iTrip usage

I just bought an iTrip by Griffin off ebay for under 7 bucks including shipping. This unit, which plugs directly into the charging/syncing plug of an ipod has a lot of bang for the buck. It works by using a weak/unused FM radio frequency to transmit the music of the ipod through a standard car stereo. I used it to listen to music on a trip from San Diego, CA to Big Bear, CA. I had only minimal static in a few areas, the rest of the time it sounded like the ipod was hard wired into the stereo. The unit automatically chooses a station and then displays it on a small LCD screen. You then tune your stereo to that station, its as simple as that. I highly recommend this unit to anyone with an ipod.

Better Bungee Cords at SEMA

At GPI we are currently field testing some products that we obtained at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show (SEMA). One such product that shows some serious potential is the Link Strap by Zuru. It is a stretchable poly material strap that can be locked to itself or to other straps. Since each strap is metal free, there is no chance that it could bang/scratch against the vehicle that it is being secured to. Another advantage to these straps is that they are rated for 90 pounds each and are soil and salt resistant. The straps are designed in Australia and made in China. We will be field testing these straps on a boat and will report back our findings over the next few months. For more information on the straps, please visit www.zuru.com.

Wagon, the five letter word that trumps SUV

I test drove a 2009 VW Jetta Sportwagon and was thoroughly impressed. It was nothing like the 1981 Rabbit that I drove in the mid to late 90's for an import parts house. This car actually stopped, steered, and accelerated with the confidence of a car twice its price(also known as an Audi Avant). The five cylinder engine was so smooth and quiet at idle that I had to look at the tach to see if it was still running. In addition, the clutch take up and shifter feel made it feel like a car I'd actually like to drive on a daily basis. Finding a manual in a wagon today is about as rare as it gets for anything without a propeller on the hood(BMW).

Looking at the back seat and cargo area, I realized the real value of this machine. It had more useful cargo and people space than many compact and midsize SUV crossovers without the fuel penalty. The Jetta wagon can be had with a standard 5 cylinder, a turbo 4 cylinder, or my favorite, a turbo charged direct injection diesel. That diesel gets in the high 30's around town and in the mid 40's on the road with either a DSG(dual sequential gearbox) or a real 6 speed manual.

The Jetta is loaded with little details that make it feel more expensive that it really is. These include standard heated front seats, map lights, rear seat vents with air volume control, electronic brake differential and electronic stability control. The car has 3 power points as well as a standard electronic recline on the drivers seat and an MP3 jack. The seat, dash, and headliner finish off the expensive look. It seems that VW is creeping toward Audi, which is good news for consumers of mid to low priced VW cars.

Check Engine Light (CEL)

All cars since 1988 and many prior to that year have some sort of check engine light that will come on briefly when the ignition is turned on, and when the car senses their is an emission control failure. It is linked to the on board diagnostics system(OBD 1 and in 1996, OBD2) that regulates and records the actions of the various emission controls in today's computer controlled cars. The check engine light itself is the warning light that car owners will see ignited when the system detects a failure, anything from a gas cap not screwed on tight enough to a malfunctioning catalytic converter.

It is important to note that when this light comes on, there is no danger of an engine failure. The car will continue to run, it just might not be running at optimal efficiency. In addition, the car will not pass a smog inspection with the light on, regardless of how clean it's running. As cars age, the light can become more burdensome and require a code reader to diagnose the problem. The code reader is plugged into the OBD port and then displays fault a code that tells the mechanic what system is not working or not working correctly. This code may or may not be the car's actual problem, as many mechanics will tell you that the computer does not always detect the correct problem.

Sometimes the light can be reset by disconnecting the car battery for a brief period of time. Other times it will shut itself off if it fails to detect the problem after a given amount of time. Some of the newer systems actually record what triggered the light and then will store it in the car's memory, things like a cylinder misfiring.

Global Positioning Systems(GPS)

Automotive GPS devices are slowly making there way into the hands of more and more consumers. When these devices became available the consumer about 15 years ago, they cost several thousands of dollars and were extraordinary slow and cumbersome. Like most profitable electronics, they have made the huge leap from from mere gadget to mainstream, consumer friendly appliance in a relatively short amount of time.


GPS systems work by montitoring the positions global satelites that were sent up by the US goverment in the 1980's. The government released the codes for these man made space objects and thus allowed a new industry to flourish. I remember watching 1980's television shows that showed make believe GPS systems, most notably was the mapping system that K.I.T.T from Knight Rider, that David Hasselhoff used to find the bad guys.

Today's automotive GPS systems can act like a mobile concierge. Some allow a user to connect there bluetooth enabled device, such as a mobile phone/PDA and can be voice activated. Thus, the user can locate a point of interest and then call to find out more about it/make reservations without lifting their hands off the steering wheel.

An automotive GPS device can be extremely helpful someone traveling or moving to a new town, as it allows them to find their destinations on their own and some even allow for music storage. This can be a very handy feature, as it allows the user to bring with their own music on a trip, rather than being subjected to the local fare. Since 1995 the car rental company Hertz has offered NeverLost GPS units in some of there vehicles. Today's consumer can buy a portable unit for under 200 bucks and take it with them when they travel.

Some people consider GPS to be a safety device as well, since most units have a programable HOME button that will take the user back to their house no matter where they are currently located. Automotive GPS devices can also be used to track current/average/maximum speed, which means parents can track how far and how fast their teenagers are going in their cars. They devices can also be used as a locator/signal sender in some cars, thus making it easier for emergency personnel to find a car crash.

Well beyond the term gadget...

I have discovered a great new automotive tool and have been using it for over a week now with excellent results. The device is called the Scangauge 2 and its available online for about 170 bucks including shipping. This device is menu driven and has customizable displays. It plugs into the OBD2 port that most 1996 and newer cars have and is ready to go out of the box.

The Scangauge can be used to monitor engine performance, trip economy and trouble codes that light up a check engine light. Since its menu driven, even someone like me with questionable computer skills can learn to use it in an evening. Some of the gauges that are available include a volt meter, water and intake temp, throttle position, instant economy, miles per hour, load, average and maximum speed, cost per trip/day/previous day/tank, distance till empty, fuel pressure, and more.

This device has become popular among "hypermilers," which are people who try to ring every mile out of a gallon that they can. I have used the throttle positioning gauge and instant economy gauge to obtain better mileage. Unlike a lot of trip computers that come on cars today, this one continually updates the distance till empty function and gives a realistic range. The device is so adjustable that it allows the fine tuning of how much gas the car takes at the station with the ultimate goal being more reliable readouts.

The scangauge even allows users to add gauges as the codes are discovered for them. I currently have horsepower usage added. With this gauge, I can tell how much more horsepower my car needs to generate when I turn on the air conditioning. As gas prices creep over 4 dollars a gallon, this type of tool will become more and more useful.

One final note: The device allows users to figure out how much fuel they burn per hour and how much each trip costs. Its almost like the meter in a taxi....

Run-Flat$=Ha$$le

The run-flat tire is really a sign of our times. The idea and intentions of this invention are easy for the average person on the street to understand. Using an extemely stiff sidewall, the run-flat tire can be driven safely for about 50 miles or so at 50mph without air. On top of that, they allow for roomier trunks, as most vehicles equiped with run-flat tires do not have spare tires of any size. Since the tires can be driven on without air pressure, a person can drive home/out of danger on them instead of having to change the tire on the side of the road or call roadside assistance. Run-flat tires are so stiff that they require tire pressure sensors, as some drivers may not be aware that they have a "flat" tire.

Automobile companies like run-flats for a variety of reasons. In addition to avoiding the cost and space of a spare/doughnut tire in the trunk, the run-flats usually require special equipment for installation that dealers and only large automotive tire shops have, thus giving them(the automotive dealers)more after-sale business.

There are two reasons why a person usually gets a flat tire and in both cases the run-flat makes a bad situation worse. The first situation and most common is when a tire runs over something sharp like a nail. On a regular tire, the consumer usually has the option to change out the temporarily defective tire for a spare and fix it at their leisure. On a run-flat, once the tire has been driven without air, it is considered junk. The consumer must then buy a new tire, usually to the tune of over 200 dollars, after the tire is punctured . The second scienario, which is far less common, is when the tire is shredded and cannot be repaired. In this stituation, a spare tire can be mounted on a non-run-flat equiped vehicle and the owner can then head to the local tire store and purchase a tire. The run-flat tire owner in this situation is now stuck and cannot move their car until help via tow truck arrives. In addition, they now have to find a shop/dealer that has their tire and the equipment to mount it.

The consumer is the real loser here in the long run. Many are sold cars with run-flats and only to find out later that they have over a thousand dollars worth of tires on their vehicles that must be replaced every 20-40 thousand miles.