These Are The Features You Want on Your Next Car

Tim Healey
by Tim Healey

It's Friday, so it must be podcast time!


That's right, it is.

We talk with Robby DeGraff from AutoPacific about the features new-car buyers want, and Matthew Guy and I discuss the torque wrenches we use. I then evaluate some made-up NASCAR mid-season awards -- Mr. Guy was unavailable for NASCAR chat this week.

We thank Robby DeGraff, Matthew Guy, and Matt Posky for editing. Most of all, we thank you for listening. Find us wherever you get your podcasts or click here to find us and we'll see you next time.

[Image: Acura/TTAC/VerticalScope]

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Tim Healey
Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

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2 of 11 comments
  • Carson D Carson D on Aug 12, 2024
    Port fuel injection and a manual transmission are the most important features I'm looking for.
  • ToolGuy ToolGuy on Aug 15, 2024
    I never bag my grass but I mowed over at a rental (not mine) today and bagged the grass (put the clippings on a section where we are planting new grass) and it extended the batteries by a surprising amount. (In case you want to lower your impact on the strained electrical grid.) Rain is forecast for the next couple of days so it was time to mow, which means TTAC Podcast time. Hopefully the grass clippings will capture some of the moisture and hold it longer -- someone else wanted to put down hay but I think she means straw. Put down hay and you get hay, is what I've been told. The clippings are green which starts the illusion of 'lawn' in that area. Does a clicker torque wrench really stop transferring torque when it clicks, or does the human have to be clued in enough to stop applying torquelages? For a small parking area, the professionals recommended crusher run plus 3/4" limestone, but after seeing how the materials were packing down in front of the bins at the gravel supplier, I am leaning toward quarter down and then 1/2" limestone (there is a pre-existing 'base' already in place). I probably shouldn't be allowed to do science on my own.
  • Theflyersfan Not until the charging infrastructure has been expanded and the HOA changes their mind to allow EV chargers under the covered parking at home. Right now the closest chargers are between a quarter and half mile walk away, and while that's no problem when the weather is nice, it's zero fun doing that in crummy, cold weather. But there are chargers at work so that helps a lot. And then I want to see a better selection of EVs that can get an honest, people in the car, climate control running, highway range of over 300 miles in a vehicle ~$40,000. Like so many people here and outside this site, that's the holdup. $$$ + long charging times + lower realistic range = I'll wait for the next generation.
  • Tassos Ask me if I care for the idiotic vehicles less than 10% of whose owners use as INTENDED.
  • Brandon The 2024 Mercedes-Benz E 350 4Matic looks like a compelling addition to the luxury sedan market. From the drive notes, it’s clear that Mercedes-Benz has maintained its commitment to blending performance with comfort. The handling and acceleration seem impressive, reflecting Mercedes’ signature blend of power and smoothness.
  • Jmanb52 In this case clearly a driver responsbile for the accident. Lawyer just trying to add confusion to jude and or jury to think about it. I was on a jury once for an auto accident and one of the attorneys tried a few stunts to shift blame. Same thing is happening here. The companies pushing autonamous want to deal with fleet markets like the autonamous taxi companies rather than individual consumers. In my opinion I think they belvie that would be more predictable sales. Car gets to xyz milage time to replace. In my opinion they could never sell a full autonamous car to an individual because of a back and forth legal battles between owner and maker when there is a crash. They need to foget about all these take over driver aids. It is just causing more issues than it could prevent.
  • Jmanb52 Short answer is NO! It has been a tread for manufactures to basicaly glue a tablet to an area of the dash and call it an infotament system. However there is not one of us on here that doesn't ahve a smart phone or tablet. With the android auto, and the Apple Carplay and bluetooth that conencts car spekers and mic to our headset, do we even need an Infotament system or just bluetooth connection to use hands free mic and spearkers or wired connection to USB port for connection to spearkers / mic and charge the phone. So maybe the QOTD should be do manufactures even need to provide an infotanement system or should they just provide an in dash holder for a tablet or smartphone?
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