Q. I’ve long heard that spinning your car’s tires on icy, snowy roads gets you nowhere. Yet, I’ve sometimes managed to spin my car’s tires on such roads and was able to get moving.— J.L. (via Internet) 

A. Sometimes wheel spin in winter is beneficial in cutting through the top layer of snow/ice and finding grip below it to get you moving, according to the Team O’Neil Rally School. I’ve also found it effective to very gradually apply power without causing tires to get stuck in a rut. Try this at first: With an automatic transmission, just put the transmission in Drive or Reverse when stuck and don’t touch the gas pedal. 



Q. There’s lots of media coverage of electric cars, but haven’t internal combustion engines been greatly improved? — S.A. (via Internet)

A. Major advances are being made to make internal combustion engines more powerful, efficient and pollution-free. However, the general media finds it easier to focus on electric cars. 



Q. I hear there’s a new product out that will improve fuel economy and power. Heard about it? — D.M. (via Internet)

A. Products to improve economy, increase horsepower, etc. have been advertised for years. Virtually all have been largely or completely useless. But with advancing technology, a new product from Lucas Oil Products may work, although I haven’t tested it. It’s called Low Viscosity Stabilizer, and Lucas claims it improves fuel economy and power and extends engine life by reducing the level of friction for premium quality oil in modern engines. 



Q. Is it coming to the point where all vehicle shopping will be done online using mobile devices, thus eliminating vehicle dealerships? — S.V. (via Internet)

A. Jumpstart Automotive Media said it found that 84 percent of all consumers begin online vehicle research but that the “vast majority” want to negotiate in person at a vehicle dealership.



Q. It’s against the law in some states, but I see many drivers using cell phones while driving during this holiday season. Am I imagining things? — E.K. (via Internet)

A. The Harris Poll says among those who shopped on their mobile device while driving, a whopping 83 percent have done so during the holiday season. If you see drivers near your moving vehicle using a cell phone, stay a good distance away from them.

Q. I read that future cars will have a “digital cockpit”—a high-tech redo of a car’s dashboard designed for a “connected” vehicle with a bank of screens from one side of the car to the other. The screens would let drivers control everything from a car’s interior temperature to the home refrigerator temperature. Your thoughts? — P.C. (via Internet)

A. Sounds dangerous if a person is driving and takes eyes off the road. And will drivers want—or desire to pay for—all of the features possible in a “connected-car” era? There currently are so many features in current cars that many people don’t know what they have and use just a few features.



Q. Automakers are spending fortunes developing electric vehicles, but what about another alternative “clean” fuel for many types of vehicles? One may well be natural gas. Your thoughts? — E.N. (via Internet)

A. “Clean” natural gas is used in many trucks and buses, partly because the size and weight of the needed battery packs make electrical power impractical. Moreover, such vehicles don’t need a government subsidy, as do many electric vehicles. Natural gas reportedly can power the same engine as gas or diesel engines so electric charging stations aren’t needed all over the place. Moreover, natural gas vehicles can be fueled with renewable natural gas from such places as landfills and sewage treatment plants.




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