Review Suzuki Xl-7 - Fully Redesigned

Is the Suzuki XL-7 truly Japanese? Maybe. After all, it bears the mark and the brand of a Japanese auto manufacturer. But maybe there is more to the Suzuki XL-7 that is not so Japanese.

For 2007, the Suzuki XL-7 has been fully redesigned. But it still bears the mark and build of a midsized sport utility vehicle. For power, it uses the 3.6 liter V6 engine which has been built in Japan by an American auto manufacturer, General Motors. However, this engine still has the Japanese touch for there are still a few changes and revisions that Suzuki has done to make it unique. But as a whole, it still is the very same engine that the Pontiac G6 uses. But think again, the Suzuki XL-7 is built in Canada.

So we can say that the Suzuki XL-7 is a vehicle built with the design from the Japanese but holds the wants and fancy of the American market. After all, sport utility vehicles are one of the most popular and most sought after vehicles by citizens of the United States.

With superbly crafted Suzuki auto parts to keep the vehicle in good conditions for years and through various roads and terrain, the Suzuki XL-7 is going to be an exceptional vehicle. For power, the engine can create 252 units of horsepower plus 243 pound feet of torque. And this is just the kind of power and vehicle that Americans are on the hunt for. The transmission is Japanese, though. The vehicle has been equipped with a 5-speed automatic transmission which allows the vehicle to speed from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than eight seconds. It also has the right amount of power to tow equipment that could weight a maximum of 3500 pounds.

Its fuel efficiency is just around average for it makes sure that it is able to meet the standards of the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, or the US. Driving in the city is around 18 miles per gallon while you could achieve some 24 miles per gallon for highway travails. And these figures are surely an improvement over the previous Suzuki XL-7 model.

Review Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

As I am an only child I have a bit of a problem when it comes to attention – I’m always seeking it. This however is socially accepted as ‘only child syndrome’ so I think I can get away with it. Unfortunately I can’t seem to get away from the fact that I am the most un-photogenic person on the planet, so I won’t be draped over the bonnet of a new Mitsubishi anytime soon. In any crowd, at any party or social occasion you can think of I’m there, in the front gurning uncontrollably in front of the camera.

Just a few years ago this wouldn’t have been much of a problem as the photos would be condemned to the family photo album or remain imprisoned on a friends’ memory card. Nowadays with the advent of social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook I’m splattered all over the place looking ugly as sin.

Short of some drastic facial surgery or being pinned to the ground and forced to remain solemn I’ve been struggling to think of how to get attention whilst maintaining my dignity and not pulling stupid faces in public. The good news is I’ve found the answer, it comes from Japan and is now in its tenth incarnation: the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X (That’s ten in roman numerals to the uninitiated).

The Mitsubishi is undoubtedly a brilliant car as it appears on the showroom floor, but I’m a big fan of history and heritage and the Evolution models have a more extensive and impressive lineage than most. Formula One has always been accused of lacking excitement and being controlled by computers more and more as the years go by. The world of rallying however couldn’t be more of a polar opposite, sheer cliff drops, mud splattered cars and windscreens, sheep causing spectacular crashes and the only navigation the drivers have is a petrified co-driver reading the directions from a clipboard.

This is where the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution models come in. For years the Evo and its arch rival the Subaru Impreza slugged it out on the rally circuits before resuming round two on the public roads. For me though it was always Mitsubishi who I waved the flag for and in particular Tommi Makinen, who won the World Rally Championship four times in 1996, ’97, ’98 and ‘99 – every time in his Mitsubishi. It was a time when I was a young teenager developing my love of cars and the sight of Makinen winning the championship in Wales of all places will stick with me forever.

Perhaps now you can see why I’m so passionate about the latest Lancer Evolution, although it’s not purely based on my boyhood memories. In recent years the Mitsubishi/Subaru battle has moved firmly into Mitsubishi’s favour with Subaru’s stylists’ seemingly going blind judging by the exceedingly ugly cars it’s produced. Mitsubishi on the other hand has toned down (ever so slightly) its aggressive styling, made the Evolution one of the best handling cars money can buy and then stuck a price tag on it that undercuts anything that could rival it by at least £40,000.

The Evolution X is pure PlayStation generation styling with big wheels and spoiler, a front grill that could plough through snow and headlights that give the car the look of Mike Tyson in his prime. However it is still a more subtle offering than previous models and the more grown-up feel continues inside. Yes it’s not the most inspiring cabin I’ve ever seen, it’s a typical workmanlike Japanese offering rather than Italian flair, but crucially everything on the X is far better quality than its elders.

Whereas build quality may have been in question previously, performance certainly wasn’t. Needless to say, the latest model doesn’t disappoint, with the snappily titled Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X FQ-360 GSR the one in the range to plump for. In fact it’ll get from 0-60mph in a mere 4.1 seconds, which is a damn sight faster that 99 percent of the competition and much faster than you can say it’s name.

Yet despite this Ferrari beating performance the Mitsubishi’s best feature is how it handles. The most accurate way I can describe it other than that overused word ‘perfection’ is to say it manages to handle like a rally car should but won’t break your spine on the shopping run either. It is a racing car for the everyman (or woman). Well if the everyman (or woman) has £37,999 spare. Yes it’s not cheap initially but when you’re beating Ferrari’s with the wife in the front, two kids in the back and your shopping in the boot having paid at least £70,000 less than Ferrari man you’ll see where I’m coming from.

Besides with the credit crunch I’m hoping the prices will plummet on used versions. I just hope I can cope with all the attention I’ll get.

Ford S-Max – The MPV Strikes Back

The MPV or people carrier as we Brits prefer to call them has often been looked upon with derision by motoring writers. Whilst MPV’s are widely used by taxi firms for ferrying people and their luggage to and from airports their image has become somewhat tarnished over time. More often than not they are packed with hoards of screaming dirty faced children, hurling sweet wrappers from the windows and are driven by mums hopelessly distracted by the antics occurring in the back. Anyone who requires seven seats to accommodate their family could frankly do with some advice on contraception.

The main problem however is they are just plain dull, mere boxes on wheels with all the design aesthetics of a house brick with similar handling qualities. Some of the names aren’t terribly well conceived either, the Lucida and Estima immediately spring to mind which both sound a bit like the sort of names that C-list celebrities burden their kids with.

I read somewhere that the Vauxhall Sintra was deemed by Euro NCAP the European car safety agency to pose a serious threat to passenger occupants during a collision and so vanished rather hastily never to appear again. All of this seems to have led to the major manufacturers sitting their design teams down and saying “right lets get this sorted once and for all.”

The last couple of years have witnessed the emergence of a new breed of MPV which is stylish and versatile and packed with the latest safety features. We have also seen a lot of compact MPV’s to counter the “family bus” image of previous models.

This brings me nicely on to a car which caught my eye when I first saw it and made me realise that the age of driving a sporty car hasn’t completely passed me by.

The Ford S-Max is claimed by Ford to be unique mainly as it doesn’t fit into traditional MPV classification. In spite of another slightly dubious choice of name the main cause for excitement is that the S-Max was designed to be sporty. At last we finally have an MPV that is cool to be seen in. In fact there is even an S-Max owners club in the UK!

The S-Max can still carry seven if required but thanks to its sporty stance it doesn’t appear that huge. The roof slopes down at the rear whilst the slightly aggressive front end styling and side vents set it apart from its rivals. There is an air of quality about the car both inside and out thanks to well fitted trim and use of high quality cabin materials.

The driving position is excellent and more car-like than other MPV’s as it uses the same platform as the new Mondeo which has a large floor pan and gives good interior space. The back row of seats folds on to the floor of the boot rather than into it which gives more room for luggage and the space created when you fold all the seats down is truly enormous and also creates a totally flat load area.

As for driving the steering is impressive and turn-in is positive and sharp. Body movement is limited and the suspension is fairly stiff compared to the usual wallowing ride you get from larger vehicles. The damping is good and the S-Max feels composed and relaxing to drive.

The controls are well positioned and there is a six-speed gearbox which provides a slick gear change. General levels of equipment are good on all models with the base level “Edge” model coming in at the lower end and the top of the range being the “Titanium.”

The optional extras do start to get a bit expensive, cruise control etc which come as standard on a few competitors’ models but with the looks and the drive qualities of the S-Max you’ll be prepared to sacrifice these luxuries and look forward to enjoying yourself behind the wheel again!

Tips to Sell Your Car Online

If you can buy cars online, it means you can sell cars online too. For example, if you have an old car that you want to sell for some cash, you can advertise on the online auto sites. Of course, you will have to search for the right automotive sites that allow you to sell for free or charge the least fee for your listing. You can also consider sites such as EBay. EBay has a special section for automotive. Here you will finds tons of sellers who come here and sell their car. The prices or the commission are also not very expensive and you can do it from the comfort of your home.

Otherwise, you can try other online sites that sell cars for the public. There are a few things you need to remember when selling cars online. Set a price for your car. Price setting might be confusing, but if you do not know how much your car worth in the market, ask an expert. If you can get an opinion from a friend who is an expert in automotive industry, it would be best. You should always do good research before you get in to any kind of automobile deal, as it will help a great deal before making a choice.

Picture tells a thousand words so be sure to capture as many great photos of you car after you have clean up and polish your car to look like brand new. Then, you can add a few descriptions of your car but keep it short and interesting. No one likes to read an essay. They are looking for cars so don’t waste their time; just describe whatever that is important for them to know about the car. You can always get on google or any other search engine and find out information and reviews on any particular model.

Then, post your ad in the sites, complete with pictures and descriptions. The next thing would be to wait for your potential customers contacting you through the sites as you will have to leave your contact, either phone or email address. Once you have a few potential customers, they will negotiate for a better price. Of course, you will sell it to the highest bidder. This is how you sell a car online. This is an exciting system to sell car online from comfort of your home.

If you plan on selling your car anytime in the near future, I would highly recommend you sell it online. Setting it by the road with a for sale sign in it just isn’t going to work anymore. You’re only going to reach a certain audience whereas if you post it online, you’re going to reach the world. You’ll never know who’s going to come look at your vehicle. It won’t be limited to just your area of where you live. You could potentially have someone that wants you car that lives 100 miles away! You will never know unless you try.

Free Oil Leak Checking Tips

A leaky engine is one of the most common and most irritating issues that tend to pop up for drivers. An oil leak can happen at any time regardless of things like weather or the age of the vehicle. Checking for oil leaks is something that you should do regularly, even if you have no reason to believe there may be one. Even a small leak can go unnoticed for a long time until it grows into something much more serious. It’s simply best to be safe and eliminate that possibility.

An oil leak is usually found under the front half of the car, where the engine sits. A bad leak will be noticeable just by getting down on the ground and looking under. For something smaller, you may need to get up close. Oil is pretty easy to identify. It is very thick and either brown or black. It has a certain smell that is not quite like other vehicle fluids. You will have a good idea if it’s an oil leak based on sight and smell.

An oil leak usually comes from the valves or the oil pan. Any number of things can be the cause of an oil leak. It can happen even on newer cars without warning. Oil is essential to your engine’s ability to run smoothly and it can become an expensive problem if not dealt with right away. New cars should be covered by warranty for a random oil leak.

Once you are certain that you have an oil leak, check the dipstick. Check it like you would any other time and take note of how empty it is. This will give you an indication of how fast the oil is leaking and how bad your problem really is. A very slow leak still needs to be dealt with but it gives you more time to call your mechanic without severe worry. If you have a massive leak, call them and tell them. It may have to be towed in the worst case scenario.

If you can’t see where the leak is coming from you may have to take some further measures to pinpoint it. Never just assume that you know the exact spot and start trying to fix it. You can waste time and money this way. You need to know where the leak really is. This means getting a little down and dirty but it will be worth it when you can get to the root of the problem.

Try cleaning the engine with a good, safe engine cleaner. Washing away other dirt and grime might make it easier to see where the oil is coming out. If you still can’t find the leak, drive the car up on to safe lifts, like the ones used by mechanics or for at home oil changes. A jack is ok for lifting but you should never get under a car only secured by a jack. Safety should always come first. If you can’t get the car safely lifted, have a mechanic do it. Check for oil leaks as soon as you suspect them to avoid potential vehicle failure.

Mercedes and Racing

History in Racing:

Mercedes Benz originated in 1880 by two men Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz. Since its origin, they were famous for their fast and sporty cars. Early in the 1890s, an Austrian car dealer Emil Jellinek entered the Mercedes in car races and often won.

Mercedes introduced its first racing car ‘Simplex’ in early in 1900s, with its innovative design the simplex dominated the racing industry for years.

They won their first major race in 1914, the French Grand Prix. In 1920, the company manufactured the ‘Tropfenwagen’, which made them unbeatable in all races for a decade.

They set a record speed of 270 miles per hour in 1930 with its elite race driver Renneilter Alfred Neubauer.

Mercedes entered Formula One racing in 1954 and finished 1 and 2 in the race.

The Setback:

In 1955, Mercedes took retirement from racing, after a tragedy of a car crash killed close to 80 spectators in a Le Mans race, ‘A 300 SLR smashed into another car and went flying into the stands.’ This devastating incident forced them into retirement from racing industry.

Best Comeback Ever:

It was late 1980s, Mercedes returned to sports car racing in style. They introduced their new compact car, the W201 190 class, which broke 3 world records. The 16-valve engine ran a race of 50,000 kilometers at Narudo high-speed track in Italy for 201 hours at a top speed of 247 kilometers per hour.

Mercedes used a loophole in the specification of the race and built an engine that could be used only for this one race. This was in 1994 at Indianapolis 500. They introduced the concept of push rod engines to the racing world.
In 1993, Mercedes entered Formula One racing as an engine supplier of the F1 team of Sauber.

A New Alliance:

Mercedes joined hands with McLaren in 1997, formed a F1 team of its own, and was labelled as Team McLaren Mercedes. They signed up David Coulthard as their driver, who went on to win the first races of 1997. This was the first success for them after that of Juan Manuel Fangio’s in 1955. McLaren Mercedes went on to win for three consecutive years. In 2005, Mercedes won 10 out of 19 races.

Status:

McLaren Mercedes has proven to be one of the best teams in history of Formula One racing. They have the best and most efficient team, from the drivers to the technicians. The drivers such as, Lewis Hamilton and Gary Paffet are one of the best drivers in the racing world. The management includes big names such as, Ron Dennis and Martin Whitemarsh. The technical team includes geniuses such as, Jonathan Neale, Paddy Lowe and Neil Oatley. Lewis Hamilton is the star on the team. He finished third in his first race for Mercedes. He broke a 40-year record of podium position at the start of his first season. Lewis got nine-podium position in his first nine races. In 2007, he won four races and finished second for the champion, losing by just one point to Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari.

Overview:

Mercedes has always been the winners from their first race and continue to be winners until today.

Suzuki Grand Vitara - Appealed to Younger Drivers

The cheeky little Suzuki Vitara was once very popular and especially appealed to younger drivers. I remember college kids who had a bit of money used to buy them and then “pimp” them up to the required standard which usually consisted of enormously oversized wheels and tyres accompanied by some kind of amusing spare wheel cover on the back. Then there was the obligatory sound system which emitted a blue incandescent glow and of course needed to be pumping out the latest hip-hop tune.

I’m not sure what the Suzuki executives back in Japan would have made of all this. I guess they would have just been glad of the sales but for whatever reason the plug was pulled on the Vitara and Suzuki concentrated its efforts on the higher spec Grand Vitara instead. Suzuki must have been aware that along with other baby off-roaders such as the Toyota Rav 4 for example, their cars were rarely used off-road (the cheaper Jimny was always the more favoured mud-plugger) popular with farmers and safari parks alike. I remember when my car broke down in the lion enclosure at Longleat safari park and I was saved from becoming an appetiser by a man in a zebra striped Jimny.

The motoring expression “soft roader” was born out of a desire by people to drive vehicles that were designed for off-road conditions but ended up in our towns and cities. It still provokes a heated debate amongst those in favour and those who are opposed to such behaviour.

Unperturbed though by the anti- 4x4 lobby Suzuki introduced an all new Grand Vitara in 2005 and I recently decided to have a closer inspection of one at a cheap Suzuki dealer.

This third generation model is quite a step up from the model it replaced. It is stylish, better to drive, and compares well on price and specification to models offered by Kia, Hyundai and Nissan.

There are two petrol engines a 1.6 VVT with 105bhp and a 140bhp 2.0-litre petrol. Both offer adequate performance and cruise well at speed, but can suffer from a lack of pulling power between 30-60mph, which can make overtaking a drawn-out affair. A 1.9 DDiS diesel, supplied by Renault, with 130bhp became available from late-2005.

The steering is sharp and body roll is much more under control when cornering, even at speed. The brakes are positive and responsive. As with most off-road vehicles the gear change can be a little notchy at times, but otherwise there's a precise feel to the changes and the ride is much better than the old Grand Vitara which was rather unsophisticated and a little uncomfortable.

The Grand Vitara is longer and wider than before and the interior styling is good. There is plenty of headroom and rear legroom on the five-door, the space in the rear of the three-door is a bit tight though. Road and wind noise are kept to reasonable levels, but engine noise can get intrusive under heavy acceleration.

The wide opening tailgate and high roof means that large and awkwardly-shaped objects are easily accommodated, although loading can be quite tricky as it's quite high off the ground. The load area on the five-door is good, while the boot space offered by the three-door is acceptable for a couple, rather than a family. The seats tumble and fold, which gives even the three-door near van-like practicality. Both have a hidden storage bin under the boot floor which is useful for hiding your valuables. Inside there's a large glove box, centre storage bin and bottle holders in the door pockets.

The Grand Vitara gained an impressive four star rating from Euro NCAP for occupant safety and standard safety equipment is good. You’ll find ABS and electronic brake force distribution, dual front, side, and front and rear curtain airbags. All cars have remote central locking and an immobiliser so it should still be there when you return to it.

Like many Japanese manufacturers, Suzuki has a reputation for mechanical durability and like the successful Swift supermini, the Grand Vitara has been designed and engineered for European buyers who now expect a quality interior with a high-grade finish. There are no reports of any reliability problems so you should not encounter anything untoward.

The Grand Vitara has proved to be a worthy adversary against its counterparts from the other 4x4 stables.

Custom Dashboard Covers - Avoid Color Fading

Nobody likes dirty look inside your car. The discolored dashboards may diminish the appeal inside your car. Since the dashboards covers are in front of driving seats, the look of dashboards is particularly more important to improve the quality of driving. Custom dash covers can protect your dashboards from color fading.
There are several elements that cause color fading and other harms to your dashboards. The main culprit is UV rays. Particularly in Sunbelt areas, extreme heat causes severe color fading that result in ugly dashboards and unpleasant car interiors.

Though there are universal dash covers also available at cheap rates, these may or may not provide desired protection. Since these are made to fit virtually all types of vehicles, they don’t provide complete covering. The dirt also cause harm to the functions of your dashboards. In order to protect dashboards from all of these hazards, custom fit dashboard covers are the best choice. The custom made dash covers provide desired protection for your dashboards. There are certain factors that determine the quality and thus, the effectiveness of dash covers.
Custom dash covers are made of quality material. In order to block UV rays, dash covers must be made of quality seat covers. Usually the brand of repute use quality certified material such as Polyester and velour material. If the material is of superior quality, it will not fold or melt due to heat. Another quality of dashboard covers is the perfect fit. Since the designing of dashboards is complex, it’s necessary that the dash covers you get must cover each cut and curve. It’s necessary to avoid dust and UV rays.

Fiat Palio Stile 1.3SD Multijet - Smoother Drives with Fuel Economy

Gear yourself up for a speedy yet smooth drive through any terrain with Fiat Palio Stile 1.3 SD Multijet. Fixed with electronic controls, this Fiat Palio Stile 1.3 SD Multijet gets out fine engine performance.
Key Features Fiat Palio Stile 1.3 SD Multijet houses a powerful engine designed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies and it delivers power of 75hp at 4000 rpm and a fine torque of 184 Nm at 2000 rpm. This 1248 cc DOHC engine is accompanied by a turbocharger with intercooler and wastegate. It is further provided with electronically-controlled EGR system. All this presents you smooth driving experience, reduced operational noise levels, greater comfort and lesser vibrations. Moreover, this Fiat Palio Stile 1.3 SD Multijet proves to be advantageous, considering the environmental aspect when you drive.



It reduces the amount of particulate emissions. Double Crank Prevention System helps avoid double cranking of engine; whereas Child Lock on rear doors gives further rest to your worries. Fiat Palio Stile 1.3 SD Multijet is also equipped with Fire prevention system, Reverse Gear Lock, external door lock and engine immobilizer.
Design Fiat Palio Stile 1.3 SD Multijet assumes a fresh style with clear lines. The interiors emanate warmth and dashboard complements the looks. This car has front grills that bear Fiat’s new Logo in red. Its stylish body colored bumper is placed below the dazzling double barrel clear lens halogen headlamps. With full wheel covers, this car not only gives a dynamic impression but also exudes strength of design.
Cons Fiat Palio Stile 1.3SD Multijet misses out features such as central locking, alloy wheel plates, rear wiper and washer, front and rear power windows having child lock, front fog lamp and some other features too. It could also do better with a better clutch design.
Conclusion The snazzy looking Fiat Palio Stile 1.3 SD Multijet is certainly a good car, yet considering the price range you might as well go for the Fiat Palio 1.1 SL with similar features.

Side Skirts - Enhance The Appearance Of The Car

Its obvious for show cars to be fitted with body kits and side skirts, being a part of body kit leaves a great impact in the appearance of a car. Originally a side skirt is used to stop the flow of air beneath the car and thus ensure a good speed. To the rear of the car, side skirts are fitted with vents in order to ensure that the backward brake disks are cooled down easily.
Apart from the functionality, when side skirts are used to enhance the appearance of the car, it’s usually ensured to select the right curve that suits your car. It may be a flat skirt or a curved one and you can even put a mesh instead of leaving the rear side skirt with a gap. Depending upon your choice, you can paint it or just leave it the way it is.
It’s really necessary to maintain your side skirts. For this you may get it sprayed often to avoid shabby and brittle look. This may cost anywhere between £300-£1000 additional to side skirts and body kits. It is usually tricky to match the colour of your car with the side skirts. So it would be advised to get the entire car sprayed while getting new side skirts. This will even let the long due spraying of your car done as well.



If you decide to go for fitting a mesh in your side skirts, it may take lot of time if you first fit the side skirts and later on decide upon adding the mesh. So it would be better if you can plan things accordingly. It would not only save a lot of time but energy too.
There is no doubt to the fact that the entire look of your can may change with new and suitable side skirts and other body fittings. But apart from giving your car a more pleasurable appearance, these even better your car’s aerodynamic requirements. Thus don’t go to any shop that sells body kits and side skirts. Go to an authentic shop which specializes in side skirts. These shops may even have employed professional to fit the side skirts into your car, which is any day a better option because when you spend so much of money in buying your favourite side skirts and spend so much time and energy, its recommended to use the services of a professional to avoid any kind of damage to your precious vehicle. Also see that the professional check out all the instructions before kitting side skirts in your car. After all a good finish is what your aim is!!!