Are used tires worth the risk? Trade group, legislators urge standards during National Tire Safety Week

Photo: Bridgestone Americas Newsroom.

Used tires? Been there done that. Let's face it: new tires are expensive, and for someone who's feeling a budget pinch, used tires can look like an appealing alternative. But it's important to know what you're doing and to know what danger signs to look for because, unfortunately, not every used tire on the market has been adequately vetted for safety.

Why are Passenger Cars an Endangered Species? A Demographer You’ve Never Heard Of Just Might, Indirectly, Hold the Key

Photo: GM media website.

Unless you’re a hardcore demographics geek like me, you’ve probably never heard of Kenneth W. Gronbach. If you have heard of him, chances are you’re a regular listener to Coast to Coast AM, the popular nationally syndicated talk radio show, on which Gronbach has been interviewed a couple of times by host George Noory.


But regardless of whether you’ve heard of him, Kenneth W. Gronbach, author of Upside: Profiting from the Profound Demographic Shifts Ahead, just might be the most important demographer alive. And his take on millennials, the generation that has overtaken baby boomers as the largest demographic group in the U.S., just might go a long way toward explaining the ongoing decline of the traditional passenger car or sedan—a phenomenon that we at Auto Enthusiasts Newsblaster like to call #DeathOfCar.

If you’re like Kenneth Gronbach, you understand that one of the most dangerous errors of omission that any enterprise can make is to have an incomplete or oversimplified understanding of how demographic factors can profoundly affect economic trends and business outcomes.

In his talk-show appearances, Mr. Gronbach relates that he learned this lesson the hard way. In his days as an advertising-agency owner, he gained a first-hand understanding of the importance of demographics when he lost a large client in the motorcycle industry.

Mazda's Updated CX-3: An Example of What Tasteful Design Can Do for a Generally Boring Category—the Crossover

The crossover, or CUV, is not an automotive category that we're crazy about. We don't try to make that a secret around here. That said, it's also no secret that, at least relatively speaking, we are crazy about what Mazda has been doing design-wise recently. And the updated 2019 Mazda CX-3, which, interestingly, Mazda positions as a movement toward its next generation of vehicles, is a nice, if not earth-shattering, of what tasteful design can do for a category that, overall, is, well, shall we say somewhat lacking in the excitement department?

What the Heck Happened to the CarStuff Podcast on "How Stuff Works?" An Explanation, Of Sorts...

Have you been wondering what the heck happened to the CarStuff podcast from HowStuffWorks?

We have too, ever since the most recent episode showed up in our feed on December 27, 2017. It was one of our favorite automotive podcasts, and we have missed it greatly ever since.

Pennzoil AutoFair at Charlotte Motor Speedway to Feature SuperLite SL-C Kit Car in April

It's stunning. It packs a 6.2L LS3 under the hood that makes 470 horsepower. You can put it together in your garage. And if you'll be in the Charlotte NC area in April, you'll be able to take a look at the  SuperLite SL-C Kit Car at the Pennzoil AutoFair Presented by Advance Auto Parts (April 5-8 at Charlotte Motor Speedway), where an example, built by enthusiast Bill Phillips, will be prominently on display.

If Phillips’ low-slung racer looks familiar, it is because Superlite Cars – the Detroit-area company that designed and produced it – fashioned the SL-C to recall vehicles from the 1960s-era International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) GTP series. Superlite and its sister company, Race Car Replicas (RCR), produce component kits that allow buyers to drive clones of iconic competition cars such as the Jaguar D-Type and Ford GT40. The cars’ bodies are fiberglass with embedded, color gel coats that require no paint. Most of Superlite and RCR’s chassis are aluminum monocoque designs with custom billet aluminum suspensions, and everything is TIG welded for strength and a cleaner appearance.

Another Off-Road Season Confirmed for Subaru's Crosstrek Desert Racer

Subaru of America and collaborators Grabowski Brothers Racing and Crawford Performance confirmed on Thursday that they are entering the 2018 off-road racing season with the Subaru Crosstrek Desert Racer, an Unlimited Class 5 car.

So far, this year's schedule includes six confirmed races,starting with the Polaris RZR Mint 400 March 7-11.

In a news release, Crawford Performance characterized the 2017 Season as merely a test, with improvements to the car leaving the team prepared for their first 2018 race with confident enthusiasm. They describe the vehicle as "one of a kind and spearheading a new arena for Subaru to dominate."

"Hey, Baby, Nice Rear"—On That 2016 Buick Regal, That Is!

A 2016  Buick Regal with a nice rear, photographed in traffic earlier this week.

Yes, we're Buick fans around here—fans especially of much of what came from the marque from the 50s and earlier through the mid 20-oughts.

5 Car Podcasts We Love

Photo: Riberto Federico. Posted to Wikimedia Commons.

Why do we love podcasts?

Easy—because they're a great way to keep your mind occupied and take in information on topics that interest you, while getting other things done.

And why do we love automotive podcasts?

Do you really have to ask?

Didn't think so.

Anyway, here in no particular order are some of our favorite podcasts on many things automotive—from classic cars to nuts-and-bolts repair information and advice.

Is Buying That Dream Car Looking a Little Pricey? How About a Lease?

 A Bristol Bullet and a Bristol 405 Drophead coupé on display at Salon Prive'. Photo by Nauyop Taiwan.

If you're finding that the prospect of finally putting that classic or exotic dream car in your garage is still looking a little too costly, maybe leasing is a solution to consider. And according to one financial services firm, demand among car enthusiasts for just that solution is growing and positioned for continued growth.

Expert Panel on Autonomous Cars: Rumors of the Death of Human Driving Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

A panel of experts who convened for a session at Auction Week in Arizona on January 18 had a clear consensus: even if the much-prognosticated "age of autonomous cars" indeed materializes, millions will still want to drive, for a wide variety of reasons.