Q. I purchased a Ford Explorer when they came out more than 20 years ago and it was a great vehicle. About 10 years later I purchased the redesigned model and found it was lacking in several areas. I’m looking at the latest Explorer, what are your thoughts on the newest model.
A. Based on my most recent experience, this may be the best Explorer that Ford has built to date. The optional 400 horsepower turbo-charged V-6 engine is smooth and powerful, the newly redesigned 10-speed transmission shifts smoothly and is nicely matched to the engine. The model I evaluated was the “platinum” trim and it was very luxurious. As a three row SUV, Ford did a great job with this newest Explorer.
Q. My 2013 Honda CRV with 145,400 miles has a check engine light that goes on and off. The code indicates it needs a new catalytic converter. My mechanic quoted me $1,200 for an aftermarket part and $1,800 for a Honda part purchased from the dealer. Is it wise to repair the vehicle and if I decide to do the repair should I use the factory part or can I save money with the aftermarket part?
A. If you plan to keep the car for any length of time, it makes sense to repair it. I have found it is always better to go with original equipment when it comes to catalytic converters. Some aftermarket converters work fine (AP, WALKER, DORMAN are good ones) but many readers and shop owners have told me of problems with some bargain converters. I have seen replacements as low as $200. Also, there are two catalytic converters on this car. If your shop is confident with their diagnosis and comfortable with their aftermarket supplier and can save you $600 then it seems like an easy decision.
Q. My daughter just traded in her Porsche GTS with 110,000 miles. It needed brakes all around. The shop said that everything was frozen under there, and not even a fire wrench could get things apart. They blamed it on the snow prep they use on the roads in Connecticut. You wouldn’t believe the cost for brakes, it was astronomical. Then the next issue was $4,000 for air bag sensors. But here’s the kicker. My daughter was told that a Porsche is not meant to be a family car. Your thoughts please.
A. I remember having dinner with the president of Porsche when we hosted him at my press association. At the time they were introducing the Cayenne and telling us how Porsche is now not just a seasonal sports car company but a true all-weather car. You didn’t mention what model GTS, is the 911 GTS a family car, well not really since the rear seat is mostly unusable. In fact, the rear seat in a 2025 911 is a no-cost option. But the Cayenne and Panamera certainly could be family cars. It is also interesting to note that today, Porsche sells more SUVs than sports cars. Because they can be fun, fast and great handling family cars. Now the rust issue could be the pretreatment chemicals being used on the roads. Salt has been replaced by magnesium chloride in many states. It provides exceptional ice melting capabilities and in brine form lowers the freezing point of water. This chemical adds to road safety but is corrosive to both metal and concrete.
Q. I am the original owner of a 2003 Ford Escape XLT 3.0L Duratec V6 with only 60,000 miles. The vehicle is always parked outside; waxed and well maintained. Over the last year — after steady or heavy rain, water enters the driver’s side floor beneath the rug. The carpet above the pedal, close to the firewall and the floor itself is always wet. The top of the windshield is dry. I caulked any space I thought would be suspect on the windshield. My local garage blew out the drain lines from the sunroof. Where else should I look?
A. My first thought was also the sunroof drains. I would double check that the drains are truly draining outside of the car. Open the sunroof and pour water into the open sunroof tray, you should be able to see the drain holes. The issue may be the water may not be draining outside of the car. The other common area is the seal at the cowl is leaking. Also make sure the AC evaporator is draining. The cowl can leak into the evaporator and if the drain is clogged things get wet. Testing can be performed with low pressure water. When I looked for leaks, I used to use a garden hose hooked up to a shower head and would work my way up from bottom to top and look for the leak. What you can also try is turning the heater fan on full blast and with a spray bottle with soapy water, spray body seams and look for bubbles. The last thing is professional help. Some dealers use freelance wind and water leak techs. Some of these folks use ultrasonic tools to find leaks and even smoke machines to find leaks.
Q. I recently purchased a Tesla Model 3, used with only 9,000 miles on it. Any advice for winter use?
A. Preconditioning the cabin while the car is plugged in helps maintain battery range. I would avoid using regenerative braking in the snow. It is like applying the brakes and can cause a skid. Also, unless this Model 3 is all wheel drive, winter tires or all weather (not to be confused with all season) tires are needed. Even with the weight of BEVs, tires provide traction. Some single motor EVs are rear wheel drive and with the instant torque of an electric car can easily skid. Similar to a gas car, where we recommend for winter to top off your fuel tank, top off your car’s battery. Electric cars are great when stuck in traffic since they use very little electricity, but starting the day with a battery at 90 percent will help prevent running out of electricity. Also, if you rely only on public charging, these stations can get crowded (especially with ride hailing drivers) if there is a prediction of extremely cold /wintery weather.
Q. I have a 2013 Nissan Sentra, I purchased four new sets of wipers, they all make a tremendous amount of noise. My mechanic suggested new wipers again, which we did, and the blades still chatter. What can we do?
A. I would start with cleaning the windshield. I have used Bon Ami powdered cleaner or Bar Keepers Friend to remove any waxy film and deposits. Then follow up with a good window cleaner. The Car Doctor’s wife is a fan of SprayWay. Once you have purchased quality wipers, the next step is making sure the wipers are perpendicular to the windshield. Over time the arms bend and no longer provide good contact to the windshield. Sometimes just tweaking the wiper arms using an adjustable wrench as a tool can quiet the noise and chatter. If all of this does not work you may need to replace the wiper arms, which may not be keeping enough tension against the windshield.
