Aurelia Butler

Despite still-limited supply, car shoppers are not slowing down. A new survey of over 3300 car owners in the U.S. found that 35 percent are not driving the car they wanted, and the other 65 percent say they are willing to pay up to 39 percent over MSRP to get the car they have their eye on.At current prices, that comes to a markup of almost $19,000.Car shoppers in Idaho are most desperate to get a specific vehicle, willing to pay up to 71 percent over the sticker price. Shoppers in the four states with the lowest rates were only willing to pay an 11 percent markup.The internet is full of tips to help car buyers to not overspend on their new purchases, but it seems like not enough people are putting them to use. Or perhaps the limited supply of new vehicles during the pandemic and the resulting thousands of dollars of dealer markups is causing people to overspend. Whatever the reason, people are paying higher and higher prices for new cars these days, and it turns out we’re not happy about it. Shocking. For most of 2022, the average price of a new car was around 10 percent over the official price, with the 15 most popular models all costing between 18 and 24 percent more than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), according to iSeeCars.A new survey commissioned by Quantrell Auto Group of 3361 car owners found that over a third of them (35 percent) said they had purchased a vehicle they hadn’t intended to when they started shopping. The other 65 percent said they would be willing to spend up to 39 percent over MSRP. Thirty-nine percent. Keeping in mind that an auto dealer group is behind the study and may be surveying people who are really ready to buy, but still: Given that the average new-car price in the U.S. is now over $48,000, these survey results indicate that a whole lot of shoppers may be willing to spend upward of $19,000 over the sticker price to get the vehicle they want. While the intention to pay is different than actually paying the extra money, vehicle prices aren’t likely to drop if everyone keeps shopping with that attitude.Some automakers, including Hyundai, Kia, GM, and Ford, have warned their dealers about applying high markups, threatening in some cases to shift allocation to dealers who do not overcharge buyers.In Some Places, Cooler Heads Prevail The nationwide survey revealed significant differences between states. The state that’s willing to pay the most over MSRP is Idaho, which sits at an insane 71 percent over sticker. Four states—North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and West Virginia—are willing to pay just a comparatively sane 11 percent over MSRP. There may be some clues in the data that show where vehicles are easier to acquire. The four states with the lowest percentage of car owners driving vehicles they didn’t want were Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Getting hands on a Ford Maverick is tough. Order books have been backed up for months, with many customers waiting over a year to get their trucks. I have some firsthand experience—my dad ordered a Maverick when the truck was first announced back in 2021, and after nearly a year of waiting he canceled his order. Yet somehow, Mavericks are already starting to show up on rental lots, specifically U-Haul.This U-Haul liveried Maverick was spotted in Florida by a user on the MaverickTruckClub.com forum. According to the company’s website, you can book one right now in Miami for $19.95 a day plus fees—pretty wild considering there are countless people out there right now waiting for months for their trucks to show up. U-HaulNo matter your feelings on the matter, it’s easy to see why U-Haul is starting to stock Mavericks in their fleet. While they’re not any cheaper per day than the larger truck offerings, their compact size and better fuel economy mean renters can fit them in more places while spending less money on gas. If you’re a current or prospective Maverick order-holder, we suggest using these U-Haul trucks as an opportunity to take an extended test drive to see if you actually like the thing before you buy. And maybe even use it to get some work done around the house. Specs, DetailsThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Sorting out whether a Nineties Toyota Pickup or a Lamborghini Huracán is faster doesn’t sound like hard work. But most Toyota Pickups don’t have 900 horsepower. The one in this new video from Hoonigan does. It also has a two-speed racing transmission, drag radials, a bed-mounted fuel cell, a 6.0-liter V-8, and 300 fewer pounds to lug around than its competition. But as the 3800-pound weight figure betrays, the Huracán isn’t stock, either. Its 5.2-liter V-10 has been fitted with twin turbos and custom ECUs, boosting maximum output to 1500 hp. And given that it’s mid-engine with all-wheel drive, the Huracán has some considerable advantages over the Pickup. Huracán SeasonUnfortunately, it isn’t fully sorted. In the first run, the Huracán goes into “Fuel Safety” mode, cutting power and giving the Pickup a chance to catch up and run past it. On the second run, the Pickup driver has to lift to avoid spinning out. In fact, throughout the video he’s fighting the constant side-to-side motions of the Pickup as it searches for grip. Eventually, they both get good runs, but there’s never a perfect race between them.Even still, it’s fun to watch as the Huracán rockets off down the runway and then abruptly cuts fuel. The Toyota, sliding down the runway at insane speeds, is hilarious to look at on every run. And both are good examples of the ultimate truth of modifying a car: Big power is a lot less useful if the car isn’t set up to handle it. This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Hyundai uses the vehicle-to-load capability of the Ioniq 5 to power a pop-up hotel in Essex, UK.The luxury cabin features a cinema and a restaurant with a bar, all powered by the crossover’s battery.V2L technology promises to make camping easier in the future, without requiring a bidirectional charger that vehicle-to-home (V2H) capabilities require. You’ve heard of electric vehicles’ batteries taking on charging duties beyond just making the EV move. That’s the premise behind Hotel Hyundai—an off-grid pop-up hotel where a Hyundai Ioniq 5 brings the power for all the electrical devices in a luxury cabin via its vehicle-to-load (V2L) feature. The hotel is located in Essex, England, about an hour from central London, and features a guest suite, a restaurant with a bar, and even a cinema.V2L differs from V2H, or vehicle-to-home, in that it does not require a bidirectional charger to operate, making this concept far less reliant on special hardware. In fact, all it needs is an adapter from the car.The idea for the pop-up hotel was sparked by Hyundai’s own research that showed 46 percent of respondents say that the environment and sustainability are more important to them than they were five years ago when choosing hotels, with 25 percent also indicating that they are choosing staycations instead of flying overseas in order to reduce their own carbon footprints.”Two fifths (40 percent) say they are also looking for cheaper travel options this year and over half (55 percent) admit this decision is due to the current cost of living crisis,” the automaker noted. “As a result, over half (53 percent) say they would like to invest their holiday spend in local U.K. economies rather than abroad.”This vision of sustainable vacationing includes bringing one’s own electricity.HyundaiThe luxury cabin, built by Colemans Farm, relies on V2L to power everything inside, down to the espresso machine in the small bar and the projector in the cinema. The Ioniq 5 supplies AC power (230V/50Hz) up to a maximum of 3.6 kW (15 amps).The hotel will be open for 14 nights from October 19 through November 5. “Our award winning Ioniq 5 is able to power Hotel Hyundai using its V2L feature, where an adapter from the car provides a socket which domestic appliances can be plugged into,” said Ashley Andrew, managing director of Hyundai Motor UK. “The whole experience demonstrates the practicality of this pioneering technology, and we hope the concept inspires more people to go off grid.”V2L technology received a timely introduction stateside when owners of the Ford F-150 Lightning were able to power essential appliances in their homes during prolonged power outages. But outside of emergencies, V2L technology in cars such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6 promises to redefine the camping or glamping experience, with Hyundai’s pop-up hotel being an apt demonstration of sustainable vacation stays.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More