Steering You Right with Sharon Peters
Q: A recent review I read of the Ford Explorer said it’s made in Chicago. I never thought of that as a car town. Is this correct?
A: It is. Even though cars these days are manufactured in such far-flung U.S. locations as Georgetown, Kentucky (Toyota) and West Point, Georgia (Kia), many still think of Detroit as the home for U.S. car manufacturing.
Ford has assembly plants in many towns, including Flat Rock, Dearborn and Wayne, Michigan (each 25 miles or less from Detroit); Claycomo, Missouri (near Kansas City); Louisville, Kentucky; and Avon Lake, Ohio (about 10 miles from Cleveland and 80 from Detroit).
Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant actually opened in 1924 and its nearby stamping plant opened in 1956. Ford is investing nearly $400 million in those facilities to produce the Ford Explorer and others there.
Q: Hyundai is coming up with a luxury model? We have a Sonata and, in talking with a salesman about trading up next year, he mentioned it.
A: Yes. You’ll see it at dealerships later this year. It’ll be called a Genesis, but is an entirely new vehicle and brand from the Hyundai Genesis that’s been out there for years (apparently there’s a shortage of available names for cars).
Hyundai says the newbie (to be known as the Genesis G 90) will be chi-chi enough to compete with high-end luxury models.
Q: We travel with our dogs often and make hotel reservations ahead of time, usually at La Quinta or Super 8 because they’re almost always dog friendly. In August we’d like to be more freewheeling, travel some back roads and not be as regimented. That requires being able to quickly access information about nearby spots of interest and dog-friendly hotels. Is there clearinghouse information so we can go off route and know what’s available?
A: Yes. My favorite online resources are dogfriendly.com (everything from hotels to dog friendly beaches), tripswithpets.com (primarily hotels) and bringfido.com (lodging, restaurants and so on). I usually do a scan of many of the towns away from the highways we’re traveling and often take side trips to visit attractions that are said to be dog friendly.
© CTW Features
What’s your question? Sharon Peters would like to hear about what’s on your mind when it comes to caring for, driving and repairing your vehicle. Email Sharon@ctwfeatures.com.
