The Weekly Driver Podcast

Based in Oakland, Helinox (www.helinox.com) was among numerous vendors at the recent Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Denver. The annual trade show showcases a vast array of merchandise, some geared toward various automotive user groups.

“We obviously come from the outdoors, but we recognize the way in which people get to the outdoors is often by automobile," said Azul Couzens, vice president of the company that also makes umbrellas and trekking poles. “More people are active in the outdoors with their cars. They’re going all-terrain; they’re going with their van and they’re going with their restored VW van or Land Cruiser.”

A 1976 Volkswagen Bus was used as part of the display for Helinox during Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Denver. Image © James Raia/2018

The Chair Zero collapses and fits into a pull-string bag the size of a water bottle. It weighs one pound and can hold a person weighing as much as 275 pounds.

“People are looking for equipment knowing that space is at a premium and that’s where we come in,” said Azul. “We offer lightweight, collapsible and portable furniture that delivers on comfort when you’re away from home. It really comes down to how much comfort you want to carry and how far you have to carry it once you pull it out of your car.”

Helinox displayed most of its products at Outdoor Retailer with traditional shelving. But a centerpiece of furniture was positioned around a restored 1976 Volkswagen bus. The vans are a time capsule of efficient outdoor-oriented travel, an ideal match for Helinox.

Here are three more automotive-related products from the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market:

* Aquabot (www.lunatecgear.com) — It's called a hydration spray bottle. It has three patterns — mist, stream and shower. It's available in several sizes and colors. According to Nick Rhea, president of Lunatec Gear, it's good to use to "cool off, clean off and hydrate."

The largest and most elaborate bottle, the Comet, holds one liter (33.8 ounces) and includes a sleeve and a 36-inch long tube. It eliminates having to pick-up the bottle while driving. The Comet is also popular among golfers, backpackers and cyclists.

"It just makes drinking more convenient," said Rhea. "We make innovative gear that simplifies your life, and to ease complicated adventures.”

* Hi-Tec/Magnum (www.hi-tec.com) — Outdoorsmen, military and law enforcement personnel and truck drivers often make long hauls in bulky shoes with little ankle support. Magnum, the world's top-selling tactical boot, makes a six-inch and eight-high boots.

The boots provide strong ankle support, but it results in drivers having difficulty articulating their feet when using gas, brake or clutch pedals.

All Magnum boots have a flexible "round-up" heal for pivoting and flexibility overall comfort for daily use while driving a vehicle. The boot is uniform-oriented with a clean, rounded toe for polishing, but with a high-top portion for support.

* Knockaround (www.knockaround.com) — The idea is affordability, and it’s reflected in the name. The San Diego company makes cheap sunglasses in a near-countless offering on colors and sizes. And the sunglasses include components of prominent brands, like polarization, ideal for driving.

“Beat ‘em up, wear ‘em, lose, scratch ‘em, break ‘em and buy another pair for not that much,” said company vice president Ed Rainey. Knock around sunglasses range from $10-$30.

The company started about 12 years ago when its founder lost his RayBans on the beach didn’t feel like spending $200 to replace them.

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 87 percent of daily trips occur in personal vehicles. Reasons vary, but comfort and reliability are primary reasons, and they're important. Drivers spend an average of 290 hours on the road per year.

The statistics are also crucial to analysts at WalletHub.com, the personal finance website that uses data-driven journalism to create best and worst lists and various surveys.

The Weekly Driver Podcast in Episode #46 discusses best/worst driving cities and some unique vehicles that will be shown in August during Monterey Auto Week like the Tucker.

One recent article, using 29 key indicators of driver friendliness, is a list of the top 100 cities across the United States for driver friendliness. Raleigh, N.C., gets the top honor, followed by Corpus Christi, Texas and Orlando, Florida.

Dubious honors were awarded to Oakland, California, San Francisco, California and Detroit, Michigan.

In episode #48 of The Weekly Driver Podcast, hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia speak with John Kiernan about WalletHub, its best and worst driving cities article and what the results mean.

The annual smorgasbord of all things automotive with called Monterey Auto Week or Classic Car will be held in mid-August. In this episode, we also discuss to the unusual vehicles that will be showcased this year during the Concours d'Elegance, Citreon and Tucker.

Preston Tucker and his cohorts made 51 vehicles, designed in Michigan and built in Chicago. The prototype was called the Tucker Torpedo; the production model the Tucker 48. It was manufactured in about a one-year span in 1946-47 as a 1948 model.

In addition to its availability on this website, the Weekly Driver Podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher and Podtail .

All episodes of our podcasts are also archived on this website, TheWeeklyDriver.com.

We welcome your comments and episode suggestions. Please also consider forwarding episode links to family, friends and colleagues.

The Weekly Driver Podcast gets support from www.americanmuscle.com.

Ask John Kraman a question about automobile auctions, vintage cars, industry trends or automotive history and the answers come fast and furious from the Mecum Auctions expert. He's as enthusiastic as anyone and his knowledge flows as fast as verbal clarity allows.

As the Director of Company Relations and Lead TV Commentator/Analyst Mecum Auctions, Kraman will be part of the vast staff again present at the world's largest car collectors auction during Monterey Auto Week in August.

About 600 vehicles are presented about every two minutes a the Mecum Auctions during Monterey Auto Week. Image © Bruce Aldrich/2017 .

The rapid-fire auction will present about 600 cars during Mecum's three-day presence during the gathering of all things automotive held on the Monterey Peninsula.

Kaman is our guest on episode No. 45 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Kraman about what to expect this year when Mecum Auctions is held Aug. 23-25 at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa and Del Monte Golf Course.

Exotics, muscle cars, sports cars, vintage vans and pick-up trucks, tractors and memorabilia will all be available to examine and then be will be auctioned in a controlled whirlwind of activity. It will Mecum Auction's ninth auction in 2018.

A mechanic, pilot and car collector, Kraman keeps the banter fresh and fast-paced during the presentation of the cars, truck, tractors and motorcycles.

Among the rarities for auction this year are a 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari, 2014 Pagani Huayra, 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition and 2012 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport 16.4.

A comprehensive guide to all of the company's auctions and details of the vehicles set for auction at the Monterey auction is available on the website, www.mecum.com.

In addition to its availability on this website, the Weekly Driver Podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher and Podtail

All episodes of our podcasts are also archived on this website, TheWeeklyDriver.com.

We welcome your comments and episode suggestions. Please also consider forwarding episode links to family, friends and colleagues.

The Weekly Driver Podcast gets support from www.americanmuscle.com.

Driving from Northern California to Southern California and back has been routine in recent years. The 800-mile round-trip trek along Interstate 5 is always interesting, particularly when driving a 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell.

Six weeks ago was the most unusual trek I've taken from Sacramento to the Los Angeles region (this time to Long Beach) because I drove the sedan that runs on hydrogen.

The 2017 and 2018 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell are available for lease in California.

From the expediency of refueling to the performance of the Clarity and from the use of the High Occupancy Lane as a single occupant to running out of hydrogen were all part of the unique experience. The Clarity won me over quickly.

I wrote my syndicated automotive for Bay Area News Group, Autopia, about my experiences with the Clarity, and I received several critical letters.

Steve Ellis is the manager of fuel cell marketing for Honda, and he has also had several other responsibilities in the alternative fuel industry. Before my trip, Ellis provided a map of the hydrogen charging stations for my trip and other details. He was instrumental in helping me after I ran out of hydrogen on my return trip.

Ellis is our guest on Episode 44 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss the Honda Clarity and its three trims, hydrogen, electric and hybrid. We also discuss hydrogen's future in the automotive world, and I ask Steve to address the concerns of three readers of my column. I've printed their email letters below (without the authors' names).

1. I was not able to find a contact address on the True Zero website, the hydrogen source for the Honda Clarity. I think True Zero is a very misleading name for your source since two-thirds of the hydrogen provided is from fossil fuel sources. So long as this is the case, True Zero is simply false as a name for this company. We know hydrogen can be produced from water, but so long as the process depends on fossil fuels, as it does for the bulk of the hydrogen from True Zero, then it is not a solution to fossil fuel-driven climate change.

A useful article would be one comparing total emissions from plug-in electric vehicles fueled by solar panels with currently available hydrogen-powered vehicles powered primarily by fossil fuels. I’ve driven a plug-in electric Ford Focus since 2012. If more of us did this, we’d see much cleaner air in the SF Bay Area and fewer children would suffer from asthma.

2. In the Drive section of the San Jose Mercury-News May 27, 2018, the headline reads "Honda Clarity Fuel Cell thrives on water." This is very wrong. It is as bad as saying that humans thrive on urine. To thrive on something should mean to do well as a result of it. This fuel cell does not use water as fuel; it uses hydrogen. It emits water as a waste product.

Even if you try to justify it by saying that hydrogen is made from water, the water does not supply the energy. Something else (typically electricity) supplies the energy to make hydrogen from water.

3. I drive a (Chevy) Volt and read with interest your article which appeared today in the SJ Mercury. However, when I did the math I wondered what I was missing. You said you drove 221 miles on 3.658 kilos at a cost of $60.19. My math shows that the fuel cost was .27 per mile. Assume a Prius getting 50 miles per gallon and a fuel cost of $4.00 per gallon. That comes to $.08 per mile. The cost of the Clarity is over 3X the Prius.

So while I would love to see fuel cell cars succeed, how can anyone be expected to buy a Clarity other than because she or he loves the environment and wants to make a statement? While I think the article was great on describing the vehicle, don’t you believe you need to make these points to your readers who may not think through how the economics compare?

In addition to its availability on this website, the Weekly Driver Podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher and Podtail .

All episodes of our podcasts are also archived on this website, TheWeeklyDriver.com.

We welcome your comments and episode suggestions. Please also consider forwarding episode links to family, friends and colleagues.

The Weekly Driver Podcast gets support from www.americanmuscle.com.

Tragedy strikes every summer. Children and pets die from heatstroke after being left unattended in cars and trucks. It should never happen, but it does when unknowing vehicle owners think leaving a window slightly open or parking in the shade alleviates potential problems.

But it's not sufficient. Within minutes after children or animals are left in a vehicle, temperatures can drastically rise and wreak havoc. Young children and pets can’t help themselves.

Never leave pets or children unattended in vehicles.

In Episode #43 of The Weekly Driver Podcast, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia speak with Dan Carron, a senior analyst for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, reports:

“Every year, dogs suffer and die when their guardians make the mistake of leaving them in a parked car, even for “just a minute”, while they run an errand. Parked cars are deathtraps for dogs: On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to 100 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 109 degrees in less than 10 minutes.”

Carron provides statistics and sad examples of the animal cruelty when owners believed their pets would be okay when left in vehicles “because it was only going to be for a few minutes.”

Carron also notes that PETA provides free pamphlets and posters for the public stressing the dangers of leaving animals in vehicles.

The Ford F-150 pick-up has no equals, except for its siblings. They comprise the stable of the country's best-selling pick-up trucks. The truck's legacy as the second best-selling vehicle in history as well as its pros and cons among three topics discussed in Episode 42 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia recently drove the 2018 Ford F-150 (Lariat) trim. Neither of us are pick-up enthusiasts, but the new F-150 won us over. It's powerful, comfortable, spacious, rugged and luxurious, at least as much as pick-up trucks can be luxurious.

The Ford F-150 is the country's top-selling pickup and the second best-selling vehicle in history, and for plenty of reasons. Image © James Raia/2018

The new Ford F-150 is also expensive. We review the turbo-charged diesel equipped with a 10-speed automatic transmission and 250 horsepower. It leaves little doubt why Ford pickups are increasingly popular

Bruce and I also discuss a recent report that examines car features that make driving less safe. And we also revisit the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell. We review a recent interview I had with Chris White, the communications director of the California Fuel Cell Partnership. White has been leasing the Clarity fuel cell for more than 1 1/2 years. She was the first person in Northern California to lease the vehicle that operates on hydrogen.

In addition to its availability on this website, the Weekly Driver Podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher and Podtail

All episodes of our podcasts are archived on this website, TheWeeklyDriver.com.

We welcome your comments and episode suggestions. Please also consider forwarding episode links to family, friends and colleagues.

The Weekly Driver Podcast gets support from www.americanmuscle.com.

The automotive industry is always changing. But two of the more significant announcements in recent years — the apparent demise of the VW Beetle and the jettison of the majority of Ford sedans — is the focus of Episode 41 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss the recent announcements by the respective carmakers in the news-oriented edition of our ongoing week chat about all things cars and trucks.

The VW Beetle may soon no longer be made. Image © James Raia/2017

The pending loss of several Ford models and the icon Beetle came, respectively, in a press release from the former and the text of a speech by a VW executive in Europe. The Beetle was first sold in the United States in 1949.

Sales of the iconic vehicle suffered in 2017, with 15,116 new units sold. It was 3.2 percent lower than 2016 sales.

Also in Episode 41, we discuss Ford’s massive pending changes. The carmaker recently announced it “will transition to two vehicles.” The remaining sedans will be the iconic Mustang and an unannounced vehicle, the Focus Active.

Currently, Ford sells six sedans and coupes in North America: the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max, Mustang and Taurus. This lineup hits multiple segments, from the compact Fiesta to the mid-size Focus, C-Max and Fusion to the full-size Taurus. The Mustang stands alone as the lone coupe.

It’s likely Lincoln’s sedans will also disappear, though this was not explicitly stated in today’s press release. Lincoln currently sells the mid-size MKZ and full-size Continental — both share platforms with Ford counterparts. If Ford is phasing out the development of sedan platforms, Lincoln will likely suffer, too.

In addition to its availability on this website, the Weekly Driver Podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher and Podtail

All episodes of our podcasts are also archived on this website, TheWeeklyDriver.com.

We welcome your comments and episode suggestions. Please also consider forwarding episode links to family, friends and colleagues.

The Weekly Driver Podcast gets support from www.americanmuscle.com.

Peter Zawadzki is as passionate about classic cars as any enthusiast. About four years ago, he had a keen idea to allow others to share his appreciation. He decided to rent out his 1958 MGA. A couple made it part of their wedding celebration.

Fast-forward and the success of the initial transaction is the Hagerty DriveShare Program. It’s the online marketplace for owners of classic vehicles to rent their wheels to other enthusiasts. It’s worked.

A 1959 Rolls-Royce is among the diverse classic rental cars available on DriveShare.com.

Getaway weekends, weddings, anniversaries and pending buyers who seek to test a comparable vehicle to a classic they’re considering purchasing, are among the reasons owners and renters meet on the website.

“At the time, there was really no product available that allowed you to do it, especially nothing that would handle the insurance,” said Zawadzki, our guest on Episode No. 40 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. “It’s really important especially if you’re lending your car out to someone you know or someone you don’t know, and you want to make sure that car is covered.”

Relying on a business model similar to Airbnb, the Hagerty DriveShare Program provides a platform for classic car owners to market their classic vehicles and for renters to find vehicles for special occasions. Zawadzki, a former Hagerty customer, presented the idea to the classic vehicle insurance company. He's now the program's director.

The site is loaded with vehicles available in nearly every state and with diverse price ranges. Details of how the program works are available on the website driveshare.com.

According to the website, “DriveShare is on a mission to keep car culture alive, making damn sure that people who love cars will always have the choice to go for a drive. This is where you come in: share your car and your passion with others – help grow the next generation of car people. The road awaits.”

“The response has been great,” said Zawadzki. “We have had a lot of people buy their first classic car after renting a car on the website.”

In addition to its availability on this website, the Weekly Driver Podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher and Podtail

All episodes of our podcasts are also archived on this website, TheWeeklyDriver.com.

We welcome your comments and episode suggestions. Please also consider forwarding episode links to family, friends and colleagues.

The Weekly Driver Podcast gets support from www.americanmuscle.com.

Mark Glover has been a journalist for more than 40 years. He's reported on sports, news and business and with a keen interest in automobile racing, particularly the Indianapolis 500.

Glover, who lives in Sacramento, will be attending the Indy 500 with his son. It's a special time, since the duo has been attending the event together for nearly 30 years. The elder Glover is well into his second half-century of witnessing what is called the "Greatest Spectacle In Racing."

The Indy 500 is the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Sacramento Journalist Mark Glover will be attending the race for the 56th time.

Glover is our guest on Episode 39 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I talk with Mark about his history at the Indy 500, the event he first attended with his father when he was a young boy.

We also talk with Mark iconic drivers, four-time winner A.J. Foyt to Danica Patrick, who is competing in the last race of her career. We discuss changes in the race and the evolving cars.

Bruce and I also ask Mark about his favorite drivers and memories from the event.

The 102nd Indianapolis 500 is scheduled Sunday, May 27.

Watching or listening to the event is available in traditions and non-traditional broadcasts. Here’s a link to IndyMotorSpeedway.com. It provides a good overview of the various methods to experience the event.

In addition to its availability on this website, the Weekly Driver Podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher and Podtail

All episodes of our podcasts are also archived on thw website, TheWeeklyDriver.com.

We welcome your comments and episode suggestions. Please also consider forwarding episode links to family, friends and colleagues.

The Weekly Driver Podcast gets support from www.americanmuscle.com.

Lending Tree, a leading online exchange based in Charlotte, N.C., connects consumers with banks, credit institutions and other lenders to negotiate the best deals. It also releases studies to provide pertinent statistics to customers.

A recent study, tabulated with thousands of transactions, details the top 50 metropolitan areas whose car buyers purchased the oldest used cars. The national average age for a used car purchase is six years old.

This vintage Packard, owned by Zane Buck, personifies the varied vautomobiles on display at the recent Pacific Coast Dream Machines in Half Moon Bay, California. All images © Bruce Aldrich/2018.

Jen Jones, an autos writer for Lending Tree, is our first guest on episode No. 36 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Responding to co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia, Jones provides insight into the survey. She explains why it was done, what the results mean and the surprises Lending Tree discovered while analyzing used car buying preferences.

In the second half of the episode, Aldrich and Raia revisit the recent Pacific Coast Dream Machines, the eccentric automotive show in Half Moon Bay, California. Raia interviews Zane Buck and Eva Waves.

Buck and his friend Dante DiLallo and the young men's fathers visited the show to not only look at other vintage vehicles but to exhibit Buck's classic Packard. Waves and her family and friends were relaxing near the family's camper van, a vintage Volkswagen Westfalia. She also explain's the Westfalia's interesting background.

Eva Waves owns a 1971 Volkswagen Wesfalia. It's one of the most popular vintage camper vans.

Like all vintage vehicle owners, Buck and Waves have stories to tell about how they acquired their respective used cars and their reasons for attending Pacific Coast Dream Machines.

In addition to its availability on this website, the Weekly Driver Podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher and Podtail

All episodes of our podcasts are also archived on this website, TheWeeklyDriver.com.

We welcome your comments and episode suggestions. Please also consider forwarding episode links to family, friends and colleagues.

The Weekly Driver Podcast gets support from www.americanmuscle.com.