Live Q&As

It's going to take a while. Politics, self-defeating ( in terms of doing the most public good) self-interests. But if I had to wait, I'd choose the Chevrolet Volt. That car really can go 40 miles on a single charge at speeds up to 100 mph. And it seamlessly switches from electric power to gasoline engine-generator to give you nearly 300 miles more. I love it!

That's the trend. Globally, automobile manufacturers are moving toward smaller, more fuel-efficient cars with premium content and performance.  "Small" no longer means economy.

Good Morning,

Whether you buy from a dealer, AAA or some other service, the goal is to get what you want at the lowest price. There are a couple factors to doing this:

1. Know the car you want and the accesories you want on it. 

2. Know your FICO score. You may have negotiated a great price on the car, but you can also negotiate a great finance rate. Don't just let them tell you a score, know it, have it in writing.

3. watch out for the extras. It irritates me that some car companies include shipping and handling and some don't in their prices. Ask about any other costs associated with the car before you sign the bottom line.

I just drove the Elantra and the Focus. Both are great cars. The focus dash is a bit long feeling to me. I like spaciousness in front of me. The Elantra gets 40 mpg, so if fuel economy is a concern for you make sure to check out the focus that gets 40 mpg to the Elantra. The last time I drove the Fit I liked the automatic better than the manual which is not usually the case.

Take yourself to Carmax. Here's why: You'll probably pay more for your used Honda. But you can be reasonably assured that the car will work reliably for the duration of your East-West trip and long afterwards. Carmax is nationwide, which means you are not driving alone. Also, for many of the same reasons, check AutoNation.

We just did a piece from the Chicago auto show called Heels and Wheels. When you consider it, the only thing keeping you and your car upright are your shoes and tires. They should be the only part of you and the car touching the ground.

Warren is right, we all need to pay more attention to heels and wheels, especially in the snow.

Just drove the new one and you are right.

Cool technology. Look at the Lincoln and Hyundai surround sound. Hyundai has the same manufacturer that Rolls-royce has.

Yes. And please understand that I am not speaking/writing flippantly here. Again, the onus is on the consumer to do his/her homework. That means carefulllly reading through all of the deliberately obfuscatory verbose text in most warranty agreements. The insurers and their agents are betting that you won't get through the first three paragraphs. But , by law, they have to put all of the relevant information in there. They just try to hide it.

Isn't the definition of a coupe two-door?

If you want a four-door sporty feel that fits four 6 footers look at the Porsche Panamera

Yes, in mid-March, according to the schedules I'm looking at. Please stay tuned.

Diesel has come back in line with premium gasoline. There was a time when it was higher. That was when China was hoarding diesel so that they could shut down their coal plants a month before the Olympics so the city would be cleaner.

Diesel gets better gas mileage, as do some hybrids. But there are cars - the good ole' fashioned gasoline type - that cost less than hybrids and get 35-40 miles to the gallon.

Thanks, Clifton. Good advice, as always. And too reiterate: It does not matter how much money you've spent for your high-performance car. It does not matter who makes it, or if its foreign or domestic. High-performance, low-aspect radial summer tires are absolutely the wrong tires for winter driving. You will get stuck, or spin out, or worse. Change those tires in winter.  You don't want to be one of the hundreds of look-silly motorists stuck on the side of the road in a BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, or Chevrolet Corvette.

I didn't check it out further, but I'm pretty sure it's because they're adding more oxygenates, i.e. ethanol, in your gasoline. Ethanol has less emissions, and gets less fuel economy.

Are you reading buff books that take the car squealing through the paces? Because I like the little Fiesta and didn't have a problem with the handling.

Warren and I review cars like we drive cars, like most of you drive cars. Some car magazines put some of these cars through paces that you won't ever put them through.

Go to your local dealer and drive one and let us know.

I'd be interested in what you think after you drove it.

It looks great, runs great, et cetera. Is it worth the price? It's a question I always answer by using LHF (Lou Ann Hammond Formula). Example: How does it compare to similar vehicles in terms of performance, craftsmanship, overall content? When I check that formula, I find that there are a number of SUVs that have more content, more utility, comparable build quality, and more real-world usable ( 0-60 times are irrelevant in a highly regulated world) performance.

When I answer those questions honestly, I find that I'm paying too much for the BMW X3.

Dear dog lover,

Whenever I have an SUV I take my 11 year old black lab (PJ) for a walk. Since he's older we have to be concerned with the ground clearance because he can't jump as high anymore.

All of those are great cars, but look at the back of the SUV. Is it even with the lip of the back of the car or is it sunken down so you can put groceries in the back? An older dog has a hard time negotiationg uneven surfaces.

I really noticed a difference in my dog in the last year and a half, so if your dog is getting older take that into account.

Welcome to warren's room.:)

Love the cube. quirky, yes, but functional and fun.

Snow tires offer greater tire-road friction/traction, which is why they are great for winter. Put another way, they offer greater rolling resistance. Problem is, resistance requires more energy to overcome. Expenditure of that energy yields a greater consumption of the fuel providing that energy. Summer allows us to use tires with less rolling resistance and, thus, a lower consumption of fuel, easier handling, etc. Ours is a world of multiple, changing physical demands. Change your tires accordingly.

Love it love it love it.

It is our next car. My husband is 6'4", my dog is 11 years old, both love it.

I'll let you know when I drive it. Right now, I'm finishing up the A4 and working on the truly nice Q5. That front fascia is working well for Audi's image, according to the sales charts. I doubt they'll mess with success anytime soon. How say you, Lou Ann?

I love the 5GT - what do you call that when a car is dual mode? It can be a sedan or a hatchback.

take 4 people somewhere, or throw the seats down and pop the hatchback and put the dog in the back.

I/we do that with our cars at the house in Cornwall, NY, where it does not make sense to play sly with winter. But we figure we can skate in the mid-Atlantic region, where the winters are usually milder. It's bad thinking. We figue we can skate in the mid-Atlantic; and when the snow and ice hits, we usually do.

Those are two good reasons.

If you don't drive a lot of miles but want the torque than you can consider an electric car. The Volt if you drive more than 40 miles each way to work, the Leaf if you drive less.

Look for tax credits if you buy one - you'll get more tax credits on the Leaf since it is a full EV. If you live in CA or TN  you'll get even more credits

First, congratulations on the new baby. Second, you said "car." Here's hoping you aren't excluding four excellent minivans: Toyota Sienna, Hondy Odyssey, Dodge Journey and Nissan Quest. I'd check them out.

Compared in what sense?

The LIPO (as I like to call it) is made by LG Chem and is the first LIPO in a car. Li-ion batteries are more prevalent.

It rocks,

If you live snow weather all-wheel drive is a bonus.

I'm going to stress Warren's mantra: tires, get snow tires.

I'd go with the Outback, specifically the Outback Limited. That's the one we use at the house in New York, usually carrying four people and Rosa Parks Brown, our big chocolate Labrador who demands her space.

Both are good, let me give you a tip I give friends:

How much of a monthly rate are you able to pay for a car?

Take that amount and start putting it aside right now, every month. Drive the old car into the ground. When it stops take the amount you have been putting aside and you will have a decent little down payment. With a good down payment you will be able to buy a better car and you will get a better finance rate on the rest of the car.

Go with the fusion or LaCrosse

A check out the Kia Sorento all-wheel-drive. You'll be pleasantly surprised. Lou Ann?

Lou Ann- Haven't driven the all-wheel drive version, us Californians got the front-wheel drive version. I liked the car itself better than the Tucson interior.

I honestly believe that the Tahoe is in a class of its own when it comes to full-sized SUVs. You either love it or hate it. I happen to love it--a big beast of an SUV, hauls anything, good on road and off, and reasonably fuel efficient at about 21 mpg hiway swallowing regular. I love it! So do many other people. But I also know many people who hate it. There is no convincing them that we're right. And they have absolutely no chance of convincing us that we're wrong.

I can't just answer that for you, since it depends on how tall you are and how agile your neck is.

I supppose we have to take their word for it. And, yes, I say that with all of the skepticism implied.

Thanks for joining us today. Thank you Dominique Vu and Lou Ann Hammond for a fine production. Please come back next week.

Thank you, Ria Manglapus, for all you do to keep the cars rolling. Eat lunch.