RealityDriven

Wheels and Their Numbers of Spokes

- by Atul H. Patel, Editor-in-Chief

I believe there is a conspiracy in the automotive design industry.  It’s one that inhibits us from practicing our counting skills and makes the world more generic.  Every car company in the world has endorsed the number five.  How???  ...by offering a preponderance of 5-spoke wheels and wheels with hardly any other number of spokes.  I remember the good old days when car companies tried 3, 4, or 6 spoke wheels and people bought them and liked them.  Then, our conservativism, (or is it our willingness to let  other experts develop our opinions?), took over and we started shunning wheels with any number of spokes but 5.  Sure 5-spokes are classic, but I think there were some great 4 spoke designs, one virtual 4-spoke courtesy of Giorgio Giugiaro, designer of the Isuzu Impulse which is still one of my favorite car designs of all time.  Then Saab went through a phase with very unique and modern 3-spokers, leveraging a Viking shield theme.  They looked good and modern.  Saturn’s ION came out with only 4-spoke options except for the base steel wheels with hubcaps.  But the auto buff mags jumped all over that car and the wheels too.  (I personally liked the uplevel 16 inch 4 spoke wheels.)  So, car aficionados everywhere jumped on the bandwagon helping to doom non-5-spokers for the foreseeable future.  I think I’m not the only person who wants a unique car and unique wheel options. 

There are only so many ways you can do 5 spoke wheels.  You can split them and effectively make them 10-spokers, angle the spokes to make them unidirectional and you can curve the corners or sharpen them.  But all-in-all, 5-spoke wheels are 5-spoke wheels and they make the wheels a non-differentiator to most people, except to the few of us who notice every little detail.  To make differentiation matters worse, with increased focus on fuel efficiency, car designs are becoming more similar as their designs move towards the most aerodynamic shapes.  At least we’ll get some variety when flat wheels/covers like on the Civic hybrid, which are more aerodynamic, make a comeback.  Every tenth of a mile per gallon counts when gas is $4 per gallon and CAFE requirements are set to rise significantly.

Back to the wheels, I really don’t like this trend of moving to 10 or more spokes.  The wheels don’t look as good, (more luxury than sport), and are a pain to clean if there is any brake dust on them.  I love the 3-spoke wheels on my old Saab even more because they are easy to clean.   I’ll end my rant to reiterate why I wrote this post.  I want to tell the automotive world to be more bold again and try different numbers of spokes, but their success depends on the consumers’ and car fanatics’ openness to accept something different. 

 

Quote on All Wheel Drive and Stability Control

"Stability control keeps you out of trouble while all-wheel-drive gets you into trouble faster."

+ Atul

The H. I. D.ilemma

- by Atul H. Patel, Editor-in-Chief

Cool blue light. How modern. How bright. How cool (in the other sense). High Intensity Discharge head lamps have become increasingly popular and desirable to the point that they are a mini status symbol. This phenomenon even justifies the creation of paltry halogen lights that appear like HID’s. Young people with their otherwise normal vehicles want to be noticed. The whitish blue lights get attention, and in the case of real HID’s or bi-xenons, they get enough attention to annoy other drivers.
But from the standpoint of a person who owns a car with HID’s, I occasionally notice the hostility. People sneer at me because the light is somewhat annoying. I bought them as part of a luxury package on my car since I wanted the up-level stereo and passenger power seat. I do have auto-leveling, a feature that on my car is programmed to wink at start-up, almost as if to say hello. The light is bright and works well for my own visibility. I can’t complain about that. An average HID system is usually much better than an average halogen system. But what makes it worse is that my daytime running lights are the HID’s, so they are on all the time.  I’m guessing some people think I am showing off by keeping my HID’s on all the time, but this is not the case. I’m not one to visually show off in my car. I prefer the underdog approach, downshifting to 3rd to surprise those who underestimate a stationwagon. At night, it becomes apparent how rare HID’s really are, (unless you live in a wealthy city). And they’re one of the few features that you can show off at night, probably the only one that can be made known from a mile away. I wonder if the police seek out HID’s for wealthy would-be ticket victims.

So this all creates a dilemma. Should I put on a bumper sticker that says, “I’m not showing off. My HID’s stay on by themselves all the time.” Or one that says, “I didn’t buy HID’s to annoy people, just to see better.” I’m also left to wonder how long my HID’s will last. I’ve heard they’re pricey to replace, in the hundreds of dollars. I hope that prices will come down by the time I actually need to replace them or I can wear them out before my bumper-to-bumper warranty runs out, that is, if they’re covered.  

In any case, I like my HID’s. Others seem not to like mine, especially those driving in the opposite direction, and I do worry about replacing them. All in all, they’re a bit over-rated but they are cool, blue, and different, (at least for now).

Automotive Ironies

- by Atul H. Patel, Editor-in-Chief

The world is full of ironies and the automotive industry is no exception.  Over the years as I've observed the industry, I've noticed lots of things that didn't make sense, and nobody else was writing about them.  So I have taken it upon myself to mention these so that you can comment on them. 

• Manual transmissions are more popular in areas of the world where traffic is more congested.  - Within the U.S. manual trannies are more popular on the east and west coasts where traffic can be horrendous.  You'd think drivers would change to automatics since they might get tired of clutching and shifting while inching along at 3 to 10 mph.  In middle America, the open roads have drivers who prefer automatics.

• Roof racks are almost always put on stationwagons and SUV's which have more cargo room than sedans. - Since the box in the back has so much room, you'd think the cargo rack would rarely get used.  If you think about it, sedans need roof racks more since they have less space for stuff inside.  But, that's not the case.  And roof racks create unnecessary aerodynamic drag, thereby further decreasing fuel economy.

• The decklids on some sedans are becoming shorter, approaching hatchback decklid length. - Most car buyers in the U.S. feel that hatchbacks are "unbuyable" but some of the sexiest looking cars have really short decklids.  This makes the trunk less acceptable and it also makes the car look more like a hatchback.  The Scion tC takes the opposite approach.  It's a hatchback that pretends to look like a notchback coupe.

• Some sports cars get worse fuel economy than SUV's, but little of the scrutiny. - Lamborghinis, Ferraris, even souped up Audis and BMW's get really poor fuel economy, lower than some SUV's yet, people tend to criticize only the SUV's.  Sure SUV's obstruct your viewpoint and roll over more, but environmentally speaking, a 600 horsepower super car is just as irresponsible as a large SUV.  And a large SUV might actually be used for its people or cargo-carrying capability.

I don't know how many others have noticed these peculiarities, but we would be interested to know your thoughts.  I may write more about each of these topics individually in the future, especially if we see comments about them.

We Could Learn from Our European Neighbors

By: Chris Olliff, Senior Editor

Ahhhh…Driving in America. The land of wide open spaces, Big Macs, Big states, and BIG CARS! Where else can you be a single male and drive a Chevrolet Suburban and be seen as a hero like you are saving the American Dream? Is this a dream…or a NIGHTMARE?

They are everywhere…these big, 6,000 pounds goliaths (and even mid-size SUVs), and the only thing worse is the fact that most don’t even need the space. Yes….you families with ranches and boats are off the hook here. Confront those drivers who are guilty of waste, and they will often say that “they like to sit high up” or “they like to haul things from time to time”. I must say, this is absolute RUBBISH, especially when you consider the trade-offs.

SUVs are styled like appliances, heavy and clumsy, bouncy, hard to get in and out of, hard to drive ‘round corners, hard to park, hard to maneuver, expensive, have poor resale value, and get poor fuel mileage. I can just hear it now…..the cries from all of the SUV owners this summer as fuel hits $3.00 a gallon……again!

In Europe, yes….there are a few SUVs, but people make do with vehicles that better suit their lifestyles while taking size, practicality, and economy in mind. Instead of driving a Ford Explorer which handles like a drunken Hippo, single people drive VW Golfs and Seat Ibizas. Yes, they still carry as much as we might on a weekend holiday, but they make better usage of the vehicles space. OK, to be fair, a European family may have to drive a Renault Modus or Grande Megane Scenic to get the space that an American family may use in an Explorer, but they will be getting at least 30% better fuel economy to boot!  

 

I know….”fuel is more expensive there”, you say….”so they NEED to drive smaller cars”. This is true, but we could learn from our European neighbors to use vehicle space better and be more efficient. How can we do this? Here are some ideas…

- Don’t buy more car than you need. There are several hundred choices out there, so pick a vehicle that is “just right” for your needs. If you are single and carry stuff occasionally, try a small wagon or even a Prius and use a roof carrier. If you are a family of four and want space, try a Mazda 5 with three rows of seats and get 27mpg instead of 17.

- Go after vehicles that have better fuel economy and may have a better impact on the environment

- If you can, drive a vehicle with a manual transmission and you will get better fuel economy and performance

- Look for vehicles that use technology to save fuel like hybrids, diesels, direct injection, and cylinder deactivation

- Look for vehicles that use maximum efficiencies of interior packaging.

- Support car makers who are serious about their global footprint, their commitment to advanced technologies, and environmental outlook. 

 

These are just a few ideas….please feel free to write in with others.

Lest you think I don’t ascribe to any of these myself, I do. My wife drives a Scion xB, which is a very efficient vehicle in terms of economy and space. The vehicle gets an average of 35mpg, and has 2 cubic feet less of total interior volume than a Ford Explorer. Me? I drive a 1998 BMW 323 ic which gets 33mpg as well, and is about the largest vehicle I will ever drive…

In the face of looming fuel hikes and environmental regulations here in America, we should do our part and buy vehicles that are more efficient for our needs. As I have just brushed across this subject one thing is clear: we could learn from our European neighbors…. 

   

The Pickup Truck Has Met It's Match: The Utility Trailer

-by Stephen A. Lovett, Senior Editor

Let me start by staying that the pickup truck is a great vehicle.  It has served this country very well, in fact, it has built most of it.  Pickups from Ford, GM and Chrysler have served their owners with loyalty over the years and should be commended for their duty.

I appreciate that the pickup is an invaluable tool for professionals such as builders, plumbers, carpenters, firefighters and rangers.  These tradesmen use their trucks to haul 100% of the time.  They are true work trucks.

I am perplexed by the pickup’s recent popularity a household vehicle.    As an everyday vehicle, they waste fuel and space for what?  The occasional run to the hardware store, or even the thought of doing so.  In most cases, we really are purchasing the ability or fantasy to do such things, while most users find they rarely do them.  Household pickups which operate 98% of the time with nothing in the bed are owned by people who like the allure of hauling things, and don’t want to cut off that possibility.

Well, I have the perfect solution for such weekend wannabe’s!  Instead of buying a huge, wasteful truck for 2% usage at best, buy the car that you want, and a utility trailer.  Store the trailer vertically in the garage, and hook it up to your car with a proper hitch when you need to carry something tall or extremely long.  A utility trailer can be had from Costco for $500, the hitch will cost you about $250 installed for a “hidden hitch” which you can’t tell is there until  you attach the tongue and ball to haul, giving you a clean look for most of your driving, plus you’ll save a ton on fuel.  Not to mention, you’ll be in a vehicle that has much better performance than any pickup.

This is even a good solution for the more active handyman.  My neighbor built a 1000 square-foot finished garage on his own.  He hauled all the supplies needed with his Chrysler Sebring convertible.  Pretty amazing, huh?  Well he used the Sebring and of course, a utility trailer.  In fact, depending on the equipment, a utility trailer may be even more handy than a pickup.  Rare these days are the 8-foot beds on pickups that were truly useful.  As pickups have become fancier and their interiors longer, most pickups now have short-beds, with cargo length less than 6-feet.  That’s not even enough for the obligatory 4X8 sheet of plywood.  Get yourself an 8-ft trailer, and you’re good to go.  Plus you don’t have to worry about scratching paint in the bed or denting the thing.  It’s only 500 bucks, so who cares how you treat it.  Now that’s starting to sound like the old pickup that we fell in love with.

Lesson learned?  Don’t drive some expensive, cumbersome vehicle 100% of the time for utility that you may need 2% of the time.  Put your utility to work only when you need to with a simple hitch and utility trailer.

The Accessorized Car - Europe's Active Lifestyle Vehicle

- by Stephen A. Lovett, Senior Editor

As I’ve been spending the past two weeks in Europe, I have noticed many differences in automotive culture.  One thing in particular stood out however.  This is the way Europeans accomplish very active lifestyles, without the need of what I, as an American, consider a proper accompanying vehicle.

This became evident as I journeyed from Germany
to the ski town of Scladming, for a weekend on the mountain.  During the six hour trip, as I got closer to my destination, I noticed that, like in the US, more and more of the vehicles around me were also destined for ski weekends.  However, unlike in the
US, I didn’t notice a single SUV.  Instead, passenger cars like my Opel were doing duty of transporting their occupants and gear through Alps.  I also noticed that they were all loaded with accessories suited for such duty.  Roof top ski racks and roof top cargo torpedoes were stylishly fashioned to almost every single vehicle.  I also noticed that most every vehicle was fitted with appropriate snow tires.

This lifestyle of accessorization results in the ability to own a much more lean, efficient vehicle, which is better suited for daily life, with absolutely no sacrifice to flexibility to accommodate activities such as skiing.  If you’re a skier like myself, you know that you don’t need a large vehicle to carry many sets of skis.  In fact you prefer them to be outside, where thy won’t wet and soil the interior.  Also, if you’ve ever driven with snow tires, you’ll question the need for any vehicle to have all wheel drive.  Snow tires provide amazing grip in the absolute worst of road conditions.  I learned from interviewing several Germans that snow tires are required by law during certain months and road conditions.  Everybody there switches to them for the winter season.

So you have a region of people who are probably more active than the average American, but they don’t drive vehicles that we buy for that purpose.  Yet they still get along just fine traversing The Alps and other treacherous road conditions.  They still carry 4 – 7 adults on these journeys and all their gear.  They drive with confidence, safety and security.  This leads one to ask, “Why the difference?”  Well, it’s complicated, but let's say that most of it is attributable to fuel costs.  Fuel in Europe is two to four times more expensive than in the US.  However, there are still lessons to be learned even for those of us who don’t bear the burden of expensive fuel.  If we want to lead more responsible lives, there are other options besides driving a vehicle that is way too large for daily life, in effort accommodate less frequent activities.  I say, right size your vehicle, then accessorize it for living.

Besides the many functional benefits that come from the outlook of accessorizing, there are also financial benefits.  On average, an SUV in any given segment carries about a $3000 premium over it’s car counterpart.  That does not include all wheel drive, which is about another $1500.  Then add in the extra operating expenses such as fuel, and you’re easily talking about a $6,000 premium to own and SUV in the United States.  Compare that to about $800 for a top-end Yakima roof rack system (which still gives you that active look) and $500 for a set of winter wheels and tires.  That’s $4700 in savings and you’ll have a vehicle that is more fun to drive, better for the environment easier to maneuver and more comfortable.  The choice is clear.  For real life driving and living, we should learn a lesson from the Europeans and live right size, then accessorize.

Luxury Vehicles and Exclusivity

- by Atul H. Patel, Editor-in-Chief

As I walked the Detroit Auto Show, (NAIAS), and noticed the proliferation of luxury makes represented, I couldn't help but wonder who actually has the money to buy these vehicles.  The average new vehicle purchased costs over $28,000, but there are a host of brands that charge $80,000 plus.  Those divisional brands usually have entry models.  After all, car companies exist to make a profit, just like any other corporation.  Volume typically drives profits, so even Jaguar decided to offer the X-Type, BMW the 318ti a while ago, and Mercedes even offers an A-Class and a B-Class in Europe.  These put the divisions significantly down-market.  But when does a luxury brand stop being a luxury brand?  If you buy an XJ for cache and exclusivity, isn't it being compromised with every X-Type that is sold?  I say yes, and it's the reason that division such as Maybach and MINI are formed.  Maybach steps up the exclusivity, luxury and price to separate it from a "mere" Mercedes, while MINI allows for a cheaper (FWD) BMW ultimate driving machine type vehicle without diluting BMW's brand image.  Speaking of BMW, if they sell 53,000 5-Series in the U.S. per year and a KIA Rio sells 30,300 units per year, which is more exclusive?  This is especially noteworthy in markets like California where you see more BMW's than you see Chevy's. 

So, it's time to reevaluate our definition of luxury when it comes to mass market items.  When the ante gets upped with what luxury is and what brands define luxury, then it gets confusing for the manufacturers as well as for the consumers.  In "the old days", it was much simpler.  A Mercedes was expensive and unattainable for most.  But now,  A C-Class can be had for the same price as a partially loaded up Accord.  A fully loaded Accord could cost even more.  Which is more luxurious?  This is debatable.  And when a Lexus ES is so similar to a Toyota Camry, what are you really paying for?  Better service is one thing, but then you have to deal with the luxury brand dealer snootiness.  You'll notice a lot of parts sharing between Nissans and Infinitis.  This just dilutes the distinction.  Eventually people may begin to notice to the detriment of luxury brand profits.  As luxuries become mainstream, efforts are needed to retain the distinction.  Exclusivity counters the basic tenet of business that selling more is better.  But car companies have to show restraint with the prospect of short-term greed.

2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit - What It's Like to Be in "The Press"

- by Atul H. Patel, Editor-in-Chief

As a first time press day attendee to the Detroit North American International Auto Show, I must say that it was an interesting experience, particularly in how we were treated.  First of all, the respect you get from the people representing the manufacturers is apparent.  We have the power of the pen, (or is it the power of the keyboard?), so they have to be nice to us.  Then there are the wonderful cafes with made-to-order cappuccinos and gourmet accompaniments including waiters who walk around feeding you appetizers.  I felt like I was at a wedding... only with lots of cars.  One other thing that struck me is that I was walking amongst some very powerful, highly paid executives.  I could have said anything I wanted to them although mentioning that I was from RealtityDriven.com would have given me no extra credibility.  That will take time.

I did have a somewhat press looking digital camera with which I took almost 300 pictures.  But I'm of Indian descent, look young and I don't look like a journalist so some people looked at me like I didn't belong there.  Little do they know that I used to work for one of the car companies and I have 12 years in the business.  I think I know my stuff, (or at least I can write like I do).  When it came to picking up press kits, some companies/divisions were very friendly about it, like Dodge, GM, and Toyota while others asked for business cards to mail the kits later.  Since we're a new website, I didn't have my RealityDriven.com business cards on-hand, but I still convinced the Maserati guy to give me a kit.  My regular job business card helped here.  In a way, the more press kits you get, the more of a pain it is.  You have carry all that stuff around in a bag with handle straps that aren't very comfortable.  Then when lunch rolled around, I had to put the stuff and my camera below a seat while I grabbed food, (which was very good by the way).

One other obstacle we had to continually deal with were the shifting sectioned off areas for various interviews and photo shoots.  Usually after the press introduction of a new vehicle, we would leave and come back later after the rush died down, but then you couldn't necessarily get back to it the way you got there the first time.  Often the vehicles were moved too.  It was great seeing some TV show reporters getting interviewed including John Davis from the PBS show "Motorweek".  I've been watching that show since I was 12 and have always respected their seemingly rare objectivity when it comes to the auto industry.

When it was all over, I felt like we had a great day.  We accumulated knowledge, photos, and ideas for upcoming posts on RealityDriven.com to make the whole show more real for those of you who cannot attend in person.

Here are a few photos that one can only get on Press Day since they don't let the public close to the really expensive, pre-production, or experimental vehicles.  That's just reality.

 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

- by Chris Olliff, Senior Editor

January in Detroit….such a sentence brings thoughts of frigid temps, big pot holes, dirty snow, the sound of my vehicles rusting out due to salt corrosion, and the daily absence of sunshine which leads to depression…

But, in the midst of all of this….there is hope, and its called the North American Auto Show which is held in the baffles of the great city of Detroit every second week in January. For the 10^th year in a row, like a solider going off to war, I have traveled into the war zone and dodged mine fields of pot holes to this great event. And what an event it is….

New cars, beautiful women, good food, and great entertainment…..I would say this is every man’s dream! You see, we travel to the show as media, and they feed us and introduce the new cars with a staged fanfare that would make Steven Speilberg proud. Who could forget last year’s comment from David Spade saying that “at least it's (the Dodge Caliber) NOT a Neon”? It takes great skill to stay in the same shape at the end of the week, as there are many areas of gourmet food ‘round each corner that you MUST try…after all….we don’t want to upset the German chefs at the VW stand….

Yes, we do work at the show as well. We do so much walking over the week that your most comfortable shoes begin to feel like you are wearing concrete bricks! Show coverage is always exciting, and I love to see the new concept vehicles and experience the new models on the floor.

So….the North American Auto Show…..located in a freezer, has enough food to feed the entire state of Texas for one week, rivals Las Vegas for its shows and entertainment, and can make you walk so much that you could easily wear your feet down to the stubs of your ankles………

Oh…and there are cars there as well

Like my friend Steve and I say, this truly is “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”!

** Stay tuned as the Realitydriven staff brings you updates and coverage from the 2007 North American Auto Show**