Chicago Residents Can’t Get Service at Dealerships

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Last year there were over 1.5 million vehicles registered in Cook County, where Chicago is located. We don’t know how many of those normally get service at dealers but right now it is zero. That’s because mechanics at 56 Chicago dealerships walked out on Monday. 

Union Local 701 had been in negotiations for months with the NCDC

Mechanics perform maintenance on Lexus autos at a dealership in Chicago, Illinois | Scott Olson/Getty Images

The mechanics are part of Local 701 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. They had been negotiating a new contract for months. Dealer mechanics are also members of the New Car Dealer Committee of Chicago (NCDC). The NCDC offered a contract proposal on Saturday, according to Automotive News. By Sunday, 99 percent of the members voted to strike, which they did Monday. 

“Withholding labor until fair working terms and conditions are agreed to is a Union member’s last resort and the decision was not made lightly,” Local 701 said in a news release. The release also explained the union’s position and what it saw as the three main problems.

There are three main sticking points in the union negotiations

Service manager checks in car
Service writer at Premier Chrysler in Chicago, Illinois | Scott Olson/Getty Images

The union objects making it easier for dealers to reduce pay for mechanics not meeting expectations while experiencing issues outside of their control. This revolves around COVID-19 lockdowns or similar outside circumstances. The next issue is that the union wants the NCDC to pay the health insurance rates previously agreed upon. 

The final issue is the union is asking for a change in contract wording. It says it’s undermining “the bargaining process by allowing it to cherry-pick provisions that it sees as favorable in other agreements.”

 “Instead of working on the issues as promised, the union’s leadership put their own internal political interests ahead of the membership and simply decided they were going to try and make the NCDC swallow a one-sided contract without any real compromise,” NCDC said in a statement. “The failure to recommend this contract to its members is a failure by the union’s management and it will again cost dealers and their service technicians dearly.”

The last time Chicago mechanics went on strike was in 2017

Dealership service bays
Tyrone Browley replaces the brakes on a Lexus LX470 at a dealership in Chicago, Illinois | Scott Olson/Getty Images

This isn’t the first time Chicago-area mechanics have walked off of the job. Negotiating a new contract in 2017, dealer mechanics went on strike for over seven weeks. The NCDC says that its proposal included changes during negotiations. It also says it included “significant wage and benefit increases.” And it said it made changes where there were disagreements. 

But the union says that the NCDC doesn’t support training and doesn’t want to change current retirement benefits. As one would expect there is a lot of back and forth in the public arena between the two sides. 

What this means for Chicago residents is that dealerships will have skeleton crews or no crews working on servicing cars. How far off the two sides are and how long the strike will last we don’t know. And for those with cars already in service bays when the strike started, they’re out of luck until the dealer techs get back to work.

RELATED: Is a Mobile Mechanic Just As Capable As a Dealership Mechanic?

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Porsche Joins the Space Race: Invests in Isar Aerospace

by Gabrielle DeSantis

As of now, Tesla and SpaceX are the automotive and interstellar power couple. And with more space launches being conducted, such as Jeff Bezos and the Blue Orion, the business of space transport is increasingly lucrative. Now, Porsche is hopping on the space train, investing $75 million in a small german rocket builder called Isar Aerospace.

Isar Aerospace Spectrum Rocket | European Space Association

What is Isar Aerospace?

Three students at the Technical Institute of Munich, Josef Fleischmann, Markus Brandl und Daniel Metzler, founded Isar Aerospace back in 2018. And while Porsche isn’t the only tech investor, many saw the potential of this rocket builder early on. Investments allowed the company to grow through the years, amassing $180 million to play with. And they’ve used some of that money to launch government-contracted satellites.

As of now, Isar Aerospace only builds one rocket: the Spectrum. Able to lift a ton (1000 kg) of cargo into space, the rocket uses two stages to get into orbit. The first stage booster has 675 kilonewtons of thrust, but if you don’t know what a kN is, or how much power that adds up to, don’t worry, I didn’t either. After some googling and paper napkin math, I learned it’s equal to about 125,000 lb-f of torque. The Nissan Titan ain’t got nothing on these rockets.

While there are talks of reusable rockets, Isar has yet to make one, learning towards this simple two-stage design for one key reason: cost.

How is Isar different than SpaceX and Blue Orion?

Isar Aerospace
Daniel Metzler, CEO of Isar Aerospace | Christof Stache/AFP via Getty Images

Backed by billionaires, SpaceX and Blue Orion have a financial advantage over Isar. They’re also bigger companies, with different rockets specialized for different tasks. Elon Musk can send 88 satellites up on the Falcon 9 rocket, which can carry 22,800 kg of cargo, and then land the rocket. Blue Orion hopes to achieve passenger spaceflight, though that likely won’t be affordable for the average joe like me.

But if I ever could afford a rocket, it’d likely be an Isar. Unlike SpaceX and Blue Orion, Isar is looking to make rockets cheap. Their 1000 kg payload is tiny compared to the others, but you can launch an Isar rocket for just $13 million. That sounds like a lot, but considering the Falcon 9 costs $62 million to send to space, it’s really not.

Oh, that’s right, Motorbiscuit is an automotive authority, not a rocketship reporter. So let’s get back to the big question of the day: why would Porsche invest in this?

Why would Porsche invest in space travel?

A Porsche logo badge on a yellow car
Porsche logo | Sean Gallup via Getty Images

Lutz Meschke, the Porsche SE executive, explained in a KVIA interview “with Isar Aerospace, we are investing in a company that is well-positioned to establish itself as a leading European manufacturer of launch vehicles.” Blue Orion and SpaceX are both American brands, so Isar is meant to be the European equivalent. And who better to back a German rocket maker than a German automaker?

Through investments like this, while grand, aren’t much different than the investments we make on a day-to-day basis. We buy stocks in hopes that they’ll boom, and sell for a profit. And while Porsche isn’t trading Isar stock, their investment will benefit them in terms of the satellites they may send to space. After all, telecommunications are only going to become more popular as the years roll on.

So whether we’ll get rocket-powered Porsches like there are rocket-powered Teslas is to be determined. But for now, we’ve got homemade rocket-powered Beetles, so that’s pretty much the same thing.

RELATED: Rocket-Powered Tesla Roadster vs. Jet Powered Beetle

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The Honda Ridgeline Hybrid Fires Back at the Ford Maverick

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Tons of people have been comparing the new Ford Maverick to the Honda Ridgeline. However, the Ford Maverick Hybrid provides an option that the Honda Ridgeline doesn’t have yet. The Ridgeline currently only has gas-powered powertrains. But the 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid will solve this problem. 

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid is coming to tackle the Ford Maverick 

2021 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E | American Honda Motor Co., Inc

Someone tell the 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid to watch its back. It won’t be the only unibody hybrid truck in town for much longer. Word on the street is that the 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid is on the way. 

But the Honda Ridgeline begins at about $36,490, so the Hybrid model could cost a little more. The Ford Maverick Hybrid starts at around $19,995, providing thousands in savings. To compete against that price, the Ridgeline will need to provide more space, power, and luxury. 

What to expect with the Ridgeline Hybrid 

A light-blue 2022 Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid drives down a city street
2022 Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid | Ford

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid may see an increase in power. Currently, the gas-powered Ridgeline uses a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 280 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. When properly equipped, it can tow up to 5,000 lbs. 

The 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine with 191 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque. The Hybrid model can only tow up to 2,000 lbs, while the gas-powered model can tow up to 4,000 lbs. 

So, there is a chance that the Ridgeline Hybrid will provide more muscle. Also, the Maverick Hybrid isn’t available with all-wheel drive. We don’t foresee the Ridgeline Hybrid coming out without available AWD, so the Ridgeline Hybrid could also be more capable. 

With the Maverick Hybrid, you get an EPA-estimated range of 40 mpg in the city. The gas-powered Honda Ridgeline provides an estimated 18 mpg in the city and up to 24 mpg on the highway. The hybrid variant has some work to do if it wants to beat the Maverick. 

But the Ridgeline could be more spacious. The Maverick is built on the same unibody platform as the Ford Escape, a compact SUV. The 2023 Honda Ridgeline is switching to the Honda Pilot’s platform, which is a midsize SUV. 

We know the point of compact trucks is to be smaller. This allows them to be easier to maneuver in tight city areas. But it can also limit space for cargo and passengers. Plus, the Ridgeline is pretty nimble and easy to navigate through tight spots. 

What do we know about the 2023 Ridgeline? 

Along with the 2023 Honda Ridgeline Hybrid, we could see the Honda Ridgeline Type R. This is a model built for a sportier performance with 19-inch wheels, a blacked-out grille, and red accents. 

The Ridgeline will have a refreshed interior and is expected to share components with the Honda Pilot. For example, it will most likely gain the Pilot’s 8-inch infotainment system. Plus, the interior materials are expected to be upgraded from cheap plastics to luxurious soft-touch materials. 

The exterior is expected to remain similar to its current look. Unfortunately, we’re waiting for more information about the 2023 Honda Ridgeline to be released. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more. So far, it’s safe to expect a more capable hybrid model to arrive that silences the 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid.

RELATED: Does the Honda Ridgeline’s Unibody Make it a Better Truck?

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Consumer Reports: Avoid the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer, Buy the 2021 Ford Edge Instead

by Gabrielle DeSantis

When it comes to car reviews, Consumer Reports has a pretty thorough testing process. What made Consumer Reports dislike the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer so much? There are a variety of reasons listed, but the 2021 Ford Edge and the Hyundai Sante Fe were both solid replacement vehicles.

Consumer Reports didn’t love the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer

Consumer Reports: Avoid the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer, Buy the 2021 Ford Edge Instead | Chevrolet

Two and three-row SUVs are having a moment right now. The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer revamps the well-loved Blazer from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. However, the new Blazer missed the mark in a lot of essential areas. Consumer Reports says that the midsized SUV seats five but focused more on style than the utility. And the style completely missed the mark, so that’s a bad sign.

Consumer Reports gave the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer a score of 67 out of 100 overall. It had below-average predicted reliability and predicted owner satisfaction, which didn’t help. The all-wheel drive Blazer with 305 hp only racked up 19 mpg overall. The base model doesn’t offer forward-collision warning (FCW) and automatic emergency braking (AEB). You have to upgrade to a mid-level trim, and even then, blind-spot warning (BSW) is still only optional.

Price Range: $28,800 – $44,900

Why Consumer Reports chose the 2021 Ford Edge instead

Consumer Reports liked the 2021 Ford Edge
Consumer Reports liked the 2021 Ford Edge | Ford

On Consumer Reports list of best SUVs under $40,000, the 2021 Ford Edge ranked reasonably high. This SUV came in second on the midsized SUVs list and scored 83 out of 100 overall. The Ford Edge had an above-average predicted reliability score and an average score for predicted owner satisfaction. In these aspects, the Edge is lightyears ahead of the Blazer already. It also gets 22 mpg overall. Consumer Reports said, “The Edge is a pleasant, well-rounded vehicle with agile handling, a steady ride, and a quiet interior that contributes to its premium feel.”

The 2021 Ford Edge has a lot of safety features that come standard. These include FCW, AEB, and BSW. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) ranked all crash test ratings “good.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) scored almost all of the crash test five stars, with four stars in the rollover sections.

Price Range: $32,750 – $43,600

An under-the-radar Alternative, the Hyundai Santa Fe

Consumer Reports found the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe was a solid replacement for the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer. The Hyundai Santa Fe had above-average predicted reliability and owner satisfaction, plus 24 mpg overall. CR says the Santa Fe has powerful engines, new controls, and even a hybrid version. The cabin is roomy, and the trunk space is relatively generous. Plus, the interior refresh is stylish. The Hyundai SUV offers FCW and AEB standard. BSW and rear cross-traffic warning are standard on every trim but the base model.

Price Range: $27,000 – $42,450

The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer might have missed the mark on the Consumer Reports list, but the 2021 Ford Edge and Hyundai Santa Fe make up for it. When it comes down to it, reliability and standard safety features are more important than style. If the Blazer was on your list, it might be worth it to check out the Edge and Santa Fe instead.

RELATED: Consumer Reports Best SUVs You Can Buy Right Now, With 3 Subaru Options

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