Should we keep driving the CR-V past 130,000 miles?
Wes ran the numbers on repairs against a car payment. Why we're keeping it two more years and what would change our minds.…
The hurricane-season kit that lives in our trunk
Water, a phone charger, a paper map and copies of our documents. The kit we keep in the CR-V from June through November, and its c…
A wheel bearing went out the week of our trip
A hum on Tuesday and a trip to Beaufort, South Carolina on Friday. The $486 repair, and why we rented a car instead of waiting.…
125,000 miles: the maintenance list for our CR-V
Spark plugs, fluids, brakes and a belt check. What the schedule said, what Wes did in the carport and what we paid a shop to do.…
Roadside help: an insurance add-on or a club membership?
After the battery scare we priced roadside assistance. A $14-a-year add-on on our car policy against a $70 membership, and what we…
The morning our battery died in Southern Pines
A cold morning, a click and no start in a store parking lot. What getting help cost, the $189 battery and why we test it every fal…
Packing the car so nothing rattles for six hours
Bins, a cargo net and a rule about the back seat. How we load the CR-V for a long weekend and keep the emergency kit within reach.…
Four new tires at 118,000 miles
The tread gauge said we were close. How we priced four tires, why we didn't buy the cheapest set and what the $684 included.…
Keeping the CR-V's AC alive in a 97-degree July
Our air conditioning started blowing warm on I-95. What Wes checked first, the $165 repair and how we keep the car cool on long dr…
Changing the oil ourselves: $38 against $89
Wes works on diesel trucks all week, so I asked why we pay a shop to change the CR-V's oil. The supplies, the time and the real sa…
The 15-minute check Wes does before every road trip
Tire pressure, oil, wiper blades, lights and the spare nobody looks at. The checklist we keep in the glove box of our 2017 CR-V.…