Q.  Does an all-electric or gas-electric hybrid vehicle seem like the best bet? — J.Z. (via Internet) 

A. It depends. A hybrid gas-electric seems best with the current state of battery technology if you just make short trips, have easy access to a charger and live in a generally warm area. However, a gas/electric is better suited for longer trips and you need not fear that your vehicle’s battery level is getting so low that it will leave you stranded. Also, without tax credits, which generally won’t last forever, an electric vehicle is often more expensive than a gas-electric. 



Q. When I was younger in the 1960s and early 1970s, car prices were far more reasonable. What is the average price of a car these days? — E.U. (via Internet)

A. Yeah, I remember the good old price days. The average car’s price through February this year is approximately $32,200. That’s about $500 more than the price of a vehicle a year ago. Note that new models have more technology and safety features, which partially justify  price increases. Also, people are buying more sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks, which have a higher transaction price. Making matters worse is that tightening credit conditions and higher interest rates are increasing monthly payments. Such payments now top $525 a month, says Edmunds.com, an online shopping company.



Q. Are Cadillac and Lincoln, which once topped the auto luxury charts in America, doing something about competing with high-cost “crossover” sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) to better compete with foreign vehicles from such automakers as BMW, Audi and Lexus? — A.E. (via Internet)

A. Yes, but foreign automakers aren’t standing still, either. 



Q. I’m afraid my car has a rupture-prone air bag. How is the recall of such air bags doing? — J.N. (via Internet)

A. It’s not going as quickly as it should, says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the U.S. agency  overseeing the recall. Such devices are linked to many deaths and injuries. However, this is reportedly the largest automotive recall in U.S. history. You should have been notified that your vehicle may have a defective air bag. 

Q. Why are automakers spending huge amounts of money developing self-driving cars when there is no certainty that people will buy them? — G.R. (via Internet)

A. Because they feel that such cars eventually will be profitable and that they can’t take the chance of not developing them when their rivals are working on them.



Q. Why did the Wall Street Journal publish a long article about the 2018 Mercedes-Maybach S650 when the car has a list price of $198,700, with an as-tested price $208,545? In other words, why write about a car that very few can afford?— D.M. (via Internet)

A. Because it’s the Wall Street Journal.



Q. I’m confused about some of the abbreviations used in car advertisements. For instance, what do these letters stand for: CC, EFI, HO, IW, RD, TS and WD? — E.N. (via Internet)
 
A. In order, they send for cruise control, electronic fuel injection, high output (engine), intermittent wipers, rear defogger, tilt steering and wheel drive—as in front-wheel drive (FWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD).




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