Automotive and Car Tuning Blog - Tuned Tech Car Enthusiast

5 Steps To Extend the Life Of Your Car!

Sean — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:27:52 +0000

With the rising prices in automobiles, people are trying to make their cars last longer. There are a number of things you can do to make your car last longer. Here are five easy things you can do that will extend the life of your car.

1. Change your Driving Habits:

The way you drive has a lot to do with how long your car will last. Making quick stops and starts can shorten the life of the engine as well as excess wear on the brakes and tires. Let the engine warm up for a few minutes in the morning before taking off and drive smoothly, pacing your driving. It is better on the car to drive a bit slower so you can hit more green lights, than to race up to the next red light and have to wait.

2. Let your Engine Breathe:

When the engine is having to struggle for clean air it makes it harder for the engine to work properly. Always change the air, fuel and oil filters at regular intervals to help the engine run smoother. A clogged fuel filter can also result in fuel being cut off to the carburetor and the engine stalling out or experiencing vapor lock.

3. Help your Engine Keep its Cool:

An overheated engine can result in the car shutting down or other problems developing. An overheated engine can cause cooling system belts to break or crack, cracks in the radiator or worst of all, a crack in the manifold or engine requiring that the engine be replaced. Checking the radiator fluid regularly and keeping it filled properly will help to keep the engine running properly, extending the life of your vehicle. Check your cooling system hoses and belts routinely to verify that everything is working correctly.

4. Get a Routine Check-up:

Your engine needs to be checked at regular intervals to verify that it has the right amount of fluids and proper maintenance. Your engine needs to be tuned-up approximately every four to six months depending on how much you drive your car. The spark plugs and spark plug wires need to be replaced routinely as well as having the carburetor tuned to get the maximum fuel efficiency out of your engine. Letting these maintenance issues go too long will cause the engine to wear out faster. It is better to check your engine too often than not enough.

5. Pamper your Pet:

Your engine area is not the only thing that you need to care for to extend the life of your car. Washing the engine and the exterior of the car can also help to keep it running properly as well as making it look great. Give your vehicle exterior a wax job routinely as well as vacuuming out the dirt and debris inside. Applying cleaners to the leather or vinyl on the inside dashboard, door interiors and seat trim help to keep the material from cracking and aging, keeping your car interior looking great.

Ferrari 458 Italia vs Three Super Cars

Bryan — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:09:20 +0000

Automotive and Car Tuning Blog - Tuned Tech Car Enthusiast

We all know a Ferrari 458 Italia supercar is fast, but how does the notorious Prancing Horse match up to some of the competition that is less than half the price. We have a video here from drag times, recording a stock Ferrari 458 Italia racing an Audi RS6 with 750 horsepower, an AMS tuned Nissan GTR-R with 600 HP, and a Lingenfelter Corvette ZR1 carrying 750 horsepower.

These three sports cars race the Ferrari 458 on a 1 mile run, so watch the video below to see how it all went down!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Project Kahn Released The Wide Track Audi Q7

Bryan — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:48:24 +0000

Automotive and Car Tuning Blog - Tuned Tech Car Enthusiast

Staying true to his philosophy of combining mechanical perfection and exterior beauty, Project Kahn’s formula of club class quality and high-tech engineering puts the wide track Audi Q7 somewhere near the top of the premium SUV pile.

Safe and luxurious, with imposing looks and plenty of visual presence. The Q7 Kahn exterior package helps disguise the proportions.

The use of immaculate materials and outstanding build technology is truly extraordinary. An aerodynamically efficient exterior package consisting of vented front replacement wings, front bumper sections with gunmetal grey detailing, rear vented bumper, large upper roof wing, wide wheel arches with rear vented spats, machined aluminum vented foot pedals, door entry sill plates in stainless steel, replacement wings, LED daytime running lights, Kahn stainless steel exhaust system, liquid gold calipers and mirror backs finished in gunmetal grey, exhibits an increased level of interaction coupled with a sense of motor supremacy and style.

Equally impressive is the tiptronic transmission, shifting down on hills to improve engine braking. It certainly complements the Kahn foot pedals, and the Q7 has handling to match the performance. The air suspension includes roll control and height adjustability, making the car nimble and composed around corners.

Another unique feature of this model is the amazing interior which has been upgraded to a magnificent level with the front and rear seats in black quilted perforated nappa leather with red stitching along with a speedo and rev counter in red and cream.

Project Kahn wheels sit perfectly, on any vehicle, conveying the essence of the vehicle’s identity. Created using state-of-the art manufacturing and materials technology, the 22” Kahn RSX 22” wheels are finished in gunmetal grey and fit all original centre caps.

With simple clean lines, soft organic surfaces on the edge of the spoke and a purposeful mechanical centre, the RSX wheels are synonymous with elegance and innovation.

Project Kahn Wide Track Audi Q7 design will be available for £61,875

Renault Wind Formula 1 Styling By Elia

Bryan — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:26:56 +0000

Automotive and Car Tuning Blog - Tuned Tech Car Enthusiast

Elia tuning company released their latest Formula 1 themed Renault Wind late because Lotus and Renault parted ways at the end of last year. This small sports car has been hooked up with the previous Lotus Renault GP colors to give it a sporty look.

The tuners also installed a new sport exhaust system and a brand new set of alloy rims wrapped in low-profile tires. Details about the performance modifications were absent, but as far as we can tell, this was strictly to improve the cars styling.

Street Racing Gone Wild

Bryan — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:06:40 +0000

Automotive and Car Tuning Blog - Tuned Tech Car Enthusiast

People these days.. I don’t wish this to happen, but this incident like this, will meant to happen when you do illegal Street Racing on a highway.

Who in their right mind would street race from a dig when there are cars and trucks flying down the same road at driving 80 km/h. Especially a Honda Civic, atleast race from a roll and it might have a chance… against a Kia. Anyways, as you can see in the video below, a Nissan SUV going down fast smashed this Honda Civic from the rear, completely totaling both cars, and almost killing the guy waving down the race.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you’re interested in more, then check out all the car crashes.

Honda Accord Can Hit One Million Miles

Bryan — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:47:20 +0000

Automotive and Car Tuning Blog - Tuned Tech Car Enthusiast

I always wondered how much can a vehicle run till it dies. I always thought vehicle like Honda Accord can only go up to 300miles or so and they will die or will start causing major problems, but after watching this video it proves to me that vehicles can run not even over 500miles, but can reach up to One Million miles.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The video above called “Million Mile Joe” was actually showed the vehicle only has 938000miles. LoCicero, (owner) claims he finally hit one million miles in his 1990 Honda Accord this past weekend and the fine folks at Honda rewarded him with a parade and, more importantly, a brand new Honda Accord.

Million Mile Joe’s Surprise Parade

Click here to view the embedded video.

The key to LoCicero’s staying power? He’s a master auto technician who has to drive great distances across New England so he makes sure to change all fluids regularly. He has books where he wrote the full details on tire rotations, oil changes, tune ups and even every fill-up.

He claims that the engine and transmission are original, but he admitted that the fuel pump blew at 741,000 miles. Seeing his car towed apparently elicited laughter from his kids.

Subaru Themed ART Gallery To Debut At Toronto

Bryan — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:55:48 +0000

Automotive and Car Tuning Blog - Tuned Tech Car Enthusiast

Too bad this one did not make it!

The team over at Subaru, known for its top rated AWD vehicles and the hotly anticipated BRZ, are once again making a splash at the Toronto AutoShow, this time testing the artistic waters with a Subaru themed art gallery, set to debut inside the Subaru booth this Friday.

Dubbed the ‘Confidence In Art Gallery’ (inspired by Subaru’s Confidence in Motion branding), the gallery is a result of a month-long contest that appeared on deviantART, the world’s largest online community of artists. Members were asked to submit their Subaru artwork for the chance to win $4,000 in cash prizing and have their work displayed at the AutoShow.

Among the most creative: A painting featuring a WRC rally car on the 50-yard line being chased by football players, a hand-drawn piece of a WRX STI evading the clutches of a Martian spacecraft (complete with the tongue-in-cheek tagline ‘Official escape vehicle of the Martian invasion’) and an expertly crafted image designed as the front box of a slot car set from the 80′s.

Although all 17 submissions are stunning, only three could win top honours from the panel of Subaru judges, which we’ve posted here. First place ($2,500) went to Leonardo Gonzalez from St. Catharines, ON and his polar-bear inspired piece.

1st Place – Leonardo Gonzalez

Evan Pavich from Prince George, BC, stole second place ($1,000) with his foggy WRX submission, while third place ($500), belongs to Shannan Jones of Kitchener, ON and her BRZ slot car design.

2nd Place – Evan Pavich

3rd Place – Shannan Jones

It’s always nice to see a little extra creativity infused into the AutoShow so the gallery, which opens this Friday and runs throughout the course of the show, is definitely worth stopping by. Besides, its location couldn’t possibly be any better: near the XV Concept and within eye sight of the BRZ.

For those of you who can’t make the Show, head on over to the official contest page which houses all of the contest entries: DevianArt

Mistakes That Teenage Drivers Often Make

Bryan — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:25:42 +0000

Automotive and Car Tuning Blog - Tuned Tech Car Enthusiast

Teenage drivers are more likely to make more driving mistakes than adults, due to their lack of experience and years driving. Although many young drivers take driving courses before obtaining a driving license, and they learn enough of the rules of the road to pass the exam, they are still not knowledgeable in handling all the responsibilities that come with getting behind a wheel of a car.

In retrospect, it is not entirely their fault, as the teenage brain is not fully developed until nearing adulthood. There are certain decisions that they just can’t logically make. Unfortunately, this lack in judgment when behind the wheel of a car accounts for the highest number of deaths amongst young drivers. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), young drivers are four times more likely to have an accident in comparison to an older adult.

Some of the mistakes that teen drivers often make are due to inexperience, distractions, and trying to look cool among their peers. Young drivers are often easily distracted by passengers in the vehicle, cell phone calls (voice and video), text messaging, loud music, eating, handheld music devices, and a constant need to look around while driving to see if they see anyone they know driving by or at business establishments. The modern age of technology has only increased this distraction risk.

Young drivers have a tendency to impress their friends, and will load their vehicles with as much passengers as possible. This only adds to an increase in distractions with phones ringing, text messaging going on, laughing, talking, and singing along to music.

Taking risks is a deliberate behavior, and one that is much too often performed by young drivers. They don’t completely understand that it is a risk, because they are developmentally unable to relate it to a consequence. Young drivers intentionally disregard speed limits and road signs in their aggressive style of driving. In this risky behavior, they are most likely to speed on roads with minimal to no traffic, as they don’t see any reason to follow the speed limit if no one is around. They don’t realize that at high speeds, their ability to have control over the vehicle diminishes. Once the vehicle is out of control, they unfortunately don’t have the experience or knowledge of handling the vehicle. It is simply an uncontrollable compulsive behavior with no thoughts of any repercussions. Speeding is one of the main causes of young driver deaths, because they see no fear in it.

Other common mistakes young drivers make quite frequently is driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, tailgating other vehicles, not using a seatbelt, and driving drowsy. All this relates to poor choices, aggressive driving, trying to look cool, and staying out too late with friends. Car insurance rates will be affected by this behavior as well.

The only way that adults can assist young drivers from not making some of these fatal mistakes is to simply talk to them. Let them know that you know everything that goes on when they are driving, and that these risks could end up causing them their lives. Be a good role model when driving, set rules, set boundaries, and most importantly let these young drivers know that there are consequences for every behavior made.

2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Convertible Helps SVT Mark Its 20th Anniversary

Bryan — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:15:21 +0000

Automotive and Car Tuning Blog - Tuned Tech Car Enthusiast

The new 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 convertible makes its debut as the celebratory vehicle of the 20th anniversary of Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT). The 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible with the optional Performance Package is nearly 3.5 seconds faster than the outgoing model at Sebring International Raceway. The 5.8-litre supercharged V8 with 650 horsepower, new Brembo brake system, and optional Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers are key enablers for the improved performance.

The official launch of SVT came during the 1992 Chicago Auto Show with the unveiling of the 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning. Now Ford returns to Chicago to celebrate its past and look to the future with the 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible.

In honour of SVT’s anniversary, a commemorative lighted sill plate will be used in the 2013 Shelby GT500 to celebrate the many years of performance vehicles. The 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra offered a 235-horsepower 5.0-litre V8 engine, which demonstrates just how far the products have come in 20 years. The 2013 Shelby GT500 with its 650horsepower V8 marks the latest offering from one of the oldest and most successful automotive performance groups in the world.

“The Shelby GT500 convertible is every bit the performer that the coupe is,” said Kerry Baldori, SVT Global Performance Vehicles chief engineer. “All of the significant changes we made in the program were instrumental in delivering a convertible that could really shine on the track but can still be driven on a daily basis.”

The 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible with the optional Performance Package is faster around a track than the outgoing model. The new convertible shaved nearly 3.5 seconds off its lap time at Sebring International Raceway compared to the 2011 and 2012 models.

Keys to the improved lap times are the power boost from the new 5.8-litre supercharged V8 producing 650 horsepower, as well as the SVT-designed Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers available on the Performance Package and the all-new chassis tuning.

Accessed on the dash with a simple push of a button, normal mode gives customers a more comfortable ride over road irregularities. Sport mode is all about performance, delivering improved response time on the track and less body roll while cornering with reduced pitch under braking. The upgraded dampers allowed SVT engineers to tune the convertible more aggressively for the track, while still being able to maintain desirable on-road manners.

A new Brembo brake system also is a key enabler in boosting the performance of the convertible. The new brakes offer drivers enhanced stopping power to help keep their car under control, while new six-piston callipers in front along with larger front and rear rotors further improve braking performance. More aggressive brake pads also help the car achieve high deceleration and further robustness for more driver confidence.

20 years of high-performance innovation

Each of the more than 210,000 SVT vehicles produced since 1993 has been designed and developed with the four SVT attributes in mind: Performance, Substance, Exclusivity and Value. These hallmarks still guide the brand’s vehicle development today.

“In the past 20 years, SVT has engineered world-class mid-engine supercars, front-wheel-drive performance cars, rear-wheel-drive muscle cars and high-performance on-road and off-road pickup trucks,” said Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief engineer. “There is no other performance house in the world that can match that diverse résumé.”

Since 1993 more than seven different SVT vehicles have been produced, including several versions of the Cobra and Shelby GT500, the F-150 Lightning performance pickup and F-150 SVT Raptor, the SVT Contour sports sedan, plus both three- and five-door versions of the SVT Focus. Special SVT Mustang Cobra R models were made in 1993, 1995 and 2000.

SVT has joined with Team RS in Europe to form the Performance Vehicles Group to devise a strategy for all future global performance Ford cars. The resulting Focus ST is Ford’s first truly global performance car, giving drivers around the world the opportunity to share the exhilarating performance, excellent handling, addictive sound and sporty design Ford’s ST badge represents. The Ford Fiesta ST Concept also signals the next step in Ford’s global performance vehicle strategy and hints at how a future Fiesta ST model might look when it joins the Focus ST in the global small car portfolio.

2013 Ford Shelby GT500

The ultimate Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 raises the bar high on performance by delivering 650 horsepower and a track-tested top speed of more than 200 mph. The 5.8-litre supercharged V8 aluminum-block engine produces 650 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque, making it the most powerful production V8 in the world.

Nearly every part of the powertrain has been optimized for producing the additional horsepower, including a new supercharger, new cross-drilled block and heads, updated camshaft profiles, a new carbon fibre driveshaft and upgraded clutch, transmission and axle.

And nearly every gear on the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 has been revised to manage the torque and use more of the power in a way that makes it more driver-friendly.

The 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 will be built at AutoAlliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Mich.

Owner At Camaro5 Celebrate Camaro Heritage

Bryan — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:54:51 +0000

Automotive and Car Tuning Blog - Tuned Tech Car Enthusiast

If you are true lover of your Camaro, then this spectacular video you must see because it’ going to blow you away. Camaro5 forum members from NorCal and video professional x7productions decided to meet up at some point and deliver this awesome video.

Camaro5 members contribute this video to celebrate of the Chevrolet Camaro and it’s heritage. Over 10 current generation Camaros were featured in this video, as well as one of each past generation Camaro, in what can only be described as one of the most sickest and well executed non-commercial fan projects by car enthusiasts we’ve ever seen.

Watch this video even if you’re not a fan of the Chevy Camaro. There’s actually a good chance that you’re not, all you need to do is watch this video to turn into one.

Click here to view the embedded video.