Author Archive: Chad Baus

Has this happened to you? You go shopping for a new car and great fuel economy is high on the list of things you want. You buy a car that’s rated 30 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg overall by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). But after a month or so of driving around, you find that the best fuel efficiency you can get is a measly 24 mpg average. You might acknowledge that you drive a little faster than the speed limit, but you’re no hot-rodder.

So why doesn’t your fuel economy match the EPA rating?

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A key element in assessing the EPA rating for a vehicle’s average fuel economy (EPA combined) is the split between highway and city driving. Almost all cars and trucks deliver better fuel economy while cruising at 55 mph on the open highway than they do while [...]

Want to save fuel on those long summer highway drives? Don’t open the window. Crank up the air conditioning.

That’s just one of the useful — and frequently surprising — tips available from fueleconomy.gov , the go-to web site for information on fuel economy.

While running the AC does increase fuel consumption, it’s more efficient than driving with the windows open at highway speeds. The open windows increase the car’s aerodynamic drag, and that makes the engine work harder…

For other fuel-saver tips, click here.

DETROIT — The golden age of the muscle car is now.

Despite strict emissions limits, concerns about climate change and unpredictable gasoline prices that would make a ’60s hot rodder pull over and weep, Detroit”s modern performance cars could run rings around the classics. And they’re surprisingly affordable when compared with price tags of some exotic cars with similarly high-performing engines.

“Back in the 1960s and ’70s, we were looking at 300-, 325-horsepower engines. Now you’ve got 500-, 600-, even 700-horsepower,” said Ken Gross, an automotive historian, museum consultant and journalist. “Never in my lifetime did I think I’d see the day when I could drive a 700-horsepower street car.”

Even the least powerful of today’s sporty cars — say a base V-6 Chevy Camaro, Mustang or Charger — could probably out-corner most 1960s muscle cars, which were renowned for their ability to accelerate, but [...]

It is impossible to sum up the life of a man who lived for 98 years, 3 months and 21 days in one or two blog posts. Truthfully, a book probably wouldn’t even do the job. But along with my short summary of his upbringing and work career, I wanted to write down a few other thoughts about Grandpa while they are still fresh in my mind.

Although he retired many years before, Grandpa continued to work daily at the family business, right up until 48 hours before he passed away. When we would ask him to do things, he would say “If you ask me to do it, I’ll do it, but if you tell me to do it, I’ll say no!”

Grandpa had a great sense of humor, and he was a bit of a prankster. Often times at [...]

Edward Daniel Baus, the 2nd generation of our family business, went to be with the Lord today, July 23, 2015.

Grandpa was the first generation of our Baus family to be born in America. He was the son of German Lutheran immigrants who had been living in Donhof, near Saratov, in the Volga River region of Russia. They emigrated to the United States one month before the Titanic disaster to escape religious persecution by the government. Grandpa first learned English when he went to public school in Wauseon, OH.

When Grandpa was 14, he began working on a farm ten miles away from his home – a farm in Burlington, just north of Archbold. He began attending school in Archbold his junior year and met his future wife, Leanna Nofzinger. The couple were married on March 4, 1939. Grandma preceded him in death by [...]

Do you remember a time before the internet, and a time before television? Now answer the same question for your parents. And do it again for your children.

Carl Bass, chief executive of software design group Autodesk ADSK -0.26% believes the same query will one day be posed about driverless cars.

“It will definitely happen,” he says.

We are as human beings particularly bad at driving. The range of human performance at driving is enormous. If you take Formula One drivers, they are superb athletes who can do things with a car that you and I can’t imagine and if you take a distracted person texting with a kid in the back seat screaming, we are absolutely awful drivers.

We don’t really ever say it to each other but we literally kill thousands of [...]

Many people have concerns about taking their cars on long trips, especially if their cars are getting on in years or mileage. Truth is, long trips are actually easier on your car than day-to-day driving — but a breakdown far from home can really ruin your fun. A few simple checks will stave off many common problems. As with most things, it’s best to start early.

Get any major repairs done. If your car needs major repair or maintenance, do it at least one month before you go. That will allow plenty of time for any problems related to the repair to pop up.

Get any scheduled maintenance done. If you think your car is going to come due for an oil change or other maintenance during your trip, get it done one week before your trip.

A recent post on an automotive website began like this:

“Pen in hand, you review the sales contract before signing for your new car. It all looks good except for one mysterious figure: the documentation fee or “doc fee.” In some states, this will be less than $100. But in others it can be higher than $700. What, exactly, are you getting for your money? And do you really have to pay this fee?”

This is a question too few buyers ask.

The dealer charges a documentation fee in exchange for filling out and filing paperwork for the car you are purchasing, as well as the vehicle you are trading (if applicable). This is a complicated process involving many different state and federally-mandated forms, and culminates with a trip to the Clerk of [...]

There’s no better way to spend this sweltering season than on a road trip. The United States is brimming with the most beautiful and diverse views on the planet, from the glittering waters of the Pacific to the majestic Rocky Mountains and down to the mysterious swamps of the South.

There is a road trip for everyone, and we’ve compiled a list of routes that will take you anywhere. The slideshow shows you some of the must-see stops along the way. So what else makes these places so special? We explain, starting with Route 66.

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