- New Lamborghini featured at swanky Beverly Hills gala
http://t.co/DMOjzVZ92011/12/01 13:52 by HootSuite - Honda's natural gas Civic named Green Car of the Year
http://t.co/NNCNiTsf2011/11/30 13:55 by HootSuite - Amazing ICON redesign of the classic Ford Bronco.
http://t.co/kkvQcwpW2011/11/30 08:10 by HootSuite
via Car and Driver.com
Not to get too political. But I’m often convinced that Sarah Palin was chosen as a VP candidate because she was pretty. It might be the skepticism generated by my backgrounds in political science and small business marketing, but companies (and candidates) are notorious for choosing style and forgetting substance.
By all accounts, Swizz Beatz is a remarkable artist and producer. So I wasn’t sure what to think when Lotus announced Swizz Beatz as the new Vice President of Global Design and Creative Marketing.
So what do you think? Is Swizz Beatz just another pretty face? Is there substance behind the style or is this another “creative marketing” ploy to attach a well known hip hop figure to a luxury car maker (a la Jay-Z and his well known love for Maybachs)?
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Photo via Car and Driver
Into road trips and vintage cars? Up for the excitement and fear of not knowing when a hose will blow or air will give out? Crave the risk of a cross-country road trip in a sketchily repaired car? If so, this article written by Davey Johnson is for you.
“So, it looks like the Lagonda isn’t the newest four-door in my collection anymore.” The message came from Houston oncologist Dr. Sanjay Mehta, a man who owns a McManse almost wholly devoid of furniture. His six-car garage, however, is packed to the rafters with what has to be a million bucks’ worth of high-performance machinery, including a turbocharged Lamborghini Gallardo. He has at least a dozen other cars stashed elsewhere. Three weeks prior, he’d purchased one of the William Towns–designed Aston Martin Lagondas, a car most notable for its extreme folded-paper design language and an ahead-of-its-time digital dash that proved to be as fragile as it was futuristic. I clicked the link Mehta included in his message. A 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 popped up. A brown 450SEL 6.9. It was so physically and metaphorically brown that there is a strong argument to be made for its being the brownest car in history. Mehta had purchased this W116 on eBay for the meager sum of $6006. On a whim. In case there were any doubt, Mehta is single.
The car was in Los Angeles. I was asked to deliver it to Houston. But nobody knew if the car would survive the trip. We had it sent over to the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine, where factory-trained technicians presented Mehta with a $17,000 quote to bring the Benz up to snuff. He politely declined the offer, seeing as how decent 6.9-liter 450SELs usually sell for about $15,000. Instead, the car went to Westwood Mercedes, an independent shop in West L.A. Technicians there got the turn signals working, replaced a gear-stripped flywheel, and generally made sure the car was mechanically sound. A day before I was scheduled to depart, they informed us that they hadn’t really test-driven the car, as it had arrived sans plates. A mad shuffle ensued, and Mehta was able to procure temporary Texas proof of registration and have it overnighted to L.A. Despite six grand in repairs, I was headed off on a 2000-mile journey in a car whose roadworthiness was still in question.
And so begins a four day trip from Los Angeles to Houston. Enjoy reading the saga of four days in a golden brown Mercendes 450.
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For those of you questioning the staying power and effectiveness of car sharing programs in North America, I have two numbers for you: 10,252 and 513,698. The first is the number of vehicles added to car sharing programs in the last ten years. The second is the number of members who have opened a membership in a car sharing program in the same time period.
The information comes from the Collaborative Fund, and makes a fantastically designed and compelling argument for car sharing programs worldwide. Including data on how car sharing programs reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Go visit their website and spend a few minutes learning about car sharing programs worldwide.
Bob S., a customer of JM Mechanical Inc. in Canby, Oregon is our September iPad 2 Winner!
Here’s Bob’s winning review:
JM Mechanical works as best they can to accommodate your schedule. They are thorough in their assessment of the repair needed and will always contact you before doing any non-previously agreed to work. Their knowledge is extensive, service reliable, and prices fair.
Become a fan of JM Mechanical, Inc. on Facebook for monthly coupon offers. JM Mechanical offers complete servicing.
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Don’t forget to submit a review of your favorite Carhelp Service Provider for a chance to win a free iPad 2 in November.
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A few months ago, we realized that our night vision was greatly reduced because of headlight clouding. So of we went to a local shop to pick up a Mothers Power Plastic 4 Lights Kit to see if a simple $20 would work instead of a $100 or higher professional job. The kit includes:
Plastic Polish
Power Ball (polishing attachment for a power drill)
Microfiber Towel
Severe Damage Restoration Pads (for severe cases of pits, scratches, and stains).
Instructions: After attaching the power ball to your speed drill, apply a small bit of the polish to the attachment. Place on headlight and start at slow speeds. Polish until entire lens is clean. Buff with the microfiber cloth.
Results: As you can see below, the results are nearly as advanced as the packaging promises, but there is an improvement in headlight clarity. Especially on the left turn signal cover, the only light that required the severe restoration part of the kit.
Bottom Line: Worth the cost if you need light repairs. If you need advanced cleaning, have a professional buff out the plastic for you.
Left Headlight
Left Turn Signal and Brights
Right Headlight
Right Turn Signal and Brights (used Severe Damage Restoration Pads)
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Good news for Carhelp readers that live in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Knoxville, and Tampa Bay. AAA now offers emergency roadside assistance for electric vehicle drivers. The trucks will be available only in those metro areas starting next summer.
From the press release:
There are three charging levels for electric vehicles:
o Level 1 is a standard 120-volt household outlet, which would take roughly 20 hours to fully charge a Nissan Leaf.
o Level 2 is 240 volts AC (alternating current). This is commonly found in household electric clothes dryers and can charge a Nissan Leaf in approximately six hours.
o Level 3 is DC (direct current) charging at high voltage—up to 500 volts DC. This allows a large amount of energy to be delivered to an electric vehicle in a very short period of time. A “depleted” Nissan Leaf could go to 80 percent state-of-charge in roughly 30 minutes with Level 3 charging.
All AAA mobile EV charging roadside assistance vehicles can provide Level 3 (DC Fast Charging) and Level 2 (AC Quick Charging) to electric vehicles.
You can read the full press release on the AAA website.
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via eBay classifieds
A faulty ABS module is one of those repairs that a lot of older cars will need, but not one that we expect to take a large chunk of our car repair budget.
Not long after we purchased our 1999 Volvo V70, the check engine light came on which is pretty typical on a used car. We ignored until the ABS light started occasionally lighting up, which made cruise control stop working. The light would stay on until we turned the car off, and then it would turn off about 50% of the time. After a few more months, other lights would show up on the dashboard. Even though we couldn’t find anything in the engine that indicated a reason. When the speedometer and odometer started dropping out while on the interstate, we decided to finally fix the faulty ABS module.
The good news? The symptoms slowly increased over a period of ten months. Our local repair shop checked the car early on in the process and gave the go ahead to keep driving, telling us that the symptoms would slowly increase over time. We had a price estimate and were able to mentally and financially prepare for a major repair without it hurting as much as an emergency repair would.
Symptoms:
Initial: Check Engine Light, ABS Light,
After 10 months: Speedometer and Odometer would drop out while driving. Car switched into what felt like third gear while accelerating. Loss of power when accelerating up hills and from stops.
Repair: ABS Module Replacement at Franklin Automotive in Birmingham, Alabama.
Cost: $564 ($250 for parts, $264 for labor)
If you’re the type to DIY advanced car repairs, there are a few websites that give instructions on how to replace or repair the module yourself. My husband and I like to leave it to the experts who provide warranties for repairs.
If you’re in the California, Oregon, and Washington states, you can find certified service providers on Carhelp.com.
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Looking for savings on oil changes, car service and repair, and maintenance service? Our friends over at Precision Tune Auto Care have you covered. They regularly offer savings through their email newsletter and website. Just go to the website, sign up for the newsletter or search for a shop in your area for deals. They vary by shop, so make sure to check all shops located near your home or work for available coupons. Over 30 Precision Tune Auto Care shops in California, Oregon, and Washington are loyal Carhelp service providers. Which means all work is guaranteed for 12 months or 12,000 miles.
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via LA Times
Several of the largest automakers have pledged to work towards a universal charging station for electric cars. It would also be fast charging, drastically cutting the time needed to charge a car.
The system will use a common vehicle inlet/charging connector and will have a standard electronic method for the vehicle to communicate with the charging station. This will allow electric vehicles from Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche and Volkswagen to share the same fast charging stations.
The seven auto manufacturers said “the development of a common charging approach is good for customers, the industry and charging infrastructure providers. Standardization will reduce build complexity for manufacturers, accelerate the installation of common systems internationally and most importantly, improve the ownership experience for EV drivers.” LA Times, 12 Oct 2011.
According to the article, Nissan has also announced price cuts for home charging stations.
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