Month: August 2015

Once you buy a Fiat, it’s nice to know you could bring it returning to the dealership anytime you must for routine maintenance and basic repairs and repair. For many people, attending a dealership’s service center is really a foreign idea, something they’ve never done, even if they’ve had plenty of new cars in their lifetime. But the benefits of taking your car straight back to the service center are myriad. Those who work in the fiat dealership Los Angeles center are absolute experts with their field. They spend each day working on Fiats, and they’ll know your car or truck better than anyone else you could possibly take it to.

Bringing their Fiat in to the service center is just a matter of ensuring they adhere to the terms of their warranty because many new car policies require routine care to happen at the dealership, for some people. Before they become problematic for the car or driver, this ensures that the automobile is being checked by experts and that any issues can potentially be recognized and diagnosed. Bringing your car set for routine maintenance will help to ensure that is stays in the best shape possible for as long as possible. Taking care of basic things like oil changes and tire rotations may help keep it operating at its best and save you time and money down the road. Vehicles which are taken care of by experts promptly in their early years usually last longer and might be driven for decades. You’ll thank yourself later for letting someone who truly knows your vehicle function as the one to focus on it. Bring your car through the service center or look at the OC Fiat website to create a time ahead in for maintenance.

Among the more recent additions to the off-road genre, it seems like hard to believe this is BMW’s third iteration of the X5, a vehicle that first arrived in 1999 but seems to have quickly become portion of the established hierarchy.

With its introduction, BMW coined the phrase Sports Activity Vehicle and were the first to introduce independent suspension and a monocoque body for the segment.

Unashamedly designed primarily for on-road performance, the X5 has developed into a market leader and the company’s X models now are the cause of about 30% of the company’s total volume.

To differentiate the brand new model, it gets new clothing. In fact, the X5 now resembles a beefed-up X1, sharing most of the family characteristics. It’s also grown a couple of inches to offer more legroom, giving it a lengthierIn the flesh, the size of the X5 demands your attention but it’s not as muscular or distinctive as the original version. It looks rather generic through the rear, despite its large L-shaped tail lights, however the X1-style front-end is instantly recognizable for what it is.

We had the ability to drive both 445hp V8 twin-turbo xDrive50i as well as the 255hp turbo-diesel xDrive35d. And while the former is a hoot, sailing past slower traffic like a sports car, it’s the diesel that got our attention.

With 413 lb-ft (as opposed to 480 from the 50i), the 35d is no slouch. With a punchy mid-range, it did everything we asked of the V8 but with slightly less whoops and hollas.

Yet the diesel will whisk you home while the petrol-engined model is stopping to refuel. Although EPA figures aren’t available, you can expect around 22mpg highway from the 50i and even closer to 40mpg through thebegins at $69125, where the xDrive35d costs from $57525. A lesser purchase price and running costs is a great place to start, even though inevitably, there’s less standard equipment around the diesel.

In styling terms, the 2014 X5 features a more upright grille that’s integrated into the headlights like the F30 3 Series. It also gets similar LED corona rings about the headlights to maintain the resemblance.

And much like the new F32 4 Series, the front spoiler gets air curtain intakes, smoothing airflow over the front wheels, exiting through the pronounced vents behind them. This helps reduce turbulence, increasing fuel economy. The vent also forms the pronounced scallop down the side of the X5, with upper and lower swage lines creating visual drama.

All models get lower black panels to minimizeBoth for fuel economy and improved driving dynamics, all models get the excellent ZF eight-speed auto that also includes Sport mode and paddle shifters. The X5 even offers stop/start plus ECO Pro mode within its Driving Dynamics options, helping you to save gas with reduced throttle movement. It will even separate the engine from the drivetrain when coasting at higher speeds to remove engine braking through the equation. Furthermore, the X5 has thermoplastic side panels, an aluminum hood and magnesium dashboard support to make it the lightest vehicle in its class and up to 180 lb lighter compared to outgoing model.

Yet its physical weight and size are common that really separate the X5 driving experience from the 3 or 5 Series. Hard cornering inevitably suffers as compared to the sedans, even though braking efficiency and bump absorption is similarly adept. Yet in comparison to many competitor SUVs, the X5 is actually a class act. It offers poise, power and performance together with its versatile load space, reasonable ground clearance and acceptable off-road ability.

Handling can be improved with options such as Dynamic Adaptive Dampers and active roll stabilization as well as an M Sport selection for drivers in a rush. There’s yet another Comfort active suspension which utilizes rear air bags to level the ride and cushion the blows, however.

To highlight its versatility, we were invited to sample an area of dirt roads that admittedly most cars might have tackled. There were muddy areas and places where ground approach and clearance angles demanded you drive an SUV, however. Even though it highlighted the X5’s flexibility, we doubt it could contend with Land Rover products in the harshest conditions, but will manage most situations a BMW will find itself in.would include X Luxury and Line Line, with M Sport and M Performance options to follow. Both Lines get three-layer decor panels on the dash, with metallic strips and piano black highlighting either wood or aluminum finishes. Add double-stitched dash panels plus multi-paneled leather seat coverings as well as the X5 interior is a very pleasant place. You even have the option of contour lighting around the dash and door panels, with selectable colors to improve the customization. Throw in either a Harman Kardon or Bang & Olufsen speakers, and your passengers won’t wish to leave.

The new iDrive makes an appearance with updated menus and finger-writing detection to simplify address inputs, along with the system’s existing voice commands, as well as a 10.25 upright screen.

Rear passengers will enjoy the optional reclining Comfort seats, as well as the extra legroom. If possible, accessed through the powered, split tailgate, there’s a third-row choice for children, and also the seats might be split to enable creative cargo carrying.

Naturally, it wouldn’t be a BMW without its acronyms, as well as the X5 provides the full complement: Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), ABS, Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Dynamic Brake Control (DBC), Automatic Differential Brake (ADB-X) and also Fading Compensation, Brake Drying function, trailer stability control and Hill Descent Control (HDC). And while there can be too many abbreviations, the raft of electronic aids help make this a very safe and stable platform for family transport in virtually any condition. Include Lane Departure collision, Warning and pedestrian warning, Active Cruise Control and Active Protection and also you couldn’t really ask for more.

This may seem like a strange request, but take a moment to think back to a few of the muscle car builds you’ve seen in your lifetime. You already know the type: Packs more horsepower than you are able to, even though old American iron that looks pretty tame externally, save for some fat tires out back or a blower poking out from the hood. It’s no secret that a lot of muscle car guys aren’t fans of our scene, largely according to some of the gaudy, body-kit-clad, neon-colored imports built back during the days of the 1st Fast & Furious movies. For the most part, these old-school-era machines tend to depend upon a simple exterior look, focusing their time and effort on the powerplant that lies within the hood.

Believe it or not, the owner and visionary of the beautiful Supra was nearly convinced to jump ship from import tuning to the world of muscle machines. Though Christopher Ocampo had built Japanese cars many times in the past, the main objective was always on modifications more fitting of the car show scene than the dragstrip. After years of wrenching on Japanese platforms, Chris was drawn to Detroit muscle for your raw power the cars possess, all while hiding under a neat and relatively unassuming exterior.

Chris was hell-bent on creating a powerful American ride for his next project, as well as a good friend mentioned to him that the Toyota Supra may be an import worthy of consideration. Another mutual friend owned a used car dealership and just happened to have a beautiful ’97 twin turbo example from Florida sitting onThe moment I laid eyes about the black curves of the Supra, I fell in love. The power and sound this animal produced had sold me instantly, Chris recalls, even though not only did it hold the aggressive lines and a sleek look. Before he was driving home in his unique Japanese muscle car, it wasn’t long. What Chris didn’t know was which he would spend countless hours over a span of several years with his car crew, Chii Racing Culture, turning his new ride into a seriously fast street car.

Though it seems like a stretch, there are a lot of aspects of a successful muscle car build present in the theme of Chris’ Supra. The most obvious of these traits at a glance is the car’s exterior. Although things have been kept very tame in comparison to the direction Chris could have taken, don’t be fooled-this is definitely one bad Supra. Several items through the car’s exterior have been smoothed and shaved, including the emblems, rear hatch spoiler, rear wiper, and radio antenna. With the large factory spoiler removed, this Supra immediately assumes a tough and different muscle car-like stance. A Wings West front lip and Top Secret rear diffuser help to add subtle touches for the car’s appearance without being too intrusive or crazy looking. The only hint of what lies beneath the bonnet comes from a large intake duct molded into the custom Dark Alley Designz headlights.

On the reverse side of that headlight duct lies the heart in the beast. Chris’ Supra is powered by the mother of all Toyota powerplants, the 2JZGTE, as you might expect. The factory twin turbocharger setup has been ditched in favor of a lot larger Garrett GT42-76R single turbocharger. The engine’s top end continues to be worked over with a slew of components from Apex and Brian Crower to ensure that everything holds together with the additional jam produced by the greater snail. The 2JZ is recognized to have a notoriously strong bottom end, hence the work on the top end provides plenty of prospect of big numbers.

With a big turbo of this size bolted up to the engine, the exhaust and fuel systems need every one of the help they can get to keep up. The turbo is fed via a massive 4-inch intake pipe mated to the headlight duct we mentioned earlier. Spent gases are forced out of the turbo via an SP 4-inchdownpipe and midpipe, and after-cat exhaust system. The fuel system has also been beefed up to meet demand, fortified with dual 255-lph Walbro fuel pumps, an SP fuel rail, and Precision 1,000cc fuel injectors. All parameters and tuning needs are kept in check via an AEM standalone engine management system. Helping the engine bay to search the part, a bunch of factory and aftermarket components have been polished to provide the motor that hot rod-esque look.

Now that the inline six-cylinder is putting down big power, the factory drivetrain needed attention. In true muscle car fashion, Chris chose to choose a TSI custom reverse pattern TH400 automatic transmission for his build. Though you might think it is a cop-out, let’s be honest-6-speed manual trans Supras aren’t exactly known for their stellar quarter-mile times, even when they’re making 1,000 hp. The automated trans allows the power to get put down more efficiently and consistently. A Precision 5000 torque Suburban and converter heavy-duty driveshaft are the final drivetrain components necessary toa couple of subtle race car amenities. Most dragstrips won’t allow a car this quick to perform without a rollcage, so Chris turned to CJM Racing to TIG-weld an S&W eight-point rollcage in to the car’s cockpit. To keep things streetable, the ‘cage continues to be painted black and wrapped in protective padding. A pair of red Sparco racing seats and six-point racing harnesses keep the drive as well as a likely terrified passenger securely in place throughout a blast across the 1320. Finally, a Pioneer in-dash DVD unit was tossed in to keep your eyes and ears happy if the hum in the 2JZ is able to become a lot of to handle.

Using a build as extensive as this, the wheel and tire setup must match the power and killer looks. Some three-piece SSR Professor SP1 wheels with custom black powdercoated centers was working in a double-staggered setup, measuring 18×8.5 up front as well as a wild 19×11.5 out back-talk about a hot rod-inspired stance! Massive 305/30/19 Continental drag radials transfer all the of this Supra’s power to the ground as possible. KYB AGX adjustable Eibach and struts Pro Kit springs are definitely the perfect setup for drag racing, while also adding a light drop along the way.

In the end, Chris’ desire to develop a big-power American muscle car has transformed this Supra into a great example of what can be done with some out-of-the-box thinking. So next time you’re at a random car show filled with muscle cars that may not be your cup of tea, try and look just a little closer and appreciate the things you observe. You never know? You might just be struck by some inspiration for your own build!

Getting a gift for your loved one is a tough thing simply because you want it to be special, not cliche, and exciting. You want it to show that you like them still and for ever, yet a box of chocolates won’t do. What else could you do to show your loved one your undying love on their big day, whether it be a birthday, an anniversary, or any other day you can deem special? It’s a challenge that presents itself again and again, year in year out. Here are some exciting ideas that you can do.

Write A Love Song

That’s great, you can write a song from the heart that really expresses your feelings, if you are already a song writer. Try using metaphor like a bird and a bee. Alternatively, a field needing the liquid to grow crops. If you’re too literal, it doesn’t make a good song. If you don’t write songs, you can try to find someone who does and have them help you out. You could visit kick starter and find some musician somewhere who’s offering to write a song regarding a topic of your choosing to fund their album, and obtain them to write the song for you. That’s a gift that will last a lifetime!

Get Her A Car

Now I know what you’re thinking, you can’t afford to get her an automobile. But can you truly afford to not? If it’s a $200/month payment, each and every time she gets because new list of wheels, she’ll be thankful to you and reminded of your undying love, the thing in regards to a car is even. You should pop your little old head into san juan capistrano dodge and find an automobile that looks as fancy as possible but still isn’t too expensive. Perhaps a car that looks sporty and nice but is a few model years old. Start browsing here and you’ll see that you can find something for her that won’t break the bank: OC Auto. Make sure it’s got bluetooth capabilities though so she can speak to you the whole time she’s in the car. And if you get her a cool car, maybe she’ll even enable you to take it out for the spin occasionally. Win win!

Brand New Pillows

Then there’s the comfort at rest thing. Some people don’t appreciate that comfort while sleeping is arguably the most important aspect of a relationship. You can get bad night’s sleeps and the resentment of having to share with another can build up should you don’t have comfortable bedding. Why not go crazy and hit up Bed Bath and Beyond and buy some top of the line pillows, the kind that let the head melt in the pillow and slumber over takes you. If you go to a Comfort Suites and Inn, they generally have firm and soft pillows to help you sorta see which ones you prefer. Maybe have a date night out and remain at a comfort Inn only to suss the pillows!

Take a close look: it’s not what you think. Rather a base A6 model dressed to impress, though i promise you, it’s not an Audi S6 with its perfect stance and cool wheels. We think of it our Faux6, because it’s an A6 with all the aggressive OEM S6 body parts, explained Josh Segelson from OEMplus.

Before writing the car off as all show without any go, let us remind you it still gets 33mpg, and also the venerable 2.0T TSI still has sufficient passing power, thanks to some well chosen modifications, minus the insurance premiums linked to the 420hp V8 twin-turbo inside theThe Two.0T has more than enough power and also returns great fuel economy, even if you wouldn’t expect such a big car being this economical, Josh said.

You also wouldn’t expect a base model A6 to look this good. However, most people aren’t the Program Brand Manager at OEMplus. I’ve owned four Audis as well as two VWs, but after a run of A4s, I wanted to step to a bigger platform that could comfortably seat four and also had the build amenities and quality only big cars have, Segelson continued.

Just in case you live beneath a rock and didn’t know, OEMplus may be the essential supplier for most VW or Audi project builds in America. The company focuses on finding parts that are only accessible on these car in other markets, specifically Europe but increasingly China also. They scour the manufacturer’s parts catalogs to find different wheels, mirrors, grilles and spoilers interior items, etc. They’ll also ship parts from models we don’t get here, like Audi RS3 pieces that can fit on our A3 Sportback. Are a treasure chest of rare grooves for the aficionado, even though their intention is always to allow US tuners to build cars from the OEM style – cars that look relatively stock towards the uninitiated.

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We’re an VW, Audi, Bentley and Lamborghini tuning shop and concentrate on finding European-spec components for late-model VAG vehicles, together with custom VAG builds and projects, Segelson said.

Knowing that, the A6 was bought as a testbed for parts development and fitments, which began a couple of weeks after taking ownership. And just a few short weeks later, the sedan had an OEM S6 facelift having its bumpers, side skirts,trunk spoiler, rear valance, E-code Bi-Xenon headlights and one of many coolest OEMplus additions: retrofitted surround cameras.

In addition to front and back cameras, we fitted the special side mirror-mounted units with all the OEM wiring routed through the doors and neatly out of sight. It’s similar to theall this mean? Parallel parking is manufactured easier with the plethora of cameras that show the driver the location where the car is in relation to the curbs, despite the fact that well, not only can Josh safely look around corners for oncoming cars with all the nose of his car creeping in the lane. It’s impressive something and technology anybody can boost their car.

Other electronic upgrades include LED interior lighting and, another personal favorite of mine, the OEM electronic trunk. The electronic trunk retrofit was another time-consuming addition because not only did we have to decipher the appropriate wiring, but also route it like factory and program the pc to communicate using the electronic components, Segelson said. But, like every one of the work at OEMplus, it was factory fresh.

That’s not all. OEMplus can have retrofitted the factory motion-sensor trunk function that allows that it is opened or closed by using a swipe of your foot beneath the rear bumper, by the time you read this. They’ve also added European-spec LED headlights as well as the tail lights, working out the techniquesthe correct clothes, the A6 needed the correct stance, which was supplied by KW V3 coilovers and adjustable control arms. It also received a collection of 21×9 Audi Titan wheels, which look gorgeous and were covered with 255/30 Nitto Invo tires.

As you’d expect, the Audi received underhood enhancements, consisting of a Milltek cat-back exhaust and APR stage 1 software to give the two.0T a noticeable kick in the backside. And shortly after our Segelson, photoshoot and the OEMplus crew did what many considered the impossible: retrofitting OEM Audi S6 six-piston Brembo front calipers with 400mm rotors. and it didn’t require serious modifications. Hey, we mentioned they were good!

Although Segelson doesn’t plan getting too crazy with his daily driver, he assured us there’s still more tricks up his sleeve, thanks to an expansive catalog of OEM parts as well as the expertise to get it fitted, ordered and working.