Police ice cream truck to patrol Boston's mean streets

 

  The Boston Police Department unveiled a new patrol vehicle that will help officers both fight crime and the summer heat–an ice cream truck.

According to WHDH, the new $89,000 truck, which is a refitted Ford Transit, is part of a community policing initiative called Operation Hoodsie Cup. Started in 2010, the program has distributed around 120,000 free Hoodsie Cups, an iconic New England ice cream treat made by the Hood company since 1947, to citizens throughout the city.

"If you had told me 30 years ago that the Boston Police Department would have an ice cream truck as part of its patrol force and my officers would be handing out Hoodsie Cups...I would've said you were crazy," PBD Commissioner William Evans told WHDH. "But, I absolutely love the new truck and everything this program represents. The goodwill it generates between my officers and our city's young people is undeniable and nothing short of remarkable. My only regret is that I wish we had started doing this 30 years ago."

Operation Hoodsie Cup is part of a growing trend of community based policing among the nation's police forces. They're not even the first to use ice cream. Police in Halifax, VA, recently began pulling people over for violating code 1.7.3.9, which makes it illegal to drive without an ice cream cone on a hot day. Introduced in 1994 as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, community based policing is promoted by the Justice Department's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). Community based policing relies on more personal relationship between police and citizens to reduce crime and increase safety, and emphasizes proactive policing such as foot patrols, citizen involvement, increased officer accountability, and a decentralizing of police authority.

http://www.autoblog.com/2016/08/03/police-ice-cream-truck-to-patrol-bostons-mean-streets/

Does My Car Need Synthetic Oil?

https://www.cars.com/articles/does-my-car-need-synthetic-oil-1420684417536/
By Tim Healey

If your car's owner's manual says it does, you do.
For many consumers, whether to spend extra money for synthetic oil for an oil change is a difficult question to answer.
Manufacturers of synthetic oil promise more miles and better performance when compared with conventional motor oil, but it comes at a higher cost — sometimes twice as much per oil change. Is it worth the extra money?
Typically, high-performance vehicles will be more likely to require synthetic oil, as will vehicles that have a turbocharged or supercharged engine. However, if your vehicle does not require synthetic oil, the choice is trickier - and there is no clear answer.
Synthetic oil generally resists breaking down for longer than conventional motor oil (typically 7,500 miles to 10,000 miles, sometimes up to 15,000 miles, as opposed to 3,000 miles to 7,500 miles for conventional oil). That makes the extra cost a wash, if you have half the number of oil changes, but each one costs you twice as much. Other touted benefits include cleaner engines, better flow in cold temperatures, better protection when it's hot outside and better performance with turbocharged engines.
There are also synthetic blends. As the name implies, these are blends of synthetic and conventional oils. They straddle a middle ground — they cost more than conventional oils but less than full synthetics, and are said to last longer than conventional oils but not quite as long as synthetics — but again, that's a hard number to pin down since manufacturers are vague with their claims. An independent testing lab we spoke with said that synthetics often didn't perform much better than conventional oils do.
Still, older engines may benefit from synthetics because it is less likely to form sludge.
If your car doesn't require synthetic oil you should perform a cost/benefit analysis, but that can be difficult to do due to vague claims made by manufacturers. There may be no reason to spend more on synthetic oil, except for peace of mind.

Read more at https://www.cars.com/articles/does-my-car-need-synthetic-oil-1420684417536/#LmeRVYY89CovEdUr.99

What's the Best Compact SUV of 2016?

https://www.cars.com/articles/whats-the-best-compact-suv-of-2016-1420684893542/

CARS.COM — Compact SUVs continue to be a best-selling segment, and why not? They carry plenty of people, cargo, pets, whatever you need. Because they're so popular, Cars.com is now testing this category every year.
The 2016 Compact SUV Challenge
Results | Multimedia Winners and Losers
This year's version is the first stab at our new Champions & Challengers approach: We pit the winner from the last go-round (the 2016 Honda CR-V; Honda declined to provide one for testing, so we secured one from a car broker) and the segment sales leader (the Toyota RAV4) against all of the compact SUVs that have been remodeled since our last test in May 2015 (the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Ford Escape).
The judges for this Challenge were:

• Joe Bruzek, senior road test editor
• Jennifer Geiger, assistant managing editor, news
• Bill Jackson, assistant managing editor, data

You can see how we conducted testing below the results. Here's how they all finished:
5 2016 Hyundai Tucson, 661 points

The Verdict: "The Hyundai Tucson doesn't stink up the joint, although its transmission comes close. Unfortunately, it doesn't do anything well enough to recommend it over the other Challenge entrants," Jackson said.

What They Liked

Value proposition: As we often find with Hyundais, "the Tucson offers a lot of value, as it's one of two SUVs that meets our price cap and offers all-wheel drive," Jackson said. "Getting a power liftgate, a blind spot monitoring system and all-wheel drive are nice touches for the price," Bruzek added.
Punchy handling: "Its sporty nature makes the Tucson the standout, fun-to-drive SUV in this test," Bruzek said. "It's the athlete of the bunch," Geiger added. "Body lean is well-checked in corners and maneuverability is excellent."
Ride, most of the time: "Its road isolation is impressive," Geiger said. "Wind, road and engine noise are well-hushed." But, she cautions, "skip the Sport model's sport-tuned suspension; the ride is too firm, hopping over bumps with a brittle, jittery feel."
Getting around: "The dual-clutch transmission kicks down well and offers a lot of passing power," Bruzek said. "Its potent turbocharged 1.6-liter engine has punchiness the others lack."
And...: "Kids can be gross," Geiger noted from experience, "but forgotten milk spills and gooey snack drool have met their match with the Tucson's Yes Essentials stain- and odor-resistant upholstery." "This sucker is roomy, both up front and in back," Jackson said.

What They Didn't

Slow starts: The SUV that is so fun to drive at high speeds suffers at low speeds. "The transmission's behavior had me flashing back to driver's ed with its abrupt, lurchy shifts during low-speed driving," Geiger said. Bruzek found it to be "jerky and chattering," which made it "infuriating" to him, while Jackson found it to be "a pain."
On the small screen: "The multimedia system is the size of a deck of cards and the graphics don't look so hot," Jackson said. Bruzek went even further: "It's a joke compared with the larger, more robust screens offered at this price."
And...: "Cargo room in back is stingy compared with the best in class," Geiger said. "The rock-hard front and backseat cushioning is not very comfortable," Bruzek said. "The interior trim over the glove box had some deep scuff marks," Jackson noted. "That suggests that while the interior looks OK while it's new, it might not hold up so well after a few months."
Research the 2016 Hyundai Tucson | Search Inventory | Car Seat Check

4 2016 Toyota RAV4, 691 points

The Verdict: "The RAV4 is great," Bruzek said, "if your driving experience isn't important to your consideration. Once you're behind the wheel, it's immediately apparent there's room for improvement."

What They Liked

Storage galore: "The RAV4's cargo area is huge and there are plenty of in-cabin cubbies, too," Geiger said, "my favorite of which is a shelf above the glove box perfect for holding devices ... or french fries." Jackson agreed about the shelf (although he did not mention any snacks).
Cabin quality: "The high-quality interior has soft materials in every nook and cranny, and attractive accent stitching to boot," Bruzek said, and Geiger agreed.
Kid-friendly space: "The absolutely massive backseat can fit your biggest buddies or provide separation between two feuding kids," Bruzek noted. "The RAV4 gets straight A's for car-seat installation with ample room and easy Latch connections," Geiger added.
And...: "I love that I can adjust the height of the power liftgate opening from the driver's seat," Jackson said. And Bruzek noted that "the 2016 version has made big improvements in quieting engine, road and wind noise and highway speeds."

What They Didn't

That noise: "That's only because the previous model was louder than a taxiway at O'Hare International Airport," Jackson said. "Its lack of road isolation got on my last nerve," Geiger said.
Rough-rider: "Its road manners need work, with its busy ride and numb, unnatural-feeling steering," Geiger said. "The suspension crashes over bumps and feels cheap compared with the refined ride of its competitors," Bruzek added.
No go: "The RAV4 is the pokiest of the bunch in the passing lane," Bruzek said, and Jackson agreed. "It kind of dawdles everywhere it goes," he said. "There's no driving pizzazz."
Behind the multimedia times: "The as-equipped midtier multimedia system lacks smartphone integration like the top system and neither of those systems offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto," Bruzek said. "It's a mixed bag," Geiger added. "It's a mess visually, with a mix of knobs, panel buttons and a touch-screen, but there's no learning curve when it comes to using it."
And...: "Yes, the rear seat reclines," Jackson said, "but reaching over your shoulder to make it recline isn't so fun."
Research the 2016 Toyota RAV4 | Search Inventory | Car Seat Check
3 2016 Honda CR-V, 694 points

The Verdict: "The CR-V's roomy cabin and ample cargo room are appealing," Geiger said, "but its infuriating multimedia system and loud, slow powertrain are deal-breakers."

What They Liked

Plenty of room: "The passenger and cargo room is big enough to be borderline midsize-SUV territory," Bruzek said. "With the most legroom of the bunch, rear passengers will have ample space," Geiger added.
Engine performance: "There's good power from the CR-V," Jackson said, "especially when it comes to passing on the highway." "For a continuously variable transmission, its operation is nearly seamless, except for a slight lag from a start," Bruzek said.
Inventive features: "The CR-V's LaneWatch camera system is a favorite that not only displays vehicles in the passenger-side blind spot, but also cyclists and pedestrians," Geiger said. "The backseat folds flat easily with the pull of a cargo-area lever and its clever design makes it very flexible, able to carry different-sized items," she added.
Value: "You get a lot for your money with the CR-V," Jackson said. "Our test model was one of the few with all-wheel drive."
And...: "The CR-V has tight steering, which makes you feel connected to the road," Bruzek said. And "it has a high-quality interior that not only looks good," Jackson said, "but it also looks like it'd stand up to years of abuse."

What They Didn't

Multimedia nightmare: "The system is atrocious and doesn't belong on any car in 2016," Jackson said. "It lacks conventional knobs and dials," Bruzek pointed out, and Geiger found that "I've spent a lot of time using Honda's multimedia system and it never gets better."
Drivetrain issues: "The power takes its time spooling up and the CVT complains loudly the whole time," Geiger said. "There's an unpleasant sound there," Jackson said, "and I felt an occasional odd vibration at extended idle."
Punishing ride: "The ride quality is firm and busy, and there's no reward in the handling to make up for it," Bruzek said.
And...: "It's time for new designers," Geiger said. "The CR-V gets chunkier and more awkward looking with each redesign."
Research the 2016 Honda CR-V | Search Inventory | Car Seat Check
2 2017 Kia Sportage, 753 points

The Verdict: "The Sportage is the Goldilocks of this SUV class, with its just-right blend of comfort, style and power," Geiger said.

What They Liked

Plenty of go: "With the Sportage's no-nonsense powertrain, power is ample and delivery is smooth and prompt," Geiger said. "The 2.4-liter's acceleration is welcomed among the sometimes laggy turbocharged competition," Bruzek added.
Quite the ride: "No matter the surface, the Sportage feels composed," Jackson said. "Only the Ford Escape offers a cabin that's as hushed as the Sportage," he added. "It commendably balances a comfortable ride with lively handling," Geiger said.
Multimedia bliss: "Using the straightforward touch-screen system was a snap," Geiger said, "and connecting my phone to Android Auto provided seamless navigation." Bruzek found it "painless to use with tuning and volumes knobs, plus it has a large screen and great Pandora integration."
And...: "Supple and comfortable seat cushioning is covered with a stylish design and stain-resistant Yes Essentials fabric," Bruzek noted.

What They Didn't

Value misses: "Others in this Challenge offered a power liftgate but not our Sportage," Jackson pointed out. "A blind spot monitoring system is available but not equipped," Bruzek said, "though the Sportage came in $1,900 less than our price cap." Finally, Geiger noted that "shoppers will likely have a hard time paying more than $29,000 for an SUV without a push-button start."
The inside look: "With its bold face and chiseled lines, the Sportage's exterior styling nails the sporty vibe but the design-less black, plastic cabin is dull," Geiger said. "There's a lot of hard plastic in the interior and a particular piece of interior trim constantly hit my knee when I was driving," Jackson said.
Multimedia fail: "As an iPhone user, no Apple CarPlay is a big miss," Bruzek said, "and if it had been offered, it would have pegged the technology category's score." Given how close the Sportage was to the winner, it might well have put it over the top.
And...: "The sporty curves and sloping roofline look great," Geiger said, "but the sacrifice is rear visibility." "The big 2.4-liter engine is a little grainier sounding than the smoother turbocharged engines," Bruzek said.
Research the 2017 Kia Sportage | Search Inventory | Car Seat Check
1 2017 Ford Escape, 755 points

The Verdict: "The 2017 Escape is a great-driving small SUV, now with more features for the money," Bruzek said, "but there's still a lot of the old Escape's aged interior in it."

What They Liked

Infotainment system: This is a huge item because this had been a Ford sticking point for years. "The previous MyFord Touch system was likely a deal-breaker for shoppers but the Escape's new Sync 3 might actually be a deal-maker," Geiger said. "It's clean-looking and easy to use." Bruzek praised its "ease of smartphone integration," and Jackson said it was the "best multimedia system in the group; that it has Apple CarPlay makes it even better. A clear win for Ford."
A comfortable, quiet ride: "The Escape has the best driving dynamics and manages to feel responsive and composed over bumps," Jackson said. "If you're looking for a compact SUV with a quiet cabin, this one is at the top of its class." "Its refined, substantial ride makes the Escape drive like a larger, more expensive SUV," Bruzek added.
Help with the kids: "The backseat's exposed Latch anchors take the struggle out of car-seat installation," Geiger said.
And...: Bruzek liked "the numerous front storage areas for phones and other pocket items," while Geiger liked how "the powertrain is pleasant. Power builds steadily and smoothly, and never feels strained."

What They Didn't

Interior style and quality: "There's a sea of hard plastic and interior design that probably was futuristic when Ford first went to it years ago," Jackson said, "but it could use a rethink." It's "low on style and quality," Bruzek said, and Geiger said that "the cabin's materials feel cheap and the overall design is uninspiring."
Ride issues: Although the other judges liked the Escape's road manners, Geiger found them wanting. "Composure over bumps is a problem," she said. "There's more hop and wiggle than an Easter Bunny convention."
And...: "Ford said it improved interior noise levels with this model but there's more work to do," Geiger said. "The engine is loud and crude-sounding." "It has unimpressive fuel economy for a high-tech engine with only front-wheel drive," Bruzek noted. "The rear seats are hard, offer very little thigh support and there's not a lot of backseat room," Jackson said.

Read more at https://www.cars.com/articles/whats-the-best-compact-suv-of-2016-1420684893542/#zxHltL0SGlyJdEYP.99

Read more at https://www.cars.com/articles/whats-the-best-compact-suv-of-2016-1420684893542/#zxHltL0SGlyJdEYP.99

Tire Rotation: What You Need to Know

https://www.cars.com/articles/tire-rotation-what-you-need-to-know-1420684517375/ 

Tire Rotation

Wavebreak media LTD/Wavebreak Media/Thinkstock

Many automakers recommend that your car's tires be rotated on the same schedule as its oil changes. In most cases, this means every 7,500 miles or six months, though some automakers have stretched the oil-change interval to 10,000 miles. Rotating your tires when you get the oil changed is good, assuming you do that at least once a year; you should do it more often if you drive, say, more than 10,000 miles annually. Unless you drive fewer than about 7,500 miles per year, you should probably rotate tires every six months or so.
The tires mounted on the drive wheels of any vehicle perform extra duty because they apply the power to the pavement. On front-wheel-drive vehicles that is amplified by the weight of the engine and transmission, and because the front tires do most of the work in turns. Rotating the tires between front and rear a couple of times a year spreads out the burden so they wear evenly. Automakers that offer all-wheel-drive cars also recommend rotating tires.
How do I know it's time to rotate my tires?
You can't tell only by looking that it's time to rotate them, so following a regular schedule will help your tires wear evenly and last longer. This applies whether you have front-, rear- or all-wheel drive.
How often should I rotate my tires?
Tire manufacturers typically recommend rotating tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. Moving the tires from front to back (and side to side in some cases) evens out wear and extends tire life. A good guideline is every 6,000 miles or every six months.
Why do I need to rotate my tires?
Rotating the tires helps tires wear more evenly and last longer - and can save money because you won't need new tires as often.
How much should I pay?
The cost of repairs can depend on where you are as much as it does on what you need fixed. To get an estimate for your repair, go to our estimator, plug in your car's year, make and model information, add your ZIP code, and choose the repair you need. We'll give you a range for what your repairs should cost in your area.

Read more at https://www.cars.com/articles/tire-rotation-what-you-need-to-know-1420684517375/#o5x6vGJO1HfDwsub.99

Tesla Model 3 Wows With $35,000 Price Tag

By Brian Wong

It's not often that you hear an automaker laud a car's minimum performance, range and price rather than the most a model could offer, but that's what Tesla CEO Elon Musk did at Thursday night's unveiling of the Model 3 four-door hatchback at Tesla's Design Facility in Hawthorne, Calif., which I attended. Tesla claims a base model of the new electric car will deliver at least 215 miles of electric range, go from zero to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds and have a base price of $35,000. The Model 3 is scheduled to begin production by the end of 2017, says Tesla, but I was able to take a ride in a Model 3 prototype at Thursday night's event.

That $35,000 price tag doesn't include any federal or state tax credits that could lower the Model 3's price for buyers who qualify. Autopilot semi-autonomous driving features will come standard, as will supercharging capability, opening Tesla's supercharger network to Model 3 owners.
Tesla's new Gigafactory being built in the Nevada desert will supply the lithium-ion batteries for the Model 3. The Gigafactory is key to allowing Tesla to meet its planned production of 500,000 cars a year out of its Fremont, Calif., assembly plant.
Musk was mum on the Model 3's horsepower, torque, interior or exterior dimensions, or even what the maximum range would be on higher trim levels at launch. Historically, more expensive versions of Tesla's vehicles have provided more range and quicker sprints.
All-wheel drive will come standard and, according to diagrams shown at the event, the Model 3 will feature two electric motors — one attached to the front axle and the other to the rear.

Thursday morning was the first opportunity for people to put down a refundable $1,000 deposit to reserve a Model 3. By now you might have seen photos of people in long queues outside Tesla stores.
At the San Fernando Valley Tesla store, 100 people lined up more than two hours before the store opened at 10 a.m., and by then the line had grown to roughly 500 people, according to a friend who was in the line. It took my friend four hours of standing in line to put down his deposit.
Tesla had a running counter at Thursday evening's event displaying the number of pre-orders with deposits, and when I left the event, it already was pushing 140,000 Model 3 reservations.

Production will begin in late 2017, Tesla says, with the first deliveries happening around that time, starting on the West Coast and then heading east. However, given Tesla's penchant for tardiness, I would take those estimates with a grain of salt.

Tesla did not announce a hard date for deliveries to begin, but Musk said, "I do feel confident it will be (by the end of) next year." It's likely we'll see delivery of most orders in 2018.


https://www.cars.com/articles/tesla-model-3-wows-with-35000-price-tag-1420684265540/

America's Muscle Car Romance: Reignited and It Feels So Good

By Matt Schmitz
https://www.cars.com/articles/americas-muscle-car-romance-reignited-and-it-feels-so-good-1420684065869/ 

Years before Steve McQueen made the '68 Ford Mustang an icon among the cars of Hollywood history, muscle cars already had muscled their way into our hearts. Quintessentially "U-S-A! U-S-A!" in their power, speed and all-around awesomeness, muscle cars are America's ode to the freedom of the open road. And while our collective romance through the decades has accelerated and braked by turns, the torch we carry for the muscle car burns hot of late.

The classic trio of pony cars from the Big Three automakers in Detroit — the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger and Ford Mustang — has enjoyed a sales resurgence in recent years. Combined, car buyers purchased more than 266,216 of the cars in 2015, according to the automakers. That's a 21 percent increase over 2014 sales and 27 percent over 2013.
The Mustang leads the pack; its sales totaled a whopping 122,349 in 2015 compared with 70,438 in 2011 — a 74 percent spike. That's roughly double the overall increase in U.S. auto sales overall during the same five-year span. The Mustang saw a 48 percent sales boost just between 2014 and 2015.

The Chevy Camaro has been a formidable rival since its relaunch in 2010 following a seven-year hiatus. Camaro sales actually dipped to 77,502 in 2015 (with a redesign in the wings for 2016) from 88,249 in 2011, but overall sales of 417,006 for the five-year period still compare favorably with the Mustang's 435,603.
The Challenger lags those totals. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles sold 66,365 of them in 2015 compared with 39,534 in 2011, a 68 percent increase. From 2014 to 2015 alone, Challenger sales rose 29 percent. However, both the Mustang and Camaro far exceed the Challenger's five-year total of 252,091.
Despite recent gains, muscle-car sales are still just a fraction of what they were during their 1960s and '70s heydays. Be that as it may, the real fun over the past half-century of the muscle-car era hasn't been the sales figures, but the race.
 

John Kraman, director of consignment for Wisconsin-based Mecum Auctions, has personally witnessed the rekindled love affair with the muscle car, primarily on the vintage and collector side of things, and he has loved watching the ups and downs through the years.
"The Detroit Three manufacturers have been battling the sales wars since the Ford Mustang and Plymouth Barracuda started it in April 1964," Kraman said. "The GM response was the 1967 Camaro, with Plymouth-cousin Dodge jumping in with the Challenger in 1970."
The modern era of the performance car with a retro theme kicked off in 2005 with the introduction of the S197 Mustang platform, Kraman explained. The Mustang's success in blending vintage styling with today's tech persuaded Dodge (Plymouth by then was defunct) to resurrect the Challenger in 2008, with Chevy countering in 2010 with the return of the Camaro.
"This retro-themed market has been driven by aging baby boomers seeking modern versions of the legends they grew up lusting over," he said. "In addition, younger buyers have also embraced this market due to the performance and technology they represent as current. Plus the styling theme of honoring the past but looking fresh and contemporary certainly has helped the multigenerational appeal."

With all three pony cars back at the top of their game in performance and value, Kraman said, excitement in 2016 is at a "fever pitch."
"This three-way market has forced all the builders to fine tune and improve their entries to stay competitive," he said. "As long as these combinations of styling, performance, technology and value continue, the market will remain strong and viable."
For an even better idea of how far muscle cars have come, check out Cars.com's 2016 Muscle Car Challenge. We pitted V-8 and V-6 versions of the Camaro, Challenger and Mustang against one another during a week of intensive testing on the track and on the highway:

Honda to recall new Civics in Canada because engines can fail

Honda is recalling about 45,000 newly redesigned Civic compact cars in the Canada and the United States because the engines can fail and stall while being driven.

The recall affects 2016 Civics equipped with two-litre four-cylinder engines.

Documents filed by Canadian safety regulators say that a circular clip around the pistons may be missing or was improperly installed at the factory. That can cause a pin on the piston to rub against the engine block and possibly cause engine failure or a fire.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/news/recalls/honda-to-recall-new-civics-in-canada-because-engines-can-fail/article28663067/