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07/08/2009

A down-home show in Perryville
SOUTH KINGSTOWN The Perryville Country Band set the tone for the down-home atmosphere at the fourth annual Perryville Antique Auto Show on Sunday.

Cruise nights
SUNDAYS

Car Talk: Dear old dad’s torque wrenches are still okay
Dear Tom and Ray:

Test Drive: The unsung Audi A4 has what it takes in its class
When will Audi claim its rightful place as one of the world’s great luxury brands?

How cars project personalities of their own
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The butterfly decals on the front bumper, flowers in the dashboard vase and lime-green paint job only confirmed Dennis Slice’s perception of a Volkswagen Beetle parked in a lot at Florida State University.

07/04/2009

Many dirt-track drivers forgo health insurance
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — The last thing short-track driver Tim McCreadie remembers, he was leading in the semifinal qualifier at the Chili Bowl in Tulsa, Okla.

NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees a cross section of the sport’s history
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Stock car racing giants Bill France Sr., Junior Johnson, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt are among the 25 nominees for NASCAR’s first Hall of Fame class.

ON THE CIRCUIT
All Times EDT

2010 Fusion is Ford’s best midsize sedan in decades
I didn’t think Ford could build a midsize sedan this good.

Car Doctor: When storing a car, top off all fluids
Q. I own a 2005 Honda Accord Coupe, standard transmission, with 85,000 miles on it. It’s going to be off the road and garaged for the next three months. I just had the oil changed. Do you have any other maintenance and/or storage tips while it’s stored? I do have someone who can periodically start it up and “drive it around the block” on occasion. Also, do you have any advice on treatment when I begin to drive it again regularly?

‘Cash for Clunkers’ good for buyers and sellers
The Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act of 2009 that President Obama recently signed into law is expected to become effective by the end of the month.

DOT TRAFFIC REPORT
All RIDOT construction and maintenance activities are conducted as weather allows.

07/05/2009

Test Drive: Lexus RX350 still the tops
When Americans were gobbling up sport-utility vehicles, Toyota understood what American car executives understood: that SUV buyers liked the utility and lifestyle that an SUV allows. But Toyota realized something American automakers didn’t: that the closest most buyers get to the brush is running over a bush at the end of the driveway.

Man turns house into an eye-popping Route 66 remake
WOODLAND, Calif. — Mark Reiff lives on an ordinary street in what was an ordinary house — until he bought a 1930s gas station pump at a yard sale.

car calendar
July

Hyundai has another winner with gas-capping deal
SAN FRANCISCO — If this car-selling gig doesn’t work out, executives at Hyundai might want to consider careers in psychology.

Ask DOT: Smithfield Avenue turn lanes; yield markings
Q. I can’t understand why the right-hand lanes on Smithfield Avenue, in both directions, aren’t right-turn-only lanes onto Route 95 south. Smithfield Avenue is virtually a divided street, and there is no cross traffic. The light is only for traffic coming off Route 95 to turn left or right onto Smithfield Avenue. Especially frustrating is crossing the bridge, trying to get on Route 95, and having a car in front of me that could just as easily have been in a left dedicated straight-ahead lane.

With sales in slump, dealer finds niche in vehicle transport
HACKENSACK, N.J. — When Roland Reznik saw his car business slowing, he had another idea.

Tesla CEO says Roadster costs down
NEW YORK (AP) — Tesla’s CEO says that the material cost of the electric car company’s Roadster has fallen to about $80,000.

07/02/2009

Perryville car show is Sunday
There’s quite a party planned on the South Kingstown Land Trust grounds on Saturday.

07/01/2009

Auto Biography:
PROVIDENCE Tres (pronounced Tray) Huber loves his black 2003 Hummer H2.

Cruise calendar
SUNDAYS

Car Talk: Gas-cap theory is a lot of hot air
Dear Tom and Ray:

Test drive: Genesis is the luxury sedan from Korea by Hyundai
The most obvious feature of Hyundai’s new luxury sport sedan, the Genesis, is also its most subtle feature: a lack of identity.

06/27/2009

ON THE CIRCUIT
All Times EDT

F1 teams say they’ll cut costs to prevent defections
BOLOGNA, Italy — Eight leading Formula One teams promised Thursday to slash costs by up to 25 percent in the next two years as part of their accord with the sport’s ruling body to prevent a breakaway series.

Norman Audino Jr. proud of his big, bad bike
GREENVILLE Norman Audino Jr., has a big, bad bike.

Take us for a ride
When you head out for a weekend drive, where do you go and why? Sunday Drive is a new seasonal feature that invites readers to share their favorite nearby driving destinations. Post photos of what makes the trip worthwhile at projoCars.com. The best-composed pictures will show a person, a car and a sign or landmark. It’s easy to post pictures at projoCars.com. Just click on the Sunday Drive slideshow and upload your digital photo. Be sure to include the names of the people in the photo as well as info about your car and favorite destination. Please also include your phone number (not for publication) so we can contact you if your photo is selected for publication in the Sunday projoCars section.

DOT TRAFFIC REPORT
All RIDOT construction and maintenance are conducted as weather allows

Car Doctor: Did engine blow because of a lack of maintenance or a defective part?
Q. The engine blew in our 2001 Kia Optima on Route 95 south while my husband was driving the car. Oil leaked from the car causing a small fire that was attended to by the Warwick Fire Department.

Test Drive: ’09 WRX maintains Subaru’s status as go-to brand for high-performance compacts
Station wagons can freak people out. Like waking up to find a spider walking across your face, the idea of driving a station wagon can trigger immediate, involuntary revulsion.

06/28/2009

Ask the DOT: Traffic light, walk signal timing
Q. Can you tell me how long the walk light should stay on for pedestrians to walk across a highway once the button is pushed to allow for crossing? The South County bike path ending at Route 108 has a button near the sidewalk for folks to push to get a walk signal but once the light goes on it does not allow ample time for a pedestrian to walk across before cars come at them from Route 108. Sometimes the walk signal lights up and the green signal is lit for cars to process out of McArthur Boulevard. As a 78-year-old who has several times had to run across, what can you do?

caR calendar
June

BMW takes a turn toward luxury
Hypnotized by the sea-blue BMW that slipped into my parking space a few weeks ago, I stopped wondering about how fast this test car would go or whether it could stop at all.

Weak economy will zap holiday trips
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Economic instability will trump cheaper gas this July Fourth holiday, with more people choosing to stay home rather than hit the road, according to a survey released Wednesday

VW California Biker is one of the best RVs you can’t buy
THE BLACK FOREST, Germany –– I would like many things. I would like a large four-bedroom ranch home to fall on Jon and Kate. I would like my life to be more like Bollywood. I wish my hair could talk.

How auto retailing works: A primer on an industry under siege
NORFOLK, Va. — Don Hall, president and CEO of the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association, was speaking recently to a politician about the closing of auto dealerships when he realized that the politician had little idea about how the industry works.

Toyota president says product line under review
TOKYO — Akio Toyoda promised a nimbler Toyota that will be more responsive to regional needs in his first public appearance as head of the Japanese automaker his grandfather founded.

‘Clunker Law’ may boost sales by 10%
AutoNation Inc. said the “cash-for-clunkers” law President Barack Obama signed may increase new-vehicle sales at the largest publicly traded U.S. auto retailer by 10 percent through year end.

06/24/2009

Test Drive: Kia Soul may have a comical look, but it’s a serious crossover
Americans already have heartily embraced the extreme boxiness of Toyota’s Scion xB, and now two similar vehicles have joined the xB in the marketplace — the 2010 Kia Soul and Nissan Cube.

Portsmouth Abbey show carries on in rain
PORTSMOUTH The rain held off Sunday for the 53rd Father’s Day Car Show at Portsmouth Abbey, which carried on in festive if subdued and shortened form.

In the Pits: Richard Petty’s team finally gets a win, but problems remain
SONOMA, Calif. — It took eight winless seasons for Richard Petty to realize he was no longer NASCAR’s best driver.

Car Talk: College kid wants to screw coffee cup to roof
Dear Tom and Ray:

Cruise nights
SUNDAYS

06/17/2009

Keith Bailey runs about in a rare beauty
NORTH KINGSTOWN Keith Bailey’s firebrick red 1910 Oakland Model 24 Runabout with black convertible top and brass trim is a delight to the eyes.

06/20/2009

Balise auto plays in the big leagues
WARWICK Balise’s new Toyota Scion building on Post Road is an imposing structure.

DOT TRAFFIC REPORT
All RIDOT construction and maintenance activities are conducted as weather allows

Some dealers are running short of SUVs and trucks
DALLAS — If you’ve got your eye on a new SUV, don’t blink.

Car doctor: Different type of oil could end stalling problem
Q. I have a 1999 Mercury Mystique with 80,000 miles. It runs well and has no problems until I have the oil changed. As soon as I get an oil change, the engine stalls while driving. This stalling will happen sporadically while driving and lasts one to two days. After a couple of days, everything is fine. I am due for an oil change; any suggestions?

Car companies accelerate twitter campaign
Car companies are increasingly using Twitter to inform and engage potential and existing customers. But will the bold new experiment in social media work? And what does it mean for the future of digital marketing?

06/21/2009

AirPod car raises eyebrows as it emits little pollution
NEW YORK — Most car companies are racing to bring electric vehicles to the market. But one startup is skipping the high-tech electronics, making cars whose energy source is pulled literally out of thin air.

Commentary: Let’s hope Detroit isn’t following the British car industry’s taillights
The American auto industry’s reversal of fortune doesn’t seem to have a historical precedent, but it does — in England.

Bailouts are commonplace in the history of auto companies
Name a failing automaker that needed outside help to survive.

ASK projoCars: All Henderson Bridge lanes to open by year’s end
Q. Just wondering how long the Henderson Bridge will be restricted to one lane each way? What is the plan of action for this project? I understand cutting traffic flowing over the bridge if it is weak, but don’t the barriers just sitting there add weight to the bridge?

Car Calendar
Sun., June 21–– Classic Car Show, Pete Sepe Pavilion on Hugh Cole Road, Warren. 1 p.m. Part of St. Mary of the Bay Church festival.

Toyota considers building the Prius in California
Toyota Motor Corp., after shelving plans to build Prius hatchbacks at a factory in Mississippi, is considering making the hybrid at a California plant shared with General Motors, two people familiar with the plan said.

06/17/2009

Use belt and suspenders when parking on a hill
Dear Tom and Ray:

The ideal Fit for moving people and cargo
Does the 2009 Honda Fit look like a great work of art? Well, it depends on what you consider beautiful.

Cruise nights
SUNDAYS

06/13/2009

Car Doctor: Driver seeing red over brake warning light
Q. I have a 2000 Dodge Neon with only 55,000 miles on it. Recently the red brake light started coming on. I checked the brake fluid and discovered that it was low; I filled it with the proper fluid. The light is still coming on and there is an electrical burning smell under the hood. Do you have any idea as to what the problem could be?

DOT TRAFFIC REPORT
All RIDOT construction and maintenance activities are conducted as weather allows

Baime’s book recalls the glory days of racing
A.J. Baime’s new book, Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans, is set in the 1960s but evokes a world that now seems vanished and fantastical. General Motors and Ford, far from bankrupt, are two of the mightiest companies in the world.

The reborn Camaro flexes its muscles
WOONSOCKET To say Jim Newcomb is a Chevy Camaro man is somewhat of an understatement.

Peugeot challenges Audi in 24-hour Le Mans
PARIS — Peugeot stands in the way of Audi’s bid for a sixth straight victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Infiniti FX50: A space-age SUV without much space
Infiniti needs to launch a space program. The brand’s alien-looking 2009 FX50 sport SUV blasts off with a 390-horsepower V-8 and seven-speed automatic to kick it into hyperdrive, but its passenger compartment is the final frontier.

Formula One announces three new teams for 2010
PARIS — Formula One will feature three new teams in the 2010 season, including one from the United States.

Auto Racing Glance
All Times EDT

Even fender-benders are expensive on some mini cars
WASHINGTON — Even a fender-bender in a fuel-efficient mini car can lead to thousands of dollars worth of repairs, the insurance industry found in new crash tests.

06/14/2009

Test Drive: Jaguar’s ferocious new cat
The players in the super-sedan market have much in common –– gorgeous exteriors, heroic wheels and tires, state-of-the-art-electronics, and more cowhide and horseflesh than the back lot of the old Republic Pictures.

Don’t let back pain drive you crazy
As a therapist who provides home care, I spend large portions of my day driving. Many endure long commutes for work and thousands will take to the road this summer for vacations. Research shows that people who spend a lot of time in the car have a high incidence of back pain. The good news is you can take steps to prevent this common problem.

Route 138 signal times; Route 116 streetlight
Q. I travel Route 138 through Richmond a number of times every night and the traffic signal at the Stop & Shop/Rite Aid stays green for only a few seconds but stays red for much longer. There is never anyone exiting these stores at that hour and if you are the third or fourth car on Kingstown Road, you will not get through this light. Also, the light a couple hundred yards west of this light at Sisson Road is somewhat the same. Thanks.

cruise calendar
June

MBTA shelves weapon plan
The MBTA has shelved plans to arm transit patrol officers with semiautomatic rifles after a community leader voiced concerns about providing such heavy weaponry to officers who patrol crowded bus terminals and train platforms.

06/11/2009

Tarbox hoping to stay dealer
Although James Tarbox — a local Chrysler dealer — can no longer sell new cars, he hopes he can regain control of his franchises down the road.

06/10/2009

Cartalk: Oil-pan problems could drain your finances
Dear Tom and Ray:

Cars: 12 classics from the Leonard collection sell for $1.2 million
Twelve cars from the classic auto collection of the late Seekonk auto dealer Ted Leonard sold for just under $1.2 million at Sunday’s annual Bonhams & Butterfields auction at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance.

Cars: Roger Penske’s automotive group wants to buy Saturn
NEW YORK — General Motors Corp. has a tentative deal to sell its Saturn brand to auto racing magnate Roger Penske’s dealership group, both companies said Friday.

cRUISE calendar
SUNDAYS

Cars: Pumped up over antique fire trucks
SOUTH KINGSTOWN Some 30 vintage fire trucks and related firefighting apparatus rolled out Sunday for the annual Antique Fire Truck Show, which this year was held at the University of Rhode Island.

Cars: Hummer sale could be blocked
SHANGHAI — General Motors Corp.’s planned sale of its Hummer brand to a little-known Chinese truck maker could be blocked by regulators who have not approved the deal and are questioning its wisdom.

Cars: Kyle Busch hits a sour note after his win in Nashville
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kyle Busch has always bucked the system, embracing the notoriety that comes with being NASCAR’s newest bad boy.

Mitsubishi’s Outlander gets power, agility from the Lancer underneath
The auto industry uses the term “crossover SUVs” to describe vehicles with truck bodies riding atop car platforms. I prefer to call them “cross-dressing SUVs,” for they’re merely gussied up cars; a 21st-century equivalent of the 1960s faux wood-paneled station wagons.

06/14/2009

Mark Patinkin: This isn’t your father’s golden age of American-made automobiles
He remembers sitting at his window at age 10, watching the cars go by and, of course, back then, the 1930s, every one of them was American. The obsession with cars was such that, like many young boys, my dad could identify most of the makes and models.