Sport Cars

CAR is already equipped with power windows should routinely check the right door window glass. Press the power window. Most likely, the window still normalnormal only. One-touch glass up or down smoothly. But, try doing the same thing on the rear glass window left or right.

Do-do, one or both of the glass door windows can not go up and down smoothly as the front right window. Feels a bit stilted. Even bad at all. Thats complaints about power windows presented the riders in general. Stuck on the glass rear window. Front right side window glass is relatively more smoothly because it is frequently operated. In general, congestion occurs because of rust on the components of the power window. Usually theres rust-rust in the metal-metal regulator.

Rust was also frequently found in the teeth of the driving motor power windows. Rust itself is formed due to water entering through the rubber-rubber (seal) the door. Therefore, to prevent cases like this, there are some simple things that we should do. Replace rubber glass list if the rubber has hardened and damaged. Seal does not close completely this is what makes water break and enter, making rust on metal. Often operate power windows.

Both the glass front doors and rear window. This operation can minimize the corrosion process. With these two things, the possibility of power window jams can be avoided. But, if the congestion is already happening, the solution is also easy. Namely, stay clean rust and lubricate (give fat / grease) metals earlier. Just, please note that in order to dismantle the power window motors and touch a little bit complicated. Need to open a lot of bolts installed in car doors. Be careful if you want to do it themselves. Some tips on handling power window jammed mention steps that seem easy.

Starting from prying door trim, glass player to open the lever, remove the power window switch to clean and lubricate the metal rusted. But, in our opinion, should leave the handling of power window jammed into the mechanics at the garage only. Because, when one opens, it is quite possible there are parts that actually broken. In addition, since the keys and bolts pretty much, the possibility of one pair could have happened.

The 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid rear view.

In a break with (sometime) TireKicker tradition, were showing you the rear view of the Infiniti M Hybrid first, because it is how you will most likely see one. You see, just yesterday (9/21/11), no less than an adjucator from the Guiness Book of Worlds Records and the UKs CAR Magazine certified the M Hybrid as the worlds fastest full hybrid.

Now, its 0-60 time of 5.0 seconds is plenty impressive, but CAR decided real speed is best measured in quarter-miles, and there, the M Hybrid did it in an average of 13.9 seconds...tying the 1/4 mile performance of a 1982 Lamborghini Countach, coming within a tenth of a second of the 1998 BMW M3 and within three-tenths of a second of the 2007 Aston Martin Volante and the 2007 Porsche 911 Carerra.

Thats gonna sell some cars.

2012 Infiniti M Hybrid. The Worlds Fastest Full Hybrid.

Id been driving one for six days when the news broke, and I was already a fan. I could tell, just from the seat of my pants, that this was a phenomenally quick, smooth luxury sedan that just happened to be hybrid-powered.

Not exactly a surprise, really, since it was only five months ago that we got all excited over the gasoline-powered M37.

The surprise was this felt just as good and we knew we were saving gas, at a price only about $7,000 more than the gas version. Yeah, we know...seven grand is seven grand, but Infiniti could have charged more (there are hybrids out there running much closer to a $10K premium over the gasoline-powered equivalent).

The EPA says 27 city/32 highway for the M Hybrid...and we didnt quite get there. In our 500 miles of 70 percent city street/30 percent urban freeway driving, we only averaged 24.9. But then, theres something about that magnificent power package (30 horsepower more than the gas version) that tells you to go ahead and plant your foot in it. I wish I could claim will power, but I cant. Still, that tops the 18/26 EPA estimate for the gasoline M37.

And the fact that the M Hybrid allows you (under the right conditions) to run up to 62 miles per hour on electric power doesnt enforce light-footedness the way hybrids that dip into the fuel tank above 25 miles an hour do.

2012 Infiniti M Hybrid interior.

It all starts at $53,700 with an impressive list of standard features. Too long for me to re-type. Wanna know what they are? Infinitis M Hybrid webpage has that covered. Our tester added the Delue Touring Package (Japanese White Ash wood trim with genuine silver powder accents, semi-aniline leather appointed seating, a Bose 5.1 channel 16-speaker Premium Audio system, Forest Air filtration, a suede-like headliner, soft double-stitched meter hood and power rear sunshade) for $3,800.

Next was the Premium Package (hard drive navigation system, 8-inch color touchscreen display, voice recognition, XM NavTraffic and NavWeather, Zagat Survey restaurant review, climate controlled front seats and a heated steering wheel) for $3,350.

The little stuff? $650 for 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, $360 for illuminated kick plates and $200 for a trunk mat, trunk net and first aid kit. Toss in destination charges of $895 and the bottom line is $62,955.

And it feels like so much more.  Even if it werent the fastest, wed love it.

2012 Infiniti M Hybrid

Base price: $53,700

As tested: $62,955

Likes: Styling, power, quality of materials, power, workmanship, power and...did we mention power? Oh, yeah...and better mileage, too.

Dislikes: A little hesitation off the line as the car wakes up and brings the engine back to life.

Kia Motors’ global sales increased by 21% during the last quarter - that is from April to June- compared to the same period in 2010. South Korea’s second-largest carmaker sold 621,000 units in that period, largely due to the increase in US sales.

Kia’s progress in the American market was impressive as it recorded a 67% increase in profits and 36% in sales, largely due to the surge in sales of its new Optima sedan and Sportage SUV.

Japanese manufacturers’ shortages due to the production disruption brought by the March disaster that hit Japan may also be one of the reasons for Kia’s rise according to analyst at Seoul-based Dongbu Securities’ Yim Eun Young.

But as Japanese companies recover and Kia’s market share may shrink, Young notes that this doesn’t necessarily mean that Kias sales volume will drop as well.

And he may be proven correct, as Kia has a strong new range of products and last month increased its US target for 2011. It also announced that it will begin producing the Optima at its US plant in Georgia from September.

The 2011 Dodge Charger.

Ill admit it. I was among those who thought naming a four-door sedan "Charger" was an act of sacrilege and doomed to failure. After all, the real Dodge Charger was a two-door.

Well, as Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, "foolish consistency sucks" (or something like that). Fact is, Dodge has built a very good sedan and calling it "Coronet" (the four-door the original Charger was based on) would have been a far worse idea.



And, Dodge has dialed up the menace factor for the 2011 Charger. Look at the picture above. Thats a six-cylinder family sedan. Pretty cool.

It helps enormously that under the new sheetmetal is a new six...the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with variable valve timing. Not only is it smooth and refined...it packs 292 horsepower. Thats close to 100 horses more than the previous base engine...and only 58 fewer than the Hemi option used to bring. Suffice it to say, it gets up and runs. Its mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission and gets a very respectable 18 miles per gallon in the city and 27 on the highway, according to the EPA.

The 2011 Dodge Charger rear view.

Our tester was a Charger Rallye Plus. It started as just a base Charger SE ($25,170), which comes with a full complement of airbags, reactive head restraints, anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes, electronic stability control, all-speed traction control, hill start assist, rain brake support and ready alert braking.

Next comes the "27J Charger Rallye Plus" package. $4,000 that buys you an 8.4-inch touch-screen display, Uconnect Touch, voice command with Bluetooth, Bluetooth streaming audio (just because you have it for hands-free phone doesnt mean you can play music too...but here you can), Sirius satellite radio, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with microphone, a remote USB port, an audio jack, a 276-watt amplifier and six premium speakers. Theres also a remote start system, security alarm, dual-zone automatic climate control, humdity sensor, universal garage door opener, Nappa leather seats (heated in the front and rear...and 8-way power controlled with 4-way lumbar adjustment for the driver and front passenger), a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather-wrapped shift knob, a heated and cooled front console cupholder, a compass, front overhead LED lighting, front and rear LED map pockets, driver and passenger lower LED lamps and an upgrade to 18-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels.

Stopping right there would give you a remarkably well equipped car for $29,170...even the destination charge of $825 wouldnt send you past $30K.

The 2011 Dodge Charger interior.

But Dodge wanted us to sample all the goodies, so the press fleet crew packed this one with:

• The Driver Confidence Group ($1,495 for blind spot and cross path detection, rear parking assist, a backup camera, low-beam HID headlamps, rain-sensitive windshield wipers, SmartBeam headlamps, outside mirrors that automatically adjust when you put the car in reverse, and a drivers side automatically-dimming outside mirror).
• The Driver Convenience Group ($575 for power adjustable pedals with memory, memory for radio, seat and mirrors, and a power tilt/telescoping steering column).
• The Adaptive Cruise Control Group ($925 that goes to adaptive speed control, forward collision warning and a heated steering wheel).
• The Navigation/Rear Backup Camera Group ($450, integrating a Garmin navigation system with the already-there backup camera and 8.4-inch color touchscreen).
• The Rallye Appearance Group ($1,195 for an upgrade to a 506-watt amplifier, 9 amplified speakers with subwoofer, a further jump up to 20-inch chrome-clad aliuminum wheels, 245/R20 all-season performance tires, a rear body-color spoiler and performance suspension).
• A power sunroof ($950).

And that, folks, is that. Total price: $35,585. Yeah, there are some things I could quibble about (like how a 506-watt amplifier and speakers wound up in an "appearance" group), but the fact is, this car was a complete joy to drive. It looked great, it drove well, the new interior is just wonderful, it had every imaginable convenience. Yes, you could make do with less for a daily 20-mile commute. But this car whispered things like "Hey, lets go to Denver for lunch."  And Denvers 821 miles from TireKicker World HQ.  Plus, it can blow the doors off any other domestic family sedan that isnt packing a Hemi.

"Charger" was the right pick, after all.

2011 Dodge Charger Rallye Plus

Base price: $25,170

As tested: $35,585

Likes: Styling, power, handling, attitude and a great new interior.

Dislikes: Some silly option packaging on the part of Dodges marketing guys.

EPA estimate: 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway.