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European cars have hand parking brakes, hill starts are easy - hold the hand brake, gradually release as the clutch engages and press the throttle. I've driven manual American cars with a foot opereated parking brake, hill starts a bit trickier but doable with practice!

The 12 volt battery can be charged, maintained, jumped or replaced. The concern is the High Voltage battery, the only way to keep it charged is to run the engine or drive it for 15 minutes every 15 days. Not possible when you are going to be out of the country for 6 months. There are high...

My feeling exactly, washing the engine doesn't do any good and it may do harm. If you are selling it get a profesional detailer to clean everything.

Correct, the 12V battery can be charged, jumped or replaced. The concern is the HVB, it will self discharge. Ford recommend running the engine for 15 minutes every 14 days if the vehicle is not being used. Not practical if you are out of the country for months at a time!

I’ve always had hatchbacks or station wagons, notchback sedans are a waste of space! A crew cab pickup is useful but lacking a secure area, a bed cover is good but a PITA (Has anyone made a remote power bed cover?) You can put stuff on the back seat, but the dog owns that, if I put stuff in his...

I used to have a 6-speed manual Mazda in the US and a 5-speed Ford in the UK (audible warning if I tried to shift the Ford into 6th:facepalm:). I now have an auto Mazda here but still enjoy driving my manual Ford in the UK (most cars in the UK are manuals although automatics are catching up)...

When I learned to drive, a loooong time ago the credo was 'look ahead, anticipate, down shift'. I know you can't down shift the hybrid but the 'L' button will give you max regen braking. Beware, it does not illuminate the brake lights though.

Most OHC car and motorcycle engines use the bucket and shim valve system. There are some hydralic OHC lifters, I think Porshe 928 was the first but the bucket and shim system is so reliable it is not used much. I've worked on Aston Martin engines where you adjusted valve clearance by matching...

Same here, I use the 'Hold' feature on my Mazda all the time - operates smothly, but the Maverck seems jerky.

Manufacturers test to 50°C (122°F). Here in the Mohave Valley it was 120° last week, only 113 today. I've seen camouflaged F150s with a loaded trailers doing the 'Davis Dam Climb", 3000 ft at 65 MPH! Haven't seen a Maverick but they have probably been here or Death Valley.

Yes they are but not with the park brake or when regen braking. At least on my 2023.

Interesting observation, I don''t have my Mav anymore so I can't check. I always put auto trans in neutral when stopped, if the road is flat and no wind I don't use the brakes otherwise auto hold! That way the torque converter is not churning oil. I know the hybrid does not have a torque...

I've looked at a number of rolled Classic RRs, 'A' posts are strong and part of the inner steel structure (outer panels are aluminium). Never saw one collapse - lozenged a bit but usually still drivable. I did see one with a collapsed rear corner ('D' post?). While we are telling RR stories -...

I think the artical was mainly about forward vision and that is my mail critisism. I'm tall so I don't have trouble looking over the hood but the rear view mitrror can hide a vehicle at an intersection. I push it up as far as posible and have learned to duck my head. Most states have laws...

At night?

117 last week, cooled down to 100 Sunday - felt good!

I don't understand why people dislike auto stop/start, my current car, a Mazda CX-3 does not have it - very frustrating to sit there with the engine idling 🥺. My previous Mazda was a manual trans and it was simple to manualy stop start it!

I now drive a Mazda CX-3 and like the 'Auto Hold' feature, my only complaint is having to switvh it on every time I drive same as the Mav. I don't miss the rotary shifter, I always put my cars in neutral when stopped, much easier to just nudge the lever than fiddle with the Knob.

Mine was a 2003 so maybe they fixed it.

Yes they are, but not when you use the parking brake or you are regen braking. I didn't like the jerk when Auto Hold released, I have a Mazda CX-3 and it releases smoothly.