Archive for the ‘General car related articles’ Category

As more and more people go online it’s becoming a lot easier to find classic car collectors who are selling used classic car parts form their classic cars. They may have upgraded that part, parting out an old junker, or are just parting with their classic car parts collection. Before the internet, a restorer in search of specific classic car parts had to rely on calling junkyards or looking at trade magazines. Today, you can find many parts on ebay, craigslist, or other classic car classified ad sites. Another useful tool are forums dedicated to the classic car you are restoring. There are many collectors in the forums that will be willing to help you locate those hard to find classic car parts, or at least give you suggestions of where to look.

It seems these days everyone is into going green and it makes someone like me, a hard-core environmentally conscious guy very happy! I have blue boxes all over the place and even do my own composting in the garden.

One place where eco-friendly disposal has been lagging is the automotive industry. Many of you probably don’t even know that you should be aware of where you take your old junk cars to be disposed of? Right?

I recently got rid of my ‘little baby’, a 1989 Ford Mustang and I found out that there is a big difference in methods of disposal depending on which salvage yard you end up going to. Using one that participates in green vehicle disposal is a must if you want to sleep at night know all the toxic fluid were taken care of properly and any mercury was disposed of as per safety regulations.

I actually follow an interesting green blog. You can also do a local Google search to find out any other info you need.

It seems everywhere I look someone is going green, especially here in Ontario where the government now makes all stores charge .05 for bags. I personally don’t mind because I recycle these bags at home by using them again for garbage throughout the house.

Now there is some talk about how a large majority of the recycling we put in our ‘blue boxes’ never gets recycled but just end up in the dump. I will never understand why local government insists on launching environmental initiatives and then is not prepared to carry the cost.

Personally I contributed to the ‘green’ cause this past month by donating my old junk car to charity and had it recycled with a local eco-friendly recycler. I actually took advantage of a great new program called Retire your Ride and got $300 bucks donated to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Rusty’s Auto Salvage is a national network of Auto Salvage Yard and Junkyards who pay cash for junk cars,then remove them free of charge to environmentally responsible organizations

I have heard lots of great love stories lately, even one about a girl who met her future husband on the highway during a bad traffic jam. My love story started 6 years ago in high school and I have to say it was quite environmentally friendly.

I joined an after-school program called friend of the planet because I needed another half credit to graduate. Before joining I had never even recycled a tin can but after meeting Angie I could not get ‘green’ enough. She taught me the importance of taking care of our planet for the next generation and after I fell in love with her we constantly discussed how important it was to leave the planet in good shape for our future children. We just got married last week and I am a total ‘green convert’ I recycle everything and just recently donated my car to charity to a local auto salvage yard what will actually recycle it by stripping it and selling the used auto parts.

New Ford Fiesta – The Slumdog Millionaire of the Car World?
By Mark Creese

So a British filmmaker who embraced Mumbai has swept all before him in the film award stakes. Slumdog Millionaire has amassed a staggering eight Oscars, seven BAFTAS and four Golden Globes. All from Danny Boyle the man who presented us the heroin induced Ewan McGregor from Trainspotting in the mid nineties. Still to this day there are no trains. It’s safe to say that if any car is the equivalent of Slumdog Millionaire in awards terms it’d be the new Ford Fiesta, which since being launched in October 2008 has had its boot full of gongs and accolades.

Having sold 12 million Fiestas worldwide, when Ford proclaimed the new Fiesta range was “the most significant global vehicle project since the Model T” I’m not ashamed to say I wet myself laughing. I just couldn’t see how Ford could back up this statement with results. If you produce the world’s first production car and then go on to sell 12 million of Europe’s best selling hatchback since it was first made 32 years ago, you’ve every right to be sceptical as to just how they’ll top it.

Plus if you are selling that volume of cars why would you change the design significantly and risk your millions of customers nipping over the road to another dealership? No, I think what Ford really meant was “the most significant global vehicle project since the Model T, because in these times of economic crisis if we don’t shift many we’re broke”. After all the gigantic billboards they had surrounding the London docklands at the British Motorshow last year must’ve blown Kia’s yearly budget away instantly.

The awards are proof that whilst it’s debatable whether or not Ford has unveiled a groundbreaking project, the new car is up to the task of being a good hatchback. Now there’s an even newer, er, new Ford Fiesta, the ECOnetic. It’s clear from the capitalisation of ‘ECO’ that this car intends to be green whichever colour you choose. The old Fiesta was from the ‘New Edge’ school of design and the ECOnetic showcases what Ford is dubbing as ‘Kinetic’ styling. Another grandiose claim backed up with results, the Fiesta really does look like it’s moving when sitting at the kerbside.

A large front grill only interrupted by the number plate greets you head on, whilst the side profile shows off large slashes that sweep from bonnet to boot and give the car a handsome stance. It all goes slightly awry at the back though. The high boot line is fine, as is the subtle roof spoiler and combination of metal and black plastics. Unfortunately if you don’t look at the rear face-on it looks as though an elephant has run into the back of you and you’ve not fixed it. No such concerns with the interior styling where everything is very space-age and well located. The centre console inspired by mobile phone keypads is my favourite touch and is easy to use.

But what of the ECO bit I hear you cry. It’s actually a trim level within the range, like the Ghia or Zetec of old. In this case the suspension has been lowered, wind deflectors added and low rolling resistance tyres fitted – all in the name of boosting fuel economy and reducing emissions. There’s also a green shift indicator light which blinks when it’s most efficient to change gear. Boy racers need not apply. A 1.6 TDC Duratorg engine can be found under the bonnet, but unlike the version found in other Fiestas in the range, this one returns a whopping 76.3mpg combined fuel consumption. Emissions are measly too with just 99g/km CO2 escaping the car. The ECOnetic has been branded the UK’s greenest five door family car and with figures like this who am I to argue? Oh and thanks to those emissions, road tax is a thing of the past with this car too.

The best thing to recommend this car however is that it drives like a ‘normal’ Fiesta, despite the engine fettling, lowered suspension and special tyres. If you hadn’t guessed already, handling like the other Fiestas in the range is a very good thing hence the wealth of awards bestowed on it. Around town it’s light and maneuverable and despite only hitting 111mph, it doesn’t feel uneasy in the outside lane of the motorway.

When you think about it, this car is pretty groundbreaking so maybe Ford was telling the truth after all. Either way, they should have no problem selling them, even with elephant damage.

Mark Creese is a writer and a car enthusiast. He currently writes for the automotive industry. Here he discusses the Brand New Ford Fiesta

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