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Archive for February, 2014

Optimal Appeal For Kia's Big Car

Charles Darwin espoused “The Theory of Evolution”; it certainly applies to the world of automotive transport and Kia’s Optima is a brilliant case in point. Starting off as a somewhat ugly duckling, it’s now a classy swan. With a profile not unlike Jaguar’s gorgeous XF, it cuts a sharp figure on the road, but is everything else up to the task? I check out the entry level Si Optima…Optima profile
The Driven Heart
Optima engineIt’s well and truly a common engine size at 2.4L and churns out a respectable 148 kilowatts, albeit at a high 6300 revs. Peak torque is 250 Newton metres at a revvy 4250rpm, with the engine drinking from a 70 litre tank. Economy is quoted as being 7.9L per 100 kilometres on a combined cycle, with the weak spot being the urban figure, a tick over 11.2L. A Wheel Thing averaged, over a week, a tick under 10L/100kms in a predominantly urban driving program. Tagged as GDI, for gasoline direct injection, it’s a freespirited, if slightly buzzy, piece of engineering, revving freely when asked and quietly tootling around when not.
The Clothing Store
Lithe, angular, curvaceous where it counts, the Optima has a sense of presence on the road. The vehicle provided came clad in Optima nosePlatinum Graphite, a metallic grey which looks superb on the sharp panels. A gloss black grille, swept back and wrap around style headlights give the Optima an arrow head front end, moving to a high belt line and sweeping back into a coupe Optima rearstyle rear roof line, endcapped by an angular taillight cluster. It’s cohesive and balanced. The Si misses out on the LED running lights as featured on the SLi and Platinum. At 4845mm in length, 1830mm wide and under 1500mm in height, it’s a trim and taut looking beast however it’s a touch porky at nearly 1600kg.
The Office Space
Base model it might be but the seats provided some of the best support and least stuffing around to get a comfortable seating Optima dashposition I’ve had in weeks. A mixture of manufactured leather and cloth, Optima cabinthe wrap around of the wings and what feels like just the right amount of padding go, immediately, a long way to starting a journey comfortably. An efficient dash layout, sensibly laid out switchgear, paddle shifts, wide opening doors, a 500 odd litre cargo space are let down somewhat by a cheapish looking and feeling steering wheel. Optima bootAlthough symmetrically laid out, there’s a touch too many buttons to look at plus there’s an Eco button hanging off the bottom right which could have been better located elsewhere.
The audio system screen is the tried and proven red dot matrix design, it sounds good but the menu system to adjust the sound becomes nonintuitive after the first two steps. The Si has an old tech foot operated park brake as well, somewhat out of tune with the rest of the tech, such as reverse camera (shown in the rear vision mirror), traction control and Hill Start Assist.
On The Road
The lack of torque is an issue at times, initially off the line and when required to make an overtaking move. It’s geared to be around 2000-2200 revs at freeway speeds, requiring either a bit of preplanning and a deft right foot or a hefty thump on the go pedal, sending the tacho surging past 4000 revs and the six speed auto back to fourth, sometimes third. The brake is beautifully Optima Si wheelpressured, wonderfully modulated, reading the driver’s desire to squeeze down to a stop as equally well as a momentary dab or a full emergency brake. The suspension is the well proven combination of McPherson strut front/multilink rear, providing a sublime ride on smooth surfaces and ironing out the niggles all too often found, aided by the 215/55 section rubber, wrapped around 17 inch alloys with a five spoke tuning fork design. Turn in is precise however it feels more weight on centre and lightens up left and right, feeling, oddly, as if the steering is activating the wheels from the top rather than from inside the hubs.
The Wrap
Time, money, research, result. Time and money well spent on research and the result is the Optima. The test car is priced at $31990 + ORCs and metallic paint is $595. Click here: http://www.kia.com.au/showroom/optima for more. http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/srochnodengi-online-zaymi.html

DIY Car Repairs: Safety Tips And More

Having spent a fair part of the weekend tinkering around with a screwdriver trying to see what was wrong with the electric windows in my Ford Fairlane, I thought I’d better talk a bit about DIY car repairs and maintenance. To my fellow female motorists, this is something that I really encourage you to have a go at. For one thing, it can save you a couple of bucks, same as it does for any DIY person; secondly, it makes it less likely that the few male chauvinist pig* mechanics out there are going to try to rip you off if you do end up having to take your car to an expert – they’re unlikely to charge you for “fixing” something that wasn’t wrong if you tell them precisely what’s wrong. And if Her Majesty Elizabeth II of England (and, for the time being, Australia) can do it, so can you!

There are some things, however, that are best left to the experts. Things to do with electric and electronics, for example. You really need to know what you’re doing with this sort of thing, same as you would for a computer (probably because it is practically a computer). The only exceptions are fuses, spark plugs and light bulbs – they’re easy enough for a DIY person to do. Turn the ignition off first.

The internet has made it easier for DIY motor repairs people, as you no longer need to buy a book of diagrams or grab one from the local library. You can usually find a collection of videos or diagrams online easily enough. It’s smart to familiarise yourself with what things are supposed to look like before you begin.

When you get around to tinkering with your car, you should always bear a couple of safety tips in mind:

  1. Don’t smoke and keep the garage well ventilated.
  2. Unless you actually need to run the engine, make sure that it’s cold before you start poking around.
  3. If you have to get underneath your car and you have to raise it (not always necessary if you’re thin or if your car has high ground clearance), then put it on proper supports rather than just a jack or on a wooden box. Make sure that you put it in gear and put the handbrake on to stop it rolling backwards. Even a small little hatchback could crush you if it comes down on you.
  4. Let someone know that you’re working on the car just in case, especially if you have to go underneath it.
  5. If near moving parts, tie back long hair, wear tight fitting clothing and remove jewellery.
  6. Keep alcohol out of the picture.

A few basic tools will do the job for DIY work on the car, although real enthusiasts will probably invest in some fancier ones.  Personally, my rule of thumb is if it can’t be done with the basics, it’s a job for an expert (or else for my husband’s friend Trev, who is one of those enthusiasts with lots of tools).  Occasionally, you need a few other simple tools that you are likely to have around the place. Sometimes, when my husband has been working on a car, that tool is me – an extra pair of hands to hold this, put pressure on that or pull that. Especially as small female hands can get into gaps that big bloke hands can’t.

My suggested toolkit for basic DIY car repairs comprises the following:

  • Screwdrivers – star head and flat head, and possibly one of those fancy square head ones as well;
  • Socket set;
  • Adjustable wrench;
  • Can of WD-40 or CRC 5.56
  • Pliers, especially long-nosed ones
  • Light hammer – not for banging anything on the car but for tapping the wrench to get that stubborn nut started without risking your knuckles
  • Spare nuts, bolts, screws and washers.

Lastly, you need a dollop of common sense. That’s the essential tool. Also the ability to give up and take the thing to the mechanic if you need to.

car-repair-women-3

*Small rant on the topic of male chauvinist pigs and car repairs. While hunting online for a good image for this post, trying to show a woman fixing a car, most of what I came across was either a woman staring at the open bonnet and generally looking helpless, or else some cheesecake picture involving skimpy clothing (often tight-fitting torn denim a la Daisy Duke) and artfully applied smears of motor oil. Grrrrr! http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/vivus-potrebitelskie-zaymy-online.html

Convicted Driver Still Road Legal on 54 Points

Most of the time, if you asked me if I believed in the concept of luck, chances are that I would say no. However, there are occasions that most definitely question this belief of mine. And my latest news nugget from the United Kingdom is one of these very occasions. Due to a series of monumental misunderstand and lack of communication, a man from Kent (UK), despite having 54 points on his driving license, is still legally allowed to drive on the road. Not only is this an eye-watering figure, it also smashes the previous record of a man in Liverpool who had 45 points on his license.

Keith Baldock from Kent, had a long history of convictions from drink driving bans, driving without insurance and stealing petrol from other cars. When taken to court, he was handed a 30 point punishment (5 per conviction) by the judge. However, Baldock managed to convince the judge to let him remain able to drive, using the reasoning that he needed his car for his profession as a mobile tyre fitter.

Keith-Baldock_2830078b

Keith Baldock. Image Credit: Facebook

The problem came when the court realised after the sentencing that Baldock had already collected 24 points from previous convictions, but due to a lack of communication between the courts and the DVLA (Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency), this fact had passed unnoticed. Furthermore, the law states that any change in the ‘substance of a sentence’ must be done within 56 days. This time had passed, which meant Mr Baldock had gotten away with it.

When I first heard this, not only was I outrageously shocked, but I was overcome with the dark cloud of confusion. I just do not understand how anyone could have committed that many driving offences and still, under any construction, still be deemed able to drive on the roads with law-abiding drivers. Furthermore, how can one person be so catastrophically bad and immoral when it comes to driving that they amass 54 points. I will let that number sink in some more. 54. There are a large range of offences that will get you ‘Penalty Points’ on your record. The most common offence is most probably going to be speeding, which will gain you a whole 3 points.

Now obviously the procedure of handing out points is a long and complex issue, so I have helpfully provided the above link to explain how it all works. But, to keep it nice and simple, lets say that to gain yourself 54 points, you would have to commit 18 speeding offences. It takes a special kind of moronic idiot to manage that. Clearly in this case of this guy, I have found this special kind of moronic idiot. This explains the high levels of shock I am experience. But what about the confusion.

The other side of my reaction is total and utter confusion. Once I had managed to process the fact that someone had managed to amass such a number, I was then struck with another thought. How has the driving authorities managed to still grant this guy the legal right to be able to drive on our roads? On my roads? I too am a resident of Kent, so chances are I have to share the roads with this guy. Maybe I have come into contact with him before. It is a worrying thought. I don’t often feel unsafe on the road but knowing that the courts and the driving authorities that be are allowing people like this on the road, it does unsettle me slightly.

baddrivers

Let’s examine the facts here…

  • The law states that you can be disqualified from driving if you collect 12 or more penalty points
  • This rule applies in the time period of 3 years
  • Points remain on your license for anything from 4 to 11 years
  • Points on your license significantly increase your insurance premium

First of all, we have the question of disqualification. If 12 is indeed the usual limit for disqualification, how did Baldock manage to persuade a judge that 30 was still acceptable to have while driving on the road. In most cases, drivers cannot be banned if they rely on their car for their job. In less extreme cases, this is a perfectly acceptable statement to make. But to be handed 30 points in one ruling must surely be an isolated circumstance that can overrule this. Especially as the conviction included counts of theft, dangerous driving and driving without insurance. This is not the kind of person that should be allowed on the road.

I have known people to have received 6 points on their license and had their insurance premiums jump up rather dramatically. Similarly, I would therefore imagine that trying to get insurance following a ban would have you paying through the roof. So what would happen when you try and get insurance when you have 54 points and have previously been banned? But then again, this would clearly not be a problem for him considering he was driving without insurance anyway. This is clearly a sound strategy, and will not in any way get him in yet more trouble in the future. Clever one this one is.

But there is one issue with this whole debacle that bothers me more than anything else. In what universe did BOTH the courts and the DVLA not manage to realise that this guy already had 24 points on his license. That is double the number of points that would constitute a disqualification. And they managed to forget this? All that was needed was a simple bit of communication between the two. Surely it cannot be that hard, all the courts had to do was look into his driving record. And considering the severity of the situation, why did they not go directly to the DVLA and work together in finding the best punishment for this erm… gentleman. Due to this very basic and downright embarrassing mistake, this man managed to retain the right to drive, when personally I would have permanently removed his driving license. It is not even like it was a single offence, but Baldock is a REPEAT offender.

Keith Baldock, you are one of the luckiest men I have ever had the displeasure of hearing about. Yet, you have managed to make me believe in luck. To you sir I say congratulations, for being a colossal moron yet still managing to get away with it (mostly).

I would love to hear your views on the matter!

Follow me on Twitter @lewisglynn69

Keep Driving!

Peace and Love!

 

 

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Cockneys, Cricket and Congestion: Britain has busiest roads in Europe

When I say ‘Britain’ to those of you who do not live here, you probably have numerous images that spring to mind. The Queen, Buckingham Palace, Fish and Chips, Posh people, Cricket, Rugby, The Beatles, David Beckham, Doctor Who, Russell Brand, Cockneys… If I collaborated all of the outside opinions of my home land I am sure the list would go on for light years. However, when it comes to the United Kingdom, I bet you the word you hear more than most is ‘London’, and the next logical step would be the ‘London Cab’ or the ‘Routemaster Buses’. Essentially, the heartland of the tourist impression of Britain is the transport system in the capital. It is at this crossroad that the dream and reality collide in an explosion of opinion and ridiculousness. If you ask any Brit, or most specifically a Londoner what they associate most with their country, chances are their answer will actually be very similar to ‘London’, ‘taxi’ and ‘bus’ in that they are all a contributory factor to the horror that befalls us all.

Congestion. Traffic. A stationary hell on wheels.

And following research undertaken by World Bank, the ever-British moaning has been confirmed; Britain has the most congested roads in Europe. And within the UK itself, London is the very eye of the traffic storm.

So, what are the statistics here?

  • There are 77 vehicles per square kilometer of road
  • This number is 76% higher than the general European average

The fun does not end there, the research has even identified the congestion down to the street level:

  • The top 10 busiest roads are ALL in London
  • Two of the high scorers are Bedford Road in Clapham (South London) and Greenhill Way in Harrow (North West London)
  • But there can only be one winner, and that is Jamaica Road in Southwark

I know what you are probably wondering, and to answer your question, Jamaica Road is so congested that during peak times, traffic has been recorded to be moving at 0.08mph. To put that into perspective, take your average walking pace and try walking around 30 times slower. How is that even possible? Exactly dear readers, the traffic on the road is THAT bad.

If we take the premise that Britain is the most congested country, it does bring with it some potential positives. If we do have a lot of traffic, it means that the cars on the roads are not travelling as fast. And if Britain follows in the tracks of development, there will be more and more cars on the road, which will only slow us down even more.

The increase in traffic therefore may decrease the number of road traffic accidents and subsequently human injury or death. Of course such a statement is implying a direct causal correlation between the two. Just because the traffic is moving slower does not necessarily mean there will be less incidents and injury. Perhaps I am being typically British and hurling cynicism into the mix here. But the statistics do appear to agree with me on this in that British roads have been named as the safest in the world; in the 1970s there were around 7,700 road deaths and yet last year there were only around 1,800.

So maybe, next time you find yourself in Britain, just remember that it is not all Beatles, Beckham and Buckingham Palace. Next time you find yourself with London on the brain, I can promise you that I will most likely be stuck in some endless traffic jam, praying for some sanity and some road freedom.

I hope you have a nicer time of it in Australia, I would love to hear about your driving experiences. Britain has been named the most congested in Europe, but how does it compare to the rest of the world?

Let me know on Twitter @lewisglynn69!

Keep Driving People!

Peace and Love! http://credit-n.ru/credit-card-single-tinkoff-platinum.html