Have you ever been in the tough position of owning a vehicle that is not worth too much money but that needs an expensive repair? Maybe you have recently even dumped some pretty good change into the vehicle for items like new tires, a battery, a muffler, etc. And now it needs a major repair!

You realize that you cannot sell the vehicle for much without getting it repaired, and you know that you can't afford to trade it in on another vehicle.

Given today's soft economy, what a time to face an expensive vehicle repair. What can you do? What are some possible options?

A driver recently wrote to ask my advice. The woman owned a 1998 minivan with 125,000 on the odometer. She explained that the engine was losing oil, smoking at idle, and making a knocking sound. Additionally, It was the only transportation for her and three kids.  read more »

High gas prices have many motorists putting the brakes on long-distance summer travel. However, smart maintenance and good driving habits can help boost your vehicle's fuel efficiency and ease the pain of a trip to the gas station.

"Drivers can save money at the pump and get the most out of their gasoline by performing a few simple maintenance checks on their vehicles," says Bruce Bonebrake, a master mechanic and host of "Weekend Mechanic," on the DIY Network "Simple actions like replacing dirty filters or worn spark plugs can lead to significant gas savings."

In fact, maintaining the quality of a few important vehicle components can help drivers improve their auto's gas mileage as much as 40 percent, according to FuelEconomy.gov, an automotive information Web site from the U.S. Department of Energy. That means an average savings of about $794 per year.  read more »

Summertime is drive-time across the USA. Millions of vacation-happy Americans hit the road during summer, logging more driving miles on the pavement than any other time of year.

But with gas prices climbing toward $4 a gallon (or more!), folks are concerned about the costs of driving. Can families still afford to pile the kids into the car and ride to summer's favorite hot spots? Will a kids' chorus of "are we going?" replace the standard endless chants of "are we there yet?"

Savvy drivers say "no!" They're constantly seeking ways to increase fuel economy and to squeeze out more miles per tank. Instead of focusing purely on the fuel gauge, though, experts suggest paying more attention to tires, those black, rubbery objects that connect vehicles to the road. Yes, the right rubber on the road can save gas in the tank.  read more »

Do you often sit in rush hour traffic, engine idling, going nowhere fast? Is your commute taking longer than it used to because of all the other cars on the road? America's urban commuters now waste an entire workweek each year -- some 38 hours -- stuck in traffic, according to a traffic study released late last year by Texas A&M University's Texas Traffic Institute.

Not only is that wasted time you could have spent doing something constructive, it's a major problem for the health of our planet. Idling car engines are a significant contributor to the greenhouse emissions leading to global warming which has become, in the last 15 years or so, a major issue of international proportions. But there are steps commuters can -- and should take -- to reduce their impact on the environment.  read more »