Housekeeping: Are You TTAC's Next Top News Contributor?
As you saw last week, our news chief Steph Willems left the daily news grind behind to pursue an opportunity outside of automotive journalism. That leaves us looking for our next news guru.
Housekeeping: Be Safe This Labo(u)r Day
For what I think is the third time this year, I find myself saying a holiday won’t be like the others. Pandemic life, sigh.
Housekeeping: In Which We Bid Steph Farewell
Today is a bittersweet day in the virtual offices that make up TTAC. Our own news chief, Steph Willems, is departing for a gig in an industry that is, I assume, somewhat less ridiculous than this one (by “ridiculous”, I mean both automotive journalism specifically and automotive in general). We wish him well.
Housekeeping: TTAC Takes Juneteenth Off
The edict came down from our corporate parent last week: Juneteenth is now an official company-wide holiday.
That means we’ll be off on Friday, June 19th.
Housekeeping: Memorial Day, Socially Distanced Edition
Alright, listen up. It’s Memorial Day weekend here in these United States, and pandemic or no, Monday is a day off.
Additionally, we’ll be closing it down a bit early today, somewhere around mid-afternoon.
As is usual, there may be a scattered post or two, and some tweets here and there, but mostly, we’ll be off from this afternoon until Tuesday morning.
Housekeeping: TTAC Changes Name
Things in the automotive industry are in constant flux, and as the industry goes, so must we.
While the coronavirus pandemic has the industry temporarily paused, along with the rest of the world, there will, sooner or later, be a resumption of production and vehicle sales. And since we’re in tune with the pulse of the industry, we’ve decided we need to change our name. We’re doing so now, so that we can suck up the sweet, sweet Google juice as bored shoppers search for the car they plan to buy as soon as the shelter-in-place orders lift.
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce The Truth About Crossovers.
Housekeeping: TTAC, the Coronavirus, and You
You’ve no doubt spent the last week receiving emails from every brand you’ve ever interacted with, with each missive spelling out how the company in question is handling the coronavirus.
Some of these messages make sense — I definitely want to know that airlines, hotels, and restaurants are taking this seriously and expanding their efforts to keep things clean and disinfected, as well as how cancellation/reservation policies may change — while others seem frivolous. Do I need to hear from Sunglass Hut?
You might be wondering how TTAC’s coverage of the auto industry will change, with life having seemingly ground to a halt in large swaths of the United States and Canada and around the world.
Housekeeping - 2020 TTAC Gets a Mild Refresh
Perhaps it’s fitting that in the post-LA auto show haze, we’re getting a mild refresh of our own.
Housekeeping: Happy Fourth, 2019
Housekeeping: Enjoy the Holidays, Folks
Christmas and New Year’s are upon us, and that means we’re gonna be off Monday and Tuesday each of the next two weeks, and with light posting in between.
What does that mean? Here’s how it’s gonna go…
Housekeeping: Happy Thanksgiving, Turkeys
It’s that time of year again — the time for gluttony, football, and politics with Uncle Argyle. Some of you will get smashed, many of you will eat potatoes mashed, and some of you will bash others in a fight for that last 60-inch TV at the big-box store.
Don’t drink and drive. Don’t overeat. Do come back Monday for the usual shenanigans.
Reminder: Voting for Best/Worst Closes Today
If you haven’t yet cast your vote for the best and worst cars, click HERE to do so by 5 p.m. CST today.
The list of cars is linked here. Remember, we have 20 finalists in each category, and we’re going to cut the number down to 10 of each.
TTAC's Ten Best and Ten Worst Car Nominees Are In (Vote Now for the Finals)
Here they are – the nominees for the Best and Worst Cars of 2018, as chosen by TTAC staff and readers.
If you need a refresher on the original guidelines and rules, click here.
If not, CLICK HERE TO VOTE.
You have until Friday, November 2nd, at 5 p.m. Central time to cast your ballot. We have 20 nominees in each category, but only 10 will make the cut. You can only vote once.
Housekeeping: One Last Call to Vote for Your Best and Worst Cars
Yeah, yeah. I know. You’re being bombarded with calls to get out and vote. After all, there are midterm elections in the US of A this year.
And the midterms are important! Get out and vote, regardless of your politics. But before you do, why don’t you nominate your 10 best and 10 worst cars of 2018?
Housekeeping: Don't Forget to Vote for Best/Worst Car of 2018
Howdy, folks — consider this a handy reminder to vote for your Best and Worst cars of 2018. See here for all the details, and click HERE to vote.
Voting closes Monday, so you still have a few days left to get cracking. The response rate is a little low so far, so if you want your voice to be heard, speak up!
Housekeeping: Labor Day, With or Without U
However you spell it, Labor or Labour, Monday is an American holiday. Labor Day exists to honor (honour?) hard-working regular schlubs like you or I, since a random day off in the waning days of summer is apparently the best way for our government to pay homage to those of us who work for a living.
Housekeeping: Yes, We Know About the Tech Problems
We’re aware of the login issues and have sicced IT on the case. Maybe you think we’re not aware, but that’s because sometimes we have trouble logging in, too.
We’re working on it. Please be patient while we get the site back to full speed.
Housekeeping: Don't Blow Yourselves Up
Tomorrow is the Fourth of July, otherwise known as the day in which us Americans “celebrate the independence of [our] nation by blowing up a small part of it,” according to the ever-wise The Simpsons. Yes, Simpson’s truthers, I know the original, verbatim quote is “your nation” but I had to tweak it to make it make sense in this context.
Housekeeping: Let Civility Reign Once More
Alright, people, listen up.
I know the world seems more divided than ever these days (although as someone who minored in history, I can assure you this is nothing new). I know that as much as I’d like to keep the craziness of politics away from TTAC, it’s not possible — the automotive industry intersects with politics all the time, and it’s our job to cover those topics and stories. I know arguments on social media are getting nastier.
Housekeeping: Happy Memorial Day
You may have noticed a slowdown in posts this afternoon. That’s because it’s Memorial Day weekend and I told the staff to knock off early.
Hopefully, you’ve already punched out and are reading this from someplace other than your office.
Housekeeping: Reader Reviews
Reader reviews have been a part of TTAC in the past, and we’re still interested in running them from time to time. However, it’s come to my attention that a few of you submitted reviews and never heard back.
First, let me say: Mea culpa. Both my inbox and the “editors” account are constantly slammed with emails, and sometimes, submissions get missed. More on that in a minute.
Yes, we’re still willing to listen for pitches for reader reviews, but we can’t run them all. Here, then, are a few tips to increase your chances of getting your review on the site.
Housekeeping: Yes, We Know About the Tech Gremlins
Housekeeping: In Which We Take Time Off For the Holidays
Hear ye, hear ye — we here at TTAC are going into winter break mode. What that means for you is that starting this afternoon and running through New Year’s Day, we’ll be operating at around half-speed.
If You're Getting Desperate, Chances Are These Christmas Ideas Can't Hurt
Yes, we await your wrath in the comments section. Rather than take time out of our day to satisfy head office’s wish for some holiday gift ideas — a concept you’re no doubt thrilled with — we decided to let someone else do the work. Thankfully, there’s no scented oil in sight (though motor oil and other fluids does make a good gift; I’ve received a 4.4-liter jug under the Christmas tree more than once).
Instead, what we have here is a rare thing. Some pretty good shopping ideas for a classic car lover that doesn’t leave us squirming. Happy head office, happy staff, and hopefully not-too-perturbed reader. You just know there’ll be another one come Boxing Day. We’re already taking bets! – Steph
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TTAC Readers, Lend Us Your Feedback!
Here at The Truth About Cars, we’d be doing our readers a disservice if they weren’t given an opportunity to chime in about, well, pretty much everything. This is another opportunity to have your voice heard.
In addition to our webpage content — news, reviews, features, rants, and more rants — we’re adding a regular segment on our YouTube page. What’s that? You don’t visit our YouTube page? Well that needs to change, and you can start by taking a look at this.
Housekeeping: In Which We Give Thanks
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the U.S., aka Turkey Day, aka the high holy day of food (and booze-related gluttony), so we’re shuttering a little early today so our American crew can get a jumpstart on the holiday and our Canadian folks can get a little well-earned time off. We’ll be posting here and there over the long weekend, but expect a lighter content mix than usual.
Housekeeping: How to Reach Us When You Have Issues
Some of you noticed that we had a little bit of a technical snafu yesterday, and a few of you commented on Steph’s post with references to your own IT issues.
I try to read as many comments as I can, but it’s not humanly possible for me to catch them all. The same is true for the rest of our editors. Our moderators do a great job and clue us in to issues, but we’re all busy and things get missed.
Housekeeping: In Which Tim Cain Owes Us Timbits
As you’ve no doubt already seen, Tim Cain is leaving us to pursue another opportunity. We wish him well, but as punishment, he owes us Timbits from Tim Hortons. Lots of Timbits. Like, caseloads.
Confectionery jokes that I have already run into the ground aside, what does this mean for the site? If you love Tim’s sales analysis, it will still be a part of TTAC – just less often. He will still post for us a few times a month on a part-time basis.
Less of a Goodbye, More of a See You Soon
For more than 13 years I’ve been writing about cars, first in print media, then with my former website GoodCarBadCar, then with Canada’s far-reaching Bell Media, then with Cars.com, and eventually here at my long-term home, The Truth About Cars.
I will not stop writing about cars. But my current full-time role as sales analyst and road test editor at TTAC comes to an end today.
Hello From the New Managing Editor
Hello out there in TTAC land,
My name is Tim Healey and I am the new managing editor for The Truth About Cars.
That’s a strange thing to type, but it’s true. Pretty cool.
You probably don’t know much about me. I’ve not written for TTAC nor am I a well-known commenter. I have freelanced for other automotive sites, so perhaps you’ve seen my byline there. I’ve also been in this business for around a decade, so my name may be familiar to you.
We're Taking the Rest of the Day Off for This…
Goodbye and Hello
Let’s keep this short, shall we?
This Friday will be my last day as The Truth About Cars’ managing editor. On Monday, I begin a new career elsewhere, outside of journalism but still in the automotive industry.
But this isn’t really a goodbye. I’ll be vacating the seat to sit in another as an editor-at-large here at TTAC, and will stay for as long as my replacement will have me.
Speaking of my replacement …
We're Experiencing Some Technical Difficulties (UPDATE: Fixed)
Housekeeping: On Moderation and Civilized Society
Your moderation team here at TTAC thought it might be time for a reminder on our commenting policy. The rules apply to everyone — commenters and writers alike. Recently, we’ve been a bit lax on enforcing the rules, but that time has now come to an end. Included below is the TTAC commenting policy by which we all must abide. Posting comments on TTAC constitutes an acceptance of these comment guidelines.
Retraction of Article Posted January 23, 2017
In November of last year, I asked you, our loyal readership, for your input on how to guide this website into the future. You spoke to the tune of 300 comments, and I replied with the following:
When it comes to politics, we must walk a fine line, and we must define the meaning of political discussion. There’s no doubt that politics, government, regulation, and the automotive industry are intertwined like a well-stirred spaghetti. If we’re to ignore those aspects of the automotive environment in America and globally, we aren’t doing our jobs. However, there’s a vast difference between politics and partisan rhetoric. It’s the latter that’s become an issue.
So, we’ll eschew partisan rhetoric unless it’s germane to the story at hand. Otherwise, TTAC will not take part in the dissemination of rhetoric itself. Still, we’re about to enter a new era in American politics, where rhetoric plays an even more active role than it has in years and decades past. Keep this in mind when reading our reports. We cannot and should not ignore the words escaping the mouths of politicians, elected officials, regulators, and bureaucrats. To do so would be a disservice to you.
Well, dear readers, I’ve done you a disservice.
Merry Christmas, Everyone
As we roll into the holidays, TTAC is signing off for a four-day weekend and its writers are enjoying some much needed rest with family and friends. As much as we love to pour our hearts into this little corner of the web, we also need to share those hearts with other loves in our lives. So, because of that, TTAC can wait for a few days.
But before we go, I’d like to thank you — the writers, the readers, and everyone else that makes this possible — for an excellent year. Enjoy your holidays safely. We’d really like to see you come back here in 2017 in one piece.
In the meantime, and in the spirit of the season, let’s try something.
Hyundai Fires Its American CEO for Not Keeping the Good Times Rolling: Report
There’s room at the top at Hyundai Motor America after the sudden firing of CEO David Zuchowski, insider sources claim.
According to Automotive News, Zuchowski, who joined the company as sales chief in 2007 before taking the top job two years ago, didn’t achieve internal sales targets. As such, he’s reportedly out the door, replaced by an interim leader.
It might be hard finding someone to replicate Hyundai’s sizzling post-recession sales performance.
You Spoke, We Listened: After Over 300 Comments, This is What We'll Do For You
Last week, on TTAC’s 15th birthday, I asked you — all of you — for your input on what TTAC should be going forward. I wanted to know what we were missing. Thankfully, TTAC’s leaders have a history of holding open conversations with its readership.
It’s this open communication that’s such a blessing during an age of websites shutting down their comment areas by throwing the uncivil baby out with the bathwater in the name of civility. If anything, empty commentary is civil. It also isn’t commentary.
But we are not empty. You filled the space with a chorus of over 300 comments. We’ve listened and have already begun making changes behind the scenes to put your suggestions in motion.
However, I also need to address the elephant in the room. Actually, there are a few.
Site Issue: To Scroll or Not to Scroll?
Update: It looks like we’re in the clear. If you notice anything broken with the site, email me at mstevenson@ttac.com.
We’re currently working on a site issue that’s restricting the ability of many of you to scroll pages. When it’s cleared up, we’ll update this post.
Thanks for hanging in there.
We're Hiring!
We’re growing again and you might be just the guy (or gal) to join our little automotive internet enclave.
Interested? Hit the jump.
Attention: Password Reset Sufferers
Ever since a data breach left user accounts vulnerable to attack a couple of months ago, VerticalScope has been going through each one of its properties and resetting user passwords.
Normally, this reset would result in an email being sent to the user notifying them of that fact. However, some of our more prolific members have decided to provide email addresses that simply don’t exist.
I’m here to help.
If you’d like to access your commenter account once again, here’s what to do:
Tim Is the New Steph, Kinda, Sorta
Steph’s been locked in his sweltering Ottawa apartment, heat wave after heat wave, for weeks now. To give him some respite, we’ve sent him to British Columbia to enjoy some Korean luxury.
Commenting Policy Updated: These Are TTAC's Six Rules of Civility
Colin Chapman is given credit to an infamous line overused by today’s automotive cognoscenti: Simplify, then add lightness.
We’ve applied Mr. Chapman’s philosophy to our commenting policy, which will now be rigorously enforced.
These are TTAC’s Six Rules of Civility.
It's Canada Day, So We're Going to Roll Around in Maple Syrup and Drink Molson X
Say Hello to Your New Moderators
Attention keyboard warriors: your moderators have been selected.
Hit the jump to find out who they are and what they’ll be doing. Go on now.
PSA: Change Your Passwords
As a follow-up to the VerticalScope security breach, I want to take a moment to remind you to change your passwords if you haven’t done so already. That includes passwords for non-VerticalScope accounts that use the same email address or password.
Here’s the official notice from VerticalScope on the breach.
About Commenting and Self-Policing
The Truth About Cars has always valued its knowledgeable, insightful, and outspoken commenters. It’s because of this that I’ve let you, the Best & Brightest, police yourselves.
With this approach to our community that exists below the articles, it was my hope that you’d become a chaff-shedding strain of wheat, dispensing with those who offer little in favor of focusing on those who offer much.
However, as is the case, sometimes the only person heard on a street is the one shouting through a megaphone.
I’m here to take that megaphone away — then give it back.
Help Me Help You, or #MakeTTACGreatAgain
Over the last few months, the number of comments chiding TTAC’s website performance has grown and grown. Slow page loading times, browser crashes, and comments sucked into the ether seem to be the daily norm.
As Nat King Cole once sang, That Ain’t Right, and I’d like more than anything to fix the issues beleaguering the site and your experience with it.
In order to do that, I need your help.
Let’s Make TTAC Great Again.
We're Taking Panther-themed Holiday
Since Steph and I are citizens of a country that didn’t institute a constitution until its 115th birthday, we get to celebrate holidays that even the British ignore.
Just In Case We Weren't Clear …
Happy Easter Weekend
We are going to keep the content relatively light starting today and continuing through the weekend.
But I will ask one question: What’s your favorite Easter Weekend road trip? We’ve all hit the road at some point or another for Easter Weekend. And knowing you folks, some noteworthy shenanigans likely unfolded along the way.
TTAC Does Texas Postponed, Cue Sad Trombone
This weekend coming is supposed to be dedicated to our Headdress-in-Chief Sajeev Mehta as he celebrates his 10-year anniversary with TTAC. Unfortunately, a lot of things have happened since announcing our shindig, and we have to postpone it to a later date.
That might actually work to everyone’s benefit though.
Slack Chat: We Talk About Disclosure. This Is Where We Stand.
A picture is worth a thousand words, they say.
However, during the last few days, it’s become incredibly clear that some automotive journalists don’t have a deep (or shallow) understanding of ethics and disclosure. Even TTAC, at times, has failed to disclose the extent of the consideration offered by manufacturers during press trips.
This is where we fix all of that.
Save The Date: TTAC Does Texas and Sajeev's 10 Year Anniversary, March 26
UPDATE: TTAC Does Texas/Sajeev’s 10-year Anniversary Celebration has been postponed.
The Truth About Cars’ longest running current contributor, Sajeev Mehta, is about to hit 10 years of faithful service.
I’m going to fly down to Texas and hoist a beer with him. You should too.
Reacting to the Predictable
Much ink has been spilled regarding predictive policing tactics as of late. Numerous law enforcement agencies all over the U.S. are relying on historical crime data, metropolitan topographical features, and other pieces of information to data model crimes yet to be committed.
We lack those pieces of high-tech gadgetry here at TTAC, yet I (and many others) predicted exactly what was about to happen in the comments of an incredibly well written and thoughtful story about a girl and her car.
That saddened me — and then I reached for my therapeutic ban hammer.
Thank You and Goodbye
After 853 posts, No. 854 will be my last. Or, at least, my final scheduled story for now.
Over the past year, I’ve gotten to know TTAC, its readership, fellowship, authors, contributors, editors and the B&B.
Among the thousands of words that I’ve written that have reached your eyeballs, there are only three that come to mind when I think about my tenure as your Newsbot: Thank you, everyone.
TTAC is Hiring: Will You Be America's Next Top Newsbot?
The current newsbot’s programming has gone awry and it now thinks it should work for someone else!
Sacrebleu! What should we do?
Find a new newsbot, of course.
Want To Be a TTAC Contributor? Here's How
Hello, 2016.
Last month/year, I promised you that I’d post details on how to submit your written work to The Truth About Cars. This is the fruit of that promise.
If you’d like to be featured at TTAC, here’s what you gotta do.
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