Recent content by mbres2000

...and by quite a lot! CR automotive evaluations have always been a bit strange, as if there weren't any car guys involved--somewhat Naderesque. However, evaluating noise level doesn't require any special expertise.

I can certainly say that about the 2008 Odyssey we owned for five years. Its virtues were versatility, roominess, and front seat comfort. Downsides were wind noise (not leaks) and crappy brakes prone to warped rotors. Also, the cylinder deactivation was quite noticeable and annoying...

We recently test-drove a 2024 Nissan Pathfinder at a reputable dealership. It was a top of the line model with everything we wanted, but it had seven manufacturer options (six of them worthless in our opinion) that added $5,400(!) to the price. The most outrageous was a "lighting package" for...

I forgot about SuperTech, so thanks for bringing it up. I had used it in my wife's previous car, based on recommendations here.

For the 8 years I've owned my Mustang GT (5.0 DOHC engine), I've had a Ford dealer do the oil & filter changes every 5K miles or so. I think they used Motorcraft semi-synthetic (whatever that means) and a Motorcraft filter. I moved a few years ago, and now my nearest Ford dealer tends to...

I want to close the loop here: We ended up buying a Kia Telluride. After fifteen minute test drives in two different cars, I understood why it's been getting such good reviews by the automotive press. I could nit pick on a few things, but that's true for every car I've owned. My wife really...

They are great in tight spaces where there's no room for a socket. A good example is fan bolts on an old Chevy, where you're dealing with a fan clutch and shroud. Also, spark plugs that are close to header tubes.

As for ratcheting combo wrenches, I have a few Gearwrench sets, both reversible and non. In tight spaces, each type has its use. I recently bought a metric set, also Gearwrench. A little more money than the made-up name ChiCom brands, but very high quality, IMO. Someone above mentioned...

Thanks. Opinions are like...well, let's just say everybody has one! I just put this one in my cart:

What are your thoughts on the necessity of an oil filter with anti-drainback valve when used on an engine where the filter is mounted threaded side up? I'm looking at WIX 51060 vs. 51061 for a late-1980s 350. Is there some type of siphoning action that could draw the oil up and out of the...

DirtyGary -- Hard for me to say the Falkens are any more comfortable, given the age and mileage of my old Michelin A/S 3+ tires that I'm comparing them to. But they are quieter. It's been >6 years since I bought the Michelins, but I do remember being disappointed early on with their noise and...

Slam me if you must, but I bought the Falken Azenis FK460 A/S in size 255-40x19 for my 2016 Mustang GT, based largely on Tire Rack testing and their customer comments. First thing I noticed was they are quieter than my old Michelin Pilot Sport A/S3+ tires, which were noisy when new and got...

Check out this tire and the test video, test summary, and especially the spider charts. Seems to me like it ticks all boxes, except for snow. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Falken&tireModel=Azenis+FK460+A%2FS&partnum=54YR9FK460ASXL Tire Rack and their customers really liked...

Yes, my current Michelin Sport AS3+ tires are super responsive. I'd buy them again, or the AS4, if they didn't rumble so much.

So, sounds like I can't go wrong with the DWS 06+. I'm a little concerned about noise due to some of the comments, but I see where Tire Rack spider charts show it to be one of the quietest tires in that category, and my Pilot Sport AS3+, along with the AS4, as some of the noisiest. I can...