Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
Every now and then, I get into hot water for recommending, or more commonly, for not suggesting, a particular brand of car audio equipment. The same has happened over the years with retailers near me. However, I can say with confidence that in every case, there’s a solid reason why I stand behind and recommend specific solutions and why others aren’t even remotely on my radar Read more
Usually, browsing social media for article ideas results in frustration. The number of amateurs who think upgrading the stereo system in a modern vehicle is as easy as installing one in a 1993 Honda is downright baffling. I recently saw a great question and knew it was perfect fodder for an article: What defines quality in a car audio system? While the answer will vary slightly Read more
Car batteries have a tough life. We expect them to provide hundreds of amps of current to the starter motor. Most of us only run the vehicle for 20 or 30 minutes before the cycle repeats. It’s a wonder how they survive more than a year or two. Let’s talk about why proper maintenance can extend a battery’s life, improve its performance and save you some money. Vehicle Read more
Americans love their trucks. The Ford F-150 is the best-selling vehicle in America. Ford originally held back on its smaller Ranger, thinking that it might cannibalize sales from the leader. But America’s appetite for a vehicle with a bed is strong, leading Ford to recently introduce the Maverick, in addition to the mid-size Ranger, to get into the small-truck segment. We’ve Read more
The very first car alarm I ever saw was installed on my neighbor’s C3 Corvette. A small key switch had been installed in the fender with a cast aluminum cover. If he wanted to “secure” the vehicle, he’d lift the cover, insert a tubular lock key and give it a turn. Fast forward four decades, and now we have high-speed data communication systems that can talk to the computers in Read more
The first two upgrades I made when I purchased my 2015 Hyundai Genesis sedan were to have the windows tinted and a remote car starter installed. If you want to know how well the window tint project went, read this post. On the remote starter side, everything went pretty well. I had an iDatastart HC-Series starter installed and added the AutoConnect telematics interface from my Read more
If you ask anyone who’s had a remote starter or car alarm, they’ve likely heard of holding the remote to their chin to improve range. That’s right: With many of the classic key fobs, touching the remote to your chin while pressing the button can increase the signal strength and allow you to unlock, disarm or start the vehicle. Because new car starter remotes use different Read more
I’ve listened to a LOT of car stereo equipment since I started in the car audio industry back in 1988. Since 2000, I’ve tested and formally reviewed hundreds of car audio products for publications across North America. I’ve even developed subwoofers, speakers and DSP-equipped amplifiers for one of the companies I worked for. I was a car audio sound quality competition judge for Read more
A lot of us would like a brand-new Tesla, and we know that making a comparison from a Tesla to a Hyundai Elantra is a big leap … or is it? Besides the powertrain differences, the infotainment tech in the Elantra can more than compete. The redesigned 2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited has a new exterior design that is part of the company’s “Parametric Dynamics” program. Distinct Read more
The Hyundai Sonata has proven itself a worthy competitor to the benchmark Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Both these vehicles have hybrid powerplant options, and so does the Sonata. The new engineering in the Hyundai version seems to be a cut above the competition when it comes to technology. Where the Sonata really shines in its bladder-busting capability between rest stops: a Read more
As the Genesis brand works to separate itself from the more plebian Hyundai brand, you’ll start to see Hyundai dealerships with segregated areas for Genesis vehicles. For 2020, the Genesis offers three sedans: the G70, G80 and G90. Spending a week in the G70 showed how much sedans have grown in size the past few years. Even the G70, which is similar in size to today’s Honda Read more
One trait that has come to be universally expected among luxury vehicles is the quietness of their interior. Once exclusive to such premium vehicles as Mercedes, Audi, BMW and Rolls-Royce, companies like Hyundai and Kia are delivering startlingly quiet interiors. In addition to minimizing road and wind noise, the drone of an exhaust system and the hum of the tires, a quiet Read more
