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Martin City, MT Car Consumer Discussions

Successfully imported a 2008 Honda Odyssey with 8 miles

by dd99 on Sat Jul 12 19:53:03 PDT 2008

I bought a 2008 Honda Odyssey with 8 miles on.. It was not considered Brand new but was Honda Certified Used and had been titled by Honda USA. The trick is to find one of these. It took me a while and to find a dealer that will sell you one at good price and not at a premium as it has the extended warranty included ($1500), not that the warranty is valid for Canadians anyways. I bought it for the 2008 EXL-RES model for $28,700(list $34,445) including documentation fee and Temporary Tag(30 days) used to drive back over to the Canadian border. I did not have to pay sales tax as it is being exported. I bought the car from Martin Mainline Honda, in Philadelphia. I dealt with a great salesman(Steve Sacks Ext 113) who has Toronto links and was extremely helpful and professional.. I trusted him from all our emails and phonecalls and he was genuine. He even paid for my taxi from my hotel to his dealership. I found the car through Honda USA certified used website. I didn’t need any other tags to get to the Detroit/Windsor border as they are open 24 hrs for processing. The only issue I came across was the US border did not export it as I Did not have the original Title which you won’t get until about 2-3weeks later. Thus the did not stamp my photocopy title. This was a pain.. I had sent them the information via FAX from the dealer as the prescribed 72 hours. Canadian border just need the Bill of sale a copy of your title. They did not ask for the stamp from US customs.. Thus my recommendation was to go to the Canadian side directly. Tell them you are importing car at the booth. They will ask your value and write it on a yellow slip to take inside and pay the GST and fill out form 1 for RIV. Do RIV payment of $200 online and you will get an email with form 2 about 3-4 days later. For Honda you will not be getting a Recall clearance letter from Honda USA .. RIV is aware of this and will do it for you… you can call them in advance to verify this. You will need the original title with the safety inspection (which I did at Canadian Tire) for about $90 and did not have to change anything on this HONDA to take to the Provincial Licence center and pay the PST on the $28,600. All in all it was pretty easy as long as you follow some of the earlier post’s step by step way of getting it here. Don’t listen to your friends telling you won’t be able to do it.. I did and save around $9,500 after all expenses ( Travel, gas, speeding ticket, exchange, etc) The officer did not question my temporary tag and new I was in transit and did not give me any problems as he could see I had all the documents. If you have further questions email me at dd19999 at gmail dot com. To bring a Honda Get a Certified Used and is known as No-Miler. This dealership had a couple more with the same options. I bought this a couple of weeks ago and even went to Atlantic city with my family the US/Canadian Border was no problem once you have the Ontario plates on this US car. Cheers and good luck to all. DD :)

Health Risk with Toyota Hybrid

by nkaizer on Tue Apr 29 08:03:16 PDT 2008

I just bought a 2009 TCH and love the mileage benefits over my traded-in Infiniti, but saw an unnerving article in this Sunday's NY Times about the health risks of Hybrid cars; Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive in particular. Here is the very well written and awakening NYT article from 4/28/2008. Fear, but Few Facts, on Hybrid Risk ALMOST without exception, scientists and policy makers agree that hybrid vehicles are good for the planet. To a small but insistent group of skeptics, however, there is another, more immediate question: Are hybrids healthy for drivers? Mary DiBiase Blaich for The New York Times Driving a hybrid made Neysa Linzer drowsy. There is a legitimate scientific reason for raising the issue. The flow of electrical current to the motor that moves a hybrid vehicle at low speeds (and assists the gasoline engine on the highway) produces magnetic fields, which some studies have associated with serious health matters, including a possible risk of leukemia among children. With the batteries and power cables in hybrids often placed close to the driver and passengers, some exposure to electromagnetic fields is unavoidable. Moreover, the exposure will be prolonged — unlike, say, using a hair dryer or electric shaver — for drivers who spend hours each day at the wheel. Some hybrid owners have actually tested their cars for electromagnetic fields using hand-held meters, and a few say they are alarmed by the results. Their concern is not without merit; agencies including the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute acknowledge the potential hazards of long-term exposure to a strong electromagnetic field, or E.M.F., and have done studies on the association of cancer risks with living near high-voltage utility lines. While Americans live with E.M.F.’s all around — produced by everything from cellphones to electric blankets — there is no broad agreement over what level of exposure constitutes a health hazard, and there is no federal standard that sets allowable exposure levels. Government safety tests do not measure the strength of the fields in vehicles — though Honda and Toyota, the dominant hybrid makers, say their internal checks assure that their cars pose no added risk to occupants. Researchers with expertise in hybrid-car issues say that while there may not be cause for alarm, neither should the potential health effects be ignored. end of article * * * While I'm not trading my car in just yet, it does give me more than a slight cause for concern with putting the little ones in the back seat for a two hour trip. Any additional information in this issue -- either way it falls -- would be appreciated. “It would be a mistake to jump to conclusions about hybrid E.M.F. dangers, as well as a mistake to outright dismiss the concern,” said Jim Kliesch, a senior engineer for the clean vehicles program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “Additional research would improve our understanding of the issue.” Charges that automobiles expose occupants to strong electromagnetic fields were made even before hybrids became popular. In 2002, a Swedish magazine claimed its tests found that three gasoline-powered Volvo models produced high E.M.F. levels. Volvo countered that the magazine had compared the measurements with stringent standards advanced by a Swedish labor organization, not the more widely accepted criteria established by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, a group of independent scientific experts based near Munich. Much of the discussion over high E.M.F. levels has sprung from hybrid drivers making their own readings. Field-strength detectors are widely available; a common model, the TriField meter, costs about $145 online. But experts and automakers contend that it is not simple for a hybrid owner to make reliable, meaningful E.M.F. measurements. The concern over high E.M.F. levels in hybrids has come not just from worrisome instrument readings, but also from drivers who say that their hybrids make them ill. Neysa Linzer, 58, of Bulls Head in Staten Island, bought a new Honda Civic Hybrid in 2007 for the 200 miles a week she drove to visit grocery stores in her merchandising job for a supermarket chain. She said that the car reduced her gasoline use, but there were problems — her blood pressure rose and she fell asleep at the wheel three times, narrowly averting accidents. “I never had a sleepiness problem before,” Ms. Linzer said, adding that it was her own conclusion, not a doctor’s, that the car was causing the symptoms. Ms. Linzer asked Honda to provide her with shielding material for protection from the low-frequency fields, but the company declined her request last August, saying that its hybrid cars are “thoroughly evaluated” for E.M.F.’s before going into production. Ms. Linzer’s response was to have the car tested by a person she called her wellness consultant, using a TriField meter. The TriField meter is made by AlphaLab in Salt Lake City. The company’s president, Bill Lee, defends its use for automotive testing even though the meter is set up to test alternating current fields, whereas the power moving to and from a hybrid vehicle’s battery is direct current. “Generally, an A.C. meter is accurate in detecting large electromagnetic fields or microwaves,” he said. Testing with a TriField meter led Brian Collins of Encinitas, Calif., to sell his 2001 Honda Insight just six months after he bought it — at a loss of $7,000. He said the driver was receiving “dangerously high” E.M.F. levels of up to 135 milligauss at the hip and up to 100 milligauss at the upper torso. These figures contrasted sharply with results from his Volkswagen van, which measured one to two milligauss. Mr. Collins said he tried to interest Honda in the problem in 2001, but was assured that his car was safe. He purchased shielding made of a nickel-iron alloy, but because of high installation costs decided to sell the car instead. A spokesman for Honda, Chris Martin, points to the lack of a federally mandated standard for E.M.F.’s in cars. Despite this, he said, Honda takes the matter seriously. “All our tests had results that were well below the commission’s standard,” Mr. Martin said, referring to the European guidelines. And he cautions about the use of hand-held test equipment. “People have a valid concern, but they’re measuring radiation using the wrong devices,” he said. Kent Shadwick, controller of purchasing services for the York Catholic District School Board in York, Ontario, evaluated the Toyota Prius for fleet use. Mr. Shadwick said it was tested at various speeds, and under hard braking and rapid acceleration, using a professional-quality gauss meter. “The results that we saw were quite concerning,” he said. “We saw high levels in the vehicle for both the driver and left rear passenger, which has prompted us to explore shielding options

Re: A Fundamental Change in US City development [steve_]

by flash11 on Sat Apr 19 23:31:51 PDT 2008

Thanks for the stats, I like the one about Hong Kong making massive profits, that would be a good argument for future mass transit developments in the US, the land of fiscal responsibility and capitalism. I also liked that link on Webster's book, very nice. That 55% in Montreal it is an eye opener but the city probably designed the program that way. You forgot to mention Montreal also spends half its city budget on snow removal as well. Find a way to make it stop snowing there and Montreal will be in the black.:) Can you suggest any modern thought on how the US should proceed with its forboding transportation problem ? I have not read all the string here but has there been any consensus on the best form of transport car wise yet ? Would the world economies topple if energy for cars were very cheap if not free ? Right now the Japanese Space agency,the European Space Agency and the Space Island Group want to build and orbit massive solar satellites that collect and beam the energy down to earth to microwave reciever stations that will convert it to electricity and will theoretically have unlimited free electricity,theoretically.... Wow, energy problem solved, no more pollution ! Electric cars here we come. FYI, the government is spending multi-billions on a mass transit space program to put people in space hotels (Bigelow Aerospace), a Space Elevator (Liftport,Sedco), and land humans on Mars in 2030 (Boeing,Lockheed Martin, NASA). Hmmm, I guess we do not have enough money or political fortitude to save this planet, lets go to Mars !

Re: Back to the Smart - [boaz47]

by podred on Mon Feb 25 09:23:06 PST 2008

Great Post! I could not agree more..... :) Just think of this picture in your minds eye. I have a rather extensive car collection of mostly new (1905 and newer) exotics: Ferrari F40, F50 F430, luxury/performance euro cars ie: BMW, M3, M5. M6. MBZ, SL65 (V-12) AMG, E63 AMG, Aston Martin DB9 Coupe, Then some not so exotic or luxurious but "fun" cars: 05 Mini Cooper S, 08 Yaris S Hatch, 06 Subaru Impreza WRX STi, 08 Corvette Z06, etc. So with choices like these guess which ones I enjoy the most when it comes to day to day driving around the city our out for a weekend in the typical Pacifi Coast, Hwy 1, Traffic? (I live in Newport Beach). Yes you guessed it, I like to be in either the Mini Cooper S or the Yaris, now that I have had it turbocharged which, along with some other mods have brought it up a nice 188 hp on the Dyno. These cars are so zippy, mauverable, and fit in so well so as to not be notice for the most part. It's nice to be a able to refuel wihout drawing a crowd. Sure the others are in some cases World Class Cars, but after it's all said and done the places they can be driven (not just motoring around in congested traffic) are quite limited. Now when it comes to trips over 100 miles, then the Aston is a very nice car to drive as are any of the MBZ's or BMW's. As far as the Ferraris are concernded, I only take those to car shows, or out on Track Days with some of my ex-racer friends, as having raced together years ago. We are safe on the track together and therefore it's quite a fun time. I mean, why have a terrific Ferrari if you cannot take it out and just jump on it ! To experience the true capabilities of the car is one aural and physical delight.

Re: Is it just my CX-9? [martin_m]

by 99zoomr on Fri Nov 16 06:12:52 PST 2007

I've had my 2007 CX-9 w/FWD with the 3.5 since last February and am about to hit the 10k mark. So far the worst mileage I've had (in stop and go city) has been 15mpg, and the best I've got on freeway driving is 23mpg. The last few tanks, with combined city/highway, have been between 19 and 20...

This could be my next sedan!

by circlew on Thu Nov 01 04:54:57 PDT 2007

I love this stuff! PML Builds 640hp Electric MINI Surely it can't be an Electric Mini?! While all the world's most famous motoring names look on, a British company, PML, has chosen the UK's most prestigious motor show as the venue to strip away all the misconceptions surrounding electric/hybrid vehicles and to showcase a truly awesome car. Featuring four revolutionary electric wheels, the standard BMW Mini One you can see on Stand 270 is predicted to have a top speed approaching 150mph and to out-accelerate a Porsche 911 Carrera from 0-60mph. Brake horsepower is a stunning 160bhp per wheel - 640bhp in total. The car, dubbed the Mini QED, has been designed to run for four hours of combined urban/extra urban driving, powered only by a battery and bank of ultra capacitors. For longer journeys at higher speeds, a small conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) is used to re-charge the battery. In this hybrid mode, fuel economies of up to 80mpg can be achieved. Explains Martin Boughtwood, PML's MD: "Until now, most electric vehicles have been little more than souped-up milk floats, limited by range and speed, with compromised performance. For those with a green conscience who also value an enhanced motoring experience, there is still something missing. "Working in partnership with our customer, Synergy Innovations, we set out to demonstrate what our electric wheel technology is capable of. We simply took a standard BMW Mini One, discarded the engine, the disc brakes, the wheels, and the gearbox. These components were replaced by four of our electric wheels, a lithium polymer battery, a large ultra capacitor, a very small ICE with generator (so small it almost fits alongside the spare wheel), an energy management system and a sexy in-car display module." The benefits of PML in-wheel drive technology are; * It is adaptable to other vehicle chassis * It eliminates the need for gearing and mechanical drive train * It allows more space inside the car The vehicle has three driver-selectable modes of operation: * Eco mode for town/city frequent start-stop driving; * Normal mode for daily commuting and ICE- equivalent operation, and * Sport mode for super car performance. Other notable features include: * No (mechanical) brakes means returned energy! All braking is performed by the wheel motors acting as very efficient electrical generators which return almost all of the energy back to the battery system. The beauty of this dual-circuit, ultra safe system is that your green conscience can be quite content even when accelerating hard, since you are assured of collecting most of the expended energy when it is time to slow down rapidly. ABS as standard - even when accelerating Because the wheels are high performance motors, ABS comes as a standard function built into each wheel's software. Now anti-skid can also be applied to acceleration since the motor can smoothly control torque delivery to/from the road in both cases. Flooring the brake or accelerator hard merely results in controlled maximum torque, giving the shortest possible stopping or acceleration time. Clever wheels The technology eliminates the need for crude differential gears to share power between left and right sides. The wheels are in constant communication with each other deciding 1000 times each second how much torque share is optimum for the current driving conditions. Should one wheel detect a slippery surface and take appropriate anti-skid actions, the other wheels are aware of this instantly and adopt an appropriate compensating strategy to keep the vehicle as stable as possible. 640 brake horsepower - for life! Each wheel develops 160bhp - 640bhp in total. The original Mini One develops less than 100bhp with an engine that weighs nearly double the weight of the four electric wheels! Apart from wheel bearings there are no wearing parts in the electric wheels; this means the horsepower stays for the life of the vehicle - and beyond. Simple, safe, versatile charging As the battery level reduces, the rear mounted ICE/generator starts to automatically top up the battery. So when you arrive at your destination you can simply park the vehicle knowing that when you return the battery will be replenished. Alternatively you can take advantage of lower cost mains electricity and plug in to recharge. So you never need to worry about battery capacity or how to recharge. During operation, as the battery level falls the generator cuts in, enabling an average speed of 60 - 70mph to be sustained with no further battery depletion. Super capacitor - super acceleration Capacitors are used to store electrical energy. The difference between batteries and capacitors is that capacitors can release/absorb their energy 10 times faster than a battery. For acceleration or power boost at higher speeds the capacitor enables nitro-like performance, more than doubling the power from the battery during these events. Very efficient energy recovery means almost nothing is wasted during stop/start city travel. Energy flow management A significant key to super performance is optimum energy management which continuously decides where the energy flow should be - battery, super capacitor, generator or wheels. By clever optimisation of the flows, best use can be made of available reserves, enabling a fun driving experience whilst protecting the planet. Small engine and generator The small ICE weighs a mere 15kg (less than 1/10th of the original Mini One engine) and delivers peak power of 20kW and continuous power of 15kW. A high efficiency electrical generator is fitted to the engine to provide power when the battery depletion level demands. The key point is that the engine is run at a continuous speed and load - which results in optimum efficiency fuel conversion. After delivering the energy to the battery system the mileage equivalent translates to between 65 and 80mpg! In-car display With all this advanced technology the driver needs to have clear and complete information presented. The in-car display module uses the latest touch screen technology with intuitive display and scroll options. Selectable driving modes allow economy mode to sport boost mode at a touch. Displaying available mileage allocated by battery and fuel along with boost status, the display gives comprehensive information. As well as standard speed, diagnostic and status functions, the display is GPRS enabled allowing future options of: * Remote diagnosis of any fault * Auto tracking of speed limits (optional!) * Auto management of generator to prevent inner city operation * History storage and system configuration interface QED: What Next? Having developed it's high performance in-wheel drive systems, PML worked in partnership with Synergy Innovations to demonstrate, once and for all, that envi