Mr. Green Car: ‘Mr. Green Car’ visits New York City

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer My wife, Ruth, and I recently spent a couple days in New York City. The Big
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June 12, 2013 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: Why all hybrids have regenerative braking

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer In any review or brochure of hybrid vehicles you will hear mention of “regenerative brakes.” I’ll try
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May 29, 2013 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Ford Fusion Hybrid — a look at the ‘Green Car of the Year’

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer The 2013 Ford Fusion (sticker price of $29,890) was named “Green Car of the Year” by Green
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April 17, 2013 | Also published in Automotive News> Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 2 Comments

Mr. Green Car: What’s driving you? — part four, all-wheel-drive

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer This is the fourth in a four-part series on common drivetrains. In fact, it was thinking
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March 20, 2013 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: What’s driving you? — part three, four-wheel-drive

Editor’s note: The following is part three in a series. Part one, “What’s driving you?”, appeared in the Feb. 6-12
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March 6, 2013 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: What’s driving you? — part two, front-wheel drive

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer In the previous Mr. Green Car (Feb. 6-12 issue), I wrote that I have personal experience
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February 20, 2013 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 1 Comment

Mr. Green Car: What’s driving you?

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer I’ve noticed that there are a great many more cars on the road lately with all-wheel-drive.
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February 6, 2013 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 1 Comment

Mr. Green Car: Mazda CX-5: Fun to drive and suitable for everyday use

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer The Mazda CX-5 is one of the cars named by Green Car Journal in its
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January 23, 2013 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 2 Comments

Mr. Green Car: The top five green cars of 2013

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer Before I get into the Top 5 for 2013, I had a couple of green car experiences
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January 9, 2013 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: Reflections on 120 ‘Mr. Green Car’ columns

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer Assuming the Mayans were wrong about the end of the world coming Dec. 21, 2012 (or thereabouts),
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December 26, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: C-Max — Ford’s answer to the Prius-v

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer Once again, Mr. Green Car has found his way to a small-town car dealership for
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December 12, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 1 Comment

Mr. Green Car: Recycling electric vehicle batteries

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer As we move ever closer to going mainstream with electric vehicles (EV), there are already concerns
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November 28, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 4 Comments

Mr. Green Car: Putting Atkinson cycle engines to good use

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer This column may be a bit dry. It is about hidden technology lurking in the engines of
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November 14, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: Full-size driving: The Chevy Suburban

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer I often write about driving small, efficient cars. There is no getting around the fact that
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October 31, 2012 | Also published in Automotive News> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Turbochargers and the downsizing of engines

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer In my last “Mr. Green Car” column (Oct. 3-9 issue), I test drove a new Dodge
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October 17, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Dodge Dart: Excellent value in an entry-level compact car

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer I have been asked when I would review a car built at the Chrysler plant in
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October 3, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 3 Comments

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Electric mobility vehicles make life easier for handicapped

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer There was an evening not long ago that I was heading home from Loves Park toward
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September 19, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Lincoln MKZ Hybrid and fuel economy

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer In my mind, the words Lincoln (cars) and “gas hog” go together. But those are thoughts
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September 5, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Auto News: Rockford ranks 35th of 200 on ‘Best Drivers Report’

Staff Report Allstate Insurance Company has released its eighth annual “Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report.” The report, based on Allstate claims
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September 5, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Green Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Living with a Leaf

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer At this year’s Illinois Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair, held at the Ogle County Fairgrounds
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August 22, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 1 Comment

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Recent experiences: E85, drag racing and energy fair

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer For much of the last year, I’ve been driving a 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager SE as
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August 8, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 1 Comment

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: What low buck will get you: A look at the Nissan Versa

  By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer Several Mr. Green Car columns ago (“Saving money with a low-cost new car,” April 18-24 issue), I
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July 25, 2012 | Also published in Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: More car care tips: Fixing up neglected aluminum wheels

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer In my last car care tip column, I wrote about stopping body rust. This week, I’ll
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July 11, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 5 Comments

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Prius C — the inexpensive hybrid

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer With millions of hybrid Toyota Priuses on the road, the market-dominating manufacturer has been expanding the
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June 27, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 2 Comments

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: June is ‘Paint Your Rust Month’

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer In this next installment of “Keeping Your Old Car Looking Good,” I’ll preach a bit and
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June 13, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 2 Comments

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Kia Soul: Boxy design a hot seller among young and old alike

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer In my continuing reports about small economical new cars, this week I’ll report about the 2012
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May 30, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 2 Comments

Auto Maintenance: Mr. Green Car: Seeing the light: Repairing cloudy headlights

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer I had, in recent days, been pondering getting a new or late-model used car. There are
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May 16, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Chevy Sonic: Proof GM can build a competitive small car

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer On a recent trip, I rented a Chevy Avio. It was an OK small car. I
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May 2, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Saving money with a low-cost new car

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer While I’ve long been a proponent of keeping a car forever, because, overall, it is less
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April 18, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 2 Comments

Auto News: More about the Volkswagen Jetta

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer In my last column (“Mr. Green Car: Shifting automatically,” March 21-27 issue) I reported on the driving
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April 4, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 1 Comment

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Shifting automatically

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer I recently made a trip to Florida to do some research for a sailing magazine I write
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March 21, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 1 Comment

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Buick LaCrosse with eAssist should be on your list to consider

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer While I personally like small cars, I admit they are not for everyone. Nor do “economy”
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March 7, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 1 Comment

Green Auto News: Mr. Green Car: State of charge: Hybrid and electric car batteries

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer More and more vehicles are becoming dependent on batteries to boost their fuel economy. This will drive
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February 22, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 3 Comments

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Fiat 500 a cute, fun car

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer For regular readers of this column, I’ve established a pattern that I’ll try to stick to.
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February 8, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 3 Comments

Green Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Are electric cars safe?

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) just issued a statement that their recent investigation into battery
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January 25, 2012 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 1 Comment

Auto News: Mr. Green Car: Ford Focus 2012 reasonably priced with decent fuel economy

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer One night, I was passing through Oregon, Ill., on my way to Dixon with friends when
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January 11, 2012 | Also published in Automotive News> Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: Flywheels in your future?

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer This week, I’ll veer into a technical report, thanks to regular reader, Henry Tideman of Oregon, Ill.
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December 28, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 1 Comment

Green Auto News: Mr. Green Car: The all-electric Nissan Leaf

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer OK, now I’m getting really confused. Which do I like better, the Chevy Volt or the
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December 14, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 2 Comments

Mr. Green Car: The simple life afloat

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer For those of you who have been reading my column for some time, you know I am
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November 30, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: Finding hybrids in places you wouldn’t think of seeing them

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer A few weeks ago, I was doing a little business at the Chicago-Rockford International Airport when I
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November 16, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: More about the success of the Chevy Volt

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer In my last Mr. Green Car column (Oct. 19-25), I told you about my experience with a
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November 2, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | 1 Comment

Mr. Green Car: Mr. Green Car test drives the Chevy Volt, gives two thumbs up

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer The future has arrived. We have waited for this moment for several years now. Chevrolet, and
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October 19, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: Why you should care about Keystone XL

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer At first glance, you would think a Keystone XL is a large can of beer. But that
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October 5, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: Should Rockford be a test track for fuel economy?

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer In the last Mr. Green Car (Sept. 9, 2011) I commented on proposed changes to the Corporate
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September 21, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: Green cars at the 10th Anniversary Renewable Energy Fair

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer As I have for the past three years, I’ll report about what showed up at the Illinois
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August 24, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Living> Mr. Green Car | 1 Comment

Mr. Green Car: Sharing stuff can help save energy

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer Thanks to reader Bob Lindstrom (nobody is more into efficiency than Bob) for bringing this little item
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August 10, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: Best green cars of 2011

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer Recently, I was passing some time in Loves Park’s North Suburban Library by reading the June/July 2011
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July 27, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: Toyota’s green car technology progress report

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer I recently read a three-page advertorial in the May 30 Time magazine about where Toyota is with
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July 13, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: Polluting for pleasure

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer This will be another column full of mea culpa — I will be railing against something I
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June 29, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)

Mr. Green Car: Entertainment and carbon dioxide

By Allen Penticoff Free-lance Writer I have been flying airplanes since I was a Boy Scout seeking an Aviation merit badge—and an
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June 15, 2011 | Also published in Fast Lane> Mr. Green Car | Comments (0)


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