Mike Lale
According to J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) release, vehicle “quality” complaints are increasingly about usability—complex infotainment and driver-assist features that don’t feel intuitive in real life. At the same time, Car and Driver says it now reports cabin noise at 70 mph in sones as well as dBA, reflecting how much “calm” … Read more
According to GasBuddy’s day-of-week analysis (summarized by Kelley Blue Book in March 2026), Sunday is consistently the cheapest day to buy gas, while Wednesday through Friday tend to be more expensive. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) adds another piece of the puzzle: pump prices are often highest where there are fewer stations and where … Read more
According to AAA’s late‑February 2026 survey of U.S. adults, 39% said they plan to take more vacations in 2026 than in 2025, and 58% expect to take multiple trips this year—exactly the pattern that turns “weekend vehicle” decisions into a recurring cost. At the same time, EIA’s weekly U.S. regular gasoline series shows a sharp … Read more
According to AAA’s late-February 2026 survey of U.S. adults, 39% said they plan to take more vacations in 2026 than in 2025, and 58% expect to take multiple trips this year. TSA’s checkpoint totals show the weekend-travel crush is already real: 2,765,657 passengers were screened on March 15, 2026, with multiple mid-March days above 2.4 … Read more
According to AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report, the U.S. national average for regular gasoline rose sharply in early March—AAA reported a jump to $3.25 on March 5, 2026, and later listed a national average of $3.912 on March 20, 2026 as spring travel demand increased. EIA’s weekly U.S. regular gasoline series shows the same direction: $3.015/gal … Read more
According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, long-term problems are still piling up around infotainment, software behavior, and other technology-heavy parts of modern vehicles, while gas-powered vehicles posted the lowest problem rate among major powertrain types. At the same time, Cox Automotive says affordability is still shaping buyer behavior in 2026, even … Read more
According to AAA, gas prices kept climbing into the spring equinox, with the national average up 28 cents from the prior week as warmer weather and early road-trip demand started to build. EIA’s daily prices page listed a U.S. average of $3.88 a gallon on March 18, 2026, which helps explain why a normal weekend … Read more
According to AAA’s Your Driving Costs 2025 study, average all‑in ownership cost differs meaningfully by vehicle category—AAA lists a Small Sedan at 55.87¢/mile versus a Compact SUV at 68.53¢/mile under standardized assumptions. The IRS’s 2026 business standard mileage rate—72.5¢/mile—is another reminder that “weekend cost” is bigger than fuel alone. For two-person getaways, though, the decision … Read more
According to a 2015 study on low‑frequency road noise and driver sleepiness/performance (published in PLOS ONE and hosted on the NIH’s PubMed Central), interior road noise can contribute to driver fatigue and reduced task performance. Car and Driver also notes it has long measured interior noise at 70 mph (and is now adding “sones” to … Read more
According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center, a plug‑in hybrid (PHEV) typically runs on electric power until the battery is nearly depleted, then automatically switches to its gasoline engine—so the weekend still works even if charging is unavailable. The U.S. EPA adds an important nuance: some PHEVs stay mostly electric until … Read more