Tuesday, 15 June 2010

Five changes that will transform your vehicle

1. Synthetic oil- Synthetic oil is a lubricant consisting of chemical compounds which are artificially made (synthesized) from compounds other than crude oil (petroleum). Why this makes sense for Indian consumers is because Synthetic oil has a tendency to perform better than Mineral oil (regular oil) under extreme temperatures in India. Additionally while the low quality fuel and dust are hard on the engine, synthetic oil increases engine life through less wear and tear while reducing sludge problems at the same time. Cars with high mileage on their odometer might make more engine noise than usual due to high wear and tear. It is absolutely normal. Additionally while mineral oil lasts 10,000 kms on an engine, synthetic oil can last upto 20,000 kilometers. Other benifits include better mileage under certain conditions, improved cold starts and smooth power delivery and drive.


Ps: Many garage mechanics dont use flush before switching the car from mineral to synthetic oil. It is heaviliy recommended (not compulsary) to use flush.

2. Tubeless tyres and alloy wheels:  Tubeless tyres are tyres that does away with the need for the inner butyle tube. Most new cars and motorcycles now come with tubeless tyres. Tubeless tyres are safer as they dont burst upon puncture under most sever conditions. Additionally they lose air slowly so one can drive to a repair station quickly. Benifits are also noted in higher fuel efficiency, better handling and lesser road noise.

Alloy wheels first and foremost impart a beatiful look to the car if the right set of designs are used. They are lightweight and durable and heatup less than the standard steel wheels making them the choice of many. Merits include better handling and higher fuel efficiency.


Ps: Tubeless tyre self repair kits are an easy DYI for even the most unskilled people. Next time you see someone on the road with a flat tyre, you not its not you.

3. All weather light bulbs: Everyone prefers better illumination at night but one should remember that if your car has 8 fog lamps and 4 halogens, you would just look like a fool. All weather light bulbs are a great replacement for regular halogen lamps since most cars dont come equipped with Bi-xenon lights.

Ps: Keep away from the Cheap white light bulbs. They are bad for the eyes and roads too and cost a bomb.

4. Tint: Most new cars come with a lightly tinted glasses. But those are not enough to withstand the current heat levels. A nice and branded tint will go a long way in keeping the car cool while looking great at the same time. While total black tints are illegal, some shades will help to a certain extent in ensuring privacy.

Ps: It is possible to check how the tint will look on the car. Ask the retailer to show you a small sample before going ahead. Also make sure it is a government approved tint film.

5. Leather steering and gearbox covers: Getting burnt palm at 1pm in burning noon is the last thing we want. A decent leather steering and gearbox cover will go a long way in making sure your hands are not burnt. While leather does heat it, its much better to hold in the worst of seasons if its not polished. Also at the same time it imparts a nice look to the cars interiors. And many will also agree that its hood to hold and grips well providing confidence in the handling of the vehicle. some branded motorcycle grips are also available and from personal use I will totally recommend them.

Ps: Make sure its not faux leather and that the leather is not polished. Faux leather tears and wears pretty fast and doesnt make a good sight. At the same time polished leather wont give you any good heat conduction and you may still end up with burnt hands.

PS: Stereo will get a separate new link soon if all goes well

Thursday, 10 June 2010

The return of the Trolls.

Troll: (in Scandinavian folklore) any of a race of supernatural beings, sometimes conceived as giants and sometimes as dwarfs, inhabiting caves or subterranean dwellings.

Most of the times, cars are given identity based on where the company is based. Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW are German and known for luxury and innovation. Toyota, Honda and Nissan are Japanese and known for efficiency and technology. GM, Ford and Chrysler are American and known for comfort and value. But apart from these three there are many other car makers hailing from other countries creating their own image. For e.g. Fiat is Italian and known for raw performance,style and oomph, Hyundai is Korean and known for value and reliability.

Saab has always been known for turbochrged performance and quirky handling. But somehow Swedes who are known to be the most honest crowd in Europe were never able to give their cars the luxury image similar to a BMW, Audi or Mercedes-Benz. But Victor Muller has experience owning a super car outfit (Spyker) and he is heading into the right direction with the new Saab 9-5.  with AWD and engine powered from 160 horses to 300 horses Saab is heading straight into the S80, A6, 5-Series and E-class territory. With all the right bells and whistles, it remains to be seen whether the world takes to this product from Trollhattan.

Here is a short video of what Saab's stand for.



Details and Specifications

2011 Saab 9-5 (now on sale)
Platform:        GM Epsilon II
Drivetrain:       FWD and AWD (XWD) options
Transmission:  6-speed Manual and Automatic options
Diesel, Petrol and Bio powered options
engines:          1.6 turbo Inline 4 making 180 horses
                      2.8 turbo V6 making 300 horses
                      2.0 turbo Inline 4 diesel making 400 nm of torque
                      various other engine options available


 

With Saab already on its way, Geely has made sure it makes news with Volvo too. Fresh off its hook from Ford, Volvo has learnt a lot about car making but shared even more helping Ford survive bankruptcy. Geely's new trump card for the moment is the new Volvo S60. Taking on the rivals such as 9-3, 3 series, A4 and C-class the 2010 Volvo S60 has a lot going for it. Not losing its strength in safety the new S60 boasts of  trendy designs the youth wont be ashamed of being seen in. Sharing Product designs and development for all this years Volvo has learnt to make their cars dynamic and more fun to drive which is a good thing. While not boasting a performance team like Saab, Volvo does have active participation in racing such as TOCA championships.

 

Specs and details

2010 Volvo S60
platform:       Volvo Y20 platform
Drivetrain:     FWD/ AWD
Transmission: 6 speed manual/automatic/ powershift
Petrol and diesel options
engines:         1.6L inline-4 turbo 150bhp
                     3.0L V6 turbo 305 bhp
                     2.5L diesel turbo 5 cyl 420nm torque.


PS: The current CEO of Saab Automobile, Mr. Jan Ake Jonsson, is one of several candidates considered for the CEO position at Volvo Cars.

When asked about the CEO position by the Swedish paper, Jonsson refused to comment. “I have promised [Spyker CEO] Victor Muller to stay at Saab for a while longer,” Jonsson was quoted as saying.

Monday, 7 June 2010

Ford makes a mistake and is happy about it.

Ford has just announced the fall of the axe on its Mercury brand. The board of directors rejoiced and happily congratulated each other on one wise decision over champagne. While most dealers in US are happy, quite a few are not.
While the brand was killed now it has been dead since a long time. Mercury was axed in Canada way back in 1999. So why would you ask is this a big mistake at Ford? I will try to put up some analysis and explain why.

Toyota is the mainstream brand for the Japanese giant. Additionally they have a Luxury marque under the name Lexus which has been giving the real luxury marques sleepless nights. Toyota Motor Corp. also has a third brand named Scion in the US which was founded in 2002.

General Motors recently survived bankruptcy last year and has made a respectable comeback to day. Their main strategy was to shed the numerous brands they bought aimlessly over the years and focus on four core brands. Chevrolet is the mainstream brand which sells vehicles to the mass. Cadillac as many know is the luxury marque which stands out on the road even against the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. The third Brand is Buick. Buick is to GM similar to what Mercury is to Ford. Fortunately GM had better luck with Buick which has turned out to be a major comeback vehicles for the company. The fourth is the truck division of GMC.

Chrysler's helm is held by the Fiat Head Sergio Marchionne. The Canadian is a smart entrepreneur and he has been quick to Divide Dodge and Ram into difference brands. Thus Chrysler now has the mainstream Chrysler brand, the young Dodge, the truck and off roading division of Jeep and newly formed truck division named RAM.

Ford on the other hand has been quick to divest from Some major brands including Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo. So from a personal viewpoint I see it as a great opportunity lost. While those at Ford see Mercury as a brand with a .8 percent market share, I see it as a huge opportunity for a recognized brand gone to waste due to negligence. Especially when a superb example of Buick is in front of our eyes. Wouldnt it be the right time to kick start Mercury when People have begin to start buying into Buick? Ford has definitely made a mistake selling Volvo and Mazda the reasons and results of which have been given by many at Wall Street.

While the smaller makes to the like of Honda and Nissan are finding it tough to fight the battle with two brands, its a surprise why Ford is walking the same route.  Rebuilding the Mercury brands will help push Lincoln in the higher price range (Lincoln is having trouble selling at higher price points)and give Ford a platform to fight the major players heads on.

Now is the time to rebuild Mercury as the Young, experimental, entry level luxury brands that dares to experiment.

Here are some of the half hearted efforts that ford took with Mercury before finally killing it alongwith the latest Buick counterparts.

Mercury Mariner

Buick Enclave

Mercury Milan

Buick Regal

Mercury Grand Marquis

Buick Lacrosse