Obscure Maintenance: Spare Tires

Posted by on December 18, 2012

Donut spares, like this one from my Accord, aren't reliable over long distances or in adverse weather

Spare tires are such a critical item, especially during road trip season, that it’s a wonder nobody ever talks about them.  Occasionally, a mechanic might ask you to replace a PCV valve, but I’ve never known even the best mechanic or car enthusiast to check the spare tire in a vehicle.  If you care about getting to your final destination in one piece, regardless of what vehicle you drive, you should read and understand this article carefully.

Continue reading →

Caveat Emptor: Vetting MPG claims

Mileage1

Posted by on December 17, 2012

When BMW got caught, nobody thought anything of it.  When Hyundai was nailed, people really snapped to attention, mostly because it was on a much larger scale.  Now, Ford is facing the same issue: all three manufacturers have been or are being investigated by the EPA for inflated fuel economy claims.  The core of the problem is that the EPA’s National Vehicle Fuel Economy Laboratory is underfunded.  Low resources means that only 10-15% of fuel economy claims are rated or checked by the EPA itself.  The other 85-90% of vehicle fuel economy ratings are provided by the manufacturer on an honor system.  But lab testing is a touchy subject – even small variations can lead to huge discrepancies.  Hyundai claims a small difference in their test procedure caused their issues, but BMW has stuck by their numbers and will likely appeal for the 2014 model year (laws do not allow them to protest the ruling for the 2013 model).  So how can consumers assure themselves that they are going to get the mileage they expect?

Continue reading →

Review: 2011 Nissan Sentra SR

IMG_0759

Posted by on December 14, 2012

My family has been a Nissan family for a long time. At the end of high school, my parents bought a base late model 2003 Nissan Sentra. An automatic transmission was the only option they added (Mom refused to drive stick). Feel hot? Crank your own damn windows. Before the Sentra, our family ran a 1997 Nissan Quest GXE purchased at a police auction. The hood had a big notch in it where someone had tried to pry it open with a crowbar. Dad had no love for these machines. Maintenance included oil changes every 5,000 miles, and “car washes” whenever it rained.  His goal was to provide point to point transportation at minimal cost and attention. The Quest felt so unloved that it finally decided to commit suicide by spilling oil and warped metal shards all over the street. I didn’t cry over the Quest, but I had many good memories associated with it. It’s probably the source of my minivan love. The Sentra is still doing well mechanically, but if that car had a soul, it’d be a tormented one. Unlike the Quest, the Sentra didn’t even have good memories to redeem itself. I hated it, and projected that hatred on all future models of the Nissan lineup. It was an anti-halo car: Drive one, and you’d never want another Nissan. When Zipcar added a 2011 Sentra SR to my parking lot, I wanted to see if my memory was remembering things worse than they had been.

Continue reading →

2013 Hot Hatch Renaissance: Veloster, Fiesta, Fiat 500 Abarth, Sonic RS

DSC_5277

Posted by on December 11, 2012

Back when I was in high school, a hot hatch meant one of three used cars: MKIII VW GTI, Honda Civic Si, or if you’re really lucky, an Acura Integra GS-R. Mix one part fun, one part practicality, and two parts affordability. Voila! That’s a hot hatch. While the price of entry keeps going up with each generation, the basic formula is still intact. Follow the jump for a peek of the hot hatch contenders of 2013.

Continue reading →

Review: 2012 Toyota Corolla LE

IMG_0432

Posted by on November 29, 2012

Auto journalists love to bash on Toyota products, but that doesn’t seem to hurt their sales numbers. On paper, the Corolla is the laughing stock of the compact class. It’s not as cheap as a Nissan, lacks the zoom-zoom handling of a Mazda, and looks downright dowdy next to a Hyundai. Yet somehow 313,009 buyers raised their hands in 2011 to park one in their driveway. Follow the jump for a quick drive and some impressions.

Continue reading →

2012 San Francisco Auto Show: The good, the ugly, the turkey

Spindle grille? More like snowplow grille

Posted by on November 27, 2012

Before binging on turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes, we made a trip out to the 2012 SF Auto Show. Located in the Moscone Center in downtown SF, this annual auto show typically gets the scraps from other better known auto shows. Nonetheless, it’s still a great event to bring family to during the holidays. Follow the jump for a rundown of the fast, the slow, and everything in between.

Continue reading →

Review: 2012 VW Passat 2.5 S with Appearance Package

IMG_0020

Posted by on November 1, 2012

Here in ‘merica, we like things big. Big burgers, big houses, big linebackers, big state fairs. To keep all that big moving, it’s no wonder we love our big trucks. So when Volkswagon asked what Americans wanted in a midsize family sedan, we answered “make it big”. After spending four days with a 2012 VW Passat 2.5 SE hopping between Los Angeles and San Francisco, it seems that the Germans have delivered a big car in more ways than one. Follow the jump to see how our super-sized Jetta fared on the road.

Continue reading →

Stupid Technology: Boxer engines

Subaru1

Posted by on October 31, 2012

Subaru has a long reputation of being a quirky, niche vehicle.  Their philosophy is simple, and it consists of AWD and boxer engines in all their vehicles.  The standard AWD has helped crown Subaru as the national car of Colorado, but the boxer engine hasn’t helped to define the brand much.  Boxer engines (ie. horizontally-opposed engines) are simply engines with horizontal cylinders that face away from each other.  This makes them exceptionally low compared to traditional inline and Vee engines that are prevalent in industry.  By concentrating the weight down low, the boxer engine lowers the center of gravity of the car, and is said to improve handling.  However, the boxer engine also has trade-offs that may be acceptable in a Porsche (who also use boxers), but just serve to complicate the life of a Subaru owner.  Read on to find out why I would hate to own one of these!

Continue reading →