Ford F-150 EcoBoost
Your Questions Answered!
Porsche 911 Turbo S
530 horsepower. Launch Control. AWD. Twin turbo. Nuff said.
Honda Accord V6 Coupe EX-L
VTEC just kicked in, yo!
Mitsubishi RVR GT
Mostly good news for Mitsubishi's compact crossover
Here are some fun photos of the 2012 Fiat 500 and 2012 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec 5.0 from today’s wintertime photo/video shoot just outside of Sudbury, Ontario. Photos are by Chris Koski, check him out at twitter.com/koskiphoto for a closer look.
Video review features coming for both vehicles too!
More performance, more efficiency, more room and more technology. The all-new 2012 BMW 3-Series, or “F30″ as fanatics will call it, is upon us. Here be some photos fer yer peeperz!
With the hustle and bustle of wintertime bearing down on Canadian motorists, it’s often easy to overlook the simple maintenance required to keep our rides running at their best.
Though new cars, trucks and SUV’s are built needing less maintenance than ever before, it’s still important to make sure you stay on top of the factory-prescribed requirements. Not only will this ensure longer life and lower costs for your ride, but it’ll help prevent any component failures that are likelier in cold weather. Scheduled maintenance is often required to keep your warranty active, too.
Wintertime is very hard on your vehicle and its engine. Any preventative maintenance and upkeep you perform in anticipation of the harsh weather ahead will generally result in smooth, worry free operation for the season.
Your cooling system is particularly important this time of year. In addition to keeping your engine running at it’s ideal operating temperature, it also transfers engine heat to the cabin when you turn on your climate control system. It’s all done via a specialized fluid that’s circulated throughout the engine to absorb, remove and re-use the heat generated when it’s running.
Over time, the effectiveness of this coolant fluid diminishes. When that happens, it’s time for a coolant change- which is done in varying intervals for different vehicles or on an ‘as-needed’ basis as recommended by your mechanic.
A radiator flush is also a good idea periodically. Over time, dirt and ‘sludge’ can accumulate within the system, reducing its effectiveness and leading to reduced life of your radiator, water pump, and the engine itself. A coolant flush rinses unwanted contaminants out of your cooling system to ensure it’s clean and functioning properly from the inside out.
Remember- vehicles have coolant that’s mixed in a specific ratio with regular water. This ratio can change over time- and a technician can check the effectiveness of your coolant to make sure it won’t freeze solid when the mercury drops. If this happens, it could cost you an engine- so the price of a cooling system check-up seems fairly reasonable in comparison.
Though newer vehicles have longer service intervals than ever, your older model may benefit from an occasional check-up to ensure everything’s working properly and that there are no leaks. If your car’s been dripping a bit of green fluid all summer and fall, you’ll definitely want to get it looked it ASAP.
A check-up should include a look at the coolant level, effectiveness, thermostat and water-pump belt as well. It may be a good idea to have your mechanic or dealership technician perform other cold-weather maintenance while they’re under your hood too- like a charging system check, for instance.
In all, your cooling system isn’t a terribly complicated thing- so reliable operation is generally just a matter of keeping on top of the relatively minor maintenance it requires occasionally.
With two thumbs up from your mechanic, a healthy cooling system will allow you to head confidently into the upcoming winter travel season.
A video review is in the works, but in the meantime, here’s a collection of photos of the 408-horsepower, 2011 Porsche 911 GTS around Northern Ontario. Enjoy!
Cameraman James is missing in action this week. Apparently he’d rather have some fancy-schmancy ‘vacation’ than make a sweet car review video with me. So– I can’t give you a sick video on the 2011 Infiniti G37 IPL Coupe, but, since it’s sexy as all heck, I thought I’d post some photos of the revvy little beast anyhow! For your viewing pleasure (and my practice with WordPress), here it is!
Tire maintenance is easy—and can improve mileage and safety
Hitting the road for a family trip this August? Be sure to check the condition of the tires on your family ride before heading off. Tires are the only part of your vehicle that actually touches the road– meaning that they’re vital to the proper operation of other systems like your brakes, stability control, traction assist and steering.
If your tires aren’t properly taken care of, you could be spending excessively on fuel, or even at risk of a dangerous accident. Thankfully, tire inspection and maintenance is easy, simple and quick. Most folks can do it right in their own driveway!
It’s vital to check your tire pressure about once a month– even if your vehicle has a built in Tire Pressure
Monitoring System. A check by hand will tell you if your tires are inflated to proper specifications, which you can find in your owner’s manual or on the tires themselves. If in doubt, call your dealership or favorite tire retailer for help.
Remember that under-inflated tires can wear out more quickly—wasting your hard earned money. Wear on an under-inflated tire is accelerated when a fully loaded vehicle is sitting on top of it, too. Translation? There are numerous good reasons to make sure your tires are in tip-top shape before that family trip.
Tires loose air naturally over time, so if you don’t remember your last pressure check, it’s probably overdue. Note that unless it’s virtually flat, it’s not possible to tell if a tire is under-inflated simply by looking at it. So—grab a tire pressure gauge and check for proper pressure when the tires are cold, inflating each one accordingly. Note that measuring pressure shortly after a drive will give an inaccurate result.
While you’re crouching to check tire pressure, check tread wear, too. Any signs of excessive wear on the inside or outside of the tire could indicate an alignment problem. If you’ve got wear indicators showing through the rubber, it’s time to get a new set of tires before your trip. Remember that worn and under-inflated tires are a safety hazard to you, your passengers and motorists nearby. They can also cause your vehicle to burn excessive fuel.
Bob Miron is the Director of Technical Marketing at Michelin. He comments “tires contribute significantly to a vehicle’s fuel consumption through their rolling resistance. The construction and materials used in the design of a tire greatly influence its rolling resistance. But maintaining the recommended inflation pressure is critical to obtain the best possible fuel economy from your vehicle as well”.
Where tires are concerned, remember that a little maintenance now could save money and headaches down the line. Stop by your dealership and ask for a quick check of your tires for proper pressure, rotation and wear ahead of a road-trip for extra peace of mind.
Canadian shoppers are demanding more from their vehicles than ever, and carmakers are working overtime to deliver.
In addition to increased fuel efficiency, dependability and feature content, today’s driver wants a vehicle that offers exceptional safety, too. Here’s a look at some of the most common and important safety features you’ll likely find standard or available on your next new ride.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC): Marketed under various trade names like ‘VSC’ or ‘StabiliTrak’, Electronic Stability Control helps keep drivers out of dangerous skids by monitoring vehicle behavior, cutting engine power and even self-applying individual brakes as needed to compensate for a loss of traction. Since the computer-controlled system reacts more quickly, consistently and precisely than a human driver, it can often neutralize a potential skid condition before the driver has time to react to it.
Many ESC systems in larger crossover and SUV models even feature pre-emptive rollover mitigation programming for additional security against rollover accidents.
Advanced Antilock Braking (ABS) Technologies: Braking technology has been evolving steadily, and today’s braking systems now offer more functionality and safety than ever before. In addition to standard antilock, many carmakers also offer both Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA).
Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) works to meter out stopping power on a wheel-by-wheel basis based on the available traction at each corner of the vehicle. By applying a ‘just-right’ amount of stopping power to each wheel, EBD can compensate for varying surface traction or an unevenly-loaded vehicle– ensuring all stops occur with stability and predictability.
Brake Assist (BA) automatically boosts stopping power if a ‘panic’ stop situation is detected, compensating for a natural tendency of drivers not to apply enough stopping power in an emergency situation. When the brakes are applied suddenly, BA kicks in to help get the vehicle to a standstill faster.
Bluetooth: Talking on the phone while driving is a good way to get into an accident– but Bluetooth makes it safe and easy. By connecting wirelessly to your cellular handset, a Bluetooth phone system allows calls to be handled by steering-wheel mounted buttons, with audio played through the vehicle’s stereo system and picked up by a built-in microphone. With Bluetooth, drivers can benefit from full voice functionality from their phone without actually handling it.
Active Head Restraints: Whiplash can be a serious and debilitating injury– so many carmakers are offering Active Head Restraints to combat it. In the event your vehicle is rear-ended, specially-designed headrests offer additional support when and where it’s needed to prevent heads from ‘snapping’ back, helping to reduce potential injuries.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS): Proper tire inflation is vital to the functionality of many other vehicle safety systems. In real time, TPMS monitors inflation pressure and can alert drivers instantly if attention is needed.
Blind-Spot Monitoring: Using radar integrated within the vehicle’s body, BSM can warn the driver of unseen vehicles in their blind spot during lane changes. If a vehicle is detected, an audible chime or visual warning on the rearview mirrors can be activated as a warning to double check before changing lanes. In the right hands, this system could prevent a serious accident.
Ignition and fuel system health can benefit mileage and power
An engine is a complicated thing that works on a simple principle: the explosion of a flammable substance. In a nutshell, fuel is sprayed into the engine’s cylinders, and then ignited by a tiny spark. It’s a highly regulated process which takes place many times per second whenever your engine is running.
It’s the job of the spark-plug to set the fuel up into flames at a very precise moment. This happens when an electrical current is sent between the electrode and ground of the plug, causing a spark. Said spark only exists for a fraction of a second– but it’s all that’s needed to get the job done.
Precision is the name of the game when it comes to efficient internal combustion. If your ignition system is worn out or working poorly, its precision becomes compromised– and so does your engine’s power, fuel mileage and smoothness. A problem with the ignition system can lead to a simple reduction in performance, to a nasty stumble, or even a no-start situation.
Your owner’s manual or dealership has information on the recommended service intervals for your particular vehicle’s system. Roger Lariault, a Hyundai service centre foreman, explains “when spark plugs are replaced, the technician should check the ignition wires and ignition coils or cap and rotor- depending which your vehicle is equipped with’.
Having a spark-plug change and ignition system inspection on your average four-cylinder car won’t take long- though prices and labor increase for larger 6 or 8 cylinder engines. Lariault mentions that pricing ranges from about $60 to over $100, depending on the model in question.
Where a full tune up is concerned, the ignition system is only half of the story—as the fuel injection system is an equally important part of the equation.
Modern engines employ very precise nozzles that ‘squirt’ a specific amount of gasoline into each cylinder at a precise time. These are called fuel injectors, and they work in sync with the spark plugs to enable combustion.
Injectors are generally mounted in the intake manifold, just above the intake valves and in very close proximity to the combustion chamber.
Shut your engine off, and leftover fuel may remain on the tips of the injectors where it’s exposed to immense heat which ‘burns’ it into a tacky residue. This residue, as well as other contaminants, can eventually clog an injector up. Being a highly precise part, it doesn’t take much to hinder a fuel injector’s performance.
As blockages accumulate, they affect the factory’s desired ‘spray pattern’ for the injector. Rather than atomizing fuel, a dirty or clogged injector may spray in an undesirable pattern or simply dribble fuel from its tip. If that’s the case, there will be poor distribution of fuel throughout the cylinder, which results in poor ignition.
Just like an out-of-tune ignition system, a poorly maintained fuel injection system can reduce performance, mileage and smoothness from your vehicle’s mechanical heart.
So, if your engine doesn’t feel itself lately, it may be advisable to have your fuel injectors cleaned.
“A fuel injection service attacks performance-inhibiting deposits, gums and varnishes that can foul critical engine components. We recommend a cleaning service once a year, or about every 20,000 kilometres” Lariault comments. “The service can restore compression, power and fuel mileage, and reduce harmful exhaust emissions such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide”.
Your dealership can hook up a concentrated cleaning agent directly to the injectors themselves. This cleans and flushes deposits into the combustion chamber where they’re burned away, leaving behind a cleaner engine in the process. A fuel injector servicing like this one also has the benefit of cleaning deposits from the tops of the valves, which sit just beneath the injectors. Dirty valves may not seal properly, which would negatively affect compression and performance.
A professional fuel injector cleaning at your vehicle’s dealership will cost $40 to $150, depending on the model in question. For between $4 and $10 per treatment, a pour-in cleaner occasionally added to the fuel tank may have benefits as well.
Check with your dealer’s service manager or your owner’s manual for more information on ignition and fuel injection maintenance. Remember– a full tune-up can cut your fuel bill and add years to the life of your vehicle. That’s well worth the price in most circles.
Advancements in technology are making today’s gasoline engines more efficient than ever. Want more performance, better mileage and reduced emissions from your next ride? Any one or more of the following features will help.
Feature: Variable Valve Timing (VVT)
Available brands: Toyota, Mazda, Chevrolet, Honda, others
The Nuts and Bolts: An engine’s valve timing controls how it breathes. Think of a cyclist pedaling up a steep hill. Breathing increases with his workload, helping his body burn more fuel to make more power. Later on, when he’s at home watching television, breathing slows as less fuel is required.
Similarly, a performance car’s valve timing is designed to maximize breathing and power, while economy cars focus on reduced performance and increased mileage. For many years, having both characteristics in the same engine was impossible, but many new models employ VVT to offer the best of both worlds.
By monitoring driver intentions and engine operation, a variable timing system can instantly adjust engine breathing to match current conditions and demands. With VVT, engine operation is automatically altered to deliver power on an ‘as needed’ basis. Performance is enhanced when it’s required, and fuel mileage is maximized when it’s not.
The Gist: Drivers get improved mileage and performance with no compromise between the two. Fuel savings depends on the driver’s right foot.
Feature: Direct Injection (DI)
Available brands: Mazda, Chrysler, Volkswagen, Cadillac, others
The Nuts and Bolts: Direct injection sprays fuel straight into the combustion chamber under very high pressure. This enables precise control over fuel measurement and delivery, and results in a more complete combustion process.
The high pressure fuel also generates a cooling effect as it expands within the cylinder. This lowers combustion chamber temperatures and enables the engine to safely run ‘leaner’. Direct injection is very effective, and it’s quickly being adopted by numerous automakers.
The Gist: Originally from the world of diesel engines, direct Injection is noted worldwide for its ability to reduce fuel consumption and kick up performance.
Feature: Six-speed automatic transmission
Available brands: Toyota, Ford, Mazda, Chevrolet, Volvo, others
The Nuts and Bolts: The more gears the merrier! Six-speed automatics are the new standard in transmissions when it comes to optimized fuel efficiency and performance. Compared to a conventional four-speed unit, this type of gearbox offers smoother shifting, better passing power and lower cruising revs.
More gears means more options when its’ time to downshift for a hill or to merge. As a result, the engine can spend less time at higher revs– reducing fuel consumption.
Additional gears also mean there’s less of a ‘step’ between each one. In certain situations, this allows the engine to spend more time in its ‘power band’ when quick acceleration is requested.For maximum mileage in your next ride, be sure to check its availability with a six-speed transmission.
The Gist: Increased smoothness, refinement, mileage and performance. A win-win situation!
Feature: Turbocharging
Available brands: Ford, Acura, Volkswagen, Saab, Subaru, others
The Nuts and Bolts: A turbocharger is an exhaust driven air compressor that effectively transforms a smaller engine into a much bigger one by feeding it compressed air and extra fuel. Unlike a larger powerplant, a smaller turbocharged engine only delivers extra power by burning extra fuel when it’s required. Put another way, drivers only pay the fuel penalty on the power they use– rather than feeding a bigger engine all the time.
Driven hard, a turbocharged engine performs at a level above and beyond
what its displacement suggests. Driven gently, it gets better mileage than a comparably-powerful larger-displacement engine, as the turbocharger remains idle.
The Gist: Keep your right foot in check, and you’ll get small-engine fuel bills with big-engine power at the ready.
Feature: Dual-clutch Transmission
Available brands: Audi, Porsche, Mitsubishi, Ford, others
The Nuts and Bolts: This special type of transmission acts as two manual gearboxes operating in parallel—with a separate clutch for each one. Gears shift smoothly and instantly, with no interruption or pause in power delivery.
Many dual-clutch gearboxes also include paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel. This takes advantage of their sporty operation and lightning-fast gear changes.
In addition to fully automatic operation, the dual-clutch transmission offers the same performance and fuel mileage benefits as a regular manual. Typically, they’re more efficient than an automatic too—meaning more engine power makes its way to the road.
Since many ‘dual-clutch’ or ‘direct shift’ transmissions have no fluid, pump, cooling requirements or torque converter, they’re lighter than an automatic, too.
The Gist: More fun, better mileage, no compromise.
Like paying out the wazoo for fuel? Me neither. Here are some easy-to-follow tips to keep your gas bills reasonable this warm-weather travel season.
1) Car tires loose about a pound of air per month. A car with under-inflated tires can use up to 15% more fuel. Do the math. Thankfully, checking and adjusting air pressure in your tires is easy and fun. Remember– that Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is no substitute for manual pressure checks with a tire gauge. Go outside and check your tire pressure right now. It only takes a moment.
2) Not to blow anyone’s mind with a surprise concept, but idling your engine excessively gets you no miles per gallon and puts hard-earned dineros up into the atmosphere wastefully. If you’re stopped any longer than a traffic light, shut the engine off, already.
3) Take your time, and leave for a long trip half an hour early, as opposed to speeding on your way. After about 100 km/h, fuel mileage suffers drastically for even a small increase in vehicle speed. Slow down and save fuel. Best of all, it could save you ticket, too. Thank me later.
4) Your engine gets its best mileage when its warmed up. That’s a great reason to do several errands in one trip where possible– rather than allowing your engine to heat up and cool down several times throughout the day.
5) Your family sedan or SUV may not be the most aerodynamic machine on the road- but having a roof-mounted ski or bike holder makes it even worse. When possible, leave roof-mounted cargo carriers at home. Most can be removed in a minute or two.
6) Don’t waste your money on high grade gasoline if your vehicle doesn’t need it. There is no horsepower or mileage gain to be had, and petroleum companies don’t care if you spend the extra few cents a litre needlessly. If your vehicle only requires 87 octane and you feed it 91,you’re wasting cash. Your owner’s manual has the scoop.
7) No matter how new and advanced your car might be, it still needs to be maintained. Neglect maintenance, and you’ll use up to 50 percent more fuel and emit up to 50 percent more pollution needlessly.
–Justin Pritchard
