Maintenance is such a big part of keeping your emissions as low as possible, as well as reaching your car’s peak fuel efficiency. The techs at CarMax passed along this advice for keeping your auto in tip top condition during the summer months (or, basically, any time you go on vacation).

Most of them boiled down to making sure you’ve taken care of standard maintenance, and having a professional check the major components out on your car – Transmission, Air Conditioning, Suspension, Tires, and Cooling System. Also make sure you’re ready for an emergency. Do you have a sturdy spare tire … and the keys to unlock those fancy “security” bolts on your wheels? Do you have a first aid kit, a working flashlight and flares?

And make sure you tell your mechanic if you’ll be towing anything on your trip. Some manufacturers recommend using a different type of oil in those situations.

Maintenance may seem like a drain on your travel budget, but it’s money well-spent. The time you could save waiting for a tow (or the money spent to fix a belt broken on the road) will make a much bigger impact on your vacation.

Source: PRNewswire

Image: PDPhoto.org

Post from: EveryJoe

Pre-Roadtrip Care Primer by CarMax

Two hybrids fitted with plug-in conversion kits caught on fire this summer. One from Hybrids Plus, and one from CarCals. The Green Motorist brought up the safety concerns of conversion kits – not just DIY but ones installed by reputable companies. Felix Kramer, founder of CalCars stopped by and left some comments.

The truth is that many cars catch fire every year and sometimes you can’t figure out the reason why. The CalCars conversion incident was traced back to a component that failed and the battery pack caught on fire, but the Hybrids Plus conversion hasn’t been figured out. They think it may be a wiring issue, but there’s a chance it didn’t have to do with the conversion kit at all.

Given the number of these things on the road, and given the number without any failures, I don’t see this as a problem sweeping the industry (yet). It’s important that we are looking at these from a critical standpoint though and not just patting the back of progress. Hopefully, major automakers have put a significant amount of their budgets into safety precautions and admittedly this has been part of the battery issue, but it’s not the only one and – for me – at this time, I think of these incidents more as flukes than sign of a chronic problem.

Sources: The Green Motorist, CalCars

Post from: EveryJoe

Cautions over Plug-in Conversions

Drafting – The bane of big rig drivers, drafting involves pulling up behind a larger vehicle to improve your Fuel Efficiency but puts you in a dangerous position.

Coasting – Turning off your engine, or switching to neutral, while going down the highway.

Rolling stops – Hypermilers may be tempted to slow down vs. stop at signs and lights, putting them at risk for tickets as well as accidents.

Unsafe Speeds – Less is more as far as fuel efficiency is concerned, that goes for speed as well as the demand placed on your engine. Hypermilers may pay more attention to maintaining the pressure they put on the gas pedal than the flow of traffic.

Overinflation of tires – There are people who swear by this technique for boosting MPG, but the Rubber Manufacturers Association says it damages tires and puts drivers at risk.

Using the Wrong Oil for Your Car – Using a lighter weight oil than is needed can damage your engine.

So many ways exist to boost fuel efficiency without putting yourself, others on the road, or your car in danger. Obviously, an insurance company is going to err on the side of caution when it comes to modified driving techniques or maintenance, but it doesn’t hurt to check them out. How do you feel about hypermiling safety?

Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire

Need another way to stay safe on the road? Enter to win an environmentally friendly atlas before July 4th!

Post from: EveryJoe

AAA Identifies Dangerous Hypermiling Techniques

Way back in April of 2007 – now more than a year ago – the American Chemical Society’s online journal published the results of a study done by Standford atmospheric scientist, Mark Z. Jacobson. You can read the paper here (PDF).

The San Francisco Chronicle did a wonderful job of summing up the results, and checking them out with other scientists who supported his methods:

Pollution from ethanol would be riskier than pollution from gasoline because when ethanol breaks down in the atmosphere, it generates considerably more ozone. Ozone is a highly corrosive gas that damages the delicate tissues of the lungs. In fact, it’s so corrosive that it can crack rubber and wear away statues, Jacobson told The Chronicle.

While he was attacked by the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights for working with a university that accepts funding from ExxonMobile, the results of his other studies show no bias toward oil companies, and even his critics said his study was sound.

As of yet, I haven’t found any studies that were able to refute Jacobson’s methods or his results.

This is a good example of an interest group using environmental issues to further their own agendas, and the problems that they cause. While many scientists are calling ethanol a “transitional” fuel, my fear is we may wait too long to accept the risks of this alternative.

In addition, especially because we live in the Midwest and near a VeraSun plant – where my nieces’ father works – are the harmful emissions that stay near the production areas. My 34 year old (former) BIL had a heart attack last year. He’s a little overweight and heart problems run in his family, but still – so young for something like that. I’m wondering now how much of a factor these toxins had on his health problems. How will effect those of us living nearby? It’s an important question we all need to start asking.

Please remember, now through July 4th, you can comment to win a free Rand McNally atlas, made from trees grown in sustainable forests and incorporating less harmful chemicals. (Especially important when carried in the glove compartment during a summer trip!) Or you can grab one at their website. ;)

Source: SF Chronicle, CleanTech

Post from: EveryJoe

Year-old study: Ethanol emissions worse than gas

Larger than the Hyundai Accent, and not much more expensive, the Hyundai Elantra provides a good option for families who need a car that’s a little larger, or has more features (like cruise control) and it offers better safety ratings.

And it comes in “Purple Rain”. Okay, right now, I need this car. Which sucks because it only gets 25 mpg in the city/33 highway with an automatic transmission and 24 mpg city/33 mpg highway as a stick, but I can’t help being drawn to its Prince-like fervor. I don’t want to be your weekend… Ahem, moving on.

The GLS comes with ABS, tire pressure monitoring, front, front side and side-curtain airbags, 60/40 rear folding seat, power windows, locks and heated mirrors, keyless entry with alarm and trunk open … lotsa features, in other words. Add in A/C, an upgraded stereo system (6 speakers with AM/FM/XM/CD and MP3 capabilities) and sunroof, among other things, plus spoiler and mats, etc, and you’re looking to spend under $17,000. (Skipping the sunroof *sob* would save you roughly $1000.)

The SE is roughly $3000 more, and comes with Electronic Stability Control with Traction Control and Brake Assist, 16″ Alloy wheels, standard fog lights, standard AC, a telescoping steering wheel, leather and heated seats optional, audio controls on the steering wheel … basically a bunch of crap that is available through an aftermarket dealer for less should you decide you need it in the future.

And yes, I realize a sunroof falls under aftermarket crap you can add later … but it’s so much cooler a sunroof can contribute to better gas mileage, technically speaking. :p On either model, adding an automatic transmission costs roughly $1000.

For a look at more inexpensive cars with better-than-average green ratings, go here.

Source/Image Source: Hyundai USA

Post from: EveryJoe

Environmentally-friendly & Affordable: Hyundai Elantra @ $16,000

Cost to the Environment

Sometimes it’s hard to tell what the “good” cars really are. Dealerships certainly don’t know. I had a salesman point me to the HHR as the best car on their lot (even though it’s so cute … it certainly isn’t better for the planet than the Vibe or Aveo).

You can visit a number of sites and try to figure the numbers out on your own, or you can head to (yeh, I know, I was surprised too) Yahoo! Autos, where their Green Rating takes fuel efficiency, a variety of emissions and air pollutants and waste from manufacturing into consideration.

The Cost to Own

I would encourage people to look at the total cost of the car and not just the monthly payment. Insurance premiums. Replacement parts. As this article from MSNMoney points out, a good deal on the lot can still attack your pocketbook.

Also, cheap autos can wind up being more expensive than models you feel you’re shelling out for. The 2008 Toyota Prius has an estimated 5 year expense of $35,493. A 2008 Chevy Aveo, with only an initial cost of $15,447, has a 5 year cost of $33,320.

Edmund’s Cost to Own calculator looks at the cost of ownership over 5 years. Loss data by make and model (a bit outdated)

Inexpensive Cars and Safety Concerns

Sometimes people try to skimp on the cost by skimping on options, but those options can wind up preventing severe damage or injury.

In the case of the 2007-08 Yaris, a very fuel-friendly and inexpensive model, forgoing side airbags left potential for serious head, neck, chest, leg … basically, severe all over body damage. With side airbags? They received the highest rating. (Which is “Good” … seems a little anti-climatic, doesn’t it?) Those options might add a few hundred dollars onto your cost, but save you tremendously in the long run.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ratings can be found here

and National Highway Traffic Safety Admin results found here

ALL THAT SAID, I’m not living in a dreamworld where everyone has the $98,000.00 they need to pick up a Tesla Roadster. (Don’t I wish!) I can’t buy the car I really want, and sooner or later, I’ll have to look for one that they’ll let me drive away with.

Thankfully, there are some really inexpensive autos on the market that don’t pose major safety concerns and have comparable fuel efficiency, air pollution and carbon footprint measurements as higher cost, higher tech hybrids.

I’ll be updating this page from time to time with my current favorites, so you may want to bookmark it, or subscribe to the RSS Feed. Ooo, you could Stumble it too, if you like. ;)

Have fun shopping!

Hyundai Accent – $12,000

Hyundai Elantra – $16,000

Post from: EveryJoe

Most efficient & Most affordable

I really prefer the SE with the sunroof package. Um, all because of the potential impact on gas … and emissions … and not even a little because it’s “the cool one”. Honestly. Even with the fun stuff added, you come away with a car that has a lot to offer and with the rebate going right now, it’ll cost you under $15,000.

If that’s more than you want to spend though, the GS can be scored – with upgraded audio, etc -for under $12,000. The GLS 4-door is also under $15,000.

Fuel-efficiency is best (27 mpg city/32 mpg highway) with a stick, but automatic (24 mpg city/ 33 mpg highway) for roughly $1000 more per model. Like many of the smaller cars, there are problems when it comes to taking a hit. Rear passenger tests only scored 3 starts for side collisions in the Accent. The rest were pretty good however, at 5s and 4s. Safety ratings can be seen here.

Standard features on all 3:
Dual front advanced airbags with OCS
Driver and Front Passenger Side-impact airbags
Side Air Curtains (front and rear passengers)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Child seat LATCH system
Front seatbelt pretensioners

Not (factory) available? Cruise control. I don’t get this, particularly with the other options they carry. Also not available? A rear wiper. (I have these on two cars and honestly use them maybe once a year, so I was very surprised to see people complaining about them.)

Each model has its own list of upgradeable options, even colors. If you like the Accent, but want more room, the Hyundai Elantra is also an inexpensive option.

[image source: Hyundai USA]

Post from: EveryJoe

The Environmentally-friendly & Affordable: Hyundai Accent @ $12,000

There haven’t been any accidents which caused the recall, and there is no potential for the seatbelts to fail during the crash. Because of a small number of rear-facing child seats with the potential to move during regular driving (but no evidence this would lead to a failure during a crash) the NHTSA asked for the belts to be replaced at manufacturer’s cost.

This is what they had to say about the belt problem:

 This could discourage the use of a child restraint and in the event of a crash, the child may not be adequately protected, possibly resulting in injury.

So there you have it. They’re worried that parents are going to say, “Screw this,” and endanger their kids. I’m not sure how legitimate that fear is, but regardless, this recall isn’t something that should rattle your faith in your auto.

Please do have the repair work done though. It’s at the manufacturer’s expense, and while it might not be a problem for you, there’s no way of telling what kind of person you might sell your car.

Post from: EveryJoe

Toyota Recalls 90,000 Highlanders for Repair

A small number of hybrid drivers say their cars give off unhealthy levels of EMF and have caused them problems while driving. They’re also concerned that long-term exposure will cause long-term health issues in drivers. Could driving cause cancer? Even traditional gas-only autos put out EMFs.

All I can say at this time, since there are no studies to correlate whether this is a real risk or not, is that we’ve got an even better to walk or ride a bike. (Not an electric bike, either.)

For now, car makers say they run their own tests and levels are well-within the limits for traditional gas vehicles, and owners testing with handheld devices (which car markers dispute as being inefficient for car testing) say they’re alarmingly high. The Union of Concerned Scientists have spoken out on the issue, saying more testing is needed, and hopefully they will fulfill it.
Source: New York Times

Post from: EveryJoe

Hybrids and EMFs

Guess it’s back to the solar paneling (which seriously, is just as cool).

Post from: EveryJoe

Prius sunroof UPDATE