How Much Does the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile Cost?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

This question might not be at the forefront of everyone’s mind right now, but perhaps it should be. Do you ever think about the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile? As far as classic cars go, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile just turned 85 and is still running strong.

How much is the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile?

How Much Does the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile Cost? | MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile is a hot commodity and a classic car. Purchasing this historic hot dog on wheels isn’t that easy, but there is some good news. The Weinermobile is a fleet of vehicles that Oscar Mayer uses for promotions around the U.S. In 1873, Oscar F. Mayer moved to Bavaria and began his love for hot dogs in a Chicago butcher shop. He opened his shop in 1883.

The first Oscar Mayer Weinermobile was created by Oscar Mayer’s nephew, Carl G. Mayer, in 1936. A 1952 version retired to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, to make room for new versions. By the time 1969 rolled around, the Weinermobile got a total redesign. It had Ford Thunderbird taillights on a Chevy motor home frame.

Unfortunately, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile is a priceless artifact and isn’t really for sale. However, it is worth setting up a Google Alert to see if one pops up. In fact, two Wienermobiles went up for sale in 2020.

Can you buy an Oscar Mayer Weinermobile?

The Weinermobile took a break before reappearing for its 50th birthday party. In 1988, Oscar Mayer produced six new Weinermobiles that sang the Weiner jingle from various appliances. The 50th-anniversary Oscar Mayer Wienermobile was made from a 23-foot long fiberglass body. These days, there are six 27-foot-long Weinermobile’s traveling across the U.S. These classic cars are over 12 feet high and still play the jingle on visits.

According to MotorTrend, the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile is a two-passenger wienie-van (not mini-van) and is rear-wheel drive. The original price was $7,950-ish without the upgrades. It offers A/C, microwaves, refrigerators, and, obviously, hot dogs. The Weinermobile probably cost around $60,000 with all of the sweet additions. The maximum engine speed is listed as “slow” with 172 hp.

While America does love hot dogs, the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile was a genius invention to get people excited about Oscar Mayer hot dogs. While the giant hot dog traveled around the country, people showed up from all over town to view the spectacle and enjoy a hot dog.

You can bring the wienie-van to you!

The Oscar Mayer Weinermobile is currently touring the U.S., visiting stores and events with hot dog goods. Often, you can find the Weinermobile visiting children’s hospitals, offering smiles to everyone nearby. You can schedule a visit from the Weinermobile, but Oscar Mayer suggests giving a three to 12-month heads up for best results.

Since 2019, people can book a stay in the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile on Airbnb. With room for two guests, you get the entire 27-foot Weinermobile for a night for a reasonable $136. Imagine taking the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile to a festival for a few days? You would be a bigger hit than the headliner, but renters should probably have snacks.

So the price of the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile is debatable. When the last pair went up for sale, the price was a firm $12,000. However, these vehicles haven’t been for sale since. Set up a Google Alert. Seriously.

RELATED: Top Gun: Watch Tom Cruise Drive a 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 at Silverstone

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BMW and Mini Chickened Out of the 2021 EV of the Year Contest, Car and Driver Presumes

by Gabrielle DeSantis

For its inaugural year, Car and Driver pulled out all the stops to name its EV of the Year. Among 11 EVs scrutinized over three weeks, the Ford Mustang Mach-E pulled ahead of the competition to claim the title. And though the 2021 Mach-E fully deserves the title, one can’t help but notice a few key players missing from the contest — notably, the BMW i3 and Mini Cooper SE.

Car and Driver named the 2021 Mustang Mach-E its EV of the Year

After about three weeks of putting 11 EVs through their paces, Car and Driver picked the 2021 Mustang Mach-E to take home the trophy for EV of the Year. The competition was stiff and included the Tesla Model 3 Performance, Volkswagen ID.4, Polestar 2, Nissan Leaf Plus, Tesla Model Y Performance, Kia Niro EV, Audi e-tron, Porsche Taycan 4S, Volvo XC40 Recharge, and Tesla Model S Long Range Plus.

Though the competitors held their own throughout Car and Driver‘s tests, the Mustang Mach-E won in part due to its impressive specs — 346 hp and 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds — and its spirit. The title of EV of the Year was meant to pick the most impressive EV out there, of course, but it was also to determine a winner that “makes electric vehicles more desirable to buyers to a degree that moves the industry forward,” C/D said. And the 2021 Mach-E does just that.

But 2 notable models were missing from the contest

BMW i3 EV | Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Though the 2021 Mustang Mach-E earned its title of EV of the Year, a few models didn’t even compete. Two of the most notable omissions were the BMW i3 and Mini Cooper SE. Car and Driver addressed the exclusions by stating, “BMW and Mini kept their respective 153-mile i3s and 110-mile Cooper SE parked, presumably spooked by the prospect of how they would perform on a 1,000-mile road trip.”

The BMW i3 has been a popular EV since its introduction in 2013. Meant to be used as a city car, the 2021 i3 has a range of 153 miles, which falls below every other car in the running for EV of the Year. As if to underscore its absence from the competition, BMW is halting production of the i3 this month in favor of other EVs, like the iX and the i4 Gran Coupe.

The 2021 Mini Cooper SE has an even shorter range at 110 miles, posing a problem in this stiff competition. But the Cooper has been at the forefront of the EV movement for years, and it seems strange that Mini opted out of the contest. As Car and Driver pointed out, perhaps Mini knew this Cooper couldn’t measure up.

Other EVs that didn’t compete

On top of the BMW i3 and Mini Cooper SE, Car and Driver mentions a few other popular EVs that weren’t included for various reasons. For example, their automakers didn’t supply the Jaguar I-Pace and Chevrolet Bolt EUV for the competition ahead of their releases.

In addition, the Chevrolet Bolt EV and the Hyundai Kona Electric were left out by their manufacturers because the 2022 models were too close to being released. Similarly, Hyundai did not want to include the 2021 Ioniq with the 2022 Ioniq 5 set to debut soon.

RELATED: The 2022 BMW X3 Is Killing the Plug-in Hybrid Powertrain in the U.S.

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The Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Can’t Keep up

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Oh no, there is more trouble at the General Motors plants. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra might be placed on hold due to the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage. While competitors continue to be produced, the Chevy Silverado and Sierra may face extended delays. 

The Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra face halted production 

2021 Chevrolet Silverado | Chevrolet

Just when it seemed like the computer chip shortage was improving a little, more production delays and cuts have occurred. General Motors will halt most of the North American production of full-size pickup trucks due to the semiconductor shortage. 

This means that the Chevy Silverado 1500 and 2021 GMC Sierra may face long delays. GM is initiating production cuts at the plants in Michigan, Indiana, and Mexico, where the most popular full-size Chevrolet and GMC models are made. 

The Fort Wayne assembly plant in Indiana and the assembly plant in Silao, Mexico, will temporarily experience halted production. In Michigan, the Flint assembly plant, where heavy-duty trucks are produced, will have shifts reduced from three to one. Full production for the plants is expected to resume during the week of August second. 

How did Chevy and GMC try to avoid shutting down? 

Earlier in the year, GM avoided halting production by saving their supply of semiconductor chips for their most popular models. The computer chips were going to trucks and SUVs instead of less popular crossovers. 

Then they started building the vehicles without the chips. The trucks and SUVs were being stored until the chips could be added later. After this wasn’t doing the trick, some vehicles were being manufactured without certain parts that required chips. 

For example, the 2021 Chevy Silverado started to be manufactured without the chips necessary for its automatic stop and start technology. This resulted in the trucks having a slightly lower fuel economy. Then the Chevy Tahoe was being built without accessories such as the wireless phone charger. 

General Motors shared that the global semiconductor shortage remains incredibly complex and fluid. However, GM’s global purchasing and supply chain, engineering, and manufacturing teams will continue searching for creative solutions. 

They will work with the supply base to minimize the impact toward the highest-demand and capacity-constrained vehicles, including full-size trucks and SUVs. 

Is General Motors in trouble? 

A blue 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 parked near trees
2021 GMC Sierra 1500 | GMC

General Motors isn’t exactly in trouble yet. The Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, and other popular models such as the Chevy Bolt EV, GMC Yukon, and Buick Enclave have increased sales. In fact, sales are up by 40 percent for the second quarter of 2021 compared to 2020. 

But as GM halts production of chips, Ford just received a major shipment. Ford will use their supply to complete the production of F-150 models so they can finally be delivered to dealerships. 

This could mean that Ford F-150 models will be available while the Silverado and GMC Sierra struggle to keep up. We hope production resumes around August second, so new models like the new 2022 Chevy Silverado Z2R debut on time. 

Kurt McNeil, General Motors U.S. Vice President of Sales Operations, shared that the creativity and agility of the supply chain, purchasing, engineering, and manufacturing teams, in collaboration with suppliers and dealers, have helped continue satisfying customers and gain market share in some of the highest market demand segments

RELATED: Are the GMC Sierra and the Chevy Silverado the Same?

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The Best and Most Reliable SUVs That Consumer Reports Recommends

by Gabrielle DeSantis

With so many options on the market, it can be hard to narrow it down. Consumer Reports selected some of the most reliable SUVs available for 2021, and there is plenty of variety. Consumer Reports studies a variety of issues such as squeaky brakes, defective interior components, and expensive out-of-warranty repairs. The vehicles on this list had fewer instances of these problems.

The Lexus NX was Consumer Reports most reliable SUV

The 2021 Lexus NX is one of the best and most reliable SUVs that Consumer Reports recommends | Lexus

The 2021 Lexus NX was at the top of the Consumer Reports list for most reliable SUVs. The NX got an overall 24 mpg for fuel economy and came in number one on the list of luxury compact SUVs. It has above-average predicted reliability, and average predicted owner satisfaction. Most essential safety features are included standard. CR scored the Lexus NX 91 out of 100.

Price Range: $37,610 – $46,910

The Buick Encore is also one of the most reliable SUVs

The 2021 Buick Encore also scored a 91 out of 100 from Consumer Reports. The Encore gets 23 mpg overall, with 32 mpg on the highway and 16 mpg in the city. It was number two on the list of entry-level luxury SUVs. Consumer Reports found that the Encore had high predicted reliability but a lower predicted owner satisfaction score. The 2021 Buick Encore is compact and easy to drive with a relatively quiet cabin.

Price Range: $23,200 – $25,220

A larger reliably SUV option is the 2021 Lexus GX

The 2021 Lexus GX came in just behind the other two SUVs in terms of the overall score. With a 90 out of 100, the GX came in sixth on the list of luxury midsized SUVs. The GX got 17 mpg overall, which is a little on the lower end of things. However, the 2021 Lexus GX scored five out of five for predicted reliability and three out of five for the predicted owner satisfaction.

Price Range: $53,450 – $64,715

A budget-friendly option: the Honda HR-V

Consumer Reports enjoyed the 2021 Honda HR-V. With an overall fuel economy of 29 mpg, 39 mpg on the highway, and 20 mpg in the city, the HR-V will have you skipping the gas pump. Consumer Reports found the predicted reliability was five out of five, while the owner satisfaction was a bit lower. The HR-V is practical, fuel-efficient, and has plenty of room for passengers.

Price Range: $21,220 – $29,340

The Hyundai Kona one of the most reliable SUVs

The 2021 Hyundai Kona scored an 87 out of 100 for overall reliability. It scored high for predicted reliability and average for predicted owner satisfaction. In addition to those features, the Hyundai Kona comes with automatic emergency braking and forward-collision warning standard. The Kona had an overall 26 mpg, which is pretty good. It came in second on the list of subcompact SUVs, and CR found it one of the most reliable SUVs.

Price Range: $20,500 – $45,600

Critics and drivers agree on the Mazda CX-5

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 is well-loved by critics and drivers alike. The CX-5 is almost always on the list of most reliable SUVs, for a good reason. It gets 24 mpg overall, 17 mpg in the city, and 33 mpg on the highway. Both the predicted reliability and owner satisfaction are above average. The 2021 Mazda CX-5 has a comfortable and quiet ride, a nice interior, and comes with forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking standard.

Price Range: $25,370 – $37,505

Consumer Reports found that the vehicles on this list performed well on the Annual Auto Surveys sent out to buyers. The most reliable SUVs offered fewer problems for buyers than similar competitors. Safe, reliable, and long-lasting are all critical factors when purchasing a new vehicle, and these dependable SUVs hit all the marks.

RELATED: Consumer Reports: Most Reliable Used SUVs Proven to Get Over 200,000 Miles

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