Rabu, 18 Februari 2009

Ford Fiesta 1.6S Facelift Launched in India

By Satish Kalepu

The new facelift Ford Fiesta was launched by Ford India In June. The company has given a complete overhaul to the interiors, designs, looks and style. This version was launched in Brazil last year and has made its debut in India in June 2008. It is the sports variant of a mid-size sedan which already has a lot of competition in its segment. With Optra Magnum, Logan, Dzire already marking their strong presence in the segment, it remains to be seen what lies in store for Ford India.

The Engine

The all new Ford Fiesta 1.6S is available in both petrol and diesel versions. It has a 101PS engine with new aerodynamic style kit. Ford models are known for their most fuel efficient engines, thus car can be a promising model for the company. Fuel hikes in India has not deterred the sales of SX4 or Hyundai Verna, thus Ford India can bank upon its fuel efficiency. The new model has all the power packed features with 101PS engine that gives 0-100 in 11.43 seconds and is already rated 5-stars for handling and stability across the world.

It has 5-speed manual suspension with independent McPherson struts in front. Shock absorbers are gas filled and are present in front and rear. Front and rear brakes come with ventilated discs and self-adjusting drums.

Style and Design

The car is quite an attention grabber with its Jasper and Aquarius colours. The interiors are done in black with sporty design. The exteriors have shining honey-comb design front grille with central console with liquid metal finish. The dashboard is much sleeker with leather wrapping on the steering wheel and aluminium finish gear lever. Front doors even have the bottle holders and the glove compartment has stowage for card, coin and pens.

The overall interiors of the car are designed for optimum luxury and comfort. The driver seat comes with adjustable height, rear cup holder floor console, AC vents that surround the car. It comes with 2 DIN MP3 player with Aux-in Roof antenna and 6 speakers. The car also has dedicated audio input jack for iPods and similar MP3 players.

Ford models are known to be the safest ones. This one also comes with all the safety features in place. Its engineering and structural design makes it capable of handling several collisions. The car is optimised with steel strength at critical places.

Price and Other Features

The new Ford Fiesta 1.6S model is currently priced at around Rs. 7.15 lakh in India and comes with ABS. It comes with a two year or 100,000 km warranty along with Roadside assistance program that is available to Ford owners 24/7.

The new Ford Fiesta 1.6S sports a promising overall sporty look with slim and sleek looking body with fine upgraded look. Ford plans to capture a larger market share of the Indian auto market. The new Ford Fiesta 1.6S in the mid-size sedan market holds enough promises for the company to achieve its desired goals in the country.

The Ford Fiesta can be ordered online through cartradeindia.com in India.

A fan of cars and bikes, Satish Kalepu has frequently written reviews about new car launches in India. He frequently test drives cars and advises his friends when they want to buy a car or bike. His work is published on CarTradeIndia - http://www.cartradeindia.com, a venue to buy cars and bikes in India.

Add-on Accessories To Enhance Your Car - Where To Get Them Online

By Alan Detwiler

Add-on accessories for your car will make your ride more enjoyable. A power cord from your cell phone to the cigarette lighter socket will keep your phone running without draining its battery. An iceless cooler will conveniently keep a drink cold. A heated mug will keep coffee hot as long as the car is running. Add-on accessories add enjoyment to your ride. Below is information and comments about five types of accessories. To locate the items online, use the link to Leisure ideas at the end of this article.

12-volt heated mug - A mug with a plug for getting power from the cigarette lighter socket. It keeps a liquid such as coffee hot for as long as the vehicle is running. Some models have a thermostat to set the temperature.

Example models:

  • Wagan Tech Heated Travel Mug, removeable cord plugs into cigarette lighter socket, 16-ounce capacity, double wall vacuum insulation to keep drinks hot up to an hour after you unplug, mug fits cup holders, available for about $30.
  • New VR3 Stainless Steel Heated Insulated Travel Mug Cup, plugs into cigarette lighter socket, 14-ounce capacity, base sized to fit cup holder, about $10 plus shipping.
  • Bell & Howell Hot N' Go Heated Car Mug, heats to 145 degrees F in 30 minutes, 16-ounce capacity, priced about $18.
  • JLR Gear Smart Mug, set the temperature you want, has ready light, 16-ounces, plugs into lighter socket, available online for about $20 plus shipping.

Cooler/warmer - These give the choice of keeping food hot or cold. Can warm food and can cool. Some are sized to hold a can of soda or a mug of coffee, larger units might hold a six pack or more.

Example models:

  • Coleman 12-Volt 9-Can Console Cooler/Warmer, cools to 40° F and warms to 120° F, 9-can capacity. Available online for about $60.
  • Vector® Thermoelectric Portable Food Cooler/Warmer Chests, cool to 40° below outside temperature, warm to approximately 130° F, 9-foot cord plugs into lighter plug. Two available, 6- and 12-can capacity, priced $75 and $85.
  • Koolatron 18-quart Food Cooler/Warmer, cools to 40° F below ambient temperature or warms to 125° F, detachable 10-ft. cord, 3-amp draw, holds 23 12-ounce cans. Available for about $110.
  • ROADPRO 12-Volt Mini Cooler / Warmer, holds 9 12-ounce cans, about $50.
  • 12-Volt 7-Liter Cooler/Warmer 12-Volt 7-Liter Cooler/Warmer, holds 9 12-ounce cans, about $60.
  • Pyle - Automotive Travel Cooler/Warmer - PLCOOL6, holds two 12-ounce bottles, 9-foot detachable cord, 12 volt/120 volt/220-volt, about $40 online.
  • Rubbermaid® Cooler/Warmer 289377 1.1-gallon capacity, holds 6 12-ounce cans, plugs into cigarette lighter socket, in warming mode, warms to 120-degrees F., tie-down strap and buckle strap for fastening to seat back. 7' long 12v cord. Available online for $80 plus shipping.

Cell phone charger - Plugs into the cigarette lighter socket to power or charge your cell phone.

Example models:

  • Virgin Mobile Silver Dolphin Car Charger, for Kyocera phones, plugs into car's power outlet and charges phone in 2.5- to 3.5-hours, www.radioshack.com can locate the stores nearest you where you can get this charger, about $15.
  • Phoenix Wireless Vehicle Power Adapter for Samsung M300/M510, has coiled cord that plugs into cigarette lighter socket, about $25.
  • Quick Cell 3900 Car Charger Nokia, web site lists stores nearest you that stock this charger, about $15.
  • Phoenix Vehicle Power Adapter for Samsung Phones, has coiled cord that plugs into cigarette lighter socket, 3.5-mm plug, for many Samsung phones, for about $25.
  • Generic Car Charger for Nokia N91, N90, N80, 770, 7370, 6282, 6265i, 6165i, 6155i, 6126, 6103, 6102i, 6102, 6101, 3155i. Available for about $5.

Power inverter - Plugs into the cigarette lighter socket, clips to battery, or wire it in. The vehicle's 12-volts dc is changed to 120-volts ac to power things like laptop computers, coffee makers, cell phones, camcorder battery chargers and other small appliances. Don't go bigger than 400 watts unless you want to go directly to the battery with heavy wire. Even then, high power devices will drain your battery quickly and could fry the alternator if the engine is running.
example models:

  • Xantrex X Power Mobile Plug 75, only 75 watts, very light duty, for about $30 online.

  • Whistler 400-watt Power Inverter with Circuit Pro, will run TV/DVD combos, laptops, cooling fans, $30 plus shipping.

  • Xantrex Technologies XPower Plus 400-Watt Inverter #851-0400, 400 watts for 5-minutes, 600-watts surge for easy startups, and 300-watts continuous power, plugs into car cigarette lighter, automatic shutdown mechanism protects against overload, over-temperature and low battery conditions, two 3-prong grounded AC outlets, and a DC outlet. Available online for about $30.

mp3 player - Down load music or other audio content onto either the player's memory or a separate flash drive. Hours of audio can be stored in a single memory device. Some content can be downloaded for free. Listen to the program any time you choose.

example models:

  • VR3 MP3/WMA FM Modulator w/USB Port and Audio, VRFM8BLN, plug a flash drive into its USB port and use Play, Pause, Volume, Shuffle, and Track Selection controls to play MP3 and WMA files, has a mini jack to use a mp3 player or other audio source, has cigarette lighter plug, priced about $35.
  • DLO TransCast FM Transmiter for MP3 Players, 0092007, use to play audio from an MP3 player through a car's radio. Gets power from cigarette lighter jack or batteries, 3-foot cord for connecting an audio source, compatible with MP3 players, PSP, and iPod. Available from radioshack.com for about $40 plus shipping. Radio shack will ship free to the store nearest you.
  • USB Car MP3/WMA FM Modulator Player W/Audio Input, will accept a standard USB drive to play MP3 files with car's FM radio, plugs in cigarette lighter jack, input jack for audio from CD, DVD or MP3 player. Available online for about $25.
  • Belkin TuneCast II Mobile FM Transmitter, will except audio from a MP3 player's headphone jack and transmit it to a car's radio to be played through the car's existing speaker system, powered by batteries or through car's cigarette lighter jack, available for about $24.

Other accessories that can be used to enhance your car include seat covers, floor mats, steering wheel covers, sun shades, head rest covers, litter bags, can and cup holders, inside/outside thermometer, gps/map device, extra loud or novelty sound horns.

Items to keep in your car for repair, emergency, safety and miscellaneous - Jack, lug wrench, trouble light, flares, jumper cables, maps, cell phone and phone numbers, coolant for radiator, drinking water, long storage food, empty container for gasoline, various hand tools, gloves, coat, hat, blanket, rain poncho, and a first aid kit.

This article can be published in print or electronically, free of charge as long as it is complete, unaltered and contains the following author info and links (text only or active):

Links to each product can be found at http://www.leisureideas.com

Have fun, pursue playfulness and a sense of wonder. Do a search for Detwiler at http://www.ebookmall.com/advanced-search

Selasa, 17 Februari 2009

Carroll Shelby - The Life

By James Martell

Carroll Shelby had a vision. It was the kind of vision that would change the world of cars forever. Teenage boys -- especially those who were into hot cars -- could only hope to be like him someday. Born in Leesburg, Texas, Shelby had a lust for speed. He knew what he wanted in a car and went on to develop it -- a high performance American sports car -- which he raced in competitions all over the world by the time he was in his late 30s. There is no other sports car that will make the blood stir more than the car that took Shelby to his fame -- the 1962 Cobra.

A Little History of the Cobra

The Cobra began in 1961 when the British builder of Ace roadster, AC Cars of Thames Ditton in England, lost their manufacturer for the lightweight, but powerful Bristol motor. Carroll saw the Ace as an object of great admiration. To have it gone forever would be wrong. He coveted the look of the Ace with its sleek design, open top, race potential. So, seeing what he had to do keep the production of the car going, he made a proposal to the owner of AC Cars, Charles Hurlock. Shelby suggested they continue making the Ace chassis for a good old U.S. V-8 engine. He didn't let on that he did not have a clue as to where it would come from, but he liked the idea and was determined to pull it off -- which he did in 1962, just a year after receiving the first chassis from AC. It was a marriage of the British Ace roadster and Ford's hot new 260-cid V-8 engine. Later there was a 289 which now put the Cobra up to 380 horsepower and crowns in the SCCA-A-production and the U.S. Road Racing Championship.

His career as a championship race car driver was in full swing, winning competitions all over the world, including the 24 hour Le Mans, beating such sophisticated models as Ferraris and Corvettes. Then in 1960 Shelby discovered he had a heart condition, which forced him to quit racing due to the stress involved in competitive racing. It didn't stop him from continuing his heartfelt dreams, though. He would begin a new path, a new chapter in his life, as an automotive designer. If he couldn't drive fast himself, he could create cars that could give some other driver a thrill. He would make them faster, lighter, and able to beat out the world's fastest cars.

In 1965, at the 12 Hours De Reims in France, Shelby and his team raced a Cobra that would score enough points to win the prestigious FIA World Championship of GT cars, taking the title virtually owned by Ferrari for a decade. With his success, doors opened for Shelby, including partnering at times with Dodge and Ford Motors. The Cobra was hot and only getting hotter.

But the Cobra production stopped in '68 after a total of 356 had been produced. It didn't take long before 427 replicas were popping out of the woodwork. When AC cars revived, they began producing its own specimen of replicas back in the late 80s. That was great, except Shelby went one step farther by having 43 new "1965" Cobras built from leftover parts in the mid-1990s.

Since 2003, the finest Cobra "replica" built comes from Shelby himself, manufactured at Shelby Automobiles in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unlike the original, Shelby's Cobras now offers a fiberglass, carbon fiber, or aluminum body, and the frame is stronger. But to the untrained eye, this is an identical 1960s Cobra -- a fine work of art signed by its maker.

Shelby's Career Doesn't Stop There

Although the Shelby Cobra roadster was the beginning of Shelby's career, with groups such as the Beach Boys writing songs about the car, Shelby's life work continues even later in life. A little history of his later years:

  • 2006: The new Shelby GT
  • 2007: Shelby GT500KR -- introduced the 2008 model
  • 2007: Shelby GT-H Convertible introduced
  • 2007: Post-title Super Snake package introduced for the Shelby GT 500's
  • 2007: Shelby GT convertible introduced
  • 2007: Shelby Performance Parts Company is formed
  • 2007: Shelby Terlingua Racing Team returns

His achievements are many, far too many to mention. Shelby is a legend in many ways, and these are only some of his achievements in the past two decades:

In the 90's, Shelby American developed the awesome Shelby Series 1, the fastest car ever tested in the standing measured.

In the 90's, while waiting for a heart transplant, Shelby founded the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation, a charitable organization focused on children in need of transplants. His role as legendary racer and designer is broadened even more by this generous move.

In 1991, after pacing the Indianapolis 500 in a Dodge Viper, Shelby was inducted into the International MotorSports Hall of Fame.

Since 2005 Shelby has partnered with Edsel Ford and the Ford Motor Company once again, continually producing number one models for the Ford Mustang.

Today at the age of 85, Shelby, the legend, continues to be a driving force (no pun intended) in automotive design. His love of the sports car is reflected in everything he does, living up to the reputation he so deserves.

James Martell, publisher of KitCarConnection.com, is probably one of Carroll Shelby's biggest fans. His admiration for Shelby can be seen in many ways -- including buying a Shelby Cobra replica of his own, visiting the Las Vegas Shelby American factory numerous times, and naming his daughter Shelby. He lives on the west coast of Canada in Victoria, British Columbia, with his wife, Arlene, and their four children, Adam, Justin, Shelby and Victoria. In his leisure time he continues developing his kit car website, attending car shows, and going on cruises.

Support for SEO Indonesia

Air Cars, Trucks and Other Vehicles

By Rhondalyn Teel

The major expenses with vehicles are fuel and repairs.

My 72 Gran Torino gets 27-30 miles per gallon on the freeway, depending on the terrain, and 24 miles to the gallon city driving. She can haul 4 times the weight and 6 times the bulk of a new comparable vehicle. She is safer and more comfortable than any of these new vehicles.

Yet new vehicles only get 35 to 40 gallon per mile, can only haul 1/4 of the weight and can haul less than 1/6th of the bulk of the Gran Torino.

New vehicles are not an improvement on 36 plus years old vehicles.

Why not? A combustion engine is designed to burn fuel. Even if you actually 'improve' the engine (without sacrificing room, comfort, and safety of the vehicle) if you put more and more pull/drag on the engine with bigger alternators, smog pumps, air conditioning, etc., you have lost any efficiency gains.

Imagine: A full sized, very comfortable car. Why do you need a combustion engine, or a hybrid electric, or an electric with the electric motor and heavy batteries?

Weight!

A false roof over the roof of your car could easily contain hydrogen bags. Simple lift controls on the dash could release hydrogen to provide 'legal' lift.

'Legal' lift would probably be 'tires must touch the pavement' at first.

Remove the engine, clutch, transmission, radiator, muffler and fuel tanks.

Paint the engine compartment and the outside of the vehicle with photovoltaic solar paint and hang some lights to power the interior paint for night running. Install a few 12-volt automobile batteries and clean up the electric needs. Such as led head, tail, clearance and interior lights.

Of course all of the engine, transmission, clutch and other electronic gadgets would be gone and would no longer be pulling down on the batteries.

Electric fans installed where the radiator had been, with a slider plate leading to the air vents in the hood, small tube fans installed down the sides of the vehicle, and fans on top of the vehicle would provide the motivation needed.

The fan speed could be controlled by a pressure gauge/valve under the existing foot throttle.

You would no longer require mechanical brakes. A couple of fans dedicated reverse could be controlled by a pressure gauge/valve under the existing brake pedal.

As long as 'legal' lift was wheels on the ground you would have steering with your front tires controlled through the steering wheel.

However it will be necessary to install an upright rudder/tailfin and flaps to turn, raise and lower the vehicle when air born.

Imagine a vehicle you could easily repair!

This will work for any vehicle of any size, shape and weight, civilian or military.

For trailers you can bag the ceiling or bag the undercarriage. As long as you are being paid by weight, you will need to pump/compress your bagged hydrogen, so that the pay scales will show the correct weight. However while traveling, with your hydrogen bags inflated, no more overload tickets!

I give any patent rights to all people.

Rhondalyn Teel is a researcher and correlator. Search Rhondalyn Teel on http://www.lulu.com or on Kindle at http://www.amazon.com

Note: For background Read the articles 'Air Boats' and Air Airplanes' by Rhondalyn Teel

Common Air Conditioning Repairs For Cars

By Fei Lim

Most all new cars that are sold now are equipped with an air conditioning (A/C) system, with most of us relying on it every single day, depending on where we live and the surrounding climate. Thankfully, there are very few problems with the sophisticated, modern systems of today, however, every A/C will need some type of maintenance at some point, and after a few years of service, most will need new refrigerant added as well.

The two most common complaints about air conditioning in cars is that the system is either producing not enough cold air, or no cold air at all. Neither case means that the entire system is damaged or must be replaced, but rather a series of diagnostic checks should be made to determine the exact root of the problem and if any parts do need replacing or repaired.

Understanding Automotive Air Conditioning

A car's air conditioner is comprised of six main components, the compressor and condenser, an evaporator, the receiver-drier, a thermostatic expansion valve, and the liquid refrigerant. Having a basic understanding as to how each of these work will help when it comes time to locate the source of a problem or when having it repaired.

The compressor is what actually powers the system and is driven by belt that is connected to a part of the car's engine. The compressor then emits vapors from the liquid refrigerant using high pressure and heat sent to the unit's condenser. The A/C condenser then changes the vapors to liquid before it moves on to the area known as the receiver-drier, which not only serves as a type of storage tank for the refrigerant in its liquid state, but removes excess the moisture from the refrigerant as well.

The liquid refrigerant is then sent to the unit's thermostatic expansion valve that works to remove all of the pressure, allowing it to expand and turn into a vapor as it flows through the evaporator, which is rather similar to the condenser. After the low pressure refrigerant is sent to the evaporator it is vaporized and works to absorb all of the existing heat from the air inside the car's passenger compartment. Once all of the heat is absorbed, the air remains cool and is circulated throughout the inside with the help of a blower fan.

System Performance Tests and Checking for Leaks

Although a system performance test is not an actual repair itself, it is still vitally necessary along with an initial evaluation in order to determine the actual cause for the air conditioning system's poor performance. The final repairs made will ultimately depend on the diagnostic tests used, which may be as simple as a visual inspection of the system.

An air conditioning system performance test will involve first checking the temperature of the air coming from the vents to ensure that it is below the normal levels. If so, the mechanic or technician will then perform what is known as a head pressure check in which gauges are used to determine the level of refrigerant in the system.

Low pressure readings, or the absence of pressure at all, will indicate that there is usually a leak somewhere that must be located and repaired before adding more refrigerant, which thanks to the Clean Air Act enacted by the U.S. federal government, no longer contains chlorofluorocarbons that we now know to be extremely harmful to the atmosphere's delicate ozone layer.

While it is completely normal, and even necessary, for a car's air conditioner to lose some of its refrigerant, larger leaks will cause a noticeable loss of performance. If diagnostic tests do reveal either low or no pressure coming from the system, a technician must scan it to locate the problem area and ascertain if the leak is liquid or gas refrigerant and which components must be replaced.

Pressure readings during the system performance test that are too high may indicate a blockage or restriction somewhere that is preventing the refrigerant from flowing properly. In most cases, small pieces of dirt have found their way into the small tube that's in place to filter out debris and must be flushed out in order to restore the flow of air through the vents.

All automotive air conditioning systems now must use what is known as R-134A, which is an environmentally friendly refrigerant. Those vehicles made before the year 1996 may still be using the old chemical called R-12 and by law, their A/C systems must be converted or refitted in order to be able to receive the newer refrigerant. All new valves must be installed as well as a complete flushing and cleaning to remove all remnants of the old refrigerant as mixing the two substances will irreparably damage the system and its components.

The best buy and sell autos, auto trader, and read the oldest to newest auto reviews at VehicleRide.com.

Convert Your Automotive Air Conditioner from R-12 to R-134 Refrigerant

By Jason Miller Platinum Quality Author

If you have an older car it may have R12 refrigerant in the air conditioner system. You can still buy R12, but it is very expensive. If you are ready to convert your system to R134, here is a brief explanation of the procedure with a few insider tips to help you. To begin you will need a conversion kit with all the necessary materials. It will include: 2 new adapter fittings, 2 -3 cans of R-134, and a hose with adapter. Once you have all the materials, you can begin the process. The first thing you have to do is have the R12 recovered with a refrigerant recovery machine. (It is illegal to just open the valve and let it out in the air.) Now that the air conditioning system has no pressure, it is time to install the new valve kit. At this point some people freeze up (no pun intended) because they are afraid of mixing up the adapters on the high and low pressure ends. Don’t worry, they are different sizes. The bigger one goes on the low pressure side of the system and the refrigerant hose will only connect to the low side valve. It is pretty hard to mess this up.

Now that the adapter valves are connected, it is time to start the car and put the air conditioner on high. Turn the blower fan to its highest setting as well and open the windows. Grab a can of R134 and hook up the hose and T valve that came with your kit. With the hose hooked up to the can begin to twist the T valve until it punctures the can. Then open the valve to let some freon out and purge the air in the line. Turn the can upside down and hook it up to the low side adapter valve. Now slowly open the valve and let the Freon flow into the system. At this point the compressor will begin to cycle on and off. Don’t panic, this is normal. Keep adding Freon until the system begins to cool. You can feel the low pressure line begin to get cool and condensation will accumulate on it. (Do not grab the high pressure line. It can burn you.) You probably will not need all 3 cans and be careful not to overfill the system. If the air conditioner is still not cooling after the second can, something is wrong. You may have a leak in the system or some other difficulty.

Do not be tempted to keep pumping Freon in the lines. If the low side line is cold and dripping with moisture you are done. If you have a air conditioning manifold gauge set, the low side should have a pressure of 40 – 50 psi.

Good luck and stay cool!

Jason is the webmaster for Red Hill Supply - Online Automotive Air Tools.

Refrigerant Leak Detector, Air Conditioning Manifold Gauge Set and More

Estimate Car Repair Costs

By Kelvin Chan

Having an accident is probably the worst thing that could happen to you and it's something that could appear anytime. Even though you drive carefully below the speed limits or even when your car is stopped someone who is not paying attention slams into your car. Your car could also be damaged by natural disasters and you can't predict these things.

If you want to have less worries you could always choose a good auto insurance policy but usually insurance companies solve problems pretty slow, and you probably want your car fixed and running as fast as possible. But if you need a quick solution you have to know that car repairs can get expensive and you always have to search the best repairs for your money. You should always estimate car repair costs before choosing a company that would repair your car. There could appear several cost differences for repair prices in different areas of a country and you should always pick the best choice for you.

If you have a scratched hood, small engine problems, smashed bumper or slightly damaged side skirts, these are problems that could be repaired easily and pretty cheap. But you have to know that minor repairs are pretty inexpensive, but when it comes to severe car damage then you surely have to be really careful when you estimate your car repair costs. There are some companies that overcharge you for your car repair and you surely don't want that to happen.

A car repair estimate has six major headings: your information and your vehicle information, replacement parts needed for the repair, labor cost, miscellaneous charges, flat fees and a summary of charges. The labor cost is the number of hours spent to repair multiplied with the hourly charge of the car service. You should always check the car repair estimate to ensure that you won't be overcharged.

In the end, if you're careful when you're choosing a repair company, you could get your car back faster and you could always get a good repair price.

Want to discover a proven way to let your car runs on water and save $$ in the process?

By discovering how to run your car on water, you'll have more money to spend elsewhere! Ain't that great?

By the way, if you're running a web site, you can discover how to really increase web site traffic easily!