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Chris Hardesty on Muck Rack

Chris Hardesty

Verified
Atlanta
As seen in: Kelley Blue Book, MarketWatch, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Morningstar, Akron Beacon Journal, Autotrader U.S, Faithful & True Podcast
Covers:  Auto advice and electric vehicles. I edit and write stories for consumers about car ownership, car buying and selling, auto maintenance and upkeep, auto financing, auto insurance and more.
Fan of competitive eating & Frye shoes. Father, road trip enthusiast, all-around good guy from Chattanooga. Advice editor at Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader.

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Chris Hardesty’s Biography

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Chris Hardesty writes and edits advice content for Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader. His 25-year journalism career includes leading editorial research at The News & Observer in North Carolina, The Mercury News in California, and Newsday in New York. After that, he was an online news editor at The Wall Street Journal before moving to the Atlanta area. Once he settled in Georgia, he wrote how-to guides for The Home Depot. Before joining the Cox Automotive publications, he was part of the external …

Chris Hardesty’s Journalist Portfolio

How to Take an EV Road Trip - Kelley Blue Book

How to Take an EV Road Trip - Kelley Blue Book

With gas prices climbing, we took one of the market's least expensive electric cars on a 1,100-mile road trip…

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7 Things to Know About Car Window Tinting - Kelley Blue Book

7 Things to Know About Car Window Tinting - Kelley Blue Book

Car window tinting can give a stylish look to your ride and improve visibility by reducing glare. Fans of tin…

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Is Rodent Damage Covered by Insurance? - Kelley Blue Book

Is Rodent Damage Covered by Insurance? - Kelley Blue Book

Having rodents under the hood isn't the first thought that comes to mind when your car won't start or isn't r…

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Can You Buy a Car with a Credit Card?

Can You Buy a Car with a Credit Card?

Most car shoppers finance their purchases with auto loans. Those same shoppers also have credit cards in thei…

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How to Prepare Your Car for Lovebug Season

How to Prepare Your Car for Lovebug Season

When lovebug season hits the Southern states, you'll want to prepare your vehicle for these annoying bugs. Mo…

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Chris Hardesty, Author at Kelley Blue Book

Chris Hardesty, Author at Kelley Blue Book

Chris Hardesty is an author specializing in electric vehicles and general advice related to car ownership. Hi…

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Articles

1926: The Used Car Market Got a Pricing Foundation

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By Chris Hardesty Verified
| Kelley Blue Book Verified
In 1926, a modest-looking pricing manual carried a surprisingly big promise — confidence. The first Kelley Blue Book didn’t just list numbers. It offered something the young used-car marketplace desperately needed: a common reference point people could trust. In a business that often ran on gut feelings and hard bargaining, the compact guide was a quiet breakthrough that brought a shared language for value. That’s the celebratory heart of the Kelley Blue Book origin story.
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A Hot Car Can Turn Deadly in Minutes

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By Chris Hardesty Verified
| Kelley Blue Book Verified
Every summer, the same warning circulates: Never leave a child alone in a car. Still, the heatstroke deaths of children and pets left in hot cars happen every year — often to attentive, loving caregivers who never imagined it could happen to them. A parked car heats up quickly, even on a mild day. According to the CDC, the temperature inside a vehicle can climb nearly 20 degrees Fahrenheit in just 10 minutes. Cracking a window doesn’t make it safe.
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Memorial Day road trip: How to stay safe, save money and hit the road smart

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By Chris Hardesty Verified
| The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Verified
The Steering Column 5 simple tips to help prevent breakdowns, improve fuel economy and make the drive less stressful. AAA projects 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for the Memorial Day holiday period. Most will go by road. (Miguel Martinez/AJC) By Chris Hardesty – Cox Automotive 26 minutes ago Editor’s note: This column regularly appears in the Business section of your Sunday ePaper.
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Interview

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What was your first job as a journalist?

I was the nightside librarian at The Chattanooga Times while a student at UT-Chattanooga.

Have you ever used a typewriter?

I have. It was an electric model. I used to collect antique typewriters but have only one now. It's a Royal model from the 1930s.

Who's your favorite fictional journalist?

Borat Sagdiyev