Sidekick

60% of 2026 cars got a price hike. The average increase? $691. But nobody is talking about what that $691 actually costs you. At 6.8% APR over 69 months (the current average), that $691 sticker bump becomes $840 out of your pocket. Honda Passport? Up 5.1%. Base price climbed $2,350. Loaded? $3,980 more. VW is straight up blaming tariffs for 2.9% to 6.5% increases across their lineup. Meanwhile 20.3% of new car buyers now have monthly payments over $1,000. That is a record. The sticker price is not the price. The financed price is the price. Want the full breakdown with every brand compared? Text us at +1-650-246-9739

The FTC just warned 97 dealership groups to stop hiding fees behind low advertised prices. The average car buyer pays $2,000 to $4,000 in junk add-ons they never agreed to. VIN etching: dealers charge $400. It costs them $15. Paint protection: $1,500. It is a $50 bottle of sealant. Doc fees: up to $749 in states with no cap. 75% of transactions at the dealers FTC is suing involved deceptive practices. Here is how to fight back before you sign. Want the full breakdown? Text us at +1-650-246-9739

The dealer sold you gap insurance for $800. The same coverage costs $20/year from your regular insurer. 57% of car buyers say they felt pressured in the F&I office. Gap insurance is one of the highest-margin products they push. What most people don't know: - You can cancel dealer gap insurance ANY time for a prorated refund - 1 in 4 claims gets denied because the car wasn't totaled - Gap only covers one scenario: total loss where you owe more than the car is worth - Most leases already include it Paid $800 at the dealer? Cancel after year one, expect ~$640 back. Add gap through your insurer for $20-$50/year. Same protection. Total savings over the life of your loan: ~$745. Want the full breakdown? Text us at +1-650-246-9739

Your car got hit. The shop fixed it. You drove away thinking you were whole. You're not. The moment that accident hits your Carfax, your car lost 10-25% of its value. On a $45K vehicle, that's $4,500 to $11,250 you'll never get back. It's called diminished value, and your insurer won't tell you about it. You can file a claim in 49 out of 50 states. Most people never do. Want the full breakdown? Text us at +1-650-246-9739

Modern trucks have 3 miles of wiring inside them. If the manufacturer can't produce a replacement harness, nobody else can either. And if you try a salvage yard part or third-party build, they void your warranty. One owner has been paying $1,200/month for 15 months on a truck that won't start. The warranty that's supposed to protect you is actually preventing the repair.

Chevy Silverado ZR2 parked 15 months

I'll go first, I like the Mazda MX-5 Miata’s 2.0L Skyactiv-G. Just works kind of fun.

What's your favorite naturally aspirated engine made in the last 5 years priced under $40k (today)?

Fourth EV pulled from the US market in 3 years. This time it is the Volvo EX30. The pattern is always the same: 1. Strong launch 2. Policy shift 3. Sales collapse 4. Withdrawal 5,400 owners now face a depreciation cliff, parts uncertainty, and rising insurance costs. An EV purchase in the US carries a policy risk that gas cars do not.

@Mike_M_Klotz The GX550 launched at $65k MSRP new, so used ones asking $68k+ means the market is literally pricing in depreciation resistance as a feature. Almost as strong as the Tacoma. Screams opportunity for @GM if they're willing to over-insure their engines w/above market warranties.

@sidekickvin Especially crazy given that the turbo v6 has more issues than GM’s 6.2

Looks like the cheapest used GX nationwide is still pulling north of $68,000 That’s crazy.

Auto loan rates hit 8.29% in 2024. They are falling now. If you financed a car between 2022 and 2024, you are probably paying 2-3 percentage points more than today s best refi rates. On a $35K loan, that gap = $3,200 to $4,800 in savings. A 10-minute refi app could be the biggest money move you make this year. The math: - 2024 peak rate: 8.29% (72-month bank loan) - Current refi rates: 4.67% to 5.99% - Average car payment: $662/month - Total US auto debt: $1.53 TRILLION Most people do not know their dealer marked up their rate by 1-2 points. The lender approved you at 5.5%, dealer offered 7.5%, pocketed the difference. Credit unions and online lenders do not do this. That is why your refi rate will almost always be lower. Want the full breakdown? Text us at +1-650-246-9739

@GuyDealership Two camps: 1. Affordable & dependable 2. Cheap and already near the bottom of the depreciation curve Both threads: total cost of ownership sensitive!

Quick one for the used-car operators: Data shows Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan accounted for nearly half of all used vehicles sold in February. Not exactly a shocking lineup. But with affordability pressures still shaping buyer behavior, I’m interested to see whether that share (~50%) will jump from here, or if we’ll start to see other OEMs earn a spot in the top five. Any guesses? (Data source: Cox Automotive)

Volvo just killed the EX30 in America. After two model years. The cheapest electric Volvo went from 542 sales in September to 184 in October. One month. 66% freefall. What killed it: tariffs + no more EV tax credit. What it means if you own one: EVs already depreciate 2x faster than gas cars. Discontinued EVs? Even worse. The BMW i3 never recovered after being pulled. Used prices settled at $16K-$22K for a $44K car. The EX30 is in a worse spot. Only 5,409 were ever sold in the US. Tiny fleet = thin resale market = steeper depreciation. If you bought one at $40,345, expect $22K-$26K by early 2027. Plus: parts get scarcer, insurance gets pricier, and Volvo hasn't committed to long-term software updates for the US fleet. 5 things EX30 owners should do right now. Want the full breakdown? Text us at +1-650-246-9739

@SawyerMerritt The GTM of the product was flawed from the start, even their dealers advise against buying the car.

NEWS: Honda is reportedly cancelling the Prologue EV in the US at the end of this year, just two years after it was introduced. This means that starting in January 2027, Honda will no longer have any new EVs for sale in its lineup in America. Through Jan-Feb 2026, Honda has sold just 1,731 Prologues, down 75% from the same period last year. Prologue pricing & EPA range: • EX: $47,400, 308 miles • EX AWD: $50,400, 294 miles • Touring: $51,700, 308 miles • Touring AWD: $55,155, 294 miles • Elite: $58,355, 283 miles Last week, Honda announced it expects to report its first annual loss in nearly 70 years as a public company in the fiscal year ending March 2026, after recording a $15.7 billion write-down tied to its EV business. Honda said: “The situation changed far more rapidly than we expected. The suspension of EV subsidies in North America undercut growth, and competition in China meant we couldn’t provide attractive models or maintain our competitive edge.”

@cars_pixels The front looks way better! The back end… regressed even further.

LEAKED! Here's a first look at the all-new and fully-electric BMW i3 sedan. Thoughts?

@dnitzu @SawyerMerritt It’s all pricing, the limited offering Chevy Bolt is going to do really well.

@SawyerMerritt Too small for the US and not enough range. Price not attractive either

NEWS: Volvo is discontinuing the EX30 EV in the U.S., just a year after it launched. It will be pulled from the market after the 2026 model year. • Starting price: $40,000 • EPA range: Up to 261 miles • 0-60mph: As low as 3.4s • 69 kWh battery • Up to 422 hp, AWD • 12.3" center display • Peak charging rate: 153 kW • Length: 166", 18" shorter than a Model 3 All current orders in the system will be produced with production winding down for the U.S. after the summer. Dealers have until March 20, 2026 to place EX30 and EX30 Cross Country orders. Volvo said the new EX60 and EX90 electric SUVs will continue in the U.S. with the former set to launch later this year and the latter having just received enhancements for 2026.

Auto tariffs have cost manufacturers $35.4 billion. Here's what that actually means for your wallet. A $3,000 tariff surcharge doesn't cost you $3,000. It costs you $4,200+ over 5 years. Here's the cascade nobody talks about: - You finance the surcharge: +$540 in interest at 7.1% over 60 months - You pay sales tax on it: +$210 at avg 7% rate - Your insurance goes up: insurer reprices based on higher vehicle value - Your depreciation hits harder: you lose more dollar-for-dollar in year 1 Toyota absorbed $9.1B in tariff costs. GM, Ford, and Stellantis combined: $6.5B. European brands got hit hardest per vehicle. Even "American-made" cars carry 30-50% imported parts. The F-150 has Mexican-sourced transmissions. The Camry uses Japanese steel. 5 moves to protect yourself: 1. Check actual domestic content at fueleconomy.gov (AALA label) 2. Compare in-stock vs factory order (in-stock = pre-tariff pricing) 3. Get pre-approval from a credit union before the dealer 4. Time your purchase for quarter-end (March 31, June 30) 5. Ask the dealer to show the Monroney sticker breakdown Want the full breakdown? Text us at +1-650-246-9739

Your kid passes their driving test. Then your insurance renewal arrives and your jaw hits the floor. The average family pays an extra $3,020/year to add a teen driver. But here's the part that blindsides parents: the rate hike doesn't just apply to the teen's car. Insurers use "household rating." The moment a licensed teen lives under your roof, EVERY vehicle on your policy gets repriced. Your car, your spouse's car, the old Honda in the driveway. All of them. That's why parents report their premiums tripling overnight. It's not just a teen surcharge. It's a full household repricing. The fix most parents don't know about: a named driver exclusion. It formally bars the teen from coverage on specific vehicles, so those cars stay at the parent-only rate. Savings: $800-$1,500/year. Stack that with a good student discount (up to $283/yr), driver training, and assigning your teen to the cheapest car on the policy. Want the full breakdown? Text us at +1-650-246-9739

@CARandDRIVER @Honda @Toyota take notice! There’s a market gap opening up for @NissanUSA to fill !

Is Infiniti Falling Back in Love with the V-6? Report Suggests the QX65 Will Gain a V-6 in 2027 caranddriver.com/news/a70734544…

@kotecinho I’d love to see Honda or Fiat or similar produce a retro classic EV like this sometime soon in the US market!

Fiat 126 by Francesco Salvia