Accord Ideas and Items

Why No Posting

2010-11-14T17:16:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the long delay in posting to my blog.

Several things have happened.

First Honda's legal department has notified me that I was in trademark violation by using www.accordmania.com as my web site name. They also did not like the picture of a Honda Accord on the home page.

While I don't agree with them about a possible trademark violation, I'm a little guy and I can't afford to go to court to resolve the issue.

So I basically parked the web site and began work on a couple of others.

I now have wwww.autogrillcraft.com which sells Grillcraft grills, and bull bars among other things.

I am working on www.v2powerintakes.com which will sell only AEM performance parts. This includes their complete line of air intakes and related products along with all of their electronic performance gear.

Speaking of performance parts, I've just started, but not yet loaded any products, for a company named Nology. They make parts that also are performance oriented, such as special spark plugs, spark plug wires and different devices to tune you car to the max.

Lastly, I started a new blog. It's at www.v2powerintakes.blogspot.com.

Please drop by and make a comment or two.

Thanks for visiting.

Dennis

No Sales Tax

2010-05-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of blogs in the past few months. My wife and I have been very busy in getting our house in San Diego ready for sale/showing it/ and at last selling same.

Then we moved up to Coos Bay, Oregon and lived in a motel for a few days and then moved into a rental house. Living out of boxes.

Spent just a little time looking around and found a home to purchase. Today escrow closed and we will be moving in next week.

One important fact is that I will no longer be charging sales tax to California residents on purchases. Why? Simple, Oregon does not have a sales tax. I have lost some business to my competition because they could sell the same product at 9% cheaper than I could to California residents. Now we are even.

More details later.

J. D. Power and Associates Automotive Ratings

2010-03-19T06:20:00.000-07:00

In today's business section of the San Diego Union-Tribune was the J.D. Power and Associates rating of long-term dependability. Their results are based on a survey of 52,000 owners of 2007 model year vehicles.

So of course my first impression is ok, but what about newer cars? I guess I will have to wait until 2013 to find out the ratings for the 2010 models. Not picking on the survey, just a thought that came to mind.

Anyway, what were the results?

Overall the problems per 100 dropped from 167 last year to 155 for these. That's a great step in the right direction. For individual brands and models here are some of findings:

From 9th last year Porsche came in as number one.

Toyota fell two spots from its former third place finish. This of course is before all of the current problems. Looks like something is happening at this company for the past few years. American cars have been moving up while Buick and Jaguar fell along with the Toyota.

So how did our favorite brand Honda do? Well not as good as would have liked to see, but they were first in three different categories.

Honda's Fit was number one in Subcompacts, the Honda CR-V in Compact SUV's and the Ridgeline in Mid-Size pickups. The Accord did not win this time around.

The good news for me of course was the showing of the Honda Fit. I'm still in the process of trying to purchase one when I move to Oregon. More info on the next blog.

Thanks for visiting.

www.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Best Commercial of the Decade

2010-01-24T14:57:00.001-08:00

Ran across this a short time ago. It is a commercial from Honda that according to Adweek is the best (non Superbowl commercial of the decade.

Take a look and let me know what you think. I thought it was interesting, but not great.

http://www.win7news.net/100107-Commercial

Thanks for visiting,

www.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda - Made in America

2010-01-10T14:47:00.000-08:00

I'm always not sure where cars are made or from which countries most of the parts come from even if a particular brand or model is "made" in a particular country.

I just got a Google Alert that says that 84% of Honda and Acura cars sold in the United States were produced in North America. That's an impressive statistic. But what does it really mean?

There was an asterisk by the word "produced". I'm still looking for the explanation of this little symbol.

Can you find it:

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/news/press-release/hmc_honda-builds-record-84-of-2009-u-s-auto-sales-in-north-america-690401.html

Anyway the article goes on to say that Honda has 7 plants in North America. Four in the USA, 2 in Canada, and one in Mexico. These plants produce 15 different models of Honda, including the Civic sedan, coupe and GX, Accord sedan, coupe and Crosstour, Odyssy, Piolt, Ridgeline, CR-V and Element, as well as the Acura, TL ZDX, RDX ad MDX models.

I knew about some of these, but the entire list surprised me. Most of these cars get outstanding quality ratings, so it appears the USA, Canada and Mexico can build quality automobiles. Now why do American brands struggle so hard to be quality?

Can't be the location, or the base workers. Must be something else. Management perhaps? Labor Unions? Stockholders? Take your pick.

Thanks for visiting.

www.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda Accord Drops a Spot

2010-01-07T20:21:00.000-08:00

The Accord has been one of the best selling cars in America. It usually wins in its class of typically a family sedan.

However, when you compare total sales rather than in a particular category in 2008 the Accord placed fourth. Not too bad.

What happened this past year? Well it looks like the Accord dropped a spot. Kind of surprising to me, as I thought it was doing well (that is in a recession as compared to other cars).

You can read the article here:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/01/what-were-the-top-10-best-selling-vehicles-of-2009/1

Here is the entire list:

-----------------2009------------ ---------2008
1.----------Ford F-Series-------- ---Ford F-Series
2.----------Toyota Camry------- ---Chevrolet Silverado
3.----------Chevrolet Silverado- ---Toyota Camry
4.----------Toyota Corolla----- -----Honda Accord
5.----------Honda Accord---- ------Toyota Corolla
6.----------Honda Civic------ -------Honda Civic
7.----------Nissan Altima---- -------Nissan Altima
8.----------Honda CR-V------- ------Chevrolet Impala
9.----------Ford Fusion------ -------Dodge Ram
10.---------Dodge Ram------ --------Ford Focus

Thanks for visiting.

www.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Heated Windshield Washer for Your Accord

2009-12-19T05:50:00.000-08:00

The following is from a recent article I wrote for www.ezinearticles.com. Several people have purchased this product, and I thought Accord owners might be interested also.

Are you crazy?

That's the first thought I had when a friend of mine mentioned he had just installed one on his car.

For the life of me, I could not understand why anyone would want to purchase a product that heated the water in your windshield washer.

Well, after talking to him, and doing a little research I found out that this is a pretty good idea. Especially if you live in parts of the country that gets frost, ice or snow on your windshield.

If you have ever had to stand outside in freezing cold weather and try and clean your view with an ice scraper I'm sure you thought to yourself, there has to be a better way. There is, and that is simply by heating the washer fluid. The heated water or chemicals melt that frost, ice or snow, while you sit comfortably inside the car.

Turns out the idea can be used at other times of the year also. I really hate when I'm driving on a trip and some bugs decide to die on my window. The wiper blades seem to just smear their little bodies all over the place, and it becomes even harder to see then when I began to clean the window. Heated water helps loosen them up and makes it easier to clean up the mess.

If this now sounds like a good idea to you, here are some things to consider before you purchase one.

1. Look for system that is universal, and will fit a wide variety of vehicles.

2. Look for one that you can install by yourself, and avoid expensive installation charges.

3. Seek an American made model, and help our balance of trade.

4. Find one with a warranty.

5. Avoid cheap foreign made rip-off products.

6. Purchase a system that integrates with your current washer system. Don't drill holes in your car to add a strange contraption.

7. The best systems heat the fluid in less than a minute.

8. Get a system that heats the water to at least 125 degrees. Warm water does not clean as well as hot water.

9. Check out the installation manual, if there is one, first to insure that a particular product will work and fit in your vehicle.

10. Are there any reviews on the brand you are thinking of purchasing? Impartial reviews will help you decide on the right product.

Windshield Washer Heater

http://www.accordmania.com/product/Honda-Accord-Alpha-Therm-Windshield-Washer-Heater/Default.aspx

Honda's Ad vs. The Way Things Go

2009-12-18T06:51:00.000-08:00

Of course I like cars, or I would never have started a car oriented blog and several web sites selling automotive parts.

Some of my interest in cars is how do they work? I'm always amazed at how something is designed. A problem is faced and some engineer figures out a way to solve it. In many cases it is part of a larger design where all of the pieces must work together to accomplish a particular function.

I'm sure you have seen the fantastic Honda commercial "Cog" where different components of a car are started moving like a series of dominoes. A beautiful example of how one part can influence another.

I have always given creative credit to the folks that made this commercial. What I did not realize is that they were following in the foot steps of others, who had pioneered this type of project.

One of the earliest I have run across is called "The Way Things Go". If you have not seen this one, you can check it out here:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x12ffc_fischli-weiss-the-way-things-go_creation

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Car and Driver10 Best Cars for 2010

2009-11-25T13:32:00.000-08:00

Today (November 25, 2009) I just received the January 2010 Car and Driver magazine. One of my favorite reviews is in this issue - their 10 best cars for a particular year.

I was very pleased to read that two of my favorite cars made the list. The 2010 Honda Accord and the 2010 Honda Fit. Quite an accomplishment for the Honda Motor Car Company.

I like the Accord because of two critical reasons. First I think it is the best sedan/coupe in its class, and second because I have two web sites (wwww.accodmania.com and www.accordtopia.com) that sell only Accord parts. If I did not like the Accord then I am in the wrong business.

The Honda Fit is another story. I like this car because I have one on order. It is somewhere on a boat between Japan and the USA. It is supposed to arrive sometime next month then I have to pay for it. Between then and now I have to sell a 1984 Ferrari and a 1999 Jaguar to raise the funds. But that's another story for tomorrow.

The Car and Driver report mentioned that they considered 58 contenders, $2.5 million in value, and ran 12,000 test miles.

The winners were:

Audi S4
BMW 3-Series/M3
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V
Ford Fusion Hybrid
Honda Accord
Honda Fit
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mazda3/Masdaspeed3
Porsche Boxster & Cayman
Volkswagen GTI

Later I'll mention some of the non-winners (losers)

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda Accord Crosstour - What is it?

2009-11-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

In my last blog I commented on how confused I was getting with all of the different types of vehicles being made and where they all fit.

Looks like I am not alone. Edmonds reports that potential buyers are also confused. That means that when they are comparing the Corsstour to other cars there does not seem to be a particular car or model, but a wide variety.

For example, they say that some potential buyers compare this car to the Toyota Vensa. While others compare it to the Chevrolet Equinox or the Toyota RAV-4. These I guess I could understand.

However, the article also says some potential buyers are comparing the Crosstour to the Audie A4 and the BMW 3 Series. Now I'm getting more confused.

You can see the entire article here:

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/20/edmunds-data-suggests-honda-crosstour-buyers-dont-know-what-it/

Thanks for Visiting,

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

SUV, CUV, Wagon, Mini Wagon, Sedan, Coupe?

2009-11-20T06:43:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get a little confused when I read about the designations that car manufactures are using for their products.

Life used to be so simple. Did I want a sedan or coupe? Needed more room then choose a wagon. But wagons went out of style and I believe that hatchbacks filled some of these needs.

Then SUV came in. A sedan mounted on a truck chassis. Initial ones drove and felt like trucks. After a while they were softened and began to feel and drive a little more like cars.

Now we have the CUV's like the Honda Accord Crosstour, and the Acura ZDX. People seem to be asking for a combination vehicle with sports car handling and performance, SUV utility, and some luxury touches. At least that's how these cars are being advertised. Will they succeed in the marketplace. It will be interesting to see how they all do. It looks like SUVs are selling less and less each year, and of course part of this may be to the high price of gas.

As I mentioned, I have purchased a Honda Fit. On one hand I look at this vehicle as a small or mini wagon. I don't plan on going off road or driving in heavy snow, so I don't need 4 wheel drive.
I would love the sports car handling of a CUV, but do I really need it? No not at this time.

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda Accord Slips in Safety Rating

2009-11-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Accord won many different safety ratings, as I have reported before in prior blogs.

I would have expected this trend to continue, however alas it has not. It was just reported in

http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038556_iihs-picks-the-safest-new-vehicles-for-2010

that the accord was not listed among the top 10 by the iihs (Institute for Highway Safety) for 2010 models.

The number of cars that they have approved reached 94 models for the 2009 model year. However, for 2010
they are cutting the number way down. The reason is tougher standards for roofs, in case of a roll over.

Some of the cars that passed really amaze me, as so many are US cars like the
Chevrolet Malibu,Chrysler Sebring sedan and the Dodge Avenger.

Read all about it, and weep for the falling Accord (which is still one of my favorite cars).

Thanks for Visiting.

http://wwwaccordtopia.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Fit to be Tied?

2009-11-12T11:41:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the stupid title for this blog.

I'm still wrestling with what to do when my wife and I move to Oregon. So the purpose of this blog is not to answer the question, but to ask anyone who reads it, to jump in with "what they would do"
answers.

To review for a second. My wife and I and two large yellow labs have to get up to Oregon, once our house in San Diego sells. The question is what is the best and most economical way to do this.

Based on past experience we have ruled out flying the dogs up, and taking a plane. So this leaves, from a practical standpoint, driving up. (I have not checked, but I don't think the dogs would enjoy a train ride).

We have three cars, none of which I would want to drive up to Oregon with two dogs. So we have made the decision to sell all three. As I have mentioned before, I plan to buy a 2010 Honda Fit for the trip and as our main car for the foreseeable future.

Now, if I buy the car from a local California dealer, I would have to pay sales tax, and all registration fees, which I'm guessing would be around $2000. Within a month or less we would move to Oregon and have to register the car all over again, and pay more fees. Not something I want to do.

On the other hand, if we purchase a new car in Oregon, there is no sales tax, and very minor registration fees. Two problems. First, buying it there, means that we have to drive it back to San Diego, and drive it around here for a while. Not sure what California would think about that.

The second problem is that we are California residents and not Oregon residents at the moment. Turns out Oregon car dealers can only sell to Oregon residents. And the state wants multiple documents to prove residency. Such things as a driver's license, utility bills, bank accounts etc.

So that's the problem. What would be your solution?

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Toyota Exits Formula One Racing

2009-11-12T11:31:00.000-08:00

Almost a year ago I blogged that Honda had decided that they could no longer participate in Formula One racing. They pulled out just a short time before the start of the 2009 season.

As most fans know, their team was taken over and renamed Brawn GP. And the Brawn GP won both the constructor and driver's championship for this year.

Just recently Toyota announced they were pulling out of Formula One racing and would not be involved next year. The announcement came as a little surprise for a couple of reasons. First, while many people thought they would pull the plug, it was anticipated that the announcement would take place on November 15th. This meeting was scheduled to discuss their 2010 budget, and it would seem to be an appropriate time to announce their racing plans.

The second reason this was a little bit of a shock is that Toyota was one of the companies who signed the Concorde Agreement in July of this year, and it committed the company to be a Formula One team for three more years.

I think someone at Toyota is in trouble. Hard to believe that in July they were willing to commit to three more years, and in just over three months later decide that they are out. Someone screwed up big time.

Thanks for visiting

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

2010 Accord Coupe

2009-11-10T05:27:00.000-08:00

Road and Track on line has a good review of the Honda Accord Coupe for 2010. You can read the entire article here:

http://buyersguide.caranddriver.com/honda/accord/2010/honda-accord-coupe

I have a couple of comments on their article. First they mention that the Accord Coupe with a V6 is now the hot Honda with the demise of the S2000, except perhaps for the Civic Si. I have to agree with this. I am a sponsor on www.driveaccord.net and the one car that the enthusiasts mention is the V6 coupe. If you want an Accord to modify for more performance or appearance this is the one to purchase.

More people lament the fact that they purchased the coupe with the I4 engine. Nothing wrong here if you want better gas mileage and a lower price. But if performance is your thing, its much better to spring for the V6 rather than the I4 and try to make it more powerful.

The base prices range from $23,265 to $32,015 and you of course can add different options. So while the v6 coupe is not a true sports car, you can get a lot of bang for your buck, and have a great car for a lot less than most sports cars.

I was impressed with the highway mileage of 31, as the Fit I just purchased only gets 33 and it is a much smaller and lighter car. But the Fit sure wins in cargo space. The Accord coupe gets 12 square feet and the Fit 20+. The Fit also expands to over 50+ with the rear seats down. While I really like the 2010 coupe, the interior space on the Fit won me over.

For all of the specs and a quote if you like, check out the link above.

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

I Just Purchased a Honda Fit

2009-11-06T17:42:00.000-08:00

I have discussed some of the features I liked about the Honda Fit and yesterday I put a deposit on one.

A deposit - yes?

My wife and I have decided that it is time to move from sunny San Diego, Ca to Overcast and Rainy Southern Oregon Coast.

We just put our home on the market, and all week have had people in and out preparing the house for sale. Two handy men for two days, two cleaners for half a day, and several hours of run cleaning this morning. Next week part of our patio deck is being replaced (termite inspection) and then two and half days to trim trees and get the back yard ready.

So what does all of this have to do with a Honda Fit? Glad you asked. We are faced with getting two 100 lb plus each dogs up to Oregon. We will never transport them in an airplane, so it looked like a car was the way to go. None of our current crop of cars was worth taking up there, which was why I was looking at purchasing a new one. I wanted a fairly inexpensive car that would haul all of us up there.

Once I decided upon a Honda Fit, the question came up, where to buy it. If I purchase the car in California, I will pay both sales tax and all kinds of registrations. Perhaps around $2,000 or so.
If I purchase the car in Oregon, no sales tax and minimum taxes for registration. So do you see where I am leaning?

Now, how to buy a car in Oregon and get it down to San Diego? First problem is, the Oregon dealer cannot sell me the car and have it delivered to San Diego. Second, he can't sell it to me until I am an Oregon resident.

So here is the convoluted plans. As soon as my house goes into escrow, my wife and I will fly up to Oregon. We plan on renting a house for a couple of months, until we find a new home. Once we get there, I will have a lease, and then will open a bank account. Now we can be considered residents.

Later for the rest of the story.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Brawn Wins Formula One!

2009-10-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

Late last year I was commenting on Honda's pulling out of formula one races. They dithered around for a while and then pulled the plug.

At seemingly the last minute Ross Brawn stepped in and purchased the team. It was just three weeks away from the season start.

There is one more race scheduled in the 2009 season, but for the titles, the season is over.
Brawn GP has won the constructors trophy and their number one driver, Jenson Button has become the Formula One Driver's Champion.

"Jenson Button won six of the first seven races -- and teammate Rubens Barrichello proved a consistent high-point scorer as well -- Brawn GP became the dominant force in the 2009 season."

This was just reported in today's USA Today's on-line report. If you are interested in formula one racing or real upsets, then I suggest you read the entire article,

I missed the race today, and this is one of the few races that I really am sorry I did not see.

Check out the article for a bunch of very strange events - perhaps one of the strangest races in years.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2009-10-18-3567802721_x.htm

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda Fit Conclusion

2009-10-13T04:47:00.000-07:00

In the prior two blogs I mentioned several reasons for looking at a Honda Fit as my next car. In this blog I'll wrap up my reasons.

One key reason is the size of the car. It is a sub-compact but handles and loads like a larger car. Over the years I have driven small cars and large station wagons and pickup trucks. Of course along with sport cars. I have to say that I don't like large cars. Yes they may be safer in an accident, and on a long trip they may be better, but all in all they are a pain.

They use more gas, have much larger turning circles, harder to park, harder to get in and out of in tight spaces and I always feel they are bigger than the traffic lanes I drive in. Ya, I know I'm a little crazy, but that's the way I feel. Big is not better.

The second reason is safety. My newest car (my wife's car actually) is a 1999 model. There have been some improvements in car safety since then. The fit comes with Active Front Head Restraints, Front Airbags, Side Airbags with OPDS (Occupant Position Dection System), Side Curtain Airbags, Side Impact Beams, ACE Body Structure (Honda's front end construction), Vehicle Stability Assist, ABS and Traction Control.

It also has 10 cup holders, and my Ferrai has only one (me).

Last, and perhaps most important is the color choices. Several years ago at a car show my wife fell in love with a purple Lamborghini. Now I don't have $300,000 plus to buy her one. But the Honda Fit comes in a new shade called Blackberry Pearl. And it's close enough to purple to keep her happy.

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda Fit Continued

2009-10-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned earlier, our next car may be the Honda Fit. What first caught my eye was the amazing amount of interior space. And how easy it was to configure. First this is a sub compact, but it has more room than many small SUVs.

It starts out as a four to five passenger car. I would really say four, but Honda claims you can put 3 adults in the back seat. Now let's say you want to carry more stuff in the back. You start out with just over 20 cubic feet behind the rear seats. Fold them down and now you have 53 cubic feet of storage space. Wow!

Let's assume a different need. This time you have a long object, like a ladder, rug, surf board or what have you, up to 7 feet 2 inches in length. So you fold down part of the rear seat and you can carry this object. The rear seat is one of those 40 - 60 splits, so in addition to this long thing you want to carry, you can also have a passenger sitting in the rear.

All three of these configurations are typical and available in other cars. However, Honda has another trick up their sleeves. This one is called the "magic seat". Recall that the rear seats fold forward. They also fold up. That is the seat portion folds up and connects to the back. This leaves a deep well when you open the rear doors. You can now carry an object up to 4 feet tall. How's that for innovation?

More later.

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda Fit

2009-10-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

I was always considering that my next car would be a Honda Accord. However in the past few days I have changed my mind. My next ride will probably be a Honda Fit. Why a Fit? Several reasons.

First is total cost. I have two very expensive cars today. A Ferrari and a Jaguar. True, they are not very new, and not worth a whole lot, but boy are they expensive when it's time for repairs. This time around I wanted a new car, for not a lot of money.

Next was the fact that my wife and I have two dogs. I guess you would call them large size, as one weighs 110 lbs and the skinny one 105. They take up an entire back seat and like to stick their heads out of the window when we are driving slowly in the city. They ride today in the back seat of a Toyota Camry. The seat used to be covered in nice leather. Today it is covered in duct tape and a blanket. Besides ruining the seat, there is a second disadvantage, in the gap between the seat edge and the back of the front seats. The dogs can fall into this gap and hurt themselves.

A Honda Fit offers a flat, carpeted bed, when the rear seats are folded down. Easy for the dogs to jump up and still able to look out of the windows.

The Fit is also rated the #1 sub compact by various car mags and organizations. Different looks, great mileage (highway 33-35 depending on the transmission), light on the initial fee (under $20,000), peppy but not very fast.

Five speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. My wife would be using the normal automatic transmission and I would wear out the paddle shifters.

More tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting.

www.autogrillcraft.com

Grillcraft BG | SW | MX grills

Honda - 40 Years in Canada

2009-09-24T10:52:00.000-07:00

The Windsor Star recently ran an article by Manabu Nishimae the president and CEO of Honda Canada Inc.

In it he wrote about the long history of Honda in Canada starting in 1969 with a motor cycle and power equipment company. I found this interesting, because while I know Honda makes a lot of equipment besides cars, it is the automobile that I think of each time I hear the name.

It was not until 1973 that Honda in Canada sold it's first automobile. He did not say what model it was, but since the first Accord did not come out until 1976, I assume it was a Civic.

Mr. Nishimae also said "At present, we serve Canadians across the country with 275 vehicle dealerships - 227 Honda and 48 Acura stores - in addition to a large number of motorcycle, ATV, power equipment and marine dealers in every province. We also employ more than 5,000 associates in manufacturing and sales and, indirectly, more than 16,000 through our national dealership network.

So happy birthday Honda of Canada.

Thanks for visiting.

www.autogrillcraft.com

Grillcraft BG | SW | MX grills

Crosstour Manufacturing Plant Announced

2009-09-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

Honda Motor Car Corporation seems to like dribbling out a few details at a time about their new vehicle the Crosstour. The following was posted in the Chicago Tribune News web site:

EAST LIBERTY, Ohio - The Honda Motor Co. says a plant in western Ohio will be the production site for the automaker's new crossover utility vehicle.

Honda of America President Hidenobu Iwata (hee-DUH'-no-boo i-WAH'-tuh) said Thursday that the Honda Accord Crosstour will be built at the East Liberty plant that now produces the CR-V and the Element.

The Crosstour is a tallish, five-passenger wagon-like SUV based on a mid-size sedan. It goes into production this fall. Honda officials would not say how many will be manufactured.

Production is not expected to result in any new jobs at the plant that employs about 2,400.

The engines will be supplied by Honda's engine plant near Anna and the transmissions from the automaker's plant near Russells Point.

I find it interesting that no new jobs will be created. This of course suggests that something they are already producing at the plant will be cut back, thereby freeing up labor for the new car.

What do you think?

Grillcraft Grilles | MX | SW | and BG Models

www.accordmania.com

www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

News About Honda Accord Crosstour

2009-09-08T15:15:00.001-07:00

News is starting to dribble in about the Honda Accord Crosstour. If you are interested in some teaser type articles, I'll give you some links to check out.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-spe-cars-new-models-rdp,0,2890954.story

http://www.examiner.com/x-2270-NY-Autos-Examiner~y2009m9d1-Official-photos-of-2010-Honda-Accord-Crosstour-released

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2009/09/68498199/1

http://wot.motortrend.com/6576405/auto-news/2010-honda-accord-crosstour-first-official-photos-released/index.html

So far the details are skimpy, but you can see some pictures. I'm not impressed, but then again I'm not an SUV lover.

What do you think about this new, top of the line Accord?

Grillcraft Grilles | MX | SW | and BG Models

www.accordmania.com

www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

Cash for Clunkers Final Results

2009-08-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

The Law Librarian Blog has reported some final figures on the "Cash for Clunkers" government program that just ended.

A couple of their findings were a little surprising to me. Not that the total number of vehicles turned in was 690,114 car sales. Nor the fact that $2.877 billion was spent on the program.

What surprised me was that 84% of the trade ins were trucks!.

Here is a chart from their web site:

RankTop 10 Trade-in Vehicles
1Ford Explorer 4WD
2 Ford F150 Pickup 2WD
3 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD
4 Ford Explorer 2WD
5 Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan 2WD
6 Jeep Cherokee 4WD
7 Chevrolet Blazer 4WD
8 Chevrolet C1500 Pickup 2WD
9 Ford F150 Pickup 4WD
10 Ford Windstar FWD Van

Top 10 New Vehicles Purchased
1 Toyota Corolla
2 Honda Civic
3 Toyota Camry
4 Ford Focus FWD
5 Hyundai Elantra
6 Nissan Versa
7 Toyota Prius
8 Honda Accord
9 Honda Fi
10 Ford Escape FWD

3 Hondas, 3 Toyotas, 2 Fords, a Hyunda and a Nissan were the most purchased new vehicles under the program.

Grillcraft Grilles | MX | SW | and BG Models

www.accordmania.com

www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

IIHS Safety Test Results for Honda Accord

2009-08-27T05:32:00.000-07:00

One of the on-line car oriented newsletters I receive is My Ride. You can read it here:

www.myride.com

This issue shows the results of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) testing of 2009 cars. Interesting results if you want to check out different brands and models here:

http://www.myride.com/content/shared/articles/templates/index.cfm/article_id_int/6563/id/29946

The 2009 Accord received Good ratings in all tests. These included Frontal Offset; Side Impact and
Rear Crash Protection.

Key Safety Features on the 2009 Accord include:

Anti-lock Breaking System (ABS)

Electronic Stability Control (optional)

Tire Pressure Monitoring System

Front and Rear Head Curtain Airbags, Front Seat-Mounted Torso Airbags.

Grillcraft Grills | MX | SW | and BG Models

www.accordmania.com

www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

Toyota Cutting Production

2009-08-26T05:11:00.000-07:00

Now I'm getting a little confused. Is the recession slowly ending or are we going deeper. I would think that the major auto manufacturers like Toyota and Honda would have staff's that are spending all of their times trying to figure out where the economy is going.

Just a few posts ago I commented that Honda was back to Saturday production schedules at some of its US plants because of increased demand.

Today in Bloomberg.com it was reported that Toyota plans to close one of its domestic (Japan) assembly lines. This is the first time they have done this, and it is a reflection of the lowest level of sales they have experienced in 30 years.

Toyota has already cut production this year by 49%, and now they are taking an assembly line off line from the first quarter next year until mid 2011.

“Toyota is desperate to cut costs,” said Yuuki Sakurai, chief executive officer of Fukoku Capital Management Inc. in Tokyo. “The company needs to stop building unpopular and unprofitable cars.”

Not very good news for Toyota or the rest us.

Grillcraft Grills | MX | SW | and BG Models

www.accordmania.com

www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

Good News and Bad News

2009-08-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

The good news is the Honda Accord is a very popular car. The bad news is that it just might be too popular. The following is from the egm Car Tech site:

The National Insurance Crime Bureau has released its popular list of most stolen vehicles for the year 2008. The 1994 Honda Accord dethroned the 1995 Honda Civic as the most stole vehicle in the nation for last year.

I'm a little puzzled as to why a 1994 car tops the list? Any ideas? If so, please leave a comment.

This is especially strange to me, as have a 1994 Camry, which we purchased new. It might be worth $3,000 on a good day. I have two large (110lbs and 104lbs) labs. The Camry is used to haul them around and local trips around town. Every day at 7:00am or so my wife and I take the dogs to the local park. Under the new rules, dogs can run free from Dawn to 8:00am. Once we get to the park I leave the car unlocked with the rear windows rolled down (we drive slowly this way so the dogs can stick their heads out of the windows).

Now I wonder, am I asking for someone to steal the car? The third most popular car to steal is the1989 Camry!! Soon they might want a newer car, like mine?

Anyway here is the complete list of the top 10:
1. 1994 Honda Accord
2. 1995 Honda Civic
3. 1989 Toyota Camry
4. 1997 Ford F-150 Pickup
5. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
6. 2000 Dodge Caravan
7. 1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
8. 1994 Acura Integra
9. 1999 Ford Taurus
10. 2002 Ford Explorer

Is your car on the list?

Grillcraft Grills | MX | SW | and BG Models

www.accordmania.com

www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

Honda Accord 2010 Details - Part 3

2009-08-24T09:31:00.001-07:00

The Accord coupe is also being offeredwith a V6 Engine. This model is considered the performance Accord. With the 6-sp-eed manual transmission you get the 3.5 literV-6 VTEC engine. Notice that there is no "i" as part of the VTEC name. This is because it does not have the VCM technology. This V-6 engine offeres an exclusive valve train, exhaust and intake system that broadens the torque curve in the low -to mid-rpm range. This is where the "hot shoe" drivers want an increase in torque, and they received it.

For those of you who want a four cylinder engine. A 190-horsepower 2.4-liter, 16-valve DOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine is standard in the Accord Sedan EX, EX-L and Accord Coupe LX-S, EX and EX-L. The 2.4-liter Accord Sedan LX and LX-P four-cylinder engine produces 177 hp and features a DOHC i-VTEC valvetrain system. When equipped with the available automatic transmission, both 4-cylinder engines achieve an EPA rating of 21/31miles per gallon3 city/highway.

Grillcraft Grills | MX | SW | and BG Models

www.accordmania.com

www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

Honda Accord 2010 Details - Part 2

2009-08-23T17:41:00.000-07:00

Some of the changes are subtle, but may be very helpful to owners. For example, the climate control buttons are now of a lighter gray to help differentiate the controls in relation to nearby dark grey audio system buttons. This is a step in the right direction. The best example of this type of engineering was with a Rover 2000 TC I had a number of years ago. Each control, from the choke, to the radio, light switches etc. were all of a different shape. So unlike the new Accord where you still may make a mistake when its dark, the Rover controls could be identified with your eyes closed.

The top of the line engine is the 3.5 liter V6. It comes in at least two flavors. One is the i-VTEC, which produces 271 horsepower using a 24 valve SOHC (Single OverHead Cam) with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology which allows up to half of the cylinders to be deactivated when cruising. This can result in an EPA rating of 19/29. This particular engine is available only in the Accord Sedan.

Grillcraft Grills | MX | SW | and BG Models

www.accordmania.com

www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

Honda Accord 2010 Details - Part One

2009-08-22T17:18:00.000-07:00

Honda has now released a variety of details about the 2010 Accord sedans and coupes. I'll cover some of them, and the rest in the next post.

Let's start with some new features that are more upscale. Bluetooth's HandFreeLink will now be part of vehicles equipped with leather seats. This used to be only available with Accords with the navigation option. Now there is rear seat ventilation ducts on the EX and EX-L models which give rear seat passengers better airflow. Not a biggie, for us drivers, but I'm sure appreciated by our passengers.

How about a trunk roof lining on the Accord EX models. Boy that sure would make me buy one.

Here is some more direct from Honda. "The Honda Accord offers something for a diverse range of people seeking anything from a comfortable family car to an aggressive coupe with looks and power, " said Erik Berkman, vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

We sure have come a long way since 1976.

Grillcraft Grills | MX | SW | and BG Models

www.accordmania.com

www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

Crosstour Getting Closer to Detals

2009-08-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year I mentioned that Honda had announced a new car called the Crosstour.

Next month the company will release more details about the actual car. Right now it is just a rumor mill fueled by interest in the new vehicle and fanned by the company. They are releasing some teaser details, and holding back on others.

It will be called the Accord Crosstour, and it appears to be slotted in Honda's lineup above the CR-V and the Element but beneath the Pilot SUV. Honda obviously believes there is a market for a fourth in this grouping.

The engine is thought to be the current 2.4 liter four cylinder for the entry level and the 3.5 liter V6, both being offered in the current Accord line. It is also possible that the 2.3 turbocharged engine from the Acura line may also be an option.

One interesting feature shown on the prototype was an AWD. Will this be standard or an option? Honda is not talking, but we should know more in September.

I'm interested how this new Accord model will play in light of the current recession and the end of the "cash for clunkers" program. Honda has proven to be a shrewd market predictor over the years. Let's see if they are right this time around.

Grillcraft Grills | MX | SW | and BG Models

www.accordmania.com

www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

Great News for Honda - Increased Manufacturing

2009-08-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Columbus Business First has reported that Honda is increasing production at one of its USA manufacturing plants.

The East Liberty plant will be going back to Saturday shifts in September, and they may last the remainder of the year.

Workers at East Liberty assemble the CR-V crossover, which, along with the Civic were Honda’s only two vehicles whose July 2009 sales topped July 2008 sales.

There are no plans to add weekend work at the Marysville plant, which primarily builds the Accord sedan and coupe, the Acura TL sedan and Acura RDX sport-utility vehicle.

Honda also is bringing Saturday work back to its Lincoln, Ala. plant, which makes the Accord V6 sedan, Ridgeline pickup truck, Odyssey minivan and Pilot SUV.

Is it possible that we have reached the bottom of the current recession, and are now slowly climbing out? Looks like some indications are getting better, while others stay in the dumps.

Grillcraft Grills | MX | SW | and BG Models

www.accordmania.com

www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

Honda Accord Forum

2009-08-13T17:55:00.001-07:00

I recently decided that my Honda Accord web site needed some more exposure which might lead to new business. After looking around at various Accord forums I decided to advertise on www.driveaccord.net.

This is one of the most active forums I have seen. Total membership is just over 13,000. The most people they have had on-line was 498. Just a moment ago and I found that there was 55 members and 114 guests on-line at 6:00pm PST.

There are larger accord oriented forums available, but after spending some time here I really like seeing the questions and the answers that members are coming up with.

If you are an Accord owner I strongly suggest you visit them at: wwww.driveaccord.com.

You never know when you might have a burning question about your car.

Grillcraft Grills | MX | SW | and BG Models

www.accordmania.com

www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

GrillCraft Grills

2009-08-13T17:45:00.000-07:00

I just opened a new web site called www.autogrillcraft.com. So far my web sites have been devoted to one car, i.e. the Honda Accord. It was now time to expand and I selected grills as a potential opportunity to explore.

The Grillcraft line has an excellent reputation, and changing the grill on a vehicle is a reasonably fast and inexpensive way to change a key feature. Grillcraft makes grills for automobiles, SUVs, and trucks.

Like many smart manufacturers they try and not be all things to all people. That means that they make products to for vehicles that people want to modify, and not every vehicle being manufactured fit this category. They also say they will not do a custom grill. This is smart manufacturing. If you wan to be successful you must optimize your workflow. Building custom grills one at a time, can be a profitable business, but you have to have your company oriented in this direction.

If you are interested in see what is available, please visit my new site:

http://www.autogrillcraft.com

Grillcraft Grills | SW | MX | BG | Car, SUV and Truck Grills

Thanks for visiting.

Bad News for Honda | Giant Recall

2009-08-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

The news today was bad for Honda Motor Car company and many owners. Honda is recalling 440,000 vehicles because of their air bags. This includes 2001 and 2002 Accords.

Seems like there were six injuries and one death due to defective air bags.

Speaking on the topic, Honda Motor Co said, "Metal fragments could pass through the cloth airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to vehicle occupants."

Honda will be sending out notices to registered owners to have their air bags replaced.

No mention was made on how expensive it would be for the company to complete this recall. They said that the bags would be inspected and replaced if necessary at no cost to the owners.

If you own an Accord or even a Civic check out www.owners.honda.com/recalls for more details. It could save your life.

Honda Accord Exhaust Systems |Buddy Club, GReddy, HKS, Invidia, RS*R, Skunk2, Tanabe

Honda Accord K&N Typhoon Complete Cold Air Intake |
Proven Horse Power and Torque Gains| Configurable to Short Ram or Longer Cold Air Intake

Thanks for visiting.

BMW to Pull Out of Formula One Racing

2009-07-30T06:39:00.000-07:00

I enjoy watching formula one racing because it represents the pinnacle of automobile engineering. How to make a four wheel vehicle go as fast as possible around a race track.

I don't have the latest numbers, but at one time I had read that it is the most popular sport in the world. It is an area where car manufactures spend a fortune and bet their reputations on being able to compete.

But it is expensive, and sometimes the cost is hard to justify. Late last year Honda decided that it could no longer justify its participation in this racing series. What struck a lot of people as ironic was that Honda had spent a fortune on its team and cars in preparation for the 2009 season, and then pulled out. So what happened? A new team called Brawn was formed from the Honda team, and the miracle happened. The new team has been number one and left Ferrari and more experienced teams in the dust so far this year.

Now BMW has decided that they will be leaving Formula One this year. BMW become involved when they took over the Sauber team ahead of the 2006 season. So far BMW has had a very poor 2009 season. It is now eighth in the constructors standing.

Mercedes, the other major German car maker involved in Formula One, said it regretted BMW's pullout, "but it will have no influence on our F1 engagement."

Formula One management has been pushing to reduce the costs and add new teams. This latest news from BMW gives strength to their argument.

For more details about this decision: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5id5sOxCNKIZpNSItukVGva9woSiwD99O2M7O0

Honda Accord Exhaust Systems |Buddy Club, GReddy, HKS, Invidia, RS*R, Skunk2, Tanabe

Honda Accord K&N Typhoon Complete Cold Air Intake |
Proven Horse Power and Torque Gains| Configurable to Short Ram or Longer Cold Air Intake

Honda Accord Tops Reliability in UK

2009-07-24T09:18:00.000-07:00

Today in the UK Guardian was an article about the results of a comparison by Which? Car.

I have never heard of Which? Car. Have you?

Anyway they surveyed motorists and the Honda Accord came in the top spot with a score of 98.5. Second place was the Honda Jazz with a score of 98.2 reliability rating.

The survey was based on information from the owners of more than 84,000 vehicles. They were asked questions about breakdowns, faults and niggles they had experienced while driving. I love English words like "niggles".

Now an aside. I recently heard on the radio (US version) someone talking about the difference in accent by an English speaker and an American English speaker. The reason was something I had never heard about. Seems that in America we are still speaking the English that was popular in England in the 17th century. However, the language has moved on in England, while remaining almost frozen in the US. How's that for progress.

Back to the survey. Other Japanese brands took five of the remaining top 10 spots, so it was a sweep for the Japanese car makers.

How about the other end of the scale? Dead last out of 121 car makes was the sporty Audi A5.
I don't follow the Audi, as I have never had one, but I seem to recall that they did not do too badly in car magazine road tests. If I'm correct in this, then it just points out that how a car does in a particular test when it's brand new and how it holds up for the long run are two different animals.

Drop me a line, or make a comment. It's awful lonely talking to yourself.

Honda Accord Exhaust Systems

Thanks for visiting!

.

New Slogan for Accords "Made in Alabama"

2009-07-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

Honda has been building some models in the United States for 30 years. Right now they have been manufacturing both the four and six cylinder Accord models at their plant in Marysville, Ohio and making the Odyssey minivan and Pilot sport utility at its Lincoln plant in Alabama. They also recently moved the Ridgeline assembly from Canada to Lincoln.

This move accomplishes several things for Honda. It allows expansion of the four cylinder line at Marysville which can now produce more cars in the same space. It also gives the folks at Lincoln more to do as sales for the Odyssey and Pilot lines are slowing down in this economy.

In some cases this might be viewed as combing losers, as Accord sales are down 22% this year with the Ridgeline down 60%, and the Odyssey off 22% and the Pilot 24%. However, I am optimistic that the lines will start recovering by the end of the year.

Honda Accord Cold Air Intakes

Honda Accord Suspension Parts

Thanks for Visiting.

New Honda Accord Coming

2009-07-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

Honda has recently announced that there will be a new Accord model. However, it is not your standard sedan or coupe. Nope, this is a cross over. It will be called the 2010 Honda Crosstour CUV. How about that for a mouthful. I had to read it twice to get it right.

Honda is playing this one very cozy and close to its vest. No real details about the new vehicle. Other than the name, almost nothing else is know right now.

One report does give some additional information which has not been confirmed.

Left Lane News offers more information: "Although visually similar to the upcoming Acura ZDX, the Crosstour will not ride on the ZDX's platform. Based on a modified Honda Accord chassis, this all-new crossover vehicle will start production in September of this year at the East Liberty factory in Ohio (the ZDX will be produced in Alliston, Ontario)." The Crosstour will compete with the Toyota Venza.

Keep your eyes open, as in a recession, Honda is playing a high stakes game introducing a brand new model.

Honda Accord Suspension Parts

Honda Accord Cold Air Intakes

Thanks for visiting.

Consumer Reports Spanks Honda Insight!

2009-07-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

As a rule Consumers Reports has only had high praise for all Honda products. I'm sure that they were looking forward to testing the Insight and comparing it to the Toyota Prius.

Just how disappointed they were can be understood by this quote: "The (2010) Insight is the most disappointing Honda Consumer Reports has tested in a long time,"

If you are a Consumers Report's follower this is indeed a death blow. I subscribe and use their evaluations before I make a major purchase. Our last one was for a vacuum cleaner. We choose one of their top brands. If I was in the marketplace for a hybrid, after reading this report it would not be on my list.

The full report about how Consumers felt is here:http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090630/cato_honda_090702/20090702?s_name=Autos

Or you can purchase the magazine, as I do.

The most interesting part of this particular article to me was how badly Honda missed the mark. They had a clear Toyota target to shoot at. I know the initial strategy was to offer a lower entry price - which they did. They also get reasonable mileage with the Insight. But it seems they missed out by making a true hybrid. Rather they got only some of the pieces correct.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord After Market Parts

Honda Accord After Market Parts

Thanks for visiting.

Are Hybrids Really Green?

2009-06-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

Of course they are you will say. They use less gas, and that's a sure sign of being green.

That's also what I thought until I read an article in the Washington Post. You can see it here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/20/AR2009062001523.html

What's the problem you ask. Glad you did. It appears that the battery is the culprit.
Its a nickel metal hydride battery. Here are some of the steps that comprise the life cycle of this battery.

"The nickel is mined in Sudbury, Ontario, and smelted nearby, doing damage to the local environment. The smelted nickel is shipped to Wales, where it is refined. Then it is sent to China to be made into nickel foam. Then it goes to Japan, where it is made into a battery. Then it goes into cars, some of which are shipped to the United States and some of which go to Europe. All of that seaborne transport consumes a lot of fossil fuel."

Well it that's not quite enough to take away the Green designation, how about this:

"CNW Marketing rates cars on the combined energy needed "to plan, build, sell, drive and dispose of a vehicle from initial concept to scrappage." A Prius costs $2.87 per lifetime mile. By comparison, an H3 Hummer costs $2.07 per lifetime mile. Then there will be the problem of disposing of the used batteries."

Looks like I had better cancel my order. What are you going to do with yours?

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Appearance Parts

Honda Accord Performance Parts

Thanks for visiting.

Honda Accord EX vs. Ford Fusion SEL

2009-06-16T06:47:00.000-07:00

The July 2009 Motor Trend magazine reported on a comparison test they conducted between these two cars.

The first interesting thing was that the original test was supposed to compare the Ford Fusion SEL against the 2010 Toyota Camry, but Toyota backed out. That is a story by itself and strongly suggests how far along the Ford has come in the last few years.

The new ford has improved to the extent that the final results were almost a tie. It has extensive noise reduction parts and turned out to be a little quieter than the Accord.

Interior comfort went the Accord, for its wider driver seat and better angled rear seats. The 12 speaker Ford beat out the 6 speaker Accord for audio. Engine wise the Ford produced 175hp and the Accord 195hp. Weight wise the Accord was just a bit lighter but in length, height and width, the Accord was slightly larger.

Overall the magazine felt the Ford's styling was cleaner, bolder and more attractive than the Accord's.

But bottom line, with everything being considered, the Honda Accord edged out the Ford Fusion. It came down to "value". A combination of initial costs, estimated repair costs and estimated depreciation, and the Honda was slightly ahead and won the comparison.

Questions or comments: E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Parts

Honda Accord Appearance Parts

Thanks for visiting.

Color Glow Gauges | MimoUSA | AC Auto Technic

2009-06-10T05:33:00.000-07:00

Can you see your car gauges in your car at night? In my car, I can't. They look ok, but nothing special in the daytime. However, at night they are almost useless. The needles are almost invisible. I have taken them all out and replaced the small bulbs with the largest amp ones I could find. Even had the dimmer switch cut out of the circuit to get the most power to the bulbs. Still almost useless.

This experience is why, I was interested in adding Color Glow Gauges to my Honda Accord web sites. I started with MimoUSA and AC Auto Technic gauges. These will allow you to see what is happening at night, plus you get some great colors. So now Honda owners can choose from a bright white display during the daytime and a blue, green or combination at night.

If they would fit my car, I would be out in my garage right now installing them.

Take a look:

Honda Accord Color Glow Gauges

Thanks for visiting

MimoUSA Dash Trim Kits

2009-06-08T05:32:00.000-07:00

I have been using Google Analytics on my web sites to see which keywords or phrases that someone is using when they arrive on the sites. Turns out there is a wide variety of them. However, when sharing the analytic information with other people it, seems that Dash Trim Kits is one of the common expressions.

For those of you that are not familiar with this expression, a brief explanation is offered. When you look at the dash of your car, especially around the instruments? In many cars you will see painted metal. In some cars you might have a colored vinyl material covering these areas.

Now think of what you will see if you are in a Rolls Royce, a Jaguar or other high line car. Chances are it will be wood trim in these areas. If you are in a high end sports car like a Ferrari it may be carbon fiber material. In these cases the material separates the average stock looking dash and turns it into something that catches your eye and says unique or different, or luxury.

If you want some of this appeal and not interested in spending a hundred thousand dollars plus, you can turn to getting a dash trim kit. This is a series of thin pieces of real or patterned material which is attached to your dash, and give the same look to your car.

I have selected the dash trim kits from MimoUSA as my initial offering because of their variety and quality. If you are interested in learning more, check out the links below.

MimoUSA Dash Trim Kits

Aftermarket Dash Trim Kits

Thanks for visiting.

APEXi Cat-Back Exhaust Systems

2009-06-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

Today I added a new line of exhaust systems to my web site. It is a brand called APEXi.
Most of the exhaust systems advertise how loud they are and all of the fantastic power that they increase. The claims always seem a little exaggerated,

When I went to the APEXi (actually A'PExi) web site I found a company that I believe tells a more honest and realistic story. First their cat-back system is 50 states legal. No hassle as it is a direct factory replacement. It does not mess with the O2 sensor or the catalysis converter. Installation is straight forward at about 45 minutes.

One nice feature is that the sound level is 85db, and it is mellow. So you will not be pulled over by the local police department and charged with too loud mufflers.

This one is designed for the daily driver. It is made out of stainless, so it looks good and lasts a long time, backed by a company with a great reputation, and has been designed for a direct replacement fit.

When you are in need of a new system, I strongly recommend you check this one out.

APEXi Cat-Back Exhaust for Honda Accord

http://www.accordtopia.com

Thanks for visiting.

Wheelskins What a Strange Name

2009-05-31T05:40:00.000-07:00

I was looking around for a new product for my web sites and came across a product called Wheelskins. I could not figure out what the name meant, until I looked a little closer.

Higher end or top of the line cars may have a steering wheel cover out of leather or leather like material. My Ferrari has one, as does my wife's Jaguar. After a while the leather becomes discolored, or gouged or nicked in various places. It does not feel as good while you are driving and does not look too good either. I have tried leather cleaners and conditioners to revive the leather on some cars, but it has not worked too well.

Sometimes it does nothing, and other times the chemicals just seem to sit on the surface of the leather. Looks bad and feels worse.

The wheelskin answer is to cover or recover your steering wheel. If it is not covered now, you can get one of six sizes for your wheel. If it is covered now, you can removed your old cover or buy one size larger and place it over your existing cover.

They have the original wheelskins which come in six sizes and 15 colors, which you would think would satisfy almost everyone. However, it that's not enough for you, they now offer a two tone wheel cover. The top and bottom are one color and the sides another. I plan on putting this second product on my web site latter next week.

Drop me a line.

Wheelskins for Honda Accords

Honda Accord Appearance Parts

Thanks for visiting.

Altezza or Euro Tail Lights

2009-05-27T05:28:00.000-07:00

I have recently added a line of tail lights to my web site. They are made by AnzoUSA and are of the Altezza style. I wanted to write an article for Ezinearticles.com about them so did a little research on the web.

I knew that the Altezza style meant small projector type bulbs and a large clear shield for the lights, but did not know much else. So I checked out Wikipedia.com, one of my first sources for information.

Seems like Toyota introduced a Lexus IS (Intelligent Sport) model in 1998 that had a unique looking tail light housing, with a lot of chrome inside. It really looked different than the all red or red and clear backup light area found on most other cars. The name Altezza came from the same car which was sold in Japan, and called the Toyota Altezza.

OK, I can understand this. What is confusing to me is why a Japanese style tail light is called a "Euro" style? The style did not start in Europe. However, some European car picked up the trend. Another possibility is that the Lexus IS was introduced to Europe in 1999 and in America in 2000. So I guess this style could have been called "American" style tail lights.

Does anyone have some additional information about this?

Thanks for visiting.

Altezza Style Tail Lights for Honda Accord

AnzoUSA Lights for Your Honda Accord

2009-05-24T05:44:00.000-07:00

I'm now in the process of selecting and loading various products on my web sites. One of the first ones loaded are some special lights for Honda Accords. Why choose these? Because changing the looks of your headlights or taillights changes the look of your car and gives you that custom look with very little work.

In looking around at what type of lights are available, one brand was mentioned by various automotive sources. This was AnzoUSA. This is a USA manufacturing company that has been making aftermarketing lighting products for over 30 years.

They have been certified by ISO and have ISO 9002 factories. What are you looking for besides great style? Well if I'm adding a product to my car, I want it to last and not have to replace it. The AnzoUSA company has built special test facilities that will simulate rain, humidity and various shocks that your car might experience in normal day to day driving. If you are interested in LED products then the shock treatments simulate off-road driving. I'm confident that these products will last you for the lifetime of the car.

You have a choice of headlights that will give you up to 30% performance improvement and two different types of tail lights for Honda Accords.

If this sounds interesting check out the link below.

Honda Accord AnzoUSA Lights

Thanks for visiting.

Good News for The Telsa Electric Car Company

2009-05-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

Recently almost the entire management staff at Telsa was replaced, and the owner mentioned that the cars were being sold at less than cost.

The price of the roadster has gone up to $109,000 which is good news for them. The bad news was that they failed to to complete a $100-million round of venture funding and had turned to low-cost federal loans as an option for financing.

Now more good news. The Daimler Company,which owns Mercedes-Benz, has just purchased 10% of Telsa and acquired a seat on the board of directors. Daimler has also ordered 1,000 of the advanced lithium-ion batteries from Telsa. This new joint venture means that Telsa should be around for a while, and we may really see the $57,400 Model S electric sedan. Tesla plans to build the car, which gets 160 to 300 miles on a single charge-up. It has been shown as a prototype, but without some type of additional funding chances were that the car would not have been built.

Telsa is unique in that they produce a pure electric car and not a hybrid that uses both electric motors and a gasoline engine.

Recently the company was featured on a TV show and all of the owners seemed to love their new car. I remember the interview with one former Corvette owner. No more corvettes for him, he was now sold on the Telsa roadster. High praise indeed.

Comments or E-mail me

Aftermarket Honda Accord AEM Cold Air Intake

Aftermarket Honda Accord AEM Cold Air Intakes

Thanks for visiting!

Friction Circle | Winning the Grip War

2009-05-15T05:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I mentioned the contact patch, which is the area of your tires which touch the road surface. Today I would like to take that concept up another level.

I'm going to try and describe this concept without any drawings, so please bear with me. The Friction Circle or Traction Circle is the idea that the total grip of your tires can be spent in acceleration, braking or cornering, or a combination of these.

The idea is used by race car driving schools to help you visualize what is happening to your tires as you try and go as fast as possible around a track.

Let's imagine that you have a car that will grip the road with a 1 G tire. Visualize that your car in sitting in the center of a circle. An arrow pointing North represents the maximum braking possible or 1 G. The arrow pointing South represents the maximum acceleration your tire can provide without breaking loose or again 1 G. East and West are arrows representing the maximum cornering force of 1 G before you again break away.

The idea here is that you have 1 G of Friction under your control, and you can spend it any way you want. Accelerating down the straight you can spend it all with no problems. In the same way you can brake with 1G. You can also corner left or right with 1 G maximum. Now assume you are coming off of a straight with hard braking, if you start to turn into a corner, will you make it or slide off the track?

The answer is if you are braking at the maximum 1 G you have no grip left to turn in. You must relax the braking and the amount under the 1 G is available for cornering. In the same fashion if you are going around a corner and approaching the exit and you need to accelerate the same problem comes up. If you are using all of the tire's friction holding you on the track in the corner then you have nothing left to accelerate with.

Racing drivers overlap the different phases of braking, turning and applying power to try and make the tire work as hard as possible for as long as possible. It's the skillful use of this overlap, releasing the brakes and feeding in the throttle to just the right degree not to overwhelm the available grip, which makes the best use of the "traction circle".

The winning driver approaches the limits closer, than the other drivers, without exceeding them and losing control of the car.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Contact Patch | The Critical Footprint

2009-05-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

Let's image that you are cruising down the highway at 65 miles per hour and suddenly you see an animal jump out in front of your car. Could be a 2lb rabbit or a 100lb plus deer, either way you want to avoid hitting it.

So you yank the wheel to turn the car away from the critter. Did you make it? Just a close call, or is there something behind the car laying in the road?

One of the determining factors that helped decide what just happened is the "contact patch" of your tires. So just what is a "contact patch".

Let's use our imagination again. This time we will image driving our car up a ramp onto a platform made out of very thick glass. Don't worry, its strong enough to hold your car, you and your mother-in-law up in the air.

Now walk under the platform and look up. Do you see where the tires are touching the glass? Well that's the contact patch. The contact patch is that portion of your tire that is in contact with the road surface.

Not too much touching is there? If we looked at a 3,000 car with 30 lbs per square inch of tire pressure it would have about 100sq-in of contact patch. Since there are four tires, each one would have about the area of a 4 x 6 inch index card. Or another way, about the size of your hand print.

This is all that is touching the road, and every maneuver you make with the car is transferred to these small patches of rubber.

The more you have, the better you apply the thrust the car has against the road surface to accelerate, brake or corner the vehicle.

So I hope your tires were in good shape and properly inflated when you encountered the situation we started out with.

By the way, what happened in your mind? Did you miss that poor helpless animal or are you attending a funeral?

More details about cars and their suspension parts later.

(Some information supplied by "Winning - a Race Driver's Handbook" by George A. Anderson.)

Comments or E-mail me

BG-S2K Sport Suspension for Honda Accords

Thanks for visiting.

Things I've Learned About Buying a Car

2009-05-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

I have purchased a variety of different cars over the years. A couple brand new ones, some a couple of years old, and a bunch of much older ones. Along the way I have learned some things which I will pass on, hoping you don't make the same mistakes I have.

1. Don't buy the sheet metal. Ya, it might look fantastic, but if it's junk under the body design you are in for a world of trouble.

2. If you are only going to keep it for a couple of years, buy a used one. The first few years of depreciation are killers. If you trade often, buying a one or two year old model with low mileage will give you most of the current technology benefits and allow the former owner to eat the depreciation.

3. If you are going to keep it for a long time, a new car makes sense. You get all of the benefits, and as the years roll by, the depreciation levels out each year. I'm still driving a 1994 Camry we purchased new.

4. Lease vs. buy. The advantage changes based on the lease rates which can change dramatically from year to year. So what was a good deal one year may not be the best the next. Consumer's Reports have good articles on how to figure out the comparisions.

5. Don't buy the aftermarket "goodies" the dealer wants to sell you. You don't need, rust preventive, upholstery protection sprays and the like. It's just extra money from your pocket to theirs.

6. No opinion on extended warranties except don't buy them from a third party. Lot's of news about how you can't collect when something goes wrong.

7. Go prepared to negotiate. Buy reports (i.e. Consumers Reports or others) which list the actual costs of the dealer. Then negotiate up from there. Don't start with the asking price and negotiate down.

8. It never hurts to ask for something extra when the deal is almost done. Ya you really need better floor mats, or free service, or what ever. When they can taste the deal, you have more leverage.

9. Compare the features/cost with the top of the line model trim and the one below it. Sometimes one or the other will be the better deal.

10. Be prepared to walk away from a poor deal. This is the strongest bargaining chip you have. Vote with your feet.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Seibon Front Lip Spoiler

2009-05-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

I have been looking at different body products for Honda Accords. Two I have found at the Seibon Carbon fiber company.

One of them is the Seibon Front Lip Spoiler. It is a very attractive looking product and once installed gives the Accord a lower and meaner or exotic looking front end. This product is made out of one sheet of carbon fiber, unlike some of the competitive products that use multiple pieces, which can crack after a while.

The finish is called "wet" look, which is a glossy type of finish. It is enhanced by a clear coating which protects the finish from normal hazards such as fading from UV exposure. The company claims that this is better than a typical Gel coating.

There are a couple of different styles for different year Accords. From a practical standpoint I don't know that any particular style will give any advantage over any other.

Front spoilers were originally designed to allow the air flow over the car to press down on the front end. This was to keep the front end from rising as your speed increased. The last thing you want at speed is to take off like an airplane.

Since when a car accelerates there is a weight transfer to the rear, a front engine car will not have as much traction on the driving wheels as a rear engine vehicle. I'm not sure, but I assume a front spoiler will increase the traction for a front drive car. Does anyone out there know for sure? If so, please let me know and I'll post it here.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Seibon Carbon Fiber Hoods

2009-04-29T05:12:00.000-07:00

When you decide to start making your Accord unique looking, you have a variety of choices. One of the products that I have just added to one of my web sites is the Seibon carbon products line.

I have visited their web site, talked to various people and read a lot of articles, and I like what I have learned. This seems to be a quality company that makes a very good product.

When you begin to manufacture carbon fiber products you have several critical choices to make. One of these is will you be making your products out of one complete sheet of carbon fiber or using multiple pieces (which may be cheaper). Seibon decided to use only whole sheets which offer more strength and resists chipping and breaking much better than the alternative.

Another decision is the use of an integrated mold rather than having the carbon fiber sheet wrapped around the skeleton. This resists splintering and breaking more than the other technique.

Another feature I like is the "wet" look. This is achieved by using a clear coating on the finished product. The alternative is a Gel coat which produces a duller finish. If you are not painting the finished product you have to find a company that produces the type of finish you like.

This should not be confused with something called "wet" or "dry" manufacturing. Simply put, with dry carbon, you get the most strength and save the most weight. The weaves and quality are more consistent, but they are generally 3 to 4 times more expensive than wet carbon.

Wet carbon products are hand-laid, and are more prone to small defects like wavy weaves and tiny bubbles. They do not save as much weight as their dry carbon counterparts. But on the plus side, you get an incredible combination of visual attraction, weight-deduction, and most importantly, price.

All of Seibon products use the "wet" technique. So your choice is one of weight and strength vs. a great price and good looking products.

One of the products you should look at is the line of four different hoods for your Accord by Seibon. My web pages will show you what they look like. Remember, that you might have to do some adjustments to get a professional fit, but this is true of most aftermarket carbon fiber products.

Comments or E-mail me

AEM V2 Air Intake

Seibon Carbon Fiber Hoods

Thanks for visiting.

Body Parts for That Unique Look

2009-04-27T06:03:00.001-07:00

Most people that I know who are "in to cars" are attracted to both the looks of a car and its performance. In the past I have written several blogs about how to increase the performance of your car. Now I'll talk a little bit about the looks.

One caution is in order. One of the best pieces of car advise I have ever received is "don't fall in love with the sheet metal." This means that the looks of the car should not convince you to buy a particular car. What's under the body is more important. This is great advice if you are buying a car.

How about if you have a car? Now what can you do to the car to make it look unique. Well you do have a lot of choices. Just think of all of the cars you have seen with special paint jobs, and interesting wheels and tires. These are simple and straight forward changes to your stock cars.

But if you want something even more different looking then you should be thinking about body part changes. What this means is that you remove a stock part and replace it with an aftermarket part or you add something like an air foil or spoiler to a car that did not have one.

So we will be taking a closer look at some of the body parts you can add in the next few blogs.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Siebon Carbon Fiber Body Parts

2009-04-25T05:38:00.000-07:00

I have been looking around for different products to add to my two web sites:
www.accordmania.com and www.accordtopia.com. I would like to make one of them oriented to performance parts for the Honda Accord and the other orientation towards appearance items.

Yesterday I took a look at different types of body panels that are available for the Accord, and I decided to add the Siebon Carbon line. It seems this company has their act together and they offer one of the widest selection of individual carbon fiber components. You can go from hoods, trunk lids, side skirts, eye brows, front and back spoilers, front lips and other pieces.

One thing that I did not see was a complete body kit package. If you want to go this route you will have to purchase each piece.

However just in looking at hoods, you have a choice of four different styles. So if you have some creative juices flowing, this is a good way to let them out. Pick one of the styles, and get creative on the paint work.

What are your favorite companies for modifying the body on an Accord?

Comments or E-mail me

Seibon Carbon Fiber

Seibon Carbon Fiber

Thanks for visiting!

AEM V2 Cold Air Intake

2009-04-17T05:20:00.000-07:00

Cold air intake or performance air intake systems come in a lot of different configurations. Most of them are some type of air tube to control the air flow into the engine and a filter on the other end. Cold air intake systems draw air from outside the engine compartment and short ram intake systems locate the filter within the engine compartment.

Typically the cold air intake will deliver a little more power and torque increase than a short ram, because the colder the air the more oxygen it contains. And it is oxygen that allows the fuel in your engine to burn.

So is a longer colder air system always better? The folks at AEM say no. They have a system called the V2. It has a dual chamber design, which allows two streams of air through the tubes that creates multiple frequency sound waves to produce the largest area under the curve of any intake system on the market. These sound waves help charge the cylinders with more air throughout the entire rpm range.

The interesting thing about the V2 system is that some filters are located within the engine compartment (short ram approach) and other models have the filter outside (cold air intake approach). AEM tests both the length of the tubing and the temperature and select the best combination for a particular car engine. This means that regardless if the V2 system for your Accord is located inside or outside of the engine compartment, you are getting the maximum results.

Comments or E-mail me

AEM V2 Air Intake

AEM V2 Air Intake

Thanks for visiting.

Air Filters | Why they are important

2009-04-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

I'm interested in more performance out of my cars, and I assume if you are reading this blog that is one of your interests also.

One of the ways to increase the stock horsepower in a car is to improve the air flow both into and out of the engine. In another blog I'll talk about the engine exhaust.

The more air that comes into the engine, the more oxygen is delivered to the cylinders. When this extra oxygen is mixed with the proper amount of fuel and burned, more horsepower is developed.

In prior blogs we discussed different types and brands of cold air intakes, and I stressed some of the features of them. The one area I did not cover in any detail was the air filter. Factory air filters, and most of them you can purchase in the local auto parts store are made out of paper. This can result in several things.

First while they trap dirt and debris they also restrict the air flow. So less air means less power. Second, they become dirty and when they do, the only thing you can do is throw them away and buy a new one. Over time you will be spending a lot of money on paper filters.

The after market cold air intake companies have answered these problems with unique design for their air filters and special materials. The designs allow more air to flow through even when the filter becomes dirty. And many of them allow cleaning of the air filter, and typically these particular companies will offer a lifetime guaranty for their filters. Let's see the stock filters offer the same.

Two of the most typical of these aftermarket brands are AEM and K&N. AEM has a filter they call the DryFlow and it can be cleaned when it becomes dirty. K&N also has a great filter, but they use a light oil bath on their filter. Both improve the air flow and even the catching of very small particles before they harm your engine.

I would use and trust either brand. Since I can use only one at a time, I'm currently running with a K&N in my Ferrari.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Air Filters

Honda Accord Power Air Filters

Thanks for visiting.

So Who Do You Believe About the Crash Test?

2009-04-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

The local paper and the TV news shows were all highlighting the recent test by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, of two cars smashing into each other.

The cars struck in something called "offset" or not quite a true head on collision This type of test more realistically simulated what happens when a car wanders over the center line and hits a car coming in the other direction.

As I'm sure you have heard the smaller car received the most damage and potential damage to its passengers. The Insurance Institute said that the Smart ForTwo had “extensive” damage...

...into the area where the driver sits. The institute's findings indicate a human would have a high likelihood of sustaining head and leg injuries.

For the Honda Fit a driver of the Fit in a similar accident would have hit the steering wheel through the airbag in addition to sustaining leg injuries.

Of course the car manufactures had a different conclusion such as this type of accident is very unlikely. An 80 mph collision (each car going 40 mph) was a rare type of accident. One of the companies said it was a “rare and extreme” accident. “

So what's your opinion?

Mine is that it just proved some laws of physics. Its safer to be in a larger vehicle than a smaller one. That being said, most of my cars have been small sport cars, so I don't always listen to myself.

Comments or E-mail me

AEM Cold Air Intake

AEM Cold Air Intake

Thanks for visiting.

Another Dumb Idea from Congress

2009-04-11T06:06:00.000-07:00

The US Congress seems to be making one dumb decision after another. I'm not sure why. Is it pressure from lobbyists, demand from constituents, an attempt to do good but not understanding the problem?

I give up. Please help me understand one of their recent decisions. We all know the economy is in the pits. One of the causes, but certainly not the major one, is our dependence on foreign oil. So as a reasonable decision Congress passed a prior law that gave a tax credit for folks who purchased a hybrid automobile. Sounded like a reasonable decision to me. An extra incentive to save gas.

Now the kicker. According to mixedpower.com the tax credits are going away or already gone. One of the restrictions on the $3,400 credit was that it applied to only the first 60,000 cars from a specific manufacturer. So if you want to purchase a Toyota Prius - no tax credit. How about the brand new Honda Insight? Sorry, no tax credit. Both Toyota and Honda have reached and passed the stupid 60,000 limit. I guess when you reach that magic number the world's oil problem just goes away (just like I would like our Congress to do).

Anyway there are still some left for you to purchase and receive the credit, and that is a hybrid from Ford or General Motors. If you are interested in Ford, they offer Ford Escape Hybrid and its twin SUV, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, the Ford Fusion Hybrid mid-size sedan and its twin the Mercury Milan Hybrid. For General Motors the Chevrolet Malibu hybrid and Cadillac Escalade hybrid are available.

Now some more bad news. Ford is approaching the 60,000 limit and the tax credit is designed to decrease at particular times. It drops from the current $3,4000 to $1,700 or in half after March 31st. And then to $850 after March 31, 2010.

I guess the reasoning was by that time we, our esteemed Congress, would have solved the oil crisis, and the tax credit incentive would no longer be necessary. If you believe that, I have a nice bridge for sale, but I expect a young couple who looked at it earlier today will be back to buy it. So you had better make me an offer real fast. .

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Parts

Honda Accord Appearance Parts

Thanks for visiting.

Telsa S Sedan Announced

2009-03-27T06:01:00.000-07:00

News stories this week are about the Telsa S Sedan. As you may have heard this is their electric sedan which is targeted at people with a couple of bucks. Priced at $57,400 you can get a $7,500 federal tax credit, which means a $49,900 bottom line. Certainly not an electric car for the masses.

The company's goal is to release the car in the third quarter of 2011, with an annual goal of 20,000 units by mid 2012. It will be interesting to see if they can meet this goal. If the economy does not turn around, then I have major doubts that this pricing will work.

Some of the interesting details: Seating for 7, which as one reviewer said means 5 adults and 2 children. 1,200 lb battery pack for a total weight of just over 4,000 lbs. This standard battery gives a range of around 160 miles with a "fast charge" option of 45 minutes. Not bad at all, but will this convince people to spend so much when Honda is aiming its electric/gas at around $20,000.

I guess your choice is a pure electric or a hybrid at much less. Here is a picture:
http://content.zdnet.com/2347-9595_22-282271-282274.html?seq=3

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

K&N Cold Air Intakes for Accord

2009-03-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of different companies producing cold air intakes for Honda Accords. In the last couple of blogs I discussed AEM three different types for Accords. Now let's take a look at another companies offerings.

K&E is known world wide for their filters, both air and oil. I have a K&E air filter in my Ferrari and there were several reasons for choosing it.

First it was a lifetime filter, and I would never have to replace it. Second was that it improved my horsepower because it was less restrictive than a stock air filter.

Both of these reasons are why you might consider a K&N Cold Air Intake. The K&N product also gives you the benefit of cold incoming air, which we know will produce more horsepower than hot engine air.

Two interesting things about the K&N cold air system is that they publish horsepower figures for their systems, and offer an outstanding guarantee, unlike many cheap competitors. Like the AEM systems all of the K&N systems are tuned for your specific car brand, year and trim model.

For Honda Accords the model is called the 69 Series Typhoon Kits. The horsepower increase ranges from around 4 horsepower to 10.4 horsepower, depending upon your unique Accord model. They only have this one type of series rather than three systems like the AEM brand. However, you know in advance what you will receive in the way of horsepower and torque and you get a brand that is instantly recognized.

Comments or E-mail me

K&N Cold Air Intake

N&N Cold Air Intake

AEM V2 Intake

2009-03-21T14:12:00.000-07:00
The next step up from a short ram intake to a cold air intake is the AEM V2 intake. AEM has been making intakes for a number of years and has an excellent reputation. Their V2 system uses a patented design that has a dual chamber design. This they claim increases both horsepower and torque beyond their other popular systems like the cold air system.

The dual chamber uses two different diameter pipes of different lengths, which create multiple frequencies of sound waves in the incoming air. This produces the widest band of power increase of all of their products. An interesting feature of all systems is that the length of the input pipe has a major bearing on the amount of power the system can deliver, and on the rpm range where this power occurs. AEM has found that not all of their V2 systems require that the inlet be placed outside of the engine compartment, in order to maximize the power. In these cases the inlet filter is placed in the coolest part of the engine cavity to minimize the amount of hot air being drawn in.

The V2 system also comes standard with their DryFlow synthetic air filter. This filter has a lifetime guarantee and is unique in that it does not use oil to aid in filtration. If more power, deeper sounds and a great looking system are something you are thinking about, the AEM v2 is one you should check out.

AEM V2 Intake System for Honda Accord

Comments or E-mail me

AEM V2 Intake System

AEM V2 Intake System

Thanks for visiting.

Cold Air Intake

2009-03-20T05:50:00.000-07:00
Yesterday I discussed Short Ram Intakes as a way to increase the horsepower output of your engine. The next step up is a Cold Air Intake. The major difference between the two products is that the Short Ram intake has it's filter and inlet inside the engine compartment. This means that it draws in hotter air, which has less oxygen and power potential than the air outside the car.

The Cold Air Intake has longer tubes and the filter inlet is positioned somewhere in the car so that it can draw in cooler outside air. Depending on the brand of air intake and the car you have, the inlet can be positioned inside a fender well or behind the front bumper.

In some cases an existing hole in the sheet metal must be widened to fit the tubes. All in all the installation of the Cold Air Intake will take longer and a little higher degree of mechanical skills than the installation of the Short Ram system.

There is another downside to the Cold Air Intake system. And that is drawing in water if you went through a very deep puddle and the filter became wet. This could cause a hydro lock and damage the engine. While very few people experience this condition it is better to be safe. Depending on the brand of Cold Air Intake you purchase there are a couple of ways to avoid this problem. Some systems offer a cover for the filter, which allows air to flow in but stops water. Another system may have an optional valve in the tubing which will also stop water. A third approach is a system that can be converted from a Short Ram to a Cold Air and back. Using this system you would run a Short Ram in the winter or wet weather and convert it to a Cold Air system in the summer when there is no danger of inhaling water.

Comments or E-mail me

AEM Cold Air Intake for Honda Accord

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Short Ram Intakes

2009-03-19T05:31:00.000-07:00
Now its time to talk about how to improve your stock car. The first step that most people take is to improve the air flow into the engine. Why? because inside the combustion chambers the air mixes with fuel and is burned to produce power. The key ingredient in the air is oxygen. So if you can increase the air flow containing oxygen you can add more fuel and increase your horsepower.

The stock air box and filter on most cars was designed to reduce the noise of the engine sucking air in. It was also typically made as inexpensively as possible. A third problem is that on some cars the inlet was positioned in a spot that allowed the engine to heat the air flowing into the engine. What's the problem? The basic problem is that cold air is denser than hot air, and the denser the air the more oxygen it carries. So the hotter the air entering the engine the less oxygen and horsepower potential it contains.

To improve the air flow and increase the horsepower of a car, the first step that most people take is to remove all of the factory restricting air passages before the throttle body. You then have several choices in replacement parts. The typical answer for many is using a Short Ram Intake. This is usually a tube that has a filter on the inlet end and the other end connects to the throttle body.

How does this help produce horsepower? First the tubes are designed so that air flows without a lot of noise reducing restrictions. Second, the typical Short Ram Intake filters are also designed to trap particles but allow the maximum amount of air flow. So between these two devices more air is allowed and more power is the result. Another result is an increase in the engine sounds when you step on it. The lack of restrictions allow you to hear the engine roar, and this is another major reason the Short Ram Intake is used.

Finally most of these systems are made of colored or highly polished materials and they add a nice touch to the engine compartment.

Comments or E-mail me

AEM Cold Air Intake

AEM Cold Air Intake

More Power for Your Car

2009-03-18T17:51:00.000-07:00
For the next few blogs I'd like to discuss some products that can help increase horsepower in your car.

There are various kinds of car owners. Most purchase and drive cars in order to get from point A to point B. A car is a tool and no more enjoyable than any other tool or machine that they might use.

However, for a much smaller group of people a car is more than a means of transportation. I can't put it into words, but its more like an idea or ideal. Yes its made up of steel and other materials like other machines, but some almost seem to have a heart. They give you something extra. They help fill your life. It may be a passion or just a keen interest, but it's something that you spend time thinking about or doing something about or doing something with.

As I read the above, it sounds a little lame. But from my standpoint collecting stamps is something I don't understand, so I don't expect non car people to understand my interest in cars.

Anyway, one thing I have noticed about people who enjoy cars is that almost all of them would like some more power. It doesn't seem to make any difference in how powerful the stock vehicle is. We just want more.

So I'll be blogging about how to get some of this power with after market parts.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Parts

Honda Accord Appearance Parts

Thanks for visiting.

Formula One | Major Changes

2009-03-17T09:20:00.000-07:00
There was a meeting of formula one Governing body today. As a result there were some major changes made. One of the most critical was that the Formula One Championship will be decided based on the number of wins, and not as it used to be based on a point system. If the new method had been in place last year, the Ferrari driver Felipe Massa would have been the 2008 champion as he won six races compared to the 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton who won only five races.

The article I read was a little confusing, as the point system has not completely gone away. In case of a tie the point system will be used. It will also be used for ranking all of the other drivers after the champion. This organization makes nothing easy.

There is a proposed cap of $42 million per year per team. Not sure if this one will pass or not. The governing body also accepted the new Brawn team's purchase of the Honda racing team, and allowed the new team to compete without the normal entry fee.

A couple of other major announcements were made. One was that the teams could have eight one-day aerodynamic tests during the course of the season instead of the former total ban on in-season testing.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Parts

Honda Accord Appearance Parts
>

Honda Accord Diesel

2009-03-15T15:41:00.000-07:00
The Ayrshire Post.net has just reported on the new Accord Diesel. Yes that's right a diesel. This is Honda's second generation diesel, and of course you can't get one over here. I guess Honda felt that the United States market was not ready for this type of car.

The Accord Diesel is called the 2.2 iDTECES. Please don't ask me what all of those letters mean - I'm only an American and I don't speak English. Anyway the basic specs are:

148bph
2.199cc engine (I guess that's the reason for the 2.2 in the name)
6 speed manual gear box
4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels
0-62mph: 9.6 seconds (I know that European cars are reported as 0-62 mph vs. our 0-60mph. I'm not sure why, does any reader know? If so please advise)
Max speed 132mph (which seems low by American standards, but when was the last time you did over 132mph?). The last time I saw that number I was a passenger in a Lambo, and we were still in the city limits.
And the killer number (drum roll please) Combined mpg: 50.4

Only question I have is that gallons as we think of them or the imperial gallon which take you a little farther?

Price £20,690 for the ES version. This one I can figure out: $28,906.

Well, is there a diesel in your future?

Comments or E-mail me

AEM Cold Air Intake

AEM Cold Air Intake

Jaguar World Sales Up in 2008

2009-03-14T06:35:00.000-07:00
If you are a member of a Jaguar Club you should have received the Jaguar Journal for January-February 2009. This is the official publication of the Jaguar Clubs of North America. It has various articles about new and old Jags, advertisements for new and old jags, articles about members, and the latest news about the Jaguar Brand.

One of the interesting things to me in this issue was their statement that Jag sales were up in 2008. That at first did not sound right. From what I remember Jag sales have been falling every year, and a year ago they shut down one of their historic manufacturing plants, and late last year Jaguar was sold to an Indian company.

The total sales for the company in 2008 was 65,000 car which is 7% more than in 2007. Sales were up by 50% in Russia, 35% in the Middle East, and 25% in China. They did not report total sales in North America, but everyone agrees that they were down by a major amount.

What caused the overall increase? It appears that there were two major reasons. First was the introduction of the Jaguar XF model, which replaced the S model. The XF is selling very well and it is a much better looking car. The second major reason was diesel-powered models in Europe. In 2009 Jaguar continues the introduction of the next generation with both diesel and gas powered vehicles for the European marketplace. However, there do not seem to be any plans to bring the diesels to the North American market. Sells great in Europe, but not available in the US. What do you think of that strategy?

Comments or E-mail me

AEM Cold Air Intake

AEM Cold Air Intake

Cold Air Intake vs. Short Ram Intake

2009-03-13T05:14:00.000-07:00
A question that comes up when people are interested in improving the air flow in their car and the resultant increase in power is which one should I get? A cold air intake or a short ram intake. There is no clear cut answer, unless you look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Both systems replace the stock tubes and air box of your car, because the stock system was designed with restrictions, which reduced noise, but at the same time restricted potential horsepower. So either replacement will increase horsepower and noise.

The Cold Air Intake system has longer tubes and is designed so that the inlet with the filter is positioned outside of the engine compartment. This allows colder, more dense air to be drawn in. The colder the air, the more oxygen it can carry and deliver more power. However the installation is more complicated, and may involve cutting into the car to get the tubes positioned either behind the front bumper or in the wheel well.

The Short Ram Intake has shorter tubes and fits entirely within the engine compartment. The installation is much easier. Some systems have a shield around the inlet filter to reduce some of the engine heat.

One downside potential with the Cold Air Intake is the possibility of drawing in water from the wheel well when going through a deep puddle. This water can harm the engine. Two solutions are possible, one with a cover on the filter that stops water and the other uses a valve which will stop the water. The Short Ram does not have this problem.

In many, but not all cases, the Cold Air Intake will deliver more horsepower at a higher rpm, but it might take a little longer because of the longer air flow. So if you want your power at lower rpms, the Short Ram is a better choice.

Another factor is cost. The Short Ram Intake has less parts and is less expensive.
One additional factor is a dual purpose combination. In the winter or wet weather it is a Short Ram, and in the summer you convert it to a Cold Air Intake.

Take your pick.

Comments or E-mail me

AEM Cold Air Intake

AEM Cold Air Intake

1939 Auto Union 'D-Type'

2009-03-12T17:41:00.000-07:00
Sports Car market email has an article about one of the most valuable racing cars that will be auctioned off at the Bonhams & Butterfields auction on August 14th at the Quail Lodge in Carmel California.

This is a historic machine that was handled by Auto Union factory team drivers Rudolf Hasse and Hans Stuck. It is unique for its rear-mounted 3-liter twin-stage supercharged V12-cylinder engine.

According to the article "it is one of the classic car world’s most charismatic machines, and is exquisitely well-restored to running order. In a world hungry for genuine intrinsic value, it has much to commend it." While the car is 70 years old its specifications are still impressive. How about a 3-cam V12-cylinder engine developed some 420bhp in 1938 single-stage supercharged form, rising to some 485bhp at 7,000rpm when two-stage supercharging was adopted for 1939. My three liter Ferrari only generates 2335bhp. I guess I had better find a supercharger!

How much will this treasure go for? That's an interesting question. The article suggests north of 8 million dollars. I guess everyone is not down in this economy.

Comments or E-mail me

AEM Cold Air Intake

AEM Cold Air Intake

What Does Consumers Reports Think of the Accord?

2009-03-11T05:52:00.000-07:00
Consumer Reports sums up their opinion of the 2009 Accord as follows:

"The Accord is one of the best family sedans. It has a roomy cabin, agile handling, and a steady, compliant ride. Most controls are logically arranged. The driving position is excellent, the seats are supportive and visibility is impressive. The automatic is smooth and responsive. The four-cylinder engine is smoother than some V6s and gets 23 mpg. The V6 model is very quick and polished, but fuel economy of 21 mpg overall isn't as good as in the previous generation. Road noise is still a bit noticeable. ESC is standard"

If you were reviewing the Accord, what would you be saying?

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Consumer Reports Continued

2009-03-10T06:23:00.000-07:00
Yesterday I reported that Honda ranked first as compared to all automakers with Subaru second and Toyota third. Consumers also had a variety of other types of comparisons. One was their listing of the "Top Picks - Best of the year in 10 categories:

Family Sedan: Honda Accord!!
Pickup Truck: Chevrolet Avalance
Fun to Drive: Mazda MX-5 Miata
Small SUV: Toyota RAV4
Small Sedan: Hyundai Elantra SE
Green Car: Toyota Prius
Minivan: Toyota Sienna
Best Overall Vehicle: Lexus LS 460
Upscale Sedan: Infiniti G37
Midsized SUV: Toyota Highlander

Well Toyota scored more top picks than Honda, but our Accord won in its group, so all is not lost.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Consumer Reports Annual Auto Issue

2009-03-09T07:59:00.000-07:00
Last week I received the April 2009 issue. There are a lot of interesting sections and data in this issue about best and worst cars. One interesting section on page 14 is called "Who makes the best cars? The answer was that overall the Japanese automakers get the highest marks.

Consumer's rated the carmakers in several different areas. The most critical was the Overall Score which was based on their average test score and average predicted-reliability rating. The top three companies were: Honda - 78, Subaru - 75, and Toyota - 74 in overall scores. For Honda some additional information. Average test score was also a 78. Reliability above average, Tested vehicles that were recommended: 95%.

As a comparison, here are the numbers from Chrysler, which was the bottom rated company. Overall Score: 48. Average test score: 52, Reliability, below average. Tested vehicles which were recommended: 0%.

Don't be mislead by my reporting that the Japanese companies were at the top, because not all of them were. Here are the Overall Score ratings for all companies:
Honda=78, Subaru=75, Toyota=74, Mazda=73, Mercedes-Benz=72, Nissan=72, Volkswagen=72, BMW=72, Hyundai=70, Volvo=65, Mitsubishi=64, Ford=63, Suzuki=60, General Motors=57, and Chrysler=48.

Tomorrow I'll report on some other findings in this issue.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Bye Bye Heel and Toe?

2009-03-08T06:58:00.000-07:00
I was reading a car mag and I came across an ad for the Nissan 370Z where they were stressing something they called "The Worlds First Synchrorev Manual Transmission". That certainly is a mouthful. I checked around on the web to find out what it really meant.

I found a statement on a forum:

"The new engine is backed by a choice of two new advanced transmissions, both designed to improve driver performance. The new close-ratio 6-speed manual includes an available world’s first synchronized downshift rev matching system, which allows drivers of any skill level to experience professional-like gear shift performance. The “SynchroRev Match” function automatically controls and adjusts engine speed when shifting to the exact speed of the next gear position, essentially “blipping” the throttle to smooth out any up/down shifts. This not only allows the driver to focus more on braking and steering, it improves vehicle balance and smoothness by reducing the typical “shock” when the clutch is engaged. The system can be deactivated with a button next to the shifter for drivers who prefer less vehicle intervention. The SynchroRev Match system is offered as part of the optional Sport Package."

So it looks like you can now downshift as if you were doing a "Heel and Toe" tap dance on the pedals without the danger of blowing something up. Appears that one more old fashion skill in driving a car is going away. I enjoyed trying to match the engine and transmission speeds on my sports cars when I down shifted. Never got too good at it, but always had fun trying. Now automation has taken that away.

What do you think? Would you rather master the Heel and Toe skill or would you like a machine to do it for you?

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Auction - Eight Figures and Counting!

2009-03-07T05:43:00.000-08:00
That is one of the points being made by an article in the Collector Car Price Tracking email I received yesterday. What are they talking about? Well it seems that at the 22nd Dana Mecum Original Spring Classic Auction taking place May 13-17, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, one of the six original 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupes will be up for sale to the highest bidder.

Let's see, (I have to use my fingers for this), I think that is $10 million or so. If the car goes for that number it will be the most expensive American car ever sold at an auction. So what is worth that kind of number? Well this is serial number CSX2601, which means that this car was one of the six that Carrol Shelby to compete against the dominating Ferrari in the F.I.A. (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) World Manufacturers Championship for GT race class.

This particular car won the 1965 World Manufacturers Championship for the United States and Shelby American on July 4 in Reims, France. I had mixed feelings when I read this. On one hand I'm very proud to be an American, but on the other hand I always rooted for Ferrari, and here was the car that beat Enzo.

So from a historic standpoint it is a very rare car, and historic race cars seem to bring the most money at public auctions. Now who will purchase this gem? In today's economy it seems a little pricey for a public museum. My guess is a private collector who may acquire the car and then it will disappear from public view for a long, long time. While average cars have dropped in value this year, one of these rare ones will still bring the big bucks.

The auction will be on TV, so I'll be watching. Will you?

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

USA Formula One Team?

2009-03-06T07:01:00.000-08:00
If you are interested in a formula one team for the USA, check out Nigel Roebuck's column in Autoweek of March 9, 2009. He reports that Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor are setting up an American team which will be based in Charlotte, N.C.

With the new emphasis on cost cutting, this is now a real possibility. Gone are the days when if you wanted to start a new team you had to post a $48 million dollar bond.

Now they still have to round up sponsors, and they are talking about a European base in Spain. It looks like it will be a relatively, small effort of about 120 in-house employees. Mr. Stebuck said that not too long ago the Ferrari team had ten times this number of employees.

There is a lot of support for a USF1 team. It sure would be nice to have our country get back in the formula one game. Perhaps down the road we will even have a formula one race in North America again.

As an aside, I attended a Ferrari Club board of director meeting last night. One of the topics was the idea of getting some of the members together to watch a formula one race this year. One of the problems is the time difference between when it is televised in our country. Looks like we could watch one race together, however we may have to start at 4:00am to watch a live race. Not sure I'm going to be there.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Accord Details from Yesterday

2009-03-05T05:35:00.000-08:00
Yesterday I reported that the Accord EX-L won the four sedan shootout in Car and Drivers April 2009 issue.

Some of the things the article mentioned were that this Accord was a full size car, which is based on interior room, and not the overall size car. For example, my wife's Jaguar is a large car on the outside, but rated as a "compact" because of interior room. One reviewer thought the Accord was too big and ugly. The other staffers did not hold with his view. Everyone seemed to agree that the five speed transmission needed one more gear because of "languid" in fifth gear. I think some of this is a little bit of the standard moving up. In my mind (and I understand its slipping a little) it was not too long ago that a reasonable automatic transmissions had three gears. Then it went to four and now five gears are not enough. If I remember correctly, one of the new Benz has a seven speed. Somehow I have the feeling we are getting spoiled.

One of the things that they did like was the steering. They called it "intuitive path control - you can place the car with complete confidence, right up to the limits of adhesion." That sounds good to me, because if the car does not handle, I don't want any part of it.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Accord Squeaks By

2009-03-04T07:31:00.000-08:00
The April 2009 Car and Driver compared three family sedans in a head to head contest. They were the Honda Accord EX-L, the Ford Fusion SE (2010 model) and the Mazda 6 i Touring.

It came down to a split decision, but the Accord won the comparison. According to the article the highs on the Accord included: Sports-sedan reflexes, plenty of power, potent engine sounds, smooth ride, and lots of room. On the other hand, the lows included: Forgettable styling, center-stack button clutter, and where's the six-speed gearbox?

Even though it was close, it's like sports and elections. Someone or something won, and the others lost. That's the way it will go down in the history books. Now I would like to hear what the Ford and Mazda people are saying in their back rooms. I'm sure that they are analyzing the results very closely, and I would not doubt that they will be making some changes to their cars. Why? Because winning a contest like this is almost priceless from an advertising standpoint. If I was in their shoes I sure would be making some changes so that next year, my car would win.

Of course, we must also assume that the engineers and advertising people at Honda are also reading the results with a fine tooth comb. What do they have to do to insure that they win next year?

It will be interesting to see what all three companies come up with. One thing might be the slow movement to look alike and act alike, and cost alike, etc. This is one of the reasons I like the older classics. They were not designed to win contests like this, but rather reflect a particular design philosophy. Tomorrow more on the Accord in this contest.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Credit Crunch Hits Toyota

2009-03-03T05:21:00.000-08:00
The latest automobile manufacturer to hit the skids and seek special loans is Toyota Motor Company. Finding it difficult to raise money in the U.S., Toyota Motor is reportedly seeking emergency funding of about 200 billion yen ($2 billion) in dollars from a governmental institution in Japan to support its U.S. auto-financing operations.

So far, no other Japanese auto company has sought loans, but with little progress in any recovery, can Honda or other companies be far behind?

The Japanese government funded an emergency JBIC program late last year to provide loans and debt guarantees to help Japanese firms finance operations overseas. Today it was announced that the government will fund this program with 5 billion dollars. No firm word yet if Toyota will receive their requested money, but it odds are it will.

With the DOW drop yesterday to under 7,0000 and AIGs report of a staggering loss, no one or company seems safe any longer.

A minor bright spot I saw over the week end was a report that auto parts store have seen an increase in business, as more people are repairing what they have instead of purchasing a new or newer car.

In the last recession I noticed the same thing in home improvement stores. People were fixing up what they had instead of moving up.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Honda Accord Achieves Top Euro NCAP Safety Rating

2009-03-02T05:32:00.001-08:00
Everyone who looks at this blog, comes here because they may be interested in cars and especially powerful and unique cars. However, less we forget, sometimes, through no fault of your own, you can get in an accident.

While I really prefer the looks of older sports cars to the design of new cars, I have to admit that the newer cars are much safer. This is of course the same on more family oriented cars. Yesterday was the news about the Honda Accord achieving the top rating in the Euro NCAP Safety Rating.

The NCAP ratings have just undergone a change on how they rate cars. Under the old system the Accord received a 5 star adult occupant, 4 star child occupant and 3 star pedestrian protection scores. The new system has changed.

According to the FleetDirectory.co.uk. "The new rating scheme uses a weighted score, combining many aspects of a car’s safety performance: adult (50 per cent), child (20 per cent) and pedestrian (20 per cent) protection assessment results with the availability of safety assistance devices (10 per cent)." To get five stars under the new system the car must score at least a 70. The new Accord received a score of 78.

The article goes into a great deal of information about special safety features of the new accord. Tomorrow I'll cover some of them. If you can't wait:

http://www.fleetdirectory.co.uk/fleet-news/index.php/2009/02/28/honda-accord-achieves-top-euro-ncap-safety-rating/

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.

Honda Formula One - Who's Buying It?

2009-03-01T06:59:00.000-08:00
Each day it seems there is another rumor about who will take over the Honda team. I'm waiting for a bid by Disney World. Well it seems that the participants who might buy the team are becoming a smaller and smaller group. Last week I thought Virgin Airlines might be the final bidder. But no. Today in the news The Daily Telegraph (of Paris?) said that "that chief executive Nick Fry, team principal Ross Brawn and three other directors have convinced Honda's board in Tokyo to hand over a sum, believed to be in excess of 100 million dollars, to enable the new team to continue racing in 2009 at least."

I'm still trying to figure that statement out. Are the buyer's paying Honda or is Honda paying them? Could not tell from that report.

As part of the story it did mention that Honda's chief driver Jenson Button would be forced to take a pay cut of 7.5 million dollars while around 300 jobs would be lost at the team's base in Brackley, central England.

That has got to be a blow to someone. Imagine having to take an almost 8 million dollar pay cut. Wow. Now that's a bad day. Of course the alternative would be to see no one buy the team, and everyone taking a 100% pay cut.

Well it will be an interesting formula one season which starts in just four weeks. Lots of cuts, changes in rules and less teams.

Comments or E-mail me

Honda Accord Performance Articles

Honda Accord Appearance Articles

Thanks for visiting.