Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
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.Thursday, September 6, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
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
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
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