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vishkid

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Everything posted by vishkid

  1. Not an expert, but I do get the same vibes from my car (when low on fuel, there is a minute drag on performance which is not there when fuelled up. you don't really notice it until the moment you pump a full tank after emptying the tank). My fuel filter is part of the fuel pump assembly and never has been replaced (90k on the clock) and most forums for my car model indicate that fuel pump/filter assembly don't need replacing for the lifetime of the car, unless obviously broken. I plan to remove the tank and clean the system fully to see if it goes away - and also check on the status of the fuel pump while I'm at it. But if your car is relatively new, might be cause for immediate concern.
  2. I don't know about Corolla but for Mazda it's a continuation of their design lineage. I see that they've gone for red plastic in the back, which they ditched circa 2005.
  3. The 2014 Mazda 3 was launched last week. Should be available in Europe and USA (and hopefully Asia-Pacific markets) at the end of the year with 4 engine models. Seems to be packed with a lot of new tech which (again) puts it above Japanese/Korean vehicles of it's class but as the last para below reads, it's not just tech which makes a Mazda, it's the drive and the handling - so eagerly waiting for the first road tests. The 2014 Mazda 3 has a certain maturity about it. Compared with other recently redesigned compact cars, such as the Kia Forte andToyota Corolla, it seems more grown up. In fact, the all-new Mazda 3, which will come as a sedan and a hatchback when it goes on sale this fall, looks like a smaller version of the midsize Mazda 6. And all of the design tacticsthat Mazda used to make the 6 seem more like a luxury car than a budget-oriented one also apply to the 3. Mazda calls its latest design aesthetic Kodo, meaning “soul of motion.” Overall, the 2014 Mazda 3 does look soulful, with its attractive proportions, arched fender lines and expressive front grille. (see pictures here.) The interior also looks a step above what is expected of a car in this price range. The cut and stitching of the seat fabric, the tidy instrument cluster, and the dashboard’s horizontal orientation help create a premium feel. The look is clean, uncluttered and simple—again, echoing the Mazda 6. But this new 3 does follow some current conventions. The display screen looks like an iPad stuck to the top of the dashboard, much like on the newBMW 4 Series and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class—both premium cars that cost much more than a Mazda 3. On the exterior, the Mazda 3’s upward sweeping belt line creates a racy look. The downside is that it also hampers visibility, but lots of new cars take this design approach (an annoying trend discussed in more detail here.) Mazda has stretched apart the front and rear wheels a bit while keeping the overall length of the car relatively the same, something Toyota also has done with its 2014 Corolla. A longer wheelbase adds interior space and makes for a more stable ride. The 2014 Mazda 3 borrows new Skyactiv engines from other recently updated Mazdas (Skyactiv is Mazda’s catch-all term for its new fuel-saving technology). The base four-cylinder, which has 155 horsepower, is the same one used in the CX-5 crossover. It should feel peppier in the smaller, lighter Mazda 3 and return better fuel economy as well. The two-wheel-drive CX-5 with this engine gets 29 miles per gallon overall. A larger four-cylinder engine offered in both the CX-5 and Mazda 6 also will be available in the new Mazda 3. With 184 horsepower on tap, it should make this little compact car quite speedy. The Mazda 6 gets 29 to 30 miles per gallon overall with this engine, depending on the transmission. Again, expect the Mazda 3 to be more efficient because it’s smaller and lighter than the 6. A slick-shifting, six-speed manual transmission will be standard. Mazda says it will have crisp, short throws like the stick shift in the MX-5 Miata sports car. For those who don’t want to shift gears themselves, a Skyactiv six-speed automatic will be available, same as on the Mazda 6. This transmission is impressively responsive in the 6 and should be equally so in the 3. It's not merely a redesign. It's a reinvention. All new from the ground up, the 2014 Mazda 3 shares nothing more than a name with its predecessors, according to the Japanese automaker. The new 3 will be the first Mazda to get shutters in its front grille that close automatically in certain conditions to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve fuel economy. Competitors such as the Chevrolet Cruze, Dodge Dart and Ford Focus already offer this feature. The 3 also will have an optional regenerative braking system called i-ELOOP, which debuted on the 2014 Mazda 6. It uses a capacitor to gather and store kinetic energy generated while braking and decelerating. The capacitor powers electrical components, such as the air conditioning and stereo, to reduce the load on the engine. The 2014 Mazda 3 includes advanced safety features generally found on more expensive vehicles. Using cameras and radar, the car can monitor its surroundings, to detect vehicles in blind spots or impending collisions. In most cases, the new Mazda 3 will just warn drivers if it notices something amiss. But at speeds under 19 miles per hour, the car will actually throw on the brakes itself to avoid a collision if necessary. Radar cruise control is part of this new high-tech feature set, and it too is typically only found on pricier vehicles. This system will determine if a vehicle ahead is moving at a slower pace than where the cruise control is set and will automatically adjust the driving speed to maintain a safe following distance. Another noteworthy feature on the 2014 Mazda 3 is the optional Active Driving Display, which differs from the head-up systems offered by other automakers. Rather than projecting the speed of the vehicle and other details on the windshield, the Mazda 3’s system uses a small panel just behind the instrument cluster to display information. This clear panel looks like something from a jet fighter and folds out of the way when the car is turned off. One benefit to this setup is reduced repair costs if the windshield gets damaged, says Dave Coleman, a vehicle development engineer at Mazda North American Operations. Head-up displays require a special reflective coating for the information projected on them to be visible to the driver. Mazda’s head-up system precludes needing to apply this coating to the windshield. So, for example, if a stray rock damages the windshield on the highway, it won’t be as costly to fix. The 2014 Mazda 3 also has an upgraded infotainment system with Bluetooth smartphone connectivity. Using text-to-voice technology, the system can read emails, texts, tweets and Facebook updates. But with Mazdas, tech gadgetry isn’t the main selling point. The key to the 2014 Mazda 3’s appeal over competitors will be in the way it drives. Mazdas are special in that way. (Read more about Mazda’s “zoom zoom” driving dynamics in a review of its CX-9 crossover here.) True to its heritage, the company says it put a lot of effort into enhancing how the Mazda 3 drives, improving ride comfort, steering feel and brake response. The interior also has more sound insulation to keep out road noise, taking the quietness to a level that Mazda says is not only competitive among compact cars, but comparable to vehicles a class above. In addition, the new Mazda 3 uses more high-strength steel than before, which is lighter than conventional steel and saves weight. The company has yet to release full specs or pricing for the 2014 Mazda 3. But expect the cost to be similar to the current model, which starts at $16,700 for the sedan and $20,000 for the hatchback (plus a $795 destination charge).
  4. Seriously? I couldn't think of any more fitting punishment. I'm so glad that FIA is soooo above board, intelligent and transparent.
  5. Interesting race, don't know whether to love it or hate it. Certainly don't appreciate all the drama with the tyres. Anyhow, Mercedes star seems to be on the ascendancy, it's almost as if they got an opportunity to fine tune their car that the other teams did not get... oops! Feel sorry for Vettel, but this does open up the season for an interesting middle part; Germany, Italy all will be fought tooth and nail.
  6. vishkid

    Tyre Prices

    Damn mate, that means I should buy my next set of tyres right now and keep them stocked for two years. You never know these tyre salesmen, they might give you new tyres if you buy at the last moment. Do you think I should be keeping them in the sun ... to make them much harder, I mean?
  7. vishkid

    Tyre Prices

    LOL .. you mean in ISG etc? Well I used to give 'field reports' on those a (long) while back, so the habit might hv been carried on I forgot to add that YMMV!
  8. CJ5, I hv a similar issue as well with the front inners wearing out slightly. My car has factory set negative camber on the rears but that doesn't affect the rear tyres at all.The fronts are not supposed to hv any camber setting so I'm not too sure it's a worn out part causing a toe-out, maybe? Planning to take it to the Walana guys to get it checked out as 2 places that did alignment at different times did not provide a satisfactory answer.
  9. vishkid

    Tyre Prices

    Was on the lookout for Maxxis 195/65/15's and the prices were basically the same everywhere, ranging from 11,400 to 11,800 (Amila at Slave Island had the lowest offer) In the end, chose TT at Kohuwala/Kalubowila @ 11,600 due to proximity and the service level I've had there before. Total damage was 24.1k for two tyres with wheel balancing & alignment.
  10. Hmm .. interesting. Wonder why it works with the Axela though? My friend has a Demio and will try to see if it works. It actually did NOT work with my dads FB15, I thought it was a connection (BT) issue but looks unsupported.
  11. Exactly, it's basically no use giving motor advise to anyone who has future markets and a host of other gibberish as the first priority over the motor that he/she is going to be driving/enjoying now and for the next few years. Wonder what % of people buy a car for the 'car it is' and nothing else.
  12. All informative, any specific info related to the OT? Asian Alliance?
  13. Hey guys - I'm bumping this thread 'cos I too am probably close to making a jump from AIA to AA purely on financial grounds and my evaluation of my claim risk. AIA (formerly Aviva) has been superb on the service side though (5 claims in 3 years - zero hassle, delay or questions) but they jacked up premium and stamped an excess on me, even when it was only 1 claim last year - the manager I spoke to, was not budging. You do get what you pay for but I have not heard anything bad about Asian A: would that mean it's all (generally) good?
  14. Not really, the democracy still exists in the web .. and AL is not hosted in SL iirc. However, I wasn't implying 'that' controversy ... more about schools rugby last week.
  15. Nobody interested in Rugby in 2013? I can't think any better (or more controversial) time than right now to start a discussion ... :D
  16. Cali, you know this is an absurd comparison of cars right? And that it just divides Tesla's annual sales target by 4 against actual sales of others? Much more better news would be Tesla's first positive annual results and the upward revision of their sales target (which makes your comparison outdated before it was published). Anyhow, I'm glad to see you pushing this thread because I can see Musk driving his multiple projects aggressively forward until a real impact would be felt. If anything, he has the nous to do it and it wouldn't do any harm to follow his (& Tesla's progress).
  17. Yes bro - this was mostly a miscommunication from my father and a blunder made by either DMT or the owners. In the process of noting the absolute owner they hv done 4 transfers (!) in the same day, probably to correct for a mistake - probably some hanky panky involved. There's only one current owner as you noted. My DMT contact said that there cannot be multiple owners for vehicle unless a registered entity; a partnership, trust or company. Thanks for the input.
  18. Yep, looks like it. Better try a different service. www.clipconverter.cc works well for me (I use it as a chrome extension).
  19. I obviously need to call RMV/DMT to get the proper clarification, but do you guys know whether it's possible to hv multiple current owners for a vehicle? My dad has come across this car he's checking out and apart from the absolute ownership to the leasing company, the car has two current/previous owners (transferred on the same date as the lease transfer) - if it is a transfer from one to the other and then leased, obviously the dates should differ, right? The 'owner' apparently has said that both his son (who's not in country) and himself owns the car - is it possible, and surely then one owner cannot sell the car, right? Edited: Invalid question
  20. Youtube is ok for us over Dialog Wimax, Dialog dongle and SLT leased line. What do you mean download: youtube video streaming or downloading (as FLV/MP4/..) via a 3rd party? If it's the latter, might be a problem with 3rd party software or webservice. I saw a small dip in general internet speed mid last week, now back to usual.
  21. So this race was about tires, too much about tires for many-a-pundit's liking and in a way I too was dissapointed not to see cars full out racing. The strategies and pit-stops add a sense of excitement and mystery to the proceedings but imagine the fan at the track itself, who will just see F1 cars going around at GP3 speeds and not hv the benefit of all the real-time analysis to make it all that exciting :| Anyhow, I was really happy with the way the Ferrari's attacked - in the first few laps as well as during pit-stops (where Alonso edged Vettle). If Massa had not had the need to comeback so soon for his 2nd stop, he might still hv made a real claim for the 2nd spot - and that too coming up from the 9th! Surely Mercedes hv proven yet again that they hv not balanced the car for race (the issues they've had for more two seasons) - what's the use of qualifying so well if the car cannot handle tires or brakes for the race? The "I can't go any slower" comment really sums it up. But if they get to the top again in Monaco and hold everyone in - then there is a good chance of podium for them. For me, that would be utterly disappointing but then again what more can you expect within the restrictions of Monaco? Below is a comment from JB on tires: "A lot of people watching will think there’s a lot of overtaking, it’s great, isn’t it? But I see a car behind and I let it past. If I block I might destroy my tyres. When we’re going round doing laps three seconds slower than a GP2 car did in qualifying, and only six seconds quicker than a GP3 car did in the race, there’s something wrong. This is the pinnacle of motor sport. We shouldn’t be driving round so slowly to look after the tyres."
  22. Geee ... I spent a quality 10 minutes typing 3 letters and 4 numerals in to this window I'm sure there will be a lot of fun stuff by 2015 but the numeral font should help to form some of the letters!
  23. There was a related article on Top Gear UK magazine (I think Aug 2012 issue). The final verdict was to let the economics dictate the value of the car. In 2007 there was about a £4.5k difference between 'comparable' hatch models of Ford and Kia, in 2012 the Kia was higher priced but selling at the same rate (cars/month) as the Ford. The proportion of Fords (Fiestas, iirc) on the road was still massively high due to the time they spent ahead on the curve BUT economically speaking Kias were no longer behind and market dictates that fact. I think this was also mentioned in the Kia Cee'd review in TopGer S19E04. I really don't know if this applies 100% in the SL context, but if Kia does not change the quality of the car between the markets and if you're only concerned with the absolute value of the vehicle, then there is no reason why it shouldn't.
  24. 900 - nope, haven't been to one recently, just checked up on EAP site
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