Free Glide

Introduced in England in 1959 and first available in the United States
from 1960 to 1967, the Mini-Cooper is back. It’s been a unique sight on
American roads for the past three years, thanks to unique BMW
business savvy.

The Mini-Cooper wasn’t the top priority when BMW purchased the Rover
Group — Land Rover, Rover, MG and Mini — in 1994. BMW was more
interested in the luxury SUV market. But six years later, Rover was sold
to Ford and BMW adjusted its plan.

The new Mini-Cooper is among the results. For 2005 that includes my
test drive for the week, the S-convertible with a six-speed manual
transmission.

Like other retro vehicles in recent years, the Mini-Cooper has found a
market some 40 years after its first success. What drivers enjoyed in the
60s — an affordable, quick, efficient and fun-to-drive car — is what they
get now.

I’ve never driven an original Mini, but friends who have driven both
generations, say the new version is much the same as yesteryear’s
model. Yet, it’s also quite different.

The Mini Cooper S convertible is a first-time offering for 2005, and the
combination has vast appeal — and a few less-than ideal
considerations.

Foremost, anyone who likes to drive can appreciate the Mini. One of four
available models — the Mini-Cooper S has a 16-valve, four-cylinder,
168-horsepower engine. That’s substantially more power than its
predecessor.

As such, the car “jumps” from zero to 30 mph, particularly considering its
supercharged, 1.6-liter overhead cam engine. Consumer Guide testers
clocked the S model in the standard 0-60 mph in 7.6 seconds, while the
base model took 9.1 seconds.

Perhaps the Mini’s finest attributes are its steering and handling. The
response — maneuvering through parking lots or zipping along the
freeway — is impressive. The Mini-Cooper is among the smallest cars in
the United States — its wheelbase is 97.1 inches and its overall length is
143.1 inches. But driving the car on freeway surprisingly didn’t include
any notions of inferiority. It’s more like a cocky terrier who can hold his
own among big dogs.

The Mini-Cooper has more than once been called a go-cart for adults.
But its craftsmanship and unique features quickly catapult it into the all-
too-real class.

Beyond its swift acceleration and sturdy handling, the Mini has a good
supply of funky features.

Consider the huge speedometer in the middle of the dash. It’s as big as
wall clock, and it’s cool, for sure. And there’s also a small, digital miles
per hour display above the steering wheel in the center of the
tachometer.

Yet, the large speedometer is the centerpiece of the dash, and it also
features one of the car’s instrumentation drawbacks. A small digital clock
is positioned at the bottom of the speedometer and just to the left of the
digital odometer. It’s hard to differentiate the time of day from the miles
driven. Also, a swiveling cupholder, positioned to the right of the radio,
just seems to get in the way.

As a petite convertible, there are few other common concerns. Consider:

* The seatbelts are too-snugly positioned and hard to reach.

* The rear aluminum roll hoops drastically obscure the view through the
small, rear glass oval.

* The convertible top, which remained up during my test drive, has
“blindspots” between the front and rear seat side views.

* And even by small-car standards, the Mini-Cooper has a small trunk.

Yet, the Mini has many more positive attributes than issues.

* There’s plenty of front seat foot and head room, at least for a 6-foot,
185-test driver.

* The cabin’s tubular, metallic trim is sleek and modern, and the
glovebox cover and other interior areas are painted the same color as
the bulk of the exterior, in my instance “Chili Red.”

* Windows and other automatic functions are engaged with bullet-style
toggle switches on the dash, They’re separated by hip-looking black,
metal rings.

The Mini-Cooper S has a suggested base price of $24,900. Several
individual and packaged options are available, which in my test vehicle
included: 17-inch alloy wheels ($600), white bonnet body striping
($100), interior chrome ($200) and a Harmon-Kardon sound system
($550). Add the $550 destination charge and the final tariff is more than
$27,000.

That’s not inexpensive for a vehicle that might not get seen on the
freeway in the side mirrors of an 18-wheeler. And it’s not cheap for a car
that can’t hold more than a workout bag in its trunk.

But the Mini-Cooper is an enthusiasts’ car, and its appeal is its
personality.

Whether the driver is envisioning motoring along on a back-country road
in Britain or Germany or competing in a sports rally in the desert, it’s
easy to understand why the Mini-Cooper has retained a loyal following.
It also fares equally well in Anytown, U.S.A.

2005 Mini Cooper: The Weekly Driver

Safety features — dual front and front-side impact airbags

Fuel Mileage (estimates) — 25 mpg (city), 32 mpg (highway).

Warranty — Bumper-to-bumper, 4 years/50,000 miles;
Corrosion, 12 years/unlimited mileage; roadside assistance, 4 years/
50,000 miles.

Base price — $24,900.00

A wide scale recall is the last resort for a car company to take with a problematic vehicle, and most automotive problems do not even make it to recall stage. Toyota has been known to avoid issuing recalls at all cost, preferring to issue safety warnings and avoid covering repair costs on vehicles that are beyond warranty. This should put this year’s massive Toyota truck recall into perspective.

This May, Toyota Motor Corp issued one of its largest safety recalls in history. Toyota is recalling more than 750,000 pickup trucks and SUV’s because of problems with the front suspension that could make the vehicles difficult to steer. The recall covers 775,000 vehicles in the United States alone, including 2001-2004 model years of the Toyota Tacoma, the 2001-2002 models of Toyota 4Runner and the 2002-2004 model Tundra and Sequoia.

During the manufacturing of these vehicles, the surface of the front suspension ball joint was scratched. Wear and tear on this ball joint creates friction that makes the vehicles difficult to control. At speeds as low as 20 mph, Toyota drivers have reported ball joints collapsing, causing the front wheels to fold under the truck.

Overall, Toyota admits to conducting five recalls this year in the United States affecting nearly 1 million vehicles. In 2004, Toyota conducted nine recalls affecting 1,060,000 vehicles, according to the NHTSA. This year, Toyota has also recalled:

- 92,577 Celica coupes from 2000-2001 models to adjust daytime running lights that blind oncoming drivers

- 23,000 model year 2005 Tacoma pickups to tighten a lock nut on the parking brake pedal

This ball-joint recall was the second time in the same week that Toyota issued a high-profile safety warning. Just days before the recall was issued, Toyota began looking into 13 complaints about a possible software glitch that could cause the Prius hybrid car to stall at highway speeds. If you or a loved one have been injured by a Toyota truck that has since been recalled, consult a lawyer about collecting damages.

Contact a Toyota recall lawyer right away to discuss problems with your Toyota truck or SUV. Find out about another Toyota truck recall or contact a Toyota recall lawyer today at hugesettlements.com!

In August of 2005 the price listed as the price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas was $2.29. That same day Kellie Courtney of Cleveland paid only 89 cents a gallon. Marion Charvat paid $1.09 a gallon. Marion filled her Volkswagen Jetta for only $12.45. How could they buy gas so cheap? They did it because they are smart consumers. Here’s how they did it.

The reason that Kellie and Marion were able to purchase gas at such a low price is that they treated gas like it was any other item that they would go to a store to buy. They shopped around and they found a way to purchase their gas at the store that they found had the absolute lowest cost. They found a frequent shopper program that allowed them to lower their gas cost. They found it at a grocery chain called Giant Eagle.

Giant Eagle does business in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia. Recently Giant Eagle added a new component to their frequent shopper program. It is called Fuelperks. It is a program that offers discounts on gas at Giant Eagle’s own stations for shopping at Giant Eagle using their frequent shopper card.

For every $50.00 of purchases using the frequent shopper card the consumer will get a 10 cent reduction in the price of gas for one tank fill up. Purchase $100.00 worth; get 20 cents off a gallon. Purchase $500.00 worth and get $1.00 off a gallon. Buy enough groceries and you can get gasoline for free.

A large family that has to buy a lot of groceries every week will very quickly earn large discounts at the gas pump. The prices at Giant Eagle are in line with most of the other groceries in the area and their regular price on gas is in line with other gas stations so you really are getting a legitimate discount on gas.

You have to buy groceries somewhere; you might as well buy it a store that gives you a substantial discount on gas while you are at it. That is one way to beat the gas pump.

Treat gas like anything else that you buy. Look for the best deals. Look for frequent shopper programs in your neighborhood that allow you to build up discounts you can use towards gas. Look for gas discounts and incentives anywhere you see a gas pump. Look for stores that may be branching out into the frequent shopper area or stores that now sell gas that didn’t before.

In order to compete with the new grocery gas stations many gas convenience stores are beginning to implement frequent shopper programs that will result in lower gas costs. But more and more traditional stores that never sold gas before are realizing that discount gas is a big incentive to get shoppers. Giant Eagle is one example of a traditional grocery store branching out to sell gas at a discount.

According to the Food Marketing Institute, just 18% of grocery stores built in 2003 had gas pumps; last year, more than 60% of new stores were built with gas stations. They have seen the value of offering gas to their customers as a loss leader.

The mega retailers are another place you should look for bargains. As in many areas Wal-Mart / Sam’s Club are jumping into the gas business big time. The VP in charge of fuel for Wal-Mart says he is looking to extend Sam Walton’s marketing strategy to gasoline by building gas stations at every Sam’s Club throughout the country. In his view, putting in pumps should be “standard practice. It just fits our business model: we want to bring everything [to consumers] at the lowest price.”

So how can you lower your gas costs? Treat gas like any other item you purchase. Look for deals, discounts and low prices. Comparison shop. Find the retailers that offer the best program for you. Look for gas bargains at some of the non traditional outlets like grocery stores or mega stores. Then maybe you will be able to buy that tank of gas for 89 cents a gallon like Kellie Courtney did.

Scott Siegel is the author of “Beat The Gas Pump!”
If you want to take your money out of your gas tank
and put it back in your pocket go to:
www.beatthegaspump.com
and get your free reports.

You may think your factory seats are holding up just fine. What you may not realize is how much abuse your seats are getting from wear and tear, sun damage, pets, or dirt and spills. All these problems have a simple solution, seat covers. So, why should you get a set of seat covers? There are many reasons. You can protect your factory seats, get a custom look for your interior, or cover up existing damage to your seats. They are also a great way to keep your interior looking new and clean.

But, how do you decide which seat covers are right for you? This reference guide will help you through the decision making process and make sure you get the seat covers that best fit your needs.

Protect Your Investment

Think about it, what do you have the most contact with in your vehicle? It’s your seats, and they need to be protected. If your seats get dirty, or something gets spilled on them, it’s a pain, and a hassle to clean them. Seat covers put an end to that. Most can be put in the washer and dryer so there is no need to buy expensive cleaning supplies to get stains and dirt out. If you have pets, you know it’s a chore to vacuum the seats to get all the pet hair off them. What about their nails? You don’t want them to poke through your new leather seats do you? A seat cover provides a protective barrier to keep your pets from scratching, or poking holes in your nice seats.

Another problem you face is UV damage. That’s right, the suns powerful rays claim the lives of many seats. When the sun shines in your vehicle it is magnified by the glass from your windows. That’s why it feels like an oven on hot summer days. Imagine what that does to your interior. If you have leather seats, the sun dries them out, which can lead to cracking, and a dull finish. That means you have to continually condition your seats to protect them. This can be time consuming and expensive, both which can be avoided with seat covers.

Don’t think any of that affects you? Well, you get in and out of your vehicle every day. Even this has a negative effect on your seats. Every time you get in and out of your vehicle you create friction between yourself and the seat. This may seem like nothing, but after some time you will notice the material getting thin and worn out. Next thing you know, you’ve worn a hole through the material, yet another problem that can be prevented.

Get A Custom Look

Factory interiors are often boring and mundane. Vehicle manufactures use solid, neutral colors that make the interior seem more open. You can add flare and a look that really sets off your interior with seat covers. They come available in standard factory matching colors with solid patterns, or, you can get something that’s different. We have many colors to choose from, as well as patterns that you won’t find in a dealer’s showroom. So, not only do you get great protection, but you also get a custom look and style, that really sets your vehicle apart!

Bring Your Old Seats Back To Life

It’s inevitable, bad things happen to good seats. But you can do something about it. Whether or not you have worn out faded seats, they got stained, or dirty, seat covers provide a solution. They do just as they say, cover it up. Seat covers hide those unsightly stains and dirt spots and give your interior a fresh new look as if nothing ever happened. And, if the same happens to the seat covers, well, just wash them and put them back on. Think of how much money you will save by not having to reupholster your seats.

Now that we have identified why you should get seat covers, let’s see what works best for you.

Fitment – Universal vs. Custom

Seat covers come in two primary fitment types: custom fit and universal fit.

Custom

If you are looking for a seat cover that is going to fit your factory seat perfectly, then a custom fit cover is what you need. These are custom made per vehicle application and fit your factory seat and shape very tightly. Custom seat covers take into account factory headrests, armrests, center consoles, and seat controls.

Universal

If you are looking for something you can throw on quickly and you’re not too concerned with it fitting perfectly, then a universal seat cover will work just fine for you. The cover the entire seat back and bottom but are not designed to fit tightly as a custom fit cover would. These are great for quick on and off usage.

Custom Fit Covers

SureFit Seat Cover by Saddleman

SureFit covers are available for many hard-to-find applications. These are semi-custom fit covers that are made-to-order per vehicle application. SureFit seat covers come in six different styles with many color options available.

Cambridge Tweed – For traditional tastes, Cambridge is similar to original vehicle seats. Woven textured, synthetic fiber will provide miles of protection. Spot clean with a damp cloth and mild solution of fabric cleaner.

Saddle Blanket – A rugged style seat cover made of tightly woven olefin. Extremely durable and comfortable. Saddle Blanket covers are machine washable, drip dry only.

Deluxe Velvet – A contemporary original interior fashion in durable 100% nylon velvet, quilted with foam backing. Trimmed with color coordinated stretch fabrics. Easily cleans by machine washing, and drip drying.

Deluxe Mohave – A stylish southwestern fabric. It is an extremely durable 100% olefin fabric with a soft foam backing which blends with many truck and car interiors. Spot clean with a damp cloth and a mild solution of fabric cleaner.

All Purpose Real Tree® – Made from rugged yet breathable non-woven polyester fabric. It is one of the most popular camouflage fabrics available. Real Tree covers are machine washable, cool air dry for cleaning. Easily resists fading, stains and mildew.

Sheepskin – A luxurious one-inch thick pile with a high luster finish. Sheepskin covers are fully lined. Come in a full fit design with 100% acrylic back. Must be dry cleaned only. We do not recommend for use with light colored leather interiors.

Ultimate Seat Covers by Saddleman
Custom tailored, made-to-order seat covers that are made from original automotive grade fabric. They come with factory matching colors, and have a lifetime guarantee.

Sport Seat Covers by Cal Trend

Get the look of expensive seats at a fraction of the cost. These seat covers give your factory seats a sporty look. Sport seat covers are made from neoprene, the same waterproof material wet suits are made of. Sport Seat Covers also have an extra layer of soft foam padding for added comfort. You can choose from seven different color options. Sport covers are machine washable on the delicate cycle with cold water, air dry. Easily installs with Velcro strips.

Custom Fit Canvas Seat Covers by Saddleman

These rugged covers are designed to repel dirt and stains. These are made of high quality original manufacture grade canvas material and can easily be cleaned. These are washing machine safe to make clean-up a breeze. Come available in factory matching colors.

Custom Fit Seat Protectors by Covercraft

Keep your seats looking new no matter what ends up on them. Messy kids and dirty pets are no match for these heavy duty seat protectors. These covers are made from a breathable cotton/poly blend, which are washer and drier safe. Available in tan, taupe, navy, charcoal, or gray to complement your vehicle’s interior.

Universal Seat Covers

X-Bound Seat Covers by Saddleman

Protect your seats with the extreme style of our X-Bound Seat Covers. These universal fit covers add a custom accent to any high back bucket or bench seats with or without headrests. Nylon cord side lacing keeps a tight fit. Covers come with front, side, and back pockets for storage. X-Bound covers are available in blue/black, red/black, gray/black, olive green/tan, and mossy oak camo.

Deluxe Seat Protectors by Saddleman

Deluxe Seat Protectors are made from heavy-duty vinyl, coated with nylon, which makes these seat protectors waterproof and ready for emergencies. They slip over your seats in seconds for quick protection when it’s needed the most. These are perfect when traveling with pets. Extra large bucket pattern fits most bucket seats.

Before You Order

It is important we are given the correct vehicle information. Please be sure to check your seats carefully. We need to know exactly what seat style you have in order to get the correct pattern made. We will also need to know if your vehicle has armrests, headrests, seat controls, and a center console. By getting accurate information you can be assured your covers will fit like a glove.

Will Mahoney is an automotive junkie who lives in Cleveland, Ohio. He likes racing autocross and tinkering with trucks and cars. He currently writes online content and articles for Stylin Concepts, a leading retailer of truck accessories, suv accessories, seat covers, floorr mats and any other aftermarket truck and SUV accessories.

OK, you’ve finally gotten through the front end part of buying your car. You have worked hard done some tough negotiating and feel like you have negotiated a good and fair deal on your car purchase and trade-in. Now it’s time to head into the dealer’s F&I (finance and insurance) department and go through the formality of signing the financing paper work on the back end of the deal.

You may have noticed a couple of terms: front end and back end. I used these terms to illustrate a point to you. From a car dealer perspective there are two distinct parts (profit centers) to each deal. The front end of the deal is the new car price, your trade in, any dealer add on’s that they got you to buy with your new car, etc. All of this, most everyone is indeed familiar with. The second part of the deal, the back end, is not a place to let your guard down. The back end is the F&I department. The F&I manager is every bit as responsible for making sales numbers and profit margins as everyone else at the dealership and they are sales people NOT financial advisers and their purpose is to help maximize the profit on the deal.

Don’t assume that you are going to be offered the best possible interest rate you can get by the F&I manager. Quite the opposite! Adding a point or two (or more) to your contract interest rate above what you qualify for is a serious profit maker for the dealer.

Also keep in mind that all of your hard work negotiating your deal on the front end has been by in large verbal and perhaps a handshake. True, as a result, you may have a signed buyers order or worksheet that the salesperson and or manager have signed off on, but it is in the F&I department where all of this gets put into contract form.

Stay focused. Some dealers and salespeople may even imply that in order for the deal to get approved, you have to finance through their finance department. You don’t. In fact, if you have done your homework and found a better financing offer, you should take it. At the very least, you know what numbers you qualify for, and as such you should ask the car dealership to try to better what you already have.

Read the contract. Sound so basic, but most people don’t. Don’t just assume that everything that you negotiated with the dealership on the front end will make its way to the back end of your car deal. If you’ve had a long day negotiating to get the price you want, don’t give it all back in the F&I department by getting lazy at this very crucial time.

Without question, the single biggest mistake car buyers make is failing to prepare. That, and setting your expectation that car buying and the negotiating process within can take at best several hours to accomplish. Know that you are going to be at the dealership for a while can help you stay energized and focused. Do your homework. Know your credit score. Get your financing pre-approved and see if the dealer can beat what you already have. Be familiar with all the areas of potential sales and profit that the dealer can potentially land. Know what extras (if any) you will and will not pay for. Make sure the contract in the F&I department reflects all the negotiations that you have worked to accomplish before hand. Then, finally, remain on your toes and don’t drop your guard once in the F&I department.

The latest round of changes to the Irish Driving Test were implemented on, Feb.14th 2005, as part of a chain of E.U.Directives.

Test Candidates are now required to have a basic level of mechanical knowledge, which any good professional School of Motoring would have been teaching from day one in any event.

The car of today is a very different beast compared with its grandparents and any driver, young or old, should have a range of skills that enable them to identify problems and take the necessary remedial action.

The Driving Examiner will select three questions at random from a list of technical aspects which will include opening the bonnet. While it is not exactly space technology, the ability to identify this range of equipment and to describe how individual checks would be performed, does require some thought and a little practise. Some of the equipment will have accompanying warning lights on the instrument panel some does not, so some of the requirements will already be known (hopefully!)

Candidates will be asked to explain how they would perform checks on three out of the following list:-
Engine Oil: Coolant: Steering: Brakes: Horn: Indicators: Lights: Tyres: Reflectors: Windscreen washer.

The under the Bonnet checks relate to:-Power Steering Fluid; Brake Fluid; Engine Oil; Engine Coolant; and Windscreen washer Fluid. In a newer car all of these pieces of equipment are easily identifiable by coloured tops to the various reservoirs, which have an easily recognisable icon painted or etched into them. The location of these five essential items does vary a little from model to model so if you have changed your car in the lead up to the Driving Test then spend a few minutes double checking.

In the event of very bad weather (rarely a feature of the Irish climate) it is unlikely that the Examiner will ask for the bonnet to be opened but since he or she has already spent time outside the car, checking brake lights and indicators and paperwork, it’s not impossible. If he or she is a fisherman or a boating enthusiast then a few drops of rain will be water off a duck’s back. Just keep an eye on the weather and ensure that your heater or demist controls are pre-set .Two persons in the car during rainy weather will mist up the windows extremely quickly and the candidate needs to be equally deft with the controls.

Questions on brakes will cover both the footbrake and handbrake, and on steering will deal with cars that both have power steering and those that don’t .Of course there are still a few older cars out there without P.A.S. It’s worth adding to the list , one more item of importance to the Driverthat of the Alternator and it’s drive belt .The fact that all the above need to be demonstrated on the Driving Test should not detract from the need to perform these checks on a regular weekly basis. It is precisely because of the importance of all these pieces of equipment and their monitoring, that it was deemed essential to include them in the scope of the Driving Test.

Show Me -Tell Me……..Below is an example of the question and answer technique to one of the Test Questions .The full questions and answers will be provided in another follow up article and on the Astral School of Motoring website shortly.

Checking the Oil Level.
“Show me the Oil filler cap and tell me how you would check for the correct level of Oil in the Engine”…Examiner
“Here is the oil filler cap and to check the oil level I would first withdraw the Oil Dip Stick, wipe it clean and then replace it momentarily. I would then withdraw the dip stick again and ensure that the level of oil showing was between the minimum and maximum marks on the base of the dip stick, preferably nearer the maximum mark. In the event of the oil level being lower than the half way mark I would top up to the maximum level”…Candidate

This latter sentence has been put in for good measure since it’s not much good knowing how you would check the oil if you didn’t then follow through on the result!

Since all equipment in your car needs to be in tip top shape and regularly inspected if we are to stay safe and avoid accidents, look on the acquisition of these technical skills as two sides of the same coin ….Safety and Economy .If you look after your equipment you will be both safe and economic. In a number of future articles we will explore the advantages of correct techniques and the impact they will have on your safety AND your bank balance.

Robin Piggott is the owner of Astral School of Motoring which is based in Limerick, Ireland .He has thirty five years of Driving Experience and has driven Professionally for most of this time, including teaching in – house, before setting up his own Driving School. The aim of the Astral Driving School is to provide the skills that will enable Young Drivers and Visitors to Ireland to stay safe, first and foremost, and in doing this, help them achieve a standard that they can build on for the future. Skills for Life is the mission and to this end the Astral Blog …….Arrive Alive , has been set up to aid and assist all new Drivers and those from Overseas.
Visit the Web Site at www.astralmotoring.ie
Visit the Astral Driving School Blog at astralmotoing.blogspot.com

The Toyota 4 Runner embodies your ideals of a sporty vehicle packed with power, rugged character and wide ranging utility. Since its debut in 1985, this vehicle has been Toyota’s strong contender in the Sport Utility Vehicle segment. It was loved for its reliability, sporty styling, functionality and utility.

What sets 4Runners apart from the rest of the SUVs you can see on the road today is their design. Toyota 4Runners have stayed close to the definition of a real SUV or rather the original sport utilitiespickups with enclosed bodies. In the same manner, these remarkable vehicles have maintained 4WD’s real go-anywhere capabilities. In form and substance, every Toyota 4Runner is your ideal off-road runner.

Owning a vehicle such as this indeed brings pride and great driving satisfaction. But aside from that, it gives the owner a sense of responsibility to take care of it the best way he can. Certainly, this tough and dependable four wheel drive deserves the best as it affords its user the best performance even in the direst driving circumstances.

Toyota Parts Online, one of the country’s top auto parts suppliers is proud to help you with all your Toyota 4Runner parts needs. This auto parts dealer specializes in providing you OEM-quality Toyota parts for various Toyota passenger cars, trucks, minivans and SUVs. With the desire to give you the maximum satisfaction while driving and riding one of the finest vehicles in the world, Toyota, this store gets its replacement and aftermarket Toyota auto parts only from the most trusted car parts manufacturers.

For the Toyota 4Runner SUVs, Toyota Parts Online offers great variety of parts including premium quality Toyota air cleaner box, complete Toyota mirror assembly, perfect-fit Toyota a/c condenser and Toyota radiator, heavy duty Toyota alternators, high beam Toyota headlights, crystal clear Toyota Euro tail lights and a whole lot more. All these are available at great discount prices, giving you no less than the best satisfaction you surely deserve.

Getting ready for an off-road challenge? Equip your Toyota 4Runner with these tough and durable replacement and aftermarket Toyota 4Runner parts now. Be safe, be stylish and be satisfied, trust only the most experienced Toyota parts dealer in the country, Toyota Parts and Auto Parts.

Mark Clarkson is a 35 year old marketing consultant for a leading auto parts store. This native of Denver is also an offroad enthusiast.

Industrial engines. They are still used by several manufacturers (most notably Blata on their entry level bike) and typically produce between 2.5 and 3.5 horse power (hp). All are air-cooled. Tuning and performance parts are very limited.

The Chinese 47/49cc. These engines are used in the Chinese made mk2, and mk3 minimotos. They are air cooled and produce between 2.5 and 3.5 horse power (hp). This engine is different from the industrial engine that is used in the Blata, as it is specifically created for mini moto use.

Polini 4.2 engine. This is the basic Polini engine and, as it’s name suggests, it produces 4.2 hp in standard form. It is air-cooled and uses the ’series I’ crankcase with the 3-port cylinder. There is plenty of scope and parts for tuning but few people bother because most racing classes for the 4.2 won’t allow any modifications.

Polini 6.2 engine. The top end of this engine is the same as the 4.2 (3-port) but is available with either water or air-cooling. The bottom end uses the ’series II’ crankcase. This helps to make it more powerful. Race regulations don’t allow modification to the engine internals but do allow performance parts, the most significant being the exhaust. There are a wide range of alternative exhausts that year after year manage to extract more power from the engine. Consequently the 6.2 ‘tag’ no longer means anything, these little rockets (more often referred to as ‘production’ nowadays) claim power outputs of up to 9hp.

The Chinese made water cooled engine. This engine is very similar to the Polini 6.2 however it is a series 1 crankcase engine. The engine is water cooled and is used in the Origami B1 replica. The engine produces around 7.5/8.5 horse power (hp) Many of the parts on this engine are interchangeable with the Polini.

What’s the difference between the ’series I’ and ’series II’ crankcase?. Fuel is drawn from the carb into the crankcase via a one-way valve known as the ‘reed valve’. The intake port (where the reed valve and carb join the engine) on the series I engine will only accommodate a reed valve assembly with one reed ‘petal’ whereas the series II will take a reed valve ‘cage’ that accommodates two reed petals. A two-petal reed valve will allow more fuel mixture to flow into the engine and, therefore, produces more power.

Polini Super engine. The super also uses the series two crankcase but with a 5-port cylinder. It is only available in water cooled now but used to come as air cooled as well. To compete with Polini, Mallossi manufacture an alternative 5-port cylinder. There are no restrictions on tuning supers and with engine ‘porting’, bigger carbs and other performance parts they can be turned into awesome machines (for their size) easily producing 12hp.

What is meant by 3 and 5 port?. This refers to the amount of ‘transfer’ ports built into the cylinder. The transfer ports draw the fuel mixture up from the crankcase and ‘dump’ it above the piston prior to ignition. A five-port cylinder has potential to produce more power.

40cc or 50cc. The 3 port engines are only available in 40cc. The 5 port cylinder comes in both 40 and 50cc. ZPF offer a tuned 5-port polini cylinder with their own ’special’ cylinder head. The extra cc gives 25% more displacement and, therefore, has the potential for more power. 50’s are more common in the USA but they’re catching on fast in the UK. The UK now allows them to race in championships.

The Polini engine components are interchangeable, which can make for some interesting combinations. However, people don’t tend to bother because of class restrictions and it is usually easier to upgrade the whole bike or change the complete engine.

Matt Tong has been importing and riding Mini Motos for two years. For expert advice and Mini Moto information please visit http://www.minimotosandmore.com

It happened back in the 70’s, but the evidence was still there. It was the case of the disappearing horsepower and this is what happened.

In the era of the muscle car power was everything. It didn’t matter what it was, sports car, family car, pickup; it had the biggest V-8 possible stuffed under the hood. Cubic inches were king and advertised power was astronomical. These cars could kick sand in the windscreens of anything else on the road.

But then horsepower seemed to disappear overnight!

Take my favourite muscle car, the Ford Mustang. The macho models had V-8s, though meeker models came with an inline six. The biggest six had 200 cubic inches and 155 hp in 1969/70.

What did the V-8s punch out? The most powerful 351 gave 300 hp in 1970 and the 427 gave a massive 390 hp in 1968. But by 1973 the most powerful Mustang had a 351 V-8 with just 156 hp. Almost half what it had in 1970, and only one horsepower more than the 200 cu in six of 1970! As for the Mustang II of 1974, we won’t even go there.

The story was similar with the other manufacturers. What was going on? It just didn’t add up. Could I trust the figures?

My detective mentor, Agatha Christie, taught me that when you’re solving a case you can’t trust anyone. Murderers do lie. In this case it wasn’t murder though it was the death of the muscle car, and it wasn’t so much of an outright lie as not telling the whole truth. And outside forces were at play.

I had to dig deeper. I had to find the facts. Why would horsepower virtually halve?

It turned out there were a few reasons. Salesmanship was one. Horsepower was everything so why not measure it in a salesman friendly way? Gross SAE horsepower was used. Power was measured at the flywheel with no power-hungry accessories attached. Only the bare essentials were used.

In 1972 SAE Net measurements were phased in. Power was still measured at the flywheel but all the accessories were installed including the full exhaust system, emission controls, all pumps and the alternator. SAE Net can’t be compared exactly to SAE Gross because there are just too many variations in measuring, but it is down around 80%. So power ratings dropped. In 1973 horsepower ratings went down again as power sapping emission controls were tightened.

Gross SAE horsepower had pushed the listed power up. So did the advertised horsepower some car companies used. What’s wrong with a little rounding up of the numbers for the brochure? Surely that would help sales too.

All this horsepower galloping around got noticed and not just by young guys.

Safety legislators noticed, and so did insurance companies who started charging more for insurance. The word on the street is that in 1967 a young guy under 25 with a clean driving record would have paid $700 a year for GTO coverage. Ouch! Some car companies lowered their advertised horsepower ratings.

Muscles peaked in 1970, and by 1971 they were starting to get flabbier. Engines were being detuned and within another year bigger engines were being dropped.

In 1973 many muscle cars were a shadow of their former selves. And they were finished off by the oil crisis of late ‘73. Long lines at gas stations and soaring prices were a real shock, and so was a 55 mph national speed limit. Gas guzzlers were irresponsible, expensive and unwanted, it didn’t matter how much fun they were.

So there you have it. I now knew what had happened to all that brute power. Some exaggeration had pushed listed horsepower up. A fairer, more accurate measuring system brought it down. Emission controls brought it down more, and soaring insurance costs made ground-thumping power too expensive to own. The oil crisis finished the muscle car off. This case was solved.

Warren Newson is editor of the-classic-sports-cars.com , where you’ll find sports car articles, pictures and gifts.

Do you need car security? This can be a tricky question, especially if you do not feel like paying for it right now! Of course, remember that paying a little bit for a some form of car security now can save you from having to pay a whole lot more in the future.

When a car thief sees that you have a form of car security, he or she will likely move onto an easier target.

There are many levels of car security, from steering wheel locks to high-tech alarms and immobilisers. When it comes to your own car security system, you really get a choice of which technology you want. There are aftermarket systems as well as pre-installed ones.

The three main types of car security systems are:

Audible security systems. Such a system as this works by alerting the general public that someone without authority is trying to get into the vehicle. Yes, these are the annoying systems that you here beeping and screaming while you are trying to enjoy a peaceful meal at a restaurant. Of course, these days, the user can actually set the sensitivity of most modern audible security systems, lessening the chance of it going off for no reason. Oftentimes, the driver can know that the alarm has been set based off of double beep or flashing of the headlights. Most of these pre-installed car security systems also include a panic button which will set off the alarm when the user pushes a button on the key fob. The main problem with these systems is, of course, all the noise and potential for noise that they generate.

Inaudible systems (private alert systems). These systems eliminate the horrible sounds by paging the owner electronically when or if there is a break-in. Of course, there are problems that can arise with this system. For one, the owner may be far away from the car and may not be able to get there in time. For another, if the owner can get there while the break-in is in progress, he or she might be in danger. In a sense, all that an inaudible system does is inform the owner that there is a problem, but it does not offer any solutions!

Ignition system immobilizers. This is the one of the newest forms of car security system technology, and it may actually become mandatory in the production of future vehicles. Basically, ignition system immobilizers work by preventing the vehicle by being started by any one who as unauthorized access.

Of course, you do not necessarily have to choose between just one of these types of car security. Many cars come with a combination of them, like an immobilizer along with an audible security system (which is probably the most common combination). And you can always throw in a steering wheel lock (like The Club) for good measure.

It is a good idea to contact your car insurance company to see which car security they suggest. Oftentimes your insurance company will even offer discounts if you have a good security system.