Friday 19 May 2017
Thursday 11 May 2017
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Tuesday 11 October 2016
J.D. Power Study Praises Blind Spot Warning, Backup Cameras
Car owners report that electronic
collision protection aids are the most satisfying and most used
technology in their vehicles, according to J.D. Power's 2016 U.S. Tech Experience Index Study released today.
Bringing up the rear among tech categories analyzed: navigation.
Related: Kia Tops Luxury Brands in Latest J.D. Power Quality Study; Fiat, Smart Trail
The study is the first in which the auto researcher has measured owners' experience in the first 90 days of ownership with "driver-centric vehicle technology" in these categories: collision protection; driving assistance; comfort and convenience; entertainment and connectivity; smartphone mirroring; and navigation.
Scoring the highest overall satisfaction with owners was the collision protection category, a bundle of features including blind spot warnings, lane departure and lane keeping systems, and backup cameras and warnings. The category tallied a score of 754 out of 1,000. Least satisfying were navigation systems at 687. The overall average was 730 in the survey of 17,864 vehicle owners and lessees from February through August.
J.D. Power looked not just at how satisfied drivers were with the technology experience but also at how much they actually used the features, and at what features they want on their next vehicle. Backup cameras and warnings and blind spot warnings are both the most used and most wanted technologies, with at least three-fourths of owners saying they use those technologies every time they drive and 96 percent of owners who have them now saying they want them on their next car.
The study also showed that today's drivers don't feel limited to just the tech built into their car. Among those who said they never use a particular in-car technology, 39 percent said they use another device, such as a smartphone, in its place. Navigation was the most subbed-out. And illustrating the power of familiarity, 57 percent of owners who use another device said they have never even used the in-car feature. Of the 43 percent who had used use the car's tech but stopped, 56 percent stopped within the first month.
The study also highlighted a critical role for dealers in technology use and satisfaction by making owners aware of features and showing how to use them. Among owners whose dealer showed them how to use the technologies, overall satisfaction was 25 to 54 points higher than for those who learned how from other sources or previous experience.
"It is alarming how many technologies consumers have in their vehicle but aren't using because they don't know they have them or don't know how to use them," said Kristin Kolodge, executive director of driver interaction and human-machine interface research at J.D. Power, in a statement.
Being shown how to use features eases problems with owners finding technologies difficult to use, which cuts both tech satisfaction and overall perceptions of vehicle quality. J.D. Power found an average 98-point drop in tech satisfaction when owners experience difficulty and also has found in its quality studies that the quality rating drops when owners find a feature hard to use, even it works as designed.
"By taking the time to show the technology to the new owner, the dealer can mitigate [difficult-to-use] issues, improving both satisfaction and quality," Kolodge said. "If the dealer explains all or many of the technologies to the new owner, it can have a dramatic positive effect on the ownership experience."
The new study also awarded top vehicles by market segment for best overall tech experience. Average satisfaction varied a lot by segment, with the highest being for large vehicles (755), followed by small premium (735), compact premium (732), mid-size premium (731), compact (727), mid-size (725) and small (706).
Here are the awards, based on responses from the 13,269 people who had bought or leased in the previous 90 days a new 2016 vehicle that's all-new or has been redesigned within the past three years:
https://www.cars.com/articles/jd-power-study-praises-blind-spot-warning-backup-cameras-1420691774244/
Bringing up the rear among tech categories analyzed: navigation.
Related: Kia Tops Luxury Brands in Latest J.D. Power Quality Study; Fiat, Smart Trail
The study is the first in which the auto researcher has measured owners' experience in the first 90 days of ownership with "driver-centric vehicle technology" in these categories: collision protection; driving assistance; comfort and convenience; entertainment and connectivity; smartphone mirroring; and navigation.
Scoring the highest overall satisfaction with owners was the collision protection category, a bundle of features including blind spot warnings, lane departure and lane keeping systems, and backup cameras and warnings. The category tallied a score of 754 out of 1,000. Least satisfying were navigation systems at 687. The overall average was 730 in the survey of 17,864 vehicle owners and lessees from February through August.
J.D. Power looked not just at how satisfied drivers were with the technology experience but also at how much they actually used the features, and at what features they want on their next vehicle. Backup cameras and warnings and blind spot warnings are both the most used and most wanted technologies, with at least three-fourths of owners saying they use those technologies every time they drive and 96 percent of owners who have them now saying they want them on their next car.
The study also showed that today's drivers don't feel limited to just the tech built into their car. Among those who said they never use a particular in-car technology, 39 percent said they use another device, such as a smartphone, in its place. Navigation was the most subbed-out. And illustrating the power of familiarity, 57 percent of owners who use another device said they have never even used the in-car feature. Of the 43 percent who had used use the car's tech but stopped, 56 percent stopped within the first month.
The study also highlighted a critical role for dealers in technology use and satisfaction by making owners aware of features and showing how to use them. Among owners whose dealer showed them how to use the technologies, overall satisfaction was 25 to 54 points higher than for those who learned how from other sources or previous experience.
"It is alarming how many technologies consumers have in their vehicle but aren't using because they don't know they have them or don't know how to use them," said Kristin Kolodge, executive director of driver interaction and human-machine interface research at J.D. Power, in a statement.
Being shown how to use features eases problems with owners finding technologies difficult to use, which cuts both tech satisfaction and overall perceptions of vehicle quality. J.D. Power found an average 98-point drop in tech satisfaction when owners experience difficulty and also has found in its quality studies that the quality rating drops when owners find a feature hard to use, even it works as designed.
"By taking the time to show the technology to the new owner, the dealer can mitigate [difficult-to-use] issues, improving both satisfaction and quality," Kolodge said. "If the dealer explains all or many of the technologies to the new owner, it can have a dramatic positive effect on the ownership experience."
The new study also awarded top vehicles by market segment for best overall tech experience. Average satisfaction varied a lot by segment, with the highest being for large vehicles (755), followed by small premium (735), compact premium (732), mid-size premium (731), compact (727), mid-size (725) and small (706).
Here are the awards, based on responses from the 13,269 people who had bought or leased in the previous 90 days a new 2016 vehicle that's all-new or has been redesigned within the past three years:
https://www.cars.com/articles/jd-power-study-praises-blind-spot-warning-backup-cameras-1420691774244/
Thursday 22 September 2016
Why It's Important to Pay Attention to Recalls
http://bcove.me/kl25v4wv
CARS.COM — You hear about recalls
for cars and wonder, am I at risk? We'll tell you why you need to pay
attention, and why you'll need to keep paying attention, to keep you and
your family safe.
Automakers issue safety recalls when something in a car goes wrong. It could be a minor thing, such as a label with the wrong information, or it could be something very dangerous, such as a faulty airbag. Either way, you should always pay attention to recall notices. The most famous recall today, affecting millions of Takata airbags, concerns a flaw that federal regulators say contributed to at least 10 deaths in the U.S.
If your car has been recalled, you should get a brightly colored recall notice in the mail.
Don't throw it away. It isn't junk mail.
Open it and follow the instructions. Your best bet? Call your local dealer and schedule an appointment to get the recall work done. The dealer will do it for free.
Sometimes, though, a fix hasn't been determined or the repair parts are still on order.
In that case, the notice may tell you what you can do to mitigate the risk until your car is fixed. Follow those directions, and if you don't feel comfortable driving until the repair is done, see your dealer about getting a loaner car. Several automakers are providing loaner cars for vehicles affected in the airbag recalls.
Two more tips.
First, make sure your car is registered at your home address. If it isn't, you won't get these notices.
Second, get in the habit of entering your vehicle identification number into the government's online recall database at least twice a year to see if it has any unfixed recalls. If your car has one, call your dealer and get it fixed right away.
Read more at https://www.cars.com/articles/video-why-its-important-to-pay-attention-to-recalls-1420690467325/#05vphMqcqK1lL0Co.99
Automakers issue safety recalls when something in a car goes wrong. It could be a minor thing, such as a label with the wrong information, or it could be something very dangerous, such as a faulty airbag. Either way, you should always pay attention to recall notices. The most famous recall today, affecting millions of Takata airbags, concerns a flaw that federal regulators say contributed to at least 10 deaths in the U.S.
If your car has been recalled, you should get a brightly colored recall notice in the mail.
Don't throw it away. It isn't junk mail.
Open it and follow the instructions. Your best bet? Call your local dealer and schedule an appointment to get the recall work done. The dealer will do it for free.
Sometimes, though, a fix hasn't been determined or the repair parts are still on order.
In that case, the notice may tell you what you can do to mitigate the risk until your car is fixed. Follow those directions, and if you don't feel comfortable driving until the repair is done, see your dealer about getting a loaner car. Several automakers are providing loaner cars for vehicles affected in the airbag recalls.
Two more tips.
First, make sure your car is registered at your home address. If it isn't, you won't get these notices.
Second, get in the habit of entering your vehicle identification number into the government's online recall database at least twice a year to see if it has any unfixed recalls. If your car has one, call your dealer and get it fixed right away.
Read more at https://www.cars.com/articles/video-why-its-important-to-pay-attention-to-recalls-1420690467325/#05vphMqcqK1lL0Co.99
Saturday 10 September 2016
Why Are My Brakes Squealing?
By
https://www.cars.com/articles/why-are-my-brakes-squealing-1420684417093/
https://www.cars.com/articles/why-are-my-brakes-squealing-1420684417093/
If you're lucky, the squealing (or
squeaking) noise that your brakes make when you first drive your car in
the morning, particularly after rain or snow, is just surface rust being
scraped off the rotors by the pads the first few times you apply the
brake pedal, or the result of moisture and dirt that collects on the
rotors, including from condensation caused by high humidity. If it goes
away after a few brake applications, no worries.
If the noise persists most times or every time you apply the brakes or stays on continuously while you're driving, the cause is more serious — and the fix will be more expensive.
A continuous high-pitched squeal while you're driving is usually the sound of a built-in wear indicator telling you that it's time for new pads. As the pads wear down and get thinner, a small metal tab contacts the rotor like a needle on a vinyl record to warn you it's time for new pads. (Some wear indicators may work differently and engage only when you apply the brakes.)
Other squeals and squeaks will require a brake inspection to diagnose, and may require cleaning, lubrication or adjustment, and possibly new parts. Most brake noise is caused by worn or loose parts.
For example, an unevenly worn rotor (often referred to as "warped") won't let the brake pads press flat against the rotor when you apply the brakes, and that can create vibrations that generate noise. Likewise, an unevenly worn pad won't press tightly against the rotor and may chirp. Another possibility is that the pads are loosely mounted, or the shims that hold them in place have corroded or become loose.
And then there are the pads themselves. Some mechanics warn that bargain-bin pads are more likely to be noisier than higher-quality, more-expensive pads. In addition, loose or sticking calipers can contribute noise.
Because there are several possibilities, and because brakes are a crucial safety feature, it is best to have a pro diagnose noise.
A grinding sound usually means that the pads have worn away, and now the backing plates on which they were mounted are being squeezed against the rotor. This metal-to-metal contact means that you will need to replace the rotor as well — and that you probably ignored some earlier warning signs of brake wear.
If the noise persists most times or every time you apply the brakes or stays on continuously while you're driving, the cause is more serious — and the fix will be more expensive.
A continuous high-pitched squeal while you're driving is usually the sound of a built-in wear indicator telling you that it's time for new pads. As the pads wear down and get thinner, a small metal tab contacts the rotor like a needle on a vinyl record to warn you it's time for new pads. (Some wear indicators may work differently and engage only when you apply the brakes.)
Other squeals and squeaks will require a brake inspection to diagnose, and may require cleaning, lubrication or adjustment, and possibly new parts. Most brake noise is caused by worn or loose parts.
For example, an unevenly worn rotor (often referred to as "warped") won't let the brake pads press flat against the rotor when you apply the brakes, and that can create vibrations that generate noise. Likewise, an unevenly worn pad won't press tightly against the rotor and may chirp. Another possibility is that the pads are loosely mounted, or the shims that hold them in place have corroded or become loose.
And then there are the pads themselves. Some mechanics warn that bargain-bin pads are more likely to be noisier than higher-quality, more-expensive pads. In addition, loose or sticking calipers can contribute noise.
Because there are several possibilities, and because brakes are a crucial safety feature, it is best to have a pro diagnose noise.
A grinding sound usually means that the pads have worn away, and now the backing plates on which they were mounted are being squeezed against the rotor. This metal-to-metal contact means that you will need to replace the rotor as well — and that you probably ignored some earlier warning signs of brake wear.
Friday 5 August 2016
Police ice cream truck to patrol Boston's mean streets
The Boston Police Department unveiled a new patrol vehicle that will
help officers both fight crime and the summer heat–an ice cream truck.
According to WHDH, the new $89,000 truck, which is a refitted Ford Transit, is part of a community policing initiative called Operation Hoodsie Cup. Started in 2010, the program has distributed around 120,000 free Hoodsie Cups, an iconic New England ice cream treat made by the Hood company since 1947, to citizens throughout the city.
"If you had told me 30 years ago that the Boston Police Department would have an ice cream truck as part of its patrol force and my officers would be handing out Hoodsie Cups...I would've said you were crazy," PBD Commissioner William Evans told WHDH. "But, I absolutely love the new truck and everything this program represents. The goodwill it generates between my officers and our city's young people is undeniable and nothing short of remarkable. My only regret is that I wish we had started doing this 30 years ago."
Operation Hoodsie Cup is part of a growing trend of community based policing among the nation's police forces. They're not even the first to use ice cream. Police in Halifax, VA, recently began pulling people over for violating code 1.7.3.9, which makes it illegal to drive without an ice cream cone on a hot day. Introduced in 1994 as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, community based policing is promoted by the Justice Department's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). Community based policing relies on more personal relationship between police and citizens to reduce crime and increase safety, and emphasizes proactive policing such as foot patrols, citizen involvement, increased officer accountability, and a decentralizing of police authority.
http://www.autoblog.com/2016/08/03/police-ice-cream-truck-to-patrol-bostons-mean-streets/
Thursday 4 August 2016
Does My Car Need Synthetic Oil?
https://www.cars.com/articles/does-my-car-need-synthetic-oil-1420684417536/
By
By
If your car's owner's manual says it does, you do.
For many consumers, whether to spend extra money for synthetic oil for an oil change is a difficult question to answer.
Manufacturers of synthetic oil promise more miles and better performance when compared with conventional motor oil, but it comes at a higher cost — sometimes twice as much per oil change. Is it worth the extra money?
Typically, high-performance vehicles will be more likely to require synthetic oil, as will vehicles that have a turbocharged or supercharged engine. However, if your vehicle does not require synthetic oil, the choice is trickier - and there is no clear answer.
Synthetic oil generally resists breaking down for longer than conventional motor oil (typically 7,500 miles to 10,000 miles, sometimes up to 15,000 miles, as opposed to 3,000 miles to 7,500 miles for conventional oil). That makes the extra cost a wash, if you have half the number of oil changes, but each one costs you twice as much. Other touted benefits include cleaner engines, better flow in cold temperatures, better protection when it's hot outside and better performance with turbocharged engines.
There are also synthetic blends. As the name implies, these are blends of synthetic and conventional oils. They straddle a middle ground — they cost more than conventional oils but less than full synthetics, and are said to last longer than conventional oils but not quite as long as synthetics — but again, that's a hard number to pin down since manufacturers are vague with their claims. An independent testing lab we spoke with said that synthetics often didn't perform much better than conventional oils do.
Still, older engines may benefit from synthetics because it is less likely to form sludge.
If your car doesn't require synthetic oil you should perform a cost/benefit analysis, but that can be difficult to do due to vague claims made by manufacturers. There may be no reason to spend more on synthetic oil, except for peace of mind.
Read more at https://www.cars.com/articles/does-my-car-need-synthetic-oil-1420684417536/#LmeRVYY89CovEdUr.99
For many consumers, whether to spend extra money for synthetic oil for an oil change is a difficult question to answer.
Manufacturers of synthetic oil promise more miles and better performance when compared with conventional motor oil, but it comes at a higher cost — sometimes twice as much per oil change. Is it worth the extra money?
Typically, high-performance vehicles will be more likely to require synthetic oil, as will vehicles that have a turbocharged or supercharged engine. However, if your vehicle does not require synthetic oil, the choice is trickier - and there is no clear answer.
Synthetic oil generally resists breaking down for longer than conventional motor oil (typically 7,500 miles to 10,000 miles, sometimes up to 15,000 miles, as opposed to 3,000 miles to 7,500 miles for conventional oil). That makes the extra cost a wash, if you have half the number of oil changes, but each one costs you twice as much. Other touted benefits include cleaner engines, better flow in cold temperatures, better protection when it's hot outside and better performance with turbocharged engines.
There are also synthetic blends. As the name implies, these are blends of synthetic and conventional oils. They straddle a middle ground — they cost more than conventional oils but less than full synthetics, and are said to last longer than conventional oils but not quite as long as synthetics — but again, that's a hard number to pin down since manufacturers are vague with their claims. An independent testing lab we spoke with said that synthetics often didn't perform much better than conventional oils do.
Still, older engines may benefit from synthetics because it is less likely to form sludge.
If your car doesn't require synthetic oil you should perform a cost/benefit analysis, but that can be difficult to do due to vague claims made by manufacturers. There may be no reason to spend more on synthetic oil, except for peace of mind.
Read more at https://www.cars.com/articles/does-my-car-need-synthetic-oil-1420684417536/#LmeRVYY89CovEdUr.99
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