Aussie Motoring

MG - that classic British sports car - is now owned by Nanjing Automotive and built in China.

It’s a car jack in case you didn’t know.

If you have bought one of those then the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission would like you to return it to the point of purchase and obtain a refund.

The Federal Court has ordered that the jack be recalled because testing has shown that the jack cannot lift the weight that the company claims it can.

by Stuart Livesey

Consumer Reports is a US based expert, indepenent, non profit organisation not unlike our Australian Consumers Association so when they do their annual report on the best and worst cars it’s well worth a look … unless you happen to be Mercedes Benz.

If you happen to be Mercedes Benz then the 2007 report5 does not make for good reading or good public relations. Almost every current Mercedes Benz model appeared in the list of the ‘least reliable’ used cars. The SL, SLK, CLK, CLS along with the E, R and M class models all made an appearance in the list.

Other manufacturers didn’t do much better. Five vehicles made it to the ‘most disappointing’ list and four of them were from Chrysler. Of interest to us here in Australia both the Sebring and the Caliber were included in that list.

You can read more about the report here

… and still going strong

by Stuart Livesey

This is a Mini Moke (built back in the days when no one would have dreamed of a German car maker buying out a British manufacturer) - about 1.2 litres under the bonnet - runs on the smell of an oily rag and has to be around 30 years old.

There are at least two still going strong here in Hervey Bay. Will your car still be going strong at that age?

by Stuart Livesey

Before winter arrives Kia plans on having the Kia Rondo available in Australia.

If you don’t quite recognise the model name then think Kia Carens in overseas markets and you’re right on the button.

Overseas the Kia Carens comes in a variety of equipment levels and is available in either 2 litre petrol or a 2 litre diesel versions with either a 6 speed manual or a tiptronic automatic transmission. The Carens seats 6 in three rows and comes with a variety of features including rear-park assist.

Overseas the Kia Carens is marketed as a fusion between an SUV and a people mover.

Here in Australia the Kia Rondo may come with the diesel option and it may also come with the option of some rather eye-catching colours including this one - otherwise known as Violet Iris.

Final details - including price - are yet to be decided.

Perhaps I’m showing my age but I can remember back to a time when we were told that Japanese cars were so cheap because the workers on the production line back in Japan were poorly paid.

A quick glance at a new story in the auto section of Business Week Online might seem to confirm that they’re still poorly paid. After all, the union that covers workers on the Toyota line wanted a wage increase of $12.77 a month but got beaten down to just $8.51 extra each month. What Australian worker would ever be happy with such a miserable increase in their monthly pay?

But then what Australian company - auto or other - would pay their workers a $21,964 production bonus?

That’s what each Toyota is paying their production line workers this year. Last year the bonus was only $20,177.

There’s nothing cheap about those workers.

by Stuart Livesey

Starting in 1986 Ford began purchasing shares in Aston Martin and currently has complete control of the company. However Ford is now in financial difficulties and has decided to sell off Aston Martin in an attempt to raise some much needed cash.

It was announced today that Ford has now sold Aston Martin to a British and Kuwaiti consortium for $1 billion dollars.

The Australian automotive industry has shaken off the effects of last year’s petrol price volatility and interest rate rises to post an all-time record sales total for the month of February.

Official VFACTS retail figures released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries show that 83,740 motor vehicles were sold last month – an increase of 6,294 or 8.1 per cent on February last year, and higher than the previous record for the month of 81,141 set in 2005.

The February result backs up record sales in January, meaning that for the year-to-date the market is running ahead of 2006 by 9.0 per cent or 13,227 vehicles.

“The car industry has really jumped out the blocks this year thanks to the combined effects of new model activity and intense retail competition,” said the Chief Executive of the FCAI, Peter Sturrock.

“It’s clearly a buyer’s market at the moment and consumers seem to have put aside any concerns about interest rates they might have had and responded to the great deals on offer,” he said.

Mr Sturrock said the sales boom was broadly based in February with strong growth in large vehicle sales as well as small.

“This suggests that petrol prices may be of slightly less concern to car buyers than they were a few months ago,” he said.

The Sports Utility Market (SUV) was up 10.4 per cent on the same month last year with the volume growth in that market evenly split between SUV Medium and SUV Small segment models.

For the second month in a row, sales in the Large car segment stabilised versus the same period of last year.

Holden Commodore was easily Australia’s best selling model in February with 5544 sales, while Toyota Aurion’s sales of 1817 were its best since launch last October.

“It is encouraging to local car markers to see buyers respond in large numbers to new Commodore and Aurion,” said Peter Sturrock.

Toyota topped the charts in February with 18,602 sales, ahead of Holden with 13,083, and Ford (9,110).

Holding the next four places were Mazda, Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi – all of whom achieved sales and market share gains over the same month last year.

What do all these have in common here in Australia?

by Stuart Livesey

Since the beginning of March they’ve all issued recalls on vehicles and the recalls have all had to do with the braking system.

Toyota has issued the biggest recall of vehicles and it’s safe to say that this recall would have to be one of the biggest in Australian automotive history. It potentially affects approximately 137,000 vehicles; 134,000 Landcruiser 70 and 100 series and 3,000 Lexus LX470 models.

All these vehicles were manufactured between September 1997 and December 2005 and the recall is so that Toyota can check and replace faulty retaining bolts on the front disc brake rotors.

Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge are all marketed in Australia under the Daimler-Chrysler name and the vehicles affected are those in the following models fitted with an ESP/ABS brake system:

Chrysler 300C and 300C Touring - built from 11 October through to 23 November 2006

Dodge Caliber - built from 7 September through 18 November 2006

Jeep Compass - built from 7 September through 18 November 2006

Jeep Grand Cherokee - built from 11 October through to 23 November 2006

Jeep Commander - built from 11 October through to 23 November 2006

Jeep Wrangler - built 9 November through to 8 December 2006

The software programmed into the ABS control module needs to be re-programmed for, in it’s present form, may cause the rear wheels to lock up in certain braking conditions. Around 490 vehicles are affected by the recall.

by Stuart Livesey

Despite some heavy advertising campaigns Kia continues to not live up to its potential in the new car market in Australia. Kia’s share of the market currently wanders between 1.8% and 2.1% but things might improve for Kia if they were to bring these three models into the country.

Two are based on the cee’d (spelling is correct) - Kia’s European built small car. One is a convertible and the other is a small station wagon.

cee’d Cabrio

Now this is definitely one sweet looking fun car. The vehicle is based on the yet to be released cee’d sporty hatch - not due out till December - but includes several new exterior panels plus a folding fabric roof.

It will come fitted with 19 inch alloy wheels and if it ever makes it to Australia it should be a hit in the cities.

cee’d Sporty Wagon

This wagon features a unique extended tailgat for maximum access to the luggage area. Luggage space when loaded to the bottom of the rear window is 534 litres - but who only loads a station wagon to the bottom of the rear windows?

It will go on sale in three equipment levels and buyers will have the choice of 4 engines with manual or automatic transmission.

Kia Rio Hybrid

The Kia Rio Hybrid is been in limited production - or ‘real-world testing’ - for some time now. It features a unique powertrain with a 1.4-litre, 90 ps gasoline engine, mated to a high-torque 12kW, 95 Nm AC synchronised electric motor and a CVT gearbox.

The electric motor is mounted between the flywheel and the gearbox and ‘assists’ the gasoline engine during starting, accelerating and hill-climbing. During steady cruising the electric motor switches off, while during deceleration it employs ‘regenerative braking’ to store energy and re-charge its power pack.

The hybrid Rio is the first Kia to employ a CVT (continuously variable transmission) and also features computer-controlled stop/start motoring which switches both engine and motor off whenever the car comes to a standstill for more than a few seconds.

Special lightweight components parts cut the Rio Hybrid’s weight by 220 kg. It accelerates briskly from 0-to-100 kph in 12.2 seconds, can reach a top speed of 180 kph and returns a fuel consumption of 5.29 litres per 100 km (53.4 mpg). Air pollutants are reduced by 37% and fuel efficiency is improved by 44%.

I’m sure that all three of these Kia models would find a niche in the Australian market and just might get Kia out of the sales doldrums.