CARS

American cars are big — from classic Cadillacs to today's full-size SUVs and full-size pickups.

Have you ever been driving along, enjoying your day, and had something unexpected happen to your vehicle?

Comicpalooza is scheduled to take place this weekend, and this year’s pop culture event is bigger than ever!

You may not know this, but it is illegal to leave an unattended car running in the state, according to Texas Transporation Code.

She's the only woman to ever win an Indy Car series race and she's chatting with Lauren Kelly about her picks for this weekend.

A teenager accused of stealing catalytic converters from a Cy-Fair ISD high school parking lot went before a judge Thursday morning.

The electric carmaker delivered more than 310,000 vehicles in the first three months of this year.

Is your car clocking in more than 100,000? With car prices at record highs, you might not be ready to part with your current vehicle. Here’s how to extend the life of your car and save money at the pump while you’re at it!

The tennis star's standoff with Australian officials neared an end as a judge prepared to decide whether the Serb would be deported or released and allowed to compete in the Australian Open.

History is littered with examples of companies that have been disparaged — some in explicitly racist terms — by industrial powerhouses like the U.S. and Europe. The shoe’s on the other foot now.

At least eight rescue teams are still trying to rescue a man who fell in a cave system on Saturday.

Are you looking for a new family vehicle?

Small changes to our lifestyles and choices could limit our personal carbon footprint.

While the main features of Halloween are candy and costumes, there is something else that typically increases when the day rolls around: Fatal car crashes.

The technology could be in all new cars that are manufactured in the next few years.

While demand for vans rises, new car sales remain sluggish as computer chip shortages limit supplies.

“The urban sprawl that cars produce, the high speeds at which they travel, and the dominance they have over the street render all other forms of transport basically useless.”

Everyone wants to save as much money as they can when it comes to shopping for car insurance. But do you know enough about it to ask an agent the right questions? Or what top factors insurance companies consider to get you the best coverage? What you don’t know could hurt you and your wallet big time.

Consumer Reports is known for telling us the best appliances, products and cars to buy. They're not holding back, now publishing a list of more than 100 of the worst used cars you can buy.

GALVESTON – Several parked cars were destroyed in Galveston when a speeding vehicle smashed into them. Kimberly Robinson returned to find out her cars had been towed and she had to pay to get them back. “When I came back Thursday morning about 8:30, I realized both of the work vehicles were gone,” she said. “I don’t think I should have to be responsible for any of it, to be honest. The supplies in Robinson’s work cars about $,1500 each.

Instead of just letting the car sit in the driveway, some are using their vehicles to earn extra income. Since the pandemic started, George Johnson has met a steady stream of people who want to rent his vehicles. Johnson made enough money that he purchased his Mercedes just to rent it out as an income stream. Turo hosts your listing and lets you deal with delivering the car to renters, but peer-to-peer car rental company Avail does all of the work for you. You can expect to make about $25 a day and if Avail doesn’t rent your car while you’re gone, you get free airport parking and a free car wash.

Many of us have spent the last few days preparing for our temperatures to become even more bitterly cold. Hopefully, you’ve taken steps to make sure your family, your pets, and your home are ready for the frigid weather. Before you settle in to ride out this winter blast though, you should check the inside of your car to make sure you didn’t accidentally leave something outside that could cause an expensive mess.

FILE - This Monday, Oct. 9, 2017 file photo shows a Ferrari logo on a car outside the New York Stock Exchange in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)A husband-and-wife duo took two days to carve a red Ferrari completely out of snow. Viral video captured by Donata Bugiene, of Lithuania, showed her husband packing snow up to his height and started carving to resemble the Italian sports car using a wooden spatula. It took two days and environmentally-friendly spray paint to bring the Ferrari up to “life-sized” standards, according to the couple. Bugiene told Storyful she and her husband measured the dimensions, similar to the Ferrari LaFerrari model.

The other incidents he allegedly is connected to, many of which police said he was identified as taking part in through photo arrays by victims, occurred in the 8800 block of South Luella Avenue, the 1600 block of East 92nd Place, the 8900 block of South Constance Avenue, the 600 block of East Bowen Avenue, the 2600 block of East 91st Street, the 7900 block of South State Street, the 8800 block of South East End Avenue and the 8600 block of South University Avenue, police said.

Traffic Expert Anavid Reyes breaks down AAA’s numbers for the average annual driving costs for 2020. Bottom lineThe average annual driving cost is the highest on record since AAA began tracking expenses in 1950 at $9,561. Since 1950, AAA has published it’s annual Your Driving Costs study that breaks down the cost of owning a new car, including depreciation, finance, fuel, insurance, license/registration/taxes and maintenance/repair. Texans love their pickup trucks – but they have the highest overall driving costs-- 75.39¢/mile. These are then combined and averaged to determine the overall cost to own a new car in 2020.

Shopping for a pre-owned vehicle? According to a new study by iSeeCars, December is one of the best times to buy a used car in Houston as there 13% more deals than average, and 18.1% more deals on Christmas Eve, specifically. Experts at iSeeCars analyzed over 32 million used car sales, comparing specific times of the year to determine when car shoppers would find savings of at least 5% which amount to over $1,100 off the price of the average pre-owned vehicle. The study found the holiday season to be one of the best times of year to find deals; however, the study discovered better deals tend to be available at the beginning of the year. Here are the best and worst times to buy a used car in Houston:Top 10 Best Times to Buy a Used Car, according to iSeeCarsMartin Luther King Jr. Day January February New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day Christmas Eve December March Veterans Day November Thanksgiving/Black FridayTop 10 Worst Times to Buy a Used Car, according to iSeeCars

HOUSTON – The coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on car rental companies, including one that plans to sell a fleet of cars to try and stay afloat amid the economic slowdown. Car rental company Hertz has begun selling its fleet of cars more than 10% below market value after filing for bankruptcy. According to CNN Business, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to the sharp decline in air travel caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Several cars, such as the 2018 Nissan Sentra, are being sold for $10,395, almost 12% below market value. Those interested in purchasing from Hertz can shop online and have the vehicle delivered within a 75-mile radius.

As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston. Question: What happens when two cars come to a four-way stop at the same time? Answer: If two vehicles come to a stop at a four-way stop, at the same time and are side-by-side, the right-of-way goes to the person who is on the right. This is not an optional yield sign. The law states "the operator of a vehicle approaching an intersection with a stop sign shall stop."

HOUSTON – ‘U Do It Auto Repair’ is a self-service auto garage, that is an alternative method to your standard car maintenance solution. ‘U Do It Auto Repair’ will supply you with all of the tools you will need, safety equipment, and shop equipment. They also have women’s-only auto classes! So for anyone who feels uncomfortable or intimidated, the female auto techs will easily break down exactly how to perform certain tasks. Get more info about ‘U Do It Auto Repair,’ HERE.

HOUSTON – You can catch a Houston artist and car enthusiast on Jay Leno's Garage Wednesday night on CNBC. Jay Leno's Garage is a weekly show on CNBC where the comedian reviews cars, motorcycles and interviews celebrities behind the wheel. “It’s a hairless cat and I just love them, but my family does not like them as much as me. Kimi usually strips the art car every year and recreates it but she says Wrinkles’ newfound fame has earned her an extra life. You can see Kimi and Wrinkles on Jay Leno’s Garage at 9 p.m. CT on CNBC.

HOUSTON – Seniors across Houston are being celebrated in unique ways, but one local graduate got a truly Houston-style celebration. Bianca Huerta shared a post on Twitter that said “(I) didn’t get to walk the stage, but my dad made sure my graduation was special.”In the video on the post, Huerta showed a parade of one-of-a-kind slab cars complete with swangas, made famous by Houston rappers like Chamillionaire, Slim Thug, Paul Wall and Bun B.Congrats, Bianca and class of 2020! Take a look at Huerta’s video below:

When we sell a car, or return a rental car, a similar thought may not cross our minds, but cybersecurity experts say it should. This month a security researcher described buying old Tesla infotainment systems online and finding personal information such as the home addresses and WiFi passwords of the previous owners. Searches of eBay reveal that infotainment systems from brands such as BMW, Ford, Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz are currently available for sale. "If you pair your phone with a rental car, and that car gets in a crash two years later, personal information about you could be pulled off it." In the long run, consumer awareness of the issue may be needed most to be impactful and better protect personal data.

And what if your car won’t start because of a dead battery? To revive a dead battery, first make sure each car is in park or neutral -- and turned off. Then, connect one end of the cable to the positive terminal of the donor battery, and then connect the other end to the positive terminal of the dead battery. Let the dead battery charge for a few minutes, and then turn the ignition on the vehicle of the dead battery to see if it starts. This only applies if you:a) Have someone to take you to a repair shop or the store right away to buy a new battery.

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) announced it will provide free standard oil changes and enhanced cleaning services for U.S. healthcare and frontline workers at participating dealers nationwide. The program, which began April 16, is not limited to Mazda owners and is available for most makes and models from other manufacturers. Mazda said the Essential Car Care program will invest a minimum of $5 million as part of the initiative. The program is supposed to run through May 4. Many Houston-area Mazda dealers have jumped on board to offer their services as a way to thank healthcare workers within the community.

Here are five tips to avoid problems that can come up with sitting vehicles:Make sure to run your car every once in a while. But just in case a car isn’t being used or a two-car household has turned into a one-car household where the other vehicle is just sitting idle, running the car is still vital. Gas does degrade over time, and in some cases, it will go bad in less than two months if a car remains idle. In addition to running the car, treating it with fuel stabilizer can extend the life of your car’s gas. If the gas already is bad, there are ways to remove the bad gas from the tank, according to itstillruns.com.

HOUSTON – Houston has been chosen as one of the 18 nation-wide stops for the 2020 Hot Wheels Legends Tour. According to a news release, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour is the world’s largest traveling car show where people can see all kinds of custom cars. According to the Houston event page, there will be a fleet of Hot Wheels-esque custom cars, photo ops, a die-cast vending truck, a Hot Wheels kid zone and more. You can read the contest rules and judging criteria on the Hot Wheels website. When is the Houston stop?

HOUSTON – The 37th Houston Auto Show rolls back into town this weekend, and it’s bigger and better than ever before. In fact, it’s the largest auto show of the South, and it promises today’s newest vehicles from the world’s top automakers. Aston Martin DB11 retailing at $250,323.50, featured in the Houston Auto Show (KPRC)1929 Stutz Blackhawk Sport Roadster featured in the Houston Auto Show (KPRC)Nissan Frontier featured at the Houston Auto Show (KPRC)Custom Louis Vuitton print on Lamborghini featured in the Houston Auto Show (KPRC)Land Rover Defender featured in the Houston Auto Show (KPRC)Also make sure to check out the all-new Land Rover Defender, which is back after a 5-year production hiatus. Check out some of the must-see modelsThe Houston Auto Show is the first place in 2020 where you can see, hear, touch, and even drive, the most heart-racing cars, trucks, modified vehicles, and ultra-luxuries. Us walking into the Houston Auto Show, pretending we can afford all these luxury cars

Whether you’re looking for a new ride, or just a car enthusiast, you’ll want to check out the Houston Auto Show.

The collector car experts at Hagerty have, helpfully, put together a list of affordable cars that they think are great to buy now as investments — and for fun. value today: $47,800 - $55,9001990-1995 Volkswagen CorradoThe VW Corrado was very different from the similar-looking but better-known Scirocco. value today: $82,200-$89,6001971-1980 International Harvester ScoutThe Harvester Scout offers a similar look and experience to the much-loved classic Ford Bronco, but at a lower price. value today: $40,700-$51,2001984-2001 Jeep CherokeeThe original Cherokee was a huge hit in its day and it remains popular even now. value today: $20,500-$30,300

GT cars are, essentially, sports cars engineered for genuine enjoyment in the world we actually live and drive in. Given the inherent conflicts between performance, practicality and comfort, a good touring car can be really hard to create. The new McLaren GT shows just how hard it is to get this recipe right. Driving a car like the McLaren 570S or McLaren 720S is everything you'd imagined driving a supercar would be. Most of it felt familar from driving other McLaren cars.

For whatever reason, and following wonderful years of car design from 1955 through 1957, most every manufacturer, in my opinion, added too much chrome, added unnecessary curb weight in an unattractive boxy design. Some of the best designs that decade, in my opinion, were the 1957 Chevy, 1957 Ford, 1956 Plymouth, 1953 Buick Skylark, 1956 Continental, 1956 Studebaker Hawk, 1956 Mercury, 1956 Chrysler 300 and 1956 Packard Caribbean. And after so many nice cars in 1957, car enthusiasts really looked forward to the 1958 model year with much gusto. The 1958 Ford was at least acceptable in looks, but still nowhere near the 1957 models in aesthetic approval. Even the Ford Thunderbird, which made great impressions as a two-seater sports car from ’55 through ’57, fell to the 1958 car design curse.

Getty ImagesNEW YORK - Ric Ocasek, famed frontman for The Cars rock band, has been found dead in a Manhattan apartment. The New York City police department said officers responding to a 911 call found the 75-year-old Ocasek at about 4 p.m. on Sunday. They said there was no sign of foul play and that the medical examiner was to determine a cause of death. The Cars chart-topping hits in the late 1970s and 1980s included "Just What I Needed," "Shake It Up" and "Drive." In May of 2018, model and actress Paulina Porizkova announced on social media that she and Ocasek had separated after 28 years of marriage.

This week a self-driving car traveled across the country from California to New York. Several automakers say we are just a few years away from having autonomous vehicles on the market, but Lauren Lyster tells us about a major speed bump that still needs to be crossed before drivers can take their hands off the wheel.

Are driverless cars that far away? Safety comes first. Based on cameras and other sensors, much of the latest auto technology is geared towards driver safety. Jake Fisher of Consumer Reports explains how these advances are leading to full driverless capability of our cars.