Owning a truck means a lot of different things to people, but it sure seems like truck owners are more helpful than regular old car owners…think about it:

• When someone needs a tow, who do they call?
• When it’s time to move?
• When someone needs a jump or mechanical help?

It turns out that truck owners help fight crime too – here’s a story about a 2000 Tundra owner that helped catch a murderer.

It started at a McDonalds

Lawton Walker was sitting in his Tundra in the McDonalds parking lot when a robber confronted two McDonald’s employees in the car next to Walker. Incredibly, the robber pulled a gun, stole the deposit, and then for no apparent reason shot and killed one of the employees as they sat defenseless in their vehicle.

Walker, stunned by what had just occurred, took action. He started his Tundra up, and when the murderer jumped in his car, Walker rammed his truck into it. While the damage didn’t stop the murderer in his tracks, it definitely slowed him down. Walker then chased the murderer in his vehicle until he was pulled over by police. Due in part to Walker’s actions, the police were able to apprehend the murderer.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

No one would have faulted Walker for staying out of danger and simply calling 9-1-1. Frankly, Walker is very lucky to live in a place where local law enforcement supported his actions. Depending on your perspective, Walker’s actions could be considered reckless…but that’s the crux of it, isn’t it? Every time we pull over to help a stuck motorist, or jump out of our trucks to push a car in the snow, we compromise our safety. Being helpful isn’t always the safest course of action, and it goes without saying that Walker took a great risk.

Walker and the damage to his 2000 Tundra. Image ©Jacksonville.com

In Walker’s case, things seem to have worked out OK. While there is damage to his Tundra, the local AutoCrafters collision center and Keith Pierson Toyota have offered to fix his truck free of charge, as did the local Fraternal Order of Police. Walker is quoted as saying that “he’s no hero,” and that he’s grateful to have his family. Walker’s sentiments go out to the victim of this crime, Raynold Orelus.

Orelus was a Haitian immigrant and father of five, four of whom live in Haiti. Orelus’s family wouldn’t have been able to afford the trip to attend his funeral had it not been for some financial assistance from local business and others. If you’d like to help out the family:

An account has been established at VyStar Credit Union for donations to the family of slain Haitian immigrant Raynold Orelus. Donations can be made at any branch in the name of Orelus’ wife, Miraclide Orelus, to account number 702809176.

Read the full story on Jacksonville.com. Our best to the Orelus family.

Have you read our Toyota Tundra towing guide?

In the aftermath of  floor mat recalls, Prius problems, and “pedal gate,” it’s easy to assume Toyota’s reputation with consumers will suffer. However, there is some compelling evidence to suggest that Toyota will survive and perhaps even thrive as a result of these events.

1. Ford’s Firestone Fiasco. One need look no further than Ford’s Firestone fiasco to realize Toyota can easily recover from this problem. Ford suffered through a tremendous amount of negative publicity nearly a decade ago when their Firestone tire problems became national news. Yet today, Ford is one of only a few manufacturers who are seeing year-over-year sales gains, and recent profitable quarters point to a company on the rise.

2. Toyota has fewer NHTSA complaints than any of its competitors. Edmunds.com recently published a report showing Toyota was 17th overall in total complaints to NHTSA this decade (adjusted for sales volume). As bad as Toyota’s publicity is right now, more people have complained to the government about safety issues with their Ford, GM, Chrysler, Honda, or VW than they have about their Toyota.

3. Toyota owners are a loyal bunch. JD Power consistently ranks Toyota near the top in owner retention, a key indicator of loyalty. According to JD Power, this loyalty stems for quality, resale value, and low costs of ownership…three areas where Toyota has traditionally done very well.

4. Toyota seems to be learning lessons. Toyota seems to be learning from this mistake. They’ve recognized a flaw in organizational culture, they’ve identified poor management practices, and they seem to be keen on fixing the problems inside the company walls. Only time will tell of course, but everyone in charge is saying the right things.

5. Toyota owners are generally satisfied with the recall efforts. It’s anecdotal to be sure, but having spoke with a few dealers over the last couple of weeks, we’re hearing that most Toyota owners are generally satisfied with Toyota’s efforts to fix this problem.

Obviously, it’s way too early to tell how this will all balance out. Upcoming congressional hearings could open old wounds, and it’s always possible some new piece of information will come out and really hurt Toyota. However, for all the negatives the press is mentioning, there are quite a few pieces of positive news for Toyota.

Have you read our Toyota Tundra towing guide?

A lot of off-roaders got into the sport in the first place because they love being outdoors. There’s something special about breaking trail in the morning as the sun comes up and scatters light off the dew on the trees all around, or the way the forest or desert sounds at dusk as a new nature cycle slowly creeps in along with the darkness. A lot of the most pristine and untouched areas are only accessible via four-wheel drive vehicles, and the isolation and splendor of these vistas are something that off-road drivers treasure.

Much of the best four-wheeling land also happens to be public land, a fact that is both a bonus and a scourge to 4×4 drivers. Not all areas have a history of being friendly to off-roaders interested in trail driving, and sometimes off-road use is banned for arbitrary and uninformed reasons. Fortunately, there’s an organization devoted to protecting the use of public land while also protecting the environment – the BlueRibbon Coalition.

The BlueRibbon Coalition first came into being almost 23 years ago in response to concerns about Idaho restricting access to public lands. The group immediately set to work finding sponsorship that would help them promote the idea that these wilderness areas were meant to be shared with those willing to drive responsibly and limit their impact on the natural world around them.

Over time, the BlueRibbon Coalition has grown to represent one of the most important forces in the lobby to allow Americans the right to enjoy what is essentially land that has been set aside for them by their state or by the federal government. This often includes national parks, which have not always been open to four-wheelers.

The BlueRibbon Coalition is composed of 10,000 individual members and 1,200 member organizations including many businesses that push total national membership over 600,000. The group’s largest success has been their support of the Recreational Trails Program, which provides funding for states to maintain off-road trails and facilities through the Department of Transportation. This has opened up thousands of miles of off-road trails for public use which would have disappeared behind fences, trees and plants many years ago if not for the program.

BlueRibbon has also remained a vocal advocate in the court room for the right of individuals to explore public lands using motorized vehicles, providing the funding and legal expertise required to maintain access to these areas for snowmobiles, jet skis, ATVs and pickups. Not only does the BlueRibbon Coalition work with governments in terms of maintaining transparency of public lands, but they also hold their own members to a strict code of ethics concerning their behavior on the trail.

The commitment of the BlueRibbon Coalition to both work within the framework of the law and also protect the areas enjoyed by off-roaders from abuse, neglect or pollution has made the group one of the most respected in the country when it comes to land access and wilderness use issues. The organization’s primary strength comes from its members – each one dedicated to staying true to the BlueRibbon core values of responsible use, conservation and fairness.

If you join the BlueRibbon Coalition before the end of January, 2010, you'll receive a free $25 gift card from 4 Wheel Parts.

If you believe in the message, you should considering joining the BlueRibbon Coalition and adding your voice to the 600,000 others defending the right to ethical off-roading. Membership is $29, and if you sign up this month you’ll get a $25 gift card from 4 Wheel Parts. So, joining the BlueRibbon coalition costs $4 if you do it before the end of January, 2010.

Tundra Headquarters is officially a member of the BlueRibbon Coalition, so feel free to list yourself as a member of the “Tundra Headquarters” organization if you decide to join.

P.S. Check out the BlueRibbon Coalition on Facebook!

Have you read our Toyota Tundra towing guide?

Instead of simply listing off the 5 most expensive trucks, we’re going to mix it up and list the most expensive trucks in 5 different categories:

1. Highest overall cost
2. Highest cost per pound of towing capacity
3. Highest cost per pound of payload capacity
4. Highest cost per horsepower
5. Highest cost per foot-pound of torque

We’re focusing this list on trucks that people can actually buy – no fancy custom jobs or limited production units. The trucks need to have an actual pickup bed, they have to be mass produced, they have to be one ton or smaller, and the trucks had to be available for sale in the USA during 2009 (09′ or 10′ models are OK). Simple, right? Here’s how it shook out:

The Most Expensive Trucks Overall

As you can see, the Escalade is the most expensive truck you can buy, followed very closely by the Hummer H2 SUT. Special-edition diesel trucks round out the top 5. NOTE: Comparing the value between a luxury one-ton diesel truck and a Cadillac “truck,” it’s easy to see why diesel pickups are popular as luxury vehicles.

Highest Cost Per Pound of Payload Capacity

The Tundra Platinum edition makes this list largely because it includes a host of extras, and once again the Escalade EXT is the big “winner.”

Highest Cost Per Pound of Towing Capacity

The Hummer and Escalade are at the top of most of these lists, but there are some interesting changes at 3-5. The Raptor, Ridgeline, and Silverado Hybrid aren’t made for big towing…but unlike the high mileage Silverado Hybrid and the off-roading Raptor, the Ridgeline has no excuse for being such a weak tow vehicle.

Highest Dollar Per Horsepower

Diesel trucks dominate this metric simply because high HP is dependent on high RPMs. Diesel engines are low-revving when compared to gas engines, so they typically have lower HP figures than one would expect.

Highest Dollar Per ft-lb of Torque

Once again, the comparative weakness of the Honda Ridgeline becomes apparent. Of all the trucks we spec’d, only the Double Cab Tacoma had a lower MSRP…and even the Tacoma had more ft-lbs of torque.

Some more notes about the comparison:

• The MSRP numbers came from each manufacturer’s website. The base package MSRP is used – most trucks don’t include a lot of “extras” like sunroofs, navigation systems, etc., unless these features are included in a package.
• In the interest of being as equal as possible, all trucks were priced with automatic transmissions.
• All the trucks were priced with 2wd, unless 2wd was not available.

Question – Are the Ridgeline, H2 SUT, and Escalade EXT trucks? Should they be included in this analysis?

Have you read our Toyota Tundra towing guide?

The end of the year is nearly upon us, so it’s time to recap everything that’s happened in 2009. Here’s a list of the most popular articles we’ve written in the past year:

The 12 most popular TundraHeadquarters Blog posts of 2009.

1. Diesel Toyota Tundra Info – A chronological break-down of the rumored Tundra diesel.

2. 10 Most Popular Tundra Accessories – A simple list of the most popular accessories for the Toyota Tundra, updated from our first list of 7 popular Tundra Accessories.

3. A list of all known problems on the 2007 Tundra – With more than 500 comments, this is one of the most popular pages on our website.

4. TRD Parts for the 2007 and 2008 Tundra – This list is popular, but it needs to be updated. Something for the to-do list…

5. 2009 Tundra vs. 2009 F150 – Our quick comparison we made back in 2008 before the 09′ F150 was released is more popular, but our full Tundra vs. F150 comparison is more comprehensive.

Toyota Tundra with 12" lift and 37" tires. Click to see more photos.

6. Toyota Tundra with Custom 12″ lift and 37″ tires – This featured truck – a 2wd Tundra with an amazing custom lift – has generated more comments than any other vehicle we’ve featured.

7. Line-x vs. Rhino Liner Spray-in Bed Liner Review – This is one of the more popular accessory comparisons we’ve done.

8. Truxxx 3″ Lift Kit Review – We didn’t like the Truxx kit nearly as much as the kits we reviewed from ToyTec and Low-Range Off-Road, but it’s certainly not a bad kit.

9. Tundra TRD Supercharger Specs – One of the simplest posts on the list. We basically list off all the specs and info we had on TRD’s supercharger for the Tundra and Sequoia. 504 HP and 550 lb-ft of torque…Crazy!

10. Toytec 3″ Lift Kit Review – We liked this kit so much that we recommend it, and we even have a discount code from Toytec for our readers!

11. Toyota Customer Service Tips – Be sure to check out the comments – there are some interesting stories and exchanges about dealers, customers, and crazy vehicle problems.

12. Tundra Leveling Kit and Lift Kit Information – This is a comprehensive article that explains what lift kits and leveling kits are, how they work, the basics of install, and tips for finding the right installer and kit. Great read for 1st time truck owners.

Some other interesting tidbits about our website:

From January 1st, 2009 through the middle of December, TundraHeadquarters.com has:

• Had 418,000+ unique visitors.
• Visitors come from all over the world, but the majority (93%) come from the U.S. and Canada.
• After the U.S. and Canada, we receive the most visitors from the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Australia.
• 65% of our visitors use Internet Explorer, 22% use Mozilla Firefox, and a little less than 9% use Safari.
• Had more than 1,150,000+ page views in 2009.

Thank you everyone for helping make 2009 such a great year!! Happy Holidays!

There will be no post on Friday the 25th.

Have you read our Toyota Tundra towing guide?

The holidays are coming to an end sooner than we think. If you’re going to order gifts online, now is the time to get your orders in. Here are some last-minute suggestions:

1. Looking for an inexpensive gift for your favorite truck owner? Check out our list of Cheap Gifts For Truck Owners That Don’t Suck.

Cheap gifts for truck owners

2. What about a gift card? EVERYONE likes a gift card. Amazon.com sells just about everything, so a gift card from them is a good option for just about anyone. AutoAnything.com and TireRack.com sell gift cards as well.

3. What about a cool electronic toy? Check out our portable GPS buyer’s guide for tips, and see our recommended GPS units as well. GPS trackers – like the Land Air Sea GPS Tracking Key – are a popular GPS gadget too.

Skip the shopping malls, the parking lots, and the long lines and buy online. It’s easy, it’s cheap, and you can be done in a few minutes. My personal favorite gift buying site is Amazon.com – I’ve bought all my gifts there this year. Check it out.

Have you read our Toyota Tundra towing guide?

Dogs and pickup trucks seem like a natural combination. Dogs are easy-going, friendly, and they don’t mind getting dirty. Indeed, if dogs could be a type of vehicle, they would be a fun-loving pickup truck for sure.

Sadly, despite the fact that dogs and trucks have so much in common, trucks can represent a serious risk to a dog’s health…especially if the dog rides in the back of the truck. While there aren’t a lot of stats to prove it, a veterinary professional we spoke with suggested that dogs are more likely to get hurt in their owner’s truck than they are to get hit by a truck.

How pickups can be dangerous for dogs:

These dogs are riding on top of the toolbox in this truck's bed as it drives down the road. Obviously, this is very, very dangerous for their health.

1. Far too many dog owners let their dogs ride in the bed of their trucks. Dogs aren’t cargo, yet many dog owners let them ride in the back as if they are a piece of lumber. Dogs aren’t watching the road, so they don’t know when you’re about to hit the brakes, and they don’t know how to brace themselves in the event of an emergency stop. Dogs can suffer broken limbs and injured joints when their owners hit the brakes in an emergency situation. Truck beds can be slippery as well, making it even riskier to ride in the truck bed in wet weather.

These dogs are having fun, but it's easy to see how this situation could go wrong.

2. Dogs will jump out of trucks. Straight from the vet’s mouth:

When we get a dog that’s jumped out of a vehicle, a lot of the owners will say it’s the first time…and a lot of the dogs have to be put down.

Keep in mind this isn’t limited to dogs riding in the bed – dogs have been known to jump out of a vehicle’s window as well.

3. Dogs can go through windshields. Just like people who don’t wear their seat belts, a dog can go right through a windshield in an accident…it’s just simple physics. Dogs must be restrained.

4. Dogs riding in pickup beds can get hit by debris. You don’t need to know the specifics of the story we heard, but flying sheets of plywood can be deadly.

5. Dogs can be swept out of pickup beds by wind. In what might be the most surprising risk of all, dogs that ride in truck beds can be blown away in a gust generated by a passing semi trailer. Semi’s push a lot of wind, and they have been known to lift a dog out of a pickup bed and blow them onto the road.

6. Dogs can cause distractions, and distractions can cause accidents. Often times the most dangerous distraction is a dog that jumps into a driver’s lap or line of sight.

Here are Tips For Making Your Dog Safe:

1. If at all possible, do not put your dog in your truck’s bed unless they’re in a dog box that is bolted in place.

There are many different types of dog boxes available. These are from DiamondDeluxe.com

2. If you must put your dog in your truck bed and you’re not able to put them in a dog box, there are inexpensive bed restraint systems available that will keep your dog from jumping or getting blown out of your pickup.

This truck bed harness system is less than $25, a small price to pay for a loved one's safety.

In many states, restraint systems are legally required for dogs riding in the pickup bed. Keep in mind, however, that these restraints are not a perfect solution. Your dog will still be vulnerable to debris in an unprotected box, and unless they’re in a box, they’re still vulnerable to breaking a limb in a panic stop situation.

3. If your dog rides inside your truck, that’s a step in the right direction. Still, dogs should be restrained regardless of where they’re riding. There are simple and inexpensive restraint systems available for the interior as well. Amazon.com carries dozen of different interior vehicle harnesses for dogs.

Click the picture to see more interior dog harnesses.

Your dog might not like the fact he or she can’t stick their head out the window, but dog restraint systems can prevent injury and come highly recommended by the vet we spoke with.

If you’re already following these tips, good work! Your pet would thank you if he or she could.

Questions? Suggestions? Please share.

Have you read our Toyota Tundra towing guide?

In an effort to improve our little blog, a few weeks ago we started profiling some popular auto blogs for our own purposes. At first, we were only looking for ideas on layout, content, and features. After a while we realized that it might be interesting to put together a list of the most influential auto blogs on the internet (focused on the USA).

The 20 most influential automotive blogs of 2009

For our purposes influence means that a blog is both authoritative and popular. Here’s our criteria for blogs and how we attempted to determine authority and popularity:

1. Each site had to be a blog or act like a blog. That means regular posts/articles that accept comments. This also means we only focused on the blog sections of larger sites.
2. We reviewed Google PageRank, Technorati Authority, and visitor data from Quantcast, Compete, and Alexa for nearly 50 blogs before trimming down the list to 20.
3. We placed emphasis on original content. Some blogs specialize in publishing press releases and re-posting info from other sites – those types of blogs did not do well in our rankings.
4. Blogs with infrequent posts and/or very low visitor numbers were less likely to make our list.
5. The blogs are all evaluated based on their US visitor traffic and US focus.

Undoubtedly, this list has missed some worthy blogs. Please know that this is a good-faith effort and that we’re happy to revise this list if we did indeed miss a blog that deserves inclusion. If you would like us to evaluate your favorite blog for inclusion on this list, please contact us or comment below and say as much.

The list of blogs is sorted by Google PageRank (PR). PR isn’t the best way to sort these blogs, but it’s probably the best independent indicator of authority. In cases where Google PR is tied, the blogs are sorted alphabetically. If you’d like, you can view this list (and all data) via pdf.

Blogs with Google PR 7

AutoBlog.com – Huge visitor numbers (10 million or more per month) and lots of original content make this one a must read.

Jalopnik.com – Not everyone is a fan of the short “hit-and-run” style of Jalopnik’s blog posts, but you can’t deny they’re funny and often informative. 11 million+ visitors per month can’t be wrong, btw.

Wired.com/autopia – Always good for a different take on cars and transportation in general.

Wheels.blogs.nytimes.com – The quantity of posts is low, but it is the NY Times.

Blogs with Google PR 6

AutoObserver.com – The low volume of visitors hides the fact this site is a great source of industry news.

AutoWeek.com – A blog backed by a top-rank news organization.

blogs.cars.com/kickingtires – Classified Ventures, LLC, publishes a few really excellent automotive sites. MotherProof.com, PickupTrucks.com, and Cars.com all fall under the same umbrella.

Detroit News Autos Blog – Arguably the best source of auto news in the USA that doesn’t require a subscription.

GreenCarCongress.com – The smartest auto blog that many people have never read.

TheTruthAboutCars.com – An interesting mix of reviews, news, and nostalgia.

Blogs with Google PR 5

blog.caranddriver.com – Most of the really good info is saved for the magazine, but you’ll find a gem here and there. The fact that the blog is backed by a major publication and enjoys a decent number of monthly visitors (approx. 87,000) places it on our list.

blogs.automobilemag.com – It’s a little weak in terms of popularity, but it is the blog of a major auto publication. It should be noted that the “rumors” portion of the site has similar traffic and authority rankings, and contains much of the info that other sites include in their blogs. Add the “blog” and “rumors” sites together and you have a winner.

blogs.motortrend.com – While it’s not updated as frequently as other blogs listed here, the posts are top quality, unique, and backed by a major auto publication.

InsideLine.com – Many great quality blog posts spanning the entire automotive spectrum, plus news, reviews, and road tests. A good mix.

MotorAuthority.com/blog – The main site is dominated by blog content, so we used the visitor numbers for the main domain. There’s not a lot of original content here, but the authority and traffic stats are solid.

News.PickupTrucks.com – Great source of breaking truck news, must-read for all truck enthusiasts.

TopSpeed.com – If you’re a fast car fanatic, you need to read this blog (if you’re not reading it already).

WorldCarFans.com – Just like it sounds, a fan site for the coolest cars in the world with a lot of emphasis on exotic sports cars. A good volume of visitors + solid authority ranking from Google and Technorati place it on our list.

Blogs with Google PR 4

blogs.thecarconnection.com – This site is a good source of smart commentary and original stories, particularly articles written by John Voelcker.

blogs.TruckTrend.com – The volume numbers aren’t great, but it’s a good source of truck news and some really good stories pop up here and again. Definitely a must read for truck enthusiasts.

Honorable Mentions

CarTalk.com – It’s not a blog, but this radio show is a big part of American car culture. The sites Google PR is 8, which is spectacular.

BusinessWeek.com Auto Beat – The frequency of posts is low, but the articles are excellent.

GM-Volt.com – If this site wasn’t solely focused on the Volt, it would have made our list. Still, the quantity and quality of posts they generate is excellent considering how narrow their topic is.

HybridCarBlog.com – Were it not for the low visitor volume, this site would have definitely made the list. Look for those numbers to change over the next few months, as this site continues to generate great content.

AutoCar.Co.uk -The list is focused mostly on the USA, so this Euro-focused site can’t be on our list. But if it could, it would go near the top.

GreenCarReport.com/blog/ – This blog is an up-and-comer written by one of our favorite authors. A few more visitors (based on the data we used to compile the list) would have put this site in the top 20.

Don’t forget, you can download a list of these sites and all their available data.

Comments? Sites we missed? Special thanks to DailyBlogTips for the idea of a 2009 in Review blog post.

Have you read our Toyota Tundra towing guide?

We’ve already told you what the great, “cool” gifts for truck owners are, but they’re all sort of expensive (except maybe the Carriage Works chrome billet grille).

Five cheap gift ideas for anyone who owns a pickup truck.

If you’re not looking to spend a ton of cash, here’s a list of gifts for truck owners that don’t cost a lot of money.

The Bon-Aire garden hose nozzle is great for washing cars.

1. Simple, well-built and above all handy, the Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle is a solid addition to any detailer or weekend car wash fanatic’s gear collection. It receives our hardiest recommendation…and it’s only $20.

The Equus 3100 code reader will save you money.

2. This is the most expensive gift idea on the list, but it’s a really popular item. Check out our review of the Equus 3100 diagnostic scanner / code reader. Basically, this little baby tells you what’s wrong with your 1996 or newer truck whenever the check engine light comes on. It’s about $85 from Amazon, which means it will pay for itself really quickly.

This thing could save your bacon someday.

3. The LifeHammer – What better way to show you care than to get someone a gift that just might save their life? This little hammer can bust a vehicle window with a modest strike, making it a potential life-saver after a crash when a vehicle door won’t open. It’s only $15, and who doesn’t love a hammer?

Blitz Rhino Ramps are a great gift for people that change their own oil.

4. Blitz Rhino Ramps for do-it-yourself’ers. Engine oil must be changed, and a lot of people have become accustomed to either squeezing under their cars or relying upon jack stands to hold their vehicle up during an oil change. Trouble is, jack stands aren’t very safe. Ramps, on the other hand, are very safe. Blitz’s Rhino Ramps are inexpensive (less than $40), lightweight, and a great way to show the person who changes the oil that you care about them enough to keep them from getting squished.

How about a new Toyota Tundra for less than $30?

5. A New Toyota Tundra. OK – it’s not a real Toyota Tundra, but it’s new, less than $30, and it might be good for a laugh. Just don’t forget to buy the batteries.

Be sure to check out our Recommended Portable GPS guide too – you can get a very nice GPS unit for about $100.

Have you read our Toyota Tundra towing guide?

Here are 5 “best of Craigslist” posts that have at least something to do with cars. Some important points before we continue:

1. There will not be any apologies for offensive language. If you read from this point forward and click on the links, you WILL see something offensive. Such is the beast.
2. None of the holier-than-thou “I ride a bicycle and I’m better than you” rants that are so popular on Craigslist made it on our list. Sorry. (OK, not really sorry. Screw those people.)
3. Keep the conversation going. Feel free to post a link to a best of Craigslist post that’s automotive in nature in the comments

Best of Craigslist posts with an automotive flavor

Number 1: One BAD Personalized Plate

How can one person get 50 parking tickets, each one for a different car…the answer? They have a personalized plate that’s simply “NV.”

Number 2: Rant For Anyone Who Works In The Auto Business

If you work at a dealership, repair shop, or any sort of retail repair type business, this rant from an oven repairman will make you bust a gut. Best part:

We get 50 or more broken oven calls in the few days leading up to turkey day and santa day. We get one or two any other week. Ovens don’t collectively go on strike. Most people just admit their sh*t has been broken since the Clinton administration, but some of you think you can bullsh*t me.

Read it – seriously.

Number 3: Traffic Rants

There are dozens of rants about traffic, but a couple stand out. First, we have an introduction to rush hour traffic – “definitions and how to for beginners.” It’s profane, but it’s a nice warm up for the guide to driving in Phoenix (that’s FEE-NICKS).

Number 4: Cool Story About Redemption

Next time you think you’re having a bad day, read this story about a homeless guy getting back on his feet after a dealership took a chance on him and hired him to be a detailer.

Number 5: People Who Hate Annoying Car Ads

Craigslist is chock-full of classified ads for cars, and some of them are hilariously ridiculous. This list of the most irritating car ads hits a home run with this line:

3. The Detached-From-Reality Dipsh*t. “One owner 1986 Corolla. 234K miles. Needs a front bumper and headliner droops. Radiator leaks and needs alignment. $2300 FIRM.” Hey meatstick, one owner or 10 owners, your sh*t is old, worn-out, and worth $300.

Nice.

Finally, if you’re posting an ad on Craigslist trying to sell your car, give this list of classified car ad tips a gander (and remember a tacometer is a Mexican dish, not a gauge).

Any best of craigs ads we missed?

Have you read our Toyota Tundra towing guide?