HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024 -- Greek Adventure Gone Wrong

I wanted to start the New Year 2024 on a lighter note.

Nissan Micra gets cozy in Santorini, Greece.

Mesaria, Santorini, Greece April 2023

I have driven on Greek island roads several times, yes streets are that tight and not all roads were originally made for cars.

Link to full article: https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto/cars/tiny-nissan-micra-tried-a-greek-adventure-that-went-wrong-details-here-41681877521807.html

Headlight Restoration - Removing Yellow Tint

Ever wonder what the cheapest and the easiest way is to remove that yellow tint from your headlights?

The answer is toothpaste and a bit of elbow grease. 

Sure there are other options, baking soda and lemon juice or WD-40 lubricant.

I have found toothpaste is the fastest, cleanest and easiest way to clear headlights. Please note that none of the above mentioned techniques including toothpaste will last forever. Although you will have about two months of clear headlights before having to reapply. With no mixing no mess and at minimal cost with common items found in your house. 

Just dab a penny size amount of toothpaste on the headlight, wet it with water and scrub with a slightly used scrubby sponge (that way it won't scratch the plastic).

Below are the results on a 2010 Toyota Corolla Sedan, the results are clear 😁 (joke)

Right lens cleaned, the left side is original

Left

Right

Finished product

What was used and all you really need

Don't spend your money on expensive lens cleaning products, when it can be done for pennies.

What??? Second mountain symbol on winter tires?

Yes there's actually a second mountain symbol available now for winter tires servicing extreme winter conditions.

Guessing the majority of drivers in winter climates are familiar with the M+S symbol and the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol.

This three peak mountain snowflake symbol (3PMSF) tells you that a tire has passed third-party testing to prove that it can perform in winter conditions.

Here is the new second mountain symbol:

Courtesy of Nokian Tires

Courtesy of Continental tires

This new mountain symbol is called an ice grip symbol, indicating tires that are made for harsher and icier conditions. This new ice grip symbol tells you that the tire has passed third party testing to prove that it's better on icy roads. According to the testing it's at least 18 per cent better than a reference tire against which it was tested.

The ice grip symbol was first introduced in Europe in 2021, currently in North America it's available on only two tires the Nokian Hakkapeliita 10 and the Nokian Hakkapelitta R5.

The Nokian Hakkapeliita 10 generally come studded and are not legal in certain regions. 

While the Nokian Hakkapelitta R5 are only available as non-studded and can pretty much be used in any winter region.

Since the ice grip symbol is only making its way to North America this year I'm pretty sure we will be seeing it on more winter tires next year.

My educated guess ... Michelin X-Ice Snow, Continental Viking 7 and Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 will be displaying the ice grip symbol as well.

Both Nokian winter tires as well as the three mentioned above will serve you well for extreme winter conditions. Pick whichever is cheapest and don't forget to include those mail-in rebates in your decision.

Source: The US Sun -- https://www.the-sun.com/motors/9650015/secret-symbols-tires-confirm-winter-ready-brands-label/

2023 Winter Tire Test review (extreme winters)

Well I'm back from the dead.

Just before another harsh 2023 winter is about to hit Canada. Most of the winter bound countries have changed or are on the verge of changing their tires once again.

As my Nokian Hakka 8's are at 6/32" currently by next year it may be time to replace them. Currently all four tires have been worn evenly on the full-time AWD system and the tire size is 225/60/17. Currently I'm leaning towards the Continental Viking 7 as the future winter tire replacement selection. I was a bit displeased with the Nokian company as they had never replied back to an inquiry e-mail which I had sent them back in 2019 concerning these tires. Thus I have decide to spend my money elsewhere this time around.

Below I have listed both the studded and non-studded highest ranked extreme winter tires.

Experts at the Finnish test organization UTAC Ivalo conducted a large test of winter tires both studded and non-studded. The tests were conducted on ice, snow, as well as wet and dry pavement, noise emission and fuel consumption were also taken into account.

Best Studded Tires (overall score):

Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10

Hankook Winter i*Pike RS2 W429

Continental IceContact 3

Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2

Michelin X-Ice North 4

Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-03

Falken Winterpeak F-ICE 1

Nokian Nordman 8 (old Hakkapeliitta 8)

Antares Grip 60 ice

Best Non-Studded Tires (overall score):

Continental VikingContact 7

Michelin X-Ice Snow

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5

Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2

Hankook Winter i*cept iZ 2 W616

Falken Winterpeak F-Snow 1

Bridgestone Blizzak Ice

Kumho WinterCraft ice Wi51

Continental WinterContact TS 870

Continental AllSeasonContact (All Weather tire -reference)

Dynamo Snow-H MWH01

Source: tiresvote.com -- https://tiresvote.com/articles/utac-large-r16-winter-tire-test-2022/

That is a detailed test to say the least, but there are several very good tires missing from that list. These non-studded winter tires below have done very well in tests but have been left out. Could be a year or two older technology or not available in the European region, you may be able to get them at a fairly good discount in your area.

The number one price to performance tire I can think of is the Pirelli Ice Zero FR. Does very well in tests and is heavily discounted currently as it has been replaced with a newer model.

Bridgestone WS90 or even the older WS80 should be up there in the top 5 for sure. They sell for roughly as much as the Michelin X-Ice Snow and are actually slightly better in North American testing.

We can't forget the previous non-studded winner the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3, if you can still find them, but only at a discount.

Here are the test links for the above tires: 

alltyretests.com -- https://alltyretests.com/pirelli-ice-zero-fr-test-review/

tyrereviews.com -- https://www.tyrereviews.com/Article/The-Best-Winter-Tyres-for-2020.htm

The APA in Canada has a slightly different rating for its top winter tires. They rate tires from A to E, of course A being the best. Depending on the variables during the test the results come out slightly different. Results are for testing done between 2020 and 2021, so they are slightly older. 

Below you will find the APA test results, for the full list the link is provided below.

A) BEST

1. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 et 10 SUV
2. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV
3. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
4. Toyo Observe GSi6 / GSi6 HP / GSi6 LS
5. Michelin X-Ice Snow

B) VERY GOOD

1. Continental Viking Contact 7
2. Bridgestone DMV-27
3. Yokohama iceGuard G075
4. Nordman 7 SUV
5. Pirelli Ice Zero FR
6. Goodyear WinterCommand Ultra

C) GOOD

1. General Tire Altimax Arctic 12
2. Toyo Observe G3 ICE
3. Dunlop WinterMaxx SJ8

apa.ca link -- https://www.apa.ca/en/infos-and-tools/winter-tires-ratings/ratings-of-winter-tires-for-compact-suvs-and-cars-and-intermediate-sedans/

Happy shopping, stay safe on the roads.

Nick

2023 Honda HR-V for North America revealed (3rd Generation)

April 4, 2022 UPDATE:

Pictures now up on Honda USA link: https://automobiles.honda.com/future-cars/2023-hr-v#

and Honda Canada link: https://www.honda.ca/en/future-vehicles/2023-hr-v

                 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have been looking long and hard to find any sort of pictures of the new 2023 Honda HR-V. Always finding pictures of the overseas version and never the North American version.

Even though most popular car sites have nothing yet I managed to find a YouTube video from AutoYa, and since there is no other information we will have to believe/hope this information is correct.

The 2023 Honda HR-V is a sharp looking compact SUV, Honda has done a really nice job on it. Below you will find the AutoYa YouTube video link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbupWfZFGrI

The video also compares the North American version versus the World version. The North American version looks more sporty where are the world version looks more elegant.

From other readings it looks as if the engine of choice for the North American version will the the Civic's 2.0-litre, 16-valve, Port Injection, DOHC, i-VTEC 4-cylinder. That engine produces 158 hp @ 6500 rpm and 138 lb-ft torque @ 4200 rpm. Not sure if we will see the 1.5-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, turbocharged 4-cylinder in the high end model version.

I will update this post when more details are revealed.

2021 Most and Least Reliable Vehicles

Well 2021 has come and gone, I'm pretty sure none of us are going to miss it. I keep hearing the same two words pandemic and supply chain issues. Okay then, the issue for 2021 was the lack of semiconductors and not the parts. I have seen pictures of factory parking lots FULL of finished SUVs, pickup trucks and cars. Well almost finished, missing the semiconductors, not sure what's happened to those 2021 vehicles if they were ever finished. Maybe the automotive companies will peal off the 2021 manufacture date off and stick on a new 2022 label when the semiconductors arrive. 😁

Which brings us to the reason for this post 2021's Most and Least reliable models.

The 10 most reliable cars of 2021, according to Consumer Reports:

1. Toyota Prius

2. Lexus NX

3. Buick Encore

4. Lexus GX

5. Honda HR-V

6. Toyota Prius Prime

7. Hyundai Kona

8. Audi A5

9. Audi A4

10. Mazda CX-5

The 10 least reliable 2021 models, according to Consumer Reports:

1. Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500

2. Subaru Ascent

3. Volkswagen Atlas

4. Jeep Compass

5. Volvo XC90

6. Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon

7. Tesla Model S

8. Jeep Wrangler

9. Ford EcoSport

10. Volvo XC60

Consumer Reports' ranking of the major automotive brands, according to their average reliability score:

1. Mazda (83)
2. Toyota (74)
3. Lexus (71)
4. Buick (70)
5. Honda (63)
6. Hyundai (62)
7. Ram (58)
8. Subaru (57)
9. Porsche (55)
10. Dodge (54)
11. Infiniti (54)
12. BMW (52)
13. Nissan (51)
14. Audi (46)
15. Kia (45)
16. GMC (43)
17. Chevrolet (42)
18. Volvo (41)
19. Jeep (41)
20. Mercedes-Benz (40)
21. Cadillac (38)
22. Ford (38)
23. Mini (37)
24. Volkswagen (36)
25. Tesla (29)
26. Lincoln (8)

Of course sometimes this all means nothing, we've all heard of the "Monday" built vehicles. Those vehicles we all bought because all the car gurus said they were tops in reliabilty and then behold the giant lemon. Please take this list with a grain of salt, sometimes things don't turn out as expected.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/wheels/news/consumer-reports-reliability-study/#:~:text=According%20to%20Consumer%20Reports%2C%20the,least%20of%20the%20least%20reliable).

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2020/11/19/consumer-reports-auto-reliability-survey-2021-cars-trucks-suvs/6337648002/

Electric Vehicles, ESG and the rise of Big Brother

As the world is moving towards fully electric vehicles we are slowly but certainly seeing the death of the manual transmission and the internal combustion engine. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria are a set of standards for a company’s operations that socially conscious. 

Let's take a look at the pros and cons of the transformation from gasoline to electric.

Electric vehicles produce no pollution. False! Let's take a look at the amount of pollution produced in lithium mining. 500,000 gallons (about 2 million liters) of water are required to produce a metric ton of lithium. As well toxic chemicals leaking from mining operations are killing fish and wildlife. Then what happens when the lithium batteries have reached the end of life? Roughly only two percent of lithium-ion waste is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, where metals from the electrodes and ionic fluids from the electrolyte can leak into the environment. The link below has a wonderful article in plain English, a must read.

https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/renewable/the-environmental-impact-of-lithium-batteries/

Our current option of fossil fuels isn't much better. Off-shore oil spills are destroying marine life, pollution from vehicles and buildings are poisoning our air and destroying the earth's ozone resulting in global warming.

I do believe electric cars are the lesser of two evils but don't let the media spin the zero emmission idea on you. Yes when the vehicle is being driven there is zero emmissions produced. Pollution is produced in the creation of the batteries, steel, aluminum, rubber and finally in the disposal of the batteries. Don't forget the pollution created by your elecricity company (coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear waste) that is required to produce the electricity that charges our "zero emmissions" vehicle. 

I'm sure as technology evolves humanity will find new ways to recycle more and more of the lithium.

With the introduction of electric vehicles we as drivers are losing our freedom. What do I mean by that? I myself drive a manual transmission vehicle. No ON STAR, no Tesla software over the air software upgrading. Let me elaborate, you are being tracked! If both GM and Tesla have the ability to access the software on your vehicle remotely does this not limit your freedom? Most car companies nowadays can lock and unlock your doors for you when you get locked out...but can they not lock you in as well? If they control the software on your vehicle do they not have your exact location, speed, and overide access. Yes it's sounds like a conspiracy theory, but it's reality and we are there now.

Why are insurance companies letting you save 20% on your car insurance premium? You are being tracked, they will ask you to have an app on your phone or keep a "box" in your car to save that wonderful 20% on your premium. They will and are tracking your speed, the distance you drive every day, your location, where you stop to shop, etc. Google and Apple do this anyways you say, but at least they give you the option to disable your GPS location.

Not all is not negative, if your vehicle is stolen they can remotely deactivate the electric motor (notice I did not use engine) and lock the thief in the vehicle till the authorities arrive.

https://www.tesla.com/en_CA/support/software-updates

Battery of a Tesla Model S has about 12 kilograms of lithium in it!

*Tesla picture from wikipedia.org

In conclusion as a society we are going in the right direction but just like the beginning of the industrial revolution it does some take time for society to get it right. Maybe one day I will buy an EV but for now I will hold on to my manual transmisssion vehicle for as long as I can.

Winter Tires VS All Weather Tires VS All Season Tires

Over several years I have been a big believer in the use of winter tires. Both my cars are currently running on winter tires here in Ontario. Since 2008 Quebec is the only province in Canada who have made winter tires mandatory.
When I say winter tires it includes some all-weather tires as well, as long as they have the mountain snowflake branded on the sidewalls.



I ran across a fabulous article from Global news on the extreme differences in starting / stopping distances required by these three types of tires.

Here are the quick AVERAGE stats based on the use of these three tire types in winter conditions. Please keep in mind that these are average distances. That means that the better winter tires will have shorter start / stop distances. (Nokian Hakkapeliitta, Michelin Xice3 and Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 are top rated)



"The average distance it takes for a car with winter tires to reach just over 30 km/h in moderately packed snow is 18 meters, according to U.S.-based Consumer Reports. With all-season tires, it takes 23 meters."

"More importantly, braking and turning a corner in snowy or icy conditions are a much safer bet with winter tires. When TireRack.com drove some test cars on an ice rink, the one with winter tires took just over six meters to come to a complete stop from a speed of around 16 km/h. The vehicle with all-season tires took nearly twice as much time."

"And when the cars had to turn a 90-degree angle marked by orange cones, the winter-tire vehicle made it while the one with all-season tires ran over the cones."

If you would like to read the entire Global news article follow this link:
https://globalnews.ca/news/6123303/winter-tires-2019-all-weather-all-season/

Here are the most recent winter tire rankings from the APA:
Winter tires:
http://www.apa.ca/wintertire_reviews.asp
All-weather tires:
http://www.apa.ca/all-weather-tires.asp

2019 Subaru Crosstrek Touring full review

The deal is done, finally traded in my most adored 2010 Honda Fit sport for the 2019 Subaru Crosstrek. It was one of the hardest life decisions to make, spent 9 wonderful reliable years with that little Honda. Those of you who currently drive a Honda Fit / Jazz you will understand.

That being said this is my hands on review of the 2019 Subaru Crosstrek touring 6 speed manual.

The exterior:
I have been driving the Crosstrek now for about four months and have logged on around 6500 km. Lets start with the exterior, stand out features on the touring are 17 inch mags, coloured door handles and mirrors, roof rails and fog lights. Four wheel disc brakes are also standard across the Crosstrek line. The 2019 Subaru Crosstrek also earns the highest safety ratings from the IIHS.

The interior:
I must say the fit and finish along with the quality of the materials are top notch. Everything flows beautifully, no odd looking climate buttons like the Fit and no gaps in the plastics. There is a 6.5 inch infotainment display, above that a 4.3 inch multi-information display. The infotainment display provides multimedia, apple and android car functions, phone and apps.
The multi-information display gives you oil and water temperature, when the water temp is cold the boxer engine will warm up at a higher rpm. Once the engine is ready to roll a normal indicator will appear and the engine rpm will settle down. You can toggle through the menu that will show the power distribution to the wheels as well as the hill grade level (as a %).
Below the infotainment screen you have the automatic climate control, heated mirror rear window deicer and front wiper deicer are all integrated in one button. There are two 12 V adapter plug and only one USB port, Subaru should have included at least two USB ports. Rear seat passengers do not receive any USB ports on the touring model, an expensive 2 USB port dealer add on package is available if you so wish to buy it. Between the front passengers seats you will find two switches for the heated front seats with low and hi settings.
An arm rest is found between the front seats with fairly good storage, it houses that one USB slot an aux slot and the second 12 V adapter (first 12 V in front of gearshift). There are two cup holders between the front seats in front of the arm rest and one on each of the four doors as well as two in the rear fold down arm rest.
The touring model also adds "cool looking" orange stitching around the seats and on the leather wrapped steering wheel.
At the end of this blog you will find the attachments for further features and full specifications.

Subaru vehicles are great for tall drivers with more than enough leg room, at 6'3" (1,95 m) tall my seat is not even all the way back. Big thanks to Subaru for that, both Mazda and Toyota SUV are far behind in leg room dimensions. Front and rear leg room dimensions on the Crosstrek are 1095 mm (43") and  927 mm (36") respectively. I'm finally comfortable on those long trips!

Cargo hold is decent at 588 liters (1566 L with the rear seats down) but no more than on the Fit provided, it's the price to pay for the increased passenger volume. If you need more cargo room then the Forester is the better option but it only comes in the CVT automatic only.

The drive and handling:
How does it drive?
Not as much fun as the Honda Fit, that was a go-cart, but it used to punish my back on those long trips (highway) and poorly maintained roads.

The Crosstrek's engine is not very rev happy or particularly fast with 152 hp @ 6000 rpm and 145 lb-ft of torque @ 4000 rpm. Power is adequate, engine is tuned more for low end torque pulling power. I never found the car to be slow, it's adequate but the Honda engine when revved over 3500 rpm would transform it into a mini monster. The Subaru 2 L engine is more like a Toyota engine very smooth power distribution but when floored there is no "jump" to it.
For those of you who have never driven a Subaru boxer engine this may sound strange. At approximately 2500 rpm in any of the 6 gears it delivers a nice grunt noise, sounds like a 200 + hp engine which of course it's not. That's were I like keeping it humming at that rpm, I just like the sound.
Running at highway speeds that sixth gear comes in handy, 120 km/h (75 mph) will spin the 2 L engine at 3000 rpm.
Another unanticipated pleasantry is the gas consumption. I thought that there was going to be a price to pay at the pump for that full time AWD. Imagine to my surprise, 7.5 L per 100 km (31 mpg) according to the on board display. That consumption is based on 60 % highway (100-120 km/h) (62-72 mi/h) and 40% city (< 60 km/h) (37 mi/h) driving which is fantastic and better than the posted number in the brochure (10.5 L city and 8.1 L highway). My Fit posted 7.1 L per 100 km (33 mpg) with similar driving and powering only the front wheels. With only 6500 km on the odometer the engine has not even broken in yet. It usually takes around 10,000 km for the break-in period, I will re post the fuel economy again if it changes.
Lets move along to the manual 6 speed stick-shift. It was very clunky for the first 2000 km or so, but now seems to have smooth-end out and I now rate it as above average for this category. That being said the only other remaining AWD SUV competition in the North American market with an available manual transmission are Jeeps.
Handling for a small SUV is very good, handles like a Corolla, it definitely is no Civic Type R. Highway ride is excellent with little wind movement, stays in it's lane with little effort, rides like an average mid-size sedan (no not a BMW). Lane changes are predictable and tight, sudden needed acceleration on the freeway in 6th gear is slow, you will have to downshift to 5th for a quick pass.
Most importantly of all it soaks up bad pothole filled roads very nice, even cracks are well dissipated by the frame. One big negative are the stock Yokohama Geolandar G91f tires, pure garbage, and that's being nice, don't think they will last more than 30000 km (already showing wear). I'm not alone, several reviews on TireRack place them near the bottom of their category at 28 out of 39.
I believe with a decent tire the ride and handling can be much better than what I'm currently experiencing. I'll find out this winter when I install my new Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 winters in a few weeks, I will update the blog as to handling and performance changes. This will be my second set of Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 winter tires since I drove on them with the Fit (for comparison reason). Looking forward for the snow to fall, this being my first AWD vehicle, getting psyched for fun in the snow

In conclusion if you can live with the "inelastic engine" and average cargo space the 2019 Crosstrek is sure to check off all the rest of the boxes. Spacious, economical, standard AWD, reliable and with an excellent fit and finish.

Cheers!

2019 Crosstrek features

2019 Crosstrek brochure

2019 Crosstrek specifications

IIHS safety picks


Update 1:
Massive recall by Subaru just after writing this post. For more information please follow this link: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/subaru-engine-recall-impreza-and-crosstrek-models-recalled-for-engine-control-and-debris-trouble-2019-10-24/
and,
https://driving.ca/subaru/auto-news/news/subaru-recalls-crosstrek-and-impreza-for-engine-issues-ecu-problems
On your local country's Subaru website you can find out if your Subaru is part of this recall. Under heading Owners then Current recalls, here is the Canadian link:https://www.subaru.ca/WebPage.aspx?WebSiteID=282&WebPageID=21091

Update 2: USA class action lawsuit for defective windshields on Forester, Outback and Crosstrek:
https://www.torquenews.com/1084/subaru-hit-another-lawsuit-over-forester-outback-crosstrek-defective-windshields

Starting to think now that maybe I should have bought another Honda.

Update3:

Nokian Hakka 8 are on the car and ready for winter. The current temperature is 2 degrees Celcius with no snow yet on the ground. The psi in each tire is set to the proper specifications for the Crosstrek. 

My first impressions is that the Nokian tires handle better than the stock Yokohama. Yes they are winter tires, how can they handle better you ask. Well they are XL (extra load) rated which means that the tire sides are reinforced, which in turn will keep the tire from flexing too much. On the negative side due to the Nokian aggressive tread pattern and XL rating there is more vibration, noise as well as a firmer ride. (Well they are winter tires)
Currently at 10,500 km, been running on the Hakka 8's (non studded) for roughly 2 months now. There is an issue I have never experienced before with Nokian winter tires. The Crosstrek at speeds in excess of 110 km/h emits a vibration on the floor, seats and steering wheel. Steel rims are hub-centric and they were balanced not once but twice, at the tire shop and dealer. Even at the proper tire inflation the vibration still persists, I'm baffled. My only idea is possibly the ride height of the vehicle (8.7" / 220 mm) or the deep tread depth of the tire at 13/32" (most winter tires are between 10 and 12/32"). I have e-mailed Nokian tires about this issue, it's been 11 days now and no reply back from them. Pretty poor customer service, maybe going to choose Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 next time. A very close 2nd place contender at a significant discount in price.

Michelin Premier A/S tire review -- think twice about feedback

Ever wonder when you purchase a product that has earned fantastic reviews by others only to find that is doesn't meet those expectations after using it. This was my current experience, please read on to find out why.

After using the Michelin Premier A/S tires for approximately 6 months I tried to give my feedback to Michelin on their web-site. I had only tested them for 6 months due to the fact that I have dedicated winter tires. Below you will find my attempt to post a review on Michelin.ca and the reply I was given by Michelin.

Michelin noreply@michelin.com via bounce.exacttarget.com	7:19 PM (21 hours ago)
to me

It cannot be published to the website, but.. —

Nick,

Our staff has read your review and values your contribution even though it did not meet all our website guidelines.

Thanks for sharing, and we hope to publish next time!

Submit something new

Thanks again,

Michelin North America, Inc.

Michelin Premier A/S after one year (non winter use)

Michelin Premier A/S tires after 6 months, as I have dedicated winter tires. Driving style is normal to somewhat spirited replaced the OEM Turanza 470's on 2010 Honda Fit Sport. GOOD: super quiet probably the quietest tire I have ever used also above average grip in the rain. BAD: handling is unacceptable almost dangerous, very spongy and floaty feeling on turns. I have actually have reduced my speed going into turns. Purchased at Costco.ca on May 16, 2017 recommended to me by their Michelin certified techs as a grand touring performance tire (misrepresented). E-mailed Michelin but no reply after case #. Past 3 month Costco return, not happy!

Contact Customer Service with questions or concerns. If you no longer wish to receive notifications like this, you can unsubscribe any time.

This email was sent by: Michelin

Street Address, City, State, 12345, USA

As you can see by their reply, it does not meet their website guidelines. In laments terms if they don't like your review (not positive enough) they won't publish it. So basically they are skewing the reviews of the tire towards the positive only. Thus the potential buyer is given a false sense the the product will exceed their expectations. I tried sending an email to Michelin explaining the situation and was given a case number. I was told that a Michelin representative would contact me in a few days they never did.

In conclusion my HONEST review of the Michelin Premier A/S tires:

This is a good touring tire NOT a performance tire as marketed by the certified Michelin rep at Costco.

Super quiet, negligible road noise, very good grip in the rain. Cornering and handling is sub par, tires feel squishy and bouncy on difficult turns.

If you are looking for a good touring tire to get you around town this will work (very pricey). If you are a somewhat spirited driver and like to have some fun while driving look elsewhere, specifically Continental DW or DWS.

UPDATE: Yesterday we got around 2 cm (1 inch) of really wet snow on the ground. Gave me a chance to test the Premiers on the wet stuff. Gotta say I was impressed, excellent starting and stopping abilities. No slipping whatsoever in first gear off the stop, and stopping was slippage free, ABS didn't even come on. 
It appears to me that the compound used on the tire by Michelin is softer in nature. This would explain the excellent ability of the tire in the rain and snow as well as the quiet ride. On the downside it also explains it's sub-par handling abilities of the Premier A/S in turns.

Last post of 2015 -- VW YouTube JOKE related to scandal

I would like to end 2015 on a lighter note with a funny YouTube blog.
It's a John Oliver Volkswagen commercial which pokes fun at the TDi scandal that plagued the automaker in 2015.

If YouTube video does not work in your region here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JMbwdNRhE4

WISHING A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY READERS AND
PEACE ON EARTH FOR 2016

2017 Infinity QX30 SUV

I dare to say that I have never placed Nissan at the top of my list for both styling or quality. Although ever since the strategic partnership in 1999 between Renault and Nissan things have changed especially in the styling aspect. (Infinity is Nissan's upscale brand name)

Here is a wonderful example of that, the 2017 Infinity QX30:


As you can see from the pictures there is a very close resemblance to the styling job done on the Nissan Murano.

First of all this SUV is not built in Japan, not France, not the US, wait for it, Sunderland, England.
It is powered by a 2 Liter turbocharged four cylinder that produces 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The engine is coupled to a 7 Speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with available AWD (up to 50/50 split)
Safety features include: Around View Parking cameras, Intelligent Parking Assist, Adaptive-Cruise-Control radar and an AWD system capable of a 50/50 torque split.
Sounds impressive but there's already tons of competition in this space, especially from earlier entrants such as the Lexus NX, Audi Q3, Mercedes GLA and Buick Encore
The QX30 goes on sale in the second quarter of 2016, will there be a demand? That as well as the starting price remains to be seen.

Pictures from Google images, full article can be found on caranddriver.com by following this link: http://www.caranddriver.com/infiniti/qx30
Another great related article on thecarconnection.com, follow link:http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/infiniti_qx30_2017