En 2009, Toyota pondrá en marcha seis nuevos modelos a lo largo de nueve actualizado con los modelos existentes. Motor diesel y transmisión automática será el centro de nuevos modelos. El actual Toyota AURIS (en la foto arriba) va de cabeza a cabeza con el Volkswagen Golf en Alemania.

Fuente: Automotive News

Toyota lanza al mercado el nuevo Corolla 2009, la décima generación del modelo más exitoso a nivel mundial. Este automóvil viene para afianzar el segmento de los sedanes medianos que tienen un amplio campo de demanda en los mercados mundiales.

El nuevo Corolla 2009 fue diseñado exclusivamente para las necesidades del mercado mundial, aunque siempre conservando la tradicional tecnología, confiabilidad y calidad que identifican a la automotriz Toyota. Los vehículos tipo sedan son un referente en los mercados latinoamericana; y en el mundo alcanza los 33 millones de unidades, cifras que lo hacen ser el auto más vendido mundialmente.

El modelo básicamente sigue siendo el mismo, claro que con sustentables mejoras, en su nuevo diseño exterior refleja mayor solidez y firmeza, producto de la expansión del ancho de su silueta, la reducción del alto y un diseño de cintura más alta, cambios que le brindaron un aire más deportivo que el de las generaciones pasadas.

Pero su carrocería no fue lo único que sufrió algunas transformaciones, el interior del nuevo Corolla ofrece una sensación de amplitud, mezclando dos factores: un aumento real del espacio y la combinación de colores que brindan el efecto visual.

Y si hablamos de calidad y tecnología no se queda atrás, se le ha incorporado dirección asistida eléctrica y progresiva (EPS), un nuevo acelerador electrónico, una configuración de suspensión y un menor despeje entre el vehículo y el suelo, todo ello para brindarle una excelente conducción al usuario.

Un tema al cual Toyota presta vital importancia es la seguridad y Corolla 2009 no es la excepción, ha incorporado como medidas pasivas el sistema de adopción de la estructura denominada GOA (Global Outstanding Assesment), ideal para absorber la energía generada por impactos laterales, frontales y traseros, además se han incorporado airbags laterales que se vienen a sumar a los frontales ya presentes en las generaciones pasadas.

En lo que se refiere a la seguridad activa la frenada ha sido ampliamente mejorada y se han adaptado faros de mayor amplitud, los que tienen la finalidad de mejorar la visibilidad nocturna.

Un nuevo modelo de Toyota que viene a brindar más calidad a sus fieles clientes. Elegante, seguro y cómodo, todo esto en Corolla 2009 un vehículo que se sitúa en una categoría superior.

Click on the link below to view the brochure :

corolla altis brochure

I'm certainly not the first to make the connection between politics, marketing, and big business. There are far smarter people than I, who've explored this issue. These are merely my own personal observations.

When it comes down to it, money is truly the center of all things. Politics, religion, nationalism-they all become means to an end. This is not to say each individual involved in these things is only out for monetary gain. No, I'm talking about the larger picture of things. If you zoom out to the macro level, to the highest points of these institutions, then monetary goals become the most important.

The Republican and Democratic parties are organizations built on money. They accept money from the public as well as from corporations, in order to further themselves politically. The more they further themselves politically, the more money they get from public and corporate sponsorship. This becomes an immediate circular problem. The question now comes in as to whether these political parties are operating in political or monetary interest. These two parties are seen as the only two political parties who can effectively compete on the national (presidential) level. They are effectively two super companies fighting for the same goal, with only each other as competition, and with every other smaller competitor put out of business or ignored to the point where the effectiveness is inconsequential.

Except, these parties do not truly act like companies. They do not just have the support of individual investors (party members and supporters), but the support of many large corporations. In effect, the Republican and Democratic parties act more like stock markets. The companies that perform better on these party-based stock markets are the ones that contribute the most money. The more money contributed, the more likely that stock market (party) will work for you, yielding a bigger return, by supporting laws, amendments, bills, and motions that will work in that companies favor.

The only difference is the public. The parties also need public support in order to get elected, so theoretically they have to also support the public's interests. As previously stated, more public support equals more corporate sponsorship, which equals more money. So the public must mean more than the corporate money because it's the first step toward that money, right? Well, the thing is ... that corporate money happens to be a lot of money, and a lot of that money can be useful in garnering public support.

So this again becomes an issue of marketing. Obviously, the parties are trying to attract different markets at the ends of the spectrum, but they are also trying to attract the undecided middle. Those ends of the spectrum tend to make up the major base of the party's supporters.

The Republican's major target is "the right," while the Democrats target "the left." The right tends to be made up of social and religious conservatives interested in moral reforms, lax gun control, pro-life legislation, and less federal interference, while the left tends toward progressives interested in women's rights, gay/lesbian rights, protecting pro-choice legislation, stricter gun control laws, universal healthcare, more socialized benefits, and more federal constraints on corporations. The Republicans therefore market themselves as moral crusaders and heroes of the religious right, while Democrats market themselves as reformers trying to look out for the middle and lower classes through welfare programs and by supporting civil rights.

These are marketing strategies. While Republicans often champion small town values, their legislature consistently makes it harder for lower and middle class families to live. They give token tax cuts to the poor, while they give huge tax cuts to the rich, imposing the consistently debunked trickle-down theory. Democrats pander to the progressive left, promising true progressive reform, but without ever truly following through.

While the public loses out, the private corporations win. The Republicans and Democrats do vote on behalf of their supporters, but only the ones that can do for them as well. Just like a company trying to please its stock-holders, these parties are only trying to please their biggest investors. It's just good business.

The only difference being that not only are the investors (corporations) effectively running the company (the political parties) by proxy, they are also running a country. These are not maniacal plans for power, though. It's much simpler. These are just companies trying to work as effectively as possible within a (uncontrolled) capitalist system. Controlling a country just allows them to make a larger profit by controlling legislature in their favor.

And after all most of these companies either are or are owned by large multi-nationals, with only a handful of them controlling most of the world's business. These corporations are entities larger than the bounds of a single government, and far more powerful.

Seen in these macroscopic terms, the 2008 presidential election seems far smaller and unimportant. Regardless of the choice it seems like an inevitable more of the same. While I personally would prefer a democratic president, and I do think with enough pressure from progressive groups that Barack Obama may be one of the better presidents in recent history, I also have to look at that history and accept some indisputable evidence that most things will likely not change much. There have of course been some memorable polices made in US history (emancipation proclamation, the new deal, the civil rights movement), but they have been few and very far in between. So I do hope, but I am also realistic. Even those memorable policies only happened with compromise, and those compromises were always made in the name of capitalism. Combine these facts with the fact that all of the major media outlets are also owned by corporations (the very same making the campaign contributions), and the presidential election starts to seem more like an elongated season of American Idol. Or like a Toyota commercial. So, will you vote for Corolla? See your local Toyota dealership today.

There are quite a few highlights and the one having an immediate impact on the eye is the styling. Corolla has always been a car with curves and smooth lines, and the theme continues on this 10th generation product too. The front end has been borrowed from Camry and given a little makeover to look good in the smaller offering. Strictly speaking, I for one, do not support any comments on the styling front primarily because the look of a car is a very personalized aspect. You might love the way the new Corolla looks, but I am not too impressed. I think designers at Toyota could have done a lot better, gone moronic with the styling even! Members of the community are getting increasingly comfortable with radical design ideas and accept a product if it is well worth it (read pre-facelift fourth-gen Honda City). So why make the Corolla drab knowing that it has Honda Civic to beat?

Toyota has done well though to equip the car with goodies. You get automatic headlamps and headlamp washer, a multi-information display tucked away neatly into the instrument panel, cruise control and power seats with lumbar support. The steering wheel comes from the Camry and sports control buttons on it. The fake wood inserts do their bit to enliven the interior. You can also choose from a list of unique accessories like legroom lamp and illuminated scruff plate to add the ‘disco’ look to your car. Door pockets look spacious enough and there’re cup holders in the rear armrest. A storage space next to the centre-console at the front is a novel and unique feature. There’s also a 6-CD MP3 player with six speakers complementing it.

There’s only one engine on offer, that being a 1.8L mill capable of 170Nm of turning force. The 4-pot, 16-valve, VVTi motor of Corolla Altis is essentially the same as that powering the previous model but the peak power is now rated at 130bhp@6000rpm which is seven more than the outgoing Corolla and same as that of the Civic. The wheelbase, at 2600mm, is 100mm less than Honda Civic though. Both cars wear same footwear and weigh roughly the same, so the performance advantage lies with which one will be known only after a thorough road-test evaluation. There are three variants on offer; 1.8G, 1.8GL and a 1.8V L with prices ranging from 10.83 lakh to 12.86 lakh (ex-showoom, Delhi).

Toyota Corolla has been the highest selling car in the world with sales of over 30 million. Toyota has set a sales target of 63,000 units for this fiscal and aims to capture 10% of the market by 2015, which stands at a meagre 2.7% currently. As is well known in the industry, TKM is keen to enter the small-car segment and plans are in place to initiate production and sales by 2010 with an investment of Rs 1,400 crore. Despite the sluggish market and higher interest rates, Toyota hopes to sell nearly 2,000 units of Corolla Altis.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. (TKM) introduced the 9th Generation Corolla in India in 2003. This introduction triggered a surge in demand for Premium Mid-size Sedan models in India. Since then, Corolla has set the benchmark for this segment and has met requests from the Indian Market with innovative luxury, designed to satisfy the auto consumer's appetite for perfection. Reflecting this, Corolla earned the No. 1 ranking in the JD Power IQS rankings for 2 consecutive years in 2003 & 2004. Corolla's good acceptance has also inspired several auto majors to explore the possibility of introducing models in the Premium Mid-size Sedan segment.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Yasuhiko Yokoi, Managing Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) said, "Corolla has been a true symbol of Toyota passenger cars, and has contributed to the growth of the vehicle industry all over the world, with sales of over 30 million units so far. As you may know, Toyota's global sales volume was 8.4 million units last year, including 4.1 million units of passenger cars. The global sales figure of Corolla was 1.3 million last year, accounting for more than 30% of Toyota's global passenger car sales. And I'm very glad to introduce this very important 10th generation car here in India today!"

Mr. Soichiro Okudaira, Managing Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) said, "The concept this time is Happy Corolla for Our Planet. This model has been developed based upon a global point of view to maximize customer satisfaction. The DNA that has been handed down for 40 years is alive and well today. Displaying technology and concepts that are always ahead of time, our mission has been to create a new generation car. The challenge was to surpass the Toyota quality and realize a "Quality Revolution". To achieve that, we repeated the evaluation test called "5m impression" to pursue quality appealing to the five senses. The 5m impression, in particular, includes an item that appeals to customers before they get into the car, like styling. An item for feeling an immediate difference after getting into the car, like the sound of doors closing, the comfort of sitting in the seat. And an item for experiencing an immediate difference after the vehicle starts moving, like smoothness of the steering thanks to EPS, use of electronic throttle which makes the vehicle move smoothly. As a result of our efforts to always keep Indian customers firmly in mind, I think you'll find we arrived at a more than satisfactory result".

Mr. Yasuyuki Kawamoto, Chief Engineer - Corolla Altis of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) said, Based on this global theme, the new Corolla Altis for Indian customers is refined as "One Class Above" with indisputable quality and dignity, which is beyond any other car in its segment. For Indian customers, we set two priorities. The first was styling. We wanted to create a dynamic & distinctive feel for outstanding presence. The second priority was luxury & advanced features. For safety we have High Intensity discharge (HID) Head Lamp, Automatic Electro chromatic (EC) inner mirror. For comfort we have developed 8-way power driver seat, Audio Controls and MID Switch on the steering and many more. Towards the fun to drive aspect, we provided the Sequential shift, which lets you enjoy the feel of manual driving even in the automatic variant. Cruise control, Telescopic steering for all variants, Electric Power Steering ensures a comfortable ride. So I am confident that we have created a "One class above" vehicle for the Indian customers.

Mr. Vikram Kirloskar, Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said, This year's target is to sell 63,000 vehicles. And by fiscal 2015 we are aiming for a market share of about 10%, the Altis marks our big step towards the achievement of this goal. We are also planning to introduce several new models in the near future to meet this goal. Regarding the small car that everyone has been waiting for, we aim to start Production and Sales around the end of 2010 or early 2011. So get ready for even more excitement!

Mr. Hiroshi Nakagawa, Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said, To help everyone become more familiar with this incredibly advanced new Corolla, we gave it the name "Altis," which is derived from the word "altitudinous" meaning "the Absolute Superiority". Our goal is to sell an average of 2,000 vehicles a month. And as the name implies, we aim to make the Altis the best-selling car in its class. Up until now, Corolla has been popular with businessmen. But making it attractive to young executives will create a new market in the C segment. Altis's main selling point is Toyota's unparalleled quality, and our ambition is for the Corolla Altis to revolutionize Indian consumers' quality expectations, raising them to a higher level. It is to communicate this message to the Indian market that we have also changed our corporate slogan to "Quality Revolution".

Mr. Sandeep Singh, Dy. Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said, We are offering the Corolla Altis in three grades, the 1.8 G M/T, the 1.8 G(L) M/T and a top-end grade 1.8 V(L) A/T model. The Corolla now delivers max power of 130 HP, which is 7 hp higher than the earlier model. The 1.8G M/T grade which is an equivalent of the previous H2 model, has been improved by the addition of features like Electric Power Steering, Optitron Combination Meter, Multi-information Display, Steering wheel with Audio Controls & MID switch and many more. The medium-grade 1.8G (L) M/T model has features like HID headlamps with washers and 8-Way Power Driver Seats with Power Lumbar Support. And the top-grade 1.8V (L) A/T model has features like Cruise Control and Gate Shift Type Auto Transmission with Sequential Shift. On the sales front, we are planning a marketing blitz with simultaneous 100 events at shopping malls, airports and showroom nationwide. It will be an all-out effort, starting tomorrow, to bring more customers into contact with the car by showcasing the Altis throughout India.

The All-New Corolla Altis is the second Corolla launched in India. The theme of this car is "Happy Corolla for our Planet" and its mission is to appeal to consumers' five senses. Toyota's objectives for the launch include further consolidation of Toyota's position in the premium mid-size segment with its renowned and internationally celebrated product, getting out the key messages and vision of the management, and projecting Toyota as a leading automobile player in India. To achieve these objectives, Toyota will implement a two-phase plan of a pre-event and launch event strategy. The vehicle's features include an 8-way power driver's seat, HID headlamps, steering wheel with audio controls and MID switch, and an Optitron meter.
The Toyota Altis comes in 3 grades: the 1.8 G M/T, the 1.8 G (L) M/T, and the top-end 1.8 V (L) A/T Model. The Corolla now delivers max power of 130 HP, 7 HP higher than the previous model. Toyota in India is targeting at achieving Corolla Altis sales of 2000 units per month in the year 2008. Toyota is launching a Marketing Blitz at 100 shopping malls, airports, and showrooms across the country.

Powered by 1.8L engine delivering around 140bhp, the engine is a carryover from the existing Corolla, offering extra performance. The body of the car will be 10mm longer, 60mm wider and 20mm lower than the current model that will add up an extra interior space and Altis will be 50mm taller than the Honda Civic.

Corolla Altis will be available only in petrol version initially and is expected to carry the price tag of Rs13 lakh. The booking has already started in Chennai with the initial amount of Rs2 lakh.

First let's talk about the aspect that instantly makes it stand tall over the current Corolla; the styling. Though the front end looks striking owing to the grille section and has stark resemblance to Camry, the rest of the car is quite staid. The otherwise boring rear is slightly energized by bulging tail lamps but the overall form does not induce any sense of style and the Civic will easily score over Corolla Altis in the looks department.

It is a similar story inside the cabin too. Civic’s cockpit is far more appealing and futuristic than Corolla’s. The digital speedo, driver oriented dash and sporty hand-brake lever positioning puts the Civic in a different plane altogether. The Corolla Altis on the other hand will sport well-built interior but won’t be able to hold a candle to Civic. Two glove compartments will add to the practicality quotient. The neatly fitted audio system and wooden finish on the centre console will add a veneer of luxury. The steering wheel is taken from the Camry and will sport audio and other controls on it. With a length of 4540mm and wheelbase of 2600mm, expect the Corolla Altis to be quite roomy and comfortable. Though standing 15mm taller than Honda Civic at 1465mm, the new Corolla will be helped by a footprint of 205/55 R16 to aid handling and stability.

Unlike the paddle shift in Civic, the Corolla Altis might be offered with a floor mounted automatic tranny. One will be able to shift manually by shifting the gear lever into sequential mode with forward movement resulting in up-shifts and backwards in down-shifts. What is a little strange and irritating is that the Corolla Altis in Thailand comes with a 4-speed automatic gearbox while the Civic has a 5-speed ‘box. We hope that a proper 5-speed paddle shift version is offered here! The Toyota Corolla Altis will be quite heavily loaded and will come with ABS, EBD, BA, airbags, traction control, cruise control etc.

Powering the Toyota Corolla Altis will be a 1.8-litre petrol engine that will deliver 132bhp to the front wheels. An option of a smaller 1.6-litre, 109bhp engine cannot however be ruled out in the current climate of ever rising fuel prices. Toyota will also be working towards getting a 1.6L, common rail diesel engine under the hood but that can only be speculated as of now. If Toyota does offer a diesel mill in the Corolla Altis, expect Honda Civic to experience a little blow in its sales figure. The 1.8L petrol engine is said to be highly fuel efficient and emission free. A figure of 35mpg on highway has been projected to be realistic figure to achieve which makes the Corolla stand tall on mileage claims as it works out to be approximately 14.8kmpl.

"Money can't buy everything---it can buy India a lot.

"Imagine if India was a developed country, our biggest problems - poverty, healthcare, infrastructure, child labour - will be gone. Alongside, there will be lesser religious tension or caste differences.

"If you have a nice home and a Toyota Corolla, it is unlikely you will go and riot on the streets."

Read the full article: Mixed feeling about India's future

This is what transpired an hour earlier, right when we entered the Science building, where our Psycholinguistics class takes place:

Jasmine said, “Do we have to go to class?”
Sona said, “There’s no point.”
Jasmine: “We just had a midterm last week, and there’s no homework to turn in, and there’s WiFi in the business building…we can work on our blog.”
Sona: “Yeh!

One glimpse at the beautiful picture of that red velvet cupcake and we decided to go on a quest to find some good tasting cupcakes. Yes that’s right, one day later we were still tormented by images of the beautiful red velvet with cream cheese frosting. So, we decided if not the red velvet than something else! After some googling, we discovered a place named Teacake Bake Shop in Emeryville. After finishing up yesterday’s post it’s obvious what happened next. We took out directions to the bakeshop and headed straight there. Yes, we were smart this time and actually got directions.

The directions were really simple, and there was hardly any traffic…it was meant to be! We got there in about 25 minutes, as MapQuest had predicted. This bakeshop was located in one of those “lifestyle villages” that have been cropping up all over the country, just like Santana Row in San Jose, which is much closer to us and may we say much better!

Luckily we found parking right on the street, but it was a parallel parking...nahin*!! But thanks to the high maneuverability of the “old crappy ass, but still fantastic” Corolla, it didn’t take long, and we were on our way to fulfill this ridiculous craving – seriously we had to travel an hour from home and half an hour from school for cupcakes…what’s wrong with the world! Anyway, so we found it.

It was a super cute place with pink walls and of course it smelled amazing! The cupcakes cooling on racks in the back looked very inviting. They also have other baked-goods such as cookies and brownies, but we looked at the displays and found what we went for. We got the pink velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting and a chocolate one with chocolate frosting. Each cupcake was three dollars, which we felt was too overpriced for its size…but we had no choice. We drove all the way, and we weren’t going to leave without some cupcakes. The girl at the counter packed them in a lovely box and we took our leave because the parking spot had a 30-minute limit and we wanted to get back home soon. So we took the precious cargo and Sona drove towards the freeway.

Oh don’t worry! We didn’t have enough patience to wait until we’d get home. We saw a parking lot right by the freeway, so we parked and opened the box. Ummmm…smelled so amazing! We dived into the pink velvet first, proving once again our lack of patience.

The Verdict: Amazing frosting on the pink velvet! We don’t enjoy things that are super sweet and usually frostings and icings do seem too sweet, this was perfect and delicious. We also really liked that they’re calling it pink velvet…now that’s just adorable! The flavor in both of the cakes was really good as well, but the texture could’ve improved…not moist enough. Oh and we thought we hinted a little over-cooking in the pink velvet, but it was still way more delicious than the chocolate. Also, now when Sprinkles does open up, we'll have something to compare it to.

Do you think we were disappointed? No. We were satisfied. We satisfied our craving and apart from the small imperfections the cupcakes were good, especially the pink velvet! We licked our fingers and off we went into the sunset. 

Image Source: Inuyaki

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* If you don’t know this already than shame on you! You should be religiously dedicated to this blog and should’ve already read all of the posts. You might be able to tell that we like being dramatic sometimes. Plus we got good feedback on the use of “Nahin!!”

The new car Jetta is now in the market. The car is loaded with both petrol and diesel engine with 1.6L petrol and 1.9L diesel engines respectively. The petrol version of the car is priced somewhere around Rs 12.97 lakh and that of diesel engine is around Rs 14.22 lakh. The car is embodied with advanced and innovative features like Vienna leather upholstery, 2-zone electronic climate control, 6-CD changer, and electric lumbar adjust.

The Jetta will belong to the lower D segment that will compete with other cars of the same segment like Skoda Laura, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. Competition between Jetta and Laura will be the toughest because both these car are cousins priced somewhat equally.

Jetta is also outfitted with standard safety features like 8 airbags, ABS and ESP that helps to increase the safety measure for both the car and the occupants.

After the launch of Jetta, Volkswagen is also planning a slew of launches.

The car will definitely be a great success with all standard features, exclusivity and appealing design. What do you say?

We started at a VW dealership in Arlington. I like VWs but it was difficult since most of the used ones they had in our price range were manual and I can't drive a stick. I test drove a 2005 Passat wagon which was nice with alot of features. It had some wear on the interior and was kinda low for my comfort. After that though, we tested out a 2003 Civic with only 54,000 miles on it. That was pretty much the car to beat for the rest of the day. I liked driving it and I had plenty of space and everything. They cut the price to $9559 but ' still alot especially once you add tax and tags. We went to a couple of other dealerships and I drove a 2005 Corolla that was in extremely good shape and had been near the lot it's entire life. It was good and drove like the Civic but it was smaller and not quite as enjoyable. Lastly, we stopped at an other VW dealership over in Springfield. This one was much skeasy-er. We drove a red Golf but that was the worst car of the day. Not only did I hate the color, it was dirty, small, and missing things like knobs on the radio. It was even more expensive then any of the other cars we looked at. I really like that Civic. Tomorrow we are probably going to a Honda dealership to see what they have. We also a BEAUTIFUL restored 1965 GTO but it was $27,500. I could just myself cruising around Tech in that thing. It's a panty remover on wheels.

While we were out, I went to Lenscrafters to get my new glasses. That was a colossal pain in the ass. I found a pair of rim-less ones I liked but apparently, my prescription would have been too thick for them which is kinda odd because they aren't that thick now. My father and I kinda got into an argument there because he was just standing around staring at me while I was trying to find another set of frames. I finally found another pair that were good and they started in the sales pitch. They were more aggressive then the used car salesmen. Did I want this type of lens or that type? Anti-reflective? Anti-scratch? Blah, blah, blah. They would talk about the thickness of the lenses but not give a straight answer on how thick. Finally when it was all settled, they said I would have them in 7-10 business days because they don't have the particular type of lenses in house. That had to be bullshit given how aggressively they were pushing them. It ended up making everyone angry and I have no new glasses. The only good thing was that the optometrist or specialist or whatever was crazy hot. She was Muslim and I've hated that head-scarf for hiding so much of her damn sexy face. She was hot enough to risk having a jihad called on my ass.

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JONI
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GALERI ALTERNATOR
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Neo Diesel
Jl. Cipinang Muara 1, No.37B, Jakarta Timur
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Mr. Roberts.L
Sigma Speed Rally & Racing Services
Jl.K.S. Tubun Raya, No.33, Jakarta Pusat
Tel: 021 - 548 5818
HP: 0812 - 935 8235
Mr. Soleh Yusuf
C.V. Tehnik Delta Prima
Jl.l. Gusti Ngurah Rai, No. 15A, Klender, Jakarta Timur
Tel: 021 - 861 4963/64/65
HP: 0816 - 117 5360
Mr. Mendy S
Firna Protechnik
Jl Tanjung Duren Barat IV, No.1, Jakarta Barat
Tel: 021 - 568 9991
HP: 0818 - 818 370
Mr. Ichsan Oesef
Autotech Performance Tuning
Sunter Agung Podomoro, Block G6/3, Jakarta Utara
Tel: 021 - 640 0541
HP: 0816 - 801 481
Mr. Carmen S.S
Auto Dyne
Pasar Baru Timur, No. 23, Jarkata Pusat
Tel: 021 - 380 2140
HP: 0816 - 905 125
Mr. Iman Oesef

HERU FILM spesialis Jok kulit
JL.RE.MARTADINATA 279 NO LOS 52
TELPNYA 74709971

Automille
Sentra Service Mobil
Jl. RS. Fatmawati No. 25A
Cilandak Jakarta 12430
Telepon. 7502383,75901155/66
Fax. 7510706
Email:
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BIMA PEMUDA MOTOR
Spesialisasi : Modifikasi chip dan engine control unit,
tune-up atau pemasangan turbo.
Jl. Pemuda No.10 Kav.79, Rawamangun, Jakarta Timur
Telp. (021) 475 3527

CEPER BARU
Spesialisasi : Servis per dan shockbreaker
Jl. H. Nawi Raya No.21 C, Jakarta Selatan
Telp. (021) 722 4254

GALERI ALTERNATOR
Spesialisasi : Modifikasi Dinamo starter, alternator
JL. Haji Nawi Raya No.24, Jakarta Selatan
Telp. (021) 720 4767

IMPREZA MOTORSPORT
Spesialisasi : Modifikasi mesin untuk sehari-hari,
rally, balap sirkuit.
Jl. TB. Simatupang 19, Jakarta Selatan.
Telp. (021) 765 9477

INNOTECH
Spesialisasi : Engine overhaul, pasang transmisi matik
Jl. Gunung Balong 88, Lebak Bulus, Jakarta Selatan
Telp. (021) 765 5333

JIM's Motorsport

Jl. Kebayoran Lama No. 2
( sebelah rumah sakit Medika Permata Hijau )
Telepon.(021) 534-9069, 548-0270

KARUNIA JAYA Motorsport
Spesialisasi : Engine sport tuning, tune-up
Jl. Bulevar Kelapa Gading Blok RA II/20, Jakarta Utara
Telp. (021) 452 8426, 452 5149

KARYA JAYA
Spesialisasi : Modifikasi knalpot, header, bikin
roll-bar dll.
Jl. Palmerah Utara No.27, Jakarta 10270
Telp. (021) 548 3679

MUSTIKA MOTOR - Dart Racing
Spesialisasi : Modifikasi reli, balap dan tune-up.
Jl. Kol. Sugiono No.42, Duren Sawit, Jakarta Timur.
Telp. (021) 862 8235

MW OTOMOTIF SERVICE
Spesialisasi : Reparasi, servis dan modifikasi segala
jenis power steering.
Jl. Lebak Bulus Raya/Batan Raya No.18, Jakarta Selatan
Telp. (021) 750 9543

PD. Wiguna Ban
Service Station
Jl. Raya Kebayoran Lama No. 12A-12B ( samping POM Bensin )
Jakarta Selatan
Telepon. 7250523, 7256236

Polomas Motorsport

Spesialisasi: Modifikasi aneka type mesin drag race,
rally, balap, dll.
Jl. Jatibening Raya Caman No.14, Bekasi 17412
Telp. (021) 910 5026, 0816 965916

Raditya Bayu Mandiri
Spesialis: Turbo, Tune ECU (Electronic Control Modul)
Jl. Pulomas 7B no.22
Jakarta
021.4700815 (Bp. Hening)

STANDARD ADI KNALPOT
Spesialisasi : Modifikasi knalpot, header dll
Jl. Gunung Sahari 34, Jakarta.
Telp. (021) 625 2934 - 35

SUN POWER
Spesialisasi : Modifikasi mesin street use, semi dan full kompetisi. Khususnya Toyota dan mobil Jepang.
Jl. Arjuna No.83, Surabaya
Telp. (031) 545 8231

SURYAMOBILINDO Motorsport
Spesialisasi : Modifikasi mesin untuk drag, harian dll.
Jl. Sunter Paradise Tahap II Blok R/1A, Jakarta Utara.
Telp. (021) 641 0732

PT KHATULISTIWA SURYANUSA
Spesialisasi : Off Road Racing & Performance Parts, Racing/Research & Development, etc.
Jl. Pramuka Raya Kav 69, jakarta 10570.
Telp. (021)424 8384, 425 4613
Fax. (021) 424 7920
Email:
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Website: www.ksnusa.com

TATA NIAT SELARAS (TNS Speed)
Spesialisasi : Modifikasi dan rebuild mesin
Jl. Kiaracondong No.392, Bandung
Telp. (022) 302 341, 318 055

ขอบอกว่า ยังครับ .... เพียงแต่ว่า ... ยังไม่หายเห่อกับ รถติดแก็ส ครับ คงต้องทนอ่านเรื่องแก็สไปอีกหลายวัน ... อุอุ

สรุป เรามาดมแก็สกันต่อดีกว่านะครับ .... อิอิ

รุ่งขึ้นจากวันศุกร์ (ผมเขียนอัพเดจช้าไปประมาณ 2 วัน) เอารถไปเปลี่ยนน้ำมัน หลังจากที่ถามได้ความจากพ่อว่า ไม่ได้เปลี่ยนน้ำมันเครื่องมาเกือบๆ ครึ่งปี (คาดว่า ลากเกินหมื่นโลไปแล้ว -_-') ไปถึงร้านขายอุปกรณ์รถยนต์เกือบพอดีกับที่ร้านจะเปิดนิดหนึ่ง คนไม่ค่อยเยอะเลยมีเวลาเลือก หลายๆ ยี่ห้อ หลายๆ แบบ จนไปสะดุดตาโลโก้ NGV บน Semi Synthetic ของ ปตท. (พลังไทยเพื่อ..... - -')

ตัวฉลากบอกเลยว่า สำหรับรถที่ติดแก็สโดยเฉพาะ รวมๆ กับสอบถามจากคนขาย ได้ความว่า จริงๆ แล้วไม่ค่อยต่างจาก Semi Synthetic เท่าไร เพียงแต่ผลิตมาให้รับกับเครื่องยนต์ที่ทำงานหนัก เพราะกินแก็สเป็นอาหาร ตัวน้ำมันทนการระเหยเพราะความร้อนสูง เลยเอาวะ ... ลองของใหม่เลย ราคา 450 บาท แพงกว่าแบบปกตินิดหนึ่ง รวมๆ กับ ไส้กรองอีก 80 บาท จ่ายเงินเสร็จแล้วก็หันหัวรถไปอู่ให้ช่วยเปลี่ยนน้ำมันเครื่องเลย (อู่เป็นของคนที่รู้จักกับพ่อผมเองครับ เลยช่วยค่าแรงในราคากันเอง)

พอเปลี่ยนน้ำมันไปได้พัก เห็นเลยว่า น้ำมันเครื่องออกมา ดำปิ๊บๆ แถมช่างที่เปลี่ยนบอกว่า น้ำมันเครื่องซึมออกมาก้นเครื่องด้วย -___-'  (กำ ... ไม่รู้ว่า เป็นเพราะ ที่บ้าพลังเหยียบไป 170 กม./ชั่วโมง เมื่อวันก่อนหรือปล่าว หรือว่า แผลเก่าน้ำมันเครื่องซึมเมื่อปีที่แล้วหว่า ... น้องๆ ที่กำลังจะเปลี่ยนรถเป็นแก็ส ไม่ควรเอาเป็นตัวอย่างนะครับ)

เมื่อเอามาลองวิ่ง รู้สึกได้ทันทีเลย ว่าเครื่องยนต์ทำงานโหลดน้อยลง (แน่ซิ น้ำมันเก่าดำซะขนาดนั้น) เสียงเครื่องยนต์เงียบลงไปเยอะเลยครับ

จบวันที่ 2 วิ่งไป 162 กม. หมดแก็สไป 14.9 ลิตร หมดตังค์ค่าเติมไป 165 บาท ตกกิโลเมตรละบาท

เมื่อสัปดาห์ก่อน หลังจากที่คิดหนัก นอนเอาตีนก่ายหน้าผาก นั่งก็เอามาก่ายหน้าผาก ทำใจมาเป็นอาทิตย์ ตัดสินใจไม่ถูกว่า ติดดี ไม่ติดดี ติด LPG ดี หรือ NGV ดีหว่า ติดระบบหัวฉีด หรือ Mixer ดีหน้อ ติดอู่ไหนดีหว่า ยี่ห้อไหนดีเน้อ ปวดขมับ คัดจมูก น้ำมูกไหล วิงเวียน คันศีรษะ ทาถูๆ ทำงานบ้าง อู้งานบ้าง คิดไปเรื่อย ถ้าเป็นเจ้านายเอง คงอยากจะเดินมาตบกะบาลให้แยกเป็น 4 ส่วนเท่าๆัน

สุดท้ายก็ตกลงตัดใจเอารถคู่ใจไปติดแก็สเสียที ตัดสินใจฟันธงแบบไม่ต้องเอาหมอรักษ์ หรือหมอหยองมาฟันธง เอาเป็น LPG แบบหัวฉีดเนี่ยแหละ แถมบังเอิญพี่ชายแฟนเพิ่งจะเอารถไปติด ร้านที่อยู่แถวๆ ออฟฟิตพอดี ดูจะราคาและสภาพอู่ พอรับ เลยเอาไปทิ้งไว้ที่อู่ไว้ตอนเช้าวันพุธ นั่งรถเมล์เล่นอยู่เกือบๆ 2 วัน บ่ายแก่ๆ วันพฤหัส ที่อู่โทรมาแจ้งว่า เสร็จแล้ว .... เย้ แต่ไปเอารถจริง ตอนสายๆ วันศุกร์

คอมโบแก็สที่ติดตั้งบนรถผมนี่เป็นชุดของเกาหลี อันยองฮาเซโย...อาเฮียนั่งยองยองชักกะเย่อกับพัดลมซันโย (อิอิ) ของ HANA ทั้งชุด ที่เลือกเพราะว่า ซีรีย์หนังเกาหลีทางช่อง 7 อย่าง คอฟฟิี่ปริ้นส์ กะ ยายแม่มด กำลังมาแรง...เอ้ย... ไม่ใช่เว้ย เพราะว่า รถที่ใช้อยู่ เป็น TOYOTA ซึ่งเป็นรถญี่ปุ่นต่างหาก เลยกะว่า น่าจะเข้ากับอุปกรณ์ของเกาหลีได้มากกว่า ยี่ห้อ V ยี่ห้อ A ของไอ้เลี่ยน (แอบไม่ชอบอิตาลี เพราะเล่นอุด เอามาติดรถเราคงไม่ลื่นไหล ตกรอบยูโรไปซะได้ก็ดี ... อิอิ)

ทั้งระบบของแก็สมาจากเกาหลีหมดเลย

(ด้านบนสุดจะเห็นกรองแก็สกับหม้อต้มของ HANA อยู่

ที่ครอบลงไปบนหัวฉีดเป็นหัวจ่ายของ HANA เช่นกัน)

ยกเว้นถังแก็สมัลติวาร์วที่เป็นของสยามมิตรไทยแลนด์

ไปถึงอู่ยังใช้แก็สกับรถไม่ได้เลย เพราะที่อู่ติดแก็สให้จริงๆ คือ ติดอย่างเดียว ไม่ได้เติมให้ ต้องขับไปเติมเอง ที่ปั้มในซอยอ่อนนุช พร้อมแถมเด็กที่อู่นั่งไปด้วยอีกหนึ่งคน (กันเราเบี้ยวขับรถหนีไปเลย) เติมแก็สเต็มถังตกราวๆ 500 กว่าบาท (ถังเป็นแบบ 58 ลิตร เติมเต็มได้ประมาณ 50 ลิตร เพราะหัววาร์วจะตัดไม่ให้ติดมากกว่านี้ เพื่อความปลอดภัย ส่วนค่าแก็สเทียบเป็นน้ำมัน คงตกเกือบๆ 2 พัน เจ้าของรถคงได้ช็อคตายคาหัวจ่าย) หลังจากนั้นก็กลับมาทำการจูนระบบที่อู่ โดยเจ้าของอู่ คุณหนึ่งเป็นคนลงมือจูนเองเลย

จะเห็นว่าเครื่องมือจูนวางอยู่บนหัวฉีดรถโตโยต้าผมนะ

ใช้เวลาจูน+ไล่เช็คฟองอากาศรั่วของแก็สประมาณครึ่งชั่วโมงก็เรียบร้อย

รอวิศวกรมาตรวจสอบ รวมออกใบอนุญาติ ก็เกือบๆ บ่าย ก็ได้ฤกษ์เอารถออกไปซิ่งซะที

วิ่งออกทางพระราม 9 ไปทางสนามบินสุวรรณภูมิ ความประทับใจแรก อัตราเร่งแทบจะไม่แตกต่างเลย เร่งความเร็วสูงสุดขึ้นไปได้เกือบๆ 170 กิโลเมตร (มารู้เอาตอนหลังว่า จริงๆ ไม่ควร เพราะเครื่องยนต์จะทำงานหนักมากๆ - -') สรุปวันแรกที่ได้รถมาประทับใจ มันเยี่ยมมากๆ เลยจอร์จ

5) Toyota Camry Hybrid - The number 5 slot was tough to call with both the 2008 Toyota Camry and Corolla turning in decent numbers. While Corollas highway mileage turned in an impressive 37 mpg, it's city mileage was only 28. The Camry however, turned in 34 mpg on the highway and 33 in the city which overall is much better since most people sit in traffic and need the gas efficiency to be at its peak during slower times.

4) TIE - Ford Escape Hybrid and Mazda Tribute Hybrid - It's a tie for the number 4 slot and a formidable one at that. Ford's Escape Hybrid and Mazda's Tribute hybrid both bring in 30mpg on the highway and 34 in the city which is impressive to say the least, but not when the top 2 vehicles are clocking in the mid to upper 40's. Both the Escape and Tribute are reasonably priced in the mid 20's

2008 Ford Escape

2008 Mazda Tribute

3) Nissan Altima Hybrid - This vehicle gets good mileage, but not incredibly impressive considering it's a hybrid. Only clocking in 33 highway and 35 in the city is nothing to scoff at, but considering that Toyota and Honda's hybrid offerings are in the mid 40's, Nissan's got some catching up to do.

2) Honda Civic Hybrid - Coming in super close to the number one slot is the Honda Civic Hybrid that gets a sweet 40 miles per gallon in the city and 45 on the highway.

1) Toyota Prius Hybrid - And the number one vehicle is number one because of it's supreme efficiency. This gas/electric hybrid car is a 5 passenger vehicle that gets an awesome 45 mpg on the highway and 48 in the city. Yes, you read that right. It gets more in the city because it's primarily running on battery in stop and go situations. A lot of users are claiming miles per gallon in the 50's on a regular basis. A Consumer Reports darling, it currently has a 2-3 month waiting period to get one, but that's not a long wait at all compared to the 1 year plus wait imposed on consumers when they first arrived on the scene. The price is half of what it was then and now sits at a mere $24,000 for the super efficient family vehicle putting it right in line with standard new car costs and with tons of savings down the road.

To my disappointment, Subaru didn't have a good offering for hybrids this year but apparently plans to make hybrid versions of all of their vehicles in the next couple of years, so until then, these are the vehicles you go with to save that precious gas. Or until they have hydrogen cars.

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Rising oil prices are starting to hurt. Today, I calculated my average monthly spend on gas for the Jeep Liberty. At $4 a gallon, it now reaches $165 a month. That doesn’t tickle.

More and more Honda Civics are on the road. A line of them at a stop light this morning got me thinking about oil efficiency. Would it be cheaper for me to get a new car? If so, how much money could I save by spending money?

Tonight, I did some calculating. Based on the manufacturer’s suggested sticker price, I could save the following money each month if I were to buy one of the following car new at full sticker price (figures include monthly payment and gas prices based on $4 per gallon at my normal monthly mileage averages using EPA MPG estimates).

-        Honda Civic (entry-level): $156.40 per month

-        Honda Civic (high-end): $125.40 per month

-        Toyota Corolla (mid-level): $114.20 per month

-        Mini Cooper (mid-level): $87.20 per month

-        Honda Civic Hybrid: $85.00 per month

-        Subaru Impreza: $67.60 per month

-        Toyota Prius (mid-level): $39.4

Minus interior space and 4x4 capabilities, I can’t think of one reason to not buy a new car. Am I crazy to think this is a no brainer?

Any of you have any close calls on the road?

To illustrate this point, consider my car. She's a 1989 Toyota Corolla 4-door sedan affectionately named Lady Harriet (namesake).  She might not look too pretty (though I keep her nice and shiny), but she runs beautifully.

This past week I took her 900 miles across the country and she performed even better than I expected.  My gas mileage was, get this, 40.7 miles per gallon. And that's not the best she's ever done.  Her record was set in a rainstorm on a back country highway with stoplights somewhere in Oklahoma: 42.8 miles per gallon.

Perhaps I'm writing this post just because I want to brag about my car.  (Right, so I'm definitely writing this post because I want to brag about my car; it's kind of like bragging about your kid.)  That aside, in the nearly 20 years from the '89 Corolla to the '09 Corolla we seem to have gone backward by five miles per gallon.

Of course there are lots of things that explain this: cars have gotten bigger and heavier, airconditioning and other ammenities hurt gas mileage, etc.  But in a world with gas at nearly $4.00 per gallon, maybe we should start considering what technology can do for us.  The Honda Accord I saw advertised is one of the top cars for fuel economy outside of hybrids and smartcars, and it only gets 40 MPG?

I heard a radio host recently talking about hypermiling.  He made an interesting comment: if people aren't willing to slow down a bit to save gas or, I would add, buy fuel efficient cars, then maybe gas at $4.00 a gallon isn't such a bad thing.  Honestly, it's refreshing to hear someone speaking with such sound economic sense.  If we're not willing to change our lifestyles to conserve gas money, it means gas prices are still at an acceptable market price.  Of course, there are questions of inelasticity and all that jazz, but the fact remains that as rational creatures we respond to incentives and disincentives.  The price of gas has evidently not yet reached a level to become a disincentive.  When it does we'll see smaller cars getting significantly better than 40 MPG.  I guarantee it.