FractalRed

Never Get Lost Again - Map Reading Is A Thing Of The Past

admin — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 05:01:32 +0000

Do you spend lots of time planning routes and checking maps on the road. You don’t have any more with a Magellan RoadMate.I work in the film industry, scouting locations for possible shooting. These can be in built-up urban areas and remote locations all over California.I often had problems finding my way, even with detailed instructions. I spent as much time parked and reading maps than I did driving.Then I bought a RoadMate and within hours I felt I would never get lost again. The RoadMate works right out the box, no complicated set-up and no downloading information - perfect for a technophobe like me!Now I don’t waste time scribbling instructions. I switch the unit on when I get into the car and within seconds it has a fix on my position (even in the car port).I have my contact give me the address or even a landmark close by, and type it into the RoadMate. Just like that, it finds my destination. And if I’m going to be going to that destination again I can save it in the memory for future use.It offers 4 modes - the first time I tested it out I chose “shortest route” from home to office, and it displayed almost exactly the route I’d have chosen.You get yard by yard voice instructions (so you don’t have to look at the screen as you drive) and it corrects directions immediately if you take a wrong turning, and there’s a handy “Repeat” button to get an instant repeat if you didn’t hear an instruction.If you need a visual representation of where you are, there is a useful “3-d” view, down to lamp-posts and garbage cans. The screen is easy to read, with views designed for use in both light and dark conditions.The helpful voice will even give you a countdown of yards before you reach your destination, even if that destination is a remote dirt-track.I can guarantee that the RoadMate has saved me countless hours and frustration from reading maps and getting lost.When I’m returning home, I choose my address from those stored in the memory, and off I go. If I’ve noticed any roads I want to avoid on the way, traffic jams for instance, I can specify avoiding them, and the RoadMate has new directions for me right away.All in all, it’s a tool I wouldn’t want to be without.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

2005 Honda Accord Coupe: The Weekly Driver Review

admin — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 05:01:32 +0000

Just inside the guard gate, the world renowned 17-Mile Drive in Carmel, Calif., begins with a primarily downhill and often winding two-lane road to Pebble Beach Golf Links. The tree-lined route features lavish, oceanfront homes and a predominately forest-like setting along California’s central coast.It’s a perfect several-mile locale for drivers who like to shift through gears. And it’s not-so-surprisingly pleasant while doing so in the 2005 Honda Accord.With its V6, six-speed manual transmission offering, the exceedingly popular model crosses categories. The Accord is listed as a midsize vehicle and it’s often compared to the Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry.But the 24-valve, 3.0-liter, 240-horsepower coupe is just as much sports car as it is anything else. And it provides one more reason why the Accord

Honda Cr-v 2005: The Weekly Driver Review

admin — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 03:01:32 +0000

Several years ago, a friend loaned us a front-porch bench. It’s iron and wood, heavy and awkward to carry. On a recent weekend, it was time to return the bench. Its owner, once a neighbor, now lives nearly 100 miles away.With remarkable ease, my wife reconfigured the back seat arrangement of the new-look and more spacious 2005 Honda CR-V, and the cargo area opened into a flat and cavernous compartment. The bench is five-feet long, but with a little twist here and a turn there it fit lengthwise. It was tight, but at 60 inches long it was secure in the back compartment, and the tailgate and rear window closed securely. Sport Utility Vehicles are designed for versatility, but transporting the cumbersome outdoor piece provided a nice example of the new CR-V’s ever-expanding uses.The 200-mile round-trip, primarily freeway miles, also provided plenty of time to experience the vehicle’s all-wheel drive system. It’s called Real Time AWD, and it offers fine handling and traction. The roads were dry on our outbound trip and periodically wet on the return voyage. It didn’t make any difference. The drive was smooth and comfortable, further assisted by the new Vehicle Stability (Anti-Skid) System. In short, the CR-V maneuvers well and has a confident feel on the open road.The CR-V has been top-rated for years, but in 2005 several new features only add to its designation as a best value in the compact sport utility vehicle class.In addition to the aforementioned Vehicle Stability System, side curtain airbags, a 5-speed (not 4-speed) automatic transmission, antilock brakes, an increase from 15 to 16-inch wheels, a six-disc in-dash CD changer and steering wheel radio controls are all standard.The 2005 CR-V also has a new body and trim style that includes a shorter, more blunt front end and a redesigned, more aerodynamic front bumper and grille. Headlights have also been redesigned. The SE model I drove for my weekly test also included leather upholstery, heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated power mirrors

Suzuki Forenza Wagon 2005: The Weekly Driver Review

admin — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 02:01:32 +0000

As an entry level wagon, the 2005 Suzuki Forenza offers budget-minded buyers a spacious wagon with a good supply of standard features. But as a debut vehicle, it’s also unproven in the resale market and has shortcomings that ideally define its position in the marketplace.My weekly test drive was the LX wagon, one of 10 available Forenza models in 2005. The 2.0-liter, 16-value, 126-horsepower engine has a four-speed automatic transmission, the only option.The vehicle has gas good mileage estimates for its class, and the wagon accelerates adequately in city scenarios. But it’s sluggish and needs a full-throttle jolt on the steady highway inclines or in a quickly needed lane-change situation.The Forenza wagon isn’t particularly quiet on the open road and the ride quality is marginal, with bumps easily felt and the overall feel a little stiff. But as an economically priced wagon, the Forenza also has several features that warrant its consideration.The exterior of the vehicle is designed nicely, with a contoured body, alloy wheels, fog lamps, and a power tilt slide sunroof. My test vehicle’s test color was listed as “Fantasy Black,” and the exterior was complemented by cloth light gray seats.Several passengers mentioned that while Forenza looks small from the outside, they were surprised by the interior spaciousness. One 6-foot-2 friend sat in the back seat and had more than a one-inch clearance. He said the headroom was more than he’s had in the back seats of some SUVs.The same is true from the driver’s seat perspective. As a 6-foot driver, I had good head clearance and leg room. The spacious interior extends the cargo area, which is wide, easily accessible from the back seat and has a convenient hatchback style entry.The interior of Forenza seemingly has one general theme - simplicity. Radio controls and other instrumentation are easy to use and have a straightforward design. The instrument panel numbers have retro-style lettering, and the back panel has an attractive light green tone when illuminated. Another nice feature is the dashboard design. Its textured pattern looks like (and feels like) the surface of lots of golf balls - if they were black.The Forenza, like many vehicles, has remote keyless entry, and its functionality is fine. But the high-pitched noise heard upon closing is reminiscent of a rodent in pain.Considering its designation as a compact wagon, the Forenza has a good supply of standard features: air conditioning, cruise control, AM/FM/CD (eight speakers), tilt steering wheel with remote stereo controls, 60/40 split folding rear seats, power windows and locks and heated and power mirrors.The car’s one optional feature is its antilock brake system, which adds $500 to the suggested retail base price of $16,649. Destination and handling boost the price another $545 to $17,694

Protect Your Car From Road Salt

admin — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:01:32 +0000

Every winter drivers should take active steps to protecttheir car from road salt.Road salt is necessary for safe transportation when snow andice accumulate on roads and highways and cause dangerousdriving conditions.Salt was first used in the 1930’s in snow and ice control tomake roads safe and passable by creating a lower freezingtemperature of the water. It is the most available andcost-effective de-icer. It is easy to store, handle, andapply.Some 15 million tons of de-icing salt is used each year inthe U.S. and about 4-5 million in Canada.Salt keeps snow and ice from bonding to the pavement and toallow snowplows to remove accumulations quickly andefficiently.Studies show that salt use reduces accidents by 88%.Washing your car during wintertime is one of the best thingsyou can do to maintain the value of your car. Mud, salt,rain, sleet, and snow can damage your car’s clear finish.Mud and salt caked on the undercarriage promote rust,especially in older vehicles, and can also affect how wellyour car drives.To prevent winter damage, it is recommended that you washyour vehicle every 10 days. Wash your vehicle whenever thetemperature is 40 degrees F. and above. Do it during theday so that it dries completely before freezing eveningtemperatures begin.Immediately after washing the vehicle, open and close alldoors, the trunk, and other parts of the car with locksseveral times before parking it to prevent locks fromfreezing.Always wash your car right after a snow or rain shower.Rain and snow collect pollutants in the air and drop them asacid rain which can damage the cars protective finish. Snowand sleet also include the corrosive road salt.Wash the underside of your car often during the wintermonths in car washes that do not use recycled water.Avoid driving through large puddles of standing water whichis saturated with road salt.Any paint chips that are larger than the tip of a pen shouldbe taken care of immediately.Wax your car at least every six months. Put a good heavycoat of wax on your car before the winter storms hit. Thisheavy coat will protect your paint from the corrosive saltand cold temperatures.More frequent waxes are needed if your car is red, black orwhite because these colors are more susceptible to acid rainand UV rays.When spring time rolls around, treat your car to a good waxjob again. Be sure to remove all road grime and salt off ofthe car before you begin waxing. For more information:http://www.apluswriting.net/gasmiles/5starshine.htm

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Mitsubishi Outlander 2005: The Weekly Driver Review

admin — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:01:32 +0000

The 2005 Mitsubishi Outlander is the least expensive of the Japanese manufacturer’s three sports utility vehicles. It’s compact, nicely designed and offers more standard features than many SUVs nearly twice the price.But the Outlander faces a tough challenge. In a popular category that includes best-buy choices like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester, the Outlander doesn’t offer any outstanding qualities that could sway potential buyers.My test drive for the week was the new all-wheel drive limited edition Outlander. It joins the previous LX and XLS models and features an impressive list of upgrades from previous models.All Outlanders offer a 4-cyclinder, 160-horsepower, 2.4-liter engine. With its standard automatic transmission, the vehicle performs adequately in city driving. But it lacks acceleration for highway journeys, and it struggles on long inclines, even with only two adult front-seat passengers.Steering and handling are adequate and the automatic transmission shifts smoothly. Mitsubishi’s all-wheel drive system is a plus and it’s reminiscent of the AWD feature Subaru first offered. The Outlander limited edition includes 17-inch alloy wheels and four-wheel independent suspension. But such features don’t ease the tough go over city street speed bumps, even at slow speeds.In several other basic areas

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admin — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 19:32:21 +0000

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