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Car Tip of the Week: 10 Things Teens Should Know About Cars and Driving

When a teenager gets a driver license, it signifies freedom and the lure of the open road. But with this newfound freedom comes a host of new situations and possible problems that most teen drivers have never encountered before. It's a good idea to review these scenarios with new drivers in your family, and discuss how to handle them before they happen for real.

From traffic stops to road rage, here's a primer on what you need to tell teen drivers as they take to the roads.

1. What to do when you're stopped by a police officer
Safely pull to the side of the road, turn off your car, roll down the window and keep your hands visible. Don't make any sudden moves or argue with the officer. Do your arguing in traffic court.

2. How to deal with a flat tire
Pull completely off the road, even if it means destroying the tire. Call roadside assistance and let that person change the tire. If you have a spare (many cars now only have an inflation kit) and know how to change the tire, make sure you are out of traffic and in plain sight of oncoming traffic before changing it yourself.

3. What to do when the "check engine" light comes on
If there is any change in the car's performance, any mechanical noises, smoke from the tailpipe or electrical smells, stop the car and call for assistance. If there are none of these symptoms, take the car to a dealer and let them diagnose the problem. However, if you just bought gas, the light might just be indicating that the gas cap is loose. Tighten the cap and continue driving. The light should go off on its own.

4. How to deal with a friend who is about to drive under the influence
Don't get in the car. Do anything not to drive with an intoxicated person, and that includes calling your parents for a lift or paying for a taxi. Your next move is to try to prevent your drunken friend from hurting themselves or someone else.

5. How to drive safely while talking on a cell phone
Most states ban all cell phone use by novice drivers, so be sure you know if these provisions apply where you live. If it's permissible to use a cell, always use a hands-free device so you can keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. Learn how to pair your phone with the car's Bluetooth system. Don't even think about texting while driving (no, not even at stoplights).

6. How to get an honest quote for an automotive repair
Search Edmunds.com's Car Maintenance Guide or the Web to get an estimate for how much the repair should cost. Search online for garages with high customer ratings and ask friends for recommended garages. Call the garage and ask for a ballpark estimate and let the garage know you are contacting other places for their best quote. Use your intuition to make the final decision on whom to trust.

7. How to buy a new car
Don't just wander onto a dealership's car lot. Instead, contact the Internet department of several dealerships to get multiple quotes and compare these with Edmunds.com's True Market Value^® price for any car you're interested in. Make sure you check incentives and rebates. Follow up with phone calls to the Internet managers of these dealerships to verify the terms of their offers. Finally, ask the dealership to deliver the car to your home or office to avoid the hard sell in the finance and insurance office.

8. What to do after an auto accident
If the car is drivable and there are no serious injuries, turn on your flashers and pull safely out of traffic. Call the police to report the accident. Exchange insurance information with the other driver but refrain from discussing the accident and who is at fault. Make notes and use your cell phone's camera to take pictures of the cars involved.

9. How to drive in rain and snow
Reduce your speed and leave more room between your vehicle and those in front of you. Understand how to handle skids. If possible, practice reacting to skidding in safe conditions, such as a snow-covered empty parking lot. Understand that a car might hydroplane on a rain puddle on the road and learn how to react to driving with reduced traction and visibility.

10. How to avoid road rage situations
Understand the severe consequences to you, your car and your driving record when minor disagreements escalate to life-threatening situations. When someone offends you, take a deep breath and know that your anger will dissolve in minutes. Don't anger other drivers by cutting them off or tailgating. If you've inadvertently angered another driver, don't get drawn into interacting with them. Ignore them or, if necessary, change your route. Finally, repeat this phrase: It's just not worth it.

Source: Edmunds.com

2013 Mazda CX-9 unveiled ahead of Aussie debut

The 2013 CX-9 you see here will officially bow at the Australian International Motor Show in mid-October, but Mazda has released a few preliminary images and details regarding the big CUV's refresh.

Now, as much as we like the design of the new CX-5 crossover and Mazda6 sedan, we aren't quite sure if we love the way the new Kodo lines flow onto the CX-9's larger body. The more we stare at the images in the gallery above, the more we start to like it, but this is indeed a case where we'll need to see the finished product in person before making any final judgments. We can't yet see what sort of changes have been applied to the rear end or the interior, but new details up front include LED running lights in the headlamp clusters and bolder, more pronounced lines around the foglamp housings.

Mum's the word about any other new-for-2013 changes, and Mazda states that the current CX-9's 3.7-liter V6 and six-speed automatic will carry over, likely mated to both front- and all-wheel drive.

Source: Mazda Media

Monday Maintenance Tip: Rotating Your Tires

What is this?

We know that all tires rotate. But we're talking about another kind of rotation -- rotating tires to different corners of the car and maybe even reversing the direction in which they turn.

Many tires are rotated front-to-back and side-to-side, but some tires are directional, which means they're only supposed to turn in one direction. They have to stay on the same side of the car. Directional tires often have arrows on the tire's sidewall to show you the direction in which they should turn.

If you're not sure which kind of tires you have, check with your mechanic.

Should I do this service when it's recommended?

You should do this service only if you can do it for $20 or less, in our opinion.

The financial benefit of rotating tires is that you'll increase the useful life of the tire. But if you pay more than about $20, you'll probably wipe out any savings you might have gained.

Instead, ask your mechanic to rotate your tires when they're already off your car for another service, such as a brake repair. That way, you won't have to pay extra -- unless your mechanic is a jerk.

Why do I have to do this?

You don't have to rotate your tires. But by rotating them, you will increase your tires' life because they'll wear more evenly.

What happens if I don't do this?

Nothing bad will happen, but you'll get fewer miles out of your tires.

Is there any maintenance required between intervals?

No.

Car Talk Tip: Don't forget Newton's Seventh Law: Tires in balance tend to stay in balance. If you're having your tires rotated, don't pay extra to have them rebalanced. You probably won't need it. Have your tires rebalanced only if you feel a shimmy or vibration.

Courtesy: CarTalk.com

All-New Mazda6 to Make its Global Debut at the 2012 Moscow Motor Show

Mazda Reports Climbing Sales, Record Numbers and Exceeded Expectations in August

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Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported August U.S. sales of 22,232 vehicles, representing a decrease of 1.8 percent (5.4 percent DSR) versus last year. Year-to-date sales through August are up 11.8 percent (11.3 percent DSR) versus last year, with 185,347 vehicles sold.

Key August sales notes:

• Mazda CX-5 continues to exceed expectations, posting a best ever sales number of 4,665 units in the month of August.  Because of high customer interest in CX-5, the vehicle has been hampered by a lack of availability nationwide since its launch.  Increased production volumes are now starting to match supply with demand.
• Mazda3 saw its best August sales result since 2009, with 11,120 sales.
  • Excluding the CARS ("Cash for Clunkers") program, August of 2012 was the best-ever August for Mazda3.
• Vehicles equipped with Mazda's revolutionary SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY accounted for 63.0 percent of the company's total sales during the month of August.
• Mazda3, with SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY, accounted for 85.0 percent of all Mazda3 sales in August.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through more than 700 dealers.  Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

Source: Mazda Media

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Russell & Smith Mazda's "Car Tip of the Week"

Hey fans, we’re here to make everyone’s Monday a little bit better with your “Car Tip of the Week”!

One cost-effective way to keep your vehicle looking great is to use rubber floor mats to protect the carpeting. They are rugged, waterproof, and easy to maintain unlike carpeting. Having to clean or replace the carpeting in your car is not something you want to be up against but invest in a set of floor mats and you’ll never have to worry about it again.

Distracted Driving — One Text Or Call Could Wreck It All | Mazda USA

Mazda Enters the Midsize Fray With Sleeker Mazda 6 Sedan

Mazda introduced its 2014 Mazda 6 at the Moscow motor show on Tuesday. The redesigned midsize sedan will mix it up with recently updated entries from Ford, Chevrolet, Nissan, Honda and Toyota. Judging by the details released by Mazda at the show, the 6 seems well equipped for the fight.

Unlike the recently introduced Mazda CX-5 crossover, which bore just a passing resemblance to the Minagi design exercise that preceded it, the new 6 appears to be quite faithful to the Takeri sedan concept first shown at the Tokyo motor show in 2011. In keeping with the automaker’s practice of ascribing mythical language to its engineering and design principles, both cars bear the influence of Kodo, or soul of motion, the philosophy that displaced Nagare, Mazda’s previous design language.

Like the Takeri concept, the 6 bears pronounced front fender arches, sharply creased character lines that sweep upward from the bottom of the front wheel wells, a smoothly arcing roofline over a crescent of side window glass and a gaping front grille that departs a bit from the much-maligned “Mazda smile.” The car has a slippery, low-slung look that is borne out by a 0.26 coefficient of drag.

The wheelbase of the sedan has increased from the 109.8 inches of its predecessor to 111 inches. This aligns it more with larger midsize offerings like the 2013 Ford Fusion at 112.2 inches, while eclipsing that of the 2013 Nissan Altima, at 109.3 inches. Mazda said the longer wheelbase allowed for a roomier interior and more ample storage space.

Like other recently introduced Mazda vehicles, the sedan incorporates the automaker’s Skyactiv suite of efficiency-enhancing technologies. The centerpiece of Skyactiv is power-plant engineering that relies on extremely high compression ratios, up to 14:1 in some iterations; specially tuned exhaust plumbing that reduces combustion temperature; variable valve timing; and direct fuel injection to deliver fuel economy and performance to rival hybrid powertrains and turbocharged direct-injection engines. The Russian specification of the sedan receives two Skyactiv engines: a 134-horsepower 2-liter 4-cylinder unit and a 189-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder.

Aside from high-compression engines, the Skyactiv technology package includes lightweight body and chassis units, as well as automatic transmissions that combine a multiplate clutch and a torque converter.

The Takeri concept vehicle that made the auto-show rounds over the last year was equipped with a diesel engine. The automaker has not indicated if a diesel would be offered in the new sedan.

The Russian-specification 6 is also equipped with i-Eloop, a capacitor-based regenerative braking system that Mazda said would improve fuel economy by reducing the vehicle’s dependence on traditional battery-charging technology. The car also has engine-shutdown technology.

Mazda said specifications, pricing and availability information for the North American market would be announced at a later date.

 

**  Courtesy of NYTimes.com

Untitled

What is this?

Transmission fluid is a slippery liquid that acts as a lubricant for all of the moving parts inside your transmission. In an automatic transmission, this fluid also serves as a coolant and a viscous fluid that transmits power from the engine to the transmission.

A variety of fluids are used for different transmissions. Automatic transmissions use something called — shockingly — automatic transmission fluid. Manual transmissions use a variety of oils: regular motor oil, heavyweight hypoid gear oil or even automatic transmission fluid in some cases. Your owner's manual will tell you what your transmission calls for.

Should I do this service when it's recommended?

Yes, definitely, regardless of whether you have a manual or an automatic transmission.

Manual: Most manufacturers recommend that manual transmission fluid be changed every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. Under heavy-duty use, some manufacturers suggest changing transmission fluid every 15,000 miles.

Automatic: Service intervals for an automatic transmission vary from every 30,000 miles ... to never. The typical service interval is 60,000 to 100,000 miles. Changing it more often does no harm.

Why do I have to do this?

Manual: In a manual transmission, the problem is not so much the fluid degradation, but rather fluid contamination. This contamination occurs over time as the synchronizers, bearings and gears in the transmission wear out. The resulting metal particles then float around in the lubricant. And we all know that oil with microscopic particles of metal in it does not lubricate as well as clean oil. So if these contaminants are not drained out, they will shorten the life of your transmission.

Automatic: Because more heat is generated in an automatic transmission, automatic transmission fluid actually degrades and breaks down with use.

In addition, like in a manual transmission, automatic transmission fluid will also become contaminated with worn bits of the transmission. If these contaminants are not drained out, they will shorten the life of your transmission.

What happens if I don't do this?

If you don't change the transmission fluid on schedule, you'll be lubricating your transmission with metal shavings and other contaminants. This will shorten the transmission's life. The result could be a hefty boat payment to your mechanic. In other words, changing your transmission fluid at the correct interval is a good investment.

Is there any maintenance required between intervals?

Yes. It's important to regularly check the transmission fluid level between service intervals. Letting your car run low on transmission fluid can cause the transmission to shift improperly — or not at all. It also can harm the internal parts of your transmission, which will not be properly lubricated. Unfortunately, you may not hear any noises or have other clues that your transmission is low on fluid, until it's too late. So it's important to get it checked.

Here's how you can check your transmission fluid level:

Manual: Checking the transmission fluid in a manual transmission can be difficult. A few thoughtful manufacturers have included a dipstick, but that's the exception rather than the rule. If you own a car with a manual transmission, we suggest that you ask your mechanic to check the fluid level when your car is up on the lift during an oil change. It takes just a minute.

Automatic: If you own a car with an automatic transmission, your car will have a dipstick for this purpose. Be careful not to make the common mistake of confusing the transmission dipstick with the crankcase dipstick.

For most cars, checking the automatic transmission fluid consists of pulling the transmission dipstick out while the engine is warmed up and running and with the transmission in park. We suggest that you check your owner's manual, however, since some manufacturers may have a different procedure.

Of course, always check your fluid level if you notice a leak of any kind.

Car Talk Tip: Unlike engine oil, transmission oil doesn't burn up. So if you're low on transmission fluid, you almost certainly have a leak.

Courtesy: cartalk.com