Why No Posting

Sorry for the long delay in posting to my blog.

Several things have happened.

First Honda's legal department has notified me that I was in trademark violation by using www.accordmania.com as my web site name. They also did not like the picture of a Honda Accord on the home page.

While I don't agree with them about a possible trademark violation, I'm a little guy and I can't afford to go to court to resolve the issue.

So I basically parked the web site and began work on a couple of others.

I now have wwww.autogrillcraft.com which sells Grillcraft grills, and bull bars among other things.

I am working on www.v2powerintakes.com which will sell only AEM performance parts. This includes their complete line of air intakes and related products along with all of their electronic performance gear.

Speaking of performance parts, I've just started, but not yet loaded any products, for a company named Nology. They make parts that also are performance oriented, such as special spark plugs, spark plug wires and different devices to tune you car to the max.

Lastly, I started a new blog. It's at www.v2powerintakes.blogspot.com.

Please drop by and make a comment or two.

Thanks for visiting.

Dennis

No Sales Tax

Sorry for the lack of blogs in the past few months. My wife and I have been very busy in getting our house in San Diego ready for sale/showing it/ and at last selling same.

Then we moved up to Coos Bay, Oregon and lived in a motel for a few days and then moved into a rental house. Living out of boxes.

Spent just a little time looking around and found a home to purchase. Today escrow closed and we will be moving in next week.

One important fact is that I will no longer be charging sales tax to California residents on purchases. Why? Simple, Oregon does not have a sales tax. I have lost some business to my competition because they could sell the same product at 9% cheaper than I could to California residents. Now we are even.

More details later.

J. D. Power and Associates Automotive Ratings

In today's business section of the San Diego Union-Tribune was the J.D. Power and Associates rating of long-term dependability. Their results are based on a survey of 52,000 owners of 2007 model year vehicles.

So of course my first impression is ok, but what about newer cars? I guess I will have to wait until 2013 to find out the ratings for the 2010 models. Not picking on the survey, just a thought that came to mind.

Anyway, what were the results?

Overall the problems per 100 dropped from 167 last year to 155 for these. That's a great step in the right direction. For individual brands and models here are some of findings:

From 9th last year Porsche came in as number one.

Toyota fell two spots from its former third place finish. This of course is before all of the current problems. Looks like something is happening at this company for the past few years. American cars have been moving up while Buick and Jaguar fell along with the Toyota.

So how did our favorite brand Honda do? Well not as good as would have liked to see, but they were first in three different categories.

Honda's Fit was number one in Subcompacts, the Honda CR-V in Compact SUV's and the Ridgeline in Mid-Size pickups. The Accord did not win this time around.

The good news for me of course was the showing of the Honda Fit. I'm still in the process of trying to purchase one when I move to Oregon. More info on the next blog.

Thanks for visiting.

www.autogrillcraft.com


SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Best Commercial of the Decade

Ran across this a short time ago. It is a commercial from Honda that according to Adweek is the best (non Superbowl commercial of the decade.

Take a look and let me know what you think. I thought it was interesting, but not great.

http://www.win7news.net/100107-Commercial

Thanks for visiting,

www.autogrillcraft.com


SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda - Made in America

I'm always not sure where cars are made or from which countries most of the parts come from even if a particular brand or model is "made" in a particular country.

I just got a Google Alert that says that 84% of Honda and Acura cars sold in the United States were produced in North America. That's an impressive statistic. But what does it really mean?

There was an asterisk by the word "produced". I'm still looking for the explanation of this little symbol.

Can you find it:

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/news/press-release/hmc_honda-builds-record-84-of-2009-u-s-auto-sales-in-north-america-690401.html


Anyway the article goes on to say that Honda has 7 plants in North America. Four in the USA, 2 in Canada, and one in Mexico. These plants produce 15 different models of Honda, including the Civic sedan, coupe and GX, Accord sedan, coupe and Crosstour, Odyssy, Piolt, Ridgeline, CR-V and Element, as well as the Acura, TL ZDX, RDX ad MDX models.

I knew about some of these, but the entire list surprised me. Most of these cars get outstanding quality ratings, so it appears the USA, Canada and Mexico can build quality automobiles. Now why do American brands struggle so hard to be quality?

Can't be the location, or the base workers. Must be something else. Management perhaps? Labor Unions? Stockholders? Take your pick.

Thanks for visiting.

www.autogrillcraft.com


SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda Accord Drops a Spot

The Accord has been one of the best selling cars in America. It usually wins in its class of typically a family sedan.

However, when you compare total sales rather than in a particular category in 2008 the Accord placed fourth. Not too bad.

What happened this past year? Well it looks like the Accord dropped a spot. Kind of surprising to me, as I thought it was doing well (that is in a recession as compared to other cars).

You can read the article here:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/01/what-were-the-top-10-best-selling-vehicles-of-2009/1



Here is the entire list:

-----------------2009------------ ---------2008
1.----------Ford F-Series-------- ---Ford F-Series
2.----------Toyota Camry------- ---Chevrolet Silverado
3.----------Chevrolet Silverado- ---Toyota Camry
4.----------Toyota Corolla----- -----Honda Accord
5.----------Honda Accord---- ------Toyota Corolla
6.----------Honda Civic------ -------Honda Civic
7.----------Nissan Altima---- -------Nissan Altima
8.----------Honda CR-V------- ------Chevrolet Impala
9.----------Ford Fusion------ -------Dodge Ram
10.---------Dodge Ram------ --------Ford Focus

Thanks for visiting.


www.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Heated Windshield Washer for Your Accord

The following is from a recent article I wrote for www.ezinearticles.com. Several people have purchased this product, and I thought Accord owners might be interested also.

Are you crazy?

That's the first thought I had when a friend of mine mentioned he had just installed one on his car.

For the life of me, I could not understand why anyone would want to purchase a product that heated the water in your windshield washer.

Well, after talking to him, and doing a little research I found out that this is a pretty good idea. Especially if you live in parts of the country that gets frost, ice or snow on your windshield.

If you have ever had to stand outside in freezing cold weather and try and clean your view with an ice scraper I'm sure you thought to yourself, there has to be a better way. There is, and that is simply by heating the washer fluid. The heated water or chemicals melt that frost, ice or snow, while you sit comfortably inside the car.

Turns out the idea can be used at other times of the year also. I really hate when I'm driving on a trip and some bugs decide to die on my window. The wiper blades seem to just smear their little bodies all over the place, and it becomes even harder to see then when I began to clean the window. Heated water helps loosen them up and makes it easier to clean up the mess.

If this now sounds like a good idea to you, here are some things to consider before you purchase one.

1. Look for system that is universal, and will fit a wide variety of vehicles.

2. Look for one that you can install by yourself, and avoid expensive installation charges.

3. Seek an American made model, and help our balance of trade.

4. Find one with a warranty.

5. Avoid cheap foreign made rip-off products.

6. Purchase a system that integrates with your current washer system. Don't drill holes in your car to add a strange contraption.

7. The best systems heat the fluid in less than a minute.

8. Get a system that heats the water to at least 125 degrees. Warm water does not clean as well as hot water.

9. Check out the installation manual, if there is one, first to insure that a particular product will work and fit in your vehicle.

10. Are there any reviews on the brand you are thinking of purchasing? Impartial reviews will help you decide on the right product.

Windshield Washer Heater http://www.accordmania.com/product/Honda-Accord-Alpha-Therm-Windshield-Washer-Heater/Default.aspx

Honda's Ad vs. The Way Things Go

Of course I like cars, or I would never have started a car oriented blog and several web sites selling automotive parts.

Some of my interest in cars is how do they work? I'm always amazed at how something is designed. A problem is faced and some engineer figures out a way to solve it. In many cases it is part of a larger design where all of the pieces must work together to accomplish a particular function.

I'm sure you have seen the fantastic Honda commercial "Cog" where different components of a car are started moving like a series of dominoes. A beautiful example of how one part can influence another.

I have always given creative credit to the folks that made this commercial. What I did not realize is that they were following in the foot steps of others, who had pioneered this type of project.

One of the earliest I have run across is called "The Way Things Go". If you have not seen this one, you can check it out here:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x12ffc_fischli-weiss-the-way-things-go_creation

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Car and Driver10 Best Cars for 2010

Today (November 25, 2009) I just received the January 2010 Car and Driver magazine. One of my favorite reviews is in this issue - their 10 best cars for a particular year.

I was very pleased to read that two of my favorite cars made the list. The 2010 Honda Accord and the 2010 Honda Fit. Quite an accomplishment for the Honda Motor Car Company.

I like the Accord because of two critical reasons. First I think it is the best sedan/coupe in its class, and second because I have two web sites (wwww.accodmania.com and www.accordtopia.com) that sell only Accord parts. If I did not like the Accord then I am in the wrong business.

The Honda Fit is another story. I like this car because I have one on order. It is somewhere on a boat between Japan and the USA. It is supposed to arrive sometime next month then I have to pay for it. Between then and now I have to sell a 1984 Ferrari and a 1999 Jaguar to raise the funds. But that's another story for tomorrow.

The Car and Driver report mentioned that they considered 58 contenders, $2.5 million in value, and ran 12,000 test miles.

The winners were:

Audi S4
BMW 3-Series/M3
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V
Ford Fusion Hybrid
Honda Accord
Honda Fit
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mazda3/Masdaspeed3
Porsche Boxster & Cayman
Volkswagen GTI

Later I'll mention some of the non-winners (losers)

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda Accord Crosstour - What is it?

In my last blog I commented on how confused I was getting with all of the different types of vehicles being made and where they all fit.

Looks like I am not alone. Edmonds reports that potential buyers are also confused. That means that when they are comparing the Corsstour to other cars there does not seem to be a particular car or model, but a wide variety.

For example, they say that some potential buyers compare this car to the Toyota Vensa. While others compare it to the Chevrolet Equinox or the Toyota RAV-4. These I guess I could understand.

However, the article also says some potential buyers are comparing the Crosstour to the Audie A4 and the BMW 3 Series. Now I'm getting more confused.

You can see the entire article here:

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/20/edmunds-data-suggests-honda-crosstour-buyers-dont-know-what-it/


Thanks for Visiting,

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

SUV, CUV, Wagon, Mini Wagon, Sedan, Coupe?

I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get a little confused when I read about the designations that car manufactures are using for their products.

Life used to be so simple. Did I want a sedan or coupe? Needed more room then choose a wagon. But wagons went out of style and I believe that hatchbacks filled some of these needs.

Then SUV came in. A sedan mounted on a truck chassis. Initial ones drove and felt like trucks. After a while they were softened and began to feel and drive a little more like cars.

Now we have the CUV's like the Honda Accord Crosstour, and the Acura ZDX. People seem to be asking for a combination vehicle with sports car handling and performance, SUV utility, and some luxury touches. At least that's how these cars are being advertised. Will they succeed in the marketplace. It will be interesting to see how they all do. It looks like SUVs are selling less and less each year, and of course part of this may be to the high price of gas.

As I mentioned, I have purchased a Honda Fit. On one hand I look at this vehicle as a small or mini wagon. I don't plan on going off road or driving in heavy snow, so I don't need 4 wheel drive.
I would love the sports car handling of a CUV, but do I really need it? No not at this time.

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda Accord Slips in Safety Rating

The 2009 Accord won many different safety ratings, as I have reported before in prior blogs.

I would have expected this trend to continue, however alas it has not. It was just reported in

http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038556_iihs-picks-the-safest-new-vehicles-for-2010

that the accord was not listed among the top 10 by the iihs (Institute for Highway Safety) for 2010 models.

The number of cars that they have approved reached 94 models for the 2009 model year. However, for 2010
they are cutting the number way down. The reason is tougher standards for roofs, in case of a roll over.

Some of the cars that passed really amaze me, as so many are US cars like the
Chevrolet Malibu,Chrysler Sebring sedan and the Dodge Avenger.

Read all about it, and weep for the falling Accord (which is still one of my favorite cars).

Thanks for Visiting.

http://wwwaccordtopia.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Fit to be Tied?

Sorry about the stupid title for this blog.

I'm still wrestling with what to do when my wife and I move to Oregon. So the purpose of this blog is not to answer the question, but to ask anyone who reads it, to jump in with "what they would do"
answers.

To review for a second. My wife and I and two large yellow labs have to get up to Oregon, once our house in San Diego sells. The question is what is the best and most economical way to do this.

Based on past experience we have ruled out flying the dogs up, and taking a plane. So this leaves, from a practical standpoint, driving up. (I have not checked, but I don't think the dogs would enjoy a train ride).

We have three cars, none of which I would want to drive up to Oregon with two dogs. So we have made the decision to sell all three. As I have mentioned before, I plan to buy a 2010 Honda Fit for the trip and as our main car for the foreseeable future.

Now, if I buy the car from a local California dealer, I would have to pay sales tax, and all registration fees, which I'm guessing would be around $2000. Within a month or less we would move to Oregon and have to register the car all over again, and pay more fees. Not something I want to do.

On the other hand, if we purchase a new car in Oregon, there is no sales tax, and very minor registration fees. Two problems. First, buying it there, means that we have to drive it back to San Diego, and drive it around here for a while. Not sure what California would think about that.

The second problem is that we are California residents and not Oregon residents at the moment. Turns out Oregon car dealers can only sell to Oregon residents. And the state wants multiple documents to prove residency. Such things as a driver's license, utility bills, bank accounts etc.

So that's the problem. What would be your solution?

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Toyota Exits Formula One Racing

Almost a year ago I blogged that Honda had decided that they could no longer participate in Formula One racing. They pulled out just a short time before the start of the 2009 season.

As most fans know, their team was taken over and renamed Brawn GP. And the Brawn GP won both the constructor and driver's championship for this year.

Just recently Toyota announced they were pulling out of Formula One racing and would not be involved next year. The announcement came as a little surprise for a couple of reasons. First, while many people thought they would pull the plug, it was anticipated that the announcement would take place on November 15th. This meeting was scheduled to discuss their 2010 budget, and it would seem to be an appropriate time to announce their racing plans.

The second reason this was a little bit of a shock is that Toyota was one of the companies who signed the Concorde Agreement in July of this year, and it committed the company to be a Formula One team for three more years.

I think someone at Toyota is in trouble. Hard to believe that in July they were willing to commit to three more years, and in just over three months later decide that they are out. Someone screwed up big time.

Thanks for visiting

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

2010 Accord Coupe

Road and Track on line has a good review of the Honda Accord Coupe for 2010. You can read the entire article here:

http://buyersguide.caranddriver.com/honda/accord/2010/honda-accord-coupe

I have a couple of comments on their article. First they mention that the Accord Coupe with a V6 is now the hot Honda with the demise of the S2000, except perhaps for the Civic Si. I have to agree with this. I am a sponsor on www.driveaccord.net and the one car that the enthusiasts mention is the V6 coupe. If you want an Accord to modify for more performance or appearance this is the one to purchase.

More people lament the fact that they purchased the coupe with the I4 engine. Nothing wrong here if you want better gas mileage and a lower price. But if performance is your thing, its much better to spring for the V6 rather than the I4 and try to make it more powerful.

The base prices range from $23,265 to $32,015 and you of course can add different options. So while the v6 coupe is not a true sports car, you can get a lot of bang for your buck, and have a great car for a lot less than most sports cars.

I was impressed with the highway mileage of 31, as the Fit I just purchased only gets 33 and it is a much smaller and lighter car. But the Fit sure wins in cargo space. The Accord coupe gets 12 square feet and the Fit 20+. The Fit also expands to over 50+ with the rear seats down. While I really like the 2010 coupe, the interior space on the Fit won me over.

For all of the specs and a quote if you like, check out the link above.

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

I Just Purchased a Honda Fit

I have discussed some of the features I liked about the Honda Fit and yesterday I put a deposit on one.

A deposit - yes?

My wife and I have decided that it is time to move from sunny San Diego, Ca to Overcast and Rainy Southern Oregon Coast.

We just put our home on the market, and all week have had people in and out preparing the house for sale. Two handy men for two days, two cleaners for half a day, and several hours of run cleaning this morning. Next week part of our patio deck is being replaced (termite inspection) and then two and half days to trim trees and get the back yard ready.

So what does all of this have to do with a Honda Fit? Glad you asked. We are faced with getting two 100 lb plus each dogs up to Oregon. We will never transport them in an airplane, so it looked like a car was the way to go. None of our current crop of cars was worth taking up there, which was why I was looking at purchasing a new one. I wanted a fairly inexpensive car that would haul all of us up there.

Once I decided upon a Honda Fit, the question came up, where to buy it. If I purchase the car in California, I will pay both sales tax and all kinds of registrations. Perhaps around $2,000 or so.
If I purchase the car in Oregon, no sales tax and minimum taxes for registration. So do you see where I am leaning?

Now, how to buy a car in Oregon and get it down to San Diego? First problem is, the Oregon dealer cannot sell me the car and have it delivered to San Diego. Second, he can't sell it to me until I am an Oregon resident.

So here is the convoluted plans. As soon as my house goes into escrow, my wife and I will fly up to Oregon. We plan on renting a house for a couple of months, until we find a new home. Once we get there, I will have a lease, and then will open a bank account. Now we can be considered residents.

Later for the rest of the story.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Brawn Wins Formula One!

Late last year I was commenting on Honda's pulling out of formula one races. They dithered around for a while and then pulled the plug.

At seemingly the last minute Ross Brawn stepped in and purchased the team. It was just three weeks away from the season start.

There is one more race scheduled in the 2009 season, but for the titles, the season is over.
Brawn GP has won the constructors trophy and their number one driver, Jenson Button has become the Formula One Driver's Champion.

"Jenson Button won six of the first seven races -- and teammate Rubens Barrichello proved a consistent high-point scorer as well -- Brawn GP became the dominant force in the 2009 season."

This was just reported in today's USA Today's on-line report. If you are interested in formula one racing or real upsets, then I suggest you read the entire article,

I missed the race today, and this is one of the few races that I really am sorry I did not see.

Check out the article for a bunch of very strange events - perhaps one of the strangest races in years.


http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2009-10-18-3567802721_x.htm

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda Fit Conclusion

In the prior two blogs I mentioned several reasons for looking at a Honda Fit as my next car. In this blog I'll wrap up my reasons.

One key reason is the size of the car. It is a sub-compact but handles and loads like a larger car. Over the years I have driven small cars and large station wagons and pickup trucks. Of course along with sport cars. I have to say that I don't like large cars. Yes they may be safer in an accident, and on a long trip they may be better, but all in all they are a pain.

They use more gas, have much larger turning circles, harder to park, harder to get in and out of in tight spaces and I always feel they are bigger than the traffic lanes I drive in. Ya, I know I'm a little crazy, but that's the way I feel. Big is not better.

The second reason is safety. My newest car (my wife's car actually) is a 1999 model. There have been some improvements in car safety since then. The fit comes with Active Front Head Restraints, Front Airbags, Side Airbags with OPDS (Occupant Position Dection System), Side Curtain Airbags, Side Impact Beams, ACE Body Structure (Honda's front end construction), Vehicle Stability Assist, ABS and Traction Control.

It also has 10 cup holders, and my Ferrai has only one (me).

Last, and perhaps most important is the color choices. Several years ago at a car show my wife fell in love with a purple Lamborghini. Now I don't have $300,000 plus to buy her one. But the Honda Fit comes in a new shade called Blackberry Pearl. And it's close enough to purple to keep her happy.

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda Fit Continued

As I mentioned earlier, our next car may be the Honda Fit. What first caught my eye was the amazing amount of interior space. And how easy it was to configure. First this is a sub compact, but it has more room than many small SUVs.

It starts out as a four to five passenger car. I would really say four, but Honda claims you can put 3 adults in the back seat. Now let's say you want to carry more stuff in the back. You start out with just over 20 cubic feet behind the rear seats. Fold them down and now you have 53 cubic feet of storage space. Wow!

Let's assume a different need. This time you have a long object, like a ladder, rug, surf board or what have you, up to 7 feet 2 inches in length. So you fold down part of the rear seat and you can carry this object. The rear seat is one of those 40 - 60 splits, so in addition to this long thing you want to carry, you can also have a passenger sitting in the rear.

All three of these configurations are typical and available in other cars. However, Honda has another trick up their sleeves. This one is called the "magic seat". Recall that the rear seats fold forward. They also fold up. That is the seat portion folds up and connects to the back. This leaves a deep well when you open the rear doors. You can now carry an object up to 4 feet tall. How's that for innovation?

More later.

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Honda Fit

I was always considering that my next car would be a Honda Accord. However in the past few days I have changed my mind. My next ride will probably be a Honda Fit. Why a Fit? Several reasons.

First is total cost. I have two very expensive cars today. A Ferrari and a Jaguar. True, they are not very new, and not worth a whole lot, but boy are they expensive when it's time for repairs. This time around I wanted a new car, for not a lot of money.

Next was the fact that my wife and I have two dogs. I guess you would call them large size, as one weighs 110 lbs and the skinny one 105. They take up an entire back seat and like to stick their heads out of the window when we are driving slowly in the city. They ride today in the back seat of a Toyota Camry. The seat used to be covered in nice leather. Today it is covered in duct tape and a blanket. Besides ruining the seat, there is a second disadvantage, in the gap between the seat edge and the back of the front seats. The dogs can fall into this gap and hurt themselves.

A Honda Fit offers a flat, carpeted bed, when the rear seats are folded down. Easy for the dogs to jump up and still able to look out of the windows.

The Fit is also rated the #1 sub compact by various car mags and organizations. Different looks, great mileage (highway 33-35 depending on the transmission), light on the initial fee (under $20,000), peppy but not very fast.

Five speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. My wife would be using the normal automatic transmission and I would wear out the paddle shifters.

More tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting.

www.autogrillcraft.com

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