Nissan says 2014 Rogue SUV is more efficient, cheaper than rivals

It's very interesting to see that newer cars get more fuel efficient. It makes cost of owning a car cheaper, and hopefully the car price, too.

Nissan Rogue, or Nissan X-Trail as we know it in Malaysia is now in its 3rd generation and the styling looks fresh, unlike the current X-Trail model which is too boxy for my liking.

The new design remind you of the current Harrier. Image: USA Today

 The Rogue 2014 (X-Trail) was unveiled simultaneously in the US and Europe.

Price wise, it's very interesting (or should I say cheap) in the US, ranging from $23,350 to $30,280 (inclusive of destination and handling charges. That's translated to be about RM76,529 to RM99,242.

The current X-Trail model in Malaysia is selling at RM148,800, not really pleasing.


New Nissan Rogue 2014 is more efficient

Nissan says its revamped Rogue SUV will be cheaper but more fuel efficient than its rivals when it goes on sale in November.

Nissan unveiled the 2014 Rogue Tuesday at its North American technical centre near Detroit.

Nissan says the new Rogue will get an estimated 33 miles per gallon (7.1 litres per 100 kilometres) on the highway, a 20% increase over the outgoing model. That beats its rivals in the highly competitive small SUV segment, including the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape.

The Rogue still has its old 2.5-litre, four-cylinder engine, but it's paired with a new transmission for better fuel economy. For the first time, the Rogue will offer three rows of seating and a cargo area with adjustable shelving.

It starts at $22,490.


Source: Timescolonist

WWW 1 - Most expensive car number yet

If you fancy things described as biggest, highest, longest, best, etc, you are in for a treat.

During Dr. Mahathir Mohamad's tenure as Prime Minister, Malaysia recorded some notable achievements such as the highest communication tower, highest twin towers, longest bridge, etc., before they were overtaken by other structures elsewhere.

WWW 1 - will you pay half a million Ringgit for this number?

An achievement of sort was recorded recently, depending on how you look it. Few days ago Malaysian Road Transport Department announced that licence plate number WWW 1 has set a record as the most expensive vehicle registration number in Malaysia. The number received a RM520,000 bid, the highest ever for a vehicle registration number, surpassing the previous record for MCA 1 which was sold at RM300,100.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said the most number of bidders was for WWW 333, a total of 84 persons.

The bidding exercise was carried out for 15 days from April 30 and a sum of RM11.3 million in revenue was collected from the bidders, which was 10 times the amount collected from other series sold before this.

Interesting car plate number (photo: Tang Lichard, ta469ch.multiply.com)

The full results will be released via JPJ’s website on Monday (next week), and letters informing bidders of the results will be sent out from June 6, 2012.


Would you buy yourself a RM500,000 car plate?

They say you'd have to have reached 'there' (read: rich) in order to understand why would one want to splash the cash for such investment. If you and me can't practically reach there in our lifetime, try reading and understand Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

150 Cars Stolen Daily: is yours next?

Are you driving one of these? If yes then your car is one of those that are hot on the thief's list.

    Image: The Star

The Star reported that since 2010 thieves whisked away 112,503 cars comprising mostly Proton and Perodua models.

2010 - 57,462 cases

2011 - 55,041 cases (as of September)

This gives an average of 150 daily cases of stolen vehicles. According to Federal CID director Comm. Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin, demand for stolen vehicles is high and in particular they are:

1) used for repairs and parts replacement

2) popular at construction sites in the remote areas

3) used in robberies and other criminal activities

The above list is not according to rank but it is strongly believed that four-wheel drive vehicles, especially Toyota Hilux are high on demand in the middle East. 4x4 vehicles are the popular means of transportation among rebel forces.

Some insurance companies tend to turn away applications for vehicle insurance coverage for cars high on thief list. I have an experience whereby instead of getting Renewal Notice for my four-while vehicle, I received a refusal notice stating that AIG Malaysia (now Chartis) would not renew my policy. At that time a 'sibling' of the 4x4 model I was driving was known to be thieves' favourite.

So there. Take extra precaution so that yours is not the next car in the statistics.

And drive safely, too!

Nano, the world's cheapest car: $2,500 (RM7,500)

(Photo by AP)

You read it correct, it's RM7,500 or starting from USD2,000 for basic model. Welcome abroad Tata NANO, the world's cheapest car unveiled in India by car manufacturing giant Tata Motors. Remember those days when we see a lot of TATA lorries and buses plying our roads?

The Nano was designed to let people in India who currently risk their family on scooters, motorbikes, and trishaws to be able to afford alternative mode of transportation which is safer.

It was reported that Tata has 206,703 orders for the car as at launching day. Wow, that is about 4 months of Malaysia's total sales of new vehicles, note that that figure is Tata's alone. Malaysia's projected volume for 2009 is 480,000 cars compared to a total sales of 548,000 in 2008. In one year, our very own Proton sold a total of barely more than half of Tata's order for a single model (Nano).

Why? Because Tata makes cars inspired by need and requirement of the market. Can we say the same for Proton? If not because of "forced buying" tactic of Proton - through imposing high taxes, fees, tariff, etc. on imported vehicles - its local sales may fall well below those of Toyota's and Honda's.

If Tata is too far for Proton to look upon, look no further. Perodua, without Proton knowing it, has overtaken it by selling more cars that the masses need. Did Proton take cue of that? Or, the false sense of invinsibility is still very much intact and drilled forever in the management's head?


Tata's Nano at a glance

Put aside Proton for a little while and let's take a look at the summary of what is offered by the back-to-basic car, Nano (Image by AP):





Read the rest of the news here.

CAR AIR-COND ALERT? What's the fuss about?

Shalom everyone, I'm posting this not because I support it, but I'm beginning to grow tired of receiving more and more e-mails these few days; they came like horde of buffalo and they keep coming! So, off I went and did a little diggings and true enough, some fact findings yield some startling views.

I am talking about the apparent chain e-mail titled "Car Air-Cond Alert", "Do not turn on A/C immediately as soon as you enter the car!" or anything to that meaning. So eye-and-mind catching to readers that everyone seem to be forwarding it.

I reproduce the content as follow:

"Please open the windows after you enter your car and do not turn ON the air-conditioning immediately. According to a research done, the car dashboard, sofa, air freshener emits Benzene, a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen- take note of the heated plastic smell in your car).

In addition to causing cancer, it poisons your bones, causes anemia, and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer may also cause miscarriage.

Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft. A car parked indoors with the windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level... & the people inside the car will inevitably inhale an excess amount of the toxins.

It is recommended that you open the windows and door to give time for the interior to air out before you enter. Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver, and is very difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Consider these few questions before you jump into believing such claim:

1. Research - who did the research, and where are the details and statistics?
2. Benzene - what type of benzene? I'm not a chemist but I came to know that benzene exist in many forms, some of which are harmless. We are looking at which benzene in our cars?
3. 60^o F is equivalent to15.5^o Celsius. My office is air-conditioned at 24^o Celsius, so, if that's the case I may have to start throwing away anything plastic in my office (and home). I'd definitely love to leave my car in the sun and temperature is kept at a 60^o F. Then again, perhaps the writer is talking about sunlight in the North pole.
   
4. And finally, as long as there is no verifiable fact attached to such claim/email, it most probably is plain hoax. Err, this one isn't really a question.
   

The only good thing it did to a layman such as myself is the fact that I am now clear about the layout & schematic diagram of a car air-condition system. Much clearer now I must say.

The final point about opening the window and door is a plain common sense I suppose, but do be careful about leaving your door open when you are parked at secluded places. Your cancer concern may leave you a victim to burglars. And when that happen, there is a possibility that you may be gone sooner than if it was due to cancer itself.

Check this out to get more readings. Good points by some, and you know you'll never be blindly jumping into conclusion anymore.