Archive for November, 2009
Time To Replace Tires
You need to know how to check out and calibrate the remaining tire thread gauge as this will be the grounds for you to shift the tires in your service vehicle. Here is one way on how to analyze the thread pit without having to brainstorm* the service station you can calibrate the tire tread depth with the use of a coin. Use a penny to check out the measurement. What you can do is to place the penny into several thread grooves across the tire. If you can note that a part of Lincoln’s head is shaded and covered by the thread then this means 2/32″ of depth remaining. Now use a quarter and insert the coin into some tread grooves. Now if part of the head of Washington is covered then this means that your service tire will still have 4/32″ of thread depth. Now you can use the penny once again on several thread grooves across the tire. Check the Lincoln Memorial image of the penny. If the image is always covered by the thread then this means that around 6/32″ of the thread depth is still present.
Now what does this measurement step means? Well the moment you have determined the approximate thread depth of the tire at one part of the tire and then you can do the same on the other parts of the tire. Do the measurement using the coin for at least 15 inches apart around the circumferential groove. Doing this step will give you an idea if there are uneven wear on the tires that have been caused by mechanical conditions or even by service conditions. If there is uneven wear on one tire of our service car make sure that you go for replacement for safety purposes. Performing this step will also allow you to heed state laws in the proper replacement of tires.
There are state laws that define which tire can be considered as legally worn and as such should be replaced. Based on these laws the tire that has worn down to 2/32″ of the remaining depth is officially worn out thus this is a candidate for replacement. If based on your penny checks that a tire of your vehicle has breached this demarcation measurement then that should motivate you to find a replacement immediately online. Judging which tire will go and which one will remain is now made easier thanks to the presence of the wear bars. These wear bars will help you and the other drivers know if the tire is up for replacement. The wear bars are these to visually connect the elements of the thread patterns and of course serve as a warning agent. And another important way that can tell you when a tire is up for replacement is through common sense. A diminishing thread depth will compromise driving in rain and at highway speeds. And a replacement should be in if the depth reaches 6/32″ and you are to drive on snow covered roads. Remember learning when to take out old tires can be a lifesaver.
About the writer: Landon Mercer is a passionate writer that loves sending funny text messages to his love ones regularly.
The New BMW X3 XDrive 18d
The new particularly economical entrylevel version of BMW’s highly successful Sports Activity Vehicle average fuel consumption to the EU standard 6.2 litres/100 kilometres 45.6 mpg imp CO2 rating 165 g/km emission standard EU5.
Munich. Fascinating agility on all kinds of terrain is now becoming more economical than ever before. Introducing a new entrylevel version of the BMW X3 the world’s most successful manufacturer of premium allwheeldrive vehicles is once again setting the standard for efficiency in a Sports Activity Vehicle.
The new BMW X3 xDrive18d is powered by a 2.0litre fourcylinder diesel delivering an ample 105 kW/143 hp. Average fuel consumption of the new model in the EU test cycle is a mere 6.2 litres/100 kilometres equal to 45.6 mpg imp. In CO2 emissions this means a rating of just 165 grams per kilometre. This makes the BMW X3 the most fuelefficient allwheeldrive vehicle in its segment also in this performance class. And it almost goes without saying that the BMW X3 xDrive18d in series trim naturally fulfils the EU5 emission standard.
Allround driving pleasure and supreme efficiency have made the BMW X3 a genuine trendsetter contributing significantly to the car’s worldwide success. Indeed it was the BMW X3 which for the first time carried over the features and qualities typical of a Sports Activity Vehicle into a new segment total sales of the X3 now amounting to more than 500000 units. For a long time the BMW X3 was the only premium vehicle in its class and to this day it remains the epitome of driving dynamics on the road as well as agility and supreme traction off the beaten track. And last but certainly not least the BMW X3 offers an unparalleled balance of performance and fuel economy throughout the entire competition segment of BMW X models.
Superior allwheeldrive technology powerful traction and premium quality now with even greater allround economy.
The attractive combination of all these features is now borne out in yet another excellent rendition in the guise of the new BMW X3 xDrive18d. The benefits of BMW’s intelligent xDrive allwheeldrive technology the spontaneous development of power typical of BMW’s diesel engines and the uncompromising quality of a genuine premium model now come with an even higher standard of economy.
The BMW X3 xDrive18d is powered by a fourcylinder diesel engine featuring an allaluminium crankcase and common rail direct fuel injection developing maximum output of 105 kW/143 hp at 4000 rpm. Maximum torque of 350 Newtonmetres 258 lbft at just 1750 rpm ensures truly outstanding traction and pulling power at all times. The new BMW X3 xDrive18d accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 10.3 seconds and has a top speed of 195 km/h or 121 mph.
In conjunction with BMW EfficientDynamics naturally featured as standard the superior allround efficiency of the diesel engine ensures the outstanding economy of the BMW X3 xDrive18d. Offering average fuel consumption of just 6.2 litres/100 kilometres equal to 45.6 mpg imp and a CO2 rating of 165 grams per kilometre the new model is even more economical and cleaner than the former leader on the efficiency scale the 130 kW/177 hp BMW X3 xDrive20d 6.5 litres/43.5 mpg imp/172 grams. And just like its “bigger brother” the new BMW X3 xDrive18d naturally fulfils the EU5 emission standard.
The highly successful BMW X3: efficient lasting in value reliable.
The introduction of the new BMW X3 xDrive18d increases the number of engine variants available in this SAV from BMW to no less than seven. The customer has the choice of three petrolengine models with power output ranging from 110 kW/150 hp to 200 kW/272 hp and four diesel models culminating in the 210 kW/286 hp BMW X3 xDrive35d as the most dynamic performer in the range.
Like all engine variants the new BMW X3 xDrive18d also comes as standard with BMW’s intelligent xDrive allwheeldrive system. This permanent electronically masterminded allwheel drive ensures variable distribution of drive power fronttorear promoting both driving dynamics on the road and safe secure traction off the beaten track with drive power constantly going to the wheels where it can be converted most effectively into actual driving forces on the road.
Thanks to the outstanding and truly convincing qualities of xDrive also available in many other BMWs BMW remained the world’s most successful manufacturer of allwheeldrive vehicles in the premium segment also in 2008.
Over and above such outstanding efficiency and fascinating agility the BMW X3 also offers truly excellent reliability. In 2009 for example the X3 was lauded for the second time in a row with the renowned Yellow Angel Award by Germany’s and indeed the world’s largest motoring club the Allgemeine Deutsche Automobilclub ADAC for outstanding allround quality. Proceeding from the findings of ADAC’s breakdown helpers famous throughout Germany as “Yellow Angels” this leading motoring club once again acknowledged the BMW X3 as the most reliable vehicle on the road in Germany.
Last but certainly not least BMW’s SAV also comes right at the top in terms of lasting value. In the category of offroad vehicles the market observers at EurotaxSchwacke ranked the BMW X3 No 1 in their AutomobilForecastIndex 2008 confirming that of all vehicles in this segment BMW’s SAV shows the lowest decline in value.
About the writer: by sgcarmart
The French Love Affair With The Lion Dealer
Today your average Peugeot dealer has a host of cars to suit almost any purpose. What you may not realise however is that the history of this French car manufacturer is a fascinating tale that goes back over one hundred years. In the early days the Peugeot factory manufactured steel rods that were used in the bows for crinoline dresses a product far removed from the cars we see on dealer forecourts today. This type of manufacturing however led the company into an important development with knowledge of steel and in particular the bending of steel Peugeot was able to construct bicycles. In the nineteenth century the company produced a bike called ‘Le Grand Bi’ more colloquially known as the penny farthing.
At this stage the company was named Armand Peugeot and it was not until late in the nineteenth century that they produced their first motor car. This model was a triwheeled steam driven car that was made in incredibly small numbers; it is believed that only four were ever made. Understandably it is doubtful that such a car would be present on dealer forecourts toady the majority are in museums in France. Steam driven cars had a short lifespan however and after the turn of the century Peugeot moved to producing cars with the internal combustion engine; with the assistance of Gottlieb Daimler.
Early cars still used steel wheels however although it was Peugeot who led the way in the introduction of rubber tyres these early tyres however were solid rather than the pneumatic variants we use today. The company at this stage entered motor racing for the first time in a variety of road races around France.
Thanks to the raised profile due to success in motor racing the company became popular with the French public selling around three hundred cars a year at the turn of the century. This is quite an impressive feat considering that in the whole of France only twelve hundred were sold annually. In these years the company were also producing motorcycles thanks to the knowledge gained in the manufacturing of bikes. The popularity with the French at this point was assured in 1903 the dealer car sales made up over half of the total sales within the country.
Twenty years later despite the success of the company they decided to split their efforts one half focussing on the bikes and motorcycles and one focussing on the manufacturing of cars. At this point the car manufacturing company came into its own with the 201 model being marketed as the cheapest car in all of France; showing a dispensation for producing cars for ordinary members of the public. As previously stated Peugeot have always strived to innovate the market during this period they developed the retractable roof and styled their cars in a curvaceous way that was popular with the French public.
The wars years saw a period of downtime for the company although in the post war years Peugeot attempted to court business in the booming United States. This was not totally successful due to the insular nature of the US car market although through a number of collaborations with Renault and Volvo in Europe the company was able to survive the post war decades. In the seventies the company was pulled into the PSA Peugeot Societe Anonyme parent company that also owned Citroen making it the largest car manufacturer in France with a dealer in almost every town.
Poor growth in the eighties was problematic for the company although the nineties saw resurgence and the creation of a strong position coming into the new century. Today it is one of the most popular European manufacturers with a range of cars to suit families singles and even the executive. As the car market becomes evermore aggressive and competitive this company that started its life making dresses will have to continue to innovate to stay ahead.
About the writer: Motor industry expert Thomas Pretty looks at the history of the Peugeot dealer and the development of the company itself.