Grant's Auto Rants

Feeling Congested?

North America is a pretty expansive place covering about 8,400 square miles with a road system including all highways and roads measuring a whopping 4,688,633 total miles.     That is enough pavement to circle the globe over 220 times. Driving at 80 mph, 12 hours a day it would take someone (and a very reliable vehicle I might add) over 13 years to drive the total distance. One would think that with this many roads and so much wide open space that there would be plenty of high-way to go around.

Until you consider that there are 258,000,000 vehicles in North America as well. At a staggering 55 vehicles per mile, all of sudden the  roads sound very crowded indeed.

Well, the fact of the matter is that human nature is such that we tend to be like-minded and flock to congregated masses all doing the same things in the same areas, so we have an grossly misaligned balance of road/population distribution. Namely city vs. country. On an given day it would not be difficult to find either a back country road where you don't see another car, or make a downtown commute of five miles that can last an hour.

Sure, variety is the spice of life, but traffic is quite simply put, hell on wheels.

Traffic congestion has gotten so bad in some areas that national road planners are soon going to change the very scale they use to describe it replacing what was once considered "heavy" as "medium." Trust me, you don't want to experience what comes after that. We are talking cars packed in so tight they might as well be a train with a length so long you can see it from space.

Nope, there are few things out there that will help you lose your marbles more effectively than the nice, old bumper to bumper on the way home from a long day at the office. Not surprisingly, this poor use of resources and inadequate infrastructure is costly in terms even more tangible than repeatedly bashing your head against your steering wheel with drool coming out of your mouth.

Traffic consumes some 2.3 billion gallons of fuel every year at a cost of roughly $800 per traveler. When you throw in productivity for lost time workers spend staring at their neighbor's tailpipe, and the total cost is estimated at over $63 billion. The amount of time the average traveler in a urban area with a population greater than 3 million is 38 hours per year. Commute your whole career and you will have spent 80 days wondering just what the jerk at the front of the line was doing.

If you ever needed an excuse to tele-commute my friends, this is your wake-up call. Or you could move to the middle of Idaho.

To read more interesting facts about traffic congestion, click here.

EU jumpstarts new emissions regulation

Just as new diesel technology is set to gain traction in the US, our European counterparts who have been paving the way with diesels for decades already, have just passed new legislation calling for stricter tailpipe NO2 limits, in essence requiring particulate filters on all new model vehicles beginning in 2009. The filters do reduce airborne particulates/soot to be sure, by up to 80% by some estimates, and at first glance seem like a logical pawn in emission's chess. The proposed limits however, will likely come with their fair share of controversy.

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association is quick to say that requiring particulate filters on all new vehicles will raise the average cost of a new car by up to 900 Euros, which may be enough to drive people to petrol cars. The same gasoline-powered cars that actually emit more CO2 pollutants than the diesels. No one ever said be environmentally friendly was easy.

In addition to this potential backfire of Euro policy, the new regulations also provide a loop hole so big that you could drive an SUV through it, which is exactly what people will do according to Environmental group Transport & Environment as SUVs are given the same exemption from regulations as ambulances. Thus, providing makers of SUVs a three-year head start or lag really in complying with the new rules.

The sad irony is that in the US where we have all the rules and regulations, not mention new low-sulfur diesel, people are clueless to the advantages of the fuel and the vehicles that burn it. Yet, in the EU where diesels are everywhere, the very legislation calling for clean diesel technology is likely to down shift people into the more expensive (through gasoline prices) petrol cars and SUVs, which will actually pollute more.

So is this is case of putting the cart before the donkey? or just the SUV in front of the sedan?

To read about the new EU emissions legislation, click here.

Built-in reliability

Automakers really don't want to build crappy cars, at least any manufacturer who wants to be around longer than the length of their warranty period. But building a reliable automobile is a bigger deal than one might expect and then when you add all the other incentives pushing you to build junky cars, like costs, shareholder value, timelines, budget constraints, etc...and the job becomes downright tricky. At one time, it is likely that manufacturers chose suppliers subsequently automotive components based on their specific lifespans, which weren't necessarily considered "indefinite."

This distinction is important because it suggests that car companies had the luxury of building cars that were really only designed to last a certain period of time of length in miles. The idea being that one, costs and other factors made it financially unsound to use stronger parts/systems (that pesky law of diminishing returns), and that if someone's car "wore out," they would be forced to re-enter the purchasing cycle and hopefully  exercise some brand loyalty. When looking at some vehicles, for example, during the Reliant "K" cars days, and this notion really isn't that far of a stretch.

The days of calculated product durability and lax commitment to longevity however, are certainly a thing of the past, long steamrolled by global (and domestic) competition and improvements in technology. Cars are by no means expected to last forever, as brands typically compete within their specific markets for share, but at least one or two companies have adopted the "forever" goal, as idealistic as it may seem, and that has made their brands the most reliable and durable in the industry, both perceived and in practice. If Honda and Toyota (and their associate brands) come to mind, then they have done a good job, going the proverbial "extra mile."

In today's marketplace, you are quickly singled out if you employ less than bullet-proof components or cut corners, like a gazelle getting separated from the herd. This is something some domestics (and foreign) models continue to struggle with , especially with auto interiors.

This brand perception of quality and reliability has extended to the service and maintenance of vehicles after the sale. Although dealerships are for most brands seen as an unfortunate necessary evil with all the headaches and demands that come along with a network of people selling your product, the best brands have embraced the relationship and we are now seeing defined and elaborate programs designed from manufacturers with dealerships in mind to further develop and protect the coveted brand perception. With there is certainly a balance to maintained (dealerships make their money on the continual servicing and repair of cars, something in direct opposition with the reliable theme) dealerships now recognize the broader (sales) importance of having cars that simply last.

To read an article outlining how one manufacturer sees this important industry dynamic, click here.

The mileage dance

Amid all the recent concerns over fuel economy, international policy, and global warming (Kyoto), you would think one of the net effects would be for the overall size/weight of vehicles we drive to go down and the net mileage to go up, but according to a recent article, just the opposite is happening.

Well, as usual, it doesn't tell the whole story and we as consumers are facing another what some like to call the "Potomac Two-step."

Per the Environmental Protection Agency's new and updated criteria for testing fuel economy ratings, all vehicles beginning with model year 2008 will have the results of the new testing procedures displayed on their Mulroney sticker. For they remaining suckers out there, manufacturers will be allowed to post what the results would have been under the admittedly antiquated, bias, and simply inaccurate methodology. Thank goodness.

Of course, mileages of our favorite cars and trucks haven't actually changed at all, but the implied changes from the new tests will illustrate what appears to be in some cases a 20-30% decrease in average city and highway mileage. Hybrids seem to be especially prone to the decrease partly because the new highway test speed has gone from a lethargic 55 mph to more plausible 80 mph. (Think of those Comcast commercials comparing dial-up to high-speed)

People have found the EPA ratings suspicious at best for years, so it really doesn't come as much of a surprise, but it must make you feel good that they are finally coming out to say, "yes, are numbers were total rubbish." You might even be convinced that as an agency they may no longer be "on the take." Let's hope the new emphasis on the actual mileages actually have an affect on consumer perception about their vehicles and that we can happily exist with one less corporate/governmental fib.

To read an article on the new ratings and their criteria, click here.
Now if we could just wake up and really smell the fumes like our European ex-friends or friends down under.

Car won't start? Maybe it's flooded.

The hurricane season of 2005 left us with some legacies as a country we really hadn't seen before, at least in modern times. For example, did you know that at least 500 defendants in cases such as drug, theft, and assault have simply been let go because evidence and other supporting documentation for their cases was either damaged beyond use or simply lost altogether during the flooding. The criminal system has been paralyzed by this and the fact the because so many people have left the area, that there simply isn't the legal staff and witnesses to go to hearing, trial, etc...pretty scary.

Another situation borne out of the aftermath of hurricanes Rita and Katrina is the flooding of the used-car market with as many as 500,000 hurricane damaged vehicles, the majority of which were completely or partially underwater for as long as a week or more. The problem was of obvious concern right away during the initial clean up, yet it has taken until now for lawmakers to introduce actual legislation requiring that information be available to consumers about vehicles that have been declared a total loss.

The problem is that many of the affected vehicles were brand new sitting on (or floating away from) a dealer's lot. Because the vehicles were new however, once sold through a wholesale auction or claimed from the insurance company, the cars could be cleaned up and appear like nearly a new vehicle without the obvious wear and tear of a used car. Unfortunately, modern vehicles are not designed to submarine for any amount of time as they are more computer laden today then ever and as these are the most susceptible to corrosion and damage from water, a vehicle may experience a host of different electrical and component issues as time goes on.

The cars are not only a ticking time-bomb from a service and repair point of view, but may also be a hazard to its owner and other drivers as safety items like air bags and abs brakes can't not be expected to work properly. By now however, these vehicles have likely made their way around the country and with potentially a few more miles on the odometer, seamlessly joined the rest of the used-car population. Incidentally, more than two used cars are sold in the US for every new vehicle, some 44 million in 2005 alone, so displacing 500,000 or so may not be so difficult.

The legislation is still being kicked around by Congress and will hopefully be passed after the break as it would help protect consumers down the road for hurricane, but also other vehicles deemed a total loss from showing up on a used lot.

To read an article about the legislation, click here.
To review the NADA tips on spotting a flood-damaged vehicle, click here.

Ferrari Service: Tale of the tape

One the most interesting quotes I've committed to memory is from legendary automotive journalist and editor David E. Davis who once said, "anyone who is worth anything at all should own a twelve cylinder car before they die, there is nothing else like."

Davis would go on to claim, "it will take your breath away," though according to a recent article citing the actual service and repair costs of a modern Ferrari 550 Maranello, that isn't the only thing it will take away.

Everyone knows that owning a Ferrari (or any exotic sportscar) is expensive, maybe not how expensive really, but certainly more than your average family hauler. Go to any enthusiast site or forum and browse through the discussion boards and you will undoubtedly quickly come across threads talking about service and repair costs and questions from aspiring owners regarding what life is really like once the automotive equivalent of the honeymoon is over.

The specific car in the article is a 1998 model, very much considered a modern Ferrari meaning that many of the less-desirable (read expensive) idiosyncrasies of ownership, which have come to define some of the very "essense," "mystique," or "personality" of the lauded Ferrari brand. In relative terms, when compared to some earlier 12-cylinder Ferrari's, the 550 is what most Tifosi would describe as "well sorted out."

How does well sorted out equate to over $65,000 in service and repair expenses for a 1998 car with only about 30,000 miles? Well, until you have driven a twelve cylinder Ferrari (or owned a late model one) you probably can't appreciate the "deal" this may be. Mind you, this doesn't include the costs covered by the warranty, nor the insurance to cover it, the petrol to fuel it, or the initial purchase price to buy it.

Whether or not this is a typical service bill and ownership cost for such a car really doesn't matter, if you have to ask you can't afford it, right? The thing is, windshield wiper reservoirs, hood pistons, and multiple oil leaks aren't things you would expect to find problems with on a car costing one tenth the Ferrari does, nevermmind the astronomical costs to fix/repair them. These are the same items the guys on the Porsche board love to read and gossip about.

At the end of the same David E. Davis interview, David happens to say, "Hemingway once said that pheasant-shooting was worth whatever you had to pay for it, I think that is true with Lamborghini (sportscar) driving."

I can only imagine.

To read the interesting, if somewhat un-nerving article on the service costs of the Ferrari, click here.

Under Pressure

According to the National Highway Safety Traffic Safety Association (NHSTA), every year low tire pressures cause 660 fatalities and 33,000 accident-related injuries. Checking and re-checking your tire pressures regularly is the single easiest DIY maintenance item out there, yet the Rubber Manufacturers Association claims that only 20% of drivers correctly check them.

Keeping your vehicle's tires properly inflated is not only about safety either. A single under inflated tire can be responsible for a decrease in fuel efficiency by 3-5%, so it pays inflate, not mention saves on gas, airborne pollutants, global warming, etc...If you don't do it to save yourself or thy neighbor, do it save your wallet, it that isn't good enough, do it for the environment. Nitrogen or regular old US grade A "hot" will do.

So with all these incentives to check, why can't they be bothered?

Maybe the image of those old compressors at the corner gas station conjures up some repressed childhood memories of a flat tire on your favorite bike, or worse the thought of trying to drag around a tangled hose in the cold after digging between the seats for a couple of quarters to feed the mean (and loud) yellow box are just too much. Either way, we simply don't do it so the industry has been forced yet again to "dumb it down" for the consumer with the advent and adoption of the tire pressure monitoring system.

Tire pressure monitoring has been around for several years, but only now can be considered mainstream or "main street" as it is standard equipment on more vehicles. The system has been successful enough that legislation has been passed to require the feature on all new vehicles in the future. If you had to give credit to one, as when tend to do, the first vehicle with such a system may very well have been the famous Porsche Group B 959 of 1986.

Today, it is even possible to buy kits to retrofit vehicles with the system. By now, all tire shops have seen them and know how to work with them, though experiences will vary.

To see exactly what goes into a tire pressure monitoring system or TPMS, please click here. And for those who do it the old-fashioned way, get out there and check those tires, especially in the colder temps, and don't forget the spare.