Very good:
How about:
Wind: G _ _ _
Gust, Gale
And for your first one, its a tad too derivative from mine I fear.
Correct again, and I have no idea what you are trying to say in your comment.:o
American automobile model: C O R _ A I R
American automobile make: _ O R _ (I’m looking for three valid answers)
FORD, CORD, and I’m guessing the third doesn’t end in “D.” 
Came up with a dumb one this morning:
Something you put in your printer: _ A _ E _
You are correct. It’s a rather obscure make, but figures in the history of General Motors.
PAPER and LASER? Though the laser generally comes already installed, and the blank in the fifth slot suggests another final letter anyway. Hmmm, maybe FAXES if you’re making several copies of a document? Oh, how about TAPES?
Yes on the first – no on all other guesses. Hint:
You’d probably guess if I’d given the plural of the second word, but if I gave the plural it wouldn’t be five letters.
Brand name of a miniaturized sport:
P_ _ _ P_ _ _
PING PONG and PUTT PUTT
twickster: Is the other answer to the printer question
LABEL? If so, I can’t take credit – the word was suggested by a friend with whom I was discussing this game.
[quote=“Sternvogel, post:50, topic:493839”]
PING PONG and PUTT PUTT
Correct
That was my first guess as well, I also thought of PAGES but on reading the hint I guess that’s not it.
Datem? 
Yup, that’s what I had in mind.
Gardening tool:
_ _ o _ _ _
Three-fer, if you opt for a variant British spelling on the third.
Bikini Bottom Resident [First name basis] :
S _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Animal Three-fer
_ _ _ _ o n
And again, a variant spelling on the third.
I personally* hate the variant spelling on the third, but it is the only way I can make it fit.
*This may or may not be a clue.
The first thing to come to mind could actually be done as _ _ O _ E L – were you thinking of something else?
No no, your right, just, the third one wouldn’t fit then.
BABOON and GIBBON for the first two, TIGLON for the third? At least that’s what Jungle Larry of Cleveland TV and Cedar Point fame called his male tiger-female lion hybrids. A check of Wikipedia gives TIGRON as a variant of TIGON.
PIGEON? But that is standard spelling. Maybe WIGEON?