Hyundai CEO reveals reason for Equus, explains why it’s no VW Phaeton

Hyundai America CEO John Krafcik is rarely one to hold back his opinions, and today’s topic of discussion is marque’s upcoming Equus luxury flagship. Hyundai has moved up in the automotive ranks so quickly over the past 15 years that many people have wondered if the brand is overreaching with the Equus.

Krafcik addresses the obvious comparison to the U.S. market failure of the Volkswagen Phaeton. The way Krafcik sees it, VW skipped a few pricing steps going straight from the Passat to its ill-fated Phaeton range-topper, noting that there was a much larger gap between the Passat and the Phaeton than there will be with Hyundai because they’ve taken the trouble of bringing the Genesis sedan and coupe to market – the former of which verified that consumers are willing to pay $40,000+ for a Hyundai.

Of course, that’s no guarantee that consumers will pay $55,000-60,000 for an Equus but it seems more plausible than $80,000+ for a Phaeton. Krafcik also addresses the fact that each Equus buyer will get an Apple iPad with the owner’s manual. As he explains it, the tablet PC is meant to provide a more useful resource for people to figure out how to use all the technology in this flagship, hopefully avoiding the pitfalls of some other luxury machines.

The iPad will also have an application that allows owners to schedule service appointments. When the appointed time arrives, Hyundai will send a driver to the Equus owner’s home or office with a loaner, and then return the Equus when the work is done. As Krafcik sees it, other luxury automakers have spent millions of dollars to gussy up their dealerships – building things like coffee bars, fancy seating areas and water features. Problem is, nobody really wants to visit their dealer even with those added niceties, so Hyundai plans to remove it from the equation with its pick-up and delivery service. In other words, the ultimate luxury is never having to take your car to the dealer at all. Fair enough.

The Equus goes on sale this Fall.

2010 Jaguar XFR is still the Papa Bear

When our man Lieberman drove the 2010 Jaguar XF Supercharged earlier this year, he came to the conclusion that of all the models in the XF range, the mid-grade Supercharged with its 470-horsepower V8 was the one to have, if you’re buying. After all, at a relatively modest $68,000, it’s a sexy sleeper with enough high-powered thrills to keep you happy while still being everyday-drivable and easily tamed. We wholeheartedly agree with our dear Jonny in this conclusion, and if we had never experienced this top-rung XFR, we’d be perfectly thrilled with our purchase.

But we have driven the XFR – once in France and now again in America – and asking us to overlook either experience when considering the XF range simply isn’t going to happen. The R makes too much of an impression.

Yes, the Supercharged may be the “just right” Goldilocks model in the XF lineup, but the XFR is Papa Bear. That ‘R’ badge will cost you an extra $12,000, which is undoubtedly a hefty sum to pay when you consider that it only produces 40 more horsepower than the Supercharged. Thus, it’s easy to write off the XFR as unnecessary or overzealous, but its sharper set of chops are able to handle so much more than lukewarm porridge. This car is a real honey, finances be damned! Follow the jump to find out why.

Van Door Stuck Closed, Headlights and Brakelights Keep Burning Out, Repairing Car Gas Line, Engine Mount Braket Problems

Q: I cannot open the back door of my 1999 Sienna van. The outside door actuator flap under the license plate light cover on the outside of the door is no longer connected to anything and will not release the door.  There is no actuator on the inside of the door. Can you tell me how to get the door open so I can work from the inside to fix the problem?

A: Get a locksmith to slim jim the door, or remove the inner door panel from inside the car to access the mechanism. This might mean breaking the inner panel if some of the fasteners are inaccessible when the door is shut.

Q: In the past twenty years I’ve owned five new vehicles and never changed a headlight bulb in any of them. I have a 2007 Grand Caravan and in the past year changed headlights about 6 times. I have talked with several mechanics they don’t know what the problem is. It’s gotten so bad that I carry an extra bulb in the van at all times. Any suggestions as to what the problem might be?

A: Has anybody checked to see if the voltage regulator is overvoltaging the system? And you know enough not to touch the bulbs with your fingers, right?

Q: Is there any way to fix a small hole in an automotive gas line with epoxy or tape?

A: Try this stuff, follow the directions on the label:

http://www.permatex.com/products/Automotive/specialized_maintenance_repair/radiator_fuel_tank_repair/Permatex_Gas_Tank_Radiator_Repair.htm

Consider this a temporary repair, though.

Q: I’ve had a chronic problem with my 2003 Chevy Venture van’s brake lights, on both sides.  The bulb (3057LL) stops working because heat probably builds up and melts the plastic that the metal contacts are attached to.  The filament is fine, but the plastic is melted by one of the contacts.  I have seen a lot of GM mini-vans with a burnt out brake light.  Is there a way of fixing it without replacing the tail light assembly cartridge?  The bulbs life is a month or two.  I have also tried electrical lubricant on it.

A: Sit in traffic with your brakes on a lot, do you? Try an LED replacement lamp, which will produce virtual no heat.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Ftail-brake-turn.html%23a3156

You may need to add a resistor to make the turn signals flash properly.

Q: 13 months ago I had to have the engine mount replaced in my 2007 Mazda3 hatchback since it was leaking.  Yesterday I had to replace it again.  The tech said that the vibrations created by speed and the weight of the engine damage the mount. Is it normal to have it changed every year?

A: No. Is the mount being damaged by leaking engine oil? Are all the mounts okay? If one is broken (but hidden) then it might allow the engine to move excessively, which could damage another mount.

Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG gets updated exterior

With all of the hype surrounding the BMW’s M-badged X5 and X6, as well as the renewed Porsche Cayenne range, it’s easy to forget that Mercedes-Benz has its own super-fast sport-ute, the ML63 AMG. As its name suggests, this top-rung ML is fitted with the same 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 that we’ve come to love in the rest of the automaker’s AMG lineup, good for 503 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque in this application.

We expect to see an all-new AMG M-Class in the next couple of years, but for now, Mercedes-Benz has updated the ML63 with very subtle exterior tweaks, including darkened headlamps and taillamps, a refreshed hood and tweaked front and rear underguards (in chrome, of course). From there, not much else changes – the seven-speed AMG Speedshift transmission is still in place, routing all of that forward thrust to all four wheels, measuring 20 inches in diameter (21s can be had as an option).

In the ML AMG’s next generation, expect to see the automaker’s brand new twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 under the hood, good for around 544 horsepower and a pavement-churning 590 pound-feet of torque. High-powered SUVs and crossovers aren’t the most practical of automotive choices these days, but we’re happy to still see them moving forward. After all, sometimes you just need to get the kids to soccer practice in extremely short order.

Aznom and Romeo Ferraris trick out the Land Rover Defender

Form and function dictate the design of just about every vehicle on the market today. But if there’s one that prioritizes the latter over the former, it’s surely the Land Rover Defender. Produced essentially unchanged since 1983, the Defender is the very definition of the go-anywhere off-road workhorse, a favorite of military and expeditions worldwide. Leave it to the Italians, then, to give the British truck an extra dose of style.

A customization atelier best known for their Mini conversions and that outrageous custom Corvette, Aznom has given the Defender a similar visual treatment to the Abarth 500C, with a matte two-tone white and black paintjob with red detailing and front and rear bumpers made of carbon fiber. The interior has also been decked out in orange-tan leather, Alcantara and carbon fiber trim with Sparco racing buckets. And underneath the hood, Italian tuning house Romeo Ferraris has tweaked the 2.4-liter turbo-diesel four from 122 horsepower to 152, channeled to all four anthracite-finish wheels wearing Kumho Road Venture rubber

Tips on Auto Transport

Auto transports means transporting of auto mobiles from one place to another in a safe and secure way. Auto transportation business has taken a tremendous change as globalization increased. Because people kept shifting from one place to another and hence they would not prefer buying of a new vehicle every time they shift. So they transported their vehicles to their destination.

But certain times customer detected certain wear and Read more »

Automotive Repair Equipment Financing

The very competitive automotive repair industry depends highly on sophisticated equipment which is very expensive. Automotive repair equipments like hydraulic lifts, alignment equipment etc play a vital role in the business operations of this industry. Although expensive, they are indispensable in various repair services. Therefore automotive repair equipment financing is assuming greater importance in the automotive repair industry.

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How to Do Fiberglass Car Audio Installs

There are very many people who have come to learn and love the art of using fiberglass for car audio. It is an interesting and rewarding process to create something that will be so perfect in the end. You need to have some information about fiberglass car audio installs. You are supposed to install any car audio after making sure that you have the right knowledge to guide you. There are very many sources of this information the internet being Read more »

How to Do a Custom Pioneer Car Audio Install

Pioneer car audio install can be done by you. You do not need a professional to come and take your money while it is so easy to plan how to achieve a successful Pioneer car audio install. I have used the word plan because installing any car audio requires exactly that. You need to spare some time and employing lots of concentration will go a long way to help you achieve your goal. Firstly, you need to consider what Pioneer car audio you are in Read more »

How To Diagnose Your Car Like An Expert!

Have you ever wondered how you can instantly know if the car you own is having problems? Well, it is very simple, just take a good look!

By asking yourself some basic, common-sense questions you can quickly and easily diagnose your car just like an expert! Below are some sample questions you should ask yourself when diagnosing your car:

1. Are there any stains or drops of fluid under your vehicle? There may be no problem whatsoever, however you do want to check for wet spots, as this could be a symptom of a serious problem.

2. What color is the liquid under the car? Yellowish green, blue or orange colors can show an overheated engine or an antifreeze leak. You could have a leaky radiator or a water pump in need of repair. If this is the problem, you need to get to a repair shop immediately.

Some other common symptoms you can look for include:

- A dark brown or black oily fluid can show that the engine is leaking oil. A bad seal or gasket could be the cause of the leak. The repair for this problem can be exorbitant, so you will want to seek out a reputable mechanic right away.

- A red oily looking spot shows a transmission or power steering fluid leak. Another reason to see your car doctor! Sometimes the liquid is clear, and this is usually normal condensation from your vehicle’s air conditioner. There is no need for concern.

- If you see light smoke coming from a wheel – it could be a stuck brake. Call a tow truck.

- Smoke coming from any part of the vehicle shows a need for repair. Sniff around, and you may detect your vehicles problem. The smell of burned toast can signal an electrical short and burning insulation. Have a mechanic come to look at your car. Do not risk driving it anywhere.

- The smell of gas after a failed start may mean the engine is flooded. Just wait a couple of minutes and try again. If you keep noticing the gas odor, this could be a sign of a leak in the fuel system – a potentially dangerous problem that needs immediate attention.

- If you see steam emerging from under the hood, stop and pull over. You definitely do not want to keep driving an overheated vehicle. Your engine will most likely be seriously damaged. Call a tow truck.

Just by following these simple guidelines and asking yourself some common-sense questions, you can spot problems with your car even before you call the mechanic!