The Detroit Auto Show is in Full Swing

On Monday one of the most important auto shows in the US gotunderway. This is not just a time to show off in-dash navigation screen systems andcar radio units that are smarter than the average college grad. No these showsare about all things new and automotive. Each year the Detroit Auto Show is thespot where the car industry strut’s their stuff for the US audience. Not onlydo they show what they can do but they also show what “you” as a consumer canbuy.

Honda came in with new models under the Honda name as wellas some updated Acura models.  Over thelast few years the Honda models have become kind of stagnant, boring style andout dated looks. The reveals of two of their major designs may have changedthat, the Accord Coupe and TL Sedan both got a major 2012 update, which looksgreat. Chrysler showed off a number of new updates for current models, the 200got the super S pack which seems to be the closest thing to a tuner package Chryslerhas ever offered.

Chevy stepped into the arena with a few concept cars thatare supposed to be aimed at the younger crowd. While they are unique, I thinkmany car companies forget that a car has to look good before it can be “cool”.The example of this sis the 130R and the 140S which both are supposed to be hip…butare not good looking. This is an issue that many car companies run into, in conceptvehicles or production.  Toyota and Subaruare a great example together they created the FT-86 concept. A great looking 2door coupe but once it hit production it had been so toned down and softened itjust blend into the car world like a failed Taurus model.  Mini stopped by to show off the Mini coupeconvertible which looks great while Cadillac showed off their new 3 series competitor.

The show continues till the end of the say today and givesthe people of Detroit the chance to get an up close and personal look at theideas coming up for grabs. Not only could people see the concepts but they alsoget to give input and change how the future of the automobile will change.

How to Communicate With Other Drivers on the Road

Many times there are situations on the road where we mayfeel that we need to tell another driver something. No I am not talking aboutwhen someone cuts you off making you test your brake disc and brake calipers. What this is about is good communication that will help or just showcommon courtesy when on the road.

Over the road communication is something truckers have usedfor years, not just with CB radios but with lots of other techniques as well.There are ways to say thank you, your welcome, go ahead and much more butknowing them is the best way to make driving a nicer experience.

Anyone who has let a Semi truck merge onto the highway hasseen the flashing lights. Not the turn signal but what look like the hazardsfor 3 distinct flashes. This 3 flash process is actually them saying thank younot trying to warn other drivers, truckers have been using this for years butmost “4 wheelers” don’t know the signs. The name “4 wheeler” is also truck slangfor small civilian vehicles such as cars and small trucks.

There are many messages that the average driver should knowthat can help make driving smoother. The double flash of the high beams can leta driver know they are safe to come into our lane. The triple flash is more to alertoncoming drivers of a hazard…or a hiding cop. Three flashes of your hazardlights tell the driver behind “thank you”, While 3 flashes of your headlightssays “hey you just cut me off”.  Evencabbies have signals that they use, the slight honk while driving is to letpeople know they are available. Knowing these few signals can make driving mucheasier and also save a lot of stress as well. True there will always be people whospeed up to block other drivers from merging and others that cut in line at atraffic jam. These signals can’t help with them but maybe they can make thedaily commute a little less  stressful.

The Hennessey Venom GT is Finally Street Legal

Every once and a while in the automotive world, somethinghappens that takes our breath away. No I am not talking about making leapsforward in in-dash navigation or your car stereo, no we are talkin about speed.Not just speed but more speed than anyone else on the plant…even Bugatti!Hennessey a company known mainly for supercharging cars and trucks for extremeperformance has now made their own car. When they announced their own car mostof us assumed that they would be basing it off some American car of some type.The company surprised us all when the released pics of their 1000 HP beast butnone of us expected it to be street legal.

Recently Hennessey showed off the GT at Jay Leno’s garage,this is their 6^th car that they brought and amazingly it is streetlegal. Street legal means that the car meets safety standards and has all theequipment required by the US government. This is an amazing feat because acompany like Bugatti is backed by VW and they are the largest automotive entityon the planet. Hennessey is a small company that does not have the resources…guessthey did some serious begging with investors. 

Now on to the speed and power that the Venom GT creates…0-60 yup that is 2.5 seconds, for example a Corvette ZR1 takes 3.4 seconds tomake the same trip. Now that is fast but where this car really makes itselfstand out is the 0 – 200. That time would be 15.3 seconds and that is 9 secondsfaster than the Veyron which is the fastest car in the world. The goal if the venomis to outrun the Veyron bringing the title of the world’s fastest productioncar to the US.  Now I don’t know aboutyou but I really want to see these 2 monsters go head to head in an all-outdrag race to 280 MPH. Oh and I also want to own one for myself hey it might notbe good parking it on the street but sometimes you just gotta live your dreams…right?

Is Your Muffler Bearing Still in Good Shape?

Has the performance of your car seemed reduced as of late? Does the exhaust sound rough or just too loud? Is the idle too low and you are thinking the fuel pump has failed? Well good news everyone! It may just be your muffle bearing not the fuel pump assembly. The muffler bearing is essential for high performance cars to avoid that annoying swarm of angry bees sound. Ever heard a Honda with a fart can on it? Well the muffler bearing will keep you from looking like a fool. But the muffler bearing is not the only part that is over looked on a regular basis…there are tons of parts that just don’t get enough attention.

Most of the time blinkers stop working and it is assumed it’s time to replace the bulb but really your car is just out of blinker fluid. It is a common mistake to waste your money replacing bulb after bulb without fixing the issue. The blinker is a sensitive component and needs to be properly lubricated, if not the bulb can dry out. Lots of issues can be cause by a dry bulb, the least of which is fire. Before ordering blinker fluid, be sure to check the manual for the correct viscosity fluid for your vehicle. Don’t forget that Synthetic fluid is only intended for newer model vehicles.

This brings up on to performance gains that can be made with very little time or effort. These upgrades can give performance increases almost instantly but are seldom known in the automotive community. Parts like the radiator insulator, which keep the much needed heat closer to the engine. The engine works to create heat and there is no reason to give it away through the cooling system. The cooling system is intended to keep the transmission and axles cool not the engine. Protect the most valuable commodity or your car by insulating the radiator from cold air. Lastly are brake line upgrades. A cheap and helpful upgrade is a cross drilled brake line kit. These lines expose the brake fluid directly to the outside air and thus cool the fluid. Cooler fluid increases braking and reduced brake fade during times of heavy use. 

Automotive performance has been argued about since the dawn of the car but following the correct steps will get you ahead of the game. When working on your vehicle it is important to never listen to this guide. All of these parts are a joke and not to be taken seriously. If any of this guide made sense to you leave the automotive work to the professionals. Stay safe and always trust a licensed mechanic to do all maintenance and repairs to your vehicle.

TVR a legacy of Beauty in Motion

For those of us here in the states it is a shame that we miss out on a lot of the most amazing vehicles in the world due to US regulations. A car may be perfectly safe using the newest electric rack of the powersteering system and the most up to date safety equipment but if it doesn’t meet Cali emissions it ain’t getting in. This is a shame because cars like TVR fall into that category and they are some of the most stunning cars crated by man …or woman.

A few years ago TRV lost its backing and went the way to the dinosaur, so even for those of us lucky enough to have one there would be no more.  This week though, there is a flicker of life from the old girl yet. A brand new website that seems to be legit is offering TVR models as bespoke cars. This means that even though they will not be in full swing production there will be availability for those who want one. Well in Europe that is. TVR may be beautiful but to be honest they are never the most practical or even the safest.

TVR’s just slightly have a tendency to break down or bust into flames but for a car guy it is worth it. It is a true car guy who is willing to drive a car that basically could fall apart at any moment and would not stop a speeding geo headed your way. The Sagaris and the Tuscan have to be some of the most visually stunning cars not to mention TRV uses paint that changes color depending on the angle from which the car is seen. Combine this with stunning body lines, a V8 bellow that can shake the foundation the tallest buildings and intense acceleration to create what has to be the ultimate driver’s car. It is nice to see that in at least one way TVR will live on because even if they were gone for good they will always live on I the heart of the car crazy world or the petrol head. 

The Integration of the Video Game industry and the Auto Industry

A few years ago people who played video games and enjoyed computers were considered to be “nerdy” as the rest of the world stayed analog but nowadays it is very different. In the last few years the car CD changer units and center console screen have become so advanced that they designs are being created by the video game companies that make racing games.

The idea of a video game company programming for a car may seem a bit strange to some but there are not many people more qualified to do it. Most racing game programmers have done more research into the way a car handles than a race team and they are used to using that raw data in a understandable way. Games like Gran Turismo have been programmed for years to display every bit of into that the car would give top the gamer. Polyphony Digital who created Gran Turismo was hired by Nissan to create the interface on their GTR.

This may be a strange marriage but it seems to have worked because the GTR is one of the most track capable cars that has ever been created. Now other companies are getting on this with the interfaces for the Navigation and social media platforms in new models being created.  Mercedes, BMW and Ford have all wrangled themselves a video game company or two to create the new designs for in car entertainment set ups.

This new integration of electronics into cars will surely mean a shift in the dynamics of the industry that used to be mainly reserved for car companies alone. This also means that the gaming industry will have the backing of the auto industry which can prove to be great for the future of gaming.

In House Tuning Companies, are They Worth It?

Everyone knows the major players in the automotive world but what about their tuning houses? They make parts as small as a mass air flow sensor to a complete turbocharger or supercharger set up. A tuning house is a company that modifies vehicles for a specific purpose. An in-house tuning is a company that works with a specific brand exclusively such as AMG for Mercedes Benz.

Most of the time a few small upgrades are not a huge investment with a car but is it worth it to buy the completely reworked car or do the upgraded that are desired individually. There are many factors to consider when it comes to purchasing these kind of upgrades not the smallest of which is the money. A great example of this is the mighty Honda Civic which comes in lots of configurations the top of which is called the Mugen edition. Now Mugen is a company that specifically makes performance parts for Honda's and they make some great ones at that. On the other hand a fully loaded Civic SI would set a person back about 23 grand...pricey for a civic. It is not that bad for the performance that one can get compared to that of the base model Civic. The Mugen Civic though would set someone back close to 33 thousand dollars which is 10 grand for a body kit, special wheels, a paint job and not much else.

So where should the line be drawn, the fact of the matter is that for all the gear heads out there modifying their cars is a way of life, a costly one. Any serious modification will almost instantly void the warranty on a vehicle and there for lower the resale significantly. So for this we have in-house tuners, they are able to give the performance that we all want while still keeping things under warranty. Not to mention in California it will keep the emissions man off your back. So in the end the Mugen is a good deal but sometimes the ends don't seem to justify the means. There is a company called Brabus and they specialize in Mercedes benz, they are the ultimate expression of automotive crazy. For example  they will take a 2005 Mercedes SL600 and add $45K worth of modifications to it and consider it a lightly modified car. A few times a year they will sell a Merc that has close to a half a million dollars worth of modifications without even breaking a sweat. The amount of money that is spent to create a custom high end ride is truly insane but still it has to be said that their cars are some of the more stunning on the road today.

So is tuning worth it? in short...YES! ever penny is worth it if you are a motor head.

What Makes a Car Cool

Cool is a word that can be used to describe many a thing...it can be a mass air flow sensor or alternator that is new and works in a  unique way. It can also be a car that may look ugly as hell but for some reason we all want one....WRX STI anyone. The fact that a car is bad wont even make it loose its cool factor...in fact it may even help.

The cool factor is something that auto makers have struggled with for year and even tried to force on people. The truth is if a car is cool it will be made that way by the general public, it cannot be told to you by the "car hipsters". People tend to fall into crowds of what everyone else likes but many of us like what we like because it is   "cool". This to me means that a car has the "it" factor, there is something about it that i like but i cannot tell you why. This is something that cannot be forced if it is not there. One of the best examples of a missing cool factor was the Pontiac Aztec which was billed as the car of the future and marketed to be the coolest new car. It failed....epically, not only was it one of the single ugliest cars ever made it was also trash in every way that can be compared to a car. On the other hand there are cars that are worthless that are cool like the Nissan 240SX. Not to say that it is not awesome but as a stock car it was a dud.  A small under powered truck motor sat under the hood and while the car looked sporty the suspension was set up for comfort not sport.

The 240 personifies this "cool factor" like the old school civic because they became something very different then they were intended. The cool factor developed from the cars being modified and after a while no one saw the car as just a car. They saw what it could be...and this is the essence of cool. It is the factor where a person sees a car and thinks what if can become which make it just ...plain cool. Of course there is always Aston Martin which is just the epitome and has been since its start.

What Does a Knock Sensor Do?

Knock sensors are the units in vehicles that monitor the pinging in the motor and help control the timing of the engine. The computer uses the input from the knock sensor along with the O2 sensors and air fuel ratio sensor to adjust the timing and fuel mixture in the pistons.

The engine in a modern vehicle has to be kept in perfect timing to ensure the top of efficiency and performance. This is done by toeing the line between running perfect and detonation. The perfect ignition of the air / fuel mixture happens at the exact moment that the piston is about to reach the top of its stroke. The timing is set this way to ensure the pressure has time to begin pushing the piston back down. When the spark plug is fired with the incorrect ignition timing or fuel mixture the pressure waves move out from the flame wall faster than the explosion itself. When this happens they impact the side wall at the incorrect time and a sound wave is created and detected. The element in the knock sensor is designed to detect this sound and alert the computer to adjust the timing.

All sensors in a vehicle are extremely important and are generally overlooked on basic maintenance. During automotive check ups it is important to remember to check the smaller parts such as sensors and filters to ensure protection from future issues.

My Car is Having Tracking Problems

Driving a vehicle in traffic can be a stressful time, not only are there distractions and other drivers but if your vehicle is not driving straight it can be down right scary. Many people and mechanics will instantly blame the steering gearbox or steering rack but this may not always be the case.

If a vehicle is not driving straight when the steering wheel is at center there can be a huge number of reasons. Not only can the steering be out of alignment but the whole vehicle may be as well. This can be caused by an impact on the road with debris or maybe  pot hole. Sometimes even after a repair or a modification the alignment may be off from where it should be.

The reason that a vehicle will track incorrectly is because all 4 tires are no longer facing the same direction as they did originally. This can cause the vehicle to pull when driving or it can even cause a condition known as "catapillaring" which is when the direction of travel is not quite the same as the angel of the vehicle. There are some simple fixes for this condition but sometimes it is not so easy. If the issue was caused by a simple alignment issue it will take a mechanic about an hour to fix it. If there is something more than car may need some serious work to get back to proper operation.

Automotive Styling Do’s and Don’ts

Automotive styling is a tricky beast to tame, the fact of the matter is cars have to be designed to lure the masses and not the specific style of its builder. While parts like the tail light or headlight assembly dictate the “face” of the vehicle there are many other aspects to consider that make a car attractive.

There are some great examples of how headlights can look great but still the car design is a failure. The Pontiac Aztec is a great example of this, the headlamps look like they would be right at home on a sports car but they have been placed on what would turn out to be probably the ugliest car that has ever been released to the public. On the other hand there are cars that have terrible headlamps but for some reason they look great anyway. A great example of this is the new SLS by Mercedes if you look at the parts they don’t look good but once they are all put together it just works and you cant really explain why.

Car design is a major factor in what car people will buy, a few years ago Honda released the civic hatchback SI. It was met with weak sales and Honda took that as the public did not want a sporty version of the Civic. They missed the major factor ….it was really ugly and it doesn’t matter how good a car is if it’s not nice to look at. The fact of the matter a car must look the way people want it to. If you are building a mid-size sedan the car can look kinda bland cause to most “it’s just a car” but if you are building a sports car it must have curves and angles that give the car an aggressive look. They say cars represent their owners and their owners don’t want to drive a car that makes them feel ugly or boring.  

The Amazing Auto Auction that is Barrett-Jackson

Every few months the automotive sales goliath that is Barrett-Jackson rears its head. This even is not like a mechanics special auction where all the cars need a new diesel injector or diesel fuel pumps, no these are classics. Well not all of them are classics, some are future classics.

Barrett-Jackson is a traveling auction that specializes in high end cars that private collectors and dealerships are looking to sell but would never reach their full potential if sold on a lot. Over the years this auction has seen cars from complete concepts to extreme race cars to the complete body off numbers matching restorations that fetch millions. Barrett-Jackson is basically every little boys dream car buffet we all had a car poster on the wall, for me it was the Countach.

The money that people are willing to throw down to get some of these rides is almost as impressive as the cars themselves. Some cars have cleared the 3 million mark and others don’t even hit the reserve, it all comes down to the buzz around a specific car. Unlike police auctions or estate sales this auction widely advertises the cars that are for sale and lets potential buys get all the info about the cars as well as documentation that proves numbers matching. Some cars sold have unique background such as movie cars or even classic James Dean driven cars. People will pay good money for cars that have a history and Barrett-Jackson is where these cars are sold. In other words if you have a classic car with a good history and you are looking to sell then this auction is the place for you to sell that car. 

What Can Debris Do to Your Car

Each one of use knows that when it comes to cars we all know that debris on the road can be dangerous to our ride.  A shredded semi tire can hurt the body of a car as much as a collision with a pole and sometimes it can be worse. The other day a couch fell off the truck in front of me but these are all obstacles that can be avoided if the driver is paying attention. Making sure your steering rack and pinion or steering gearbox is in good shape is a great way to be sure you can maneuver out of the way of these road hazards.

Road debris is for sure a hazard but what about engine debris? The kind you cannot see, the kind that floats around the engine causing issues from spot to spot. Debris can be thought of as any particles in the motors systems that are not supposed to be there. In other words a metal flake in the ac system, dirt particles in the intake or even rust in the fuel tank. It is all debris that can cost a driver hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

Debris in the AC system is a time bomb just waiting to go off, The reason being is the whole system is under a great deal of pressure and even the smallest metal shard can shred a seal and make the whole system leak. Not only could debris cause leaking but it can lodge at places in the compressor that will cause it to seize up. But debris in something like the fuel system can cut off the flow of fuel to the engine then the car cannot even run. Debris in the steering system can cause the steering pump to fail or lock in a single direction which can cause an accident.

While debris in the system may not be as immediate as hitting a couch in the middle of the road or running into a pole parking your car, it is an issue. A lot of these issues are unavoidable due to the nature of the issue debris usually enters these systems while work is being done. To be sure that this does not happen to your car make sure that the mechanic doing work on sensitive areas of your car knows what he is doing.

How to Choose the Proper Tire Size

Tires like people come in all shapes and sizes, from monster trucks to lawn mowers they all take some sort of tire. There can be so many choices when buying tires it can be confusing. Tires are not like a wheel hub assembly or wheel bearing assembly there are tons that can fit on the same car. Some tires are able to fit under a car but are too large to allow the car to turn and others are too small making all the gauges in the car inaccurate. Not to mention tires that are too small will lower the performance of the car.

There are numbers that are listed on the side of a tire that will indicate the diameter and thickness. These numbers are listed in a very specific order which as an example would be something like a 205/40/85R. This code can be broken down by section the 205 is the width of the tire. The 40 refers to the height of the sidewall and the 85R will refer to the compound of the tire and the speed rating.

The width of the tire will decide the contact patch on the road, this is the area where the tire is actually resting on the road. This is also the only area where the horsepower of the car is actually transferred to the pavement. The height of the sidewall will dictated the comfort of the ride since the sidewall is the area that absorbs the small bumps in the road. The sidewall also protects the rims from dents due to large impacts. The speed rating literally dictates the speed at which the tires will begin to fall apart. Exceeding the speed rating of any tire is dangerous and potentially fatal due to the chance of failure and the resulting accident. The compound rating will tell the stickiness of the rubber used, while a stickier tire will give more grip it will wear out much faster than other tires.

Selecting the correct tire is essential to the ride and handling quality of the car and is best left to the professionals. If you are going to buy your own tired be sure to study up on the suggested tires for your individual ride. 

The Small Customer Car Craze Started a Long Time Ago

Throughout the ages man has strived to define himself as an individual. Cave drawings, elaborate hair styles, huge watches there are all a way to say “look at me” in new and unique ways.  Car trends through the years have changed but the feel is the same it’s all about making something truly unique and truly yours. This is not just about putting some fancy parts or changing out the steering racks and power steering pump when there is a recall. Customer cars are all about what the owners want and how the car makes them feel. The same idea of making your loin cloth out of some dangerous animal can be applied to the car scene. Something that took a long time to build or is unique will always stand out in a crowd.

It is a little known truth that the Japanese and euro tuning market has been alive and well long before the Honda crazy hit the US. In the US the car market was dominated by large American cars for a long period of time and anyone running a small engine was considered to be a bit limp wristed in what they drove. There was no way that a car with a 4 cylinder could be a performance car in any way. In Europe on the other hand the trend was already in full swing with tuning houses and private individuals dropping some serious coin to make their rides unique and much faster.

The trend of going wider and making the cars “footprint” larger has been a tried and true practice for years. These pics are just a few of the examples of the crazy ideas that people had in the 80s and 90s before the small car crazy hit here. There are so many examples of what the gear heads of the past had in mind and what lead to the looks of modern cars. As a car guy it is obvious to me and probably to you that styles created by custom cars is always a big influence in the car of the future. 

This Year’s Monterey was Something Amazing to Behold

There are car shows and then there are CAR SHOWS, Monterey is the latter. This show it the crème de la crème of the automotive world. We are not talking about Ponitiac fuel pump and fuel injector units here. This is a no hold barred brawl of the most beautiful and amazing car that the world has ever seen.  As an example there were a number of cars carrying price tags so high that even Steve Jobs might think twice. Yeah lets be honest it wouldn’t phase him to buy one but still 2.6 Million dollars for one car is quite the asking price.

One such insane car is the new SSC Tuatara which is the latest offering from the Shelby company and the word bespoke is used a number of times when this car is mentioned. This car is a space age material covered high speed monster that will be a contender for the fasted production car on the planet for sure. The Tuatara features a 7.0L turbo charged motor creating more than 1300 HP and is looking to not only top the 270MPH barrier but also capture the fastest time for a production car around the Nurburgring. The best part about this car is it looks like something out a movie based years in the future and yes it is the car in the main image of this blog.

Bugatti had one of the more interesting cars that has been shown in many years but not for the reason you may think. This particular car is in fact a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport that has been custom built with porcelain worked right into the pain and while not everyone may agree with the styling of the car it can be said it is quite stunning to behold even if it is just in high def pictures. One last think about the car it has clear tail lamps and cops love to pull people over for clear tail lamps. Over 2 million for a car and a top speed of over 260MPH and you get stopped for something that trivial. Just saying it would be funny.

If anyone who could not get into the show it-self was feeling left out there was really no need, the parking lot of the even was any car guys dream. Just in a few short minutes walking around the grass lot that was the parking many Porsche carrers GTs and Lamborghinis can be seen. Enough Ferraris, Rolls Royce and Bentlys to make Rodeo drive loot like the poor house and even a Veyron or 2 all making me think why pay for a ticket. The other thought in my head is what do these people do for a living and how nice it must be to have that kind of speed at your finger tips …well toe tips.