pow
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Everything posted by pow
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I find it interesting you considered it "horrific" turbo lag. I mean this as a serious question: Have you driven many turbo cars? I've owned a half dozen and driven a few more including the Dart (w/ manual) during a test drive event. Maybe my memory is bad since it was right around when they launched (May 2012?) but I didn't think the lag was all that bad, especially for a very small displacement motor. The worst lag on any of the turbo cars I owned was my 2005 Saab 9-2X Aero (aka Subaru WRX). Now THAT had horrible turbo lag. My 1990 Plymouth Laser RS-T had some pretty serious lag as well. I've driven many turbo cars--my previous car was a VW with a 1.8 turbo. I found the 1.4 Multiair in the Dart to feel completely dead off-boost. The engine would bog down and take a second or two to gather itself if I didn't give it a decent amount of revs from a stop. In my experience, you have the drive the car pretty hard to get anywhere, and in the process, fuel economy suffers. I much prefer the normally aspirated, DI 2.0-liter in my Focus, which has a more linear power delivery and better overall drivability despite having one fewer gear. I also found the gearbox in the Dart to feel loose and imprecise... not as satisfying to use as the Focus's.
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Makes sense. Dart weighs practically as much as some midsize family sedans with large naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines. The 1.4 Multiair turbo in the current Dart is a terrible engine, with crude NVH and horrific turbo lag.
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Actual deliveries to customers. There are no dealerships, and all Model Ss are built to order.
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They're doing okay. In March, Model S was the best-selling car in its class, outselling large sedans like the S-Class, 7-series, A8, XJ, and LS; four-door coupes like the CLS, 6er, A7, and Panamera; as well as cheaper midsize sedans like the A6, XF, GS, and M. It's also the best-selling electric vehicle YTD, beating Volt and LEAF. Tesla is delivering 500+ a week now.
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Chrysler News: A Diesel Chrysler 300? Its Being Considered
pow replied to William Maley's topic in Chrysler
Modern diesels have pricey fuel-injection systems, turbos, balance shafts, and exhaust treatments to be on par with gasoline engines in terms of NVH and emissions. The Grand Cherokee's $4,500 diesel premium shrinks to $2,305 when compared to the Hemi, which produces less torque than the diesel. You break even in fewer than 2 years ($2,897 annual fuel cost at 22 mpg, $4.25 diesel, and 15,000 miles vs. $4,285 at 14 mpg, $4 gas, and 15,000 miles), and diesels tend to have higher residuals. The total cost is much lower with the diesel, which is why the Hemi and Pentastar models will likely have way more incentives. -
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Karma News: Fisker Furloughs Workers, Hires A Bankruptcy Law Firm
pow replied to William Maley's topic in Karma
Fisker is all show. No technology, no intellectual property, no innovation--just off-the-shelf components in an attractive looking body. Compare that to Tesla, which sold more Model S's than GM sold Volts in the month of March. Not bad for a company that only started making its own cars less than a year ago. -
I try to say it with a Michigan accent to be more authentic. Im-PAALLLA. I love John McElroy from Autoline Detroit, especially when he says "Autoblog." OWTO-BLAAAAAAAAAAG. Or Ford Flex: "FORD FLECCCKS!" Tik-NAAAAAAAL-logi.
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Yeah, but it was the pointless 335d model with slower acceleration and worse fuel economy than the F30 328i.
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Hope there's also an alternative fuel powertrain option, whether diesel, hybrid, or electric. Spending $75 to fill up every 10 days, whether you can afford it or not, just isn't cool. I drove an E350 Bluetec for 76 miles today--massaging seats and active bolsters on--and averaged 34.2 mpg. There's just something satisfying about being resourceful and not using more than you need.
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Mazda6 powertrain is as you would expect from a large-displacement four cylinder and auto. It's fairly perky and responsive, but I wouldn't describe it as smooth or pleasant. A 2-liter turbo would be nicer. The chassis, despite being tuned sporty and firm, is actually very livable. It's just that the coarseness of the powertrain, combined with the slight claustrophobia from the high beltline and low roof, amplify the NVH you get from the chassis, which in itself is fine and 3-series like. I would say Accord or Camry are best for most family sedan buyers; shame they're so bland and common.
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I test drove a Passat SE TDI, Fusion 1.6 SE Appearance, and Mazda 6 Touring today. It was difficult to pick a winner; each were solid in their own way. Passat: Quirky powertrain. Turbodiesel is non-linear; a bit of turbo lag, a surge of torque AFTER an upshift, and you can feel the clutch engaging and disconnecting at low speeds. Airy, spacious interior. Bland, but because of its sheer size, it's a somewhat classy looking car. Drives well on the highway. Loose brake feel. Fusion: Felt the most isolated and refined of the group. Nice German-feeling build quality. Dark and cramped compared to the airy Passat. 1.6 turbo is smooth but sounds strained and needs to be worked hard. Weighty steering and good brake feel. 6: Sporty driving position. Excellent steering. Feels connected to the road. Firm ride. Engine is coarse sounding at high revs. Smallest back seat. Average interior quality. For ultimate driving enjoyment, the 6 is best. The Fusion is the most refined. The Passat is most accommodating.
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GM News: Rumorpile: GM Ponders A Three-Cylinder For The Volt and ELR
pow replied to William Maley's topic in General Motors
In many ways, the "range extender" is the biggest limitation for the performance potential of a PHEV/E-REV. The beauty of EVs is that the maximum output of an electric motor has no impact on energy consumption--if driven the same way--unlike with an ICE car, where a larger engine and/or forced induction will reduce fuel economy even if the added power is not being used. Volt could have a 400-hp motor and keep the same MPGe, but the 82-hp 1.4L range extender keeps that from happening. -
Cadillac News: Cadillac Unveils New A Twin-Turbo 3.6L V6 For The 2014 CTS
pow replied to William Maley's topic in Cadillac
Nice. The 420-hp twin-turbocharged V8 in the Audi S6 actually gets better MPG than these figures from Cadillac, but this V6 is likely to be much less expensive than competitive forced induction V8s of similar performance. -
Mercedez Benz News Mercedes-Benz To Unveil Next Gen S-Class In May
pow replied to William Maley's topic in Mercedes-Benz
I'd definitely take an '80s Mercedes over a similar vintage Buick or Oldsmobile any day. I find it funny that those cars are even mentioned in the same sentence. Back then, S-classes were built like tanks and are still desirable even today. The W220 (2000-2006), by comparison, is a POS. -
A 528d would be nice, too. Would make a nice competitor to E250 BlueTEC and Model S 40-kWh.
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Went on a road trip from LA to SF over the weekend and saw Model S's everywhere, including on I-5 at every Supercharger station. The solar-powered stations look very futuristic... car's not bad either.
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I like the retro TDI badge.
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If you plan on swapping cars within the next 24 months, I'd suggest the Beetle. TDI resale values are solid, so you'll end up spending less than in the cheaper Sonic. Maintenance is paid for, too.
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I still don't get why GM won't add rollover protection to its convertibles. Or rear seat center passenger headrests, for that matter. Crashes that would benefit from those safety features are rare, but when it does happen, it's still a life that could have been saved.
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The 2.5 can now be had with the Sport Appearance package that was previously 1.6T or 2.0T-only. Gives you eco seat fabric which is way nicer than the base cloth, 18" wheels, and leather wrapped steering wheel--stuff that really "completes" the look and feel of the car. It would be difficult for me to choose between Fusion and Accord in this segment. Accord appeals to your rational side, and it's the sort of car you'd recommend to your mother. Better outward visibility, more interior space, better fuel economy (27 mpg city vs 22 mpg), and likely better resale value and reliability. But Fusion is more attractive to look at and feels like a more expensive car inside--Germanic indeed. And with rebates and discounts, a Fusion SE 2.5 with Appearance Package ends up selling for the same price as a base Accord LX CVT. If I were leasing, I'd get the Fusion. If I were buying, I'd probably get the Accord.
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2014 refreshed Fiesta does look pretty fancy. I like the nose job and the 16" SE Appearance Pack wheels. I'll take one in Blue Candy, please!
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Cool. For 2013, the only way to get sport seats, rear disc brakes, leather wrapped steering wheel, and fog lights are with the pricey SE Appearance Package, which also includes 17" alloys and leather. There used to be a less expensive Sport Package in 2012 that had those "essentials" but with 16" alloys and cloth seats.
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All things considered, I'm liking it. There are some problems that have been with the car since Week 1. I hear occasional buzzes and rattles from the interior when it's cold outside or if I drive on a particularly rough road. The front suspension makes a clomping noise going over bumps that gets louder when there are passengers in the car. There are many other Focus owners experiencing the same problem, but Ford hasn't identified a fix. Customer service promises that they're forwarding our information to engineers and that a solution is coming, but it's been months, and I'm starting to doubt it. The car was $21K OTD new, but if I were to sell it today, I'd be lucky to get $15K because of the suspension noise and the fact that Ford flooded rental fleets with PowerShift SE and SEL cars. So I'm basically forced to keep this car forever. On the upside, the noise only seems to only effect "early-build" Focii. Mine was built 11/2011. Also, there are more rebates and discounts on 2013s, so depreciation won't be as bad. And apart from the noise, I've had no other issues. Just an oil change and rotation at 10,000 miles. It now has 17,000 miles and it drives exactly the same as new. Tight steering, tight suspension, smooth and quiet engine. The car is very user friendly. I don't have MyFordTouch, just normal SYNC, and the controls are very logical once you get used to them. I have manual HVAC controls and I can do everything without looking. Center armrest gets in the way of shifting, so I now open it whenever I drive. Seats are nice. Fuel mileage is good. Averaging 29.2 mpg over the past 8,866 miles, with the highest tank at 35.9 mpg and the lowest tank at 22.8 mpg. I upgraded to 18" Titanium wheels so consumption has probably increased 1 or 2%. My Fuelly account: https://www.fuelly.com/driver/empowah/focus As far as FWD compact cars go, I still think the Focus is among the best out there. Not perfect, but sometimes I have to keep things in perspective: this isn't a BMW, it's a $21K hatchback. I've driven the latest Civic, Sentra, Impreza, Dart, and 3 and none of them close to the sophisticated driving feel you get from the Focus. The next step up would be a FR-S or 3-series.
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It's polarizing for sure, but all things considered, I think that's a good thing. This small Jeep is making a design statement. The interior and rear 3/4 look promising.
