***cars?***?

Q) has anyone seen the new go smart cars? i dont like them. to me it looks like a car that got cut in half. my mom wants to buy one for me. wat do u think of them?

A) I think there an oxymoron. Smart people do not buy them. You would be better off buying Barbies Corvette.

Do cars burn more gas after a cold start on a wintery morning?

Q) After starting my drive at 5am, I see the smoke coming out of my car in the rear view mirror. The smoke disappears after the engine has reached its normal operating temperature. Similarly one can see smoke at the tail pipe of almost all cars coming out of various subdivisions in the morning. But no car on the highway has a smoke trail behind it. Hence the question - do cars burn more gas after a cold start until engine becomes hot enough?

A) Most cars will have a "high idle" when you first start them on a cold morning. There's a sensor that checks the temp of the air being sucked into the engine. If that temp is too cold, it makes the engine run a little faster (just as if you had pressed down a bit on the gas pedal) until the engine compartment warms up. So, the difference that you're probably seeing in the amount of "smoke" (exhaust) before and after your car warms up is simply due to a higher idle, and therefore more exhaust pressure - the hot air is moving faster out into the cold air, so it gets farther before it cools enough to "disappear". As for the "subdivision" versus "highway" difference, that's probably more a matter of speed. For example - if you lit a cigarette (not that I'm encouraging anybody to smoke) and held it up to your window, you'd see more smoke if you were driving slow than if you were driving fast - same effect.

Suppose a car can accelerate at 1m/s2. How large a break in traffic is needed to enter a highway where cars?

Q) Suppose a car can accelerate at 1m/s2. How large a break in traffic is needed to enter a highway where cars are moving a 20m/s if the drive wants to avoid forcing the next car to slow down or to approach closer than 25m?

A) Assumptions: 1) The entering car is stopped 2) The entering car begins accelerating as soon as the rear bumper of the car it will fall in behind passes its front bumper. What distance does it take a car to accelerate from 0 to 20 m/s at a rate of 1m/s²? 1) Final velocity = initial velocity + acceleration * time 2) Distance = initial velocity * time + 1/2 acceleration * time² Plugging in the known values, the first equation becomes 20 m/s = 0 m/s + 1m/sec² * x x = 20 sec Now we can calcuate the second equation D = 0 m/s * 20 sec + 1/2 * 1 m/s² * (20 sec)² D = 0 m + 200 m If we need to keep a 25 m space behind us, that gets added to the necessary distance.

How should two cars turning left in open intersection place themselves?

Q) When the different directions are separated except at the intersection and there's no stop sign, what are you supposed to do if both cars wait in the middle to turn left...and end up blocking each other's view ?! How should the cars place themselves? The other car always goes to his side of the middle so he blocks my view to oncoming cars, so I don't even know when it's safe to turn.

A) In situations like this, I wait until the way is clear to go into the middle to turn so I don't end up blocking someone's way or vice versa. If in doubt, let the other driver go first.

Can I disconnect jump start cable when the cars are running?

Q) Hi all! I think my car has a bad battery. I was successful in jump starting my car with another car. I could get it started and running for a few minutes with jump start cables. I then turned both cars off, disconnected the jump start cable. My car couldn't start then without the cable. Can I disconnect my jump start cable when the two cars are still running? That way I can drive the car to an auto shop and have the battery replaced. Thanks. Felix.

A) Absolutely, you can leave the car running! But, don't rule out the alternator and charging system!

Can you put two cars on two different insurance companies?

Q) If i have two cars, can i put one on Geico and one on state farm. I'm having very bad experience with State farm and i'm thinking of switching with one car at at time. Is it possible to have the two cars in my household on two different insurance company eventhough both cars are in my name?

A) Many companies will not allow this. Lets say you have a young driver in the household and you put yourself and the kid on the one policy and just yourself on the other policy. You are then able to rate yourself as primary driver on both policies. Or lets say one of the vehicles is leased and the leasing company requires high liability limits. You put one car on one policy with 100,000/300,000 liability and the owned vehicle you have 15,000/30,000 liability. These are both examples of insurance fraud and reasons that insurance companies require all or nothing.

Cars in the 1920s were made to last a lifetime. How long do you expect your car to last before you sell it?

Q) Collectors pay top dollar for cars made in the 20s. Back then automakers took pride in their product. Now, anybody driving a car more than 10 years old doesn't want to invest a dime in it because it's virtually worthless on the used car market. These days, filling the tank of a 10 year old car doubles its value! And does it seem like we're getting raped when we pay the money for what we believe is quality, but the car doesn't end up lasting any longer than a Yugo? Am I the only one that feels rage about the poor quality & workmanship and the high prices we're forced to pay because of government mandated bumpers, lights, gismos, gatdgets, bells & whistles?

A) My cars usually last about 10 years. I think my DH and I keep cars MUCH longer than the average consumer. DH just traded in a 1979 Chevy van for a 2004 Ranger and I have a 1998 Ranger that I bought new and traded a 1989 Mustang for.

What are some of the safest cars on the road?

Q) I'm starting to research different cars because I need to get a new one somewhat soon. I know I want a used car that has low mileage and is in good shape. Car safety is also really important. Can you recommend some websites that are good for overall car research and car listings? Thanks! I have a 1990 Volvo wagon now and would like something similar to that, but newer and maybe not another Volvo since they are expensive to fix and from what I've heard the newer ones aren't as good as the old ones.

A) Acura RSX & TSX Ford Fusion Honda Accord 4 cyl Honda CRV EX 05 & up Honda Civic EX Honda Fit Hyundai Sonata 4 cyl 06 & up Hyundai Tucson Kia Optima 06 & up Mazda3 w/ cur. air bags Mercury Milan Pontiac Vibe 06 & 07 Scion tc Subaru Impreza (not WRX) Subaru Forester (not XT) Toyota Camry 4 cyl Toyota Corolla Toyota Matrix 06 & 07 Toyota Prius all perform well in crash tests and are very reliable. consumer reports

What kind of chemicals do car rental companies/used car dealers use to make their cars look brand new?

Q) I'm trying to clean my car interior along with my carpet. I know they have to use some type of special cleaners/chemicals to keep their cars looking clean and smelling fresh. Has anyone worked at one of these places?

A) Most detailers have products that are scented. They will leave the interior smelling fresh and clean instead of chemical clean. Most consumer level products do the same only to a lesser degree. I find that some of the odor removers leave a chemical smell after using them. Try using a powder such as Carpet Fresh that you can sprinkle on carpets before vacuuming or spraying Febreeze in the vehicle after cleaning. You can find car colognes in the same area you would find air fresheners you would hang from your mirror. These can be sprayed in you car, the scent won't last long though.

What kind of cars are most reliable even when they are getting older?

Q) When a car gets to have over 100,000 miles on it it is considered old, but not all types of cars are the same. Which types of cars would you say are relaible even when they are older, ie hondas, chevy's etc

A) The ones which are cared for and maintained properly will last longer than the others without regard to who makes it. Some people refer to some types of vehicles as being "bullet proof" or "indestructible". Those people don't take care of vehicles; they abuse and destroy them.