Archive for May, 2008

The New Acua TL

he 2009 Acura TL is still months away from its debut in the fall, but the magic 8ball is already saying “outlook not so good” for the latest Acura to get a redesign based on these recent spyshots.

Looking pretty inoffensive from the front, the 2009 TL bears shape and proportions similar to those of the current Nissan Maxima. Though the camouflage bra hides the front end well, it does reveal the shape of Acura’s now-signature “dynamic power plenum” grille and headlight styling that look to be close to the mug found on the 2009 TSX.

Things take a turn for the ugly in the rear, however. Acura decided that the trapezoidal shape of its new grille would work great in the rear as well as it does in the front and superimposed it on the trunk lid and part of the rear fascia. The unconventional trapezoidal shape not only makes for a small trunk opening, it’s disproportionate to the relatively small taillights.

The presence of large dual exhausts is a telltale sign that a V-6 lurks under the hood. Rumors leaked out of a recent dealer meeting suggest the present TL’s 3.2-liter six will be dropped, with the 3.5-liter in the TL Type-S becoming the base engine in either front or all-wheel-drive configurations, with an available, range-topping 3.7-liter with 300 horsepower and AWD becoming the new Type-S engine option.

We’ll know much more leading up to the new TL’s auto show debut, which should take place at either this November’s Los Angeles auto show or the 2009 Detroit show.

1. Don’t get weighed down. To increase your gas mileage, start by removing unnecessary weight from your trunk and other areas of your vehicle. You also can reduce drag by removing items from roof racks and putting them inside the car or trunk — or, better yet, inside the garage. And did you know that you can improve your fuel economy by up to 5 percent by taking a removable roof rack off your vehicle? Now might be a good time to do just that, especially if you rarely use the roof rack.

2. Do some sleuth work online. You can visit a variety of Web sites to get an idea of where to find the least expensive gasoline near your home or job. Why not bookmark a few of those sites, which are free to use, and do a little bit of research? Here are some to try:

• GasPriceWatch.com
• GasBuddy.com
• Automotive.com
• AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report

3. The devil will find work for idle cars to do. Try to avoid long warm-ups and other situations where your engine idles for more than 30 seconds. Keeping the engine running longer than that will burn more gasoline than restarting the engine entirely, so turn the ignition key to the off position if you anticipate a long wait.

4. Get thee to a mechanic. By getting regular tune-ups, you can avoid gas-mileage problems caused by dragging brakes, worn spark plugs, a clogged air filter, low transmission fluid or the transmission’s failure to go into high gear. Also, make a point of using the recommended grade of motor oil for your vehicle and getting periodic wheel alignments. To find out how often you should be doing these things, check that little book that came with your vehicle and follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule.

5. Stay inflated. Keep your tires properly inflated to the maximum recommended pressure, which can be located on a label inside your car. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy say tires underinflated by just 2 pounds per square inch can reduce your gas mileage by nearly 1 percent. In contrast, properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage by about 3.3 percent.

6. Slow down — and drive fast the right way. Want to improve your gas mileage by a whopping 15 percent? Try driving 55 mph instead of 65 mph. You’ll also see improvements if you avoid quick starts and sudden braking whenever possible. In addition, if your car has overdrive gearing or cruise control, remember to make use of it as soon as your speed is high enough.

7. Run errands with efficiency. Save all your errands for a single outing and do some advance planning. Map everything out in such a way that you can knock out multiple tasks in the same general part of town. In the best of all possible worlds, it would be great if you could park your car in one spot and do everything you need to do on foot.

8. Do you really have to drive? Granted, in many pedestrian-unfriendly parts of the country, a car is necessity for most people — but can you put your thinking cap on and dream up ways to drive less even in places like that? For instance, walking, riding a bike, taking a bus or carpooling just once or twice a week could make a dent in your gas bill. As a big side benefit, you might be surprised to find out how much more enjoyable and less stressful such forms of commuting can be.