We haven’t had any housekeeping items in a while, but I thought it was time to highlight a few things that we’ve been working on for the past few weeks.

Autosavant Email Subscriptions

Historically, Autosavant has had a nice base of subscribers, either with its RSS feed or via email subscriptions.  We haven’t emphasized these ways to follow the latest news, reviews, features, and opinion pieces at Autosavant for a while.  But, last weekend, we finally fixed the email subscription feature.  Now, if you enter your email address in the box in the top-right corner of the page (or follow this link:  http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=Autosavant&loc=en_US), you’ve taken the first of three very simple steps to subscribe to daily emails whenever we post new content on the main Autosavant.com site.  If there’s no content for a particular day (it happens, unfortunately), you won’t get an email.  If we post five articles in a day, you’ll get a single email.  It’s also easy to opt out if they get to be too much for you (but I doubt that will happen).

Autosavant YouTube Channel

We’re very proud of the work that our Managing Editor and Technical Director Kevin Gordon has done in establishing the Autosavant YouTube channel.  As of today, there are over 130 videos ranging from driving impressions (both on- and off-road) to how-to videos (want to know how to remove a Jeep Wrangler’s hardtop, or how to install a RAM Mount iPad holder?).  Why not subscribe to our YouTube channel and join over 600 other subscribers to hear about our latest video adventures as soon as they’re uploaded?  With nearly 400,000 video reviews since the beginning of 2012, it’s the fastest-growing part of Autosavant.  http://www.youtube.com/user/Autosavant

Facebook

Autosavant has a nice presence on the biggest social network out there.  If you want to see the latest news (like which cars we’re testing each week for future video or written reviwes), plus links to other relevant auto-related content, go to https://www.facebook.com/autosavant and Like us.

Twitter

Where else could you get 140-character bursts of automotive knowledge and news, as well as links to Autosavant content?  Well, you can get plenty of good (and not-so-good) content all over Twitter, but to get it from us you need to follow us @Autosavant (http://twitter.com/autosavant).  With nearly 1500 followers, we’ve collected a nice following.

We do this because we love cars.

We have not done a good enough job in the past few months in connecting with our readers.  In particular, we’ve let you down with a very slow cadence of content.  We don’t do this for money – we all have “real” jobs that cover the mortgage and car payments – we do it because, like you, we love cars.  Fortunately, our site traffic is still quite good, but we’d love to interact more with our fans.  We have some first drives lined up, plus reviews of a few exciting new cars.  We have a few product reviews in the pipeline, and I’m planning an interesting follow-up to our Spying for Savings: Progressive Snapshot piece later this fall.  Plus, we’ll working on getting at least one of us, and possibly more, on the ground at the LA Auto Show’s media days the week after Thanksgiving.  Why fly cross country just to cover an auto show?  It’s all about the cars.

Thanks for sticking with us.  As Autosavant nears its sixth anniversary, I feel that its greatest days are ahead of it, and I hope you’ll be a part of that.

If you have any suggestions or comments, please leave them below or send me an email at editor@autosavant.com.  Thanks for reading!

I like to think of Autosavant as more than a blog and of myself as more than a blogger.  After all, the majority of our content is both original and long form compared to a typical blog.  Our depth of analysis and our understanding of cars and the car business help set us apart.  That being said, I was invited to participate as one of five “bloggers” in Chrysler’s Blogger Faceoff a few weeks ago.  If I win this contest, one of our readers gets a very nice prize.  To make it easy for you, just go to http://blog.chrysler.com/blogger-faceoff/ and vote for me.  For more info about the contest, read on below.

The Blogger Faceoff is Chrysler’s attempt to build a following at its new blog, found at http://blog.chrysler.com/blogger-faceoff/.  The contest works like this:  there are five bloggers in the car blogger category (that’s where I am) and five in the mommy blogger category.  Each of us was invited to submit between one and five 250-750 word blog posts on a short list of topics that Chrysler’s social media agency provided.  I wrote four (writing an “Ode to the Hemi” seemed a bit too PR-heavy to me), and found it challenging to limit myself to 750 words.  My contributions to the cause:

Review: Chrysler 300 Limited (with 8 speed automatic)
What Vehicle Luxury Means to Me
Must-Haves In a Vehicle
What Vehicle Performance Means to Me

Everyone’s posts were published on Chrysler’s blog during the past week and a half, and voting is open right now.  Though I may be somewhat biased, I feel that what sets my work apart from the others is that I avoided being a shill for Chrysler.  How someone can write second-rate PR copy for Chrysler’s blogging contest and then look themselves in the mirror afterward is beyond me.

Here’s where I need your help.  Please, vote for me!  It takes two seconds – go to http://blog.chrysler.com/blogger-faceoff/ and submit your vote.  You can vote daily until March 7, 2012.

If I am voted as the favorite car blogger, I win a trip for four to the NY Auto Show and hotel room, plus $2,300 in Visa gift cards.  I also get a new 64 GB iPad 2 that I can give away to a lucky reader.  Regardless of how well I do in this contest, I get a Chrysler leather overnight bag and executive portfolio.  Chrysler’s official rules can be found here.

Note:  My apologies for those of you who already followed the earlier, complicated instructions.  It was a mistake to give away the iPad before I even won it – first I need to win the contest THEN I will worry about giving away the iPad.  Your entries below still count – I promise.  Until then, I am closing comments.

By Chris Haak

To all of our readers in the United States, we at Autosavant wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.  We here have a lot to be thankful for, not the least of which is our best traffic month in Autosavant’s five-year history.  As you eat turkey with all the fixings and watch football, then later ponder your Black Friday strategy, I thought it would be funny to share part of Suzuki’s goofy press release. (My favorite part? Calling their own coffee “marginal.”)

Americans looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the first shopping day of the holiday season can find some comfort in their nearest Suzuki automotive showroom.

Once there, potential car buyers will have the opportunity to enjoy a complimentary cup of marginal coffee, an easy-to-find sales staff (they’re the ones marked ‘sales staff’) …

To be sure, Suzuki’s dealers will not open at 4:00 a.m.; however, the service drive at most Suzuki facilities opens at 7:00 a.m., with the retail showroom manned by 8:30 a.m., giving early shoppers at least three—possibly four—hours of the mad shopping scramble before escaping to the relaxing environment of an American Suzuki outlet.

We get dozens of press releases every day, but this one was silly enough to share.  I’d imagine that a Suzuki showroom would be a fairly relaxing environment, given that people aren’t exactly pounding down their doors to buy new Suzukis (unless you’re in India, that is).

Anyway, enjoy your day and travel safely!

By Chris Haak

Autosavant is partnering with Local Pages (www.localpages.com) to offer one lucky Autosavant reader a $50 gift card toward any deal or business listed on Local Pages.  The prize is provided by Local Pages, and will be sent directly to the winner.

Local Pages has many shopping deals and lists many local businesses providing the services that you need.  All you have to do is browse the listings for your local area (get it – local??) or search for an item or service that you’re looking for, and you can take advantage of substantial discounts, while keeping money in your community.  Entering the contest is as easy as using Local Pages.

To enter, just find a great deal or business that you like on Local Pages, link to that deal (with a localpages.com URL) in the comments below, and tell me why you should be the one who gets the $50 gift card. The winner will receive a gift card

I’ll make it even easier for you with an example.

Let’s say that we’re in the market for a body shop in West Los Angeles.  Search for body shop and enter west los angeles, ca in the location box.  It takes you to a page listing several local businesses.  The first one listed is Lee’s Frame & Axle Body & Paint.  Click on the name of the business for their page, and copy the URL, then paste it into your comment below.  Then write a sentence or two explaining why YOU should win the gift card, and I’ll pick the answer I like best.  The first comment below is an example of what we’re looking for here.  Be sure to include your email address when filling out your comment form (don’t worry; email addresses are only visible behind the scenes; people won’t steal your address, and we promise to not email you about anything other than if you won this contest).

Contest Rules
Employees and Contractors of Autosavant, as well as members of their household, are not eligible.  Winner must be at least 18 years of age and be a resident of the United States.  Entries (via comment) must be received by 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 12, 2011.  Only one entry per person.  The decision of the Editor-in-Chief as to the winner (and in all other matters relating to this contest) is final and not subject to debate.

I’m looking for creativity and/or humor in your answers.  Good luck!

By Chris Haak

Every few months, I take the time to remind our readers that there are a number of ways to keep tabs on what we’re up to here at Autosavant.  Our coverage of cars and the car business is about more than just this website, though the site is obviously our primary medium.  Some others that you may want to use include:

Facebook
We’ve had a fan page on Facebook for about a year and a half.  On there, you’ll see links to all of our content, photos of events and vehicles that we encounter, and occasional updates that may not be substantial enough to post on autosavant.com.  If you’re on Facebook, click the link above and “Like” Autosavant.  Our new content will also appear on your news feed if you “Like” us.

Twitter
We’ve been tweeting about cars and the car business for about two years, and we’ve built quite a following @Autosavant.  Not Charlie Sheen numbers, mind you, but our followers include a number of influential people and companies in the industry.  If you want to join them, just click on the word ‘Twitter’ above.  Also, Kevin Miller – one of our primary car reviewers, and self-professed Swedish car aficionado – can be found on Twitter at @AutosavantKRM.

RSS
If you keep tabs on your car news using an RSS reader, it’s easy to add Autosavant to that too.  Just add http://feeds.feedburner.com/autosavant/PwvT to your reader, and you’ll get instant updates when we add content to the main Autosavant site.

Thank you from all of us at Autosavant for reading and commenting on our work.  We all love cars, and love the chance to write about them for like-minded folks.

Chris Haak
Editor-in-Chief

By Chris Haak

Congratulations go to commenter Scott, whose answer I liked the best, in Autosavant’s Portable Power contest.  Under the very vague rules of “I’ll pick the answer I like the best,” I happened to like Scott’s combination of commentary and a comprehensive list of uses for the charger.  His comment said, “Great giveaway Autosavant! I would use this in my car for roadtrips to keep all the extra electronic stuff the family carries around humming! Cell phones need to stay charged, portable nav system to help us get where we’re going, laptop, refrigerated cooler for drinks/snacks, it never ends. Most cars today don’t have enough 12V outlets, and very few have built-in AC outlets, the more the merrier!”

For his enthusiasm and great answer, Scott gets a new Black & Decker 100-watt portable electronics charger shipped to his door.  Black & Decker is providing the prize and paying for shipping to the winner’s home.  Congratulations, Scott!  One thing, though:  I wouldn’t try plugging in all of those devices at the same time.  I don’t think 100 watts will cover all that, but remember that B&D makes much more powerful inverters as well.

Thanks to all who entered, and stay tuned for future giveaways.

By Chris Haak

We at Autosavant love giving stuff away, and we love making it easy to win stuff.  It’s even more fun to give things away when we don’t have to pay for them ourselves, as is the case with this handy Black & Decker 100 watt portable electronics charger.  The good folks at Black & Decker are providing one of these (retail price:  $32) to a lucky reader of Autosavant, and even paying for the shipping to get it to your door.

When we sampled this same device a few weeks ago, we found it to be a simple, compact, and effective way to add an AC power jack to your car for those times when you might need more than just a 12 volt DC jack (or don’t have a DC power cord available).  Charging things like laptops, cell phones, or digital cameras is a piece of cake with this handy charger.  Read on for more info on how to enter.

How to Enter
It’s really simple.  Just go to the comment form below, enter your name and email address (email addresses will not be displayed, but are necessary for us to contact the winner), and add a comment  about what you’d use this 100 watt inverter for if you were to win it.  I will then pick the answer that I like the best, and have the brand new inverter shipped to your door.  The answer I like the best might be the funniest, or it might be the most creative use for this inverter.

Contest Rules
Employees and Contractors of Autosavant, as well as members of their household, are not eligible.  Winner must be at least 18 years of age and be a resident of the United States.  Entries (via comment) must be received by 11:59 p.m. EDT on January 27, 2011.  Only one entry per person.  The decision of the Editor-in-Chief as to the winner (and in all other matters relating to this contest) is final and not subject to debate.

If You Don’t Win
You’re still in luck!  Black & Decker will make as many of these things as you want.  Just go to your local store, or online, and pick one up for yourself.

As noted above, Black & Decker is providing this inverter to the winner free of charge, and paying for shipping to the winner’s home.

By Chris Haak

We’re taking a few days off to celebrate Christmas with our families.  Stay tuned starting next week for more coverage of cars and the car business, including a product review, another first drive piece, news coverage, and more.  Also, in early January, we will have several writers on the ground in Detroit at the 2011 North American International Auto Show.

In the meantime, we wish you and yours a Happy Holiday.  And while you wait for us to come back, check out a video after the jump of an idiot on a public road riding on a Christmas tree.  It has to be seen to be believed.  Kids, don’t try this at home.

By Chris Haak

We at Autosavant wish all of our readers in the United States a Happy Thanksgiving.  Please take time to be thankful for all of the good fortune you’ve enjoyed over the past several months; even if you’ve had a rough stretch (and many of us have, from time to time since 2007/2008), there’s still plenty to be thankful for.  Enjoy your turkey and time with family.

And – when you finish your meal, finish watching football, and grow tired of conversation with distant relatives, hop over to Twitter and follow Autosavant to keep tabs on our own unique style of coverage of cars and the car business, and then “Like” us on Facebook to keep tabs on us there as well.

We have just under 500 Twitter followers, and we’d love to pass that milestone this weekend.

Autosavant Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/autosavant
Autosavant’s Kevin Miller Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/autosavantkrm

Autosavant’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/autosavant

Thank you for your continued readership and support.  We all love doing this for you.

Update:  as of November 30, we’re now past 500 Twitter followers.  Thanks!!

By Chris Haak

I have driven hundreds of different cars and trucks in my life, and as a result, have a pretty solid baseline to compare nearly everything new that I have the opportunity to sample.  CTS-V?  Much faster than a regular Cadillac.  Dodge Grand Caravan?  The interior is much cheaper than a Honda Odyssey’s.  And so it goes.

But I find myself out of my comfort zone when it comes to fuel additives, and specifically fuel system cleaners.  When contacted by the folks at Gumout to ask if we’d be interested in doing a review of their new 2X Fuel Additive products and having a giveaway, I agreed without giving it much thought.  Or certainly, not enough thought.

Without the benefit of having an older vehicle that really needed to have its fuel system cleaned, the benefit of time to gauge the long-term effects of using the additive, or even sophisticated performance testing equipment to evaluate any type of change in performance under repeatable conditions, I struggled with how to evaluate a fuel additive (My CTS and my wife’s Sienna are both 2008 models that we bought new, and both are designed to run on regular fuel.  They also have an average of 25,000 miles on their odometers.)

The other thing that I struggled with was actually remembering to put the additive in the tank at the time of fill-up.  I’ve been driving for almost 20 years, and if you figure that I’ve pumped one tank of gas each week for 19.5 years, that’s 1,015 tanks in which I did not add fuel additives.  Then add to that the times I’ve had to add fuel more than a week apart, put fuel in my wife’s vehicle, put fuel in my parents’ vehicles, and you probably have some 1,500-plus fill-ups over two decades.  It seems like it would be even more than that, but the math says that’s not likely.

The nice thing about the new Gumout 2x additives is that the bottles are very small.  The company’s new formulation is concentrated so that the bottles are now half the size of the previous formulation, while still packing the same power.  The bottles are so small (just 6 ounces each) that it’s even easier to forget to add them to your fuel, which is only recommended every 3,000 miles.

Once I finally did remember to tote along a bottle of fuel system cleaner, and had it in hand at the gas station, using it was as simple as removing the plastic cap, dumping it into the [nearly empty] gas tank, and then filling the tank with regular unleaded.

Immediately, our 2008 Sienna ran like a new van, with the zero to sixty time dropping by at least two seconds, fuel economy improving by some twenty percent, and the exhaust smelling like french fries.

Just kidding.

As I suspected, there was no perceptible change in the way the van felt under acceleration or idle.  Cleaners like this are more of a long-term approach to car care.  Clean fuel systems and fuel injectors, which these Gumout products take care of for you, lead to more power and better fuel economy.  I’d venture to guess that if you had two new cars, and one used a product like this and one didn’t, and they were driven and maintained otherwise identically, the one that had used a fuel additive would have less contamination and buildup in the fuel system after 80,000 miles.

THE CONTEST:

Courtesy of the folks at Gumout, we’re offering you the chance to win a supply of either Gumout 2x Flex-Fuel Fuel Injector Cleaner, or Gumout 2X Regane Complete Fuel System Cleaner.  The contest could literally not be easier to enter.  All you have to do is comment on this post using the comment form below to say which of the two products you’d like.  Be sure to include your email address in the comment (don’t worry, email addresses are not visible to people who might click on this post).

Depending on the number of entries, you may get one bottle, or you may get several bottles.  I’m giving away ten bottles in all (four Fuel System Cleaner bottles and six Flex-Fuel Fuel Injector Cleaner bottles) and it’s first-come, first-serve.  If you win (meaning, if you comment first), I will email you to get your shipping address.  Contest ends when all 10 bottles have been given away, or on November 4, whichever comes first.

UPDATE:  The contest has ended.  I will contact the winners via email over the next few days to get delivery information  Thanks to all who entered!

The prize awarded in this contest was provided by Gumout.  Gumout also provided samples for review, which we used in our own vehicles.  Shipping costs will be covered by Autosavant Media.