy Colorado is a compact pickup that is among the most reasonable in its class for hauling capability, economic price, comfort, and best gas mileage. This makes it particularly appealing to buyers in the market for a new truck.     (more…)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking the maximum civil penalty of $16.375 million against Toyota Motor Corporation for failing to notify the auto safety agency of the dangerous “sticky pedal” defect for at least four months, despite knowing of the potential risk to consumers. Approximately 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. were recalled in late January for the sticky pedal defect. The penalty being sought against Toyota would be the largest civil penalty ever assessed against an auto manufacturer by NHTSA.

Auto manufacturers are legally obligated to notify NHTSA within five business days if they determine that a safety defect exists. NHTSA learned through documents obtained from Toyota that the company knew of the sticky pedal defect since at least September 29, 2009. That day, Toyota issued repair procedures to their distributors in 31 European countries and Canada to address complaints of sticky accelerator pedals, sudden increases in engine RPM, and sudden vehicle acceleration. The documents also show that Toyota was aware that consumers in the United States were experiencing the same problems. (more…)

This Year’s (2009) IIHS Booster Seat Evaluation

The Insurance Institute For Highway Safety has made an evaluation for this year’s round of booster seats. This is very good for you parents with children from 4-8 years old. Why you might ask? They may have grown out of their car seat but that does not necessarily mean they are ready to go to a straight seat belt.

While seatbelt work great for full-grown adults they are not meant for anyone under 4’ 9” and your 4 year probably isn’t quite there yet. So what do you do then? Use a booster seat. Now if you are looking to give your kid the best safety possible, which I’m guessing you are because you are buying a booster seat in the first place and reading this article, You need to search carefully for the proper booster seat for your child. Not all of them do quite as good of a job as the manufacturers would like you to think they do.

You might say well that’s easy, I’ll just look for the most expensive or a name brand booster seat. Sorry, to tell you that won’t work either. The best rated booster seats range from anywhere from $20-$250 and guess what, so do the booster seats that were given a bad rating. So if price and looks don’t tell you how good a booster seat is, how do you pick a good one. This article will tell you how to pick a booster seat that works best for your child and also show you some of the best rated booster seats. (more…)

I’ve been looking over some of the safety features offered on some of the newest lines of cars. One car that seems to stand out with an innovative list of features is the 2010 Lincoln MKZ. While it may be a little early to start looking for one in the NorCalCars showroom, today’s new cars will soon be tomorrows used cars!

Expect to get a little more kick out of this model than the previous years. A few of the performance features include sport tuned suspension and optional all wheel drive. The improvement in powertrain performance shaves the Lincolns 0-60 mph time down by .6 seconds from 7.7 to 7.1. This boost helped by the Six-Speed “SelectShift” automatic transmission that comes standard.

The new safety features are what have really caught our eye though. Starting with the “BLIS” or Blind Spot Information System. The BLIS uses two multiple beam radar modules behind the rear fender and indicator lights in the outside rear-view mirrors to warn the driver when someone enters into the defined blind spot.

Another feature called the CTA uses the same radar system from the BLIS to (more…)

As we get into the winter months with the possibility of wet, icy, or even heavy snow conditions in the Northern California area, it’s good to take a look at the condition of your tires. For drivers that must drive even in adverse conditions it’s also good to consider the type of tires you have on your vehicle. Here are a few tips for choosing tires in the Northern California area.

Mud and Snow Tires
Tires marked “M + S” (“mud and snow” tires) “MS” or “M/S”, also known as “all-season” tires, provide safe all-weather performance, but may not be suitable in heavy snow. One reason is that these tires tend to stiffen and loose gripping power around 0 Celsius. California vehicle code defines a mud and snow tire as “Snow-tread tire is a tire which has a relatively deep and aggressive tread pattern compared with conventional passenger tread pattern” (section 558). Often tires of this type are sufficient for the lower altitude towns like Redding, unless you plan on heading into the mountains during the storms.

Snow Tires
Tires rated as Snow tires are made of a different formulation of rubber. These are meant to remain softer and will retain traction even in the lower temperatures. The tradeoff is (more…)

Your kid is out of the car seat, so that means it is time to go to a full on seatbelt, right? Well, not really. Regular seat belts are meant for adults and only work properly if the person using it is 4’9” or taller.

You already know your child is too big for the car seat, but he is not big enough for an adult safety belt yet. What’s the solution?

A booster seat.

Okay, you’re all ready to buy a booster seat for your kid. Now all you have to do choose which one to get. You know they can’t all be good, so which one do you choose?

Choosing a Booster Seat 

Fortunately the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has made an in depth study of booster seats. They have determined which booster seats are safe and which booster seats are not so safe.

They have based their study on two very important factors, where the lap belt falls and where the shoulder belt lays. Accurate placement of these two belts is really the booster seat’s whole purpose in life. Where a booster seat places these belts determines whether or not it is a safe booster seat. (more…)