Cars

Questions and Answers

Cars??????????

Q) Hi what is a good website to look at cars and what is a good first car to get? Thankyou.

A) Get a Lada, it would really suit you.

Is there a big disadvantage to importing Japanese cars to the UK to make up for the lower cost?

Q) Well, I've been thinking about buying a Japanese sports car, but in searching online for different ones I keep on getting links to websites that specialise in importing (2nd hand) Japanese cars to the UK. In some cases, the cost is around 30-40% cheaper than an equivalent car in Britain. Also, the Japanese seem to take better car of their cars in general as the condition of the vehicle has a bigger impact on the resale value in Japan. So what is the disadvantage? I'm thinking about getting a Nissan 350z (Fairlady in Japan).

A) Make sure that the car will be able to pass any pollution tests you may have in the UK. Or see if you can get an exemption. Research any taxes,tariffs or extra unseen fees associated with registering the car there. Research the company you are thinking of doing business with. Find out the differences between the UK models and those for registration in Japan. Can you read the owner's manual, etc. If it is a UK firm doing it, why don't they just import the cars and make the profit themselves? If it is a Japanese firm, how can you safeguard yourself should any litigation arise from the transaction? Just a few thoughts, hope they help.

How do we stop a crow from attacking cars in the car park?

Q) A crow is attacking the windscreen wipers of cars in our car parks. It is a new building and it obviously nests next door to the car park. It sits on the bonnet and pulls at the windscreen wipers until they come off? Any safe, easy and generally acceptable measures for stopping this character? We would like to avoid anything that is going to lead to its demise!

A) Use the old farming technique - no not a scarecrow! Hang a few dead crows about the car park and your nuisence bird will soon get the message. Not sure of an ethical way of obtaining a few dead crows though, maybe that should be your next question.

Why do people keep insisting that electric cars are more green than other cars?

Q) They run on electricity, and that means they don't belch out loads of fumes into the atmosphere. But that electricity has to be generated in a power station before it can be used in the car, and nine times out of ten, you can be sure that it was generated from fossil fuels. So surely, electric cars are still responsible for polluting the planet. Kennilope. That's just about the dumbest, most poorly thought through answer I've ever read.

A) Agreed, electric cars which are charged from traditional grids are not as environmentally friendly as most people believe. That electricity is generated elsewhere, usually by burning, unless you live near a large hydro electric dam or near a lot of windmills. In the case of coal-fired electricity, you're just moving the pollution from all over the street to the source of the power. The greenest transportation would be an electric vehicle which is charged from a renewable source. If your home were set up for solar-electric generation, you could use your home's electricity to charge your car's batteries. If your home is near a hydroelectric dam or a wind power generation area, then you're much greener than the rest of the coal fired electric areas. Ultimately, a solar car which recharges itself while driving would be ideal.

Is it cheaper to have one large car or two smaller cars? Which is more environmentally friendly?

Q) My husband often travels long distances, in our large family car. In a smaller car we could not travel with our whole family at weekends, and would therefore need two cars. Is it better for the environment to have two small cars or one large car? Which is cheaper?

A) well since your family is large i would say the larger car

How long will it be until American cars are as small and efficient as European cars?

Q) I live in the UK, motors from the USA look pretty gross, with grilles like the front of a bank, all square, heavy, pedestrian unfriendly and obviously fuel inefficient. It's obvious from the fuel efficiency, comfort, internal quality and space effectiveness of European and Japanese cars, that the USA is buying dinosaurs. How much much longer will they last?

A) who knows but they are some pretty cool motors with some massive powered engines. you know long ago your street races came from America with the just standard v6 cars none of this nos maxed up little civics like you get now. they may be big you may think they are ugly but you must admit they was and are good. regards x kitti x

Do car dealers really have to pay to get rid of part exchange cars?

Q) I have a mate who saw Top Gear about once and he says that it costs some classy car dealers around £1000 to get rid of unwanted part exchange cars. and that if you ask them right they will sell them to you for not very much money at all. I disagree; I don't see why a car dealer would not take the opportunity to make even a few hundred quid. Is my friend right? And if he is, how do I go about claiming one of these old cars for myself?

A) When we get in cars like that, we want to get rid of them as quickly as possible. We have no use for them. We cannot resell them, we don't want the bother of taking them to auction, and they look bad sitting on our lot. If you are looking to buy something like that, simply ask the dealer about the wholesale cars that they just want to get rid of. Explain to them what you are trying to accomplish, and they should be more than happy to work with you.

What year did the speedometer in cars change from mph to kph?

Q) I know it might be different for all cars but what was the general time this occured. Was it around 2003?

A) Interesting question and many not so interesting answers so far. In the UK, it is required that your speedometer is calibrated in mph but for nearly all analogue dials (ie with background and pointer) there are km markings too for the benefit of those to travel abroad. Ironically in the rest of the EU we only get km calibration so when we drive into the UK we do not have mph markings and have to constantly recalculate the speed limits. Not so difficult as 160 kph = 100 mph, 80 kph = 50 mph etc etc. One exception to all this is where you have digital instruments and you can set both the speedometer and the odometer to record in miles or kms. In my Opel, the on-board computer can be set first to any language, then to use European (km/hr; litres per 100 km) or to GB (mph, mpg) or even American units. My speedometer is analogue so only gives me kph but the on-board computer can give me anything I ask it for. In international debate it is potentially quite confusing when you try and compare eg UK gall vs USA gall, UK miles vs Swedish mile (Sweden has a "mile" meaning 10 km). Then of course as UK fuel consumption gets better the number goes up but for the km brigade the number goes down. Roughly speaking 53 mph is 5.3 litres per 100 km which I find a useful reference point as my car does slightly better or slightly worse than this depending on the fuel used and the journey. You will find that the place of manufacture does have an impact but I once bought 2 almost identical Astras, one UK model and one Spanish model. Both were built in the Netherlands but quite clearly one to UK spec and one to ES spec. So to conclude with an answer to the question, they havent changed as such, they have become a bit more sophisticated and flexible but UK still uses mph and on the continent we use kph. It is quite legal for me to drive my continental registered car in the UK without mph markings but if I wanted to register it with a UK plate, then it should be modified (as also the headlights). It is not economic to change LHD to RHD and at least in Spain, they are beginning to refuse to relicense old UK cars to Spanish plates because a RHD car is more dangerous to drive in traffic. If you do find a UK plated car without mph on the speedometer than it could be illegal in more than one way. Have a nice one.

Why do cars have a max speed potential which is double the speed limit?

Q) If all cars were made with a max speed of 80mph this would stop speeding and possibly prevent accidents/loss of life. I mean what's the point in a car being able to travel 160mph?

A) For a car to have 'performance' it has to have room at the top. This means that a car with a top speed of 150 will perform far better at 70 than a car with a top speed of 80. There is no point in limiting cars because then you are paying for engine you dont use and making smaller engines will be less fuel economical as they will have to rev harder / wear out quicker to produce the upper speeds. As others have said speed limits vary also. Most of the accidents around happen in towns and cities with idiots driving at 60 in 30 zones .. more focus should be put on this as relatively few accidents happen on the long motorway stretches.

Do air flow induction kits for cars really make a difference? Is it worth changing them?

Q) I am due for a service so will be changing my air filter as part of the service. The air filter is the standard audi a3 air filter. Someone suggested getting a K&N Induction kit or a pipercross induction kit but are they really worth it? Do they actually make a difference to the cars performance? Got a full performance exhaust fitted. Scorpian system and new cat.

A) The trouble with induction kits is they are great on the race track but for normal driving they suck hot air from under the bonnet, especially when stuck in traffic. I had trouble with a bit of pinking with one of my cars, and was told by a tune up engineer that i would be far better of with something like a K&N replacement panel filter, as it utilizes the cars original induction system which after the millions of pounds of development they have invested would be more than fine. Unless you do high revving driving all over the place a replacement panel filter will do just the job, you just would not really notice the difference between them. And by the way i have spent more money on this stuff than i care to think of.

***cars?***?

Q) has anyone seen the new go smart cars? i dont like them. to me it looks like a car that got cut in half. my mom wants to buy one for me. wat do u think of them?

A) I think there an oxymoron. Smart people do not buy them. You would be better off buying Barbies Corvette.

Do cars burn more gas after a cold start on a wintery morning?

Q) After starting my drive at 5am, I see the smoke coming out of my car in the rear view mirror. The smoke disappears after the engine has reached its normal operating temperature. Similarly one can see smoke at the tail pipe of almost all cars coming out of various subdivisions in the morning. But no car on the highway has a smoke trail behind it. Hence the question - do cars burn more gas after a cold start until engine becomes hot enough?

A) Most cars will have a "high idle" when you first start them on a cold morning. There's a sensor that checks the temp of the air being sucked into the engine. If that temp is too cold, it makes the engine run a little faster (just as if you had pressed down a bit on the gas pedal) until the engine compartment warms up. So, the difference that you're probably seeing in the amount of "smoke" (exhaust) before and after your car warms up is simply due to a higher idle, and therefore more exhaust pressure - the hot air is moving faster out into the cold air, so it gets farther before it cools enough to "disappear". As for the "subdivision" versus "highway" difference, that's probably more a matter of speed. For example - if you lit a cigarette (not that I'm encouraging anybody to smoke) and held it up to your window, you'd see more smoke if you were driving slow than if you were driving fast - same effect.

Suppose a car can accelerate at 1m/s2. How large a break in traffic is needed to enter a highway where cars?

Q) Suppose a car can accelerate at 1m/s2. How large a break in traffic is needed to enter a highway where cars are moving a 20m/s if the drive wants to avoid forcing the next car to slow down or to approach closer than 25m?

A) Assumptions: 1) The entering car is stopped 2) The entering car begins accelerating as soon as the rear bumper of the car it will fall in behind passes its front bumper. What distance does it take a car to accelerate from 0 to 20 m/s at a rate of 1m/s²? 1) Final velocity = initial velocity + acceleration * time 2) Distance = initial velocity * time + 1/2 acceleration * time² Plugging in the known values, the first equation becomes 20 m/s = 0 m/s + 1m/sec² * x x = 20 sec Now we can calcuate the second equation D = 0 m/s * 20 sec + 1/2 * 1 m/s² * (20 sec)² D = 0 m + 200 m If we need to keep a 25 m space behind us, that gets added to the necessary distance.

How should two cars turning left in open intersection place themselves?

Q) When the different directions are separated except at the intersection and there's no stop sign, what are you supposed to do if both cars wait in the middle to turn left...and end up blocking each other's view ?! How should the cars place themselves? The other car always goes to his side of the middle so he blocks my view to oncoming cars, so I don't even know when it's safe to turn.

A) In situations like this, I wait until the way is clear to go into the middle to turn so I don't end up blocking someone's way or vice versa. If in doubt, let the other driver go first.

Can I disconnect jump start cable when the cars are running?

Q) Hi all! I think my car has a bad battery. I was successful in jump starting my car with another car. I could get it started and running for a few minutes with jump start cables. I then turned both cars off, disconnected the jump start cable. My car couldn't start then without the cable. Can I disconnect my jump start cable when the two cars are still running? That way I can drive the car to an auto shop and have the battery replaced. Thanks. Felix.

A) Absolutely, you can leave the car running! But, don't rule out the alternator and charging system!

Can you put two cars on two different insurance companies?

Q) If i have two cars, can i put one on Geico and one on state farm. I'm having very bad experience with State farm and i'm thinking of switching with one car at at time. Is it possible to have the two cars in my household on two different insurance company eventhough both cars are in my name?

A) Many companies will not allow this. Lets say you have a young driver in the household and you put yourself and the kid on the one policy and just yourself on the other policy. You are then able to rate yourself as primary driver on both policies. Or lets say one of the vehicles is leased and the leasing company requires high liability limits. You put one car on one policy with 100,000/300,000 liability and the owned vehicle you have 15,000/30,000 liability. These are both examples of insurance fraud and reasons that insurance companies require all or nothing.

Cars in the 1920s were made to last a lifetime. How long do you expect your car to last before you sell it?

Q) Collectors pay top dollar for cars made in the 20s. Back then automakers took pride in their product. Now, anybody driving a car more than 10 years old doesn't want to invest a dime in it because it's virtually worthless on the used car market. These days, filling the tank of a 10 year old car doubles its value! And does it seem like we're getting raped when we pay the money for what we believe is quality, but the car doesn't end up lasting any longer than a Yugo? Am I the only one that feels rage about the poor quality & workmanship and the high prices we're forced to pay because of government mandated bumpers, lights, gismos, gatdgets, bells & whistles?

A) My cars usually last about 10 years. I think my DH and I keep cars MUCH longer than the average consumer. DH just traded in a 1979 Chevy van for a 2004 Ranger and I have a 1998 Ranger that I bought new and traded a 1989 Mustang for.

What are some of the safest cars on the road?

Q) I'm starting to research different cars because I need to get a new one somewhat soon. I know I want a used car that has low mileage and is in good shape. Car safety is also really important. Can you recommend some websites that are good for overall car research and car listings? Thanks! I have a 1990 Volvo wagon now and would like something similar to that, but newer and maybe not another Volvo since they are expensive to fix and from what I've heard the newer ones aren't as good as the old ones.

A) Acura RSX & TSX Ford Fusion Honda Accord 4 cyl Honda CRV EX 05 & up Honda Civic EX Honda Fit Hyundai Sonata 4 cyl 06 & up Hyundai Tucson Kia Optima 06 & up Mazda3 w/ cur. air bags Mercury Milan Pontiac Vibe 06 & 07 Scion tc Subaru Impreza (not WRX) Subaru Forester (not XT) Toyota Camry 4 cyl Toyota Corolla Toyota Matrix 06 & 07 Toyota Prius all perform well in crash tests and are very reliable. consumer reports

What kind of chemicals do car rental companies/used car dealers use to make their cars look brand new?

Q) I'm trying to clean my car interior along with my carpet. I know they have to use some type of special cleaners/chemicals to keep their cars looking clean and smelling fresh. Has anyone worked at one of these places?

A) Most detailers have products that are scented. They will leave the interior smelling fresh and clean instead of chemical clean. Most consumer level products do the same only to a lesser degree. I find that some of the odor removers leave a chemical smell after using them. Try using a powder such as Carpet Fresh that you can sprinkle on carpets before vacuuming or spraying Febreeze in the vehicle after cleaning. You can find car colognes in the same area you would find air fresheners you would hang from your mirror. These can be sprayed in you car, the scent won't last long though.

What kind of cars are most reliable even when they are getting older?

Q) When a car gets to have over 100,000 miles on it it is considered old, but not all types of cars are the same. Which types of cars would you say are relaible even when they are older, ie hondas, chevy's etc

A) The ones which are cared for and maintained properly will last longer than the others without regard to who makes it. Some people refer to some types of vehicles as being "bullet proof" or "indestructible". Those people don't take care of vehicles; they abuse and destroy them.