Archive for April, 2010
Review: Dodge Challenger SE
Posted on 30. Apr, 2010 by admin.
One of the strangest phenomena of the revived retro muscle car wars is the renewed emphasis on V6 performance. Once derided as “Secretary Specials,” the V6 versions of the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro now make upwards of 300 horsepower, while earning EPA highway ratings that surpass the 30 MPG mark. But if these latter-day [...]
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Recall Alert: 2004-2008 Acura TSX
Posted on 30. Apr, 2010 by admin.
Acura is recalling about 167,000 2004-08 TSX sedans equipped with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. The defect involves a power-steering hose that can deteriorate prematurely and crack, leading to a leak and loss of power steering that may result in smoke or fire. One incident of a fire has been reported.
The recall will begin in May. Owners can have a new power-steering hose, O-ring gasket and fluid replaced at no cost. Owners can contact Acura at owners.acura.com/recalls or at (800) 382-2238.
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Cars.com Reviews the 2010 Acura MDX
Posted on 30. Apr, 2010 by admin.
The Acura MDX could be seen as the standard-bearer of the luxury crossover segment. Since its introduction, though, competitors have made every effort to overtake it. Cars.com senior editor David Thomas reviews the 2010 MDX and explains why he’s come to expect so much from it, as well as what changes can be found for the 2010 model year.
2010 Acura MDX Review
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Suzuki Equator Buyers Offered Free Gas
Posted on 30. Apr, 2010 by admin.
By Stephen Markley
Customers who buy a 2010 Suzuki Equator between May 1 and Aug. 31 will be eligible for the automaker’s “Free Gas for Summer” promotion. Buyers will get a stored-value debit card with which to buy gas.
The cards will range in value between $280 and $442, depending on a number of factors. Apparently, Suzuki will take into account an assumed three-month time frame, the car’s EPA highway mileage, the national average price for a gallon of gas and the Federal Highway Administration’s estimate of 1,000 miles driven per month.
If we have Suzuki’s reasoning right, you might want to wait until around July, when gas prices tend to peak. The higher the national average for a gallon of gas, the more money Suzuki will have to put on the debit card.
[Source: Suzuki]
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Among Many Changes, New Safety Bill Calls for $9 Fee on New Cars
Posted on 30. Apr, 2010 by admin.
Lawmakers want to use a proposed $9 fee on new cars to pay for increased oversight and resources for auto safety agencies. The fee would be part of a new-car safety bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in the wake of the Toyota recalls.
The draft, released by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), would also require brake-override systems and event data recorders in all cars within just two years. The fee would start at $3 and raise an estimated $30 million to $45 million a year for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It would rise to $6 in the second year, then $9 in the third year before being matched to inflation.
A similar U.S. Senate bill would also put auto executives on the hook, adding criminal penalties for those who submit misleading information to NHTSA. It would ban former NHTSA employees from working for automakers for three years, create whistleblower protections and give the safety organization authority to initiate a recall much more quickly if it deems a particular defect a threat to public safety.
Both bills would create civil fines of up to $250 million for auto executives who make false statements.
Finally — and most importantly if you’re an automaker thinking of delaying a recall — the legislation eliminates the maximum civil penalty for automakers. If this legislation had been law, Toyota could have been on the hook for $13.8 billion without a cap, rather than being assessed the maximum fine of $16.4 million.
Car Fees Proposed to Fund Safety Law (Detroit News)
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Feds: Cash for Clunkers Worked, but Uncertainties Remain
Posted on 30. Apr, 2010 by admin.
The Cash for Clunkers program succeeded in its broad, basic objectives of providing economic stimulus to a struggling industry, but ultimately the results are difficult to gauge, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office.
Despite Cash for Clunker’s success, the GAO found that “the extent of the program’s stimulative effect on the economy is uncertain.” For instance, some of the sales may have happened regardless of the program, although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 88% of the 677,842 vehicles sold under the program were to buyers who otherwise would have stayed home.
The program's other goal was to improve fuel economy, and it did. The average fuel economy of the vehicles traded in was 15.7 mpg, while the new cars purchased or leased averaged 24.9 mpg. But because new vehicles tend to have far better mileage, the GAO says it’s reasonable that many of the new cars would have been more efficient anyway.
According to the Department of Transportation, NHTSA had limited time to design and implement the program’s consumer survey, which may make it harder to study for future policy decisions.
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Suzuki Offers Free Gas to Lure Buyers
Posted on 30. Apr, 2010 by admin.
Customers who buy a select Suzuki model between May 1 and Aug. 31 will be eligible for the automaker’s “Free Gas for Summer” promotion. Buyers will get a stored-value debit card with which to buy gas.
Eligible vehicles include the new Kizashi sedan, SX4 SportBack, SX4 Sport sedan, SX4 crossover, Grand Vitara and Equator.
The cards will range in value between $280 and $442, depending on a number of factors. Apparently, Suzuki will take into account an assumed three-month time frame, the car’s EPA highway mileage, the national average price for a gallon of gas and the Federal Highway Administration’s estimate of 1,000 miles driven per month.
The promotion is especially tempting for buyers looking at the Kizashi because it’s a new vehicle without a lot of cash incentives attached.
If we have Suzuki’s reasoning right, you might want to wait until around July, when gas prices tend to peak. The higher the national average for a gallon of gas, the more money Suzuki will have to put on the debit card.
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Reader Review of the Week: 2011 Subaru Impreza
Posted on 30. Apr, 2010 by admin.
“ErikMass” from Arlington, Mass., recently bought a 2011 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport and decided to write a “Reader Review of the Week: Canine Edition.” While the Honda Element may have its dog-friendly package, this reviewer thinks the Subaru Impreza is just as good for man’s best friend without being overbearing about it. Read his full review to find out how he rides with his dogs, and then write your own review here. (No, you do not have to explain how your car handles dogs, but you’re welcome to as well.)
“I just replaced a '99 Impreza with a 2011. The car is nice to drive and has a pretty solid feel for a medium size car. The downsides are mediocre gas mileage (AWD tradeoff) and a sub-standard radio.
“Many people who buy wagons have dogs, and I want to address this. I checked out the Honda Element, which is the primo dog car. It seems like a great car if you have a couple of huskies or German shepherds, but if you have two 30 pound dogs and no kids, it's just way more car than you need.
“I've gotten into the habit of having the dogs sit in the back seat of the Subaru. If you fold the Subaru seats flat, it feels like the dogs have a tendency to slide, and there is no way to separate them from whatever items you are transporting. If you put them in the cargo area they feel kind of lost back there, and I like to see them while I drive.
“The seats seem to be made of two types of fabric. The dog hairs seem to stick to the soft fabric which is more at the back of the seats, but are relatively easy to vacuum from the bottom of the seats and floors. I'd recommend getting cheap seat covers to protect your back seats.”
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Motor Authority Heads To Nashville Superspeedway For Chumpcar
Posted on 30. Apr, 2010 by admin.
We weren’t all born with a silver dipstick in our engine bays, and that’s just fine. But what’s a regular Joe to do when he’s been bitten by the racing bug? Even the most basic forms of “amateur” racing can cost tens of thousands of dollars per season, not to mention the cost of sourcing and building the car. That’s where the budget racing series…
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Sources: Ford F-150 Getting More Productive for 2011
Posted on 29. Apr, 2010 by admin.
The 2011 Ford F-150 will receive an updated instrument panel that includes an all-new driver information computer shared with the 2011 F-Series Super Duty, according to sources familiar with the truck.
Ford's so-called “Productivity Screen” is built around a 4.2-inch LCD display that provides graphically rich data to the driver, including information related to fuel economy, towing and off-road performance. The LCD is positioned between the tachometer and speedometer and its menus are navigated through a five-way button on the steering wheel.
Asked for comment about the new feature, a Ford spokesperson told PickupTrucks.com, “We will be revealing 2011 F-150 details closer to its customer launch later this year. However, our customers have come to expect F-Series trucks to continually improve and they won't be disappointed with the new model.”
Here's video of the Productivity Screen in action in the Super Duty:
And our sources still say that the 2011 F-150 is getting a new six-cylinder engine in addition to the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 that’s slated to arrive by the end of this year. The new mill is the same Ti-VCT 3.7-liter V-6 that debuted recently in the 2010 Ford Mustang.
